The caveman regimen. You either love the idea or think it’s the grossest thing you’ve ever heard of.
The latter seems to be a popular reaction from women, as we have been collectively brainwashed since birth that mounds of products are a necessity for beauty.
Many men don’t use any products or make any kind of point to wash their face… and no one thinks it’s gross or that their skin looks like a hideous mess. In fact, most of the time it looks way better than ours.
So seriously – why do women have to use products and soaps and fancy-this-and-that in order to be beautiful??
WHYYY!!?
But whatever you think is okay with me. I haven’t washed my face in more than two years and I’m never going back. My face looks great, I couldn’t be happier with how easy my (lack of) skin care routine is, and I’m not the only one – many others are incredibly happy about their success with it too, like this guy, and this gal.
I encourage you to read the second article from a gal named Kearby, who wrote on her website how much caveman principles have helped her with her acne.
Notice I said “priniciples”. She didn’t do what I would call a “puritanical” version of the caveman regimen, where you go for an initial thirty days without washing your face at all, no water on it, no touching your face, and absolutely no products on it.
She did what I would call a modified caveman regimen. And it still worked great for her.
I’m going to admit, the puritan’s caveman is really hard and totally out of the comfort zone of the vast majority. Many people who are interested in what the caveman regimen is about have hangups about this process, for one reason or another.
Totally understandable.
There is No ‘Perfect’ Way to Do the Caveman Regimen
Thing is, you don’t have to be “perfect” about the caveman. In fact, I don’t think there really is a “perfect” caveman. If you don’t do the puritan’s version, it doesn’t mean that it won’t work.
After all it’s just something somebody on the internet made up one day (which happens to work pretty well), but it’s not written in stone that if you don’t do it this exact way, then you’re doomed.
And just a reminder – you don’t HAVE to do anything even sort of caveman-y in order to clear your skin. Gentle natural skin care is super awesome too.
The big lessons with the caveman are not to do with rules and regulations, and whether you do it “perfectly”, or exactly like me.
The big lessons are that when it comes to skin care and your skin:
LESS IS MORE
The caveman is about letting your skin heal by reducing and eliminating irritation and allowing your skin to normalize away from the use of chemical filled products and face washes.
and
JUST LET GO
The caveman is also about focusing less on your skin, and less on “skin rules” that you have internalized over the years that you feel you have to adhere to out of fear. Such as that you have to wash your face twice a day to prevent acne, that sweat is bad for your skin, that if you don’t slather your face in acne cream every day you will never get clear. The caveman is the total opposite of everything like that.
The caveman is about letting go of these rules…. so why backpedal into making crazy rules up about the best and perfect way to do the caveman regimen?
So what I’m saying is that you have permission to use the above principle ‘less is more’, and apply it to you and your skin care routine in any way that feels right to you. Don’t worry about the rules!
Doing a Modified Caveman Regimen
So if you’re intrigued by the caveman regimen but the puritanical “30 Day No Water Caveman Regimen” just doesn’t sound like it’s going to work for you for whatever reason, you can take the caveman ‘Less is More’ spirit, and do a modified caveman regimen.
The most common modification people do is that they use water instead of no water. They don’t wash their face with anything or use products, except that instead of shunning water, every day, or every couple days, they rinse with water (in both the morning and evening, or just one or the other).
But that’s not all you could do. Here are some ideas of how to modify the caveman regimen so that it might fit better with you, your skin, and your lifestyle:
- You could not wash your face, but still use a spot treatment, dab of makeup to cover a blemish, or an oil or other skin care ingredient that you like just on your problem areas. And not wash it off, or just wash it off with water.
- You could do everything you normally would, but only wash and do a skin care routine once a day instead of twice a day. Or you could try not washing your face every day, but every 2nd, 3rd, or 4th day instead. Or only on days when you wear makeup.
- When you do wash your face, you could try simplifying your skin care routine right down to bare bones. Like maybe using an oil to wash your face with, which doubles as a moisturizer. One skin care product; that’s it.
- Any combination of these things
Remember folks. Less is more, and let it go. Don’t worry about the rules, just find out what feels right to you.
However if you still have questions about all this or need guidance… or you want to hear the experiences of others who are doing the Caveman, as well as want help overcoming the fears you may have of letting go of skin care…
Make sure you go check out my brand new guide which is available now: ‘Caveman Regimen, The Ultimate Guide‘.
Tracy, while I do think you have amazing and great tips, I don’t think that leaving makeup on your face is ideal, even if it’s natural and pure. There must be a better way to do the caveman regimen and still wear makeup. I prefer removing make up with oil and then rinsing with sufficient warm water. This alone has improved my skin dramatically.
By oil I mean jojoba oil mixed with manuka honey as recommended in your book.
Hi Maritza, I agree, I don’t think leaving a full face of makeup on is a good idea either. But just using tiny dabs of it here and there for me makes no negative difference to my skin whatsoever!
Tracy…my face is clear and looks great but I can’t stop the dead skin piled up for years. I’m a little discouraged by this. My pores on my face want to produce mass skin in which case I thought was my acid mantle but it gets worse over time. The last couple of weeks I have been eating whole wheat bread low fat chips and roast beef. To top that I have been eating grapes as well. I’m not sure what point I can take from here or what else I need to do to fix this issue. It’s almost like my Ph level is so unbalanced and I can’t get it to the right ph to stop the oil producing from my face. I have dealt with this for almost 3 years now and continue to never wash my face. I’m at my wits in. What am I doing wrong and how can I fix it? I use to have no oil on my face for years without washing before I even knew what the caveman was and yes that was when I had suffered with acne. Plz get back to me
I love the idea of the caveman regimen…it makes sense but I couldn’t imagine not wearing makeup. I honestly have the worst skin….large pores (oily skin), still struggling with acne, fair skin with faded freckles, pink undertones (red head). Is there any kind of “good for your skin” makeup that you recommend and maybe a good modified caveman regimen for someone like me?
Hi Breigh, if you can’t go without full makeup, definitely just stick with natural skin care for now (like honey, jojoba oil or whatever else) and work on your skin from the inside out… perhaps later on if your skin heals up a bit, you could reduce full makeup to just a few dabs here and there, and then you could consider trying the caveman if you want to. I totally understand how stressful it is to not wear full (or at least a lot) of makeup when you still have a lot of acne. Here’s the makeup article where Love Vitamin readers share their favourite makeups that don’t break them out: http://thelovevitamin.com/3239/i-finally-found-a-great-makeup-that-doesnt-irritate-my-acne/
Hi Breigh,
Have you ever heard of Cowgirl Dirt? They’re an all-natural, family-owned company whose products I have grown to love. I don’t wear makeup often (specifically now as I’m in the midst of trying the caveman regimen), but when I do, Cowgirl Dirt all the way 🙂 (http://www.cowgirldirt.com/). Besides being all-natural their products also smell amazing, haha. I don’t know what ingredient specifically does it, but whenever I’m putting their eyeshadows on I find myself craving chocolate 😛
I love this post.
I wear makeup probably about 3 or 4 days a week depending on my schedule and/or special occasions. But when I do wear it, I go full faced.
I like the idea of not washing at all except on the nights when I have to remove my makeup. I’m not sure I’m 100% ready to commit to that, but I’m definitely considering it.
Just do what feels right to you 🙂 You can always test the waters slowly.
Hi Tracy, I think doing a modified caveman regimen for starters is a great idea. My husband has been telling me for years to stop using a billion different types of cleansers, exfoliants, toners etc. to find that my skin is still not perfect. He uses nothing but water and his skin is fantastic and unlined for a 53 year old. My concern is that I now have to wear a sunscreen daily which is zinc based and chemical free due to having a skin cancer removed earlier this year. At the end of the day I have this film on my face due to the sunscreen because at times I have to reapply it again during the day. Would I wash that off or leave it on overnight and then reapply it again the next day.
Hi Kaye, I would say you could probably just rinse that off with water at night, or… just leave it on. I’m not sure, honestly. I don’t think there’s a right answer here except giving it a try and seeing how your skin reacts to it!
I took the plunge last year after reading your post about the “hardcore” Caveman regimen . . . I was unemployed at the time so going a month without face washing wasn’t a problem, lol! After that I adopted the modified Caveman that I’m still doing: In the morning I just splash cold water on my eyes only, and apply a natural moisturizer because my skin dries out so easily. I never wash my face (don’t wear makeup but occasionally a natural mineral sunscreen when I’m going to be in the sun a long time) unless I happen to get a little water on it in the shower.
Gotta say, my skin looks the best it has since my acne started 10 years ago, and I DO feel so much more comfortable in my own skin, literally AND figuratively, than I ever did before. Caveman seems just as powerful a psychological healer as it is a physical one. Thanks for turning me on to it, Tracy! 🙂
You are indeed welcome! 😀
I’ve been doing something pretty similar. I use hemp/jojoba oil as cleanser and moisturizer, and lavender or tea tree essential oils as a spot treatment. Sometimes I’ll use tamanu oil or raw honey, but that’s it. It is great to have a more laid back attitude towards skincare. You’re right, Tracy; we have been brainwashed into thinking that you have to use products in order to be beautiful, but that’s such a lie. I’ve been using only oils, honey, and fruits on my face, and I couldn’t be happier!
That’s awesome Elizabeth! 🙂
After having read one of your posts and then eventually finding my way to your caveman posts I stopped washing my face with traditional soaps/cleansers. Because I also do not wash my hair with products and instead use water and baking soda as a hair cleanser I just splash a little of that onto my face as well when in the shower. I then immediately follow that with a bit of coconut oil as moisturizer to add back some of the oils removed with the water/baking soda solution. I use a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda to two cups of water and keep it in an old shampoo bottle that I can squirt out onto my hair and face.
I am lucky in that I almost never wear any makeup as I work from home. On the few occasions where I do wear some foundation or even mascara I use coconut oil to cleanse the makeup away. It works perfectly.
I have always been acne prone and have fair skin that I thought was oily. Since I stopped using cleansers on my face in November of 2013 I have realized that I do not have oily skin at all. I live in a hot and humid climate and yet my face never appears oily anymore. And I also used to have a lot of red splotches and those have also gone away.
Everything I was doing to my face before was irritating my skin and now I can clearly see that.
Acne still occurs but it is far less often, and clears up in a day or two. Where before it would take a week or more.
As an added bonus my skin appears to have a younger and healthier appearance and my wrinkles [I’m 45 btw] even appear lessened. My skin is so very happy with this new way of treating it.
I never did the original caveman routine because I just couldn’t keep the hair solution from getting on my face in the shower. But I never would have stopped washing my face and damaging my skin without learning about it and trying something new. I am so thankful that you continue to put the message out to folks that there are alternatives to soaps/cleansers/costly skincare routines.
The only personal hurdle I had was becoming accustomed to not getting that ‘squeaky clean feeling’ on my face after showering. It did take me some time to not think my face felt dirty. But now it feels normal to me and does not feel dirty at all. Seeing how great my skin appears now I am convinced that all of those cleaners were actually damaging my skin and making it look older.
I also was either dry and red or oily. Now I actually have skin that appears dewy. Not a term I ever thought would apply to me.
I also stopped using shampoos on my hair with the help of some of your articles and am so grateful to you for that as well.
I get daily compliments on both my hair and my skin and am asked often about what products I use. Always a fun conversation when I tell them, none.
Ahah this so great Christy! I totally agree – I like shocking people by telling them I don’t use anything or wash my face (really? the acne guru?) if it comes up in conversation, or that I wash my hair with baking soda. Anyway, super happy for you that you discovered the gloriousness of letting go 🙂
Tracy!!!!!
I love your blog so much and I’m so glad I found you. I am 29 and have suffered from horrible acne and redness since I was 13 :-(. Before finding you however I threw out every idea of acne products, moisturizers, make-up and anything else that “they” say to put on your face. Not only was I appalled by the harmful ingredients that I learned were in these products, but I noticed when I didn’t tend to my skin over the weekend or days off it actually felt and looked better!! I have not used acne cleansers oh my skin for about ten years and two years ago stopped using moisturizer. I was always told I had combination skin and needed to scrub really hard twice a day and moisturize once a day. I was mortified when I discovered the damage I was doing to my skin!! About a week after throwing out my moisturizer, I was amazed to see the redness go away, the dry flakiness to not greet me after every shower, and the quick disappearance of my acne!!! My skin is no longer excessively oily and my skin tone glows and is so even!! I can’t express enough to other people to just try for one week at least to see the potential of your skin without any of these harsh products. For the first time in my life I can say I love my skin. That is such a huge feat considering most my life I felt ugly and gross. I wake up so happy everyday because I know I am beautiful and I no longer stress and spend so much time over my skin!!
I love you Tracy, you spread such a beautiful message and alternative to people to live a beautiful, happy, stress free life, which all begins by “letting it go!!”
Keep spreading the love,
Courtney
Courtney, this is awesome!!! 🙂 So stoked that doing nothing set you free, and that you came here to tell me about it!! Thank you!
Your skin condition was probably caused by the way whoever, I hope it wasn’t a dermatologist, told you to scrub your face hard twice a day.
I like this. A little over a year ago I tried the caveman, and liked it…I was really surprised that my skin didn’t freak out as badly as I expected. After couple months of being “hardcore” caveman, I went back to rinsing my face with water, because I preferred the feeling. Later on I added back in a simple moisturizer, because I find that it gives me the best complexion overall. However, I still love modifying the caveman because I really needed to learn how not to depend on products. When I first got acne in middle school, it really wasn’t that bad until I went out and bought myself some Clearisil…and then it became truly awful, almost overnight. I think that even though the hardcore caveman isn’t for everyone, the basic principle of “less is more” is valuable for everyone. People should at least consider the idea behind this even if they don’t try it. We’re not meant to rely on drugs and scrubs and creams.
Unrelated question, but Tracy, I’ve been working on writing a guest article for your blog about gut healing and I would love to send it to you when I’m done (almost there!). I see the form on your site but I don’t have a blog or website url to enter…will that stop it from going through?
Oh yay! So excited! Thanks so much Kit! You can just submit it with this form instead: http://thelovevitamin.com/submit-your-story/
Hi Tracy, I actually tried the caveman regimen before, but I ended up having eye infections. I started to use water but that didn’t do the trick. It was only until I used an oil based cleanser till my eye stopped giving me problems
Hi Nicole .. huh. That’s really strange. Do you wash right over your eyes with your cleanser?
Hi Tracey, I’ve just run out of my cleanser and I’ve finally mustered up the courage to do this! As of tonight – no face washing, no products.I have a couple of questions if you don’t mind. Firstly I’ve been using non chemical, natural, organic products for the last year. My overall skin looked healthier but same amount of acne. Do you think it could make that much of a difference even when you haven’t been using harsh, chemical washes? If so how come? Can even plant oils and honey mess up your skins barrier? And second question: I’ve been following your holistic method for a couple of months now, and also working alongside with a naturopath. My skin cleared miraculously to begin with but is now even worse than it was when I was eating crap and really stressed out! My naturopath says it’s completely normal; she called it an ‘elimination crisis’. Could it really be me detoxing? Did you go through this too? Not sure how long I can expect this to go on? I’m going to college in September and would love to be clearer by then. Makes no sense cause I’m eating sooo well, taking my supplements, and actually feel happier than I have in ages! Hope the caveman helps me… 🙂
Hi Jennifer,
It depends on your skin.. I would say that people who are using a lot of commercial products will definitely see the most benefit, but, I mean… I had been using natural skin care for a few years before starting the Caveman and I still seemed to have a lot of healing to do… probably just from the years of washing and product use that I did before the natural stuff. I had mild acne at the time still and for me it didn’t get rid of it completely because some of it was hormonal, but it did significantly cut down on it / any acne became smaller / went away quicker. Also there is a possibility that your tap water could be irritating your skin, which would contribute whether you were using natural or ‘unnatural’ skin care.
As for the detoxing… my skin did get worse before it got better, but that shouldn’t last forever, and your skin shouldn’t keep getting worse… http://thelovevitamin.com/6599/detox-breakouts-symptoms-how-to-tell-if-its-just-detox-acne-or-if-things-have-gone-wrong/ … however the fact that you say that you feel happier is a good sign. Sometimes healing happens underneath and takes longer to actually show up on your skin, but if there are other positive changes happening to you then it’s a good sign
Tracie,
It took me over a year to get enough courage to try the Caveman regime. It has now been 7 months, and by far the only thing in 15 years to help my acne. I am doing the modified version of “just water,” and it has worked so well! The only thing I need some advice on is exfoliation. I did not touch my skin for the first 30 days. After that I would gently exfoliate my face every week with a muslin cloth. I would love to not even do this… After 7 months I hoped that the flaky skin would dissipate. Do you exfoliate at all? Or do you recommend a way to do so? Or a way to help the flaky skin go away with out exfoliating? I so appreciate you and your site! Thank you Tracie!
That’s awesome!! so happy for you Lauren 🙂 Your skin’s still flakey huh? Just a little bit, or a lot? I don’t exfoliate at all… well I guess every once in a long while. I do have a few flakes here and there, but nothing like… too noticeable. Nothing like the beginning of the experiemnt. I’m wondering if you stopped exfoliating if you eventually wouldn’t need to, but everyone’s different so I can’t say. Either leave it and find out, or just keep exfoliating! Sorry I don’t have a better answer!
Oh, I suppose the other option too is to just modify it and use an oil on your skin every day… just rub a little in at your flakey parts and leave it at that!
Hi there. I’m pretty interested in this post and I’m gonna try to wear less makeup so I dont have to wash as much! But I have kind of an unrelated question that I’d love your (or another reader’s!) opinion on: do you think it’s even possible to get clear while on the pill? It seems like I can’t do anything right to completely be happy with my skin. I’m on estroblock and liver supps now and it’s helped a little but not enough, so I think I might get off the pill. Thank you!!
Hi Lauren, well… I don’t know, I guess it depends on your pill and how it affects your body. Doesn’t the pill usually help with acne? You don’t find that’s the case for you? Did it get worse after you started it?
It doesn’t really affect my body/mood or anything, I just have a hunch that I should maybe be off of hormonal birth control now because my skin just hardly improves. I’ve been on it for about 3 years now. I mean my very first experience with the pill (slightly different pill, before I started this one 3 years ago) was great–it was the only thing that cleared my skin up! Then I think it stopped working. So since then I haven’t really been on the pill for acne, I’m just very afraid of getting pregnant! Thanks for replying 🙂
Hi Tracy!
I recently purchased my first jug of coconut oil and was using it solely as a moisturizer, noticing some changes. Then I saw this post and decided to start my own modified caveman regimen. So far I’ve been washing and moisturizing with coconut oil and spot treating with tea tree or lavender oil. I had noticed a few new bumps on the sides of my neck – perhaps where oil is settling but not absorbing? I have also been going WITHOUT MAKE UP for a few days, which is unheard of in my world. All in all, I don’t have much to report, but I just wanted to thank you for sharing your journey with all of us. I downloaded your Ultimate e-book and am hopeful that I will be able to make more positive changes. It’s nice to know I’m not alone!
Peace,
Stacey
Hi Stacey, good for you for facing your fears and trying no makeup! aahhh I know it’s scary. Be strong 🙂 Thanks for joining me for my journey, I’m very stoked to have you as a Love Vitamin reader! Good luck xx
Hi Tracy! I just kind of wanted to post how the whole caveman skin regime worked for me, sadly not much. I completely stopped using anything on my face for three months- besides a nightly rinse with luke warm water. The first few weeks my skin felt light and soft and really great, and then I started getting TONS of little skin bumbs. (whiteheads? blackheads? I’m pretty sure they’re whiteheads) I persisted for another month and my skin got continually worse, I wanted to believe that it was just part of the process and that all the initial flare up was just my face cleaning out all the deep down stuff.
So after three months and my skin looking real pizza-like, I broke down and bought the most organic cleanser I could, some jojoba oil and began to add that to my nightly rinse and dry.. my skin was less oily but more whiteheads again and the addition of some very painful under the skin bumps. I was a bit stressed during this time but not too much- mainly over the state of affairs on my face and feeling like all these people who were giving me job interviews at the time only saw my “pizza face”.
And then one night I did the worst thing ever.. I went into the bathroom and tried to “get out” as much of the whiteheads as I possibly could. My face looked like a battlefield. Now I’m here. Not wanting to kill my skin dead with high strength OXY pads but not wanting a pimple farm on my face. Am I just stuck with moderate acne for ever and ever? Is what I’m beginning to wonder. I eat a fairly clean vegetarian diet (I do go for the occasional pizza, or veg burger + fries, but it’s all homemade. Adding fish is not an option for me) any advice at all in the right direction would be a huge help. Thank you for all you do!
Hi Mira,
I’m sorry to hear that the caveman regimen didn’t work out for you! As you know, we are all individuals, and we all react differently to different skincare regimens and substances, even natural ones. Your best bet is to observe your skin closely and see how it reacts to different substances and to use only few ingredients at the same time. This way you can see which substances make your skin worse and which substances might help. Jojoba oil doesn’t seem to do the trick for you either. You could try cold pressed hemp seed oil instead: it’s the only natural oil with a comedogenic rating of 0: http://www.highonhealth.org/why-hemp-seed-oil-is-the-best-ever-skin-care-for-acne/
Thank you! Indeed we are all individuals. Feels like I’ve tried everything, & then some but I will keep questing regardless, I will try the hemp seed oil! <3 again, thank you
I totally agree that a big part of this is “letting go.” We’ve been brainwashed that what we’re doing is “not enough” but lazy people have lucky genetics? After my skin cleared up I felt so free from not washing and painting my face I threw out everything. My makeup bag is empty! It feels amazing! Fuck the beauty industry and their lies.
Woohooooo!!!! That sounds amazing! And it gives us so much freedom, not HAVING to do anything at all.
Hi Tracy,
I am so excited about the caveman regimen, but as typed in before I am a swimmer.
I was thinking about not swimming for 28-30 days to really give my skin a chance to renew itself. (I have previously done chemical peels and they damaged my skin)
However, with that being said, I dont know that if I do that and then get back in the pool that the break will have been worth it.
I am thinking of doing a modified version by applying acv and coconut oil to my face before getting in the pool..and getting out just rinsing with distilled or spring water. Do you have any thoughts about this? Do you know if coconut oil helps the acid mantle or does it hurt it? I am thinking the coconut oil will help protect against chlorine. thanks!
Hi Misty,
acv and coconut oil sounds like a great strategy for swimming. Yes, coconut oil is said to be protecting against chlorine (according to many alternative health websites), even though I never tried it myself. It definitely helps the acid mantle and and creates a very thin film on your face. Also, water and fat don’t mix and coconut oil protects your skin against environmental influences (other types of natural cold pressed and untreated oils like olive, almond or jojoba oil do so as well!). So it seems plausible to me! 😉
Hi Tracy!
It’s been a long while since I’ve commented on your site! I found your site about two years ago (thank God), and it’s taken me that long to finally clear up my severe acne. I followed your recommendations and tried several of the natural products you suggest (aloe vera, jojoba, manuka honey etc..). I did clear up significantly over time, but I was still breaking out. What ultimately made the biggest impact in my skin was leaving my very stressful, toxic job. Also, since then, I’ve sort of unconsciously adopted the caveman regimen. I was simply too tired and too lazy to do anything to my face anymore…I’d had it! And you know what…my skin has improved dramatically! I still get maybe one or two spots a month, but they disappear quickly. I can finally look in the mirror and see myself again. I still have some scarring left, but I hope that time will help it fade away. One more thing, in the past you mentioned how oftentimes acne sufferers think that acne is at the root of their unhappiness and once they get clear, all will be well, and you explain that many times there are other issues at play that must be dealt with. This is very true…now that I am clear, I’ve found that I now must confront the real issues in my life, and I can no longer use my skin as a cover up (no pun intended lol). Anyways, thank you so much for all you do; I am forever grateful to you.
Hi Lorena,
Tracy is away for a few days, but I wanted to let you know that I loved to read your comment! Using the skin as a cover up for unresolved issues in life is a fact that is overlooked far too often! Thank you so much for sharing your experience!!! 😉
Hey Tracy,
I’m 15 and I started getting my acne right after I got my first period. I’ve been using commercial washes ever since. It seems like my face is always inflamed and broke out. I can’t remember the last time it was clear. I did the full cavemen regimen for 9 days, it broke out and this is the worst it’s ever been. Every pore is clogged, cysts everywhere and blackhead everywhere but my forehead. Is the breakout a withdrawl? Should I do the caveman?
Yeah it could definitely be the withdrawal from quitting the harsh chemicals, and you might do better with first switching to natural skin care like honey and jojoba oil… it might be less of a shock to your skin. And later try the caveman again. Sorry to hear about the skin freakout Emily 🙁
Alright, I’ve done the modified caveman routine for over a month (water only, with tea tree oil spot checks). At the one month mark, my skin as the most balanced and blemish-free it had been in over a year–I actually had a clear, dry patch an inch wide on my forehead! (A year ago my skin went from normal and balanced to an oil slick, especially on my forehead.) i sang the praises of this method and The Love Vitamin on my blog.
Then all the oil and all the bumps came back, plus some new problem areas on my cheeks, which have never given me issues before. Aaaaaaaaaaaand they’re not going away, even after another month.
I eat a very veggie, and fruit heavy diet. I’m cutting caffeine and I’ll admit to being bad about refined sugar intake. I’ve added a spritz of diluted apple cider vinegar on my face for my morning routine, but nothing else.
Thoughts? Anyone?
I know since this is a homeopathic type site so you probably won’t like hearing that I’ve tried all the ways to get rid of acne. Washing, not washing, carrier oils with other oils, tea trea, honey, egg whites, vitamins and I could go on. I really tried to go natural for a long time with no improvement. The only thing that has worked for me is a gental cleanser with manual exfoliation, a well formulated bha leave on, with coconut oil as moisturizer because everything else left my skin so congested without it. I don’t think all natural is necessarily the best for every single person.
Hi Tracy,
Can you help me please because i really have nasty acne breakout since 12 years old..
I’ve started the caveman regimen last night and i still having faith in you that this would be the solution to my curse.
I’ve tried so many cleansers, toners, moisturizers and its really depressing that none of it worked. Now I hope that this will change everything. My problem is that I’m a college student going to school from monday to friday, from morning to afternoon. I always ride public vehicles like a jeepney whenever i went to school and i was worried because if i don’t wash my face the pollutants would stick to my face completely. I was also worried whenever on how to take a bath while my face is not touched by water? Please help me!
I guess when I get into a really deep depression I am doing the caveman routine and this is the only time I break out. Which for me is very congested pores. It’s only when I start using my BHA and benzoyl peroxide that it clears up and stays that way. My brother, sister and husband pretty much use this routine though and their skin is perfect. I don’t get it 😛
I experienced a huge improvement in my chin when I stopped using soap to wash my face! Now I only use water and moisturizer
hey tracy after going through your blog i discovered cavemen regimen which i have never heard before and also the right way to do it.. i live in india where in summers temperature reaches to 42 degree Celsius and humidity up to 99%… I started this regimen a week before but i m washing my face with water only once in morning then in evening.. though my previous acne are going but new acne are also popping up especially side of my face and fore head but they are not that huge in size .they are small but red and sometimes whitehead also pop up… i am continuing this regimen hoping to get clear skin in future… i just want to ask one question that in how many months i would be expecting clear skin with only one or two acne and does this regimen will help me to get rid of acne spots which are more severe then my acne problem… ??
Hi Tracy, I’m interested in doing the caveman regimen, but I’m wondering if it’s alright to do when my sensitive acne prove skin is dry ? My skin has never done this to me before (being dry with acne) but I know it was my fault because 7 weeks ago I went completely OCD over a mild breakout and did 30 minute all natural face masks every day for a week, and then used a benzoyl peroxide mask for the same amount of time the 8th day, and my skin hasn’t been the same since. I’ve done two weeks of nothing but homemade soap and water (well, with a Proactive treatment ever few days), and its better but still dry with acne. It’s not as dry as it was, but it feels like there’s a layer of rough-ish skin (that looks a bit peel-y) on my cheeks and Jeanine. I could seriously use some advice or suggestions! I’m literally afraid to do anything, but also afraid to do nothing. Help?
*acne prone not acne prove – and *jawline not Jeannie. Sorry. Spell-check.
Hi,
I live out west in a very dry, (and very cold) climate and my skin craves moisture! I do not wash my face with any products but after getting out of the shower, my skin feels like it is going to crack and fall off. I was wondering if it is ok to use a natural moisturizer (I currently use an olive oil/almond oil based moisturizer, but it often leaves my skin greasy when applied in the mornings)? Also, I work outside everyday at 7000 ft and I HAVE to wear sunscreen. I try to use natural sunscreens and always wear a hat but sometimes water doesn’t wash it all away, leaving a greasy film. What do you suggest?
Thanks!
Leigh
Just wanted to share my experience here as well for encouragement to anyone out there considering the caveman but scared to start, or give up makeup. I recently started the modified caveman (about 1 week ago) and it has dramatically helped the overall appearance of my skin tone. I’m about one month into Tracy’s entire bootcamp regime and think the combination (diet changes, lifestyle, supplements – estroblock, FCLO, liver supplement and a probiotic), skincare changes, keeping myself from touching my skin as much as possible, etc) are really starting to clear my skin, which is so incredibly exciting – Thank you Tracy!!! But I still feel the need to wear makeup to cover up and even my overall skin tone (at work, socially, etc) as well as conceal the, hopefully last, of my breakouts. I had been using a mineral powder previously, but switched to Jane Iredale pressed powder after all of the research and blog comments about how good/natural that product was for acne prone skin, and stopped using my concealer which I used to put directly on areas I was broken out (mostly my chin). I have to say I love the powder – it looks so natural, provides enough coverage for me right now but doesn’t feel like I’m wearing a ton of makeup. Hopefully someday soon I can wean off entirely.
But I still wanted to try the caveman / less is more approach to skincare, so I now use the Jane Iredale magic mitt to remove my makeup at night. I just use filtered tap water with my brita filter to gently wipe it off, then go to bed – no washing, moisturizing, spot treatments, etc. In the mornings I wake up and put on the powder and that’s it. It takes me two minutes vs. my long routine before. I don’t wash my face or let it get wet in the shower. As I said, I started a lot of the recommended changes all at once, so I do believe it’s a combination of everything beginning to work synergystically, but I think this piece in particular has dramatically evened my skintone and lessened the redness and inflammation.
Breakouts I still have just look “healthier” if that makes sense, almost like I still have a bit of cover up on even after I’ve removed all of the makeup, and go away on their own much faster. If you’re nervous about letting go of the makeup, I would really encourage you to try this as a starting point and once I hope you see how much better your skin looks it will give you confidence to continue down the path!
Hi! I’ve been trying the Caveman routine, not washing for awhile and then washing with Cetaphil every 5 days or so, but now I’m in Florida for a week and I didn’t bring my cleansers or anything, and skin has taken a bad turn. I have black heads everywhere and weird little dots all over the place!!! You said your skin had a rough period before it got better?? HELP (also I never had super bad acne to begin with, just some cystics on my jaw)
Tracy, how long did the red marks take to fade for you? My red marks are so noticeable on my pale skin. Also, when you use honey on your face, did it give you new pimples in the beginning? I left raw honey on my face for about thirty minutes and I noticed my skin started feeling itchy and there was a new pimple forming on my skin!
Hi Tracy,
I am thinking of doing a modified Caveman regimen. As I have severely dehydrated & sensitized skin, do you suppose I could still try this method?
I’ve been lucky with my skin. I’ve never had really bad acne, however I’ve had (and still have) the “normal” (young adult) skin: redness and pimples in the t-zone, somewhat shiny skin etc. I realize I’ve been doing the modified caveman regimen (on and off) without really being aware of it.
Truth being told, I’ve always been “lazy” when it comes to skin care. I will buy the producs and be hopeful that they will work, but I just can’t stick to the routines, because it’s just -too much work-. So what I always end up doing after a week, is just washing my face with luke warm water with a very soft washcloth.
I haven’t really told anyone about it, I’ve just been going on with my business. I’ve been using water & washcloth method for about a month with no other products, no cleansers, no moisturizers etc. I told mom about it yesterday, I told her how soft and nice I think my skin has become, even though I still have some pimples and redness. But she looked at me funny and said of course I had to moisturize after washing my face (even if it’s gently), and that’s probably why I still have pimples. I’ve been looking at skin care products all day just because of that comment. I feel so stupid. I -know- I’m not going to use them anyway. And why do it if I’m happy with my skin even if it’s not perfect? I’m able to go out without giving my skin much thought. Even if I have pimples, even if it’s not perfect and clear. Isn’t that what’s important?
I’m not sure if I will be able to stop washing my face completely, but I’ll at least keep doing what I’ve always done, and try not to let other people’s opinions on skin care or my skin affect me.
What I’m trying to say is, thank you for this article. It gave me faith back in my own natural “routine” that I think works for me. (Sorry for the wall of text, lol.)
Hello,
I am 28 year old male.My skin is extremely oily so I am afraid without washing my face it will look nasty. Also, can I shave ? if yes please suggest for the same.
Thanks
Also, I want to add I have blackheads and white heads on my nose and chin area too
Hey.from today..I’ll start this caveman routine..I have very uneven skin tone and dry skin..on my face..let’s see how it goes
Hi Tracey!
I was wondering if you still follow the caveman regime or not (as I’ve seen ur posts about making moisturises etc and I’m guessing u don’t use them if ur still on the regime)?
I am currently deciding what skincare routine to follow and was wondering if u stopped the caveman because you found a better approach?
Thanks so much 🙂
Hi Janelle! No I’m not doing the full caveman anymore, as I now moisturize twice a day (with my natural oil based moisturizer… yes, google DIY moisturizer The Love Vitamin and you’ll see what I’m using). I still don’t really wash my face though except with a splash of water to damp my face for application of the moisturizer. I’m still all for most principles of the caveman… ie… less is more
Hi Tracy,
I read your posts about cavemen regimen. It’s not the first time I heard about “no soup, no shampoo” method: a scientst from a famous american university talked about it on the news, he developed a probiotic spray. Even L’Oréal have patented some probiotic products recently.
But, because of living in a tropical country, Brazil, I cannot afford to not apply sunscrren. Do you know if it is good? If it’s “break” the cavemen regimen somehow?
Can I just slather Coconut oil wherever I want whenever I want? Will it effect my skin negatively? Thanks.
Coconut oil is very comedogenic (pore clogging), so I don’t recommend it! Click here for better oils for acne prone skin: http://thelovevitamin.com/19433/best-oils-moisturize-acne-prone-skin-type/
I’m so happy I came across your blog a couple of months ago! My skin has never been better – and I feel so free. I used to never leave home without makeup and now for the first time since I was a young teenager I feel confident with bare skin. It took a few weeks to see results but it was worth the wait. I modified the regimen by rinsing my face with water in the shower and no more than once a week I make a scrub with avocado oil and sugar to gently exfoliate – but only when i feel like my skin is a little dull. For anyone reading this – don’t believe the articles you read that dispute the regime – they obviously didn’t stick with it long enough to see the results.
I have to add that I also eat clean and exercise – I feel like that has eliminated any internal causes for acne – so I just needed to stop irritating it with external factors.
Hi. My face is covering in many flesh-coloured tiny bumps and some small pimples. May I know is caveman regimen suitable for getting rid of my skin problem? Thank you.
Hi Tracy!
I decided after reading your posts and looking into it that I’m going to start the caveman routine! I’m still going to wash my face with water once or twice a day and thought I might try using acidic water to do so. I have a filter that can produce it. I’m wondering if you know anything about/would suggest using acid water to wash the face?
Thanks!
Miranda
Its been 3 weeks for my water only caveman regimen. The tiny bumps on my forehead were nearly clear up, but on my face, my pimples are so red. Some of them are scars some of them are pimples, they just so red and so obvious. In addition, I found that the tiny bumps that cleared up has come back a little on my face. May I know Is this situation normal? How long should I go for this water only method in order to clear my face up? Thank you.
Please reply me Thank you very much~!!!!!
Hi Tracy,
I’ve been following your blog for awhile now and I have decided to finally try the caveman regimen. I stopped wearing makeup about 3 weeks ago, and started using the natural moisturizer you had suggested (carrier oil + aloe) my skin was becoming really congested from all of the commercial products I had been using, and I was shocked to see all of the terrible chemicals in my prescription topical cream that I had been using for the last 13 years. Anyway, my skin began to get much worse, but I think it’s startingg to calm down a bit. I think I’m slightly allergic to aloe as well because I forgot to use it yesterday, and my skin seemed less irritated. Which brings me back to the caveman regimen. My skin is fairly dry, but also oily if that makes sense. So I am wondering if my skin will regulate itself while doing the caveman regimen? Did you have problems with dryness/ tightness at all?
Thanks!