So, from time to time I may write about skincare (like this post) or make up products, I may show you my outfit for that day or just blabber on about something else.
I was reading Bubblegarm the other day, an amazing blog by a beautiful girl called Muhsine. She's also a London girl and her blog offers amazing insight and honest opinions on beauty, make-up, tips and tricks, skin care do's and dont's, etc!
Based on what I was reading, I felt inspired to look after my skin again. It hasn't been at it's best lately. Maybe because I've been neglecting it?! I have very oily skin which looks dewy as soon as I wash and apply a moisturiser in the morning but by 12pm it looks like I have ran a marathon in 35C heat. This then leads to blemishes breaking out around my mouth and chin area which I attempt to cover with foundation but this just leads to more oiliness and more spots - it's a vicious circle.
I would love to stop wearing foundation (especially during the day) but I always have a couple of spots taunting me and some scars and marks from previous spots that I squeezed (I know I shouldn't but I can help it)!
I've tried all sorts of brands (expensive and cheap) but I've never really given home made remedies or the natural way a go! I did a bit of research online and apparently lemon is supposed to be really good for oily skin and for acne. Lemon juice contains Citric Acid (one of the AHAs), it gets rid of dead skin, promotes elasticity and flushes out our pores! It's a cheap experiment so I thought why not give it a go?!
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* Wash my face with my regular cleanser and pat dry
* Dilute equal part of lemon juice and water and with a cotton ball, apply it all over my face as you would do with a toner (if you have dry skin, you should probably only apply it to the affected area and rinse off after 5 minutes if it burns. Remember that Lemon is has natural citric acid which works as an astringent so it may not be for you if you have dry or very sensitive skin)
*Moisturise as usual
I have now been using lemon juice as a cleanser/ toner for the past 8 days in the evening. (I only use it in the evening because my night cream is quite creamy whereas my day cream is oil free).
Verdict so far - The morning after I first applied it, I noticed a slight difference straight away. My skin felt softer but no major changes. On the 3rd day, the spots around my chin were still there but had dried up. On the the 5th day, the scares from previous spots were less visible but had obvisouly not disappeared and my pores seemed tighter. Today, the uneven pigmentation on my skin wasn't so noticeable and some brown spots were also beginning to brighten. It's not a miracle cure but has thus far worked much better than a lot of products I have tried.
I will now give my skin a bit of a break from the lemon juice as due to it's astringent properties, it may begin to irritate, but it's definitely a winner in my book.
Soon, I will also be making homemade lemon skincare masks mixed with other natural products to see what effect these have.
What's your experience with Lemon juice?
I love all your nail posts but its nice to branch into other areas sometimes :) I have super oily skin too and I didnt realise lemon juice was good for it, so I will definitely try this, thank u! xx
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I used to have oily skin. Back when... *sigh* I tried lemon juice and sadly, it didn't work for me. It seemed to exacerbate my acne, rather then clear it. I was so disappointed, as I had read so many success stories.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that it is working for you and I hope that continues.
Say, have you tried a honey aspirin masque/scrub? It is super easy to make. Put a handful of aspirin tabs (six or so) in a small dish and add a few drops of water, just enough to dissolve the aspirin and make is break down into grains. Add honey to make a paste and apply to your face. Scrub, then let it sit for a while. Rinse. Aspirin has Salicylic acid, a BHA and honey has cleansing, soothing and healing properties. :)
@ TheOtherSideofCool - Oily skin is a PITA!! Let me know how the lemon works for you :)
ReplyDelete@ Ice Queen - When it comes to skin care, not everything works for everybody! So far the lemon juice has been OK but I do have to give it a break as it's a strong astringent.
I haven't yet tried the aspirin & honey masque will will definitely give it a go over the weekend! It sounds really good!
I make tea at least once a day with ginger, lemon juice and some peppermint leaves. It's really good :) I don't know if you read it on this blog but I found some nice facts about lemons (and other home remedies) http://linahansonblog.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/health-benefits-of-lemons/
ReplyDelete@ Helga - that tea sounds really rejuventaing and detoxing! Thanks for the blog link, I've had a read and it looks really interesting :)
ReplyDeleteI heard about this lemon juice facial care a while ago. I bought a bottle of lemon juice and applied it to my face in the evening. It did make my face feel softer and cleaner immediately, but then I stopped using it, because I wasn't sure what it's gonna do to my skin if I used it regularly. Then the juice spoiled and I forgot about it. Maybe I should start using it again. Do you think a mask with lemon juice and honey would work? I don't know why, but I got the feeling they'd mix perfectly together. =D
ReplyDelete@ nihrida - that's why I've also stopped using it for a little while now! I'm not sure what it might do to the skin with prolonged use!
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention the lemon and honey mask - I did it last night and my skin was amazing this morning! It's a bit messy (I had honey running down my neck) but well worth it. I've got a couple more natural masks to try and will post about their effects in the near future :)
=) I guess we're connected in a way. I'll be waiting for your future mask posts.
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