It took me a long, long time to start caring for my skin in the morning. Years and years. In fact, it took me years to begin even taking my makeup off at night before I went to bed. I know. The cardinal sin of beauty!
Well, things have certainly changed. Now, I begin by thinking about my skincare first thing in the morning!
I don’t know if you guys have woken up and started the day with a glass of ice water with lemon + a dash of cayenne, but it’s heavenly – and seriously good for your skin! Ever since I started doing this I saw a massive improvement in how awake, alert and glowing I looked. It’s detoxifying as well as refreshing, and my body loves me for it.
My new favorite morning ritual is to start my day with a DIY lip scrub, which I love. I make it myself so that it’s not too abrasive and I know the ingredients are completely clean. I like my scrubs a little grainer, so himalayan salt is a perfect ingredient to start with (as sugar can get clumpy or be too harsh on your lips if they’re dry.)
I really wish I had started doing this sooner because it makes all the difference! Not only is a lip scrub a luxurious way to start your day, you can alternatively use it as an exfoliator for your face! It’s gentle and hardworking.
Also, getting out my precious oils in this way reminds me to HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE, which should be the #1 goal of every morning. After all – you’ve just spent 8 hours without eating or drinking a thing!
I use Aynara’s Argan Oil and Prickly Pear Seed oil, two of my favorite anti-oxidant powerhouses.
Prickly Pear Seed Oil has been a go-to oil for years. It’s particularly great for my skin, which is dry in some spots and acne prone in others. Prickly pear works for every single skin tone, and is normally SUPER expensive. I grow prickly pear cactus’s, and I know that harvesting the seeds from a cactus and then pressing them to make oil is one of the most laborious exercises in beauty! It can take hundreds of prickly pear seed to extract just one ounce of oil – hence it’s high cost.
This bottle is one of the ONLY pure prickly pear oils I’ve found that’s a reasonable price (it’s currently sold out in the large form so pick yourself up a travel size for just $10!)
Prickly Pear Oil promises to plump, fill lines, revitalize and rejuvenate your skin like no other oil in the industry. It will quickly become your ally in fighting against free radicals and sun damage. I apply some under my eyes nightly and in the morning first thing! This has dramatically tightened the appearance of the skin underneath my eyes and lightened dark circles that I’ve suffered from since adolescence!
Argan Oil is perfect for face, skin and hair. Argan Oil for skin has astonishing healing, conditioning, and anti-aging properties. Pure Argan like Aynara’s can be used to diminish stretch marks, restore texture, improve elasticity, tone, relieve skin damage fight fine lines, hydrate, repair imperfections, minimize scars, and reduce inflammation to treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Argan Oil for hair heals and conditions damaged hair.
I use it as a makeup primer, a highlighter, a moisturizer, a hair oil and for a ton of DIY projects like this one! I absolutely love the subtle natural scent and consistency. It’s chock full of vitamin E and fatty acid content, so it’s the ideal product to give skin a natural boost. It absorbs easily and is non-greasy and non-irritating, which makes it a great natural moisturizer. These two oils together make the perfect scrub base!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Aynara Prickly Pear seed oil (this is the cheapest and best quality prickly pear I’ve ever found, and I’ve been looking for years!!)
- Aynara Argan Oil (same! ^^)
- Himalayan Pink Salt
HOW TO:
- Add a handful of salt to a wooden bowl (I love this one that I use for face masks and acai bowls!)
- Add 1 tsp Argan oil with 5 drops Prickly Pear Seed oil
- Mix together
- If you have any extra oil on your hands, pat under your eyes and cheeks for moisture
- Apply to lips with your hands or a toothbrush + scrub
- Rinse thoroughly with filtered water
This post was created in partnership with Aynara.
Photos by Arielle Levy.