NOTE: I have edited this post to remove links and references to a brand I no longer use or support. Specifically, PLO has resorted to negative marking smear campaigns which lead with statements like “this other brand uses unfiltered water” yet the brand uses the most high end reverse osmosis water filters. Misleading consumers and negative marketing is not something I can be associated with any longer. Please see my updated routine and products, which produced better results HERE.
Stay tuned you deal loving readers, I’m delivering a spectacular deal at end of this post!
The upcoming Episode 34 of The Paleo View all about teeth & skin guest stars Liz of Cave Girl Eats, the genius behind The Skintervention Guide. And when we recorded that show I said I’d been sitting on a draft post of the before and after results from using the Skintervention guidance.
Problem is, ever since my autoimmune flare last year, my skin has been the pits. Seriously, there have been times when I just couldn’t even stand looking at my face I was so frustrated. As a teen I had horrifyingly painful cystic acne. But, probably with the immune system and hormonal changes of pregnancy and nursing, I had near-perfect skin I took for granted over the past decade. Then, when my autoimmune flair hit in 2012, I had an incredibly difficult time managing breakouts. Going on a modified autoimmune protocol has helped my skin, but not completely.
Admittedly, a large part of my problem has much to do with my inability to avoid sweets, as sugar is an immediate trigger of acne for my skin. Since jawline acne is typically a sign of hormonal breakouts, mine are driven by insulin from years of being metabolically broken. But, I also a hard time resisting nuts. And chocolate. And nightshade spices on barbeque in Texas. And grass-fed heavy whipping cream in my occasional decaf coffee. All of which cause my skin to breakout. Short story long, considering I’ve recently returned from Paleo FX where I indulged with friends on all of the above while also getting less sleep than I’m used to, I was trying to avoid posting after photos until I fully recovered from my travels.
But, how about we avoid the pretense of perfection. We’ve established that’s not how we roll on this here blog by now, right? So instead, I offer a testament to the fact that even though I was eating cleaner in the BEFORE photos, my skin is remarkably improved since applying things I’ve learned in The Skintervention Guide in the AFTER.
I would like to point out that although I took these photos at different times of day (accounting for lighting difficulties while taking your own photo in an awkward position) they still show the imperfections in my skin clearly. For reference, I point out to you the mole I have in the center of my left cheek and the nose piercing scar on my left nostril as proof that these photos are untouched and still clearly show the tone and texture of my skin.
Beyond the remarkable reduction in break-outs, what I have found the most wonderful from my new skin routine is the balance and tone of my skin has become more even. Never one to enjoy using products on my face, I honestly thought that coconut oil and a warm wash cloth were taking care of my skin. I didn’t truly understand how taking care of your skin can have an overall positive affect.
Specifically, if you look at the discoloration of my skin in the before photo, the redness around the nose in particular, and compare it to the after photo you can see how my skin appears to have been air-brushed. That, my friends, is not Photoshop or photo foolery… both were taken with an iPhone and I am NOT that talented to “fix” them (evidence: there is still the same pinkish tone directly under my eyes in both sets of photos). That is sincerely the results of my new skin-care routine. Imagine how much better it looks when I’m getting sleep and not eating sweets & nightshades!
case in point: photos of my first day in Texas before the food & alcohol debauchery include only ONE blemish on my left cheek
So, wanna know what I’m doing and using?
- Eating more nutrient dense foods; specifically, I’ve added extra bone broth and grass-fed gelatin to my diet. I enjoy this and this fruit snack recipe as well as a daily dose of bone broth in a soup or stew. Also, we eat organ meat… even wrote a book on it!
- Taking my digestive enzymes regularly, because I don’t have a gallbladder and digestion is the most important component of health – including skin care!
- I take my FCLO, duh.
- I stopped using coconut oil as my face wash and moisturizer *gasp*. Don’t worry, it’s Skintervention-approved. Turns out, my super sensitive skin can’t handle the strength that coconut oil gives – it’s still a great make-up remover. But, once I remove my make-up,
- Wash, tone and moisturize my face. See routine here.
I also use henna to color my hair, I use 100% henna done by a local salon, but Hayley loves Lush!
Now clearly, in addition to skin care, I wear make-up. In fact, as discussed on Ep 10 with Liz and Hayley, I’ve even attempted to make that beauty routine less chemically-laden too! [updated better products listed here] And after Josh posted the below photo in his Paleo FX Recap post, I got quite a few questions about what mascara and make-up I use, so I’m happy to share what I found that works for my sensitive skin.
p.s. Here’s our first review on the Skintervention Guide by Liz…
So, if this didn’t answer any question you could possibly have about my personal hygiene routine (considering I also talked all about Aunt Flow going natural before) I don’t know what more you could want – but please comment to let me know and I’ll try to get you an answer!
Sign-up for my Non-Toxic Healthy Living E-mail List HERE
