For last year or so I've been on a mission to simplify and natural-fy my lifestyle. One of the ways I've been doing that is through my skin care routine. This time last year my skin got pretty bad, at least for me. I'd never really had acne and suddenly it was all over my forehead. And not only was it bothering me to look at, it was painful. And so began the hunt for a clean skin care routine that would get fix my skin without messing with my body.

If clean beauty is something you've been thinking about you're probably familiar with ThinkDirty, an app that gives you information about your beauty and skin care products and tells you what potentially toxic ingredients are in them, Products are rated on a scale from zero to ten with zero meaning no toxins or bad ingredients and ten meaning it's basically going to kill you (just kidding.. kinda). This isn't a sponsored post or anything so I won't bore you with details but I really do think it's a great little app and it's really changed the way I buy products. And, if the product I'm considering isn't in their database yet, I usually hold off... unless it's a natural product made locally.

In the past I'd never really been much of a skin care person, I didn't need to be. I washed my face in the morning and before bed using warm water and either coconut oil or Cetaphil and slathered on some moisturizer. Not too much has changed but I do have a bit more of a process than I did before, so let's get into it!

The lineup:

Glossier milky jelly cleanser (ThinkDirty rating: 4) - I got this face wash for Christmas and I love it. It's soft and gentle but leaves my face feeling super clean and refreshed without the tight feeling that some cleansers can cause.

Glossier super pure (not listed on ThinkDirty) - this was also a Christmas gift. I'd asked for it because I'd read some super promising reviews on their website that said it calmed all of the symptoms I had and at that point I was ready to try pretty much anything. Because I overhauled my skin care routine so much I can't say for sure that this one made a huge difference or not but it didn't make anything worse and I feel so grown up applying a serum.

Ativo facial moisturizers: these things are THE BEST. I know I just said that since I added so many products at once I can't say which ones made the biggest differences but guys, I'm positive that these moisturizers helped. In the weeks right before Christmas I was freaking out on the daily about my skin so mom gave me the Balance moisturizer early and within a couple of days things felt better. Now I use the Balance moisturizer before bed and the Restore moisturizer in the morning. 

Pink House Organics Face Fix: This was something I added to the mix a little later to help with some of the hyperpigmentation that followed my skin issues and to help deal with the hormonal acne I sometimes get. I really like that I can apply just a small amount using the roller ball. Rather than applying it directly on my skin, though, I put a bit on my fingers and then gently rub it into the areas I'm targeting. It's definitely helped with some of the dark spots and I think it also helps stop things from getting out of hand.

Schmidt's Coconut Pineapple Natural Deodorant: while this isn't technically a skin care product per se I still wanted to include it because it goes on your skin and I use it every day just like all these other products. I could probably do an entire series on natural deodorants because I have tried so many over the last year. Kai's Naturals, Lafes, Pink House, Rocky Mountain Soap Co, and two different kinds of Schmidt's. The search for a natural deodorant has been long but friends, I think I've found the one for me. Much like the other products in this list I got this deodorant for Christmas. Well not this one but the Charcoal and Magnesium one. It smelled amazing, gave great protection, and left me with a rash... it wasn't a bad rash and I used the deodorant until it was gone but I knew I had to replace it with one made for sensitive skin. So I bought a sample size of the Coconut Pineapple, used it for a few days, then went out and bought the full sized one. It smells summery, keeps me feeling fresh, and doesn't irritate my skin at all. It's love!

Phew! That was a lot of writing for six products! But I really wanted to make sure that I gave you the full picture. Finding clean products that work is hard. It's a long game of trial and error but I really think it's worth the time any the money. What we put on bodies goes into our bodies and I eat enough sugar that I can't afford to have any extra bad things floating around in there! So, if you've been looking for good quality, decently clean, or natural skin care products or have been on the hunt for the elusive effective natural deordorant (this is how I've spelled the word just about every time so I figured I'd leave in there just once), I highly recommend you try out these products. Again, none of this is sponsored. They're just things that I've tried and loved and needed to share with you!

Note: I am currently on the hunt for a good moisturizer with sunscreen in it for summer.. hit me up if you have any suggestions!