Say Bye-Bye to Shine (Finally)!

One of my biggest pet peeves about my skin has always been the fact it can start looking like a well-greased frying pan even in an air-conditioned room. It has always been that way since childhood up until now. As a self-declared “girlie-girl”, I’ve always been really conscious about it. Whereas other kids were busy frolicking their youth away, my friends and I were trying to achieve and maintain the “cool face”.  We tried everything to no avail. Washing our faces multiple times before the end of lunch break in primary school, we desperately hoped that if we washed enough times, our sebaceous glands would subsequently cease to exist. This habit continued with us throughout high school and was quite popular among other groups of girls. Heck! Even the boys used to line up at the wash pipes outside to achieve the enviably “cool face”. However, unlike my friends, they used to use cake soap a.k.a Blue Bomber, made popular by Vybz Kartel. Even before the stigma attached to the cake soap arose, I just never thought it was a good idea to use something made to whiten your whites on my face.

Fast-forward to the present, I was pretty much given up on the idea that my oily skin would ever make it through a day shine-free. I’d use primers under my foundation but in a tropical climate, my face would be on a one-way trip to Grease-ville by mid-morning. That was all until my makeup artist for my wedding cued me in on a little secret. During my consultation session, she applied a white liquid on my face and let it dry. To my surprise, she told me that it was milk of magnesia and she always uses it to keep her brides oil-free on their big day. I was like, “No way!” I knew milk of magnesia was used for indigestion and upset stomach. But I would never have thought that this inexpensive product was the answer I’d been searching for. This drug store staple attributes its success to its ability to fight the acids in your body, which produce that shiny t-zone.

Other uses for Milk of Magnesia:

1.    Antiperspirant - The compound Magnesium Hydroxide creates a harsh environment for microorganisms that cause smelly under arms.

2.    Dandruff reliever - natural ingredients in milk of magnesia restricts the growth of yeast, the underlying source of seborrhea. Apply it your scalp and nape and let it sit for 20 to 25 minutes before rinsing.

3.    Fights Redness - Milk of magnesia soothes and restores the pH-balance in skin; and, as a result, does away with any discoloration.

4.    Acne Fighter - Its drying action can eliminate or at least reduce the occurrence of pimples.