The ACV Experiment!

Introducing my next experiment!!  I Love Experiments!!  (Especially if there's a potential for a close up pic...*huge.amount.of.sarcasm*)

Unpasteurized DYC Apple Cider Vinegar

 

Acne, acid reflux, dandruff, obesity, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue syndrome, sunburn, yeast infections, pneumonia, allergies, warts, fleas, dirty toilets.
This is just a small list of ailments, that have reportedly been cured, for centuries, by Apple Cider Vinegar!(ACV) (sounds like the beginnings of a bad high school essay!)

Anywho!!  Looks like a challenge to me...

Challenge accepted!!

I'm going to pick 4 things that are doable options for me, and i'm going to trial them for a maximum of 1 month! So i don't bore anyone with constant close ups of me or the kitchen sink every week, il just do small updates each week with before and after pics at the end of the 4th week, and i'l introduce a new one each week!

Week 1 - The Toner

Love this little bottle!

Yup, i'm sure we've all noticed by now that i have a real complex about my skin! Now that i have the cleansing and moisturizing under control, it's time to move on to the Toner!!

With it's awesome antiseptic and antibacterial properties, unpasteurized ACV also has the perfect pH to balance your skin, therefore making it an ideal toner....Reeeeeaaallly....

After reading a few reports about the stinging/burning/redness/hideous odor, i started to think that maybe this wasn't the best challenge to start with (and my loo really could use a heavy duty clean), but then i remembered that i'm s'posed to be this hard core experimentee, and off i went to the kitchen cupboard!

*I'd like to stop here with a word of warning to anyone keen to follow in my footsteps. Don't open the bottle and take a good whiff with the expectation of being pleasantly surprised. You wont be. No one likes this smell. No one*

I mixed up a ratio of about 1 part ACV to 3 parts water, just because i've got pretty hardy skin, and after washing the Evoo off this morning, i slathered on the ACV Toner before moisturizing.
I'm not really sure about whether i'm doing this right. Some folk say wash it off after applying, some say wash it off after an hour. I decided to join the 'don't-care-if-i-smell' crew and just left it on there to keep my moisturizer company! I'm pleased to report that my face is still intact, with no burns or even mild redness anywhere to be seen. What i have noticed is that my skin felt nice and fresh and smooth, and only stunk for about an hour (that i noticed, anyway).

So that's all i have to report for this one! Next week, i'l introduce the second challenge and do a quick update on this one too, so stay tuned.....



Renee  :)

'Not all who wander are lost'

Experiment 626 - The End!

Yup, it is done!!  

I have completed 1 whole month of slathering my face in oil with the hopes of achieving a smooth, soft, clear, oil-free complexion!!  Did i achieve these things???

Smooth skin?? CHECK!  

Soft skin??  CHECK!

Clear skin??  Kinda CHECK!

Oil-free Complexion??  Enormous CHECK!!!

Pimples??  Barely a one!!  The one that i did get cleared up in about 2 days!!

Reduction of lines??  Well, not that i noticed :(  

Overall, does my skin look better?? YUP!!  Definitely!  It's never been healthier and nicer looking (well, since i was about 1 anyway!) and i do notice a wee 'glow'!!  Aside from working the kinks out and getting my potion right (3 parts Evoo to 1 part CO to cleanse, and straight Evoo to moisturize overnight) my skin has taken to this experiment like a donut to my thighs!!

The Downsides??

Lets start this with the obvious terror i felt about an imminent outbreak of spots....Unfounded (Yaaay!).  I had a few pimples coming up before i started, but they were gone in about 2 days! I think i got 1 pimple the whole experiment, and it cleared in a couple of days!

Mess factor??  Well, its not as simple as lathering in the shower, but it's not much harder.  Just slather it on, massage it in (in the shower if you so wish) steam it with a flannel, then wipe off! Easy!  Unless you drop it, that makes things considerably messier...i only did this once the odd time though!

The only other down side i can think of is if your going away over night.  It's not the easiest to cart round with you (i like to pack excessively light), and you've gotta warn your hosts that the swamp monster heading to the loo over night is harmless!

So, that's about it!  Now what??

Well, i'm so in love with this cleanse that i've given away/thrown out my collection of washes and scrubs and toners etc.  I will be continuing with my Oil Cleanse as a part of my daily routine from now on!! (I think i was sold after week 2 to be honest!!)

To anyone else wanting to try this, DO IT!!  It's just fantastic!! (although i have to add that i have pretty hardy skin, and no idea how sensitive skin might react to it! Maybe a spot test to start if your worried though!)

And now that this is done, tomorrow begins my next experiment....

Experiment ACV!!

See ya tomorrow!!

Renee  :)

'Not all who wander are lost'

Experiment 626 - week 3

Week 3 and i'm still going strong!!  To be honest though, my skin doesn't look any different from last week that i can tell!  I still think it's looking the best it has in years though!

To touch, my skin is soooo much softer, and this week after the introduction of a scrub...Oh My Gosh!!
I'm not sure how two of the worst foods in the kitchen can do it, but when applied topically, oil and sugar....AMAZING SOFTNESS FACTOR!!!

I'm serious!  I was so shocked i may have shed a wee tear of happiness (yeah, i was home alone and sleep deprived, but hey!)  I've only used it twice this week, but i can 100% assure you that i will be continuing to use it twice a week!!

Any who, as for the oil cleanse bits, i'm still using 3 parts Evoo and 1 part CO, and for the over night soak i'm down to using straight Evoo, as my skin was still dry in the mornings!(Such a novelty having dry skin for the moment!)

Pic time!

So as you can see, aside from light differences in the pics themselves, not a lot's happening, but that's ok, 'cause it's not deteriorating at all either!!
  I'll be continuing on with the same potions for the final week, and looking forward to comparing a before and finished photo!! 

'Til Friday!!


Toodles!!  :)

'Live for a Life without Regret'

Experiment 626 - week 2!!

The end of week two!!  Still feeling pretty good about how this experiment is going, although i think my skin has slowed it's journey towards....well, whatever it was going towards really!  (Waiting for Hubby to finish work so he can take my Extreme close up!)

In the mean time, i've changed the ratio of my potion to one part CO and 3 parts Evoo, and i think maybe my skins not as dry as it has been.  It's still dry though, so i'm still moisturizing in the mornings with my new Neutrogena 70+ sunscreen (thanks Melasma)

Oh look, here it is!! (I think i was about to give Hubby the stink eye)

Again, completely different lighting and such sorry!  On close inspection not much has changed since last week except...dum dum duuum...I'm getting a PIMPLE!! Oh well! (i think it has more to do with the sunscreen than the oil)

My skin still feels really smooth and still looks nice and bright/clear though!...Maybe that's the 'glow' everyone talks about??

I never got round to making the face scrub, to be honest i've been putting it off, worrying (again)  that it might make me break out!  At the end of the day though, i was breaking out in spots on my chin on a regular basis before i started this experiment, so it wouldn't be that big a deal!

You know what, i'l do it tonight!!  Fingers crossed for a happy result!!
See ya back here next week!

Toodles!!  :)

'Live for a Life without Regret'

Experiment 626 - Week 1 Complete!

So....  It would appear i developed a social life and didn't actually get round to posting this on Friday like i was sure i would!! Who knew!!

Any who!!

I was gunna make a long detailed post about how good things take time, and how i'm still tweaking the potion i'm using (it's a work in progress) and how i'm still gunna stick with it.  Then we took some week 1 pics, which again required a bit of a cringe on my part, and then i put one next to the start pic.  (Please note, i haven't chosen the best looking pic of myself to post, i've chosen the clearest)

Again, the only photo shopping is cropping :)

HOLY CRAP!!!

I spent the next little while trying to find the logic in the changes, like being in a different room, morning light as opposed to afternoon sun (We just tried to find the best light), or Hubby doing a bit of photo tweaking while i wasn't looking (I didn't actually leave the pics in his care, mind...not that he would anyway) 

Hubby thinks it's hilarious that i didn't notice the differences in my skin, i'm shocked!!  I knew my skin was softer but i've become so focused on the Melasma (that's a whole other post) that i didn't stop to think about the reality of it, which is this -  The melasma has become much more obvious as my complexion has become clearer and brighter.  Do i sound deluded?? Cause i feel it!!

Since i started this experiment i've had exactly 4 small pimples, 2 of which were already forming on my chin.  (I mention these because breaking out was my number 1 fear)  These pimples were gone within 4 days!  4 Days People!!!!

So, for week 1

#  Softer and Smoother skin   - Check!!
#  Brighter complexion   - Check!!
#  Reduction in pimples   - Well, i haven't had any since those first 4....we'll see how the next week goes!
#  One happy grease monkey??  - Check!!!

Although i can't really go by the title of 'Grease monkey' any more, cause my complexion is no longer oily!!!  That's right, in fact if anything it's a bit too dry!!  (I'd like to add that this time of year with the heat and humidity my skin is usually at it's worst with grease and pimples.  To have no oil slick and no pimples (just scarring on my chin, which i want to address in another post too!) is Freakin' Amazing!!  I have to put on moisturizer every morning to help with the dryness and that's it.  I'll be tweaking my recipe again tonight to 3 portions of Evoo and 1 CO and omitting the GO completely, as i think that could be whats making my skin so dry.

To be honest, changing the mix is no biggy, as the oils are so flippen cheap compared to all the other products i was buying! 

On a side note, after a bit more research i will be adding in a simple scrub of Evvo and Sugar maybe twice a week (if i remember) just to give my skin a bit of a rev up.  We'll see how that goes though.

Stay tuned for week 2 of Experiment 626!!

Also keep an eye out for Experiment ACV, which i'll be starting in the next week or so!! ;)



Toodles!!  :)

'Live for a Life without Regret'

Experiment 626 - First thoughts!

I was s'posed to write this yesterday.  I can't remember why i didn't...oh well, i'm doing it now!

I've done the oil cleanse for 2 nights now.  By cleanse (for those who missed this post) i mean basting my face in oil so it looks like a raw chicken bum, massaging for a couple of minutes (not something i do for raw chicken bums), then 'steaming' my face with a hot flannel twice before wiping off the remaining oil.  I've also been moisturizing with the oil mix to soak overnight (kinda like a slow roast!)and wiping my skin clean with a hot flannel in the morning.

My thoughts so far....

Well first off, i Did Not experience the instant oil slick/massive pimple breakout i was fully expecting to wake up with!!  In fact, my skin felt quite tight and dry!! (I Know Right!!?) And in spite of my worry about ruining my pillow, most of the oil had absorbed right into my skin by the time i went to bed (about 1/2 an hour after i applied my potion) and my pillow remains unblemished!

The second night was much the same, and after i wiped my skin clean in the morning it was def' dry, leaving me needing to apply my normal moisturizer.  I think an increase to the amount of Evoo in my potion is in order to try and remedy the dryness. Hopefully it works!

I noticed after the first day that my skin was softer, which is a bonus!  Hopefully some of the other benefits start to eventuate too!!  At the very least it's no worse than what i'm already using, and has worked out cheaper, so i'm proceeding with the month long experiment!!

Stay tuned for my weekly update on Friday!!....Unless i forget, or run out of time,or suddenly develop a social life....Bahahaha, yeah so i'll be seeing ya's on Friday!


Toodles!!  :)

'Live for a Life without Regret'

Experiment 626!!

I'm not much of a girly-girl, don't wear a lot of make up, and some weeks washing my hair is too much of an effort....And i should probably mention that showering every day can be a bit of a task too now that i have 2 kiddies!! (For the record i manage it most of the time...most).

However, i have a very unusual addiction to facial cleansing products, as in, i constantly buy new products expecting them to live up to the hype they display on the bottles/in the ads.  Do i need to mention how often i'm disappointed (and broke, sorry Hubby!)?  My skin remains dull, the pimples continue, scars remain, and the huge pores and uneven skin tone that i was blessed with continues to bite me on the arse daily.  Basically it's rough as guts!! I realize that facial products alone wont make my skin amazing, but even if only one of them delivered (continuously) on a couple of it's promises i'd be pretty stoked!

Enter Experiment 626!! (Yup, i stole that from Lilo and Stitch. I'm that cool.)
The Oil Cleansing Method

I cant remember the first time i heard of this, but lately it seems like the OCM (Oil Cleansing Method) has been jumping up and trying to smack me in the face! Today, i read this post from one of my favorite bloggers, then this one, did a teensy wee bit of researching, and my mind was made!!

Next stop - Supermarket!!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil and Grapeseed oil!

 (After loading this photo i realized how much weird crap i have on my counter top!!  A pillow case, eye drops, 2 syringes, lids with blue paint and red paint on them....And oh look, a family sized bag of lollies!  (I should probably consume those before i begin this experiment...you know...to give it my best shot!)

Moving right along!  The Evoo (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and the CO (Castor Oil) are the 2 oils that keep cropping up in all my research. Evoo is the moisturizing component and CO is the cleansing.  I mean really, it's oil, they're both gunna moisturise, but you get what i mean!  After a bit more research i decided i'd add GO (Grapeseed Oil) to the mix too, as it's good for those with excessively oily skin (Like me).  It does seem weird, using oil to control oil, but i do believe in the 'Like removes Like' statement, and it just makes a bit of sense really!

So i'm gunna mix up my potion 2 parts CO, 1 part Evoo and 1 part GO.  Im gunna try it, hopefully, for 1 month (i occasionally lack the conviction and motivation required to stay committed to a cause) and hopefully i start to see some of the benefits that people rave about, you know, smooth skin, the Glow, a decrease in pimples/acne and a couple of folk have even noticed a reduction in fine lines!!

So here's me, no make up, untouched by photo-shop, and really stoked (insert sarcasm here) to be having my Hubby take extreme close ups of my face.

As you can see i've spent about 10 years too long sitting in the sun scoffing down lollies (The drinking and smoking of my youth probably didn't help much either.)

Very Important Side Note!!!  I am focusing on my rough spots for the sake of this experiment!!  I DO NOT spend every day looking in the mirror and degrading my skin, and in fact most days i think it looks pretty decent!!  However, i'm happy to admit there's always room for improvement!

So starting tonight i shall be cleansing my skin with my concoction and maybe even leaving some on over night to see what happens (hopefully i don't scare the crap out of my kids whilst dripping with oil!)  I'll be posting tomorrow, just to say what my first thoughts are, then at the end of every week, to report any results, good or bad!!

And in the mean time, i'l likely be researching another little gem that's found in the kitchen....Experiment 629 anyone....?

Toodles!!  :)

'Live for a Life without Regret'