The Beast in My Beauty (Natural Home Remedy for Skin)

I am not the makeup kind of girl. In fact I think I am the most natural lady I have come across. I do dreadlocks or short hair and my morning products basically consist of Vaseline petroleum jelly, a mild deo, and baby powder. I could say I am a lip balm addict.

I use baby powder to absorb extra oil on my face and Vaseline basically for my whole body. My allergy for scents limits me to mild deos for an option. I must say I am a lucky girl, I don’t sweat as much and I do not stench either so I get away fresh, cheap and easy.

My easy lifestyle is however starting to change and I know change has never been comfortable. The natural routines are not serving good purpose especially for the outbreaks I have been having on my face of late.

I’ve never had signs to alert me of my periods (so I don’t know what people mean by cramps). At first I wanted to assume that the extremely painful pimples, dry skin patches and black spots left behind were all related to the menstrual cycle but now I guess there is cause for alarm.

I have always used a certain type of lip balm a friend used to supply but now she closed down her business and I don’t know where to get it. I have tried a similar one, I’m told is of the same quality but my million dollar lips are now chipping. My lips are the most priceless assets on my face so I don’t think I want to play guinea pig with them.

Probably you might be going through the same problem and can’t tell what to do next. Many people give suggestions but you can’t just try them out without precautions…right? Personally my skin has a history of reacting to everything right from certain fumes, to climate, to water, lotions and even metallic accessories.

A visit to the dermatologist once was horrific, I had to drink aloe vera and still never got any results. I’ll definitely give the dermatologist a visit again.

However, before I go there, there are natural skin care routines that have been working miracles for me. Try them out, since they are natural, they will either work or not work but they can’t harm you.

Every once a week use these simple steps to get your skin baby smooth.

1. Cleanser
Squeeze an orange to get at least three table spoons of juice. Add about two table spoons of water and dip cotton wool into the mixture and spread it gently on your face in an anti-clockwise pattern. Make sure to reach all parts of your face, from the hairline above the fore head, to the ears, down to your upper neck. Let it be for about 5 minutes and rinse with clean warm water. Dub with clean towel.

2. Scrubber
Take two teaspoons full of maize flour, add little water until it forms a paste. Use this to scrub your face in an anticlockwise motion reaching all parts of your face. Do this for a minute and then rinse with clean warm water. Dub with clean towel.

3. Steamer
Boil at least two litters of water and pour into a clean bowl/bucket. Dip your face into the bucket and cover the bucket (with your head inside) with a clean towel. This is to ensure no steam escapes and therefore the water doesn’t cool. The steam should have a burning sensation on your face. Do not be afraid to inhale and exhale the hot steam, does miracles for colds too. Keep your head inside for close to 5 minutes then rinse with clean warm water. Dub with clean towel. (You can raise your head to catch a few cold breaths at certain comfortable intervals.

4. Mask
Drill a small hole into an egg and drain out the egg white (don’t use the yolk) Spread the egg white evenly on your face and let it for 5 to 10 minutes, it will do no harm. Rinse with clean warm water. Dub with clean towel.

5.Apply whatever product you use, for me Vaseline works magic.

You have a baby’s ass for a face in less than 30 minutes plus everything is readily available in the house or at a nearby retail store. I’m using this while I wait to see the doctor. Fingers crossed.

Perfect for the Sake of the Imperfect

What’s for dinner? Are the dishes done? When was this room last swept? Don’t forget to prepare lunch for the grounds men. Clean these shoes before you go to the market. Your cousin is in hospital, remember to visit her. Your sister complained about her marriage, have you talked to her? Your grades are poor and you are not Christian like anymore.

Cinderella was not just a tale in Naomi’s life, it was her life. She recalls as a little girl, she’d drag her kid sister from school. She had to clean her uniform and her sister’s, climb the kitchen stool to prepare porridge before showering and sitting down for homework. She never got to understand why she wasn’t her mother’s favorite like her sister was; but since she had internalized blame in her system, she survived. She knew whether a mistake was hers or someone else’s she still would bear the punishment.

As Naomi grew older, the responsibilities only piled up more. She now cleaned up after her two elder siblings who seemed to get away with everything. Her back took a certain hunch from all the cleaning, cooking and thinking, she had to do for a football team size family. The little brains she possessed would remind her constantly to spend as little as she could and save the rest for a rainy day. She didn’t know what she’d use the little pennies she saved for, but she knew it was wise to save.

The plastic container lined out with tissue, so it wouldn’t make coin noises, was filled up with tens and twenties but her spendthrift elder sister would ravish all of it before it even got to money worth spending. She liked to grab fries and went on a million tea dates but never cared to leave a little for tomorrow. Naomi’s heart sank deeper than her self esteem but whenever she tried to speak tears overwhelmed her speech.

Naomi was raised to be more of a man, to be there for everyone. She’d stay up to wait for her father and warm his food on days he arrived late. Just like she’d cover up for all her sisters’ whereabouts since she was the stay at home girl. It never occurred to anyone that she went to school but had no friends, she cared less though, pens and papers were all the friends she ever needed.

The quiet laid back personality began to fade off when Naomi started to experience life from a wider aspect. She had grown into a broken record that’d yap and was all over the place. She grew lazy when it came to chores and cared less what everyone thought or said. The ‘God’ she was raised to give utmost respect all diminished to just a religious being other Christians other than her owed their life to.

Whisky tasted better than cola and sex was an ordinary topic of discussion just like movies. Despite the freedom Naomi now swam in, she was still in bondage. Trips back home were devastating because at the end of it all, she was still the chores girl. The girl who never had a life because she lived it for others.

Naomi grew into a monster, her heart froze that it felt no pain and no fear. She saw the world from a perspective many would term as demonic. She believed now more than ever that life was just a onetime chance that should be exploited.

Naomi would save every penny she could with a vision this time round. Like other young ladies she’d dream of cars, houses, kids and whatever berries life had to offer, but deep down, her one ultimate goal was to move out to a place of her own. All she craved for was peace of mind.

In the life she lived and still lives, Naomi is a sister, a brother, a mother, a caretaker, a doctor, a counselor, a love expert, a perfect human and all she wants to be is an imperfect girl living a perfectly normal life. Some things don’t change, because her best friends are still pens and papers.