Gluten Free Beauty Products || Face

Awhile back, I wrote this post about how I am on the search for great beauty products free of gluten and other garbage. I also mentioned in my last currently post, that I have been buying up a storm of face products due to a recent mid life face crisis.
While I am constantly on the hunt for bigger and better things, I thought I'd go ahead and share with you the products that I have started using. I spent a lot of time researching various products and their reviews before I made any purchases, so these are tried and true by a lot of different internet people. If that makes you feel any better about it.

So first off, here's the story all about how my life got turned upside down... sorry, once it started I had to go with it.
But really, my whole life I've never had trouble with my skin. I watched as friends and family members went through trouble acne stages, with all of their soaps and ointments, with absolutely no comprehension. Sure I occasionally had a break out, a giant red blob on my face that was way more noticeable due to my translucent skin shade, but I never had to worry about a face full of pimples. Everybody, and this is not an exaggeration, is always commenting on my skin and how lovely it is, and I've never gotten it. As these comments come primarily from elderly people, I just assumed that my porcelain complexion did something for the old.
But now I get it. It was the shear lack of blemishes that was appealing. I miss those days.
What caused this change, you may ask. Well, as it turns out my clear skin most likely wasn't mine to begin with. Artificial hormones get all the credit on that one, as it would seem. Since stopping certain medications at the end of last year, my hormones are recalibrating them selves and taking it all out on my skin, and I don't really know how to handle it. I have never had to worry about my face before. The truth is, and I know it sounds really horrible, but I barely ever washed my face. I would use makeup remover wipes at night, and usually just use face wash in the shower. I know, you guys. The only thing I was ever religious about was moisturizer, because my face gets horrible dry.
So this is all a learning experience for me, send your twelve year olds over, we can get through it together.

In looking for products, I basically have only three rules. 

No gluten, good for sensitive skin and fragrance free, so any other benefits are just icing on the cake.

This Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser I found through various online forums, is free of dyes, fragrance, paragons, formaldehyde, sulfates and gluten. Basically it has like four ingredients. To maximize my cleaning benefits, I also got on of those little face cleaner things, that are all the rage these days. I opted not to drop two hundred dollars on one, and settled for this Olay version , which works great.

This little combo makes my face feel so clean, so clean in fact that I became slightly obsessed with the cleanliness of my face. I went from a washing my face a few times a week to twice a day, which cause all sorts of little guest to appear on my face. So I dialed it down to just once a day for now, as my skin gets used to it. Something about oil production, and blah blah blah.

After washing my face, I use apple cider vinegar as a toner. 

Guys, I have never toned my face in my life. But apparently it also helps with oil production and all that jazz.

Also, I use Tom's toothpaste, yes its children's, but I have an issue with mint flavoring and I like to have silly strawberry teeth, okay? What I like about this toothpaste though, is that it doesn't really have much of a flavor, which means you don't have a super strong ya I just brushed my teeth scent, and you also don't get that nasty breath that always comes a bit after you brush.

Another issue I have suddenly developed is a nose full of blackheads. 

I feel like this post might be a bit TMI. Not on your end, just mine.

While looking into purchasing some of those strip things that you put on your nose, I found this  Leonie Mask

It had good reviews and a black mask sounded cool so I went for it. While it has not magically cured my problem overnight, I have noticed a bit of a difference. They claim that whatever is in there will prevent new ones from forming, which I think is probably true in my case. It does make your face feel incredibly soft and smooth though. 

I use this about twice a week, after a hot steamy shower for optimum results. Depending on my mood, I will use it just on my nose, or on my whole face. Usually just my nose, because being blind as a bat covering my face in wet sticky stuff is committing to not putting on your glasses and seeing absolutely nothing for the next fifteen to twenty minutes while it dries.

Next up, is the moisturizers. I have been using coconut oil as a moisturizer for the last several months, and while I loved it-it has come to be too oily for my new skin type.

But I found this Japanese moisturizer, again based off of conversations in some online forums, and it is gold. 

This whole post is basically just so I can talk about this moisturizer, because I love it so much. Never have I been so in love with a product, I think. Too much?

It is not like your typical lotion, it is more like a serum; light and clear. It also doesn't feel like your typical lotion, it soaks right in with no slimy residue. That said, my skin has never felt so hydrated in its life. The best part, is that it has started to reduce some old eczema scars I have from childhood. I have mentioned this added bonus to a couple people, all who were seemingly unaware of these scars until I pointed them out, so apparently I'm the only one that notices them, but I am incredibly aware of them. As with acne scars I think, they are more like divots in the skin, making them hard to treat or cover up. This lotion though, has given my skin the elasticity it needs to level out those areas of the skin.

It's gold, I tell you!

I apply this product both in the mornings, and evenings.

I also use this CeraVe Facial Lotion in the evenings, to give me a more hydrated feel, as the Rohto lotion doesn't give you that feeling necessarily, and after washing ,my face always feels really dry.

Also, I bought some Bio-Oil but I'm not quite sure what to do with it yet...thoughts?

So thats it folks! Those are my current facial faves!

I am still always on the hunt for new things, so let me know if you have any suggestions!

Enjoy! xoxox

{all products can be found in the shop section}