Friday's Tip of the Week

#1 You should always apply some type of lotion, cream, or oil under your eyes at night to help keep this sensitive skin hydrated and supple. When applying, always use your ring finger to dab on the cream. Why? Because your ring finger is the finger that applies the least amount of pressure, which is important when working with such a thin and sensitive area of skin.

How To: Do a Spot Treatment on Blemishes

1. Add about 2 tsp baking soda to your face cleanser, if it doesn’t already have an added exfoliant.
2. Wash face with warm water
3. Pat face dry
4. Add astringent (optional). See recipe ideas here
5. Lightly dab ONE of the following onto the pimple you are trying to get rid of
1. Tea Tree Oil

                                                    i.     Either undiluted or lightly diluted with a carrier oil, such as Argan Oil or Sweet Almond Oil. The undiluted tea tree oil will probably burn a little, so beware!

2. Fresh Lemon Juice

                                                    i.     Only use at night

3. Witch Hazel
4. Fresh, crushed garlic

                                                    i.     Only use at night

5. Fresh egg whites

                                                    i.     You can apply this on your entire face or just on the blemishes

Things to Remember:

-        If you are using an essential oil, do a test on your skin before applying to your face. Put a couple drops of the oil on a cotton ball, and tape it to the inside of your elbow. Leave for a few hours. If the skin becomes irritated in any way, do not use the oil on your face.

-        Be sure you are drinking plenty of water

-        Eat more garlic, or take garlic supplements to help with acne. Most blemishes are caused by a hormone imbalance or candidae (yeast) imbalance, so prevention is key.

Don't Forget Your Armpits!

One area of the body we seem to overlook is our armpits. We don’t think about this often, but it is more important than you think. Every day you use deodorant, but do you really know what you are putting on your skin?

Below are some interesting articles to help you understand what is in the commercial deodorants we use. We hope this information will help you decide whether or not you feel comfortable continuing to use them.

What’s In Our Deodorant?

Concern Over Deodorant Chemicals

Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer

Can Deodorant Hurt You?

If you are looking for natural deodorant options, check out The Daily Green for tips on choosing natural deodorants or the Good Guide for basic product reviews of top natural deodorants.

Most Common Allergic Reactions on Skin

 Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

Characterized by dry, scaly, itchy patches on the skin.

Photo courtesy of: www.eczemasufferers.com

Read more:

See information on eczema here on our blog.

Contact Dermatitis

Looks much like Atopic Dermatitis but is localized to only the portion of the skin that have touched the irritant. Common irritants include jewelry, detergents on clothing, perfumes/colognes, and cosmetics.

 

Photo courtesy of: www.contactdermatitistreamtent.com

Urticaria (Hives) and Angiodema (Swelling)

Characterized by raised and red patches of skin that are often localized and very irritated. It may be accompanied with swelling at the site.

 

Photo courtesy of: www.healthy-skin-guide.com

Pruritus

This condition often has no rash, but is characterized by extremely itchy patches of skin, which will ultimately result in open wounds on the affected area, due to scratching.

Photo courtesy of: www.howtogetrid.org

Educate Yourself

Find more information and helpful tips on common skin allergic reactions at the American Academy of Asthma and Immunology

Tips on dealing with Atopic Dermatitis and Contact Dermatitis:

Organic Home Remedies

Atopic Dermatitis

Tips on dealing with Urticaria:

Hives: Alternative and Natural Health Guide

How to Naturally Cure Hives

Tips on dealing with Pruritus:

Native Remedies: Pruritus

The statements, information and/or products listed and discussed in this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any statements, information, and/or products listed and discussed in this blog are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  We always recommend speaking with a physician before beginning or stopping any health care regimen.

Blackheads

Blackheads are acne.  I know, that’s elementary.  But if you keep in mind that blackheads are acne, you can do a lot in treating them.  If you recall one of our past posts, The Science Behind Acne, blackheads are just a form of acne.  Blackheads occur when pores become clogged with dead skin, dirt and debris.

Blackheads can plague even the most clear-skinned individuals.  They can be very irritating.  Fortunately, there is some things you can do to work on clearing up those blackheads:

After washing your face at night, splash on a little natural astringent:

      Apple Cider Vinegar – This can be a little harsh by itself.  Dilute it with some water.

      Witch Hazel – This is a bit more gentle on the skin and is also very refreshing.

      Aloe Vera – This is rejuvenating and helps moisturize your skin as well.

      Green Tea – This will also provide antioxidants for the skin…make sure it’s cool first!

      Lemon Juice – This may be a bit more harsh, but it really cleans out your pores.

One technique that is particularly effective, is to gently exfoliate with baking soda.  Rinse everything off and dab some type of natural astringent on your face and leave for a couple minutes.  Rinse again!  This technique will help on working to clear out those blackhead, and at least minimize the appearance of them on your face.  So don’t despair!  Work to take care of your skin naturally and organically!   

Make Your Own Toner

You may think that in order to get a good facial toner, you need to buy some expensive product from the store. However, there are several toners you can create at home that are safer for your skin and do the work just as well.

The purpose of a toner is to remove residual oils and dirt prior to applying moisturizer. Some people swear by facial toners, but some say it is unnecessary and aggravates their skin. Each person is different, so you need to find what works best for you.

You want to select a toner based on your skin type: dry, normal, combination, or oily. Also, if your skin is sensitive, be sure to use very gentle ingredients in your toners. Toners are very easy to make, and are often water based when made at home. Refer to the list below for some basic homemade toners. You can also view more recipes by clicking on the links at the end of this post.

Ingredients	Best for this skin type	To apply
¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup water	Normal, Combination, Oily	Mix together and apply with cotton pads after washing your face. Apply moisturizer after.  I personally use this toner each day and it helps keep my pores clear
Chamomile tea bag	Sensitive, Dry	Steep chamomile tea bag in boiled water for one minute. Remove tea bag. Allow tea to sit for three minutes, apply to face with cotton pad.1
Witch hazel	Oily	This one is simple. Just apply with a cotton pad. Apply moisturizer after use.
½ cup lemon juice 1 cup distilled water 2/3 cup witch hazel	Normal, Combination, Oily	Mix together all ingredients. Apply with cotton pad. Lemon is a very strong astringent, so be sure to avoid the sensitive eye area. Apply moisturizer after use.2
3 drops lemon oil 3 drops lavender oil 3 teaspoons distilled water	Normal, Combination, Oily, Dry	Mix together all ingredients. Apply with cotton pad. Apply moisturizer after use.2

Sources

¹Homemade Toners. Flawless Complexion. Accessed, October 1, 2011. http://www.flawlesscomplexion.com/toners.html

²Kezia. Homemade Toner and Astringent Recipes.  Natural Skin Care Info. Accessed October 1, 2011. http://www.natural-skin-care-info.com/homemade-toner.html

What is Shea Butter?

Shea butter.  Is it pronounced shee-a?  Or shay-a?  Either one.  I used to pronounce it shee-a, but then everyone made fun of me.  So now, I pronounce it shay-a.

Shea butter is a main part of many skin care products and lotions.  But what is it exactly?  Here we go:

Shea butter originates from Ghana and is derived from the pressed nuts of the SheaTree.¹  It is generally a creamy, off-white color.  The texture is generally very smooth and is more of a softer butter.  Occasionally, shea butter will obtain this nasty, grainy texture…kind of like sand.  However, this is due to the fact that it is cooled down too slowly and the vegetable oils in the butter crystallize.  It’s still okay to use, it just feels like sand.  However, there should not be that many of those out there.

Shea butter is a great emollient and it softens the skin, which is why it is added to so many skin care products.  Even better, it can be used alone in its raw form.  

I use plain shea butter in its raw form every day.  For my skin, it works; for others, not so much.  I don’t use a lot, just enough to keep my skin moisturized and to help my skin repair itself at night.  Shea butter is a very valuable natural skin care ingredient.  Always look for shea butter as a valuable ingredient either alone or as a part of a lotion or other skin care product!

Source:

Shea Butter Profile (Refined). (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2011, from Mountain Rose Herbs: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/butter/shea.php