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| Ghanaian beauty Herapatra has beautiful glowing skin! |
I haven't used lotion in years. *clutches pearls* A black woman that doesn't use lotion? Yep and I don't miss it and I'm not ashy either. Not only have these oils improved the quality of my skin over the years but they are also great for minor protection against the sun's rays and free radicals. They are not a substitute for sunscreen or sun block but hey, every little bit helps. The oils I'm sharing today, I've used alone or mixed together (with essential oils) for luxurious blends. Rather alone or blended, these oils give me soft and supple skin and they are better for the body than most conventional lotions that may be loaded with artificial fillers and potentially harmful preservatives. We often forget that our skin is an organ too and it's the largest organ on our body and anything we put on it gets absorbed into our blood stream (the Patch birth control is a perfect example of something topical going into the blood stream). So when we know better, let's do better. Give oils a try and you just may want to tell your lotions good bye.
Almond/Sweet Almond Oil
This is one of my all time favorite oils to use in the warm months. It gives my skin a luscious feeling and an absolute majestic glow; I just radiate summer goodness. On my skin, I found that it doesn't perform well on its own in the cooler and cold months. So if I wanted to continue use, I'd have to mix it with another oil, like extra virgin olive oil, or follow up with a body butter for good measure and anti-ash power. But in the warm months, all I need is this to get my summer goddess skin poppin. You can find almond/sweet almond oil in most health food stores (I know Whole Foods carries sweet almond oil in their body section and almond oil in their cooking oil section). You want to make sure that it's 100% and that no other ingredients are added to it. It's a pretty stable oil and doesn't need anything else added to it. 
Avocado Oil
Even though oils can't be moisturizing
because they don't provide moisture or contain water, this oil is often called a
"moisturizing" one. It's a greasier oil but not a heavy oil that leaves you feeling or looking like a grease bucket. Avocado oil doesn't, in my experiences,
absorb into the skin as quickly as sweet almond or almond oil but it's
still a worthy contender and it's excellent for keeping what moisture you do have in and on your skin so that it stays soft and supple. It even
helps protect against free radicals in the air and the sun's rays.
Again, it's not a substitute for sunscreen or sunblock though. You can find avocado oil in most health food stores either in their body section or cooking oil section. I normally purchase mine from Whole Foods in either section of the store. Sometimes in the cooking oil section it costs less. You want to make sure that it's 100% and that no other ingredients are
added to it. It's a pretty stable oil and doesn't need anything else
added to it.
Safflower Oil or Sunflower Seed Oil
Sweet almond oil can get a little pricey, so if you aren't willing to pay close to $20 for a 12 oz bottle, give sunflower seed oil or safflower oil a try. Both are light oils that readily absorb into the skin and give the skin a boost in its radiance and glow. I use sunflower seed oil a lot: for my hair, my body and to oil pull with. Both oils can be found in most local grocery stores where the oils are. I get my sunflower seed oil from Trader Joe's for no more than $6 for a large bottle. Safflower oil is also pretty inexpensive for less than $6 for a bottle. You want to make sure that it's 100% and that no other ingredients are
added to it. Both are pretty stable oils and don't need anything else
added to them.
How to Use These Oils
Easy. After your shower, DON'T towel dry. Wipe off excess water from your body with your hands and then apply the oil to your semi wet skin. Let air dry. Wham! That's it! Note, everyone's skin is different and these oils may or may not work for your skin but I'm hopeful that at least one of them will. You can also have fun creating body oil blends and mix more than one of these oils mentioned above to reap more benefits of each in one. A favorite blend of mine is equal parts sweet almond oil, safflower oil and avocado oil. I'm talking hella silky, smooth, soft and glowy skin. Yaasssss....Let me know what your favorite body oils are if you are already hip to this.
Milan is a New York City based, creative writer and the founder of AGrlCanMAC. She's a self proclaimed accessories junkie who's passionate about healthy living, adventure, books, crystals, the Law of Attraction and arts & crafts. AGrlCanMAC is a resource for women of color all over the world who want to look good, radiate good and feel good at the same damn time.
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