Make-up, Make-up, Make-up; Is there a more natural approach to skincare?

I have to admit that I am not a big make-up user.  A bit of concealer, a swipe of mascara and rub of lip-balm and that's about your lot.  When I was a teenager and then a twenty-something, I definitely spent lots of money on lotions and potions to (supposedly) make me look better; I would feel the pull of the make-up counter a mile off.  Whenever we were in town, my sister and I used to have a saying about going to Boots (Chemist and Cosmetics mecca of the UK), it went "Do you need to go to Boots?"  standard reply, "Of course I do, there is always something that you need in Boots!!!".

But, as I have got older I feel that the whole luxury, must-have, cosmetics industry, endorsed by beautiful celebrities, is a major rip-off.  And I don't like the way that it plays on women's concerns and worries about their looks.

However, that said, as I am about to turn 34, I do feel that I should start taking better care of my skin.  A quick rub with a face-cloth just isn't cutting it!  When I look in the mirror now, I can see that wrinkles are beginning to show around my eyes and although I don't really mind that, I also don't want to age really quickly and end up looking older than I am.  Ageing gracefully is the name of the game!

As part of my New Year's Resolutions I pledged to spend more time doing things that I really want to do; and spending a bit more time looking after myself fits that bill.

With that in mind, I was really pleased to receive a bag of expensive goodies from my mother-in-law, from a really well known cosmetics' brand.  She had got them as a freebie with her usual moisturiser.  I pounced on them gratefully and immediately slapped on the 24-hour-amazing-miracle-wonder-moisture-balm along with the shrink-your-bags-in-a-blink-of-an-eye-cream.  Feeling rather good, I went about my business with the knowledge that my skin was now being well looked after.  Alas, within a short time I felt that my face was mildly itchy and when I looked in the mirror later on, I saw that it had swollen up over my cheeks and under my eyes and was all red and blotchy.  I had taken an allergic reaction to something in the creams; not a good look!

That was a couple of days ago and my face has calmed down since then.  Though I won't be using that brand again!  Instead I got to thinking that there must be a more natural way to look after my skin.  I have been reading an old fashioned mother's handbook lately and it mentions skincare lotions made up of ingredients such as beeswax, almond and avocado oil.  So, I set off for the supermarket to pick up a bottle of Almond Oil and some Witch Hazel, which I remember an old friend swearing by.

I found the Almond Oil in the cooking oil aisle and the Witch Hazel in the medical aisle, and purchased both for about £1.50 each.  Which is a whole lot cheaper than a pot of even the most basic moisturiser.  I used them last night and this morning and my skin is feeling better already.  The Almond Oil is great for my dry dehydrated skin on my forehead, cheeks and under eyes.  I just pour a really small amount onto my hand and rub it lightly into my skin, (I figure that this way is a whole lot less faffy than making up a handmade skin balm).  While the Witch Hazel is calming down the irritation caused by the expensive cream, I am simply applying that with a cotton wool pad.

I now have plans for natural facemasks and foot-soaks!  So more to follow.