Start with Health

• Eat healthy foods.
  
  Your skin will not look its best unless you are healthy. Get enough sleep. Drink plenty of water. Don't smoke. Eat healthy foods. Exercise. All of this standard advice will also go a long way toward giving you clear skin and a glowing complexion.
  
  

Cleaning

• Coconut oil for your skin.
  
  Keep your skin clean. It's important to remove makeup and the day's grime before you go to bed. Choose a creamy or oil-based cleanser if you wear makeup: it takes it off better. Look for natural ingredients such as shea butter, olive oil, beeswax and coconut oil in your cleanser. In fact, olive oil or coconut oil by itself will remove makeup just fine, and cost much less than any skin care product you can buy. Follow with a mild soap or foaming cleanser if you feel your skin is too oily after the makeup remover. Unscented liquid castile soap is inexpensive, concentrated, mild and has no harmful additives.
  Wash your face again in the morning if you like, but a rinse will probably do it. How dirty could you have gotten overnight?
  
  

Toning and Moisturizing

• Toners and astringents make your skin feel refreshed and remove any traces of soap. They're optional but they feel good, after washing or any time during the day. Witch hazel is a natural astringent. Many toner products include alcohol, which is very drying and is probably best avoided.
  
  For a pure and simple moisturizer, put a few drops of olive oil on your palms and gently massage into your skin. Other oils such as coconut, jojoba, and almond are also worth a try.
  
  

Exfoliating

• Use oats for exfoliating.
  
  Ground oatmeal is an effective exfoliant that softens skin as well. Grind some oats in your blender. Put a small amount in your palm and moisten with toner or water. Let thicken for a minute, massage it into your skin then rinse. Recipes for fancier versions of this scrub abound, but this basic method is pure and cheap.
  
  

Cautions

• Use caution with skin care products.
  
  It's possible for any substance to irritate your skin. Try new things one at a time, and on a small patch of skin initially. Make sure there's no unwanted reaction before you add it to your beauty routine.
  Read labels and recipes. Commercial products commonly contain ingredients or additives that are not good for your skin, your long-term health or the environment. These include preservatives, colors and perfumes, some of which are known to cause dermatitis or allergic reactions.