Like any other woman on the wrong side of 30, I have the regular concerns of ageing - sun spots, dark under-eye circles, deep laughter lines, crows feet and wrinkles. And like everyone else, I combat these problems with a bathroom's worth of hi-tech creams, lotions and potions. My job as a beauty writer means I'm privy to the latest must-have products and boy, do I test them out. I can't remember the last time I went out in public sans make-up. I even have to admit to sleeping in a tinted lip balm. So when I was set the awful challenge of forgoing my branded beauty stash in favour of natural, homemade remedies, I was forced to find my inner ‘green goddess' and go back to basics.
My normal make-up routine
7.15: Dab on a drop of face serum
7.18: Slather on a layer of light day moisturiser
7.20: Apply matte primer all over
7.25: Dot concealor under my eyes
7.28: Blend a nude shadow on the eyelids
7.35: Line lids with a pencil liner
7.40: Two coats of volumising mascara on the lashes
7.45: Powder blush on the cheek apples followed by a layer of creamy bronzer
7.50: A coat of creamy lipstick
7.55: Out of the door with a hairbrush in hand to brush hair in the car
8.30: A touch of sparkly gloss or lip balm in the office washroom
The Challenge: To go without using any store-bought beauty products for one whole week. This included my cleansing milk, moisturiser, night cream, face scrub, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, hand cream, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash and perfume. And these are just the basics.
What I was allowed: Herbal tooth powder and hand wash.
Pre-challenge prep: I decided to go about my challenge in an organised way. This meant a trip to Elche Natural Beauty Salon, known for its natual products and therapies, for a skin consultation and diet tips from Dubai-based nutritionist Kay Vosloo. A skin mapping consultation revealed slightly dehydrated and combination skin - I have dry and sensitive cheeks and an oily T-zone. I'm used to combating these problems by slathering on my hydrating moisturiser several times a day so finding a natural alternative was going to be hard. The diet tips from Kay also prepared me for the week ahead. Kay recommended keeping my skin well-hydrated by drinking two to three litres of water a day, but just water alone wasn't going to be enough. I had to cut out caffeine, salt and preservatives, and eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables every day.
Sunday
The first thing I learnt today was that my usual morning routine, which I have perfected to a fine art, needs a big re-think. My usual five-minute morning shower turned into an elaborate 40-minute Cleopatra-esque style bath. It had soon descended into chaos when I attempted to concoct my own face cleanser using yoghurt, dry oats and gramflour. Hunting through the kitchen cupboards at 7am digging out ingredients isn't usually a priority. How I missed the ease of my pump-action cleanser and straight-from-the-tube moistuiser. I finally got to the office by 9am carrying a scary-looking zip lock bag filled with butter. It was rather embarrassing explaining to the rest of the team that I was actually using it to as a lip moisturiser. I also made the mistake of using salted butter, which wasn't a patch on the fruity taste of my usual Labello balm. I spent the rest of the day licking my lips, which resulted in them being dryer than when I actually started. After work I headed straight to the supermarket to pick up a bottle of almond oil to use as a heavy-duty multi-tasker - lip balm, hand cream and night cream all in one. It was the day one of the week and the reality of facing the world without my full face on every morning had already begun to worry me. My husband's annoying parting query if this ‘straight-out-of-the-bed' no-make-up face was the new in-trend at work, didn't help either!
Beauty home remedy of the day: Yoghurt, oats and gramflour face cleanser for dry skin
Recipe: Mix one tablespoon of yoghurt, half a teaspoon gramflour and half a teaspoon of oats in a bowl. Apply it to a damp face and scrub for a few seconds. Rinse off with warm water and pat skin dry.
Monday
This morning I found myself back in the kitchen at 5.45am drinking warm water mixed with honey and lemon while preparing my day's skincare recipes. My skin looked amply nourished today from the overnight almond oil remedy, and I was so impressed with my homemade yoghurt, oats and gramflour face cleanser I used it again today. It's surprising that after cleansing my face, my skin didn't feel tight, something I hadn't expected from a homemade recipe. I also invented a strawberry face scrub and a home-made lemon deodorant. My editor was convinced I'd used a store-bought deodorant, but even she was eventually convinced of my stay-fresh-all-day invention.
Beauty home remedies of the day: Strawberry glow scrub
Recipe: Grate a strawberry, add half a teaspoon of brown sugar granules and then use as a scrub immediately. Wash face with warm water and pat skin dry.
Tuesday
As usual I was racing against the clock again this morning. There's a lot to be said for convenience cosmetics. It's already getting boring preparing fresh ingredients every day for beauty purposes. My lengthy morning routine caused both myself and my son to be late, but when I received compliments like "You look younger when you don't wear any make-up" it encouraged me to carry on with the challenge. However much I wanted to reach for my trusty tube of mascara this morning, I resisted and carried on bare-faced.
I've never been a huge fan of avocado but today, I discovered it makes for a great nourishing face mask. My cheeks had started to feel a little flaky and my skin was craving moisture, so a smattering of mashed up avocado did just the trick. My skin soaked up the goodness and was left feeling silky-soft.
But, while my work colleagues were very supportive of the challenge I had taken up, visitors gave me a reality check. "Are you unwell?" asked a concerned visitor who had never seen me sans mascara and cheek colour. Oh, how I would have preferred if I didn't have to meet people throughout the duration of this challenge. Today when I headed home after work, I was grateful the ordeal of facing the world was over for the day. Going sans make up isn't easy. As I sat with my steaming cup of tea dreaming up new beauty recipes for a new day, I confess I had fleeting thoughts about applying for leave and staying at home for the rest of the week.
Wednesday
It's been three days since I've had a shower using proper shower gel so this morning I was forced to come up with some kind of a body wash. I decided to stick to the same remedy as I've been using on my face and mixed up a huge bowl of the yoghurt, oats and gramflour mix. It was a success as far as getting me clean, plus I used a body brush so I had the added bonus of baby soft skin afterwards, but I wasn't fond of the yoghurt smell that seemed to linger all day. And in the absence of perfume, I felt very self-conscious.
One very important lesson I learnt today - never use homemade lemon deodorant after shaving your underarms. The stinging sensation lasts for hours.
I also had a press party to attend this evening. I was dying to throw on a bit of lippy as I just refuse point blank to be seen at a chic affair with a nude face. I had to come up with a quick-fix solution from my kitchen cupboard beforehand and ended up creating a rather sassy shade of beetroot lip and cheek tint. It seemed to work fine this evening - I reapplied it twice. The proof: there were no concerned queries about my health from the people I knew.
Thursday
My pre-challenge blow-dry was starting to look very limp this morning and I usually only go for two days without washing my hair. Five days in and I was just about ready to pull my hair out. I created a not-so-glamorous apple cider vinegar hair rinse, which surprisingly left my locks grease-free and soft. I'm still pining for my conditioner though, but everyone at the office was impressed with my new invention. And even more impressed that my hair had no tell-tale wafts of vinegar coming off it. By now, I'm missing my cosmetics. My moisturiser, primer, concealor, mascara and cheek colour seem so inviting and I had to actually hide them away in the bottom drawer of the dresser to avoid temptation. It wasn't easy to put store-bought make-up out of my mind at work either - everyone on the beauty desk sits surrounded by newly-launched make up and skincare samples everyday. Only two more days to go.
Beauty home remedy of the day: Apple cider vinegar hair rinse: Add two capfuls of vinegar to half a bucket of plain water. Rinse wet hair with the mix and rub it in for a few seconds concentrating on the oily scalp. To prevent any vinegar smells lingering, give your hair another rinse with just plain, warm water. Towel dry and you’re done.
The Weekend
My skin looks blemish free and my eyes have benefited from my facial home remedies - my dark circles are definitely looking lighter. I think it's my yoghurt-oats-gramflour skin cleanser that's doing the magic. On Fridays, I usually keep my look fairly relaxed, so for the first time all week I didn't feel the need to fuss over my hair or my face. Until my husband suggested we go out with friends in the evening. After mulling it over I chickened out - the idea of heading to a nice restaurant with friends without my full face on? Forget it. My husband tried persuading me with half-hearted attempts at ‘you look perfect' but I knew better.
Day seven and I forgot to apply my almond oil last night, and with no quick-fix moisturiser at hand my skin looked flaky and dry. I will need to invent a face spritzer. Plus I feel and look tired without my lashes licked with a coat of mascara, and to be quite frank, I'm bored of the no make-up look. So tonight, with just a few hours of the challenge to go, I confess to cheating. I had a huge dinner party to attend - there was no squirming out of this one - and I decided I was going to look the part. I admit I only went as far as sneaking on a teeny coat of mascara and popped some almond oil on my lips for a nude gloss effect, but it felt really good.
It's the end of the weekend and I'm glad the challenge is finally over. This one week has made me wiser about my skincare needs and I have woken up to some great natural skin remedies, but as far as my makeup bag goes, but I have to confess I'm relieved to have it back!
Beauty home remedy of the day: Rose water face spritzer/toner: Take a clean refillable plastic spray bottle and fill it with rose water. Spritz generously on your face when you feel your skin going flaky and dry due to air conditioning. Or use as a toner.
The results
I've realised that some of my skincare needs are more psychological than physical. The results my natural remedies produced are longer-lasting than some of my regular products. After just one week, my skin is blemish-free and it looks and feels more alive. A huge result is my dark circles, which have almost vanished. I think I'm also cured of my addiction to using several brands of skin cream at the same time - I realise it's more effective to have a simple regime and consistency. I'll stick to a single brand of night cream and day moisturiser and clubbing these with a natural face cleanser and avocado face pack.
What I'll be ditching
My old makeup routine consisted of using a primer, concealor, blush, mascara, nude eye shadow, lip balm and sparkly gloss, and applying them in a way to create a natural look. Which really meant that I was creating a lot of work for myself to actually not look that much different from the me without make-up! I'm also going to be ditching my regular cleanser in favour of my own home remedy. I am finally over my lip balm obsession and will be sticking to using almond oil from now on.
What I'll be keeping
Shampoo and conditioner for starters, there's simply no substitute for the ease, and convenience of branded hair products. Anything mashed or blended leaves residue behind which gets tangled and isn't easy to remove from wet hair. And definitely, a shower gel which I never found a substitute for. I'll also be sticking to proper toothpaste rather than the awful herbal tooth powder I was forced to use - I can't start my day without my fresh, minty-white teeth.
Are you a natural beauty? What's your secret to looking good? Share your tips in the comment box below.