Raiders of the Lost Complexion – The Journey of a Chin

Recently, I started getting a lot of spots on my chin. I lead an active lifestyle, I’m very healthy and I eat a balanced diet. Eh, ‘sake! So, I decided to look a little beyond the surface to see what was really going on. Anytime I’ve been to a skincare specialist, they tell me that I have great skin but that it’s a little bit dehydrated around the cheek area. I am meticulous about taking off my makeup and following a strict skincare regime so it really started to bug me that I’m rockin’ a trifecta of teenage pimples on my chin. The strange triangular formation made me look like a member of the Illuminati in a Stanley Kubrick artful-but-raw noir horror. Not to mention the alfalfa sprouts of hair on my chinny-chin-chin. Sigh!

With further investigation into the rabbit hole of skincare, I discovered that chin spots usually rear their ugly heads because of hormonal imbalances. “Great! Get ready for early onset menopause,” I thought, immediately jumping to the most dramatic conclusion! What on earth can you do to regulate your hormones? Sweet flip all. So, how could I nourish my skin from within? Chemical-free was the way to go, I decided. That’s when I discovered Tomitago.

Fountain of Youth – What a Crock

In some cultures, it’s a privilege to age. Imagine! I’m growing increasingly tired of our culture that so venerates youth – the constant fetishization of expressionless, smooth faces with gleaming white teeth, glossy hair and perfect eyebrows. Yes, being young is great. You’re not harried by the many trials and tribulations of life; you can conjure up a sense of awe at the smallest, simplest things and you have a lot more energy. But why, on earth, is looking young so sought after? Aren’t wrinkles, imperfections, dimples, creases incredibly sexy? I’m sick of being marketed to as if I’m not good enough, pretty enough or young enough. I’m good enough the way I am. Anti-ageing is such a con. You can’t reverse aging, bruh. I’ve decided that I would rather nourish my skin with oils and balms that are completely natural. I’d rather not inject my face with poison or lather on a chemically saturated cream with snake venom cream onto my skin. This brand Tomitago is made just across the river from me in Carrick-on-Suir and is 100% chemical free. I’ve only recently come across it but I absolutely love it – the smell, the feel, the results and the ethos. Each product is labelled with a best before date so you know you’re getting something totally natural. Let’s just all be good to our skin, OK and stop telling it that it’s so problematic. I mean, did you ever look at Helen Mirren or Linda Rodin, or Betty White or Baddie Winkle and think; “Get thee to a Botox clinic, wench.” Because I certainly haven’t. I see fierce, unique women with stories to tell.

The Verdict – My Favourite Products

1. Tomitago Body Lotion

My favourite product by far is the Tomitago body lotion. The main ingredient is  almond oil which acts as a carrier for the other essential oils. I remember years ago being in the States and meeting a woman who had had an eye lift and she swore by almond oil afterwards! Gas! I also met a woman who was on Extreme Makeover! Sure, you’d meet all sorts in this life! Sweet almond oil is said to be excellent at deep cleansing pores and follicles and many skincare specialists claim that it helps to prevent acne because of its high concentration of vitamin A.

You need to give this body lotion a serious shake before usage – it’s got quite a thick texture and looks like green gloop but don’t worry, it blends into your natural skin colour once applied. It looks a little bit like flubber (remember that film with Robin Williams?) but hopefully, it won’t make you miss your third wedding because you’re so obsessed with it. Shea butter is infused throughout the lotion so that your skin retains all the moisture and puts up a barrier against water. It’s high in Vitamin E, A and F. Shea is RIDIC – it’s like an all-purpose healing agent – good for eczema, dermatitis, burns, acne and loads more. This article is a great source of info about its healing properties.

My favourite thing about this lotion is its smell. It’s heavenly. It’s not your average essential oil-based product which I find often has almost a medicinal smell. It has a natural but sweet perfume – not musky at all. The aroma is similar to Ylang Ylang – in fact, it comes from the cananga odorata plant which is from the same family. It’s floral and light – not in any way overpowering but still aromatic enough to awaken the senses. The amazing thing about the natural ingredients in this body lotion is that essential oils actually absorb into the bloodstream and the canaga plant is famously used to soothe anxiety, depression, and stress. Not only is this body lotion seriously nutritious, you’ll have a sheen to rival Martin on your legs. I work out a lot on my legs but they’re so pasty and dry that I don’t like getting them out without tights. Since I’ve been using this lotion, I’ve noticed that they retain moisture way more easily and they look significantly smoother.

2. Tomitago Cleansing Oil

Facial oils can sometimes get a bad rap. The Shu Uemura cleansing oil remains at the top of most skincare guru’s wishlists and hasn’t been touched by another brand in terms of reviews and sales. Even though my skin is normal to dry, the spots on my chin were worrying me and I wasn’t sure about putting a cleansing oil on my face. However, I’m a total convert since I started using the Tomitago cleanser. The directions on the label say to massage into the skin for 2 minutes and then use a warm facecloth to wipe off. It gives a really nice deep cleansing feeling without that tautness you can often experience after a cream-based facial wash or astringent micellar water/toner. It contains lance leap which famous herbalist Alfred Vogel dubbed the most “undervalued” plants used in healthcare. It’s excellent for promoting healing on wounds and scars and is used to treat respiratory and digestive problems. You might not think that is relevant to a skincare product but remember the oils are absorbing into your bloodstream so it’s all good!

3. Tomitago Beauty Elixir

The thing I love most about the beauty elixir is that it’s a one-balm-treats-all type of product. The website says that it can be used a facial/eye serum or cream or as a primer. You only need a small amount and you warm it in your hands first before applying. It contains beeswax – an age-old beautification products that the Egyptians were using back in the day for mummification but I promise you won’t feel or look like a corpse. Clary sage gives this product a more unisex smells – it’s kind of spicy and peppery – I reckon a man would enjoy using it as much as a woman. It’s therapeutic properties are myriad; mostly it works on the nervous system but it’s also an aphrodisiac – oh, my! It can ease uterine problems and is antiseptic and bactericidal. Fab! So it’s working on my spots as I type!

I heard about this brand through my friend and I received some samples to try it out but I was under no obligation to review or even write about it. I actually felt compelled to do so because a) it really is such a gorgeous brand that I love using and b) it’s local!

Winning! If you’ve any questions, pop me an email or leave a comment below.