Have you ever heard on Oil Cleansing? I actually did a poll on my instagram page and about 60% of you said you haven’t! And if you have been watching my instagram stories for the past week then you have seen my videos on how to do it and how much I LOVE IT. But it definitely isn’t for everyone, the thing is, you don’t know until you try it.
For some more guidance on the topic, I interviewed Katie Paxton of Pax Potions – my favorite OIL company! Grab a booch and read on!
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How did Pax Potions come to fruition?
Katie: About five years ago, I was really frustrated with my skin. It was so sensitive and broke out all the time. I had every little bottle or tube to “fix” it, but nothing was working. I remember looking at my medicine cabinet and thinking,
“How in the world do I have so many products and none of them seem to work?”
I finally looked at the ingredients and realized everything I was using had was full of chemicals I couldn’t pronounce. A LOT of them.
I read somewhere about the oil cleansing method and decided to give it a try—I was shocked at how well my skin responded! I went out and got a few oils and a mixing bottle and started using my own blends. Right away, all my friends started asking me what I was doing to make my skin look so great, so I made them a few potions and they were hooked. They encouraged me to start an Etsy shop, and it’s grown from there.
Your “potions” are definitely high quality. Give me all the details!
Katie: All Pax Potions products are 100% natural, plant-based and cruelty-free, prioritizing organic and food-grade ingredients. Most products are vegan with the exception of lotions, salves and balms which contain local beeswax. There are absolutely no harmful chemicals, synthetic ingredients or preservatives in any Pax Potions product. Each potion is hand crafted in small batches to ensure the highest quality possible.
Which item is your personal favorite?
Katie: I love the night serums with hemp seed oil—they feel so rich and luxurious and absorb into the skin right away. Eirene and Gaia are the hemp based serums we carry now and are perfect for dry winter skin.
Let’s chat about how oils have a huge misconception of making your skin more oily.
Katie:The beauty and cosmetics industry has been telling us for a while now that oil gives you breakouts. I had terrible acne as a teenager and remember scrubbing my face with Stridex pads, followed by a benzoyl peroxide cream to get rid of any oil my skin produced. My skin would be red, dry and flaky one day and then go right back to oily and pimply. I felt like I couldn’t win.
Your skin produces natural oils, called sebum, that protect it from the outside world. By using harsh soaps and chemicals to clean and treat skin, you strip it of its natural sebum. The skin, desperate for the oils it knows will protect it, produces more oil to try and balance the dry environment that the “oil-free” products created. This overproduction of oil combined with dead skin cells causes pimples and acne.
When you treat the over-production of oil with oil, your skin finds the balance to protect itself from the elements and maintain an optimal level of moisture. On top of that, oil breaks down dirt and makeup, cleansing without disturbing the protective barrier of moisture your skin has created. It’s science: like dissolves like. The oil in the Hygieia Cleanser, for example, dissolves dirt and makeup on your skin, which is then steamed away with a hot washcloth. Your face is left clean, but still dewy and fresh like skin should be. Never stripped or overly dry.
I’ve found that by using oil-based cleansers and serums, I’m no longer fighting a battle with my skin. I may see the occasional pimple when I’m hormonal, but never mass breakouts or the red, flaky skin I dealt with before. I love how simple my routine is now and it really delivers results. My favorite part of Pax Potions’ products is that everything is all-natural and chemical-free. I know exactly what I’m putting on my body, which became even more important to me when I got pregnant this year. And if it keeps a pregnant lady’s skin clear, you know it’s the good stuff!
What is your beauty regime and of course how do you incorporate OIL CLEANSING. How do you do it?
Katie:In the morning, I splash with water or rose water and apply Aurora Sun Serum, taking a moment to let the citrus scents wake me up. Then, I apply a tiny bit of a caffeine based eye cream (coming soon—it’s amazing) to calm down any puffiness and smooth fine lines. I make my coffee or tea while everything sinks in and apply SPF and makeup (if I wear it that day) about 15 minutes later.
At night, if I have on makeup, I take it off with the Hygieia Oil Cleanser, taking my time to relax and reflect on my day. Once all makeup is removed, I apply either Thalia or Eirene Moon Serum depending on my mood and what my skin needs (Eirene provides extra moisture) and a Rose or Rose Gold Eye Serum.
If I’m not wearing makeup, I rinse my face with warm water and pat dry before applying moon and eye serums.
Does your product line contain variations for the different skin types?
Katie:Each serum has a specially curated blend of essential oils designed to treat and heal skin based on its needs. The serums made for acne prone skin focus on gently healing existing blemishes and fighting the bacteria that cause them in the first place. The dry/mature skin serums contain essential oils that help regenerate cells and balance skin’s moisture. Along with the essential oils, each serum has a specific blend of base oils specially chosen for each skin type.
Neem oil is an active ingredient in the serums meant for oily and acne prone skin. Neem’s powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties help to calm and heal existing redness and blemishes while preventing new ones from occurring.
The serums that cater to dry or mature skin use nourishing hemp seed and rosehip oils as their base. Hemp seed‘s omega fatty acids closely resemble the ones naturally made in our skin’s sebum, allowing it to effortlessly moisturize and balance dry skin. Used as far back as ancient Egypt, rosehip seed oil combats dryness and dark spots with vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids similar to the ones in hemp seed oil. The combination of these two oils is amazing for dry, mature and sun damaged skin.
Any tips for someone just starting to OIL CLEANSE or starting to use oils in their beauty regime?
Katie:Be patient! Especially if you’re making a switch from “oil-free” products with salicylic acid/benzoyl peroxide for acne, your skin might be confused for a week or two. Stick to just oil cleansing and serums for at least two weeks to give your skin time to heal and recalibrate. I recommend going cold turkey on the harsh acne products and trusting that the oils will balance your skin to the point where you won’t need anything to completely dry out blemishes. It’s scary to throw away that little tube of acne cream, but DO IT! Your skin will thank you later.
SUCH GOOD ADVICE! What about 2018? Do you see Pax Potions expanding?
Katie:An expansion into full body products: body oils, bath salts and scrubs, hair serum, lotions and creams. I started making more products like this for myself to make my entire beauty routine chemical free and I love them. I’m my own best tester, so now that I’ve had some time figuring out what works, I can start adding them to the lineup. I’m also expecting a baby in February, so I’ll be experimenting with more aromatherapy products for labor and recovery as well as super gentle products for babies.
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Are you going to try out OIL CLEANSING? Let me know in the comments below.
Use code BYOK15 for a sweet discount in Katie’s etsy shop and head over to my instagram for a giveaway that ends January 1/26/2018 3pm EST.
And if you wish to follow Pax Potions on social media, here are the handles: Instagram | Etsy |Facebook
