Yesterday was a tough market, weather wise.  It was only our second market this season and it's one to remember.  It was so windy 2 vendor tents were bent and ruined before we even opened for business.  So we had to take them down.  No tent.  High of 85. No clouds.  On blacktop for 6 hours.  No chance of shade or sun avoidance (I had the kids sit under the tables until their dad could pick them up). I applied and reapplied sunblock and eventually found an old umbrella in my car to keep the sun off my already-damaged shoulders. 


 I came home dehydrated, in pain, and a little bit sun sick.  After unloading the car made a batch of the tea, let it cool while I crashed on the couch. Once cool (room temp?), I soaked a hand towel and applied it to the burns.  Repeat and apply to new area.  And then again.  Until I used all the tea.  (the towel was white, but it's not tea-stained.  I haven't washed it yet so I don't know if it'll come out.)  A few hours later, my husband looked at me and said, "You know, you aren't going to want to shower tomorrow".  Crud. He was right.  And we have a Thursday market, too, so not washing for a few days is out of the question.  Instead, I ran a warm bath and made a tea packet of oats and chamomile.  I applied raw honey to my sore, sad, sunburned skin. (the honey is from our bees and I keep some in the bathroom for face washing anyway).  I rinsed the honey and soaked in the tub for about 20 minutes.  After toweling dry, I applied infused plantain oil to the burns. (it speeds healing)


My skin is feeling much better today and the angry redness has faded, for the most part.  There are a few hard to reach places on the back of my shoulder that are a bit sore...but I know, from previous experiences, that I could be feeling so much worse!  

Have sunburn?  Here are a few other things you can try:
Aloe (the real stuff.  the real stuff is not neon green.)
ACV compresses
Witch hazel
Plantain/chickweed/comfrey/oat tea compresses 
Tea compresses: chamomile, black tea, green tea compresses will even work nicely to help relieve the sunburn. (it's the anti-inflammatory action of the tannins)

I am pretty sure I have learned my lesson.  I'll have to cancel on future market days when there are damaging winds.  Neither my products nor my skin fair well with the tent to keep us safe. 

Unsurprisingly, I get a lot of questions about skin care.  How do I wash my face?  What do I use as a moisturizer?  How often do I wash my face?  What about make up?  I often hear, "Your skin is so nice!  What do you do?"  Honestly, I have no idea.  :) 


I shared this photo on my personal FB page and started hearing a lot about my skin.  Really?   I never really though much about my skin...it's just... my skin. So, I thought it must have just been a lucky picture.  Nice lighting, flattering colors and such.  
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So I took another picture of myself during an evening walk just for comparison.  (below)  I guess I have an even skin tone, healthy glow, no acne or scars.  Is it so unusually that people should comment?

But then I started thinking and here's the thing... it's not really about skin care... it's health care.  It's a lifestyle.  And that lifestyle is noticeable in your skin.  So, I will give you a run down of what I think is important for your skin as far as lifestyle, nutrition, and actual skin care.  

It's all about nutrition.  No pop/soda.  Water and herbal tea.  Limited sugar.  I eat clean (most of the time!).  Lots of fresh, local, organic fruits and veggies.  Grassfed meat.  An abundance of healthy fats (nuts and seeds).  Not much dairy. The only wheat I eat prepared with traditional sourdough starter and that's once a week at most. Frequent herbal infusions (Nettle is my favorite!  It's a mild diuretic so it's helpful in keeping your kidneys flushed and happy, it's a nutritional powerhouse, fights allergies, and it perfect for balancing out 'womens issues').  I certainly splurge!  Enchiladas, homemade pizza, ice cream, birthday parties, yum. 

Water, water, water.  Staying hydrated is important for a lot of reasons, but lack of hydration is noticeable in your skin.

Get movin'! I walk/run (intervals.  I'm not a 'runner'.  I don't train for races.  I just like to keep moving). I generally walk 2-3 miles each day.  This is  unimpressive as far as it goes, but I'm getting stronger and faster.  I also do yoga a few times a week.  If you only have a few minutes to do one exercise, do squats.  You'll be working major muscle groups.  Good circulation gets blood and oxygen to tissues (like your skin) and keeps them healthy.  

Sun protection  You'll notice the giant sunglasses and the sunhat in the pictures.  I am vigilant, rather than paranoid, about sun caution.  Sunglasses, sunhat, spend time in the shade (indirect sunlight), covering up (skimpier isn't better in the heat!).  I never try to get a tan, but I spend a lot of time outdoors and as a result my skin will darken (ever so slightly) in the summer.  Vit D is a good thing, skin cancer is a bad thing.  Try to maintain a balance, knowing what you do about how your skin reacts to the sun.  Natural sunblock is the way to go.  Increasing your vit D intake can help you avoid sunburn, as well.

Bare face I very rarely wear makeup.  I like lip gloss and wear it when I leave the house.  Sometimes I wear mascara or minimal eye makeup.  This is just my personal preference.  I am, however, very conscious regarding what makeup and ingredients I am willing to put on my face.  Since I wear very minimal makeup (usually just to church) it works within our budget for me to purchase high quality, chemical free cosmetics.  I wear 100% Pure cosmetics made from fruit pigments.  

Washing Everyone asks me what soap I use on my face.  I am a soapmaker, after all.  Yeah, well.  I don't wash my face with soap.  Your facial skin is incredibly sensitive and most soaps (all commercial skin 'cleansers') are too harsh, stripping away the natural oils.  I use raw honey from our bees.  (in the picture from my walk, I'm actually standing right next to our bee hives!)  Raw honey keeps your skin balanced, moisturizing and cleansing without over-drying.  Aloe is something else you can try.  There are also some great herbal facial steams that would be beneficial. 

Moisturizing Since I do not use soaps or cleansers and do not strip away the natural oils of my skin I very rarely moisturize.  On occasion, I'll use plain sweet almond oil (jojoba is also a good choice) or my Mom's Salve. I had a friend who was a baker from New York City and she used straight olive oil!  Coconut oil is a popular choice, but not the best choice.  The other oils I listed are non-comedogenic meaning they won't clog your pores or cause breakouts.  Coconut oil is comedogenic - pore clogging - and can lead to more breakouts.  That's probably not what you're hoping!

 So, the saying "Beauty comes from within" is even true in this sense.  Beautiful skin is a result of what you put in your body just as much (or more!) as what you put on your body.  All these little decisions add up. 
I hope this little rundown was helpful and makes you think. 

Thanks for putting up with my silly pictures!  If you have any other questions regarding skin care, please comment here or on the FB page.  Thanks!