A question I get a lot – particularly whenever I post a picture of myself on The Love Vitamin’s facebook page – is:
Are you still on the caveman regimen?
It’s been three and a half years, and in that time I can only count maybe two or three times when I’ve actually washed my face or put anything on it.
If you don’t know, the caveman regimen is an “anti-skincare regimen”… because you essentially don’t do anything to your skin. You don’t put anything on it. You don’t purposely wash it. You just let it regulate itself.
You can read all about it here.
And it’s seriously been one of the best things I’ve ever done.
My skin is clearer, it heals faster … but the best part of all is that it’s just so EASY. It’s the EASIEST. What’s easier than doing nothing?The biggest benefit of that is psychological.
I’m no longer examining my skin in the mirror twice a day. My skin flaws are no longer turned discomfortingly bright red, post wash (making you think your skin looks worse than it really does).
I can do whatever I want – go camping, travel, stay over at someone’s house – without giving a thought about how I’m going to wash my face
It’s easier to just let it all go and stop thinking about acne.
And what’s better than that?
Since I’ve begun the caveman, I’ve heard of many natural external skin care treatments that do sound pretty good. I’ve probably written about many of them at the Love Vitamin.
I’ve been tempted to give them a try … my skin is good, but could it be even BETTER if I used these things?
In the end, I’ve never bothered. Because the psychological benefits of the caveman to me, far outweigh any slight improvement in my skin that I could get from going back to a skin care routine.
You Crazy, Lady
The caveman regimen sounds totally crazy when you’ve spent your whole life being told that obsessive washing and product use is the answer to clear skin.
In reality, for a lot of people, this is actually the biggest CAUSE of the acne itself. All those chemicals, all that washing – it’s drying, it’s irritating, it’s pore clogging.
For me, I switched from chemical products, and used natural products on my skin for a couple years before heading down the way of the caveman. Particularly washing my face with honey, and moisturizing with jojoba oil.
After recently learning about enzymes from Melissa Armstrong, I’ve realized that my use of natural skin care products prior to my switch to the caveman might have been why I have had so much success with it. My skin had already had time to begin repairing itself before I went full caveman.
Melissa has taught us that if you’ve used chemical products in the past – which we all have – then your skin is inevitably going to be damaged and clogged on some level.
To fix this situation, she recommends using natural skin care to repair this damage, particularly using natural enzymes masks, and keeping the skin hydrated with natural oils like jojoba, hemp, or argan.
After that you can go to extremely minimal natural skin care or the caveman regimen and you’ll have much more success than if you jumped straight from chemicals to the caveman.
(In fact, I’ve heard such amazing things about the papaya enzyme masks that I’ve decided to briefly come out of my cavewoman ways to try it out and do a video tutorial on it …. coming soon!)
Is the Caveman For You?
I’m never going to tell you what to do – the caveman is what works for me and it might not be your cup of tea … either because you think it sounds weird or gross or whatever….
But oh man. I love it. So much. Freedom is a thing that I value very highly and not having to worry about a skin care routine is so, so amazing. It’s honestly a dream come true.
Want to learn more about the caveman regimen? Check out my Caveman Regimen: The Ultimate Guide, exclusively available when you join the Naturally Clear Skin Academy
Lexi says
November 5, 2015 at 11:43 amDo you use sunscreen?
Tracy Raftl says
November 5, 2015 at 3:46 pmVery rarely, only if I know that I’ll be out in the sun for an extended period of time. When I do use it, I use a natural sunscreen and put it on and just don’t bother washing it off
Kate says
January 29, 2016 at 3:02 pmWhich sunblock do you use? I’ve found the combination of Estroblock + the caveman regimen to be my skin care miracle (all thanks to you!! love you forever for introducing these to me!) but sunblock is something I’ve been wondering about.
Emma says
November 5, 2015 at 12:05 pmHi Tracy,
I’m curious: you REALLY NEVER wash your face?
If you workout, or ride your bike a lot and it’s warm, your skin will sweat. You go to bed at night like that? I doesn’t feel very heathly to me. If you live in a city with pollution, won’t the pollution “stick” to your face?
I think I’ll just continue with manuka honey and jojoba for now! but it’s great if you found something that works great for you!
Thanks again for your blog and videos. I love your cheerfulness and your joy! 🙂
Tracy Raftl says
November 5, 2015 at 3:44 pmNope! I mean my face will get wet if I go swimming in a lake or just in the shower, but I never purposely wash it ever. I know it’s not for everyone.
Shane M says
November 6, 2015 at 4:06 amHi Tracey. I’ve only washed my face a few times with just plain water this past year whilst on the extreme caveman regimen but I still get dry patches, flaky skin around my nose and mouth. I no longer get the dead skin mask though.
I’m just wondering if you know why I still get these dry areas and what is actually the best way of removing these dry flaky skin areas as well as any dead skin that forms on my cheek every 30 days?
I have dandruff on my scalp and I’ve had oral thrush for so many years if these two relates to me still getting dry skin!
I do drink at least 8 cups of water a day as well as eat the healthy fats found in avocados, salmons, steaks, coconut oils and beauty oils but as well!
Many thanks.
Samantha says
November 6, 2015 at 10:13 amHey Shane M, I know i’m not Tracy but i have been on the Caveman Regimen for 6 months and my skin in pretty much clear. I recommened eating walnuts or other nuts for the dry patches as they contain a lot of fatty acids. Maybe considered a little coconut oil on the face. I got eczema on my face a month ago and it hurt like crazy and i was just one red blotch but then i ate a load of walnuts (and tuna) and applied coconut oil and within in a week it had gone.
The Dandruff may not be dandruff, for years i suffered with real dandruff and used a good shampoo vosene which i used everyday with no conditioner untill it got really really bad then i found out it was actually dry scalp and washing it with dandruff shampoo made it so much worse. Look at the flakes, if they are white it is dry scalp and i recommened a deep oil treatment which you can do at home, if the flakes are yellowish try vosene.
Hope this helps,
Samantha,
xx
Katie says
November 8, 2015 at 10:51 pmI’m also not Tracy but have been on the caveman for a little over two years now. I would also get dry patches and wasn’t sure what to do about it. In the past six months I started using jojoba oil and applying it most mornings. If I don’t my skin tends to feel dry.
Shane M says
November 6, 2015 at 4:54 amAlso, I’ve been doing the no poo method with my hair too, not washing it and not allowing water to touch my hair for the past year.
I have been suffering from dandruff for many years and still have it even after a year of not using any shampoos and water.
Do you think I should continue with the no poo method or just start shampooing my hair again. Maybe massaging coconut oil onto my scalp, leave over night and washing off with a shampoo?
Just to let you know, with regards to my candida, I have been taking CandiGONE, CleansMORE, FibreSMART and the Ultimate FLORA as well as eliminating gluten, dairy, carbohydrates and sugar for over a month now, around two months-yet there’s absolutely no improvement with my tongue what so ever. So i’m just wondering what your thoughts are on maybe seeing my GP to get put on prescription medication for my oral thrush instead?
My auntie had it many years ago and it went within a week and that was by just taking prescription medication for her oral thrush. So i’m assuming that surely, if I was to take prescription medication for it and it would go within two weeks maximum, then surely there’s no harm in it?
Sadly, I have heard though, for some patience even with mild oral thrush like myself can takes years to go regardless of taking prescription or herbal supplements!
Many thanks and most kind regards Tracey 🙂
Lorien says
November 6, 2015 at 9:25 amThere is a new product out called Mother Dirt. It’s a spray containing “good” bacteria that is supposed to help eliminate odor if you aren’t washing your body or hair. It is crazy expensive, but I’d love to hear someone who is trying to clear up acne review it.
Tracy Raftl says
November 7, 2015 at 6:50 amAh interesting! yes I’ve heard of probiotic sprays but it’s something I have never tried or really looked into. I am going to do that.
Christina says
November 6, 2015 at 10:33 amHi! thank you for all your videos and advice i really appreciate you. Ive stopped washing my face and touching it a few days ago. im wondering if you still take estro block?
Tracy Raftl says
November 7, 2015 at 6:49 amyes I am still using it
Christina says
November 7, 2015 at 6:34 pmi bought estro block before but, i was obsessively touching my face and causing all kind of mayhem on it at the same time aaaaand washing it like crazy lol. I still had a lot to learn. so i really believe all my trying to fix myself was the reason i could never heal. so i believe im on the right track now. Im doing an extremely low carb diet (15 carbs) fish oil, caveman regimen with no water, not using shampoo, and soon estro-block! im excited and very hopeful
Christina says
November 21, 2015 at 5:40 pmIt’s been two and a half weeks of no picking or washing for me. Here’s my update. The first week and a half my face was extremely oily, I felt like I was melting. Very hard to ignore. And lots of itchy white heads that were driving me nuts. So I wore a rubber band on my wrist and popped it every time I thought of touching my face. That helped alot. After going insane I had a mental break through with insecurity and that was a big deal. I hate fear and I don’t want to be ruled by it. So I took a big step and let people see me. The cytsic acne has been slowly healing and Im not longer oily! So far so good.
Tracy Raftl says
November 21, 2015 at 5:46 pmWoohoo! Great news! 🙂
Shane M says
November 6, 2015 at 11:16 amHello Samantha, thank you very much and I think you’re right actually, maybe it isn’t dandruff I have because the flakes that I see on my black top are white. I’ve actually just massaged coconut oil on my scalp and put a cotton hat over my head to lock in the oils over night, so I can wash off tomorrow. I have an organic John Masters zinc & sage shampoo with conditioner which I will use hoping it should be okay to use.
I do eat walnuts, white almonds, pecans, hazelnuts and brazil nuts every morning with my breakfast as well as two portions of fresh salmon and two portions of grass fed steak every week. One avocado a day, three teaspoons of beauty oil and I eat a tablespoon of coconut oil every morning 30 minutes before I have my breakfast on an empty stomach and so I get my healthy fats.
I was wondering though, how much of each nuts should I be eating a day?
And with my dry flaky skin patches around my nose and mouth area, would I apply just enough coconut oil on the areas every 30 days or whenever they come up? Like you, I have been on the hard core caveman regimen of not allowing water to touch my face at all. I don’t personally bath or shower either, because I feel if the regimen works for the face, then why not the rest of our bodies too, I don’t even smell of body odour!
For the past 12 months, I’ve been exfoliating the dead and dry skin on my face with a 100% Egyptian cotton muslin cloth-which I must say, takes ages, like at least an hour because the dead and dry skin was just so thick, but the dead skin mask has thankfully gone and I believe that happened when I began drinking 8-12 cups of water a day and eating my fatty acids, as prior to that, I will still getting the dead skin mask.
Thanks very much Samantha, most kind regards. xoxox
samantha says
November 7, 2015 at 12:55 amthats fine Shane M!
Samantha
x
Shane M says
November 7, 2015 at 1:26 amWould you recommend I use coconut oil on my dry skin patches every time they come up or every 30 days? x
Shane M says
November 7, 2015 at 7:48 amAnd can anyone tell me what the meaning of a healthy diet actually is please. 100% healthy or is it best to have a few unhealthy foods each week for example?
Thanks to whoever replies back.
Samantha says
November 11, 2015 at 6:16 amThe only things you should vehemently be avoiding are meat and dairy. Try to limit sweets that cause insulin spikes. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like avocado, as well as nuts and seeds, whole grains. It’s OK to have a treat every now and then.
Shane M says
November 8, 2015 at 1:19 amI wish you the best of luck Christina. I did not let water touch my skin and hair for one year. I had dry scalp prior to doing the no poo method but after the year was up, I still had a dry scalp and so I just ended up massaging coconut oil into my scalp, leaving it on over night and then using a shampoo to wash off the coconut oil.
I do hope the no poo method works for you anyway as inevitably you will be laughing in the long run.
Anya says
November 9, 2015 at 11:35 amHi Tracy! I have been following your blog for the past 4ish months and have learned a ridiculous amount from you in regard to healing my hormonal acne. I have been eating a very healthy, whole food diet for the past 5 years but it’s never made a difference for my skin. FINALLY, after so many failed attempts and inaccurate tests/diagnoses from naturopaths, I learned so much from your site on my own and can happily say that after 4 months of intense effort to fix my hormones, I have finally seen a HUGE improvement specifically over the past 4 weeks. Anyway, I am curious about whether or not you have stayed off the estroblock and liver support supplements after breaking out that one time? Although I have a bit of time, I do want to try and get pregnant next summer and am concerned about the amount of supplements I am taking at this point and that I won’t have enough time for my body to readjust before I want to get pregnant. I know it’s contested whether or not estroblock is okay while pregnant but obviously in an ideal world I want to be able to rebalance without relying on supplements for the rest of my life. Let me know and thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!!!!
Tracy Raftl says
November 10, 2015 at 8:56 pmI admit to taking the lazy way out and just got back on the estroblock! I am actually going to post a guest post soon that has a very detailed explanation on how to get off estroblock and stay clear, so keep an eye out for that
Anya says
November 13, 2015 at 3:57 pmOh awesome, thank you! Would love to hear your opinion on the pregnancy side of things too.
Victoria says
November 11, 2015 at 6:17 amI have to say that your skin is looking more aged and dull. You may not have acne, but your skin is still being damaged by all of the free radicals that are touching your face all day every day since you don’t wash it.
Tracy Raftl says
November 11, 2015 at 9:17 amOh well, I’m happier this way
Rachael Towne says
November 30, 2015 at 5:27 pmAged and dull? Hardly! You look gorgeous. Really. I’m so inspired by your transformation that I just started the caveman regimen today.
I don’t really have acne (I did have rather severe acne when I was young). I have rosacea and my face is on fire right now. I suspect that there is a connection between a damaged skin barrier and rosacea, acne and other skin conditions.
I’ve been so hard on my skin for so long. When I was younger and treating acne I used so much Benzoyl Peroxide and retina-a. I started using retina-a a few months ago once again, but this time for anti-aging. Bad mistake. I should have listened to the inner voice screaming at me to leave my face alone.
I hate makeup and looking fake in any way. But, my face has been cycling through looking pretty good then looking terrible for so long that I fall back on wearing foundation sometimes. No more!
I admire natural beauty in other women and want to fix my skin, not cover it up.
I will let you know how it worked out for me in 30 days.
Faye says
November 14, 2015 at 9:37 pmHi Tracy,
Just one question.
(1) Do you encounter any redness and inflammation skin during 1-2 month of caveman regimen(no water method)?
I have just started no water method for a few days ago and i can feel the inflammation of my skin when under those strong light environment.
Cheers,
Faye
Tracy Raftl says
November 16, 2015 at 11:15 amYour skin is probably going to do some weird things during the first few months! Expect it!
C says
November 19, 2015 at 1:03 pmTracy,
I have to say that caveman is treating you well and you are looking so radiant and clear. Your skin tone is super even and your skin looks flawless! I am so happy that this has worked for you. How freeing it must be to shrug off the expense and the time drain of all of the products. I wish I had the guts to do this too. I see all of my friends who just don’t give a sh** or do anything and they have the best skin ever that I’m super envious of. I have “products” that I totally love that work well for me now, but somehow I just can’t shake that bug to experiment constantly with new things and always keep up my OCD routines… anyway, you’re lookin’ good!
Tracy Raftl says
November 21, 2015 at 8:14 amThank you C 🙂
Lorena says
November 22, 2015 at 9:07 amHi Tracy!
Do you wear makeup?
And if so, how do you remove it?
My experice with acne was very similar to yours. I’m so thankful to God that I found your website back in 2013. I’ve been doing the caveman regimen for about a year and a half now, and it’s been wonderful! My breakouts basically disappeared! I still get a spot from time to time but I it goes away quickly. I do wear a bit of eye makeup and blush (I use mineral makeup w/few ingredients). And l remove the eye makeup with coconut oil. Thank you for everything!
Tracy Raftl says
November 23, 2015 at 8:04 amHi Lorena, I use a bit of eye makeup… concealer under eyes and mascara, which I usually remove with some olive oil and just wipe away. And if I do get a spot here or there, I will just put a small dab of concealer on it and that’s it, and not really wash it off. No full foundation or powder or anything like that
Charlotte says
December 9, 2015 at 2:26 pmHello Again Tracy,
I had a few questions about the caveman regimen, as I am interested in starting it to see how it works for my skin. I still have acne/acne scars, and I usually do honey and lemon face-masks to help with the scarring. Would I have to abandon those to feel the full effects of the caveman regimen? Are there any other ways to get rid of scarring? Also, do you still wear makeup?
Thank you in advance!
~Charlotte
Charlotte says
December 9, 2015 at 2:26 pmjust saw your comment about the makeup! 🙂
Maria says
December 17, 2015 at 10:00 amTracy,
How are your blackheads?
It doesn’t clogged pores not washing or exfoliate the skin?
When I clean my face with water and dry with towel, on the towel I can see dark mark, I wonder it is sebum or dirt?
I don’t wash my face everyday.
Tracy Raftl says
December 19, 2015 at 6:29 amHi Maria, no I don’t have a problem with blackheads or clogged pores because of the caveman… some people may find that at first it clogs pores because their skin isn’t regenerating properly… combining a mostly caveman regimen with the papaya masks as I’ve mentioned in this article might be a better choice for some as it helps the skin start regenerating itself and unclogging and then can transition into full caveman. (same with eating a healthy diet, lowering stress, exercising etc, will help the skin regenerate, so caveman is best paired with a healthy lifestyle like this)
Shane M says
December 18, 2015 at 6:40 amWhat do you lot do for sun cream/protection then, is there a natural alternative?
Christina says
January 3, 2016 at 12:43 pmHave you noticed that your face smells weird the first few months of caveman?
Evie says
January 4, 2016 at 1:06 amHey Christiana,
The smell is the oil from your face which is good because it unclogs your pores and keeps your skin healthy as long as you have been eating properly.
Amy says
May 27, 2016 at 8:56 pmHi, my skin has been clear all my life. 3 months ago, I decided to use face washes for a MINOR breakout. 12 lotions and facewashes in one month later, lots of clogged pores on my forehead and a few near my nose. I’m definitely never washing my face again, but did the clogged pores naturally slough off on their own (like I’ve heard other people say)? It’d just nice to be reassured so that I can use that to motivate me to keep going through with this… Thanks!
Kayla says
November 4, 2016 at 11:42 amHi Tracy!
I just wanted to say that your blogs, and emails have been SO uplifting for me. For a few months I felt very alone, and anxious about going out/ seeing my boyfriend because of the state of my skin. My acne was brought on by birth control pills, and progressively got worse each month I was taking them. Finally, after about 5 months of increasingly pimply skin and self consciousness, I figured out that BC was the root of my problems. I immediately discontinued my use of them, and jumped into a TON of different skin cleansing options. I believe there was a point I was washing my face 5-7 times daily (not always with product/ facials). My self confidence has spiraled down, and for the first time in my life I couldn’t stand taking pictures, going out with friends, or even looking in a mirror. The past 2 months I have really simplified my cleansing routine.. and these past 3 weeks, all I’ve used is water and the occasional burt’s bees willow bark facial scrub. I have found that the scrub REALLY irritates my skin now, and makes my blemishes red and inflamed. The water only regimen has made my skin extremely dry, and very itchy. I’m struggling with keeping my hands away from my face because of this, but I want to hold out for a while longer since I have heard so many great reviews on the ‘caveman regimen’. These last couple of days I’ve even dropped from 2 daily face washes with water, to only 1 in the morning when I shower. My face is quite tender, and the white heads just keep coming.. Everyday it’s like I have 3 new ones. But I do find that they are disappearing MUCH quicker and it feels good to not be picking at my face every night.
I do believe this approach to healthy/ clear skin is the right one, I just wish it was a faster method to clearing my skin… and I hope I see some good results soon! When did you start seeing clearer skin/ less whiteheads while using the ‘caveman regimen’? I know you went full on ‘no water’, so my approach may take less time because I am using water.. but an approximate timeline would be nice since I’m getting close to that dreaded 1 year of acne 🙁 not an anniversary I want marked on my calendar, if you know what I mean..
Thanks for all your posts, and positivity during this awful period in my life. I look forward to hearing from you!!
-Kayla
Angie says
January 20, 2017 at 11:45 amI am just now discovering your website! I love all the information you have posted. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m curious. Do you use a body wash? If not, how do you choose to exfoliate your body? Or clean it? If you do, what brands would you recommend? Thank you!
Tracy Raftl says
January 21, 2017 at 9:09 amHi Angie 🙂 I use Dr. Bronner’s for a body wash. And I don’t exfoliate
Cinthia says
February 1, 2019 at 9:06 amHello Tracy! I don’t know if you still answering questions on this article but here I go:
I’ve been on the extreme caveman for 2 weeks now, I’m purging a little bit and have the dead skin mask. I’m planing to not wash my face at all, not even water for a long time. Is there a moment you have to take off the dead mask by yourself? If I leave it there , does it goes away on its own?
Thank you!