Category: face

#HAWMC, au naturale, beauty, beauty products, castor oil, challenge, chronic autoimmune, clarisonic, co-wash, exfoliate, face, face wash, facial, lupie chick, lupie chick project, lupus, lupus Awareness, lupus foundation, natural, natural hair, neutrogena

#HAWMC Lupie Chicks Love Hate Relationship with the Sun

The Lupie Chick

20130411-204927.jpgWinter has finally realized that his season is over! Spring is here; the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, sun shining, warm weather (75+ degrees daily), fresh spring/summer fruit is ripe and sweet (I had the best strawberries from Sam’s club last week). I love this Caribbean type weather, the hotter it is the more I enjoy it! What’s there to complain about?? The sun… ooh the sun is NOT my friend. Lupie Chicks such as me should avoid exposure to the sun as much as possible. Photosensitivity is one of the most aggravating triggers of our disease. It doesn’t take much exposure to ensure that we have a reaction. I went out yesterday for lunch with a girlfriend (trying to be “normal”). After lunch we walked around, enjoying the fresh air and the street vendors. Minutes after I returned to my desk, the nauseous feeling, and migraine hit me like an atomic bomb. I could feel myself slowly deteriorating right at my desk. I wanted to crawl under the desk and lay in a fetal position until it passed. I held it together trying not to bring attention to myself. As soon as 5 o’clock came, I was OUT of there, went straight home…. 3 extra strength Tylenol and 2 hours later Advil, I SHUT IT ALL THE WAY DOWN….

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For us, sun exposure, even for as little as 30 minutes, causes us to develop migraine headaches, makes us feel nauseas and/or we will experience painful joints. Additionally, exposure to the sun can cause our disease to flare-up (an increase in the activity and symptoms of the disease. This may cause an acute attack of arthritis, pleurisy (chest pain when inhaling), fever, kidney disease, and even epilepsy. Sun sensitivity and UV light sensitivity (photosensitivity) is present in about 90 percent of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 40 to 60 percent of patients with discoid lupus, and about 70 percent of patients with subacute lupus erythematosus.

I had to get back into my “summertime” routine. ** I occasionally, try and move about my day like my counter parts and not like a Lupie Chick, BUT I can’t, it’s not healthy for me. I’m accepting that the few extra minutes it takes me to do the extra things are well worth it at the end of the day.

Skin, after my shower, I start by applying Shea Butter (which has a SPF of about 5) & Coconut Oil (whipped together) as an all over skin moisturizer (body only-not face).

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I then apply sunscreen (to my entire body). My dermatologist recommended Neutrogena Age Shield (SPF 70). Face, I apply Clinique Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 40, then follow with Clinique stay Matte Sheer Press Powder. You can CLICK HERE to review my complete skin routine (including usage of Clarisonic cleansing brush, hydrocortisone, and daily face cleansing).

420403_3700599594512_871037023_nMe & Mama Naturalista

( I wasn’t being a diva, I was in my summer time protective gear)

Clothing, I wear either long pants, mid sleeve top, with a long sleeve spring/summer sweater or blazer (to cover my arms) or I wear maxi dresses (that come pass my ankles- to cover my legs) along with a summer sweater or blazer. I can’t adorn a hat or scarf to work, but I will wear sunglasses, if I have to go out during the day. On the weekends I will wear a wide brim hat or scarf. I purposefully bring my lunch and avoid going outside until after 2:00pm (when the UV rays aren’t as strong), If I must go outside earlier in the day, I will also use an umbrella to block the sun. Shoes, I typically wear flat ballerina shoes, but most recently I’ve had to opt for pep toe flats (due to Subungual Hematoma).

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Dress  & Sweater Target, Sandals Nine West, Necklace-hand made by Me

I try and wear brighter colors, (it may be my imagination) but it seems as if the dark colors draw more heat. I have to take every precaution necessary to stay cool. The season is here, and we have to be careful and take extra precaution to stay well during these spring/summer months.

Disclaimer: The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.
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Old School Making a Comeback- Crisco

The Lupie Chick

We’re all familiar with the blue can – it was probably a staple in all our childhood kitchens. Lately, there has been a lot of chatter about the benefits of Crisco for your skin and hair. Sounds rather bizarre, doesn’t it? Let’s look at the ingredients of Crisco: Soybean oil, fully hydrogenated cottonseed oil, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils. Because the oils are partially hydrogenated, they are solid at room temperature and have a fatty consistency that is lighter than butter (made up of saturated fats). So, basically, natural oils hydrogenated to turn them into solid form. I use natural oils on my skin and hair all the time-Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Almond oil, Emu oil, Avocado Oil, and Grapeseed Oil. Because it is made up of oil, Crisco is not a moisturizer, but it’s a great sealant!!!! You dont’ need to use a lot of it to get great results either (a little goes a LOOOOONG way). If you’re heavy-handed with product though, then you can add cornstarch to your Crisco to keep it from feeling too greasy.

I have read that Crisco is used in hospital settings to treat burn victims and those with severe eczema. It has also been used on skin tears caused by edema (severe swelling due to fluid accumulation).

Through some internet research I discovered Julia’s Goat Milk Soap Company http://www.juliasgoatmilksoap.com/ . Julia create and sell Herbal and Vegatable Based Soaps with Crisoc as the base for an Homemade Eczema Treatment.

Outside of the medical community, countless women (and probably a few men) are using Crisco on their faces, bodies and hair – and reporting great results. And it’s cheap. Under $5 for the small can which should last a really long time.

Does anyone use Crisco on their hair presently, in a past life, or all of the above? Inquiring minds want to know.
antioxidants, au naturale, castor oil, dry skin, EVOO, face, facial, method, miss sixx, mouisturizer, ocm, oil cleansing method, oily skin, olive oil, organic, skin cleansing, sunflower seed oil

OCM Cleaning Method

The Lupie Chick

The Oil Cleansing Method

Today I decided to wash my face with olive oil and castor oil mix. I did a google search on natural facial cleaners and moisturizers after I broke out ONCE a gain with white heads. Of course I was itching to try it. I asked a few co workers about it and they were very informative. They provided and had mixed reviews; One co worker stated that she broke out around her hair line ( which was a concern because at the time, I had several white heads on my forehead and hair line), a second co worker raved about it and lets say she has the most beautiful skin I’ve ever seen. So I figured since I had the products at home in my make shift chemist lab ( the basement) I had to do it. Results:I like it. It left my face tight like I had washed and toned my face but still smooth and not dry looking. From the reading that I done that is probably the castor oil as that is suppose to be the one that pulls out the impurities.

What you need:
  • Wash Cloth

  • Extra Virgin Olive or Sun Flower Seed oil

  • Castor Oil
  • Flip top bottle/Container to keep the oils premixed.

The basic combination of oils for OCM is Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) or Sunflower Seed Oil and Castor Oil. The olive oil is for moisture, Sunflower Seed Oil has a more luxurious feel for massage. It sinks into the skin better, aiding the castor oil in transportation deep into the pores and allowing it to draw the dirt and grime to the surface of your skin where it can be wiped away. and the castor oil is the cleansing part. If you have dry skin, you would want to use more olive oil than castor oil. Say 75% olive oil, and 25% castor oil. Oily skin would be the opposite: 75% castor oil, 25% olive oil. I would start with 50/50 when you first start and then adjust.

The OCM Method:
1. On DRY skin, massage the oils all over your face and neck. Do this over makeup, dirt, whatever else is on your face. Take your time and really massage it in.
2. Take your washcloth and wet it with hot, or very warm water (the warmer the better so it can dissolve the oil better, but don’t burn yourself.) Wring it out and then drape it over your face. (This is steaming the pores) do this a couple of times.

3.As the washcloth cools, start wiping the oil off of your face. Rinse the washcloth and repeat as much as necessary.

4.After that, you can rinse your face in cool water.

5. If your face feels tight, you can apply your moisturizer. If it feels good, you don’t need to. You don’t have to use this method every time you wash your face. You can just do it before bed, or in the morning. I do it daily right before I shower. You will be very surprised that this actually works! Castor oil is known to be an excellent skin cleansing agent, but it is too drying for some skin. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in antioxidants and is an excellent moisturizer. Olive oil renews the skin, but it can be too fatty for oily skin types.

6. mix and store my mixture in a clean four-ounce flip-top bottle for convenience. When you go to replenish your oil blend, I suggest cleaning your bottle thoroughly with dish soap or the dishwasher. Better yet, if you can replace the bottle, this is ideal. We want to be extremely cautious in introducing bacteria to the bottle.