by Ashley Pawelczyk
Cutting Loose Salon

I’ve been doing makeup professionally for about 3+ years and like most people in their respected profession, I’ve found that I also have a love/hate relationship with makeup. Don’t get me wrong! I love the stuff as much as the next girl with a $150 Sephora gift card and I’m sure most people would agree that it’s as necessary as pants, although, pants are generally up for debate in my book.

So here’s the problem: I LOVE my face. WITHOUT makeup.

I have come a long way from the oily-faced, acne ridden teenager and I am proud to feel confident about my skin without having to pack on 5 pounds of makeup to go to the grocery store. I’ve compiled a few of my favorite cocktails to keep your skin glowing bright and moisturized so you can share in my naked-faced joy.

About two years I started using coconut oil for everything. I cooked with it, I clean with it; I became OBSESSED.

One day I was standing in the line at my local Richards when I overheard two girls talking about coconut oil and how they used it as makeup remover! So naturally I canceled all my plans for the day, went home, tried it and loved it!

Here’s how:

Take a little bit of extra virgin coconut oil (the brand doesn’t matter) on your index and middle finger, let your body temperature melt it and gently massage it over eye lids and lashes. Just use a warm, damp towel to remove the oil and your liner and waterproof mascara come right off without any leftover residue!

Being an avid baker, I also find I usually have an abundance of baking soda around the house. So instead of paying a ton of money for face wash that will probably wind up breaking me out anyway, I’ve found using a bit of the baking soda and water not only helps reduce my oil buildup but it’s also a natural exfoliate. Sometimes if I have a little extra time in the morning, I’ll switch out the water in favor for fresh lemon juice and leave the baking soda mixture on my face for a few minutes to help reduce blackheads and any skin discoloration. You can also sprinkle a bit of baking soda on your toothbrush to brighten teeth and remove any red wine or coffee stains!