So for the past week I have resorted to using solely the "oil cleansing method", and I incorporated two new ingredients my mother now swears on; Flax Seed & Wheat Germ. Every morning I have about a cup of yogurt, and in it I add two tablespoons each of ground Flax Seed, and Wheat Germ. Have I noticed a difference? Most definitely. Will I go back to Dermalogica? Not if I continue to see results.
About 2 tablespoons of Wheat Germ contains 20 % of your daily allowance of Folic Acid & Vitamin E [Vitamin E helps to protect your skin cells against UV radiation from the sun, and also protects cell membranes], and two tablespoons of Flax Seeds is the equivalent of eating about 25-30 cups of Broccoli. Flax Seeds contain a high amount of Omega 3 & Omega 6 Fatty Acids which are essential in the role of maintaining healthy skin/hair as well as preventing and/or clearing up skin disorders such as Acne, Psoriasis, and Eczema. Flax Seeds also help keep your pores open, thus preventing the build-up of sebum, that nasty little culprit behind Acne. Fatty acids also help your skin to remain soft, supple, and smooth, and it also regulates what goes in and out of your skin cells. In other words, they allow nutrients and water in, and keep toxins out.
I can barely taste the Wheat Germ, however the Flax Seeds have some sort of a nutty flavor to them. So if nutty isn't your thing, you may want to mix them in with something that disguises the taste a little more. I like using yogurt because it contains probiotics that benefit your complexion, which leaves your skin smoother, less prone to breakouts, and also helps your body maintain it's natural healthy balance of hormones.
Try This: [Low Fat Wheat Germ/Flax Seed Yogurt]
1 cup of low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons of wheat germ
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 tablespoons granola
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
If you aren't too keen on eating the Flax Seeds, try this: [Flax Seed Gel Facial]
Grind 1/4 tablespoon of Flax Seeds, and mix with rose water [enough water to make a thick paste], let the mixture sit until the mucilage releases, and you are left with something of a gel-like consistency. Apply on your face paying close attention to the problem areas [be sure to avoid your eyes], leave on for about 10-15 minutes, then rise!
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Great suggestion! For your yogurt, you can try a greek yogurt since it has 3 times the protein as regular yogurt. It's great after a workout! Also, lots of low-fat yogurts are loaded with sugar. I just became privy to that info. so I'm trying to transition to Greek yogurts (which is an acquired taste)
ReplyDeleteI did a post on dry brushing with a natural loofah. Check it out. i'm curious about the oil cleansing method. I may try it soon come fall.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this! I have some scars on my skin that never seem to fade :(
ReplyDeleteHopefully this will help some. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated!
This sounds great! How long were you eating the yogurt before you saw results?
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge yogurt fan but I love fruit and veggie smoothies so maybe I could incorporate the flax seeds and wheat germ that way. Thanks for this post sis.
ReplyDeleteHmmm flax seeds can also be made into a gel for ur hair. I can't remember who's YouTube page I saw it on. I love simple natural substances that can serve multiple purposes.
ReplyDeleteSmh I jus left a comment but how can I not comment on the photo. I'm loving Yaya's hair and makeup in this photo. She always rocks the stretched out curly fro/twistout/braidout/ lol w/e with confidence. Her skin has cleared up really well too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, love. Might I suggest flax seed and wheat germ oil? I find that a lot easier to deal with than the actual seeds itself. I too have my flax seed with yogurt, but I'm going to try low-fat or perhaps greek as one user suggested.
ReplyDeleteAs far as wheat germ, I haven't tried it but I will def pick up the oil the next time I'm in whole foods.
Have you given Carlson's cod liver oil (lemon flavor) a try? I started using it a bit over a week ago and I'm in love. My skin has been glowing. I take one teaspoon in the morning and one at night. I love oils! lol
I already add the wheat germ to my green smoothies so I will definitely add the flax seeds to them as well. Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeletethanks! will try ASAP!
ReplyDeletemy medical esthetician mentioned that dairy products can contribute to some people's acne, especially dairy from cows, so I used to use goat yogurt for my smoothies and other recipes that called for yogurt. it too is an acquired taste but you can't taste the difference once you mix it with the fruit in the smoothies.
ReplyDeletei too was just talking to someone about healthier alternatives, natural skincare and changing my diet. i have been using the oil cleansing method for a couple months now and have also noticed a difference. i do the OCM at night and use philosophy w/ my clarisonic in the mornings.
xoxo Meish
urbanglamgyrl.onsugar.com
Thanks for sharing this. I already eat yogurt and granola on a regular basis, so I will give this a try!
ReplyDeletehey there! here's another great use for flaxseeds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APvl4YfrOD0&feature=PlayList&p=D02C4CE7BA2D45C1&playnext_from=PL&index=81
ReplyDeletethank you so much for this post. i will definitely try this out. lord knows i need this for my face since its been acting up. thnx again love ur blog
ReplyDeleteI can attest to the fact that dairy will wreck your face. I turned thirty and I got the most severe case of jawline acne and dairy made it so much worse. As a result, I now use almond and rice milk (which I LOVE) in place of dairy.
ReplyDeleteI just want to make sure that people know that unless they ground the Flax Seeds, they cannot get the nutrients that it provides.
I've also used the OCM. For my oily skin, I love grapeseed oil as it acts as an astringent.
is this recipe ok for pregnant women?
ReplyDeleteGreat tip! I'm actually a low dairy consumer because I just don't like regular cow's milk. The only kind of cow milk product I can have without an upset stomach is Greek yogurt. I have a major sweet tooth so I still eat ice cream (with pain and discomfort lol). I haven't really noticed anything beneficial in terms of skin because if I do everything I'm supposed to (EXCERSISE-best thing for clearing skin, drinking water, limiting my sweets) I don't get unruly breakouts.
ReplyDeleteAlso, please don't buy ground flaxseeds. The cost of inflation is tremendous. Bob's Red Mill's ground flaxseeds cost $6.49 at my local grocery store where as the whole flaxseeds cost only $3.99. To grind, simple add to a blender!
Lastly, I also take a fish oil supplement. I get mine at target and have been taking it for years. I believe this helps my skin stay soft and smooth.
Hi! I havent tried yet, but while doing some research I discovered that linseed oil/ flaxseeds can be mildly estrogenic, which is not good (I don't eat soy unless in a fermented product for the same reason) fish oil seems to have residues of mercury in it that cannot be completely removed and I have heard hempseed oil might be a better supplement and a good sustitute for both. I really want to try Wheat Germ as it's great the hair too... Off to buy some oils tomorrow (the unknown castor oil as well).
ReplyDeleteLaura
I used to add Wheat Germ to my little brother's oatmeal, so we always have a stack around the house. I'm definitely gonna try this out.
ReplyDeleteSide Note: Is that Ya-Ya from America's Next Top Model in your post's pic?
You too? My mom recently got me on incorporating flax-seeds into my diet. I grind it up and put it into everything from salad to yogurt.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I'll keep that in mind!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to give flaxseed a shot. I want to compare it to fish oil. I read somewhere that the omega 3s in flaxeed come in the form of ALA which our body then converts to omega 3 but apparently, humans have evolved in such a way that we don't convert the ALA to omega 3 as efficiently as our ancestors did, so most scientists recommend fish oil (b/c it's been studied longer and the omega 3 in fish oil is more readily available to the body. It's just straight up omega 3)...sorry if I'm getting too nerdy. Anywho, I'm doing my own experiment now. Tried fish oil and my skin has never been so smooth. Now I'm going to see if I can get comparable results w/ flax seed.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how long it will take to see results?
ReplyDelete@Latoya No Way! Good to know since I am trying like heck to get all the protein I can. I will most definitely pick some up at the grocery store this week. Thank you very much for that!
ReplyDelete@Hell Notes for Beauty I will check it out, I heard about this through a friend, so I am curious to hear more info on it!
@Anonymous; I remember I use to use Chandrika soap; that helped a lot with fading dark spots on my face [I don't use it anymore because the smell is pretty bad...lol] - I purchased it from my local Indian Market, you should try it if you can stand the smell.
@Camille Bolton About 2 weeks! You have to do it consistently to see major results though.
@Afrikan Latina Yes you can, I was even thinking about doing the same, as something quick to take with me on the go.
@Anonymous Can it? I am going to look for it on YouTube! I have to see this!
@Chidi I will give the flax seed oil a try, it seems a little quicker than having to go through the motions of grinding the seeds. I have heard wonderful things about Cod Liver Oil, but I don't know if I can stomach the taste! LOL I will try it out soon enough...
@Jai You're welcome!
@welcome to my world Please do!
@UrbanGlamGyrl Can it really? That is good to know!!! How do you like your Clairisonic? I have had my eye that puppy for awhile.
@Jet-Setting Divas Definitely give it a try!
@Anonymous Thank you!
@Anonymous Thank you very much, definitely give it a shot!
@wigleyaf Where do you get your Almond Milk? And isn't Grapeseed Oil the truth?? LOL I love that stuff, it works perfect for people who have acne prone skin!
@Anonymous Not quite sure if it is safe for pregnant women, to be on the safe side, please check with your doc!
@Chinye Thank you for the fish oil supplement recommendation, and I agree...buying GROUND flax seeds is crazy when you can just ground them yourself. Although sometimes I can be admittedly lazy :-/
@Ms. Princess Definitely try it out, and yup, that is Ya-Ya!
@Anuli Nice! Going to have to add it to a salad one of these days!
@xoxotara Please do!
@Anonymous I am SOLD on fish oil right now!!!
@Anonymous For me it took about two weeks to see a visible difference!
because of the major heat (i don't cope well in heat) i've been doing the OCM maybe every other day and using all natural soaps (chagrin valley) the other days. but i do yogurt regularly and will try to include the flax seed and wheat germ. my skin is getting much softer but i'm trying not to overwhelm it by trying too many diff things at once (cocoa butter, glycolic treatments, OCM, chagrin valley, turmeric cream OY!!!). THANKS for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've tried that this week and my skin is less oily. Plus I've been drinking lots more water! Thanks for the tip lady!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading up on the side effects of flaxi seeds and flaxi seed oil and alot of the comments are that users broke out big time (within 24 hrs- 2 days later). But I noticed with you take it with yorghut...could that be why you haven't experienced any breakouts? I ask b'se i'm a tad bit hesistant to try this out.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you purchase your flax seed and wheat germ? What brands?
ReplyDelete