Alright, schism is maybe a little too strong of a term to use. Though I would like to point out that schism can be used in the form of division or divide, not only in the context of religion. While it is used mostly in relation to the separation of the Greek and Roman churches my usage will also work and in just a moment you will see why.

Beauty is for some a religion.

I want to say that again just because it is both true and pertinent to the topic I wanted to cover.

But first a little background. My mother is somebody that has a natural beauty, it radiates from here in such a manner that you can't help but take notice. It encompasses here like a halo. Sorry, I used the religious theme a little too much there. But again I will say that she is a natural beauty. I on the other hand have to work for it. Mainly because I inherited genes from my father. Sorry dad, but they may look good on you, not a girl.

So I think that there is a little bit of a divide when it comes to beauty. Some treat it like it is optional and others see it as a religion. For all intensive purposes I am in the latter category.

The whole subject however led me to question what it means to be a natural beauty and what natural beauty means today. For me it means using products that I know and trust. Things that are present in my life already.

Here are a couple of them:

• When I was growing up brewing tea was a past time for me. Sure I liked to drink it but one tea in particular was a must. That was a tea made from Calendula flowers. The reason is because it works great against acne. Either I would wait for it to cool and then wash my face with it or I would drink it. Taste is so-so. Face wash factor is unbeatable. I still do it from time to time.
• When I was a kid I was pretty rough and tumble, not really tomboyish, but I liked to play. So cuts were a thing that had to be dealt with on a regular basis. Garlic cloves were often in short supply, and not because we cooked Italian food. Today you will still find cloves in my kitchen. I use them for rubbing out blemishes. When I was growing up they were applied to scratches. The juice always seemed to clean the scratch up quicker than without it.
• I will use warm olive oil for a number of different purposes. You can treat dry hair, cuticles, and cracked heels. While this beauty secret has been used for thousands of years (Greek women used it) it does make a nice addition to my beauty arsenal.
• Tea tree oil. What can I say – I love it. It gets rid of my acne, I can use it in my household to clean with and I know one person that makes their own deodorant out of it. It really is a nice ingredient to have around.

I might update the list if I think of more. In the event that you want to contribute to the list you know that you are always welcome.