jessie's sensitive skincare regimen

As a teen and young adult I enjoyed years of flawless skin. Today, at 32 my skin is sensitive, oily, and prone to acne. Most over-the-counter topical treatments first irritate my skin, then work briefly, then become less effective as I use them. I've probably  tried and discarded everything in the shop . . . except for a wonderful moisturizer that I wear daily. More about that later.

I have recently--in the past 3 months--begun looking around in the kitchen for things to help my skin. To my surprise these things actually work. Here's a list of things I use regularly for cleansing and acne treatment--and how often I use them:

1. Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap as a daily face wash.
   I wash my face in the morning and once in the afternoon with a teaspoon of this soap, using only the pads of my fingers. This is just to remove any accumulated oil build-up. Then I apply a thin layer of...
2. Derma E Tea Tree and E Antiseptic Creme, plus a drop of Tea Tree Oil as a daily moisturizer. I use only a pea-sized amount of this moisturizer and mix it with the oil in my palm. This is enough to cover my entire face and neck.
3. Every 2 days, I use Baking Soda as a gentle exfoliant. After a regular wash I spread one or two teaspoons of baking soda all over my wet face. Then, using the pads of my gingers I gently massage my neck, face and hairline--spending about 30 seconds on each area--paying close attention to oilier regions of my face.
4. Ripe banana peel as needed for acne spot treatment. To be honest, I've only been using this little trick for about 2 weeks. I found it described on Kanelstrand Simple Living Chronicles blog (with photos) -how to get rid of pimples and minimize scars in 4 days. I was shocked to find that it actually works for me.
5. Last summer I went on a hiking trip in the mountains of New York and was plagued by constant breakouts and then by a summer cold. I began taking Goldenseal Herb Capsules to help get over the cold more quickly. To my surprise, the acne also began to dry and clear up. I know that this herb is a natural antibiotic, but conveniently forgot that there was a potential for some effect on acne(which is caused by bacteria on the skin). There's lots more to learn about this herb, but I just wanted to mention it here.

Like I mentioned, it's been a few months, and I'm quite happy with the way that my skin looks and feels. I haven't had any major breakouts. I can't begin to guess how much money I've saved,  and my pores also seem more refined. It's been a win-win for me.

(originally posted all-natural-locs)