Beauty Lab: Simple Basics Acne Skin Care Set
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 09.25.08
Photo credit: Simple Basics at Etsy
As someone who suffers from adult acne way, way after my metaphorical braces have come off, I've tried just about every kind of acne-fighting formula known to mankind, including, I'm afraid to say, some pretty hard stuff, all with varying results. So I was incredibly surprised to find an anti-acne regimen that not only dispenses with most of the chemical goobledegook, but which actually works once you give it some time.
Simple Basics is not a brand you'll find in a store. Its products are made in small batches by Michelle McLaughlin, an indie artisan who hawks her wares on Etsy.com. Her $28 Acne Skin Care Set offers a threeway of zit-zapping solutions—a face wash made with olive and coconut oils, French green clay, green tea, aloe vera, and tea tree oil; a toner comprising organic lavender hydrosol water, aloe vera, and witch hazel; and a chamomile- and Shea butter-based night cream with grapeseed and safflower oils to spur on cell growth and accelerate healing.
Suffice to say, you won't find scary toxins like parabens on the label. Simple Basics uses all-natural preservatives like vitamin E, grapefruit seed extract, and rosemary extract, instead. Just one catch: Because of the lack of synthetics, the products have a shelf life of three to six months, but that shouldn't pose a problem if you're using them daily.
I've also noticed that the face wash stings my eyes if I don't rinse it off completely, although it's not a deal-breaker by any means. If anything, it's probably a sign that I need to wash more thoroughly. ::Etsy.com
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How much time did you need before it worked? I, too, face adult acne and it's freaking annoying. I'm interested in anything that might work.
@Sunshine: I gave it about a few weeks to a month and my skin noticeably cleared up. (You have to allow some time for old scars and blemishes to heal to be able to see a difference.)
Another good night-time moisturizer I like to use before I go to bed is a dollop of aloe vera gel (make sure it's 99% pure aloe vera) with a couple of drops of pure essential tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and the aloe vera helps soothe inflamed skin.
Thanks for the tip. I have real aloe vera at home - every home in S.FL should. I'll have to get some tea tree oil.