Organic Skin Care Ingredients

I really have a soft spot for anything organic and natural- from food to products I and my family use. I think I have been pretty obvious about it from the start. In fact a number of posts about natural skin care can be found on this blog. For me, the more natural a product, the better. And it also goes without saying that to me, the lesser chemical we can get contact with, the better *paranoid mom mode*

But seriously, I believe that Mother Nature has abundantly blessed us with bits and pieces we can use to heal, soothe, refresh and cleanse us everyday. It’s around us, we only need to look. And in my looking, I discovered one ingredient that I now love: Carrot Oil. I mentioned it before and in fact I made a T13 post about carrots because I am amazed at the benefit one could get from carrot oil.

Do you know that carrot oil offers better skin protection than a sunscreen? Because it contains carotenoids (Beta-carotene is a single carotenoid), which are antioxidants that are found to reduce damaging effects of ultraviolet rays. It helps the skin combat the damaging effect of UVR by improving the skin’s immunity. I even found an article about saying that carrots is an unparalleled source of antioxidants (with its hundreds of carotenoids). Moreover, carrot oil contains Vitamin E.

Another favorite organic skin care ingredient I so love is lemon (uh-oh, I also dedicated a T13 post for this *smile*) . Lemon oil is an antiseptic thus, it is commonly added in astringents. It also contains clarifying agents that help removes dead cells and reduces freckles for a clearer brighter skin. At present, there are a lot of beauty products such as Dr. Hauschka products that already use lemon oil as 100% natural ingredient. Personally I prefer products that are fragrance free but even if lemon-based products are not, the refreshing and stimulating scent of lemon is well-received by my olfactory gland. But then lemon is not an aromatherapy ingredient for nothing.

Hair Waxing

If hair shaving is not your cup of coffee :-) then maybe you'll consider waxing. Unlike hair shaving, waxing - when done properly- provides a cleaner look and has long lasting results.

Hair should be at least half of an inch long when waxing. This ensures that the wax have enough length of hair to cling to. Before waxing off your hair, take a warm, soapless shower. Because of the oils or fatty acids in soaps and lotions/moisturizers, using them interferes with applying wax. Hence, it's best to just wash with water.

Dry yourself thoroughly with a towel so the wax will stick properly.

If waxing your underarms and legs, lightly dust the area with talcum or baby powder to help the wax stick to the hair, thus, removing it more effectively.

To avoid irritation, wait for at least 12 hours before letting your skin get in contact with water. For this very reason, it is preferable to wax at night. (The same is true when shaving.)

Basic Nail Care

For this week, my subject is the nails and manicures. I am no way an expert of this but I found these tips practical and useful, so I'm sharing them with you.

1) For healthy nails, you may supplement your diet with royal jelly (because it is rich in silica, zinc and vitamin B) that will help strengthen the nails.

2) I didn't think that moisturizing the nailbed and cuticles are really important. Now, I have to think again since I've read that moisturizing nailbed and cuticles make the tips look better. Also, if nails are prone to breakage, putting oil around the cuticle moisturizes nail and reduces chipping, cracking and splitting.

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3) Leave cuticles alone (and that's why I really am not so into manicures). The cuticle is a natural barrier to fungus and bacteria. Removing them may lead to infection that harm the nailbed or cause nail damage.

4) Problem with brittle nails? Sun damage may be the reason behind this problem. When you put on sunblock , make sure that you include some for your hands and nails.

5) Always file nails lightly - just enough to shape and keep the layers even. Uneven nails have a tendency to peel .

6) Using the wrong nail file is one of the easiest ways to ruin your nails so it pays to be careful when choosing a file. Popsicle files are best for natural nails; metal files are great to leave edges smooth. Coarse files which are rough in texture are perfect for artificial nails.

7) Do you constantly get manicures? It would be fair to give the fingernails time to rest - at least a couple of days between manicures to allow them to "breathe." Frequent application of polish to nails can put a slightly yellow stain on them.

8) Avoid dry nailpolish that contain acetone as this dries out your nails, causing them to peel and chip.

9) When you're looking for a superior nail polish, look for the brand that contains ground herring scales. This ingredient is known as natural pearl and gives polish its extra shine.

10) Avoid air bubbles in the polish by rolling it gently between the palms instead of shaking the polish bottle before application.

11) Due to age, polish has the tendency to thicken. If the polish has thickened, add a bit of polish thinner or remover to revive it.

12) For longer staying polish, apply one base coat, two coats of polish, and then finish it off with a top coat. This will prevent polish from chipping off easily.

13) While artificial nails can make hands look more lively, putting these can seriously damage your own nails. Stick-on variety usually causes the nail surface to get stripped away when they are removed. The glue may also cause allergic reactions.

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Hurried Affair

Don't have much time to paint your face?

Focus on the eyes. A coat of mascara can pep up your look and give more life to your eyes. A single coat is just all you need.

If you still have time to spare, you may add a little eyeshadow to complement your attire.

Lemon On Lips

What to do with the slices of lemon which you've already juiced out?

Aside from utilizing them as natural air freshener, you can gently rub it on your lips. This will help prevent lips from darkening.

And it will save you from buying lip lightening products - and save you some cash. :-)

13 Things About Honey

There are just so many things I love about honey. I am actually taking a tablespoon daily (that is, if I don't forget). So in this week's TT, I am ready to enumerate relevant (for me) stuff about it. I have also included some of its common uses based on my experience.

1. Honey is significantly sweeter than table sugar and has attractive chemical properties for baking. It has 76 percent sugar in it.


2. Natural honey retains its prana longer than most food and can be preserved indefinitely if it is pure.


3. Not only does it soothe sore throat but the skin too. It is a good moisturizer (plain honey applied on skin). It can help relieve cracked lips.


4. Coupled with fine salt or sugar or baking soda, honey can be used as a scrub. I use it all the time.


5. Helps me control diarrhea. I really am not so good at pill popping, so instead of taking some meds, I use honey as treatment.


6. It is a good source of antioxidants. The antioxidant compounds found in honey are chrysin, quercetin, kaempferol, galagin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase and pinocembrin.


7. Most micro-organisms do not grow in honey because of its low water activity (0.6).


8. Honey has certain potassium salts that make it a phenomenal moisture absorber and a great killer of germs and bacteria.
   


9. From #8, It can be used to treat wounds because of its antibacterial and the anti-inflammatory components. "Honey stimulates the re-growth of tissue involved in healing" according to Dr. Peter Molan of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, "making healing faster and reducing scarring".


10. Because honey contains endospores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, it is strictly advised not to be given to infants as these endospores can transform into toxin-producing bacteria in the infant's immature intestinal tract (causing botulism)


11. Honey, if taken on an empty stomach with water and lemon, reduces obesity and weight.


12. If taken at night with hot milk, it cures constipation.


13. A glass of water with a teaspoon of honey also removes excessive fatigue.

Good honey reads: Wiki, Verb, MotherEarthNews; Life Positive; Billy Bee; and Food Reference.

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This May Be Worth Trying

Is your anti-aging product not working? Maybe it’s time to switch product. There’s a new product in the market which uses a compound called Ethocyn. This compound that is discovered and introduced by Dr Chantal Burnison may be worth a try as it could be one of the best skin care products available in the market.

Clinical trials proves that Ethocyn increases the elastin fiber content and quality of your skin if you are over 25-30 years of age. This applies to both men and women between the ages of 25-77 years of age. Elastin fibers are considered the youth fibers of our skin and loss of elastin fibers in the skin can cause the skin to sag and wrinkle.

Forget About Evian

We visited my mother's brother's family today and my neices greeted me with the happy news that school's over. They can forget about books for awhile. Ha!

But yes, summer is officially here. In fact, just a couple of days ago, I was introduced to the fury charm of summer. I was walking a block or two to the Mall when I felt all hot and dry that I had to dop by a drugstore to buy Evian. I didn't anticipate the heat. My skin was already screaming at me and I just had to get Evian or I wilt there and then (I'm having a self-imposed break from using moisturizing cream for an indeterminate period). So Evian, I did get despite the all too loud protests of my wallet.

But had I been prepared, I could have prepared a homemade spritz perfect for a day like it and I could have saved some money in the process. But it's no use crying over spilled milk.

Anyhow, here's a simple Evian alternative:

Just put water in an empty spray bottle. Add few drops of toner of your choice and you're ready to forget about Evian.

Maximize Lotion Application

Mommies, ever wonder if you can stretch the use of your lotion? Or are you thinking of replacing your current pick for a more effective one? Before you do that, you could try this one first - a trick to get more out of your favorite lotion.

Rub some oil or lotion of your choice on your hands and wrap your hands with plastic for 5 to 10 minutes. The heat trapped by the plastic activates the moisturizing effects of the oil or lotion.

The longer you keep your hands inside the plastic, the better (but I understand if you want to get it over as quickly as possible - mommies are always on the go and hardly have a minute to spare).

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The recent MakeItFromScratch round-up can be found here. Drop by for some cool ideas.

Homemade Facial Mask

For a very cheap facial mask, all you need to do is open your fridge. You'll be surprised to find ingredients for a facial mask in there.

Look for an egg and a lemon or calamansi. Separate egg white from the yolk. Extract juice from lemon or calamansi (straining it is ideal). Beat egg white and calamansi juice for 3 minutes. Apply to face and leave on skin for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

Note: Be careful to avoid the eyes during application.

You may do this at least once a week to give your tired skin a lift. If you don't have 30minutes to spare, you may leave it on for 10 minutes -whichever suits you. Rinse thoroughly.

To Salt Or Not To Salt

SALT is both boon and bane to mankind. Or maybe I should say, womankind.

Do you know that salty foods could be the culprit why you feel bloated when you have your period - or even days before you have it. So I learned. And yes, I learned not to salt, despite craving for it around the time of my period. It does help. and I'm really better off without it.

How about you? Do you munch on junk food around the time of your period? Junk food like chips and fries are loaded with salt. It's really best to cut down your salt intake. Also, try alternative seasonings in your cooking and remove the salt shaker from the dinner table. Have someone hide it during that time of the month. :-)

Salt is also bane to hypertensive people because it is a triggering factor to high blood pressure. So lessen your salt intake. Yes, all the more reason to stay away from junk foods. Avoid the risk of high blood pressure. Eat potassium enriched food like banana, sweet potato and tomato instead. These counteract some of sodiums unhealthy effects.

Now given all that, do you know that salt is a terrific exfoliation aid? Honey plus salt. Mineral oil plus salt. Or olive oil plus salt. Choose among these combination and you have a homemade scrub. Just remember to rub and scrub your skin gently to prevent scratching yourself. (Note: You could also opt for a fine grain salt)

Aloe Vera

Choose beauty products with Aloe Vera because Aloe gives your skin nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It also has a moisturizing component that helps regenerate and heal the skin.

Trick using Aloe Vera for the scalp:

Peel off the outer green skin of aloe vera. Blend flesh using a food processor. Or you could mash them until it becomes gel-y. Rub the gel on scalp and leave there for a few minutes giving it time to condition the scalp. Rinse well. This will keep your scalp healthy.

Knowing Your Skintone

Do you always pick the wrong foundation? Maybe it's because you don't know your real skintone.

Knowing one's skintone plays a crucial role in choosing the right make-up or shades of make up for you, especially the foundation.

To know your real skintone, do the following:

1) Check the color of your nail bed.

2) Pinch the inside of your arm. (And please don't hurt yourself while you do so. =))


So what's the tone like? Green? Black? White? Blue? Oh, just kidding.

But seriously is it red-orange? Red-blue? Pinkish? Pink-blue? Peachy? Yellowish?

Strawberry Goodness

I'm supposed to do this right after the WW post but I got busy. So I thought to do it today.

Do you know that you can use strawberry as an instant scrub? No need for processing or complex procedure. Just cut a piece in half and gently rub over your skin. Leave on the skin for a minute or two. Strawberries contains alpha-hydroxy acid, which promotes skin renewal and rejuvenation.

You can also use it as a foot scrub:

1) Mash it or put in a blender.
2) Mix mayonnaise or olive oil.
3) Apply the paste with some salt or sugar into your skin.

So bade goodbye to dead cells with this berry goodness now!

Zit?

Are you bothered my a big red bump on your face? Oh, pimple! And just when you're going out on a special function or a party?

Bummer. I sympathize with you. It really is such a hassle when a zit likened to a volcano is about to erupt just when you have an important event coming - like a date , a company party. But don't worry. This trick might just work for you, like it did with me.

Zit? Cool it. Apply ice on emerging pimples as soon as you can feel it. Wrap ice cube in a towel and hold it in the pimple for 5minutes. Cooling it will decrease some inflammation.

So goodluck and party on.

Get RID of dark circles

Is the lack of sleep causing dark circles under your eyes?

Here's a quick remedy:

1. Pour cold water on a towel. Or get some ice and put it in a towel or hanky.

2. Close your eyes and cover them with the cold towel for 3 minutes or so -depending on how long you can stand the cold.

3. Repeat the process as many times as you deemed necessary.

This procedure helps constrict the blood vessels; thus, reducing the dark shadows underneath your eyes.

The cold also helps minimize swelling of the tissue and eliminate dark shadows.