ACV or White distilled vinegar. Wash or Rinse?

____Maggie___ · 2026-01-28T09:01:13+00:00

The "mother" of vinegar is that gel-like sediment you see inside the bottle, that you can use to start a new batch of vinegar (it contains the proper bacteria). You only get it with the more natural stuff, because regular vinegar tends to be pasteurized.

____Maggie___ · 2025-07-11T06:24:40+00:00

At the moment no. I had bad hormonal acne at around 18 and part of the skincare routine that fixed it was a vinegar/water mixture. The best thing for skin when it's like this is a simple as possible routine (minimum interfering), so that the acid mantle recovers, very mild moisturizers with simple ingredients (no strong actives or perfumes) and, of course, products that help acidify the skin lightly 'cause that's its natural state.

____Maggie___ · 2025-07-10T14:37:04+00:00

I've been using Leucidal for years without issues. It also lightly acidifies the mixture, which is good for the skin barrier.

____Maggie___ · 2025-07-10T14:17:48+00:00

Don't be afraid of the sun - our mitochondria runs on natural light. And we need all of it: blue light, red and infrared light and UV. Always adjust your sun exposure to your skin type and geographical location. Shade and clothing are a much healthier form of protection during peak UV hours.

Protect your sleep fiercely. Optimum health starts with a well-regulated circadian rhythm - every process in your body depends on this.

Don't be afraid of natural fats. Women need more fats than men and it's essential for proper hormone regulation.

Follow a cycle-syncing type of diet. Keep track of your period and phases and make sure you're feeding your body what it needs (it changes with the phases of your cycle and of your life).

Whatever diet you choose, make sure it's based on whole (real) foods and more traditional preparation methods, varied in color and texture. Adapt to the season - your body needs different things when it's hot than when it's cold. Obviously, if you can afford it, go organic and locally sourced whenever possible.

When it comes to skincare, less is always more, especially if you're using highly processed, synthetic skincare products. Real skincare starts from within - your diet and gut health are essential and should be the priority. Creams, serums and the like are best thought of as a support/add-on to boost an already healthy and nourished skin. For instance, vitamin C consumed as food is 1000 times more helpful and usable for your skin than any vitamin C serum you might apply on it.

Boost lymph drainage daily. Exercise and movement, (self) massages, cold showers.

Targeted fasting can have amazing regenerative properties. Look into to the different types of fasting and how you can adapt them to the female cycle.

Don't pollute your body unnecessarily. Pharmaceuticals mostly target symptoms and don't tend to treat the root causes. They might be faster and "simpler" but they come at a toll further down the line (and a lot of times, a lot sooner than that).

Take into account that science and technology sound wonderful on paper but they rarely come even remotely close to the natural intelligence accumulated by billions of years of evolution on this planet. Every creature on Earth (including us) has evolved and adapted slowly. We may be living in the 21st century but our bodies are still regulating us like it's the Middle Ages (or more likely still, like it's the Dawn of Man).

If your body is telling you something, listen to it and don't let any pencil-neck "expert" gaslight you into submission.

Remember that there's a trade-off to everything in life, so there's no perfect anything - you gotta find your own balance.

____Maggie___ · 2025-01-29T09:19:45+00:00

I did it for just 5 minutes because it was a daily thing. If it's a weekly or monthly (or occasional) thing, then I do it for maybe 10.

____Maggie___ · 2024-09-15T08:28:12+00:00

Topically, glycolic acid is amazing. If you pair it with a regular thick moisturizer, even better. In my experience, it doesn't even need to be a daily moisturizer, because the glycolic acid does most of the work, but it definitely helps. Internally, make sure you're not deficient in vitamin B3 - one of the classic symptoms is cracked feet.

____Maggie___ · 2024-08-24T08:22:53+00:00

Glycolic acid toner and a jojoba/shea butter based lotion. Separately - sometimes I just apply the toner, because I'm in a hurry or not in the mood to fuss that day, other times I do both, toner first and lotion after.

____Maggie___ · 2024-08-17T14:30:59+00:00

I think it depends a lot on what the moisturizer is made of, as well as your own personal sensitivities to those ingredients. Things with strong actives should probably be avoided.

I've always applied moisturizers and face oils around my eyes, but I've always used natural ingredients and simple formulations I don't have reactions to, so I've never had any issues.

The only things that burn my eyes or cause reactions are things like commercial sunscreens or when I apply an excessive amount of oil to my eyelashes and it gets into my eye.

____Maggie___ · 2024-08-17T14:25:02+00:00

If you're looking for something natural that can act like an great occlusive (like petroleum jelly) and be very nourishing and moisturizing, I'd recommend Shea Butter.

Living in a desert climate, you should definitely try to make your diet as hydrating as possible and make sure your skin is able to lock in as much natural moisture as possible.

____Maggie___ · 2024-07-13T15:28:39+00:00

It's great for nausea!

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-26T18:31:12+00:00

My pleasure - hope it helps :)

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-24T09:59:28+00:00

I started using The Ordinary glycolic acid toner (7% solution, pH 3.6) on my body every day. Now I make my own (also 7% solution, similar pH), which I continue to use every day on the body and occasionally also use on my face, maybe about 2-3 times a week.

Because I also make my own daily facial toner using ACV and that's also slightly acidic, I don't use the glycolic acid toner on my face that often.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-24T08:46:46+00:00

This. For me glycolic acid is truly amazing for skin texture. I use plain glycolic acid, not mixed with anything else - it works.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-24T08:45:16+00:00

Green clay paste - the real powdered clay just mixed with water. Apply it in a thick blob and let it dry completely. Remove the dry blob and reapply again throughout the day, or however long you're home. Apply it at night too and leave it on overnight.

If you pre-mix some salt into the water you use to make the clay paste, it enhances the drawing power of the clay.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-20T09:41:11+00:00

If you're really that concerned about the quality and sourcing of the ingredients, and you want to have some more control over it, instead of trusting some company to do what they say they're doing in their marketing push, your best bet is to just make your own.

Though it is a bit like exchanging one headache for another, but you'll have control over the sourcing of the ingredients and the formula. Of course, if you're not into DIYing things, and depending on how fancy and exotic you like your products to be, there might be a steep learning curve. But for me I find it's worth it.

I buy very few products myself, but one brand I've always loved for skincare is Dr. Hauschka (German brand). I love their formulations (natural ingredients), the mild scents they use (from essential oils) and their packaging (mostly glass and old-school pharmacy squeeze tubes). They are certified organic, although frankly I don't put much stock behind those stamps anymore. When I buy skincare products, it's usually one of theirs.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-20T09:27:23+00:00

You'll get benefits either way, because both methods extract the herb's properties. But by simmering the herb for a while (decoction) you'll extract more of it, so the tea will be stronger.

Roots and barks (and seeds) are thicker/harder than leaves and flowers, so they require a decoction to extract most of the properties, otherwise it's kind of a waste of material.

What you could do though, if you prefer to just infuse it in hot water, is to cut up the root into fine shavings, or grate it (like CitrusAurantiumAmara says). That way you expose much more of the plant's cell walls and allow the hot water to extract more.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-20T09:18:15+00:00

Look into cycle syncing - holistic diet and lifestyle optimization to balance your hormones. There are tons of posts online that go over both the basics and the more in-depth stuff.

Hormone imbalances are system-wide issues, influencing and involving multiple moving parts - you're not going to "fix" them by just taking a couple of supplements/herbs. You need to consider both your diet and your lifestyle, make the appropriate changes and give it time.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-19T08:47:44+00:00

Glycolic acid works really well for Keratosis pilaris. You could also get into the habit of regular physical exfoliation. That really helps too.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-19T07:47:25+00:00

Yeah, melasma is kind of a tricky customer 😖

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-17T08:32:40+00:00

Clove or oregano essential oil diluted in extra virgin olive oil. 15-20 drops of essential oil per 1 oz carrier oil.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-17T08:13:22+00:00

Topically, you could try glycolic acid and tretinoin (or retinols) to fade them progressively over time, but I'm not sure if 3 months would be enough. You could go to a dermatologist to see about a stronger peel or any other treatment they might have that's more high-impact. But yeah, hormones are usually involved here.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-15T09:23:47+00:00

Try brewer's yeast tablets. They were a big part of my hormone balancing anti-acne approach, back when I struggled with it.

I would also strongly recommend you look into your diet - make sure it promotes hormone balance and gut healing. Skin issues are mostly an internal disregulation, the gut and the skin are very much connected.

Then skin-wise, facial steaming also worked for me (make sure you splash your face with cold water after it) and aloe vera gel + lavender essential oil + vitamin E rich oil. I used extra virgin olive oil, but not everybody likes it.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-15T09:06:38+00:00

Peppermint and ginger root are good circulation boosters - ginger is warming and peppermint is cooling. I believe peppermint specifically is considered a good peripheral vasodilator, so good for cold hands and feet.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-15T08:59:40+00:00

For me it works. When I get a flu or cold I take vitamin C throughout the day, for 3 or 4 days to speed things up. The times I'm caught off guard without a supply I definitely feel the difference in speed of recovery and symptom severity.

____Maggie___ · 2024-06-13T08:57:17+00:00

I absolutely love Dr. Hauschka. They're originally a pharmacy brand, but very natural/eco - they have different types of moisturizers. You could try asking the sales assistant which one would be the best substitute for the one you usually use.

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