Hey Fam! I know I just wrote a blog yesterday, but a lot of people have been asking me to post something regarding the products featured in the Self Love Kit and its uses. Just some background information is that I suffered from horrific cystic acne for over a decade of my life. My acne was caused by genes, hormonal imbalances, stress, poor diet, and inconsistency. It wreaked havoc on my self esteem as it does most people who suffer from acne, but upon starting my natural hair journey three years ago -- I embarked on a natural skincare journey too. I gave up make up completely and vowed to nurture my skin. back to health.
I tried everything and spent hundred or even thousands of dollars on different skincare products. I'd been to the dermatologist a few times but that never helped because my health care service provider was like most poor peoples health care service provider -- inconsistent. I hid behind layers of foundation & concealor and I hid from cameras with flash. My skin was oily, sensitive, acne prone, and scarred up from messing with pimples and the clusters of blackheads that would show up around my jaw line.
Throughout my natural skincare journey, I tried quite a few 'natural' skincare lines and 'natural' reccomendations like African black soap & Pure bentonite clay mask, but most of the time the ingredients were either TOO harsh for my sensitive skin or not effective at all. Whenever something did start to work for me, my skin would become immune to it after a short time & I'd start breaking out again. Like most people I would change products often and get discouraged whenever I started breaking out.
I gave up on natural skincare around the early summer of last year and started using Noxema as my cleansing cream and Seabreeze as my astringent/toner. That did work for a while but again, my skin grew accustomed to the regimen and started to break out again. By late august, my skin looked like the photo below. It was wreaked with darkmarks, deeply embedded blackheads and multi-headed or 'blind' bumps.
Then in september I went back to my natural skincare regimen. I began a consistent regimen that included a cleanser that I cant remember right now, Genedor Beauty Retinol complex (toner), Tea tree shea butter (Moisturizer), Egyptian rose elixir and clay mask as my weekly mask, and coffee scrub as my exfoliant. Then in October, by chance I decided to switch from my initial cleanser that I found to be inneffective, to the Chai Tea cleansing bar, which I found to be cleansing, effective, and gentle on my sensitive skin. I've been using this regimen since then and my skin has jumped leaps and boundaries ever since then. By now, my skin wouldve became accustomed to the ingredients, but it hasnt! I still get minor breakouts from dietary decisions and hormonal changes, but they heal extremely quickly and leave very little evidence now. On this before & after picture, youll see the dramatic difference.
Those before pictures were actually taken after some improvement of my skin. It was actually WORSE at a point in my life. That section of my face (the T zone area) underneith my eye used to be riddled with wide open pores and maybe HUNDREDS of blackheads (im not exxagerating). My chin used to be cover in huge red bumps and my jaw line was basically BLACK from blackhead patches. All of that is GONE.
This natural skincare journey has lead me to new found confidence and a passion for taking good care of my body as a whole. That's where the yoni oil & yoni steaming comes in, and where decadent luxury soaps and body butters come in. I had chest & back acne as well and that too has diminished as I've been using more skin loving products on my body. This was a BIG deal for me and has also been apart of my spiritual growth process -- Thats why I started the Self Love Kit. I know there are so many women (and men) going through this battle with themselves. I'm here to tell you that the first step to healing -- is self love. It's the initial acceptance and love for who you are and how you are right now. It's a commitment to not just 'change' the way you look, but to LOVE yourself (not necessarily your image) enough to intentionally love on yourself daily & thats with skin loving products, a few moments in front of the mirror massaging body butter on your skin and admiring God's work -- its a bunch of things!
The Self Love Kit included
Step 1: Atlanta Soaps (formerly Shari Amoor soaps) Chai Tea cleansing Bar (@atlantasoaps)
- The Atlanta soaps Chai tea cleansing bar is a gentle cleansing soap that works very well for sensitive skin. I use it twice daily (monring & night time). Best used with a face brush but can be used with nyour hands. Rub vigorously and rinse off completely. Pay special attention to oily areas). Pat dry your skin with a CLEAN PAPER TOWEL.
Buttercup essentials Egyptian Rose clay mask & elixir (@buttercupessentials4all -- 30% off right now -- no code needed!)
- Buttercup Essentails for all Egyptian rose Clay mask & elixir set act as a toner and detoxifying/toning/brightening mask. To use the elixir as a toner, add a couple drops to a cotton swab after cleansing your face and rub all over your face & neck area. Do not rinse. Do this twice daily.
- For masking, mix 1 tablespoon of Egyptian rose clay mix with about half that amount of elixir or enough so that when you mix it, it turns into a clay like consistency. Use your fingers or facebrush (a smooth brush) to rub on your face. Leave on until dry & rinse with warm water. Follow up with moisturizer.
Curl Whatever Tea tree shea butter (
Just like your hair, it’s important to seal moisture into your skin & protect it from the harsh elements. After using your Egyptian rose elixir to tone, lock in moisture with just a small smidgen of your tea tree Shea butter. This particular tea tree Shea has a high concentration of tea tree which is great for battling acne & fading hyper pigmentation. If you find that your face is greasy afterwards — you’ve used too much. Use a small tiny smidge - a little goes a LONG way. I’ve had the same 8oz bottle since September & I’m only half way through the bottle.
Aja naturals coffee scrub (
Exfoliating is important but OVER exfoliating is no bueno. Use Aja Naturals coffee scrub 2-3 times a WEEK. I know you love how smooth and renewed your skin feels after exfoliating, but over exfoliating can be NO BUENO & actually cause more damage. Exfoliate post cleansing & rinse off completely. Follow up with your toner & moisturizer. I highly recommend that you not exfoliate on the same day that you mask because that would be too much stress on your skin.
Tender Organics Naked Body butter (@tenderorganics)
As i mentioned earlier, your skincare journey is a full body plan. Self love is a full body plan. Take a few moments each day to massage this velvety smooth body butter into your skin. This brand also offers some of the best artisan soap bars EVER. My favorite is aloha dreams, sweet honey & milk, strawberry & cream and black raspberry vanilla!
Mannings Handcrafted Creations Bath Bomb (@Manningshandcraftedcreations)
- These bathbombs are packed with therapeutic essential oils. I get in a warm bath, throw one in and enjoy whenever I'm stressed out or suffering from cramps. It helps!
Essentially True Yoni Oil (
The essentially true yoni oil is a Godsend. It’s yoni loving ingredients help to balance your hormones & get rid of the “bad” & “odor” causing bacteria down there. It’s a natural treatment to bacterial vagenosis and yeast infections. In addition, it can also be used as a natural lubricant!
I also recommend you try the Yoni steam which is BOGO50 right now. I share my testimony over on Instagram but long story short is that i suffered from the worse cramps in the world & now it’s month three and i haven’t experience that level of pain since steaming.
Goddess Scents Whipped Body Scrub (
And last but certainly not least, this whipped body scrub will have you feeling like a GODDESS. Use it post shaving to ease irritation.
The first 50 got two extra goodies that are new to Aja naturals & that i never used before so i can’t attest to them. Everything else, I’ve used myself faithfully. I hope that they work well for you as they did for me! All the love in the world! LIZ
wil
