Disclaimer: I am not a dermatologist nor do I pretend to be. The posts in this series are from research I've done online and my own thoughts. If you or your child are experiencing any skin concerns, please seek professional help.

Coconut oil is what I would call a miracle multitasker. It has so many uses from internal medicine to beauty that the list goes on and it continues to grow as we speak. After posting about children's cleansing I got to thinking about this oil as a cleanser for that list as well. It would make the perfect companion for baby to kindergarten and beyond. It works well with its antimicrobial properties to gently cleanse away dirt and germs while leaving behind a moisturizer. You can also use the coconut all over the face then take a warm wash cloth and pat away the excess oil left behind if moisturizer is not needed.

I can see this working on children with sensitive skin or normal skin just like adults. I love to use it for my eczema or dry skin. It can also make a fabulous all natural lip balm/ lip protectant or chapped nose soother during the cold winter months!

* Make sure to purchase a cold pressed, organic coconut oil to make sure you are getting the purest form.

Here I am with my second post on dry skincare for you guys! I hope this is helping you out and you are enjoying hearing my tips and reviews as much as I am enjoying writing them. :)

So lets talk about cleansers... I switch mine up here and there. Like a lot of you I see something new and I want to try it out. I do go back to a few that I've stuck with for a while now. Some are oils and some are creams. It all depends on my mood and how my skin has been acting. I am also very drawn to anything brightening or that can give my skin even tone and texture, I mean come on who doesn't want that?

One type of cleanser that I have really fallen in love with is cleansing oil. There are lots of different brands now that carry their own version. I have two that I really like, one a little more than the other though. They are Josie Maran's Cleansing Oil and Shu Uemura's Whitefficient Clear Brightening Gentle Cleansing Oil. The Shu Uemura one is my all time favorite and it was one of the first cleansing oils on the market. The texture is silk and it really cleans my face nicely. Josie's is definitely the more affordable high end of the two and it does work it just isn't as silky and takes a little more "massaging" to remove makeup. And do not get Josie's in your mouth, it is gross!




What is really great about cleansing oils is that they don't strip your skin like some other types of soap can. You rub the oil all over your dry face and the oil just dissolves left over makeup from your day (even waterproof mascara!). It is remarkable. I especially love how mascara just melts off my lashes. I wear a lot of mascara everyday so I like that I don't need to rub at my lashes to get it off at night. It keeps my lashes healthy and long (another plus!).  Plus you aren't tugging at your eyes and irritating that gentle skin. When you wet your face the oil just turns into a milky liquid and rinses right off. It is pure magic!

I have not found a cleansing oil from the drugstore. But if you have, please let me know as I would love to check it out!

Other cleansers I am really loving:

Neutrogena Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser - This one I found when I was in college a couple years ago. I definitely see a brighter complexion and more even tone and texture when I use this. I do find that using it in the winter is too drying. So I keep this one usually for spring and summer usage. It has a scrub texture to it so you really don't need to use a separate exfoliator with this at all. It gets the job done and will forever have a place in my cabinet!

Philosophy Miracle Worker Lactic Acid Cleanser - I have just dipped into this one so it is fairly new to me. I do find that I can't use it everyday because it can leave my skin a little red. Not really irritated just pinker than usual. It is a cream texture and rinses clean. My skin definitely feels cleansed after using this. I have not used it enough to see if my tone improves or not. It does help with breakouts without being overbearing and it leaves a nice glow too. So far so good.

Pond's Cold Cream - A classic. This is really nice in the winter. I don't use it too often but I do like it. It is so refreshing with the cucumber in it. The texture reminds me of yogurt. It soothes my dry skin while also cleansing. It can leave some residue behind but nothing a good toner won't help clean up. The "residue" is also part of its charm. It makes sure your skin is completely moisturized. This is also nice for when you don't feel like necessarily wetting your face to wash it. You can just rub is gently on your face and then tissue off.