I Washed My Face with Oil for 6 Months—Here’s What Happened

While scrolling through Pinterest one fateful day, in the midst of all of the DIYs and healthy cookie dough recipes, I stumbled upon an article about the oil cleansing method (OCM). Now I’ve been to dermatologist offices, so I’m aware of the bad reputation that oil has in the acne industry. Even so, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.

PHOTO: Cassidy Clark

I researched more about the method and found pictures of glowing skin and rave reviews. Some fans of this method had managed to clear cystic acne, and others hadn’t purchased a traditional facial cleanser or moisturizer in years. Some of you may be wondering what the heck the oil cleansing method is. This method is a skin cleansing regimen in which you smear oil all over your face, then place a warm washcloth over top to open up your pores. You massage the oil into your skin, wipe away the excess, and you’re done. The idea behind this is that the oil you put on your face dissolves the bad oils in your skin. This will supposedly leave your face clear and moisturized. I grabbed some olive oil from my kitchen and proceeded to forego traditional face wash for six months.

My research suggested that I would go through a transition period, where I’d break out before things got better. This period typically lasts two to three weeks, and then supposedly my skin would be glowing. It’s safe to say that in all my six months I never made it to this light at the end of the tunnel. Sure, there were days when my skin would look and feel great, but for every one of those days there would be two or three where I’d be sprouting pimples like crazy, and it was not a good look.

I figured that I may just be using the wrong oil, so I began to invest in a few different kinds: jojoba, rose hip seed, coconut, and castor, just to name a few. Nothing worked, and I began to feel my skin grow oddly dry and even more zit-infested.

In an act of despair, I drove to the drugstore and picked up the chemical-laden cleanser I had been using before my OCM journey. And you know what? It worked. Soon after, I discovered my holy grail face wash, black African soap, and I’ve never looked back into my greasy past.
In conclusion, this method didn’t work for me. There are obviously people who it does work for, though, so if you feel inclined, try it out! You may regret it, but you might love it.

Do you have any crazy beauty tips? Let us know on social media @Cfashionista!

Additional photos by Cassidy Clark.

Makeup that Beats the Heat

One of the best things about Southern California is the shimmery, golden sun almost all year round. Summer is the best time for adventures, long days, and late nights. I’m always on the lookout for makeup products that last and tips to keep me fresh-faced. These great beauty tips will leave you glowy and bronzed throughout your summer adventure!

1—The base. The most important part of a full face of makeup is the base that it rests on. The key to long-lasting makeup is a trustworthy foundation. I like to go for the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation. This foundation feels natural and smooth and blends perfectly into my skin. Also, it has SPF 15 which is great for a day out in the sun. Not only does it cover my small blemishes, it’s lightweight and lasts all day and night. So no worries about touch ups on your day out.

2—The eyes. I love a good smokey eye for the summer. My favorite palette of neutrals, with a little pop of color, is the Too Faced Chocolate Bar. These eyeshadows are highly pigmented and blendable. And it smells amazing! I always start with the light browns and slowly add in darker shades. I top it off with a little shimmer on my inner lid and I feel glamorous and effortless.

3—The glow. My favorite part of a makeup look is finishing off with a gorgeous bronzer and highlighter to give me a bronze glow that leaves me feeling like a goddess. One of my favorite products this summer is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer. This two-in-one bronzer and highlighter leaves me with a natural color and strobe. It’s the perfect way finish off a glowy summer look and locks in that ray of sunlight.

Extra Tip

If you feel like making your summer look a little more glam and chic, I love to add a rose-toned liquid lipstick and top it off with a glittery gloss!

I love a natural look for my summer adventures. What are some of your favorite products and tips? Let me know in the comments below!

How to Achieve the ‘Summer Glow’ From the Inside Out

The ’summer glow’ is something we all desire. While there are loads of amazing products out there (self-tanners and highlighters) that help achieve the look, there’s nothing as beautiful as creating the look au naturel. Here’s how you do it.

1—Hydrate. The number one action you can take to healthy, glowing skin is staying hydrated. Your skin is an organ (crazy, right?), and organs, being made up of cells (which are made up of water), need water to stay healthy. Neglecting to drink water can lead to dry and dull-looking skin, as well as make you more prone to wrinkles.

2—Get some zzzs. Sleep is another important factor in how your skin looks and feels. When you sleep, your body creates blood flow to the skin that makes you look more fresh and lively in the morning. As well as creating blood flow, your skin creates new collagen while you sleep that repairs your overall complexion. (Not having dark, saggy eyes helps, too.) Strive for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

3—Sweat. While getting sweaty sounds like a run in the wrong direction when it comes to a clear complexion, it actually carries various benefits (besides a rocking body). Sweating during exercise rids your skin of dirt, oils, and other toxins that cause breakouts, and it creates blood flow that helps drab-looking skin (just make sure to hop in the shower soon after).

4—Skip the chips. More often than not, your diet, as well as gut health, will always manifest itself through the appearance of your skin. That being said, maintaining a balanced, healthy diet will leave your skin looking and feeling likewise. Pro tip: find healthier alternatives to your favorite junk foods, and create more wholesome grocery lists.

5—Routine. Last but not least, creating and sticking to a skincare routine helps maintain and improve your skin’s overall health and appearance. Cleansing your face day and night, moisturizing, as well as wearing sunscreen are some of the most important aspects of a skincare routine. The consistency of a routine will create a consistency in happy, healthy skin.

What are your skincare tips? Be sure to tag @CFashionista and show us!

Skincare First, Makeup Second

“Skincare first, makeup second.” This is the phrase the trendy company Glossier uses to promote their products and a phrase I decided to make my motto for my new skin care routine earlier this year. To my surprise, my new and improved skin care and makeup routine have worked wonders on my skin. Everyone’s skin is different, but these are some of the products that work well for me.

The biggest adjustment I made in my routine was washing my face. I used to strictly use makeup wipes due to my level of laziness. Don’t get me wrong, they do work, but not for my skin. They were drying my face out and I needed a product that would both remove my makeup and clean my skin. Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser does the trick! I use a squirt once in the morning and once before bed and it always leaves me feeling clean and fresh.

Next, depending on whether I am applying makeup or going barefaced, I choose between two moisturizers. I have always struggled with dry, cracked skin, so moisturizers are very important to me. If I am planning on applying makeup directly after washing my face I will use Glossier’s Priming Moisturizer. If I am not planning to wear makeup or after my nightly face wash, I will use Aveeno’s Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer.

My makeup routine is pretty much the same every day. I use a Glossier skin tint, concealer, brow product, and blush along with a Benefit highlighter, bronzer, and mascara. But, my favorite makeup products that I swear by are Benefit’s Watt’s Up Highlight Stick and Glossier’s Sheer Matte Lipstick. These three products leave me feeling dewy, fresh, and always complete every look.

Learning which products work best for my skin was a process. It took trial and error, but in the end, I achieved healthy and happy skin that leaves me glowing. I hope the products that have helped me can give you a jump-start on your journey to healthier skin.

Let us know which products leave your skin happy in the comments below! And don’t forget, skin care first, makeup second.

Must-Try Hot Weather Makeup

As the summer months pass us by, the rising temperatures keep on coming. Depending on where you live in the world, it is hot outside and your makeup is facing the heat. Switching from your favorite full coverage foundation to a lightweight option is necessary to most. However, there are other ways to take a little weight off your skin. Whether you are having fun in the sun or preparing to go back to school, these products can work for anyone.

Skin

Start with your face makeup. Yes, you can switch to a tinted moisturizer, but a flawless base starts with a lightweight and glow-inducing primer. If you have dry skin, this type of product will be your best friend. On the other hand, if your skin is oily, you may be better off sticking to your matte base. Try mixing a liquid highlighter into your foundation for a similar effect.

For spot highlighting on any skin type, ditch your powder highlighter for a liquid one to apply on the highest points of the face. One less powder will prevent caked-on product and promote glowing, healthy looking skin. The one product that most use year-round to add warmth to their faces is bronzer! You can’t go wrong with a matte bronzer applied to the outer areas of the face.

The best part of makeup is its versatility. If you like or dislike a product, feel free to add or take away any when deciding your favorites to put into your routine for the hot weather months.

Eyes

One product you could consider adding to your routine is a deep bronze-colored eyeliner in place of the go-to classic black. The warmer shade will still add definition to the eyes, but will also update your look for a lighter summer look.

Speaking of eyes, a golden glow is always an easy way to elevate your summer makeup look from glowing to glittering. Stila’s Magnificent Metals are easy to use and are long-lasting on the eyes. Pop it in your inner corner or across the lid—the possibilities are truly endless.

Lips

If you are a lipstick lover, you may enjoy a lip topper. A lip topper is essentially a gloss with shimmer and glitter throughout it. Applying it to the center of the lips will make your lips look bigger, whereas applying it all over the lips will give your look a shimmering glow to make your look complete.

Trying these different products during the summer is a fun way to brighten up your complexion and try out glowing products.

How do you change up your routine for the summer months? Let me know in the comments below!

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How I Saved My Chemically Damaged Hair in 7 Easy Steps

At the end of last year, I was on a mission to go from to go from black to blonde hair. After two highlight sessions and an all-over balayage, I was blonde, but my hair had suffered a lot of chemical damage. It was stretchy and gummy when wet and hay-like when dry.

I have adapted a hair routine that suits my bleached hair and I can confidently say that my hair is in good health (for a bleach blonde). Here’s how I saved my chemically damaged hair in 7 easy steps.

1—Be patient, My hair may have turned into cotton candy in the span of an hour, but it took weeks to see a positive difference in the integrity of my hair. Be patient and trust that the wait will be worth it because you can salvage most of your length.

2—Avoid sulfates, parabens and silicones. Most shampoos and conditioners contain harsh chemicals that damage the hair. Once I was using sulfate, paraben, and silicone-free products, I noticed my hair was softer and had more volume.

3—Deep condition regularly. The first few weeks after my hair was bleached, I focused on bringing back moisture. I did several conditioning treatments with coconut oil and and Jamaican Black Castor oil. I like to use SheaMoisture Strengthen & Grow treatment mask and Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner which is great for detangling in the shower. Both of these products are sulfate, paraben, and silicone free.

4—Buy a microfiber towel. The fibers in regular towels create extra frizziness and breakage in the hair, a microfiber towel has softer strands. I got mine at Amazon for $10.

5—Stop using heat! Give your heat tools an extended vacation. Your hair will thank you. My hair would have burned off if I continued to use my flat iron regularly.

6—Find a no-heat style that works for you. Without my loyal flat iron, I needed alternatives to manage my mane. Braids became my go-to styling method. I french braid my hair after it is 50 percent dry and sleep on it. My hair is protected from breakage during the night and I wake up with frizz-free curls every morning.

7—Embrace your natural hair texture. I use to love how I looked best when my hair was straight, but in order to save my hair, I had to learn to embrace my natural texture. Now, I scroll through natural curly hair girls on Instagram who have been on this journey for years, and I look forward to the luscious curls I’ll have in a few years when I’ve gotten rid of all my chemical damage. For now, I embrace the curls that my braids give me and take notice of the small changes in my hair as it grows stronger.

Will you be incorporating any of these steps into your natural hair regimen? Comment your favorite step below and tag us @CFashionista with a picture of your favorite hair products for the summer months!

Beauty Trends Everyone Should Try Out This Autumn

Beauty trends have come from runways to the streets. Before beauty trends were only seen on fashion shows but now people are spicing up their everyday looks with cool statement lipsticks, wild liners, and outstanding hair accessories. Our Style Guru shared her favorite beauty trends for the upcoming season.

Black Ribbons

Ruffles and ribbons have been on trend for a while now but designers can’t seem to get enough of them. This season’s trendiest way is to replace your hair tie with a velvet ribbon. Pair the velvet ribbon with cat eye makeup and red lipstick. I guarantee that your Saturday night look will be noticed. In addition, this trend is also student friendly since ribbon can be found at your local yarn shop.

Hair Clip

The hair clip is a new shocker. They can be the perfect detail in your party look or make your everyday hairstyle super chic. Brands like Topshop and H&M have a wide variety of hair clips from basics to more statement pieces. An easy way to start is to pin your hair up above your ear but trendsetters will part their hair with a golden hair clip.

Bright lipstick and No Makeup

Don’t feel like wearing makeup after the summer break? Get back on track with your makeup routines step by step by starting with just lipstick! Bright lipstick will give your sun-kissed skin extra glow and make it look super fresh! If you’re suffering from uneven skin tone, you can wear a layer of BB cream and even up your moles with light beige eye shadow and a hint of bronzer. Boldest ones will choose a bright orange lipstick this season but classic shades of pink and red are perfect for beginners.

What do you think about these beauty trends? Do you stick with basics from season to season or do you change your beauty routines? Let me know by commenting below!

Go-to Summer Beauty Essentials

Summer is no doubt one of the most anticipated seasons of the year. A new season is a perfect excuse to alter your beauty routine and try out new products. With the hot months of summer, it can become a challenge to keep your skin healthy with the unneeded amounts of humidity and sweat. But, there are a few handy solutions for all your beauty dilemmas.

1—Moisturizing. A reoccurring problem of mine is that no matter what season it is, I struggle with oily skin, so I wouldn’t moisturize my face. I had always thought that moisturizing would just build up the oil on my skin. When I found Pond’s Dry Skin Cream Rich Hydrating Facial Moisturizer, it helped resolve all my skin problems.

2—Primer. The Elf Mineral Infused Face Primer is another one of my go-to products for the summer, because of its lightweight consistency. This primer also helps my makeup last through the hot and humid days of summer. I definitely recommend this for anyone going on a beach vacation!

3—Facial spray. When I began using the Mario Badescu Rosewater Facial Spray, I was instantly hooked. Anytime I want to rejuvenate my face and feel refreshed, this is my ideal product. When spraying the rose water, after applying your primer, it allows you to achieve a fresh dewy look. This product is also perfect to use as a setting spray!

4—BB cream. Using lightweight products during the summer months will allow your skin to breathe easier while still achieving your choice of coverage. The Maybelline Dream BB Pure gives your skin a light coverage while still covering your problem areas. Substituting BB cream for your foundation in the warmer months will give you the option to try out a new product, along with conserving the amount of foundation you’re using.

5—Mascara. Mascara is a must-have beauty product year round. Applying a few coats of mascara can help intensify your lashes with a more voluminous appearance. Roller Lash Mascara by Benefit is always my first choice when it comes to mascara.

6—Dry shampoo. Who has time to keep up with washing their hair with all the ongoing summer activities? With a few sprays, Wella Dry Shampoo helps all my hair washing problems disappear for those days you’re feeling extra lazy.

Be sure to share your favorite beauty products with @Cfashionista on Instagram and comment your favorite summer beauty essentials below!

Summer—Time for a Light Makeup Routine

Summer is a time of relaxation, hot days by the pool, beach hair, tan lines, and late nights. It’s also time for a more natural look with your makeup; summer makeup should be light and minimal. Here’s a little advice on how you can pull off the natural look this summer and go for a cleaner look.

I like to eliminate foundation of any kind during the summer season because it will only melt off from the sun. This is why I go for the simple face powder during the summer. The following products I’m going to recommend are ones I use on myself daily. For me, I use Bare Minerals, and the tone I use is called Fairly Light, considering I have pale skin. I suggest going for a tone that goes best with your skin color. This way, your skin tone doesn’t look darker and you have the right shade for your skin. Only place this in areas of shine. If you want a touch of highlighter then I suggest going for the Anastasia Glow Kit. This color palette has warmer tones, and the color Stardust is the perfect highlight tone since it’s more subtle. This adds a little shine to your skin and a slight glow. If you want your lashes to look long and slightly thin, then use Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced. I use Better Than Sex because it evens out my lashes and adds length instead of volume. Eyebrows are always a must for me, so I use Gimme Brow by Benefit. I use a light brown tone so it makes my eyebrows less harsh, giving them slight volume.

I don’t use as much on my skin, and that’s because summer is a time to show off your skin, let it take a breather from the heavy makeup, and let it soak up the sun!

So how do you rock the summer look? Do you go light with makeup or go out with a naked face? Let me know in the comments below, or show me on social media. Tag @CFashionista while you’re at it!

Skincare Products That Have Helped Improved My Skin

Who doesn’t have to deal with bad skin almost every day of their lives, or whenever it’s the time of the month? Yes, acne is one of our biggest enemies, but it can be resolved with a great skincare routine. Most people buy products that promise to reduce acne or have been recommended by dermatologists, but little do they know that these products are not what they need.

Growing up, I’ve battled with acne day in and day out. It was quite frustrating because I literally tried everything (well at least I thought I did) from egg whites, lemon squeezes, and even toothpaste. As I entered into my 20s, I decided to take it upon my myself and research everything that was going wrong with my skin. I learned that I had really oily skin and open pores because I wasn’t washing my face properly. At first, I used African black soap, but it only made my skin worse.

So then I went into The Body Shop and stumbled upon The Body Shop: Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash. I’d been reading rave reviews about the product so I took a chance and tried it out. I also decided to start taking dietary supplement pills (Biotin) with 10,000 MCG which helps improve my skin, hair, and nails. Usually, they recommend you take the lowest dose so your body has time to react to it, but I was desperate. As the months went by, I started to see a lot of improvements in my skin, especially my forehead. I stop using regular lotion, and brought Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum and Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet that my best friend recommended to me, and which helps keep my skin feeling hydrated.

During the night after I’ve finished washing my face, I clean off the extra dirt from my skin by using Thayer’s Witch Hazel with an exfoliating cotton pad. After my face is completely dry, I then apply Rugby Acne Medication (benzoyl peroxide gel USP 10 percent). Usually, about once a week once a week I use either the Boscia Sake Brightening Hydrogel or Too Cool for School Egg Cream Mask Hydration sheet mask. I love using them both because they saturate the skin with nourishing essences and you can also rub the leftover product into your skin.

It’s really not that hard to maintain an acne-free face. In all honesty, it’s important to wash your face twice a day whether or not you have acne. This helps remove dead skin cells, impurities, and excess oil from the skin. Drink a lot of water, moisturize, and buy skincare products that work for your type of skin. Granted my method may not work for everyone, but there’s always a product out there that will fit for every individual.

What methods or products do you guys use to fight off acne? Let me know in the comments below!