Why I Ditched Coconut Oil

I have a confession to make. I do not have clear skin. I have struggled with acne and blackheads pretty much my entire adult life. I've tried EVERYTHING. If it was supposed to clear up your acne, I have slathered it on my face.

I always prefer to use natural products so when the word got out that coconut oil was the best thing since sliced bread, I jumped on the bandwagon. I basically bathed in the stuff. I was so excited to have found something without chemicals that would magically heal my acne and leave my skin moisturized and glowing.

Then my skin got worse. Like so much worse. I started to have horrible blackheads ALL OVER my nose and chin. I was constantly extracting them to find them back the next day. This left my skin scarred and sore. I started to do some real research into why this was happening and I finally learned the truth about coconut oil.

Coconut oil is fairly comedogenic - which basically means that it can clog pores and cause blackheads. So while it may work for some people, if you have a tendency to get clogged pores easily, coconut oil will only exacerbate the problem.

If your skin is in the middle of the spectrum (not particularly dry or oily) coconut oil will probably work for you. For me, it ruined my skin. I still struggle with a ton of blackheads on my nose and have to clean them out regularly. I thought that my hopes and dreams of using natural products on my face were over because I just NEEDED the chemicals to keep acne at bay.

Enter SW Basics.

Ya'll this whole line is magical. My face has never been clearer and I love that each product has five ingredients or less. The best part is that they have several products that are coconut oil free. I love all of their products but I'm going to take you through my daily routine using my five faves

1. Cleanser - This cleanser is gentle (no suds!) but so effective! I apply it with an exfoliating cotton pad (I love THESE) and rinse with with warm water. I'm not gonna lie I wasn't sure about a non foaming cleanser but I actually love it and my face feels so clean after I use it.

2. Toner - This apple cider vinegar toner is the bomb-diggety. If I had to choose just one product from the skin care line this would win by a landslide. This keeps acne and blackheads at bay and gives my skin a nice glow.

3. Oil Serum - I LOVE this stuff. It's made of Avocado oil, coffee oil, turmeric oil, and geranium oil. It evens skin tone and is super moisturizing!

4. Makeup Remover (not pictured) - This blend of jojoba, olive, and sweet almond oils is a perfect all-in-one for your face. It removes makeup super easily, makes a great moisturizer, and it's antibacterial so it's great for those lazy nights or mornings when you don't get around to washing your face.

5. Body Oil - Moving from Houston to Denver was so so hard on my skin. I was itchy and ashy and lotion was just not cutting it. This body oil is amazing. My skin drinks it up and it smells amazing. I thought it would feel super greasy but it actually soaks in really well and leaves my skin super soft.

Other faves:

Hibiscus Face Mask- French green clay draws out impurities, hibiscus exfoliates, and organic lavender soothes the skin. I use it about once a week an it makes my skin so soft.

Rosewater Spray - I love this stuff! It's refreshing and uplifting and gives me little boost throughout the day while keeping my makeup looking fresh.

The best thing about these products is that they're affordable and you can find them at Target. I am stoked that naturally based products are becoming more and more accessible thanks to a higher demand and more people becoming aware of the dangers associated with all of the chemicals and toxins found in most beauty brands - even most "natural" brands. S.W. Basics takes natural skin care a step further by keeping the ingredient list simple and only using the highest quality products for optimum effectiveness.

If you've been struggling to keep your skin clear and you've been afraid to take the leap into natural skin care I highly encourage you to give these products a try! You won't be disappointed!

This post was sponsored by S.W. Basics.

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