For the last few years, I’ve been using one product for my skin and hair care. I didn’t know it would be possible, but it is. I’ll give a rundown on my skin and hair type, and the one product that I’ve fallen in love with. It’s left my skin and hair looking and feeling better and healthier than anything I’ve ever used before.
My Skin Type
My skin is quite fair, and I while I didn’t battle a lot of acne, I still got smaller random breakouts as a teenager and adult. When I was a university student living off student loans, I was at the mercy of whatever cheap skin products I could get, so they were limited and my makeup was pretty minimal. As an adult, I used cleansers and products that never really left my skin feeling moisturized or healthy, and I continued to get the odd breakout here and there. It was very frustrating.
My Hair Type
My hair was generally blonde and straight as a young child and turned brown with a wave and slight curl to it as I got older. As a teenager, I was always fighting these waves and curls, using weak curling irons to try and straighten my hair, but really just damaging it.
As a young adult, I bought my first proper hair straightener that straightened my hair nicely and left it smooth and shiny. So, I straightened my hair regularly and no longer had to fight any frizz. Again, I used whatever cheap products I could get my hands on. It just wasn’t a “thing”, at least in my world, to consider ingredients, and in all reality, I couldn’t have afforded the products I saw in advertisements anyways.
During my late teens and young adult years, I also liked colouring my hair a light blonde using boxed colouring.
What Changed
Like many women, everything changed when I got pregnant. The first thing I did was stop colouring my hair, as I had heard that the toxins in hair dye could potentially affect my unborn child. Luckily, balayage or ombre hair was popular, so I was able to let my hair grow out naturally without it looking too terrible. What surprised me was that my natural hair colour and texture were growing out, and I liked it.
My skin changed as well. One of my first pregnancy signs was that my skin was completely clear when I would normally get a breakout. My skin remained completely clear during my entire pregnancy. My body chemistry must have changed with pregnancy, because my skin has somehow stayed clear since.
Once my son was born and I was on mat leave, doing my hair and makeup just wasn’t a priority for me. I think it’s great (and impressive) when new moms get themselves ready with full makeup and done hair, but it’s just not who I am. With a baby, I really couldn’t be bothered at this point.
What next?
I knew that when I returned to work (I’m in Canada and had one year of maternity leave), I wanted a low-maintenance skin and hair routine that I would feel good about.
This is when I decided to really lean into my natural hair. I discovered the “Curly Girl Method” and tried a few different products to help encourage my natural waves and curls to come back. I also got a couple of hair trims to get rid of any remaining damaged and dyed ends. For context, in the Curly Girl world, my hair has a mix of 2b – 2c waves, with the odd 3a curls.
I enjoyed having my natural hair and clear skin. While I wanted better products to keep everything healthy and looking good, my budget didn’t allow for the expensive products I was seeing.
The Recipe
It became clear – I needed to find a natural face moisturizer and hair product that I could make at home, with as few ingredients as possible.
That’s when I came across this recipe from the Live Simply website. It’s a mix of shea butter and jojoba oil. That’s it. Two natural ingredients sounded good to me!
Jojoba oil is known for it’s soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, and shea butter is known to be highly moisturizing and nourishing. Both of these ingredients can be used on the skin or hair. When I make it, I’ll even add some lavender essential oil to give a nice scent and added anti-inflammatory properties.
How I Use It
Using this mixture has brought my skin to a whole other level. Putting oil on my face was a new concept for me, but it was amazing to see how much better my skin felt and looked.
After washing my face with a mild avocado bar soap, I simply emulsify a small amount of the moisturizer in my hands and lightly press the product into my skin. In summer I use very little, as a small amount goes a long way. In winter I’ll use a bit more for extra moisture in the drier and colder climate.
My skin glows with this product. After I apply it in the morning, I’ll wear very little makeup (usually under-eye concealer and some mascara), if any, and I feel good about it.
For hair, I’ll take some of the mixture and emulsify it in my hands, then use the praying hand method throughout washed, damp hair. Then I’ll give some gentle scrunching and let it air dry.
My hair will dry with shiny and frizz-free waves and curls that I don’t have to do anything else with. Please note, I am not looking for perfection, and I’m ok with my hair being a little wild. (I actually enjoy a bit of messy hair!)
I wash my hair once or twice a week and will apply a little bit of product daily, even to dry hair. If the product touches my face, my skin won’t break out because I use it there as well.
Wrapping It Up
I’ve been using this product for over 3.5 years now, and I can’t imagine doing anything different. It’s the easiest routine I’ve ever had, and I love the ingredients.
Ultimately, skin and hair care doesn’t need to be complicated. You can have healthy hair and skin without spending a lot of money or using harmful chemicals.