Smooth Skin for Summer

Smooth Body Scrub:
Makes 1.5 Cups – Approximately 3 treatments
Ingredients:
½ C of finely grained sea salt
½ C of finely ground coffee
¼ C of grapeseed oil
½ Tsp of  lavender essential oil
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the salt, coffee, sesame oil and lavender oil. Use the scrub in the shower away from running water. Massage into damp skin with long, firm semi-circular movements. Take your time in order to activate all of the ingredients. Rinse well. Store the leftover scrub in the refrigerator in an air-tight Tupperware. This scrub can be used 3-4 times per week.
Sea salt is used to retexturize the skin, while the coffee grounds help firm the skin and fight cellulite. Grapeseed oil is an important ingredient because it nourishes and softens your skin. Finally, the lavender oil purifies and oxygenates the skin. If you are having breakouts on your back switch the essential oil to tea tree oil because it's a natural antiseptic for the skin.

Strawberries, yummy for your skin

People underestimate how much diet affects our skin's health.  Our skin is our largest organ and it absorbs 65-80% of what we apply to it. Diets rich with processed foods, soda pop and junk food increase our risk for acne, dehydration and it breaks down the skin's natural defenses. Including strawberries in your diet can help achieve amazing skin. Strawberries have a rick beautiful color, they are sweet to taste and a great scent. How can such a lovely fruit translate to beautiful skin?  With over 59 milligrams of Vitamin C in every 100 grams, strawberries are equal to oranges in their Vitamin C content. As you may know, Vitamin C aids in collagen production and skin repair. It also helps in healing the skin and preventing signs of aging.  Plus, strawberries can also protect you from sun damage. Because of the high amounts of ellagic acid, a antioxidant  that helps to block UV rays it can help with skin discoloration too. So add some strawberries to your cereal or eat it for dessert. Your skin will love you.

Greening your Beauty Routine

With Earth Day around the corner and spring time finally here.  The farmer’s markets and side street stands will begin to open full of fresh fruits and vegetables.  But don’t stop at your food in order to green your routine.  Think about how you can “green” your daily beauty routine?  

If you own a home, use less water when you take a shower and wash your face and consider getting an energy evaluation on your home go to www.energystar.gov

The environment directly affects your skin so you must adjust your skin care routine, as the weather gets warmer.  If you are oily, you may want to switch to a serum or go for an oil free sunscreen to protect your skin. If you have dehydrated skin, please consider a heavier natural moisturizer such as products with jojoba, almond, or Vitamin E oils.

Consider using vegan beauty products or products that have not been tested on animals. Check out these products at http://www.leapingbunny.org/

Reduce the cosmetics and toiletries you use.  For instance, people use too much moisturizer a pea size is all you need to dab on your skin. If you want that last drop of toothpaste, cut open the tub with a pair of scissors and get the last drop.

Choose items that have refillable packaging. Jane Iredale Cosmetics www.janeiredale.com recently switched to refillable compacts for the pressed powder foundation in order to be more eco-friendly.

Have you ever wondered what is all the buzz about organic and natural skin care products?  Many products claim to be organic but you must still be cautious.  The USDA is the only group that certifies if a product is organic. The FDA under the cosmetics office has not tightly regulated the personal care industry yet so many companies use “organic” or “natural” very loosely. If you want to check a product go to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at www.safecosmetics.org to check it out.

So what should you watch out for?  The main ingredients to avoid are anything with parabens, DEA, propylene glycol, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. Other chemicals to avoid are dimethicone, and sodium hydroxide.  Many of these chemicals are being linked to cancer, and several skin disorders such as eczema or psoriasis. Outside of what you eat, 80 percent of what is applied to your body is absorbed directly into your body.   From my own experience, as a mother, many of these chemicals in personal care products may also cause allergies in your kids.   So as you “green” your home from the cleaning products to the personal care products you may thin it may cost you more now but your quality of life will be better in the long term as you “green” and detoxify your beauty routine. 

Valerie Mason-Robinson aka the Green Beauty Queen is the CEO and Founder of Eden Organix, and eco-conscious beauty company. Valerie is a leading expert on “green”, organic, and natural beauty products.  A former cosmetic researcher at MIT, chemical engineer, and a licensed esthetician, you can find out about her latest product tests and chemicals to be aware from her blog at www.ecoconsciousbeauty.blogspot.com, www.alexandvon.com/edenorganix or www.edenorganix.com

Why is Manuka Honey so great for the skin?

What is Manuka Honey?Manuka Honey is a honey produced by bees when they collect nectar from the Manuka Bush or Tea Tree flowers. When Manuka honey comes into contact with body fluids, an enzyme called glucose oxidase releases antibacterial hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide  helps to fight bacteria and heal skin.

Manuka Honey is a special type of mono-floral honey containing powerful antibacterial, anti-microbial, antiviral, antioxidant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties in its ingredients.

The Benefits of Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is one of the most powerful bacteria killers and  can be used for both external and internal uses. Manuka Honey is used externally to treat skin conditions and wound infections (list below). Some examples of internal usage of Manuka Honey are helping to treat stomach ulcers and mouth disease (more healing benefits listed below).External uses of healing:

• Athlete’s Foot
• Ring Worm
• Insect bites
• Acne and Rosacea
• Rashes
• Cold Sores
• Skin Ulcers
• Nail Fungus
• Surgical Wounds
• Pressure Sores

Internal uses of healing:

• Sore Throat
• Stomach Ulcer
• Stomach Pain
• Gum Disease
• Acid Reflux Disease
• Aches and Pains
• Arthritis
• Heartburn
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

How To Use Manuka Honey For Skin Care

You can use Manuka Honey for skin care in many beneficial ways. Here are just a few ways to use Manuka Honey for skin care:  One way is to use Manuka Honey is for a facial. The vitamins, minerals and enzymes help improve your skin texture and vitality, while fighting bacteria with its natural antibacterial properties. The Plantogen Manuka Honey Mask with Hops is safe for all skin types.Macadamia oil contains plamitoleic acid. Palmitoleic acid is an essential component of human sebum, which is normally lost with aging.
Use Manuka Honey For Beauty Care such as hair conditioning or to safely remove acne, zits and spots from your skin.  You can use Manuka Honey to tackle acne, zits, and skin spot problems. Manuka Honey is one of nature’s most useful aids in natural healing. The Manuka Tree, from New Zealand, is known for its healing properties and is ideal for all skin types.

Manuka honey is a natural antioxidant and supplies cells with a wide range of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals while providing white blood cells with the necessary glucose to destroy bacteria. Healing Manuka Honey helps improve cellular regeneration thereby improving skin texture and skin smoothness. It also helps to promote collagen production.

Experience the benefits of Manuka Honey Today!

5 Myths About Aging

Myth 1: If your makeup has SPF, you are protected. TRUTH: You are not adequately protected with just your makeup. I recommend you wear at least a nickel size amount of sun block daily on your face. Many people tell me they wear sun screen in the summer. But you really shouldn't take your skin for granted. Sun protection should be worn all year long. Some of my favorite sunscreens are Coola Suncare, 100% Pure Pomegrante SPF20 and 100% Argan Oil SPF 30.

Myth 2: The more you exfoliate, the better TRUTH: It's important to exfoliate but if you over-exfoliate you can irritate the skin and create more problems for yourself. I recommend you exfoliate with a facial scrub like Pangea Organics Facial Scrub or 100% Pure Pineapple Scrub twice a week. I also recommend a at home peel once a week, two of my favorites are Juice Beauty's Green Apple Peel Full Strength and Ilike Organic Skincare Yogurt Power Peel.

Myth 3: Appearing Old is only about wrinkles. TRUTH:  Sometimes, we focus too much on fine lines. It's the subtle changes in the face like sunken cheeks, and hollow eyes that start to show your age. After 35, most women need to add a serum to their regime. Some of my favorites are Luzern Labs Wrinkle Erase Serum  and Ilike Organic's St. John's Wort Eye Cream.


Myth 4: The older you get the more foundation you need. TRUTH: The older you get the more you need to take care of your skin. Wearing too much makeup allows the foundation to settle into your wrinkles and lines. If you really want to showcase your beauty, you should a professional facial to your regime at least every change of season.  This especially true of women over 40, who lose some luminosity as the cellular turnover rate of their skin slows down. The best plan of attack is to make an appointment with a professional esthetican, and use a tinted moisturizer.


Myth 5: SPF matters only on the Face TRUTH: You should apply sun protection all over, especially your chest and arms. It's amazing the number of women I see you have sun damage on their chest from years of neglecting that area.

Green Beauty Recipes -Pomegranante Flaxseed Smoothie

Flaxseed oil has amazing nutrients and benefits for the body and skin.  Flaxseed Oil has lignans, omega-3's, anti-inflammatory properties, anti-oxidants and it helps to lower your blood pressure.  are powerful antioxidants that help fight against harmful free radicals. Combining this pomegranate and blueberries makes this a powerful smoothie to start your day.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Pomegranate juice
• 1/2 soy or almond milk
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
• 3 to 4 ice cubes or crushed ice
• Stevia optional to taste
• 1/2 banana

Combine all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Green Beauty Recipes -Green Beauty Kiwi Facial Exfoliant

Here are a few of my favorite green beauty recipes for the Spring.

Green Beauty Kiwi Facial Exfoliant
Kiwis are packed full of Vitamin C which aids in collagen production. The kiwi seeds and the sugar powder make a gentle exfoliant while you cleanse the skin. Honey is a natural anti-bacterial and the oil is hydrating for the skin to balance it. Grapeseed Oil is great for the skin. It's full of anti-oxidants and it's a great carrier oil. Plus it has healing properties for the skin.

Ingredients

• 1 Kiwi
• 2 tablespoons of plain greek organic yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon of Manuka Honey
• 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar

Put the kiwi in a blender or food processor or blender until it's liquid while blending. Add yogurt, water, oil and powdered sugar. When it is a nice consistency, it's ready to use. Massage it into your skin including your neck and rinse well with water.  If you have some left over it should okay for about 2-3 days.  Enjoy!

Organic vs. Organic Cosmecuticals? What's the difference?

So what's difference between a organic skin care product versus a organic cosmecutical?

Cosmecutical Grade products use active ingredients at higher levels than "over the counter" products in order to get more consistent and significant results. Many cosmecuticals give the most effective anti-aging ingredients, coupled with  bio-active & bio-peptide Ingredients. Some organic cosmecuticals synthesize the purest organic ingredients combined with medical effectiveness to achieve maximum clinically proven results.

 Organic products in the USA can only be certified by the USDA. Because the cosmetic industry in America isn't regulated you see so-called organic products popping up everywhere from CVS to Macy's Department store.

USDA

Let's check out a few certifications that may help you understand the difference in these different products. 

ECOCERT

Ecocert was the very first certification body to develop standards for "natural and organic cosmetics".

Introduced in 2003, the specification was drawn up in conjunction with all stakeholders in the value chain, i.e. experts, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, consumers and development organisations.

Ecocert currently supports and guides more than 1,000 companies through their certification processes.

The basic principles of the Ecocert standard

To ensure an environmentally friendly cosmetic product, the Ecocert standard lays down:

1. The use of ingredients derived from renewable resources, manufactured by environmentally friendly processes. Ecocert therefore checks:

• The absence of GMO, parabens, phenoxyethanol, nanoparticles, silicon, PEG, synthetic perfumes and dyes, animal-derived ingredients (unless naturally produced by them: milk, honey, etc.).
• The biodegradable or recyclable nature of packaging.

2. A minimum threshold of natural ingredients from organic farming to be reached to obtain certification:

• For both labels, Ecocert Standard imposes that a minimum of 95% of the total ingredients come from natural origin.
• For the natural and organic cosmetic label:

A minimum of 95% of all plant-based ingredients in the formula and a minimum of 10% of all ingredients by weight must come from organic farming.

• For the natural cosmetic label: 

A minimum of 50% of all plant-based ingredients in the formula and a minimum of 5% of all ingredients by weight must come from organic farming. 

LEAPING BUNNY

The Leaping Bunny Program provides the best assurance that no animal testing is used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or suppliers.