I haven’t stopped talking or thinking about Skin Cleanse: The Simple, All-Natural Program for Clear, Calm, Happy Skin since I started reading it a few weeks ago. I have long been looking to my diet to clear my skin and help me heal, but never quite like this.

While Skin Cleanse focuses on curing skin aliments with what you put in your body and on it, I took so much more than that from it.

Skin Cleanse Takeaways

Food heals.
What we eat matters. Before you ‘duh!’ me, hear me out. From the macronutrients we live off of to the micronutrients that feed our cells, each thing we eat and the things it’s made out of make a difference. We so often break down our foods into “carbs,” “fruits and vegetables,” “fats,” and “proteins,” but do we ever stop to consider how much vitamin D we are eating or what sources of folate we added to our diet today? After reading Skin Cleanse I am much more aware of the micronutrients I need and finding whole food sources to get them.

Less is more.
Whether it’s what I slather on my skin and hair or eat, less is almost always better. Simple ingredients and routines will do just as well, if not better, than the 10 step morning skin regimen.

Variety matters.
It’s so easy for me to fall into eating the same things every day. Toast or oatmeal for breakfast. Carb-rich leftovers for lunch. Rice and vegetables for dinner. The same foods rotate through my week constantly depending on the season. Same goes for skin. What works in the winter might not be what’s best in the summer.

Your body knows what it wants.
Adina Grigore really hit this point hard, and I appreciated it. Your body knows what it needs. It’s up to us to pay attention and figure it out.

Listen more closely.
Stop being in denial. It’s so easy to ignore what our bodies tell us, but if we actually take the time to listen we can take control of our health. I am a firm believer that we have the tools we need to improve our health, we just have to tap into our bodies’ feedback.

You’re in control.
From acne to lingering fatigue to frequent headaches, what’s happening to our bodies can feel completely, overwhelmingly, out of control. The frustration can be extreme, as can the feeling of helplessness. Endless trips to specialists and prodding tests often lead to fewer answers and more confusion in my experience. Every time I end up in and out of the doctor’s office I am reminded that no one knows my body like I do. While I may not be able to tell you the exact chemical reaction or cellular function of what’s happening in my body, I can certainly tell you how I feel and what seems to make it better or worse.

And that knowledge is powerful! I am so thankful every time one of my doctors tells me how I can improve my health. Whether it’s tips on things to avoid or eat or a not so subtle reminder to relax and reduce my stress, sometimes we need to be reminded that so much of our health and wellness is within our control.

Balance is key.
A clean diet is important. Enough is sleep is paramount. But making room for the things that bring you happiness and joy is vital. Skin Cleanse, while pushing me to eat better and take care of my body with better nutrition, also made me more aware of where things were out of balance in my life. Feeling guilty over eating a serving of ice cream isn’t healthy, but neither is binging on the entire pint.

Beauty products are hiding in your kitchen.
I can’t wait to dig into some of her recipes and slather myself in magical, homemade creations.

Doing it right.
Sure, there are things I hope to change, but there are also so many things I am doing right. Pat yourself on the back for eating healthy fats, getting enough sleep, and chugging water like a champ.

What I changed after reading Skin Cleanse

Wash my face with water.
I started washing my face in the morning with just water per Adina’s advice, and was surprised by how great it works. The queen of less, the constant advocate of ‘simple is better’ somehow completely forgot to think about how people washed their faces for thousands of years.

Try new foods and mix it up.
Most people would not describe me as ‘adventurous,’ but I am approaching what I eat with a greater sense of wonder and exploration. I’m looking forward to trying new foods and coming back to some of the things I’ve written off before. I also want to break my habit of always eating the same couple of things, but not at the expense of extra stress and time.

Food journal for two weeks
The word food journal makes my skin crawl, but what Adina outlines in Skin Cleanse is unlike any food journal I’ve read about before. There’s no measuring. There’s no calculating calories or serving sizes or macronutrients or grams. I tracked how I felt when I woke up and during the day. For her recommended two weeks I generally tracked the things I ate and how much water I drank. I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know or have a hunch about, but putting in writing “I feel nauseated after eating dairy” is powerful. It’s a lot harder to justify eating a hunk of cheese when I know that in an hour I won’t feel well. Ditto for sugar jackpots.

I’m an experiment.
I get frustrated when I try “cure” after “cure” only to end up no better or worse. Instead of treating each new thing I try as an end all, be all, I’m going to take a cue from Tim Ferriss and treat myself like a walking experiment. I’m taking out the investment I often feel that this new thing has to make it better. I’m substituting amazement and curiosity instead of pressure and desperation.

No more denial.
This has two meanings for me. The first is ignoring my body’s feedback. My food journal was a great reminder of how often I eat things that don’t really nourish my body. It also opened my eyes to how frequently I eat things that I don’t really like or that don’t make me feel very well. Second, food should certainly nourish and heal, but it should also bring joy and contentment. Denying myself a cupcake because sugar is bad for my body and feeling like I am suffering or in a constant state of want isn’t good either.

Sugar awareness.
I know, I know, sugar is the devil’s work. Our bodies respond to it like cocaine. I hear you. While I will certainly curb my intake, I am not going on an anti-sugar crusade. A treat every once in a while is part of my balanced, healthy life. Sugar after every meal or even each day, less so.

All.the.vegetables.
The more vegetables, the more micronutrients. Count me in for more. I’m on a mission to massively increase my intake. I even put some spinach in a smoothie, despite being adamant that there should be a strong divide between fruits and vegetables. I also am swapping out my go-to snack of potato chips for crunchy veggies.

More:
My minimalist skincare routine
Safe and effective mineral sunscreens
My love of face oil

Let’s be real, I use a lot of mineral sunscreen. Anytime I’m outside or driving for more than 10-15 minutes I’m usually slathered in something or wearing sun protective clothing. After years in the sun, I take sun protection and sun damage very seriously.

Why Mineral Sunscreen

For years I have avoided non-mineral, or chemical, sunscreens. After reading the Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen Guide, I refuse to use anything that has oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, or nano particles. I want to know that my skin is safe and I’m actually being protected. With that in mind, I would much rather drench myself in mineral sunscreens that will protect me better and not seep toxic chemicals into my body.

The Best Mineral Sunscreens

Face: MyChelle Sun Shield SPF 28
I had been unhappy with my face sunscreen for a while, so much so that I was neglecting to put it on at all. But after doing a ton of beauty research for this article, I was motivated to find a new one.

I picked this one up on a slight whim before my last camping trip, and it exceeded my expectations. It goes on SO easily for a mineral sunscreen. There’s not endless rubbing and constantly having weird, white streaks down your face from where it didn’t get rubbed in enough before it dried. It also doesn’t leave you looking like an Edward Cullen wannabe. Finally, a face sunscreen that goes on clear!

While I’m usually wary of putting anything on my sensitive, temperamental face, I haven’t had any problems with irritation or breakouts. After I do my morning skin routine, I apply it before I leave the house, including before I exercise. The only time I notice it is when I sweat a little bit. My face feels like I have something on it, but it’s not bad and it feels pretty similar to other sunscreens. The rest of the time it’s incredibly light and I forget I’m wearing it. Bonus points for being untinted – no more staining my clothes! You can find it at many natural food stores and Amazon.

Body: Solar Body Moisturizer SPF 30+
When I was commuting hours each day in the sun, this beauty was my best friend. It goes on like body lotion and makes my skin feel moisturized. There’s no heavy, oily coat on your skin, and it works great. I took this all across Spain with me. It’s so easy to apply it on the go. I frequently bring a little bit with me in a smaller tube if I’m unsure of the weather or I think I might end up taking off a layer (or two).

It’s not water or sweat proof, so it’s not great for extended exercise or a dip in the pool. I do, however, put it on my legs before I run and it stays on great. Whole foods and a few other markets carry it – although Amazon is usually cheaper.

Water/sport: BurnOut Eco-Sensitive SPF 35 Sunscreen
This little tube is by far my hardest working sunscreen. I wear it when I ride by bike, go for a run, swim, or do anything else where I’m going to sweat or otherwise get wet.

From the tops of my feet to the part in my hair, I use this sunscreen everywhere. I haven’t had any trouble putting it on my face. It’s a bit more work to rub in than the other two, but once you’re done you can’t really tell it’s there. I’ve tried a few other sunscreens from BurnOut, and I think this one goes on the most clear. It stays on in water pretty well, and based on the burns I’ve gotten when I’ve missed little spots, it definitely works. This one is usually a bit more expensive in most natural food stores, but it’s also on Amazon and it looks like it might be cheaper at other random online stores if you Google it.

In case you missed it:
All the sunscreens I’ve tried in the past
Sun Safely, my article in Yoga Journal

This month I finally bit the bullet and started to take the last few steps toward zero waste grocery shopping. Food packaging, and the reality that it is most of what goes into my trash can, has been on my mind.

I had been meaning to bring glass jars to fill up at the bulk section of my local grocery store for months, and yet something always held me back. I don’t want the jars bouncing into each other while I walk. I don’t know how to get the tare weight. What would I even buy. What if the selection isn’t as good as the packaged products.

They were excuses because I was afraid of trying something new. It’s not even that big of a change in my routine, and yet I dragged my feet on it for months!

Zero waste trail mix made with my bulk bin loot.

Turns out zero waste grocery shopping from the bulk bins is super easy!

My canning jars were plenty sturdy for the walk over, and when I got to the store the customer service person weighed them and wrote the tare weight on top for me. I can keep reusing those jars without having to get them re-weighed. When I got home, I just put the jars straight in the cabinet and I was done.

Zero Waste Grocery Shopping Guides

These are the people or the blog posts that really gave me the extra push I needed this month.

Zero Waste Home: Zero Waste Grocery Shopping
Bea and her family were my first introduction to zero waste living years ago. I’ve admired her lifestyle and read her book. I implemented quite a few of her tips. Her post breaks down how to shop zero waste for everything on your list.

Paris to Go: Going Zero Waste
While the woman behind this blog has unknowingly become my minimalist wardrobe guru, her post on how to go zero waste when the people in your life aren’t so keen was great. I live with roommates who understand what I’m doing on various levels. They put up with my experiments and don’t question why I’m collecting compost on our countertop despite the fact that where we live doesn’t have compost collection. Not buying the beloved potato chips didn’t go over well. But the post has been helpful, especially with the suggestion of giving “appealing alternatives.” Turns out homemade hummus and fresh veggies are quite the motivator.

Trash is For Tossers: 5 Days of Zero Waste
This video was the last little, “hey, you should do this” push I needed. I already do so many of these things, so why not add in zero waste grocery shopping? Lauren Singer‘s advice to look through your trash and see what you throw away the most hit me the hardest. My trash is full of tissues and chip bags, both completely avoidable.

Now I still don’t know how to get kale without a rubber band or twist tie put on by the store or how to get tofu without the plastic container, but this has opened my eyes. I’m struggling to give up tortilla chips and potato chips, but I have certainly cut my consumption significantly to reduce the packaging they come in.

The books I read in April were inspiring. They left me feeling excited to make some changes in my life and they refueled my creative energy.

March on the other hand was a little different. It was a slow reading month for me. Life got busy and density of How to be Alive was like trying to run through water. I didn’t post anything last month because I barely finished two books. And I wasn’t jazzed up about them at the time.

March and April Reads

Let’s start with the ones I just can’t wait to tell you about.

Skin Cleanse
Well worthy of its own (upcoming) post, skin cleanse has motivated me like few other books have. And it’s not just me. I spent hours this week talking about it with friends and my family. I have made my own beauty products for a while now and I have long know about the harmful chemicals often put in cosmetics, but more than anything this book reminded me that what I eat is even more important than what I put on my skin. In an effort to heal faster and make my skin happier, I am launching a major fruit a vegetable focus after reading this book. More soon, but you should read it while you wait.

Meanwhile in San Francisco
I fell so hard for this book. I was giddy while reading it and feeling completely inspired to draw and create and explore what I’m capable of. Wendy MacNaughton spent time in the places she featured, and her immersive experience inspired me to be less afraid of talking to people and getting in there. You’ll want to pull out your water colors after this one. And explore the city a bit more.

Fates and Furies
I’m not sure this one was worth the hype. Maybe it’s that I’ve been in a bit of a non-fiction groove and this just didn’t fit in, but I didn’t love it. Overall, it was weird. I struggled to connect with the characters and their lives felt too unreal for me to get behind the stories. It was a strong “eh” for me.

How to be Alive
I was so stoked about this book for the first 50 pages. I had so many “yes!” moments. But overall it was dense. I started to feel like it was too repetitive, and I lost steam. Would I recommend it? I’m on the fence. I love the main principles and I learned some great things, but overall it was a bit of a struggle and I’m not sure I would suggest someone else do the same.

Here are some of the quotes that stood out to me the most:

“Thinking that careers and jobs are the only way to security and meaning and helping the world is another of those standard life approaches we need to move away from.”

“To not live in line with my values is the real sacrifice.”

“No one else’s path will fit your life.” Read it again. Really.

And the main purpose of the book: “Learning to trust and apply the principle of being guided by values, passions, and concerns in all manner of life decisions is the central theme of the book.”

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day
While I don’t have any plans for longterm travel right now, I really enjoyed imaging it and understanding how people make it happen. This was a helpful tool for me for planning future adventures. Worth a perusal – especially the specific sections for countries/areas you are interested in visiting.

Towering redwoods, bounding deer, lackadaisical banana slugs – hiking in Butano State Park was fantastic coastal adventure.

I had been talking about hiking for months. My poor physical therapist was constantly answering my pestering questions about when I would be ready to run or at least hike on uneven terrain. I was so excited to slip on my trail running shoes last week. I bought them three days before I hurt my ankle, and they spent nearly six months sitting in my closet. A constant reminder of all of the things I wanted to do but couldn’t.

Our first adventure together was a success. We hiked a three mile loop along a trail that started in the campground and took us in a loop around the park. The park had been closed for the wet winter and had only opened a few weeks before we visited. Between the hoards of spider webs (some spiders attached) across the trail and the frolicking deer who looked just as startled to see us as we them, it was pretty clear the trail hadn’t gotten much use yet.

We carried a stick to clear the path, and we were constantly trying not to step on banana slugs. The coastal wildflowers and lush ferns didn’t disappoint. It was one of the most peaceful hikes I’ve ever been on. The last hike we did in the summer was swarming with people. We saw one other person on the trail, and we had gotten so used to being alone out there that the mountain biker felt out of place.

Besides the spiders (I will admit, I very much disliked that part and was constantly stopping to ask for a “spider check.” Untrustworthy creatures if you ask me.), the hike was just what I needed. And hiking during the week? Amazing! I see more non-weekend hikes in my future.

PS. Camping in Butano State Park.

I am a firm believer that less is better, especially if it’s something I’m going to be spreading on my face. For nearly a decade I have used simple skincare products with natural ingredients.

I have never understood what most of the bottles in the drugstore are supposed to do. Nor do I believe most things you can buy in a store are going to actually do what they say.

I battled acne for years, but since I started doing this minimalist skincare routine and cleaned up my diet my skin has been clear and happy. I get the occasional breakout, but they are less frequent and heal quickly.

Face Wash

I don’t use a typical cleanser or face wash. Instead I use a microfiber face cloth to wash my face in the morning, and before bed. After bed, and sometimes in the morning, I wash my face with tap water. That’s it. No soap, ever. This has saved me hundreds of dollars and made my skin so much happier. I bought my face cloth in high school, and I still use the same one today. It dries quickly, and it naturally kills all of the bacteria as it dries so I don’t have to worry about it. I wash it right after use with a little soap, hang it up to dry, and it’s good to go.

The cloth takes all of the dirt, sunscreen, makeup, and dead skin off without stripping the skin’s natural oils. It also doesn’t kill the good bacteria and other good microbes that live on your skin and keep it healthy and protected.

Toner/Moisture

After washing my face I spray on pure aloe vera gel. No preservatives, no other ingredients. It’s cooling, calming, and moisturizing. I put it in a spray bottle from an old toner, and it works great! It sprays on a little goopy, but it rubs right in.

Face Oil

Jojoba oil was a game changer for me. I started to use it in high school during the height of my terrible acne and swim season. It calmed my skin and taught me a huge lesson about the importance of oils. Your skin needs oils to stay protected and healthy. Oil free products dried out my skin and only made my acne worse.

I put pure, organic jojoba oil on my face (and neck, chest, and back). I put it in a small, glass bottle with a pump so I can easily control how much a put on (too much of a good thing is real here. You end up feeling like an oil slick if you over do it).

I put a sum total of two ingredients on my face every day. Waaaaay less than 168 chemicals women put on their faces and bodies every day on average.

I don’t wear makeup. It annoys me in general. I don’t want to spend the time in the morning, try to not messing it up all day, and then have to either wipe it off or worry about getting on my clothes when I work out. It just isn’t for me.

If I’m going to be in the sun I’ll apply face sunscreen that only uses zinc (and other safe ingredients). If I’m going to sweat or hit the pool, I apply a heavier-duty waterproof sunscreen.

And that’s it.

The more I work on my computer, the more time I spend cruising the internet. It’s so easy to open 10 tabs in my five minute Pomodoro break. And then hoard them until my computer threatens to crash with every click of a mouse.

I’m working on cutting back on my over-abundant online reading. (A true media diet might need to be in order…) But in the meantime, I wanted to share with you some of the things I enjoyed this week. From new blogs I discovered (and binge read immediately), to podcast episodes, to things I’ve written in other place, there’s a little bit of everything.

Digital Digest

Choosing to Skip the Upgrade and Care for the Gadget You’ve Got
YESSSSSSS! I’m writing this on a four-year old computer after reading this article on my four-year old phone. I cried when my last computer died. The Apple store guy just didn’t get it. Love the one you’re with.

Skin Cleanse
I can’t get enough of this book. I’m only halfway through and I’m already eating better and paying more attention to how I feel. It also caused a massive cookbook binge from my local library. Must.Have.More.Vegetables.

Trash is for Tossers
This ignited a serious zero waste kick for me. I took jars to the store, guys. I bought nutritional yeast. I was that hippie. And I loved it! Fantastic blog.

Wonder Bars
I have been trying to desperately cut my sugar (and thus my inflammation), but I couldn’t kick the sweet tooth cravings. My mom made these bars years ago from an InStyle magazine, and I went in a desperate search across the desert of the internet to find them. Dark chocolate with a little healthy crunch. Wonder bars indeed.

Tim Farriss and Caroline Paul Podcast
Oh man. I’m super obsessed with Caroline and her partner Wendy MacNaughton right now. Likely a larger part of a different post soon, but in the meantime, you should listen to Tim talk to the total badass. She was in the SF Fire Department for years. She took up luging. Now she’s a gutsy writer.

Update: Forgot about the part where I said I would include links of some of my work from the week.

23 Organic Beauty Buys Under $15
I use hardly any beauty products myself, but I love to look at all of the things. I had a blast writing this one. Bonus! I discovered a great daily face sunscreen in the process (more coming soon).

8 Chic Sweatpants For Your Laziest Days
Written in sweats. Boom.

Growing up, camping was something mystical that other people did. Our sleeping bags were used for indoor sleepovers and trips to grandma’s. I “camped” in the backyard once with neighborhood friends, and we 100 percent ended up sleeping inside in beds and blankets.

Camping in Butano State Park was my fourth camping trip, and I have to say, it’s growing on me. There is something to the quiet of the outdoors (until the birds have their say anyway), the lack of cellphone service, the space, the friendly people.

I haven’t moved away from car camping yet (I’m not ready to sacrifice all comfort. I’m working on it.), but we take as little as we can with us. Especially for a quick overnight trip like this one.

The first day, a quiet Sunday, we lounged around and read before cooking up dinner and sitting around the fire. On Monday morning we went for a short (my first since injury!) hike before packing up our camp.

What We Brought

Camping gear:
Two-person tent
2 sleeping bags*
2 sleeping pads*
2 pillows (stolen off our beds)
1 extra fleece blanket (so thankful we had it!)
1 yoga mat (this princess put it under her sleeping pad for extra cush)
1 lantern*
2 camping chairs* (First time we ever had them, so great!)
1 tarp*

*Borrowed from my awesome brother or his friend’s

“kitchen” stuff
1 medium microfiber towel
1 dish towel
1 dish rag
Small bottle of castile soap (for hand and dish washing)
2 reusable plastic plates
2 forks
2 spoons
Forgot the knife
Didn’t have a dish pan (oops)
1 small Jetboil
1 cloth napkin
1 small/medium cooler*

Food
Zero waste carrots in a jar
Zero waste bell pepper in a jar
Tortillas
Cheese
Lime
Refried beans in a jar (heated in the Jetboil)
Granola
Soy milk
S’mores ingredients
Lots of snacks (granola bars, rice chips, crackers, tortilla chips)

My bag
Book
Notebook and pen
2 pairs of socks
2 pairs of underwear (my mom always taught us to have a spare. Can’t kick the habit)
Trail running shoes
Fleece sweats
T-shirt to sleep in
Down jacket (doubled as a blanket at night)
Sports bra
Sweat-wicking shirt
Cropped leggings (too cold to wear them)
Sunscreen
Forgot the toothpaste
But had the toothbrush and floss
Travel aloe vera
Travel jojoba oil
Hairbrush
Water bottle, which I spilled in the tent yet again.
Wore in: yoga pants, 3/4 sleeve t-shirt, slip on shoes, and a sweatshirt

We got so lucky and had beautiful weather during the day, but since it’s so close to the ocean in Pescadero, it got cold at night. I ended up sleeping in my fleece sweats, t-shirt, sweatshirt, and socks all night. I also used the blanket and covered my feet with my down jacket. Not once was I too warm.

We had a great time and although I spent all week confused on what day it was, I really enjoyed the Sunday/Monday trip.