When transit Saturn is square your natal Venus, you radically revise your relationship goals or expectations, skincare regime and charm settings.
At first it can feel as if your love life and beauty regimes are becoming more sparse or limited. But the sense of paucity is transient, part of the streamlining process. Saturn transits always make you more aware of time and money metrics; when the Time God is square Venus the effect is most apparent in love, creativity and beauty rituals.
You could suddenly become aware that you tend to fawn or placate your partner under certain circumstances or blow money on under-performing products. You’re more prone to appraise your artistic output with, as the artist Louise Bourgois described it, “eyes of granite.”
My Saturn square Venus transit manifested almost entirely in the skincare realm but the issue in question resonated through everything. I am relaying this as a hopefully useful example, not to bang on about my skin lol.
As a natal Libra Moon with Venus trine Neptune, I’ve always been obsessed with face and body gunk. It’s been high end, low end, super-clinical gunk from society skin doctors and hippie-store gunk with hand-doodled stationery store labels.
But there has always been gunk. It’s sensual, pleasurable and feels as if you’re doing something good for yourself – applying lotions and potions probably amps dopamine. They’re often a more subtle way to scent yourself without the drying effects of alcohol in actual fragrance and yes, I have occasionally been wowed by the promise of “firming” and celluite-zapping.
But the day Saturn was exact square my Venus, I ended up nude in front of a Virgo dermatologist. This is not a sex story. The light was harsh and he wore magnifying goggles, to more thoroughly zoom in on flaws and potential life-threatening skin abnormalities. Miami Sound Machine – Rhythm Is Gonna Get You – was on the radio at one point.
So I had this weird speckled skin tone on the sun-exposed parts of my body that was usually called “idiopathic” – ie: ‘we don’t know what the fuq it is and nor should you, don’t come to me with your Google s**t’ – but the Virgo derm said it was from gunk. It inspires the wrong sort of yeast to congregate and that somehow affects melanin.
For even skin tone, you are supposed to avoid all gunk, drink pure water and shun sugar. Later I discovered that cold showers are also successful. But the gunk? What about expensive gunk, paraben-free gunk, gunk with essential oils like eucalpytus and so on? No go. Gunk is like a buffet for yeast and, potentially, mites or fungal dynasties.
I was like a problem drinker trying to determine if champagne or organic white wine was still acceptable. No go. No gunk. Exfoliate with a body mitt that you wash after every use and the only permissable gunk is a sliver of oil-free retinol face serum pre-bed.
I fully expected to have hideous skin post-gunk but the results were fantastic and evident within about a week. I asked the Virgo dermatologist why the syndrome is not more discussed and he said the money was in gunk, not reducing products. I also found a really Uranian article online (unlinked as it is no longer there) that was like the Matrix meets Louise Hay.
Essentially, the person postulated a connection between thin skin, eczema, reactive skin etc and porous boundaries within relationships and outward, taking on too much input from society. Slathering our skin with gunk not only made manufacturers vast fortunes, it said, but smothered our truth. If I ever find it elsewhere, I will re-link it as it was super-out-there.
So when Saturn is square your Venus – it occurs approximately every 14 years – consider reappraising your skincare regime, relationship boundaries, reliance or money spent on outside factors that may not be providing the benefits you think they are and, well, opportunistic hangers on like the wrong yeast crowd.
No need for the Miami Sound Machine, obviously.
Can you share what the oil free retinol serum was?
AV malformation can run in families- my friend and her family all got CT scans per MD orders after her first cousin had an aneurysm and durvived.
Ayyy! Cool photo choice. Kim is my grandma’s cousin/my third cousin! <3 A lot of people have said we look alike but she's an Aquarius Venus, and I'm a classic Taurus Venus.
OMG! You have Kim Novaks DNA she is a Goddess with the goods!
It’s a blessing for sure. 😉
Well, this is disappointing to hear, as I made the most delicious body butter while snowed in recently. Only shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil, with orange and lemongrass essential oils. It is absolutely dreamy.
I’ve been on a DIY kick lately, a byproduct of being unemployed. Made toothpaste with baking soda, coconut oil, salt, and cinnamon essential oil. Unfortunately, I now have a chronic toothache, so I don’t think I’ll continue using it, but it would be great in the bath instead!
I don’t think I could go without a facial moisturizer of some sort.
In general, skin does not like fragrance. So definitely an unscented body wash and lotion is the way to go. Excepting that, formulations of products and what you’ll benefit from totally depends on skin type and even so, what will do wonders for one dry skin person could destroy another. The one foundation i went to because it was organic and supposed to benefit my skin is the only one that has ever broken me out. My skin has benefited the most from acid exfoliants, retinol, and hyaluronic acid. Absolutely everyone benefits from some kind of gunk for moisture, but richness depends on skin type. For antiaging, a good mix of antioxidants. SPF for the win. Serums and oils usually throw my skin out of whack unless they are really well formulated. I highly recommend paulaschoice.com to compare the claims of an ingredient and the science behind it.
Venus in Taurus, Gem sun with heavy Pisces flavor, , Sagg moon. I can’t help wanting to try everything and second guessing myself, so I do a ton of research. A psychic told me I was going to come out with a skincare line with essential oils and “there are jars.” I’m not the biggest fan of oils. We’ll see.
Do want to try dry brushing next!
Oh! And toning after face cleanser to restore PH. Masking, if the mask is good. You can do all the right things but if if diet sucks, you can still get craterface.
Sometimes I think the biggest challenge is taking off the rose colored glasses and admitting that something we wanted to work/bought instead of food/heard raves about isn’t doing a damn thing.
Ha ha, this is basically my skincare regimen.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Except drinking noni juice and a noni-juice facial once a month (this invloves dabbing noni jounce all over your face, leaving it to dry and then rinsing off).
If you want to really go saturn-nuts, you can avoid getting any warm or hot water on the face. Washing only in ice-cold water is supposed to keep pores closed and prevent washing away natural oils.
But I’m too lazy.
But I do put cuticle butter on my nails. Coz they’re dry has hell.
I’ve been going through a Saturn-Venus transit myself for the past few months (conjunct in Saggo), and totally revised my skincare regime to practically nothing. I went from being obsessed with the most expensive fancy pharma creams and serums, microdermabrasion, monthly facials, blah blah, to minimal/au naturale. I wash my face only in the evenings with a little bit of rosehip seed oil, wipe off with a warm washcloth and finish with a thin layer of organic shea butter. I splash my skin with water in the mornings before going out. I also go at least one or two days a week sans makeup so my skin can breathe. Oh and I totally gave up on physical exfoliation. Just leaves microtears in my skin. I use a bit of AHA/BHA serum when I have mild breakouts. My skin is glowing and my wallet is happy. Win win. I’ve also noticed an obsession with my teeth since Saturn entered my first house last month.
PS love love Bell, Book & Candle and Kim Novak all witchy and cool!
Wow on the monthlies….i’ll take my moon sign’s this month-aries-wow!
what is yanfw?
love luxe beauty products…but then im venus ruled…hardly use anything now…my face was reacting to a sis
ey moisturiser so i stopped that and just gone back to clarins which i used to use years ago.
r we including dental products in this?
someone else mentioned living libations..their happy gum drops are badically abt nine diff essential oils that you clean ur teeth with…just a single drop on a dry toothbrush…they’re a real luxury for me as its pricey but i love it, and my teeth feel soo clean afterwards…and uve got gorgeous breath!
Yep pretty much gunk free bar a serum from Sukin which is owned & made in Oz vegan tbh the bottle says NO lots of bad stuff but what’s actually in it must be on the box ha!
I don’t use any body oils at all but scrub with coconut oil and salt in the shower with some natural instinct body wash … again a lot of NOs and not too many chemi’s listed and in winter might rub a bit of coconut all over
Hair gets the coconut oil treatment once in a blue moon and yep Invicta with you on the bi carb what does that not do! Ovens sorted with that & cheap as white vinegar!
Never used a body moisturiser in my life. Though I have bought a few over the years. I also trialled one that was for problem dry skin, a herbal one that came along while I was suffering eczema from being pregnant.
Face is a different story but most of the time it’s just water. I have a huge stash of products that rarely get used. I do love a good glycolic or apricot scrub but meh, too lazy.
I have bought a dermaroller for collagen induction about 9 months ago. So far, I’ve used the body one twice on my belly for pregnancy stretch marks and very loose skin. Feels like it works. Been too chicken to try the face one yet. Some people use them to allow products to penetrate more deeply by that sounds ghastly so I only use pure oil after.
The roller looks like this https://youtu.be/dRCKfaaJHls
Completely off message but I was feeling a bit worried as I now have saturn s
…squaring my moon, sun and mercury — then I saw that this retro venus is going to be conjunct my moon and trine my jupiter for months due to its retrograde – phew…takes a bit of the worry out of things xx
Ha. I found this article v. interesting. I have natal Venus sq. Saturn, and I didnt discover lotion usage until my 30’s. Just religious use of asian scrubbing loofah. Yes, even the really rough kind they use at korean spas that leave your skin red and raw, with rolls of dead cells sloughed off, but also like a baby’s bottom. Even now, I only use lotion when I absolutely have to. I noticed that using lotion would give me a slight inflammation in my skin for some reason. So I dont like to use it, except on really dry patches for obvious reasons. No stretch marks, cellulite, etc. The skin on my body is, and always has been in really good shape. I thought I was just weird, but this article makes a lot of sense to me.
I do use more product on my face, but even with the moisturizer I take it really easy. I am more interested in a good, gentle cleanser and a serum of choice.
Never short of amazed at the wisdom of the body.
Homeopathy can help with skin issues , though I do agree diet n exercise is important too. Fungal afflications are the body producing an excess , and topically you can use hypercal cream ( hypericum / calendula) its brilliant anti fungal and healing. My old spiritual teacher said orgasm is very good for clearing the chakras and skin ! Also a lot of evidence that immunisations and air pollution have seen an increase in eczema, allergies. As its the heart that purifies blood I also think being happy really helps…obvs not always possible but I suppose I mean more to be feeling n keep heart healthy. Too saturnine and it gets all kind of dried up and shrivelled like miserable vegans on extreme diets looking v unhealthy. A little of what you fancy does you good! Taurus/scorpio love essential oils but don’t really do gunk. Salt baths with herbs or petals I like!
I thought the heart was basically a pump. Is it not the liver that extracts the impurities ?
If the heart is not pumping correctly, blood leaks back into the liver and you become more toxic. I had heart failure n it happened to me. The liver does the cleaning along with kidneys excreting but the heart must oxygenate and pump blood away from the liver. The heart is an awesome organ even if just a pump. I could bore you with loads of technical info but can give you links to find out more if you like
Weird – when Saturn was sq my Venus i developed a hypersensitivity to pretty much all chemicals which meant I had to give up on anything synthetic/perfumed (which includes everything in the skin care/hair care realm). I ended up shampooing once a week with a local goats milk soap (no, it never looks as good as the commercial stuff makes it look) ground almonds once a week as a skin scrub and a touch oil rose hip oil on the face at night. Since then I’ve added a australian bush essences moisturiser to my hands and forearms, but that’s about it.
I’m Libra moon as well and I miss my cupboards full of gunk!
Over the new year, I stayed at a friend’s house at the beach and it was SO HOT that we were in a cycle of swimming in the sea and showering all day (e.g., 4-5 showers).
During that time, I stopped using any moisturiser on my body at all, simply because it was not necessary when you were washing it off constantly.
I am usually someone who wakes up half an hour after going to bed because I can FEEL that I forgot to put my body moisturiser on.
But since my four-night beach jaunt, I just have not recommenced body moisturising and my skin is fine.
How I’ll go in the dead of winter… we shall see.
i love those routines 🙂
Eyeliner- ok- but no goop on body-have always hated lotions- doesn’t feel clean post showers. Water yesss!
Scorp Rising- Mars Gem Pluto Virgo. Airy and dry please!
I think that eating hydrating foods really helps! For folks like me who tend to dry out, drinking water sometimes doesn’t help a lot. It’s one of those weird catch-22s of yin deficiency. You need moisture but you can’t hold the moisture. But hydrating foods seems to help. I think, yeah, having a healthy gut and being super-hydrated are probably the true factors of skin health. And lungs. Healthy lungs. This is tricky if you’re like me and burning things is your favorite spiritual add-on. Lol. But, in my chinese medicine studies (I know lots of folks on here are very up on chinese medicine too) the lungs are basically your skin on the inside and the health of one may be reflected in the other. So, healthy lungs, healthy gut, no gunk? I dunno. Still wondering about my fancy Living Libations Seabuckthorn Oil which is my one major splurge, for my face. Even that?! Anything is possible.
yay LOVE living libations…have u tried the happy gum drops?
have not! I will check them out
just ordered some, cant wait for it to arrive…desperate try the chocolate body oils!
I gave up soap after a massive -TMI ALERT – thrush outbreak and my lovely doctor informed me that soap was a major culprit. No soap to be used anywhere above said hooha. So it was loofah action only for a long time and my skin loved it. And no more thrush! 🙂
I’m now trying to get my skin care down to 2 or 3 products because I just don’t have the time or money or energy anymore to diversify. If anyone knows a good moisturiser that’s ok to use everywhere including eyes lemme know.
I’ve been having an inexplicable rash for a couple of weeks now so I’ll start cutting out my gunk as well (just coconut oil for months now, except on my face). I do wonder how my usually dry skin will keep up, as it can sometimes feel painful even and you can see the cracks on my legs and such.
Hmmm, maybe being dragged from the 90s to the 50s could improve your skin ?
Generally ones skin is better at 50 than 90. Its a regression thing
he had his DNA spliced with the Turritopsis nutricula jellyfish. early experimental biochemistry, the papers were lost in a lab fire and only the anecdotal evidence in the form of that tale exists
I watched a doco last night and was reminded of the research that showed that by just imagining yourself doing exercise people were recording up to 10% improvement in muscle strength.
So I’d say a part of any skin care product testing should use the same process with great success. 🙂
Although that wouldn’t be a Saturn regime ? We could call it Mercurial ? Or Neptunian ?
This makes me feel better about being too lazy/exhausted to do a proper skincare routine before bed, lol (I rarely wear foundation anymore, if I do I use one of those wipes, so it’s not just sitting on my face all night). I’m also wondering what MM’s serum of choice is. 🙂
Yes, I get compliments on having lovely skin a lot and I swear it’s because I’ve never clogged my pores up with make up and lotion, except sunscreen ((aqua minimalism and dislike of conventions)..
I do often put ointment on a stubborn patch of inverse psoriasis that I’ve had for more than 10 years to tamp down the itchiness – and this post makes me think I need to re-examine that, as I’m probably making it worse, and figure out how to dry out the skin there.
Meanwhile, I have Saturn conjunct my natal Uranus-Venus, and there’s lots of reaximing going on…..
What do you use for sunscreen that doesn’t clog your pores? I’m still looking for “the one.”
My favorite over the last year has been babo botanicals zinc sport stick (i also have some goddess garden baby tho it’s a bit runny). <3
Thanks! 😀
think ive split with my boyfriend…as i was leaving the house a little voice said ‘check out lillith on astro when u get home’….err lillith trine lillith and mars ON natal lillith…ok…
Maggie Anderson says that Eve Lom told her not to use moisturiser.
I am actually a microbiologist with sensitive skin and somewhere along the way I started getting a bit obsessed with “eternal youth” and looking young and whatnot and even started a legit all natural cosmetics company (which I ended last year)… The irony of it all? I don’t use anything. Only some oils on my face cause I have really dry skin + rosacea, other than that… nothing. And the more I research, the less I use. I get compliments all the time on the softness and texture/lightness/etcetera of my skin. I’ve always giggled a little on the inside 🙂
So yeah, don0t use anything, your skin will thank you for it!
Neat. Do you use a sunscreen?
My natal Venus does T square Saturn conjunct Mars square Chiron and skin issues abound especially in winter! Eczema and pigmented purpura red blotchy itchy stingy… If I don’t apply a healthy coat of moisturizer, usually coconut, cocoa butter, and almond oil, then the coarseness of my normal clothes fabric will cause inflammation! This does seem counter intuitive, and my dermatologist doesn’t have any radical ideas for me to try out other than UVA treatment which have yet to look into.
My skin will burn and sting when there’s nothing lubricating me against my leggings or sweater. It’s a lifelong struggle…. I’m not convinced to go without my complex liquids.
Totally interesting to hear it working for you though, MysticMedusa.
So um… Aquarius moon and Venus (and Mars) over here… I guess you gotta learn what the right ph feels like. Once you know that, you can adhere to any regime you like, cause you can just remedy as needed. About 7 years ago I began a big no gunk phase (shampoo included). Taught me a lot of things.
Not super news to me. Dr. obagi doesn’t believe in skin moisturizer except for the driest of dry skins. He says your oil glands get lazy if you moisturize all the time. He advises only retinol serum before bed.
Not giving up mineral sunblock though. That is one lotion I can’t do without! My skin type hyperpigments like crazy.
Have you heard about the bacteria sprays Mystic? There is a microbiologist who hasn’t showered in years unless genuinely covered in gunk. I think he washes face, hands,feet,pits, and junk only and sprays these areas with nitrogen forming bacteria. He says soaps and shower gels destroy your healthy biome.
yes! Just mentioned one below!
Perhaps you could think of it as a paleo regime for your skin.
What do retinoids do, and who do they work on? As in what age bracket tends to notice fx.
One mycology professor told me about the relationship between fungi and body oil a couple years ago and I was as shocked as you, MM. I still use some unscented, very basic body lotion every other day on my arms or else my pityriasis alba shows. Ages ago one dermatologist recommended washing just where absolutely necessary (usually armpits, crotch and feet) with a mild soap and rinsing everywhere else with water so as to avoid dry skin. It works pretty well on my body, except for the arms, as mentioned above. .
As a pharmacy major, the only things I believe skincare-wise are sunscreen + topical retinoids + mild cleansers (for face AND body, few people need all that SLS) . Also, chemical exfoliants (ahas, bha) are gentler on the face than sugar/salt scrubs and help maintain proper acidity.
as someone innately saturnian, if our skins needed gunk, we’d just make more oil.
having said this, gunk helps if locked in an airconditioned highrise every day.
the BEST way I have found to have consistently amazing, glowing, plump skin is to sit in a steam room or sauna every few days. minimum gunk.
sleep, i use an eye cream though. whatever is available and the less peg-steareth-3259 the better i.e. lately i have been using olive oil and also a coconut oil thing
Hydration and circulation is basically it. Circulation for the blood flow, oxygen supply, tissue turnover. Hydration because obvious. Also (maybe this is a venus in aries beauty tip) lots of sweat-generating exercise. the pulse rate, I guess.
vitamin E serum from an organic skin care company but not too much as it makes my eyes puffy. that can’t be good
Saunas work well for me too, as well as ocean water and sunlight. No manmade lotion has ever done me good.
It honestly all depends on your skin type. I have naturally dry skin, I don’t sweat much, etc. I was “gunk” free most of my life (Sat-Venus square natally) and it was awful for my acne-ridden face. Finally found a beauty regime that works: 2 face washes, a serum and night cream. And that’s on days I actually wear make-up (4-5 times a week). Nothing I use is over 15 usd.
I don’t believe in perfume or cologne. If it’s already horrid to my nostrils (Asc and moon in ultra-sensitive Pisces), then ofc it’ll be deadly to my skin. Lightly scented lotion on neck/wrists/etc is the most I’ll do.
If you must use -something-: coconut oil. It works miracles and is naturally antibacterial.
Yes coconut oil is anti fungal and viral too.
Wow – this is pretty rad. I’d just discovered castor oil this year. Apparently one of weird benefits is you sleep well if you smear some over your eyelids before bed (oddly, yes this seems to work). So I was downsizing from my homemade oil + essential oil blends to just this, at least at night, feeling very minimalist smug about it.. but wow yes we want to keep the microbey fungus away. No oil? Help
It apparently makes your eyelashes grow too and is MUCH better than the expensive chemical goo they sell for that. It’s just so thick, it smears a bit but I think it’s ok a few times a week. Like wearing light oil mascara to bed 🙂
True, I quite like it!
Agree with the Keep It Simple {and clean} ideas..but I also LOVE my daily Ayurvedic ritual abhyanga.. and my skin stays pretty amazing. Maybe the water, gut balance is good, maybe it’s the ocean swims that contribute too…
Thank God! I thought I was just lazy, but apparently I am finely in tune with my skin!
This reminds me of when I used to do (when I had a fully functioning set of hips) jog-walk-jog-walk-walk-walk-jogging three times a week.
Later this mysterious new system called interval training appeared.
Again, I thought it was pure laziness until that point *reaches for corn chips*.
So, what is the oil free serum with retinol that you are using?
What do you consider to be gunk? ANY lotion, scrub, oil, etc? I thought my regime was pretty basic with Amish made soap and as minimalist as possible lotion (one for body, one for face) but this is intriguing.
Yes any lotion…
Amish made soap is super intriguing…
And yes this is absolutely minimalist
It’s old school handmade soap, not vegan. But for me it’s like buying artisanal soap without the price.
If you buy some soap at the Yellow Deli cafe in Katoomba that would be the equivalent of Amish soap I’d say
They sell soap at the Yellow Deli?
How funny.
I’ve become obsessed with using only vinegar and baking soda and salt to clean. I’m like detoxing my environment and it’s cheap!
But I’m also using my own homemade mixture of salt, baking soda, coconut oil and whatever essential oil I have around. I find I don’t need body lotion or actually anything… I’m doing more smoothies with turmeric and vegan protein, greens and whatever chucked in.
Realised I’ve accidentally become a vegetarian. Not By Design.
I’m just going for what I crave.
I’ve continued the Kondo fever and actually answered the phone from a Saggo ex Thor other day with the words ” ugh how many times do I have to ask you to leave me alone? ”
And I was not sweetening the punch. It was a KO in the first round
This is someone I “dated” for a few months- twice after I realised I just wasn’t into it the first and ended it nicely, horribly and then blocked his no and told the person who introduced us I’d moved to India 🙂
About six months later he called from a new no and made me laugh.
I said I’d have lunch, but it quickly became the same relationship.
I’d tell him he wasn’t being respectful and he’d ask for another chance and bombard me with “I love you” texts. Yuck
He was sexy and fit and funny but…meh
So he’s known it’s over for months and the other morning he called, I said and he hung up.
This Kondo shit is SERIOUS MAGIC:-)
Anyone know her birth deets?
Sun Neptune conjunct in Capricorn I gather – which makes total sense – a high order mystical consciousness applied to the art/science of getting your shit together
I had her down as The Archtypal Virgo but remembered there is no such thing.
I love her modesty (keeps saying such self effacing things which feel like matter of fact statements rather than pseudo PR like ability drop hooks or low self esteem. Quite the opposite actually. She’s so sure of who she is and what she needs to do but claims it’s vital yet so incredibly ordinary.
There is a powerful lesson here for women and particularly the spiritual ego vs the fashionable diva types vs the never had a pedicure Birkenstock wearing and how women split ourselves into “us and them”
Oh I’m spiritual but people think I’m crazy so I can’t talk about my visions or precognitive dreams at work. Or I’m vegan so can’t admit I scoffed a kebab in the uber (not sure which is more politically incorrect:) after the pub last night..
We SHOULD see the ordinary as profound and consciousness or intuition as magic rather than something to strive for or chant or burn special insence or pray five times a day …
It happens when we fold laundry if we listen.
I have big love for Kondo. And making my own products and eating fresh food in season and FRIENDS. I’m suddenly meeting people who really get me and are into the same…
I always adore all of your writing Mystic! And thank you so so much for sharing. I have always been a big proponent of nourishing the beauty from within. And skin fungus is systemic deriving from a damp condition within the body. So I am so glad you cleared it out on the outside. Sometimes when we eat lots of really nourishing foods that are nutrient dense we can develop dampness and it is so so rich that our bodies aren’t able to process and materialize through all of it.
We do feed our bodies via the skin as well though. And all the different “gunks” have their own temperature and effects such as drying, moistening,heating or heat clearing etc. And Saturn is a drying influence so it makes sense that there is a need to get cut and dry when it comes to the beauty routines and venus ruled areas of body such as skin, reproductive organs etc. It is also summertime where you are located yes? And that also contributes to the damp heat energetic. All the Fire element this year should prove interesting. Fire is dry and hot so I’m curious as to how this will play out in peeps bodies. I’m watching….
This is fascinating!
thankyou Starlush! this is so cool