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My Skin Care Routine
.jpg) I am 48 years old this year. As a teenager I developed quite bad acne and at 18 I decided to take the Dianette pill because I was so desperate, I did not want to show my face full of pimples to the public. I also had quite bad acne on my body, particularly on my back. As I was a keen swimmer every visit to the pool was a bit of a nightmare. I used to change into the most hideous swimming costumes and then take a run for the pool, jump in quickly and not appear for about 40 minutes, making sure I stayed "under water" for most of the time, never even stopping to take a proper breath - which is probably why I became so fit and developed quite a bit of muscle and the lung capacity of a deep sea diver....
After 10 years on the pill I decided that was enough. My skin by then was pimple free and quite smooth. However, stopping oral contraception made everything worse plus I developed other physical ailments that at 38 required surgery. After coming home from hospital I started looking into new beauty regimes and face creams.
For the next 9 years I tried everything under the sun. Retinol, vitamin pills, creams pumped full of one chemical or another that promised to heal acne and make my skin look great. If only! Some creams made it look worse, and don't even mention facial washes and exfoliators. A nightmare.
Finally 12 months ago I came across organic, vegan skin care. I wanted to try out something that was free of chemicals and very pure and I started to use African black soap as a facial cleanser. I undertook a lot of research and testing of organic shea butter and because of the astounding effects it had on the condition of my skin decided to launch my own skin care range. The Cebra - ethical skin care range is either certified organic or registered by the Vegan Society. It is cruelty free, there are no parabens or sulfates in our cream and oils and nothing has been tested on animals. All the jars and bottles are fully recyclable, but as with all packaging, you should reuse these as often as possible which is why I am offering discounted refills for most of my skin care porducts.
I admit that I am also taking some supplements - Menoherbs and Black Cohosh. Whether they have anything to do with the condition of my skin as it is now, I cannot say. All I know is these herbs changed my life dramatically. I have no idea why I did not start taking them at 38, but then again - no doctor will ever admit that they really work.
However, I am convinced that our Organic Shea Butter & Aloe Face Cream and the Whipped Shea Butter Cream as well as the black soap work wonders for my skin. I apply the cream and the moisturizer using facial massage by the way and I take at least 2 minutes if not more to smooth the products into my face and neck. A lot of people have commented on my skin. Friends say it has changed the condition of my skin dramatically and people who don't know me say, they don't believe I am 48. Generally I am told I cannot be older than 39. I don't have wrinkles, just fine lines around the eyes (plus bags under my eyes in the morning, but that is an inherited condition and I shall fight those with the new Beyond eye cream).
I have now launched my own Perk Me Up Vegan Body Oil and I can honestly say that the high quality ingredients that make up this superb oil soften the areas it is destined for and make them less "dimply" (I have cellulite, hence no wonder woman here to be had). I also use the shea butter lotion after each shower and it is the best lotion I have tried in a long time. It makes my skin really smooth and very dry areas are softened. My upper arms are particularly soft as I used to have little spots in these areas and they have completely vanished.
All of the above have convinced me that vegan, organic skin products are the way forward. Which is why I decided to stock some products from the Alaffia, Beyond and Raw Gaia skin care range. I am absolutely convinced they work - I am the best proof for that.
Our most popular Alaffia creams and lotions as well as the shampoo and hair conditioner that I have started to stock are now available as testers - try before you buy the full version. This way you can be sure of their quality and effectiveness. However, as with all natural products I would say that you have to give them at least 3 months to see them develop their full benefits for your skin.
TIP: do drink lots of water, it definitely has an effect on your skin's condition. And try and give up smoking and drinking more than 2 glasses of alcohol per week. Life is so much more pleasant when you go through it with a clear vision.......
p.s. my lung capacity is not what it used to be and my muscles have shrunk a bit with age. Still - I go for a 90 minute walk every day with my three dogs and that suits me fine.
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