Tea Tree Oil Zit Zapper

As great as coconut oil is for oh so many things, it's not perfect. For people with oil/acne prone skin, it can mean a nasty break out. After I used coconut oil to remove my eye makeup (and carelessly getting some on my cheek) I woke up to this bad boy:

Yikes! I used to be uber self-conscious about my enormous pores, but I don't even think about them anymore. I wouldn't mind finding a natural way to shrink them a bit... but that's another post for another day.

Forget the big pores. This angry zit is all I can see when I look in the mirror! So I applied a few drops of tea tree oil via Q-tip and this evil monster healed pretty quickly with no squeezing/picking/drying out/flaking. Day two was hard only because I REALLY wanted to pop this guy, but I refrained.

And today, day 3, I'm much more comfortable with this... and thrilled I didn't follow the same pattern of destroying my skin with drying agents and picking and squeezing.

Kinda just looks like one of my freckles! I can't believe how well tea tree oil worked to hasten the healing of this enormous zit!!

Coconut Oil Eye Makeup Remover

I'm  a total coconut oil junkie.

I just discovered how fantastic it works to remove eye makeup and I'm just that much more obsessed! I luuuuuurv makeup. Thick winged eyeliner, smokey eyes, fun colors... I dig the dramatic eye. That said, I'm always struggling to remove all the war paint without tugging and stretching the delicate skin around the eyes. I've tried dozens of makeup removers and so called gentle cleansers. Owwwww they make my eyelids sting! I swear I have it all off and the next morning I look like a raccoon. ugh.

But not anymore!! With a tiny dab of coconut oil I barely have to wipe my eyes and bam... the makeup is gone baby gone. Simple. Organic. Safe. Cruelty free. Cheap. Already had it in my cabinet.

This was 3 swipes with a cotton ball and some coconut oil:

YESSIIIIRRR

*** Just be careful if you have oily/acne prone skin. If I'm not careful to keep the coconut oil just around my eye area, I will break out in a gnarly under-the-skin zit.

Using Coconut Oil to Treat Pink Eye

OMG! Didn't you know that pink eye means you have poop in your eye?!

I've actually heard people say this. Adults. Sigh.

I've worn contact lenses since the 5th grade. I like to camp and swim in lakes and ponds and I ain't afraid to get dirty. I let my dogs & cat snuggle up on my bed. I love having my hands in the dirt whether it's to repot my houseplants or help my parents in their garden.

I also happen to be a neat freak in many ways. I wash my hands a zillion times a day, I wash my sheets twice a week, I groom my dogs weekly, I sweep daily, and I leave my shoes at the door. That said, I've still had the occasional conjuctivitis.

I most certainly do NOT get poop in my eyes. Pink eye is just inflammation of the membrane that coves the whites of your eyes and your eyelids.... which can happen because you slept in your makeup, you have an allergy, you got dust in your eye, or you have a virus.... just to name a few reasons. Anyhoo ...I got sidetracked defending my hygiene.

I didn't want to run to the Pharmacy and get antibiotics every time my eyes got irritated, but I didn't want to wait to see if it was indeed a bacterial infection with all the crusty glory and photosensitivity to treat it. I wanted to address the issue as soon as I noticed my eye was a little irritated.

And guess what? One of my crunchy cure-alls came to the rescue. Whether my eye gets a little pink or I wake up with full blown yuck, I just create a cool compress with a dab of my trusty coconut oil (after removing and cleaning my contacts). I apply this 3x a day, wear my glasses, and skip the eye makeup. Not only is it soothing, my eyes clear up within a day or two. No more crusty eyelashes and no more expensive/poisonous eye drops. YAY!

According to nutritionist and trans fat researcher Mary G. Enig, PhD:

The lauric acid in coconut oil is used by the body to make the same disease-fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin that babies make from the lauric acid they get from their mother's milk. The monoglyceride monolaurin is the substance that keeps infants from getting viral or bacterial or protozoal infections. Until just recently, this important benefit has been largely overlooked by the medical and nutrition community. 

Coconut Oil Hair Mask

You can't log onto Pinterest without seeing the gazillion amazing uses for coconut oil. Weeeellll... I'm a total CO junkie, so I kinda buy into it all. Like the Dad from My Big Fat Greek Wedding & his Windex.

Total cure-all.

My mask is simple: Coconut oil, Lavender, and Tea Tree Oils

If you don't do your research, you can end up with a mess. Here are some tips that I think a lot of the DIY hair mask posts are missing:

1. Use organic (duh)
2. Don't nuke it! Your body heat will be enough to melt it, so just use your hands.
3. Apply to dry hair (refer to oil vs water)
4. Cover your head to trap some heat. This will open your hair shaft and your hair will drink up the goodness!
5. To rinse out, DON'T GET YOUR HAIR WET before applying your cleansing conditioner (or shampoo if you aren't on the bandwagon yet). 
6. Also, don't use cool water because the coconut oil will become solid in a hurry.
7. Use warm water and cleanse, hydrate, and style as usual.
8. I do this weekly, but just experiment & see what works for you!

Catching Fire- the Natural Deodorant Saga Continues...

Advice (I wish someone had shared with me) for anyone looking to make the switch to natural deodorant:

Do it in the winter- unless you are extremely lucky, this will be a trial and error undertaking.
Don't cake on gobs of the stuff- (esp if you use one with baking soda) I don't know if it was out of skepticism or habit, but I realized I was really loading up.
Buy before you DIY- self explanatory. I recommend etsy over commercially produced stuff like Tom's. You get to sample something made by someone with experience... before you make a huge mess in your kitchen.
For Pete's sake don't forget to wait at least an hour after shaving to apply- I'm so guilty of this, but it's terrible for your skin no matter how natural the product.


Here's my story:


My armpits are on fire!

I couldn't imagine this transition in the sweltering summer.

So I found a natural deodorant that I absolutely adore. You can find it & a bunch of other fantastic products at Hippie Chick Herbal Harmony on Etsy. This stuff smells amazing and I really am very happy with it.

Then, about two weeks in (which, for the record is the longest I've ever stuck with any natural deodorant) I started to notice that my armpits felt a little sore. I didn't see any redness, so I figured I was just going through an adjustment. Then I did a bonehead thing and applied the deodorant without waiting {at least an hour} after I shaved. Redness, bumps, pain.. eek.

I've never had heat rash, razor burn, or any other irritation on my pits. Lucky? No. I get it elsewhere. Ugh. So since this is new territory, I decided to stop shaving and stop the deodorant and do some research.

Turns out that I have a pH problem. Baking soda is incredibly alkaline, and that means irritation. So how do I get my pH back to normal? Distilled water and good ol' Apple Cider Vinegar (1 Tbsp to 1 Cup) twice a day.

And LET ME TELL YOU there ain't nothing in my life that has made me feel so crunchy. Smelling my vinegar-y musky pits these past few days has made me oh-so-grateful that I am on spring break. My, how different spring break for me for degree #2. Ten years ago I was partying in Hawaii.

Back to arm pits! I chose to take the full week off from any deodorant and just do the ACV routine. I'm also not shaving. So I smell ultra funky and I'm rockin the Chewbacca look.... needless to say I have no dates lined up this week.

At night I'm putting a bit of coconut oil on the irritated skin and it seems to be clearing up really well. Two more days and I'll get back to my beloved Perfect Pits in Lavender.