Lip Care

Doesn’t that new lip gloss from Sephora look great? Maybe not… because you have dry, cracked lips. Sometimes, caring for our lips can be an afterthought, but they should be an important part of our skin care routine as well.

A common problem that we have probably all faced at some point is dry, chapped, peeling, and maybe even cracked lips. There can be several factors causing your lips to have problems, but some of the most common are:

1. Dehydration

2. Sun exposure

3. Dry weather

4. Illness (a cold or flu)

5. Licking your lips excessively

Caring for your lips and bringing them back to health doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming. There are several different things you can do, and tools that are right in your own bathroom that can help get rid of your chapped lips.

1. Moisturize: Obviously, you knew this was coming because many women carry chapstick around in their purse or pocket. However, don’t get a chapstick that is particularly tasty. The more you lick your lips, the more they will dry out.

2. Block out the Sun: Since you are going to be moisturizing anyway, why not get a chapstick that offers some SPF protection. If you are wary of having sunscreen directly on your lips, opt for a balm that offers some natural sun protection with ingredients like Vitamin E, evening primrose oil, sesame oil, helichrysum essential oil, carrot seed oil, coconut oil, or peanut oil.^1,2

3. Drink Up:  If you aren’t getting your recommended 64 oz. of water during the day, start drinking! Hydration is the only way to “moisturize” internally, and it’s important.

4. Exfoliate:  Who knew you could even exfoliate your lips? Well, it’s possible, and better yet you already have the necessary tools at home. To exfoliate your lips naturally, lightly wet your toothbrush and poor some sugar on the bristles. Brush your lips in a circular motion for about a minute, rinse, and apply chapstick to your fresh skin.³

^{Photo Courtesty of healingdream at www.freedigitalphotos.net}

Sources

¹Aromatherapy Essential Oils. “Here are some of the most popular base oils and their attributes”. Accessed September 9, 2011. http://www.aromatherapypoint.com/baseoils/.

²Women Fitness. “Herbs offering Sun Protection”. Accessed September 9, 2011. http://www.womenfitness.net/beauty/skin/sun_protect.htm

³Skin Begins. “Caring for Your Lips”. Accessed September 9, 2011. http://www.skinbegins.com/articles/caring-for-your-lips

Wrinkles

Raise your hand if you aren’t worried about getting wrinkles as you age…. That’s what I thought. Increasing lines and loss of suppleness are inevitable as the years go by, but there are ways to treat your skin now to protect your skin, as well as techniques to help the wrinkles that may already be forming.

Why We Get Wrinkles

As we age, the collagen and elastin in our skin starts to break down¹. Collagen and elastin are both proteins that help provide suppleness and elasticity in the skin^2/3. As this breakdown occurs, and our cell turnover slows down, we start to notice fine lines that eventually turn into wrinkles¹. That being said, it is important we protect and aide our skin in order to help it retain that suppleness and increase cell turnover.

Protecting Your Skin

Water: We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again… water is vital to creating healthy skin. A well hydrated body allows for the skin to stay hydrated and helps combat a lackluster appearance.

Sun Protection: Again, we’ve talked about this before, but don’t even think about going outside without lathering on some sunscreen first. If you are having trouble finding or deciding on many of the sunscreens out there, check out our Sun Protection(link) post for some tips.

Moisturize: Even if you have oily skin, it is important to moisturize daily. Harsh cleansers can strip our skin of the oils needed to properly maintain skin. If you have normal to oily skin, one application of moisturizer per day should be enough. However, if your skin is dry, try applying moisturizer twice a day – in the morning and at night. And be kind to your skin by choosing natural, organic moisturizers that are light and able to be applied under sunscreen for day-wear¹.

Watch What You Eat: A regular diet full of french fries and burgers is certainly delicious, but it isn’t going to help you on the path to healthy skin. If you want your skin to stay supple and glow, make sure  you are getting a diet rich in antioxidants (like fruits and vegetables). Processed food won’t help you maintain the body you want, or the skin you want, so just pass them by.

Help for Wrinkles

If your skin is already starting to show signs of distress, one tried and true method that Bess and I use is rosehip seed oil. It is said to help with anti-aging and skin rejuvenation. The high levels of vitamin C and fatty acids help to protect and repair the skin. We both use it around our eyes at night to combat fine lines and keep the delicate skin under our eyes moisturized.  Rosehip seed oil can also be used on minor scarring and age spots, and may help lighten the affected area⁴. The only caution about this essential oil is to be careful on application. Do not apply this oil to acne prone parts of your skin, because the high levels of fatty acids will promote breakouts.

I think that the main fact to remember through all of this is that we will age. We will get wrinkles. It is inevitable and a part of life. However, aging gracefully is a true art, and the more knowledge we have, the better we will look and feel as the years pass by.

Sources

¹Suszynski, Mary. Aging Skin: Why We Get Wrinkles. (Accessed August 28, 2011) http://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-and-beauty/aging-skin/skin-and-the-aging-process.aspx

²Wise Geek. What is Collagen. (Accessed August 28, 2011)

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-collagen.htm

³Wise Geek. What is Elastin. (Accessed August 28, 2011)

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-elastin.htm

⁴Dermamaxime. Rosehip has many cosmetic benefits and also makes the skin more elastic. (Accessed August 28, 2011) http://www.dermaxime.com/rosehip.htm

Under Eye Circles

Under eye circles are a course of stress for many people. No matter how much sleep you seem to get, or how many bad habits you break, the under eye circles just won’t go. Surprisingly, there are several common causes for under eye circles, and many of them you may not have heard before.

What causes under eye circles¹

1. Allergies
2. Eczema (Atopic dermatitis)
3. High stress
4. Smoking
5. High alcohol intake
6. Pigmentation irregularities – often a concern for people of African American or Asain descent
7. Frequently rubbing or scratching your eyes
8. Sun exposure – this triggers your body to produce more melanin, thus creating darker pigmentation under the eyes
9. Thinning skin and loss of collagen and elastin – As we age, our skin loses these two major proteins. Many times the delicate skin under our eyes is the first to show signs of stress
10. Anemia – If you have pale skin, fatigue, shortness of breath and/or dizziness, you may be anemic and should see a doctor right away.
11. Genetics – Want to know if your under eye circles are genetic? Look at your mother and grandmother. If they have them too, chances are you inherited them.

What can I do to get rid of them?

There are several natural home remedies that you can do to prevent, get rid of, or lessen under eye circles²:

1. Double up on pillows at night and put a cold compress on your eyes in the morning. The extra pillows will keep blood form pooling under your eyes as you sleep. The cold compress will help constrict the vessels, lessening the appearance of the circles.
2. Eat healthy and have a diet rich in vitamins C, E, K and iron and folic acid. Make sure to eat those fruits and vegetables!
3. Use crushed mint leaves, cool cucumbers, or cold tea bags to help your skin
4. Be sure to drink your recommended 64 ounces of water per day. You need to stay hydrated in order for everything to run properly.
5. Make friends with the sunscreen. It will help keep you looking youthful and healthy. Apply daily.
6. Lightly palpating your fingers around and under your eyes not only feels like a mini facial massage, but helps get blood flowing to reduce puffiness and under eye circles.
7. When all else fails, see your doctor. They do have several topical creams and laser procedures that could help if your case is severe.
Don’t forget the magic of make up. Picking an under eye concealer that is a shade lighter than your foundation will help cover any stubborn remaining darkness.

Sources

¹Mayo Clinic Staff. Dark Circles Under Eyes. (Accessed August 29, 2011). http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dark-circles-under-eyes/MY00346/DSECTION=causes

2 Sheila. 16 Tips on How to Get Rid of Under Eye Dark Circles and Puffiness. (Accessed August 29, 2011).

http://allwomenstalk.com/five-tips-on-how-to-get-rid-of-under-eye-dark-circles-and-puffiness/

Photo courtesy of Michal Marcol at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Treating Eczema

 It’s not uncommon to suffer with dry skin from time to time, especially if you live in an area with a cold, dry winter. However, if you, like many people, suffer from eczema, the dryness and itchiness of your skin can sometimes drive you to near madness.  If you’re like me and have been suffering since you were a child, you probably know that all the creams, salves, and prescriptions may serve temporary relief, but it rarely lasts.

What is Eczema?

So, what exactly is eczema? The term “eczema"  refers to red, inflamed, itchy skin. Also referred to as “dermatitis,” there are several different forms of eczema. Some of the most common are below:

-        irritant contact dermatitis: caused by irritants touching the skin (such as clothing detergent)

-        allergic contact dermatitis: caused by an allergen touching the skin (could be poison ivy or even nickel in your jewelry)

-        atopic dermatitis: thought to be a combination of irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. This means that your eczema may come and go at different times for seemingly no reason

-        sebhorreic dermatitis: combination of yeast imbalances, genes, and immune system problems.¹

Educate Yourself!: You can also look through all of the types of eczema and their symptoms here.

How Do I Get Rid of It?

Fortunately, there are natural ways to either rid yourself of eczema completely, or at least get some relief.  I have personally suffered from eczema for as long as I can remember. I have tried nearly every steroid cream and prescription that was offered to me, and none of them worked. However, some natural treatments have: oatmeal baths provide longer lasting relief than many of the creams, and it doesn’t leave you greasy. Take a look at your laundry detergent and softener. If it has any perfume in it, that could be contributing to your skin condition. Try switching to detergents listed as having no scent or being “free and clear” of perfume.  Always use naturally scented lotion, and make sure that it has ingredients that will soothe.  I personally use our Kaya Body Cream immediately after showering. 

And most importantly, flax seed. It doesn’t matter how you take it; supplements, actual flaxseed on your food, take the oil, it all works. And, why, you may ask? Well, apparently flaxseed is coolest thing since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. That’s right. Babylon. Flaxseed was cultivated in Babylon as early as 3000 BC².  There is some evidence showing that flaxseed may reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, heart attack, diabetes^2**. Flaxseed contains Omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fiber. It’s the Omega-3 fatty acids in particular that help heal and maintain healthy skin³.  Needless to say, after going to our family doctor and dermatologists over the years and using an assortment of different creams, I am finally free of eczema. And all from the flaxseed. This past winter marked my second year without eczema. To find more information on eczema, and how you can treat it, visit the sites below. Also, you can read about real people with eczema and their experiences with flaxseed here. 

 

Sources

¹ Eczema Net. What is Eczema?. (Accessed August 11, 2011) http://www.skincarephysicians.com/eczemanet/whatis.html

² Magee, Elaine. The Benefits of Flaxseed. (Accessed August 13, 2011) http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed

3 Augecheek, Andrew. How Flaxseed Works. (Accessed August 13, 2011)

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/alternative/flax-seed4.htm

**Note: Please be aware that extensive studies have not been performed on pregnant and breastfeeding women and is not recommended.

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.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Facial Steam Recipes

Ever cook a pot of spaghetti?  Sometimes, when no one is watching, I will pretend I am at a spa and steaming my face and cleaning my pores…with the steam coming up from the spaghetti pot.  No big deal.

Facial steam can feel really nice, and it is a way to moisturize and soften  your skin.  This is not just done in spas or over spaghetti pots!!  You can make your own!  Here are a couple recipes for you to try that we found in a book called The Joy of Healthy Skin (1).  We have put the general instructions first and the essential oils combinations afterwards.  Once you try them, leave a comment and let us know how it turned out!!

Facial Steam Instructions

Boil 3 cups of distilled water.

Add your essential oils.  (Or spaghetti!  Hehehehe!)

Put a towel over your head so any steam does not escape and is concentrated on the facial area.  (Note* Try to keep around 12 inches between your face and the bowl.  Don’t scald your face off!)   

Steam your face for approximately 15 minutes, or however long you like!

Facial Steam for All Skin Types

Add 6 drops of lavender essential oil

Add 6 drops of lemon essential oil.

Facial Stem for Dry Skin

Add 4 drops of sandalwood essential oil.

Add 6 drops of rose essential oil.

Facial Steam for Oily Skin

Add 6 drops of fennel essential oil.

Add 5 drops of rosemary essential oil.

Add 3 drops of lemon essential oil.

Facial Steam for Sensitive Skin

Add 6 drops of chamomile essential oil.

Add 5 drops of lavender essential oil.

Facial Steam for Mature and Sun-Damaged Skin

Add 6 drops of patchouli essential oil.

Add 6 drops of lemon essential oil.

Need essential oils or other  oils and butters?  Try these online vendors:

Mountain Rose Herbs

From Nature With Love

1.  Parentini, L. J. (1996). The Joy of Healthy Skin. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Scarring

That pimple is finally healed.  Bah!  It left behind a scar!  Are you ruined for life?  Almost everyone knows that scars plague their external skin.  Unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do about it.  Here is a little bit behind scars, what they are, and how to prevent and treat them.

Whenever your skin receives a wound, a scar can form.  A scar is simply a new layer of skin and is part of the healing process.  What a scar looks like can depend on the wound; how large, what size, whether it gets infected and so on and so forth.  Scars can be what you are not used to on your skin, but many people learn to embrace them.  Luckily, there are things that you can do to help prevent major scarring at home.

Acne Scarring

Be gentle with your acne!  Scars can result from picking, scratching and touching pimples.  Just let them heal without irritating them.  Use water based products and keep your skin moisturized.  Moisturized skin repair itself quickly.

Other Scarring

When you do get a wound somewhere, be sure to go to the doctor if it’s really bad.  If it is minor, take steps at home to make sure that the wound does not get infected.  Infection only contributes to scarring.  Take advantage of tea tree oil’s antibacterial qualities and dab on the wound.  Keep any open wound covered.  As the wound closes, keep applying the tea tree oil and moisturize that area like crazy!  Things that are excellent are shea butter, rose hip seed oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter.

One of the current trends to help reduce old scars is microdermabrasion.  A method of this to try at home is to moisten your face, or body, take a small amount of baking soda, and gently rub across your skin in a circular and upwards motion.  This helps remove dead skin cells and open pores.

Has anyone tried microdermabrasion for scarring?  Does it help?  Let us know in the comments!

The Benefit that Sleep Has on Your Skin

You stupidly stay up until 3am that night, partying and having a good time.  But…you have to work the next morning, but you plow through it anyways.  Sound familiar?  Yes, I think so.  Sleep can have a major impact on your life, and your body requires sleep in order to function.  But does it really affect your skin that much? 

 

Yes!

Think of sleep, not as a luxury or something you fit it, but as a necessity in your daily routine.  When you sleep, your body repairs and renews itself.  It’s basically a vacation for your skin.  While you sleep, the body releases the human growth hormone, which aids your body in the repair of damaged cells, including your skin.¹ 

When you deprive yourself of sleep, you increase your stress levels by releasing extra cortisol, the stress hormone.  Overproduction of cortisol can age your skin drastically and trigger premature signs of fatigue.¹

In other words, get some sleep!  Make your time to sleep a priority in your life and figure out how many hours a night usually works for you.  Eventually, as you become more aware of the impact sleep has on your skin; you will be able to tell, right away, that your sleep or lack thereof has impacted your skin.  It’s called beauty sleep, or beauty rest for a reason!

If you have trouble sleeping, work on creating a ‘wind-down’ routine at night leading up to bedtime.  Identify why you have trouble sleeping and remedy those problems.  Not only will you see a different in your skin, but you will also notice a difference in your overall energy throughout the day.

1.  Tourles, S. (2007). Organic Body Care Recipes. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.