How to Grow Long, Healthy and Strong Hair Fast

Up until last year, I had hair that came to about my shoulders. It was relatively healthy, but it had been in the same style for years and it was time for a change. I thought of getting my hair cut short, but I had done that before and I wanted to try something different. I also wanted to grow my hair long so I could eventually donate it to a charity.

With these goals in mind, I set out to grow my hair long, strong and healthy. I also had a few requirements:

1. I wanted to use only natural products

2. I didn't want to spend a lot of money

3. I wanted the hair growth to happen fast

A tall order, for sure, but I was determined to make it happen. I am happy to report that after about one year, my hair has grown down to the middle of my back, and it is longer (and healthier) than it has ever been!

So how can you grow healthy, long hair quickly and easily?

Step 1: Get a haircut

I know what you're thinking, "But I'm trying to grow it long! Getting a haircut is the opposite of that." I know it seems counter-intuitive, but trust me, it improves the overall health of your hair and will allow you to grow long hair that looks and feels healthy. Think of it this way, if your ends are damaged or split, the damage will eventually travel up the hair shaft, making it break. Broken hair is shorter hair, and split hair is unhealthy and will look (and feel) damaged. Getting your hair ends trimmed will help your hair stay healthy, and will allow you to easily grow it long without having to battle broken hair.

Step 2: Don't over-style

Blow dryers, curling irons, hot rollers, flat irons, bleach, commercial color, perms, teasing brushes - they can all wreak havoc on your tresses. Try to significantly limit, or even eliminate, using these styling elements, and you will quickly notice a difference in the quality of your hair. Likewise, take precautions when swimming by applying conditioner to wet hair before even heading to the pool.

Step 3: Don't comb your hair when it is wet

One of the quickest ways to stretch, break and damage your hair is by dragging a brush through it while it is wet. If your hair tangles easily like mine did when it was wet, try running your fingers through it right out of the shower or bath. Then, either wrap it up in a microfiber towel (preferably not a terry cloth towel), or leave it hanging down to dry undisturbed. The trick here is leaving your hair alone until it is dry. Don't rub hair vigorously with a towel or twist it to wring it. If you need to, you can always gently pat it dry. Once your hair is completely dry, you can brush it without the damage.

Step 4: Switch to a cruelty-free boar's bristle brush

I used to have what I called pyramid hair. I had flat, oily hair at the roots, and a fuzzy poof of hair at the ends, leaving my hair looking like a pyramid. It was awful, and I would spend a lot of time every day slathering on anti-frizz products, washing my hair to get rid of the oils, and trying to style my hair so that it looked more normal. Now my pyramid hair is history! I picked myself up a cruelty-free 100 percent boar's hair brush, and I noticed a huge difference in my hair in only one week!

Boar's bristle brushes smooth the hair cuticle and massage the scalp, leading to healthy hair growth, plenty of shine, smooth hair, and well distributed natural hair oils (sebum). Now my morning routine consists of me waking up and brushing my hair with the boar's hair brush, that's it! No more expensive (and ineffective) products to tame the frizz, I have no frizz to tame. No more scrubbing the oil from my scalp, I simply redistribute the oils to the tips of my hair with my daily brushing. Using the boar's hair brush twice every day has made the biggest difference in my hair, and it is a difference I can both feel and see.

Step 5: Wash hair less often

By now you're probably already thinking, "Ew. No, I have to wash my hair every day." Trust me, I used to wash my hair every day, too, but now I wash my hair only a few times per week. Washing hair every day strips the natural oils from hair, leaving it dry and delicate. By going longer in between washings, you are allowing the hair oils to naturally distribute throughout your hair. This is especially true if you use the boar's hair brush mentioned in Step 4. Worried that hair will be dirty and stinky? No need to worry. My hair always smells fresh and is perfectly clean. When I exercise, if I am in between shampoos, I rinse my hair thoroughly with water to remove any sweat, and I allow the hair to dry naturally. I also use my boar's hair brush to remove pollutants, dirt, and pollens from my hair by brushing thoroughly a few times a day. Yes, there can be an adjustment period, but if you stick with it for a short while, you will notice an amazing difference in your hair.

Step 6: Switch to natural shampoos and conditioners

I used to spend a fortune on shampoos and conditioners that left my hair looking OK - not great, but OK. When I finally made the switch to a natural shampoo and conditioner, I couldn't believe the difference. My hair was shiny, full of body, manageable, smooth and smelled incredible! I have never gone back to the chemical concoctions that I used to use on my hair. If I can't pronounce it, I don't use it on my hair. For me, natural works best, and it allows my hair to kind of self-regulate, as strange as that may sound. My hair now cranks out an appropriate amount of oil, distributed by brushing, and it so silky that I often only need a tiny dollop of conditioner. Whenever I do shampoo, I apply a dime sized amount of conditioner or oil to the ends of my hair only, and my hair is more manageable and healthier than ever. If you can, ditch the chemicals, and switch to more gentle shampoos and conditioners. Some people even choose to go shampoo-free, which I think is very cool, I just haven't given it a try yet!

Step 7: Mind what you eat

A healthy diet means healthy hair. Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, and other healthy foods will accelerate hair growth, and will help to make your long hair healthy. When I switched my dietary habits a year ago, I noticed a difference in my body immediately. It wasn't until a few months of hair growth had passed that I noticed the great effects my diet had on my hair. Also, add a multivitamin to your daily routine, and make sure that it includes biotin. Great hair starts with great nutrition!

Step 8: Be careful how you style your hair

Tight braids that pull hair, snugly wrapped coiled buns, or root tugging ponytails are all off limits as they can damage hair over time. Instead, opt for loose ponytails, loose French twists, loose buns, and other styles that don't put too much stress on your hair. After all, if you want to grow long, healthy hair, breaking it off during styling will definitely not help. Keep this in mind when you are buying hair accessories, as well. Avoid anything that looks damaging, or could get snagged in your locks.

It may also be a good idea to wear your hair with the ends tucked in as often as possible. There is a theory that not exposing hair ends to the air constantly will keep them from drying out, and will promote faster hair growth. It can't hurt to try it, and the styles are gorgeous.

Step 9: Deep condition

About once a month, treat your hair to a deep conditioning. This can be a homemade deep conditioner or a natural deep conditioner that you purchase. Either way, your hair will thank you for the extra love and moisture!

Step 10: Bedtime for your hair

Never sleep with loose hair. Put it into a loose style before going to bed so it does not become the victim of bedhead friction. If you can't sleep unless your hair is loose, pick yourself up a satin pillowcase to lessen the friction on your hair.

Follow these easy tips, and you'll see longer, healthier, stronger hair in no time. Good luck, and happy hair growing!

Read More

Evening Out Your Skin Tone

How to Keep the Tone of Your Facial Skin Even and Smooth Without Blotches or Discoloration the Natural Way

No matter what your natural skin color is, it's entirely possible to have problems keeping the skin tone on your face smoothed out and even. This is caused by a variety of problems that all people face - stress, depression, pigmentation issues, fatigue, exposure to excessive wind and sun, nutrient and vitamin deficiencies, age, and other common and unavoidable things. There are ways to even out and fix your skin tone though, and you can do it naturally and easily right in your own home without visiting the spa or a dermatologist.

Naturally, keeping yourself hydrated has a lot to do with the way your skin looks. Drinking lots of water and making sure you don't go too long without a drink (especially in the summer time!) can really help improve the way your skin looks. Blotching in your face can occur through the course of just one day if you don't keep yourself hydrated enough. Always carry water with you!

The products you use to wash your face can have a big affect on how your skin looks when you rinse it off, and the way that you use the products can ultimately improve or completely diminish the effect of your face wash. If you rub too hard or too many times in the wrong directions, you could end up just pushing around dead skin cells and clogging your pores - exactly the opposite of what you'd be trying to do! Small circular motions are the best for foaming and cream facial cleansers alike, and using the same patterns in small soft motions is the best way to apply face masks no matter what their consistency.

Moisturizing is another huge factor that effects your skin tone. Keeping your face properly moisturized without adding too many excess oils is important, especially if you plan to put makeup on! Putting any sort of foundation on skin that's not properly moisturized won't do anything to help even out your skin tone - instead, it will simply make your blotches and discolored spots even more noticeable after your makeup sinks into your skin. Using oil-free moisturizers with an SPF is a great idea for keeping your skin safe and smooth before you apply your makeup. Not using any unnecessary oils can also help keep your skin tone even.

There are certain things you could make it a point to eat and drink as well, like tomato, lemon, lime, and carrot juice. Alternatively, you could also use any of those four ingredients to make an invigorating scrub for your skin. Halving a lemon or lime and dipping the exposed flesh side in some pure cane sugar, and then using it as a sponge to clean and exfoliate your skin is a great way to keep your skin tone even and help get rid of any dirt, oil, and bacteria.

Cucumbers and melons are incredibly effective at removing any darkness that's under your eyes or anywhere else on your face. The old favorite remedy - using cucumber slices over your eyes - can also be just as effective if you use melon slices as well. Also, you can use slices of cucumber and melon (preferably honeydew) to dab away excess makeup that sticks around after you wash your face. Cucumbers are also great at removing puffiness, so holding cucumber over your cheekbones can help make them look less puffy if you've been crying or exposed to a lot of sun or wind.

Using natural methods to keep your face one solid, smooth color is a great way to boost self confidence and make your makeup look even more perfect.

Read More

Five Effective Ways to Have a Smooth and Even Skin Tone

Skin Tone Treatments that Really Work

Who doesn't want beautiful skin? Unfortunately, there are so many things in our lives that cause our skin tone to become uneven and unsightly. As I get older, I find that damage from sun and chemicals has played havoc on my skin. I have tried just about everything to even out my skin tone, and these are some of the most effective.

Facial Scrubs and Masks

The best and easiest way to even out skin tone is to remove the old, dead skin cells. You can easily do this at home with facial scrubs and masks, or have a professional microdermabrasion performed at a salon. I find baking soda and oatmeal effective and safe scrubs for sensitive skin. I like Bentonite clay masks for drawing out toxins and tightening pores.

Skin Lightening Creams

Skin lightening creams, also called bleaching creams, reduce melanin production in the skin. They are helpful for age spots, melasma and skin discolorations caused by hormones. The active ingredients in most over-the-counter bleaching creams in the United States is hydroquinone. The problem I found is that noticeable results can take up to 12 weeks. For faster results, concentrations of hydroquinone higher than 4% are available with a doctor's prescription.

Acid and Chemical Peels

Acid peels can be achieved over time with a gentle over-the-counter alpha-hydroxy or retinoic acid cream. Medium-depth peels are performed by estheticians or skincare technicians, while strong chemical peels should only be performed by a qualified dermatologist. I found that over-the-counter products take up to 8 weeks to achieve results, while medium peels show results in just a few days. Professional chemical peels can cause burning and scarring, and take weeks for total healing to occur.

Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains vitamin C and citric acid, both known to help remove and lighten the top skin layer. I find that fresh lemon juice works better and faster. When using lemon juice to even your skin tone, always protect the skin around your eyes and your lips with petroleum jelly. Also protect your hair to keep it from being bleached. Apply fresh lemon juice with your fingertips or a makeup brush and leave on for about 10 minutes before rinsing well. Repeat this every day until you achieve your desired skin tone.

Prescription Alpha-Hydroxy Products
High-potency alpha-hydroxy creams, such as Retin-A, are prescribed by your doctor and are used in conjunction with hydroquinone creams for skin lightening. I got my prescription to treat rosacea. They come in strengths of .025, .05 and .10 percent, and can even skin tone and remove superficial wrinkles and scarring. They cause your skin to peel much faster, which can be unsightly. They also make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. You must start at a lower concentration and work up to the strongest. Your doctor will give you instructions on how to use alpha-hydroxy creams safely.

The best way to perfect skin is through proper nutrition and drinking plentiful amounts of water. These treatments are more to repair skin tone that has been damaged by time, age and bad habits. Treat your skin well, because it is your main protection against the harmful elements in the world.

Read More

How to Whiten Your Teeth

Just pick up any magazine and everyone on there you see will have perfectly white teeth.

Well for actors and models that can afford to go to specialized dentist and get special procedures to enhance the color of their teeth. For the rest of should we have to live with not quiet perfectly white teeth everyday? No we should not because for only a few cents any of us can have perfectly white teeth without seeing a special dentist or spending a fortune on gels and stripes or even using a whitening toothpaste.

One of the first things you will need to do to get your teeth their whitest is to follow the directions your dentist has been telling you since your were a child and that is to brush your teeth 2-3 times a day and to floss. Besides the basics of healthy tooth care there are additional things that you can do whiten your teeth.

The first thing to do is to wet your toothbrush and then dip it in some baking soda. Makes sure to only get the top of the toothbrush do not cover it all in the baking soda. Brush your teeth with the baking soda but you only need to brush the teeth themselves. You should not use this method to often because it can wear away at the enamel. It is a good idea to brush your teeth after you have done this because it could leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Read More

DIY: Whiten Your Teeth Naturally

There are many ways to whiten your teeth naturally. This is good for a lot of us that can't afford the $45.00 whitening strips, or the expensive whitening care your cosmetic dentist might offer. The secret to whitening your teeth is malic acid. I learned in chemistry class that Malic acid acts like an astringent to remove discoloration from your teeth. Strawberries are your cheap cosmetic dentists! This sweet tooth-cleanser removes stains like OxyClean: coffee, red wine, dark sodas and teas. This is a great natural remedy, but you have to make sure not to use it too much because as it removes stains it could also remove your tooth's healthy enamel.

You Need:

1 super ripe strawberry

½ teaspoon of baking soda

Soft toothbrush

Directions to Strawberry Whitening:

Place your rips strawberry in a zip-tight bag, and then squish your strawberry with your hand. If you want you could take a can and gently press down onto the strawberry so that you don't break open the bag. After your strawberry is squished add the baking soda, and mix. When your mixture is nicely mixed, use your soft tooth-brush and spread the mixture on the toothbrush's head. Spread (don't brush) the mixture onto your teeth. Leave the mixture on your teeth for five minutes, then brush thoroughly with toothpaste to remove the bakingsoda/strawberry mixture. Rinse your teeth thoroughly to get all of the mixture out. Then if you have some seeds in your teeth use floss to extract the seeds from your teeth. I said the mixture was not good if you used it a lot. If you want to keep whitening your teeth this way you should do it not more than once a week.

I tried this and my teeth haven't been this white in a long time. The strawberries are very effective. Then again, everyone has different types of teeth structure. If you use it every once a week and your teeth feel sensitive, try once every two weeks, and if that doesn't work add another week until you get comfortable. If your teeth are really sensitive I would not recommend you using baking soda. I tried it with and without baking soda and both ways were effective it just took longer to work when I only used the strawberries. Both ways are effective.

Other Options:

Brush your teeth after each big meal

You can try salt

Put baking soda on your toothbrush

Read More

Natural Tooth Whiteners Will Have You Smiling

Keep Your Teeth Sparkling Without Using Harsh Chemicals

Are you chagrined by your less-than-pearly whites, but concerned about what chemicals and abrasive whitening toothpastes might do to your gums and tooth enamel? Don't worry, mother nature has answers. Whether you prefer to buy prepared natural toothpaste or make your own tooth whitener at home, you can improve your smile without resorting to the use of harsh chemicals.

Know what to expect
Contrary to what ad agents would have us believe, the natural color of human teeth is not snow white. Even the healthiest teeth are slightly yellow or gray. Photos of models and celebrities have been usually touched up or the owners of those blinding white smiles have had porcelain veneers applied. Before you begin a whitening treatment, understand that you may only be able to lighten the color of your teeth by two or three shades. While light tea stains may go without much of a fight, grayness caused by the antibiotic tetracycline may be quite difficult to remove. What's more, if you continue the habits that stained your teeth, you'll have to redo the treatment a few months later.

Natural commercial products
The definition of "natural" is slippery, but whitening toothpastes marketed as natural usually are made only from herbs and minerals. This means no fluoride, aspartame, or other "unnatural chemicals." Be aware, though, that your definition of natural may differ from the manufacture's, so check the ingredients list before you buy. Some herbal pruducts available include:

Jason Natural Cosmetics Powersmile
Powersmile uses bamboo podwer, calcium carbonate, and silica to reverse dullness and discoloration. Another active ingredient, perilla seed, prevents sugars from bonding with minerals and forming tartar. The added peppermint oil leaves the mouth feeling fresh.

Vita-Myr
A unique toothpaste that combines cloves to kill germs, myrrh and folic acid to heal gums, and zinc to slow plaque growth. This herbal product is gentle, but effective enough to remove yellowing caused by plaque.

Nature's Gate Dental Therapy Whitening Gel
The silica, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), pineapple, and bamboo powder in this toothpaste help whiten teeth, while the antiseptic qualities of goldenseal, sage, and licorice extracts keep the mouth clean. The toothpaste's good taste comes from refreshing mint oils and sweet stevia extract.

Kiss My Face Whitening Certified Organic Aloe Vera Toothpaste
This toothpaste whitens teeth with silica and Icelandic moss, and keeps gums in shape with horse chestnut. The soothing aloe vera this toothpaste contains makes it a good choice for those with sensitive gums.

Homemade Tooth whiteners

If you'd rather know exactly what goes into your toothpaste, you can make your own at home. As an added benefit, doing so will
save you some money, too.

Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent and, used daily, can be as effective as chemical whiteners. Make a paste from one teaspoon of lemon juice and one teaspoon of salt and use this every time you brush.

Orange peels and Bay leaves
Powered bay leaves combined with ground orange peel can make an effective whitener. Simply rubbing the inner side of an orange peel over your teeth can also have a whitening effect.

Strawberries
Strawberries contains an enzyme that whitens teeth and can be used in place of toothpaste. You'll have to floss to get rid of the seeds, but the strawberry's taste makes up for that. Mash a large strawberry into a paste and either brush with this.

Hydrogen peroxide
Regularly rinsing your mouth with 3% hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore can also help lighten the color or your teeth. Be warned, though, that many find the taste and the foaming sensation of hydrogen peroxide unpleasant. Also, store-bought peroxide contains chemical stabilizers, so avoid swallowing any.

Keep them white
Strong teeth are stain-resistant teeth. Taking a multi-vitamin and drinking mineral water will help your teeth get the minerals they need to stay in top form. Needless to say, coffee, tea, and smoking will all discolor teeth, so avoiding these will help your teeth stay whiter. Many berries and some vegetables can also leave their mark on your teeth over time, so brush as soon as possible after eating or drinking anything likely to cause stains.

Read More

Laser Teeth Whitening - What You Need to Know

As an alternative to teeth whitening strips, laser teeth whitening is becoming increasingly popular these days. And with good reason, it is more convenient and a lot easier to have done than wearing whitening strips in your mouth.

Perhaps you have found yourself in the same shape as so many others. You look in the mirror and the teeth you see make you upset to say the least. Or, you never like to have photos taken because your teeth look the way they do. I can understand since I have also been there with you.

I am a heavy coffee drinker and one of the worst enemies of whiter teeth is coffee. With nearly 20 years of coffee drinking under my belt, my teeth looked more yellowish than they did white! I knew I needed to do something, but I didn't know what would work and what would not. So, after seeing all the ads for the teeth whitening strips, I bought some of them and started using them.

I used the strips every day for almost a month, just as the directions told me to. After seeing no visible changes I became frustrated and talked to my dentist. I should have done that to start with, but I didn't. Anyway, my dentist said that perhaps I should consider laser teeth whitening. Of course I had no clue as to what this was or what kind of procedure was involved. He explained to me that laser teeth whitening is a simple procedure whereby a gel is applied to your teeth and then activated through the use of a laser. The laser is the key to making the whole procedure work.

After talking with the dentist I decided to give the treatment a try. I scheduled an appointment and I must say everything went off without a hitch. The procedure was painless, very simple, and lasted no more than an hour. It is said that laser tooth whitening will increase the whiteness by up to 10 shades, and I believe it. I was very impressed with the results.

How long will the teeth whitening last? The dentist told me I can expect my teeth to stay as white as they are now for 2-3 years in my case. I say my case because I am such a big coffee drinker. There are other cases where it will last upwards of 7 years in certain instances. It all depends on what types of foods or beverages you consume or whether you smoke or not. Thanks to laser teeth whitening I can smile now and not worry about what my teeth look like anymore.

Read More

The Negatives of Teeth Whitening Products

What Teeth Whitening Products Don't Tell You About Their Product

Everybody loves to have sparkling white teeth and with today's advanced technology just about anybody can achieve it. But what most people don't know is the harmful effects and the lack of simplicity that is associated with many of the teeth whitening products on the market today that allows you to whiten your own teeth at home for a cheap price.

Teeth whitening being done by dental professionals was very popular in the 90's since it was the only option available when you wanted your teeth whitened. This changed when at home teeth whitening products began to pop up, claiming to whiten your teeth for $39.95 compared to the $500-$1,000 dental offices charge for the procedures. As companies bombard consumers with commercials emphasizing the simplicity of teeth whitening products you no longer think of the negatives sides of the products.

Brush on whitening is the most popular form of teeth whitening and why wouldn't it be, I mean it is the most simplistic sounding way to whiten your teeth. Brush on the teeth whitening gel, let it remain on your teeth overnight and wake up with a whole new bright smile in the morning, the concept sounds great, but it's not as simple of a task as you think it is.

When you brush the gel on your teeth at night, the only way it is going to work is if you allow it to stay on and dry overnight, but when most people sleep saliva is bound to touch the teeth either from drooling or from licking of teeth and when this happens you will rub parts of the gel off of your teeth, resulting in your teeth coming out blotchy somewhat like a poor paint job on a room or something. Another downside to brush on teeth whiteners is the ingredients in the products. If you read the ingredients of brush on teeth whiteners you'll notice that all of them contain alcohol. Alcohol doesn't sound bad right? But the fact is alcohol is bad for your breath.

Their purpose of adding alcohol to their products is to dry out the teeth whitening gel so that it sticks to your teeth at night, but it's not worth it at all when you consider the toll that the alcohol can take on your gums and your breath. Another harmful ingredient that most brush on teeth whiteners contain is glycerin, the effects of glycerin are even worse than alcohol. It extracts the moisture from your teeth. Glycerin is also one of the leading causes of tooth sensitivity caused by teeth whiteners. Brush on teeth whiteners sound good on paper, but they're harmful and non-effective.

Whitening strips is another very popular teeth whitening method, that lures people in by emphasizing the simplicity of their products which is: apply at night and wake up with a white smile. But just like brush on teeth whiteners, whitening strips has a lot of negative sides to it that needs to be taken under consideration before purchasing. The whitening strips come in a box with a upper strips and a lower strips, which are supposed to be pressed on the front of your teeth and worn overnight. This sounds simple right? But again it is not, because no one has flat teeth, every one has grooves between each tooth which makes the teeth anything but flat. If you only whiten the front of each tooth, but not between each tooth, your teeth will most likely end up looking much worse than when you began, because the color of the front of each tooth won't be the same as between each tooth.

Remember that teeth whitening products are not as simple to use as they appear to be and when visiting your local store ask clerks about which teeth whitening product will best suit you.

Read More

How to Have Great Looking Skin the Natural Way

In todays world, clear and healthy skin however, is often something that is hard to accomplish. Pollutants in the air, foods and beverages we ingest and our own bodies chemical composition are just some of the things that can play a part in how our skin looks. Problem skin can basically be broken down into three areas. Acne, dry skin and oily skin. There are literally thousands of products on the market to help combat these problems, however many of them can be extremely harsh on your skin and many are just simply ineffective. What many people don't realize, is that there are also many natural products that can be used to help you skin that are far more gentle and less damaging.

For Acne

Acne is an inflammatory disorder of the skin. Acne is formed when oil becomes trapped in sebaceous glands. Bacteria then begins to multiply in the follicle causing the skin to become inflamed. Acne is not caused by your pores being dirty, but by over active oil glands. The pores become sticky due to excess oil which allows the bacteria to become trapped inside. Blackheads are also not caused by dirt, but form when sebum combines with skin pigment and plugs the pores. There are many, many factors that can contribute to acne. Hereditary conditions, oily skin, allergies, stress, certain medications, junk food and cosmetics are only some of the causes. There is however, one key factor behind many skin disorders. One of the skins functions is to remove a portion of the bodies waste products by sweating. As toxins escape through the skin, it disrupts the skins balance, and can cause break outs. As you can see, there are numerous reasons why we have break outs, which is why acne can be so difficult to overcome.

There are quite a few natural vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements that can be taken though that can help with acne. Some of the vitamin and mineral supplements are:

Chromium picolinate- Aids in reducing infections in the skin.

Essential Fatty Acids (flaxseed oil, primrose oil, etc.)- Helps keep skin smooth and soft, repairs damaged skin cells and dissolves fatty deposits that block pores.

Vitamin B Complex- Needed for healthy skin tone. Improves blood flow to the surface of the skin.

Zinc- Aids in the healing of tissues and helps prevent scarring.

Colloidal silver- Is a natural antibiotic and disinfectant.

Vitamin A- Strengthens the protective skin tissue.

Vitamin E- An antioxidant that enhances healing.

Some herbal supplements and remedies that can be used for acne are:

Burdock root and Red clover teas- Are strong blood cleansers which aids in having healthy skin.

Green clay powder and Raw Honey- Can be mixed and used as a facial mask. Green clay powder can be found in most health food stores. Mix 1 tsp. green clay powder with 1 tsp. raw honey. Apply to face avoiding the eye area. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Tea Tree (Melaleuca) oil- A wonderful natural antibiotic and antiseptic for the skin. Add 1 dropperful of tea tree oil to 1/4 cup warm water and apply to face with a clean cotton ball. You can also find soaps that contain tea tree oil. One body wash that works very well for acne is called Body Essence Ultra Moisturizing Tea Tree Oil Body Wash with Olive Oil proteins. This product is available at Wal-Mart and is great to use on your entire body.

Witch Hazel- A wonderful cleanser and astringent for your skin. Helps reduce excess oil and tones the skin. Is extremely mild and non irritating. Apply with a clean cotton ball once or twice daily.

For Dry Skin

The correct balance of oil and moisture is essential to healthy, clear skin. Contrary to the popular phrase "Oil and water don't mix," oil and water work together to keep your skin healthy. Your skin must have enough moisture in the skin cells, but there also has to be the proper amount of oil to prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the skins top layers. There are actually two different types of dry skin. Simple dry skin and complex dry skin. Simple dry skin comes from an insufficient amount of natural oils. Complex dry skin is lacking in both oil and moisture. Dry skin is often dull looking, scaly and flaky. Complex dry skin is often shown by signs of fine lines, discoloration, enlarged pores, brown spots and sagging skin. Chapping and cracking are also signs of dehydrated and dry skin. Dry skin is most often found on areas of the body that are most exposed to the elements, although in areas where the air is quite dry, it can be a problem on the whole body. It can also be aggravated by environmental factors, chemicals and detergents, poor diet habits and bathing with harsh soaps. Nutritional deficiencies can also cause dry skin.

Some vitamins and minerals that can help with dry skin are:

Primrose oil- Contains linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid needed by the skin.

Vitamin A- Strengthens and protects the skin tissues.

Kelp- Supplies balanced minerals and helps to provide a good skin tone.

Vitamin E- Applied topically, can help to minimize wrinkling.

Zinc- Is necessary for the proper functioning of the oil-producing glands of the skin.

Collagen- A cream that can restore a healthy tone to dry and damaged skin.

Some herbal supplements and remedies that can be used for dry skin are:

Aloe Vera- when used topically, Aloe Vera has healing and moisturizing properties.

Calendula, Comfrey and Lavender- Can be made into herbal or floral water mists and sprayed onto the skin to help moisturize and soften skin and sooth irritation. Add a few drops of essential oil to 4-5 ounces of water or make an infusion with fresh leaves and flowers. Use to mist your skin throughout the day.

Other ways to help with dry skin are:

Drink plenty of water to help keep skin well hydrated.

Do not use harsh soaps, cold cream or cleansing cream made from hydrogenated oils.

Use a loofah sponge to improve circulation and remove dead skin cells.

Soak in a warm bath with 2 tablespoons pure olive oil added to the water.

Use a moisturizer after cleansing. Use a liquid moisturizer. Do not use solid or waxy moisturizing creams.

Oily Skin

Oily skin is caused by the bodies sebaceous glands producing more oil than is needed for lubrication of the skin. This can clog pores and cause blemishes. Doctors presumably think that oily skin is mainly heredity, but other factors such as hormone levels and diet can cause excess oil as well. Hot weather and humidity can also stimulate sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Negative aspects of oily skin include break outs, enlarged pores and a constant shiny, greasy appearance. Oily skin however, does have a few positive points. It helps to slow the process of fine lines and wrinkles as well as age spots.

Some vitamins and minerals that can be used for oily skin are:

Flaxseed oil and Primrose oil capsules- Supplies necessary fatty acids.

Vitamin A- Necessary for healing and for building new skin tissue.
 

Vitamin B Complex- Are important for healthy skin tone.
 

Kelp- Supplies balanced minerals that are needed for good skin tone.

Some herbal supplements and remedies that are good for oily skin are:

Aloe Vera- Applied topically, helps to heal skin problems.
 

Burdock root and Chamomile- Help provide essential nutrients to the skin.
 

Witch Hazel- Has astringent properties and helps to tone the skin.

Other ways to help oily skin are:

Keep your skin clean. Use gentle soaps with no artificial additives. Wash 2-3 times daily.

Do not use cleansers or lotions that contain alcohol.

After cleansing, use an oil free moisturizer.

Use a loofah sponge to improve circulation and help remove dead skin cells.

Use a clay mask to help clear away excess oil.

With so many different types of skin problems, it can often be difficult to achieve clear, healthy looking skin. With a little persistence and experimentation though, there is bound to be something out there that will help you. Even if you have combination skin, a mixture of dry and oily skin, it can still be fixed. Simply treat the dry skin for dry skin, and the oily skin for oily skin. Please also note that some of these vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements are meant to be taken orally. I highly recommend that before starting to take any new regimen, you check with your family physician as some natural substances can have adverse affects when mixed with prescription medication. Also, it is always best to take any new supplement under a doctors supervision, as anyone can have an allergic reaction to anything they may ingest. Good luck to all in your quest for clear, beautiful and healthy skin.

Read More

Natural Remedies for Acne

There are many individuals around the world who suffer from bad skin flare ups on a regular basis. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, blotches, acne, cuts, burns and under eye circles can be cause for much embarrassment and hassle for anyone who has to deal with them. But before you run out and buy the most expensive creams, lotions and prescriptions to treat your skin condition, you should know that there are natural ways to alleviate your skin problems.

Though it's always best for you to go to your doctor for traditional medicine, it's also a good idea to treat yourself naturally between costly prescriptions and for good health. So before you start a natural skin cleansing routine, you should first clear it with your doctor. Here are a few natural remedies found around the house that can help to treat skin problems:

String or Snap Beans: If you are plagued with acne, you may just want to brew your bumps away. Boil a tablespoon of string or snap beans in water and allow it to cool completely. When it is cool to the touch, use the tea to wash your face morning, noon and night. Also, for the best results you can brew and additional tea and drink it.

If you suffer from chronic eczema, just add three tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers to the snap beans after it has been removed from the stove. Cover the pot and let the tea leaves steep until tea cools. Strain and bottle the tea. Use the tea to wash the face every three hours if possible or at least three times a day.

Horseradish and Vinegar: Vinegar is good at lightening the tone and texture of the skin; horseradish clears up the skin beautifully. So if you suffer from spots and blemishes, a horseradish vinegar mix is perfect for you. Grate a horseradish root into some apple cider vinegar and allow the mixture to sit in the sun for 10 days (on a window sill). Strain the vinegar and place it in an airtight jar. When you are about to use the mixture, you should dilute the vinegar with water or milk by 50% and use it to wash the face. Diluting the mixture with milk really helps to relieve eczema itch.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is one of those natural ingredients that work many wonders for the skin. It provides the skin with sheen, nourishment and healing. But if you suffer from regular skin lesions from psoriasis or acne or you would like to help cuts to the skin heal faster, then look no further than olive oil. Mix two cups of virgin olive oil with six egg whites. Sterilize a basting brush and apply the egg/olive oil mixture to the wound. Gauze and bandage the wound for healing. You should change the bandage regularly to keep the area hygienic.

Cucumber: Cucumber slices are excellent to use to fight off under eye puffiness and dark circles under eyes. The ascorbic and caffeic acids found in cucumber make them potent against sunburn, swollen eyes, and dermatitis and make cucumber good for smoothing out the skin. You may also grate cucumber and use it as a facial mask to help clear the skin of blemishes, spots, bumps and acne.

Honey: Honey is a great natural ingredient that helps to heal wounds. So if you have psoriasis and eczema outbreak that leaves your skin damaged and cut a treatment from honey is what you need to undo the damage of these skin ailments. You can mix 80% honey with 20% Vaseline or Crisco shortening and apply it to your wounds and cuts. This mixture is also effective for people who have minor burns. Get a sterilized basting brush and apply the honey/Vaseline mixture to the affected area and bandage.

Amaranth: Amaranth is a natural herb/flower that is also used as a whole grain cereal and as a vegetable in different parts of the world. Amaranth contains essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C and iron. Amaranth is good for treating many skin problems such as psoriasis, hives, acne and eczema. Just steep a cup of dried amaranth into some boiling water and use it on the affected area for results. Also, you can but amaranth scrubs or amaranth oils if you cannot but amaranth anywhere.

Sea Salt: Sea salt is an amazing natural remedy for skin ailments such as psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. Sea salt has been shown in studies to relieve the itch, burning and sores associated with these skin problems. Just add some sea salts to the bath water and apply the remedy generously over the body at bath time for relief.

Natural, inexpensive and effective is the way to go to heal your skin conditions. You can get rid of your acnes, bumps, blemishes, dark circles, sores all with nature's very own help.

Read More

Borba:New Alternative to Healthier Skin - by the Bottle

Improve Your Skin from Within

Ever in the search for the most effective product to treat acne-prone skin, I am always trying new products as they come out. And sure enough I was very eager to try the revolutionary skin care line by BORBA, founded by Scott Vincent Borba, an entrepreneur who developed a line of skin care products that began with vitamin infused drink that now include chocolates and gummies that is formulated with vitamins and minerals that clarifies and/or firms your skin from within. Besides these drinks and candy, the line consists of cleansers, "concentrates" (which serve as toners), and lotion (both one for daytime with SPF 15 and one for nighttime).

In addition, as mentioned, there are several formulas that cater toward different skin types: Replenishing, Anti-Aging/Clarifying, Skin Claming, Firming, Clarifying, and Age-Defying (though not all of these formulas has corresponding topical products. My mother drinks the water supplement formulated for anti-aging/clarifying, with mangosteen extracts, and she stands by the product as well. I, not only drink the supplement formulated for clarifying skin with pomegranate extracts, but I use the corresponding cleanser, concentrate, and lotion, not only because they smell great (like a pomegranate), but because they are truly effective! The cleanser is great because it contains "micro diamond dusts," which are like beads to exfoliate the skin and it lathers really well. At the same time it rinses off very easily! The concentrate is very refreshing and easy to put on, as it has the consistency of a gel and a cooling sensation. In addition, the lotion is not to be outdone, as it goes on very smoothly and disappears. The daytime lotion as mentioned before has SPF 15 to help prevent sun damage, but the nighttime lotion has a higher concentration of the active ingredients, which is why I only use the nighttime lotion - I can always put sunscreen on top of the lotion during the day time. I would rather get a better concentration of the special extracts that help clear my skin.

Besides the revolutionary drinks that improve the skin quality from the inside, the topical products contain "Fiber-Knit Technology that surrounds skin with nutrient-infused ingredients and cosmeceutical-grade fibers," which lock in the active ingredients on the skin and helps it penetrate deeper to the problem areas. In the clarifying series, it contains cotton fibers, which helps absorb excess oil that causes skin to shine and clogs pores, which result in pimples.

As a result of using BORBA's line of 4 products, the clarity of my skin has vastly improved and has resulted in less acne overall. But because I believe that skin, like hair, gets used to the same products after repetitive use for a long duration, I also rotate the usage of the BORBA line with Proactiv's 3-step system (extra-strength) which also contribute to the improvement of my skin.

If anything, the drink contains plenty of vitamins that benefit you on a daily basis and give you energy such as vitamins A, B, E and C, among other key healthy ingredients such as magnesium and zinc. It is a win-win situation - clarifying your skin and making you healthier by providing vital nutrients. For me, it is a product worth the price!

Read More

How to Get Healthier Skin

Keep Your Skin in Great Shape with These Easy Tips!

When meeting someone new, most people take notice of the person's face first. For this and other reasons, maintaining clean, healthy skin is paramount to self-esteem, confidence and even attitude.

Getting healthier skin is not contingent upon high-cost prescription medications or obsessive skin care routines. Modifying your daily routine a tiny bit and upholding disciplined cleansing habits can help to add flawless skin to the list of your best qualities.

Eat healthier...

By avoiding foods that often make your face breakout, your skin will be less oily and more resistant to blemishes. Some problem foods that may cause pimples or breakouts include chocolate and other candy, French fries, fast food, pizza and soft drinks.

To get your skin in better shape, you may not have to give up everything that has negative effects on your skin, but rather, eat those things in moderation. Enjoy greasier foods as a special treat or on rare occasion when eating a healthy, balanced meal is out of the question.

Hydrate and exercise...

Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water per day coupled with some regular exercise - walking, running, bicycling, engaging in sports - should have a great impact on one's complexion. Increased blood flow due to aerobic exercise will positively impact one's complexion with a glowing look to replace dull skin.

Not only will exercise and drinking water help skin tone and texture, but it will also make you feel more energized and even better about yourself. By keeping your body in shape, you will feel less stressed and more capable of achieving those things you set out to do.

Monitor sun exposure...

By using a moderate strength sunscreen, you will be protecting your skin from sun damage, skin cancer, aging and premature wrinkles. Too much sun can blister one's lips, leaving them red, sore and charred. Sunburned skin will eventually peel most times, leaving skin areas blotchy and sensitive. The best approach to preventing sunburn and other sun-caused skin problems is to monitor how much time one spends in the sun and to avoid sun exposure by using sunscreen with SPF 15 or greater.

Practice a regular cleansing routine...

Cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize...this daily routine should carry you on your way toward healthier skin. Select a gentle skin cleansing solution that works for your specific type of skin - dry, oily, normal. Using your selected product, cleanse face in a circular motion and rinse with lukewarm water, as hot water zaps skin's moisture.

Follow the cleansing stage with an exfoliant. A granular product is often especially effective in smoothing rough areas and releasing dead skin cells, allowing the face to be better moisturized.

After the exfoliation process concludes, use a toner or an astringent to tighten skin and remove any makeup or cleanser residue. A nice alternative to a toner or astringent would be doing a facial masque at least once a week, which tackles clogged pores while also firming skin and leaving it soft and silky.

Finally, pat skin dry with a soft towel but do not dry up all the water. Apply a moisturizer (with or without sunscreen) to help protect skin from dryness. Those who have oily skin do not have to moisturize as often as those who have dry, normal or combination skin.

By following the daily skin care routine along with drinking lots of water, exercising and protecting your skin from sun damage, you should soon notice positive results. Maintaining discipline and adhering to your goal to achieve healthier skin make the actual task at hand so much easier to accomplish.

Read More

Tea Tree Oil - Uses of Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea Tree Essential Oil Uses and Remedies

Imagine a natural way to combat skin problems, mosquitoes, and bacteria all at once. Tea tree oil is known to help in various ways, primarily skin related elements. It can be used for both humans and animals, ideally for infestations and skin problems. Lice, mites, scabies, and mosquitoes can be fought with tea tree oil. In addition, skin ailments such as ringworm, dandruff, acne, athlete's foot, and nail fungus can be treated with tea tree oil.

Tea tree oil works well after falling and skinning a knee because it targets cuts and scrapes. Not to mention that tea tree works as a first aid remedy against insect bites, burns, and skin spots. It is known to be deep-penetrating, and is 4-10 times more soothing than aloe.

Even bigger than its skin and infestation applications, tea tree oil in its essential form has been known to contain powerful antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal properties when used in medicine. It is capable of penetrating into the lower skin layers with its anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, analgesic (pain-killing) and cicatrizant (wound-healing) qualities.

Interestingly, tea tree oil helps the body work on its own natural defenses, or boosting the body's immunity. It has a diaphoretic effect, meaning that tea tree promotes a body to sweat which enhances a body's preventative response when threatened by infection. The magical-like healing and disinfectant properties make it a sort of wonder-drug.

Aboriginal Australians have used the oil of the Melaleuca Alternifolia plant, otherwise known as tea tree oil, for hundreds of years for its potent medicinal qualities as a cure for almost all sorts of tropical infections and diseases. It is derived from the plant's sticky leaves and needles. Tea tree oil is continued to be used today in home remedies around the world as a natural remedy.

Please remember, that like any essential oil, tea tree oil is not intended to be consumed and is very highly concentrated. Conduct the correct research before using it yourself as different methods apply based upon the problem and person.

Read More

What is Natural Health?

Natural Healing Involves Moving from a State of Non-health into Health Using Only Natural Means

Quite simply, natural health means maintaining good health naturally through the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods and fluids we consume, our daily physical movement and activities, rest and sleep, and interactions with other people. In summary, it is how we live in our bodies on a daily basis.

Natural healing involves moving from a state of non-health into health using only natural means. If we fast to cleanse the body of mucous, seek massage therapy to ease aching muscles, or take herbal formulas to soothe an irritated throat, we are using a natural healing modality.

Natural health modalities such as homeopathy, herbology, iridology, bioenergetic methods, and nutrition, are non-invasive methods of health practice, which are designed to stimulate and maintain the body's intrinsic self-healing processes. Let's take a brief look at each of these modalities.

Homeopathy - Homeopathy, as founded by Samuel Hahnemann, is based on the concept of "like cures like" with the idea that remedies and symptoms sharing certain similar characteristics work together to aid the healing process.

Iridology - Iridology is the study of the colored part of the eye, the iris. According to Iridology, the iris contains fibers and pigmentations, which possibly indicate states of physical and psychological health. By determining the placement of fibers and variations in pigmentation in the iris, physical strengths and weaknesses due to environmental reactions, past physical reactions, emotional patterns, and inherited physiological qualities can be used to maintain and improve general health.

Herbology - This is a health practice, which utilizes the therapeutic applications of herbs and other botanical substances, such as roots, leaves, bark or berries of plants. These substances can be made into various forms of tablets, capsules, teas, lozenges, or poultices, and are generally sold over-the-counter in health food stores and neighborhood pharmacies.

Holistic Nutrition - Holistic Nutrition is the science of using natural, whole foods and nutritional supplements to detoxify, rebuild, and balance the whole person, with an awareness of how these dietary choices are interrelated with the condition of our body, emotions, spirit and the environment.

Energy - Energy work is a general term, which includes several healing modalities, including Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, and other similar methods. Commonly known as "laying on of hands" in some traditions, energy work may be used to assist in the balancing of physical, emotional, and spiritual energies. It may help the body as it balances or heals itself from the challenges of our everyday lives, stress, and disease, and as it strives to maintain a healthy homeostasis. Our bodies are imbued with life energy, life force, chi, ki, or prana, connecting us to universal life force, or divine life energy. Energy work can also be used as a path to help us remain more connected to our inner selves, our spirits, and support us in our growing, healing, and transformative paths as we evolve physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are therapies considered by mainstream Western medicine to be nontraditional measures used as complements to allopathic (conventional) medicine.

Traditional Western medicine excels in the treatment of infectious disease, acute illnesses, and trauma. However, this system does not adequately address prevention, optimal wellness, or chronic disease.

Certain systems of CAM such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine surpass conventional medicine in these areas. Other systems address the energy of our body in a gentle manner, such as homeopathy, rather than harsh energy medicine such as radiation oncology. CAM embraces such mind/body techniques as hypnotherapy, yoga, and biofeedback.

Acupuncture is an example of a nonbiomedical system of healing that has few complications or adverse reactions.

We live in a fast-paced society filled with stress and environmental pollution. We have been conditioned to expect fast results and told it is acceptable to pop a pill whenever we have the slightest amount of discomfort. Marketing companies have spent billions in advertising to convince us to eat junk food.

Incorporating natural health modalities into your life can assist you in achieving radiant health, balance of body, and emotional stability, but internal and external changes will need to be made. Good health begins by obtaining and applying knowledge. You can take charge of your health and begin living a healthy lifestyle.

Read More

Buying Cruelty-free Makeup at the Drugstore

With All the Great Cruelty-free Products Available, You Don't Need to Buy Makeup from Companies that Test on Animals

With all the great cruelty-free products available, you don't need to buy makeup from companies that test on animals. European companies have ceased animal testing on cosmetics, and are demonstrating that it is an unnecessary practice. No matter what your opinion of other animal rights issues or vegetarianism, I think you can agree that testing makeup on animals is unnecessary.

Don't waste your time and money on needless animal testing when there are so many quality products available from cruelty-free companies. How do you know if a product is cruelty-free? Many companies will print "not tested on animals" or "cruelty-free" on the label. Other companies require more research. Check the company's website or contact their customer service. If a company does not give a clear answer to whether or not they test on animals, skip them! Stick with companies that you can confirm as cruelty-free. You will find many products from companies that do test on animals in your local drugstore, but you still have many cruelty-free options.

Revlon: This company offers a wide range of different products, including the popular new ColorStay with SoftFlex foundation. The ColorStay with SoftFlex foundations are available in different formulas for dry/normal skin or combination/oily skin. Their Eyeglide eye shadows are an innovative type of eye shadow applied from a sponge-tip pen. There are some fun colors available in addition to the more conservative neutrals.

Almay: Owned by Revlon, but offers less expensive products. They make makeup easy by offering color coordinated sets of eye makeup and lip makeup. I particularly like their lip gloss, but sadly the color range is limited.

Burt's Bee's: This line of cosmetics only recently began to appear in drugstores, but it has been a favorite at natural grocery stores for years. Their makeup offerings are limited, but their Lip Shimmers really stand out. This tinted lip balm gives a beautiful natural hint of color and feels great on the lips.

Milani: Relatively new to drugstore shelves, this company has a cult-like following. I've heard many people compare Milani to more expensive brands like MAC. In fact, many Milani products are color look-alikes when compared to high end brands. Milani offers many fun, young, hip colors of eye shadow and glitter eye liner. The lipsticks are without a doubt the highest quality and longest lasting lipsticks at the drugstore. Milani blush in Luminous is a less expensive clone of the popular Nars blush in Orgasm.

SinfulColors: This line of nail enamel is bright and fun at a very affordable price. Neutral and conservative colors are also available, but some days we all just need glitter nail polish. The polish applies thick and opaque, giving beautiful color with the first coat.

Bonne Bell: Not just Lip Smackers anymore! Bonne Bell offers lip gloss, lip sticks, eye makeup, blush and bronzer. The lip glosses and lip colors are all very good, but the eye makeup, blush and bronzer are more sheer and natural. This line is targeted to young teens, but someone who is looking for a natural makeup style will appreciate Bonne Bell makeup.

Jane: This is another line targeted to teens, but they offer high quality products that adults will enjoy. This was my favorite brand in highschool, but sadly it has become harder for me to find. Their lipsticks are really top of the line. Eye Zings eye shadows are very popular and come in a variety of fun colors or conservative neutrals.

E.L.F: This is a very inexpensive brand that offers very small sized product packages. The lip glosses are really fantastic, shiny and long lasting. Their makeup brushes are a real treat for such a small price. The eye shadows and blushes are overly fragranced, and too sheer for my liking.

Vital Radiance: This is a new cosmetics line from Revlon targeted to mature makeup lovers. They offer a good selection of foundation shades, and their products are designed to flatter aging skin.

Physician's Formula and Prestige: I am not too familiar with either of these brands, but I have heard good reviews of their products. Prestige seems to be marketed to women with darker skin tones. Physician's Formula seems to be targeted to people with sensitive skin.

Read More

How to Naturally Treat Oily Skin

Help Stop Oily Skin and Prevent it Too

Oily skin can cause several skin problems, including blackheads, shiny skin, makeup that won't stay on the face, and of course, acne. While there are other causes, oily skin is the most likely causes of these conditions. Unfortunately, just washing the face regularly isn't going to prevent oily skin much, and over-washing the face can actually cause more problems than it prevents.

There are over-the-counter products made to treat oily skin, but many of these contain harsh chemicals. Read the label carefully to determine what is in an oily skin care treatment, because sometimes oily skin care products end up leaving the face dry and rough, which really only causes another set of skin care problems. Some products upset the delicate Ph balance of the skin or skin tone, not to mention the chemicals in these products are harsh and just flat out may not be safe to use regularly.

When looking for a solution to oily skin, why not look for a more natural solution?

Essential Oils for Oily Skin

Essential 'oils' is a bit of a misnomer if you're wondering why there's a suggestion of using 'oils' on an oily face. Citrus essential oils, such as lemon, grapefruit, tangerine and orange, can help with oily skin problems without the harsh effects of using the actual juice from the fruits themselves. Find an all-natural herbal lotion base and add 3 to 4 drops per ounce of the citrus essential oil of choice to the base (herbal lotion, skin toner, aloe vera gel, witch hazel). Use it on the face in the evening to help prevent oily skin. Wash the face well in every morning with a gentle antibacterial soap prior to applying any other products on the face.

Blackheads and Oily Skin

Mix an oatmeal paste with unflavored oatmeal, lemon juice and olive oil, using just enough olive oil to wet the mixture. Warm the mixture slightly in the microwave. Scrub it onto the face to pull oil from pores and help reduce blackheads. Be sure to wash the face thoroughly with warm water afterward.

Shiny and Oily Skin

Mix some lemon juice with warm water and a dash of vinegar and then soak a cotton ball in the mixture and rub it on the face. Allow the skin to dry thoroughly without rinsing before applying makeup or other facial products. This will help reduce shine and may also help with excess sweating on the face that can cause makeup to slide off.

Excessive Sweating and Oily Skin

Prior to applying makeup to the face, using a natural and non-scented delicate antiperspirant, such as Dove's natural products, in the solid form can help with excessive sweating, help reduce shine and actually allow makeup to be applied more smoothly on the face. Just gentle apply to the forehead, down the sides of the face and across the cheeks, careful not to get too close to the eyes. This will also help smooth the face and makes the skin very soft and makeup easy to apply.

Wash an Oily Skin Face Gently

Do not overwash the face. Washing the face too frequently can actually cause the body to make more oil because it tricks the body into thinking the face and oil ducts are dry. When washing the face, avoid harsh soaps or chemicals, and settle for more natural alternatives or simply use warm water and a soft washcloth. Do not over scrub, but lightly and gently rub the face with the cloth.

Wear Oil Free Makeup or No Makeup for Oily Skin

Wearing oil based makeup when oily skin is a problem only adds to the problem. Wear as little makeup as necessary to achieve the desired look. When wearing a liquid or cream foundation is desired, choose an oil-free foundation and finish with a powder to seal the foundation. If possible, opt for mineral and all natural powder based foundations to help prevent oily skin.

***

Following these simple, natural tips can help reduce oily skin and improve skin's appearance. Try several of them and see which one works best for you, because every skin type is slightly different, so all these tricks won't work for every person. There's surely one or a combination of them that will work to help prevent and treat your oily skin problems!

Read More

Lip Glosses and Balms May Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer

If Your Lip Balm Doesn't Have Sunscreen, You Are Putting Your Lips at Greater Risk of Developing Skin Cancer

The next time you step outside, dermatologists recommend thinking about your lips. If you are wearing a lip balm or gloss without sunscreen, you could be increasing your risk of skin cancer. Dr. Christine Brown, a dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, reports that shiny lip balms and glosses actually attract the sun's ultraviolet rays to the lips, which can increase your risk of skin cancer. Dr. Brown says you actually increase the light penetration through the lip surface by applying lip balm or gloss to your lips.

Protecting your lips from the sun is as important as protecting your skin. Dr. Brown recommends applying a base of lip sunblock of SPF 30 under lipsticks or lip glosses. For extended exposure, you should continue to reapply the sunblock to your lips.

Dr. Brown cites a recent study that found that less than 25 percent of Americans use a form of sunscreen on their lips. Most people don't realize that lips are more susceptible than skin to aging from sun damage, which make lips more prone to developing serious cancer. And once skin cancer has developed on the lower lip, it has the potential to be much more aggressive and metastasize to surrounding lymph nodes.

According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, possible signs of lip cancer include: a sore on the lip or in the mouth that does not heal; a lump or thickening on the lip; a white or red patch on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth; and bleeding, pain, or numbness in the lip or mouth.

People should always check their lips for signs of cancer. If you notice any changes to the color, or if you have persistent peeling or flaking of a spot on your lip, you should see a dermatologist.

Paula Begoun, author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter without Me, recommends the following lip balms with a SPF of 30 or more:

Blistex Clear Advance SPF 30 ($1.89)

Blistex Pro Care SPF 30 ($2.49)

Shiseido Sun Protection Lip Treatment SPF 36 ($18.00)

To keep your lips protected on a daily basis, Begoun recommends the following lipsticks and glosses with sunscreen:

Aveda Lip Tint SPF 15 ($11)

Chanel Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshine SPF 15 ($24.50)

E.L.F. Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 ($1)

Paula's Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick SPF 15 ($10.95)

Since these lipsticks have a SPF lower than 30, you should apply additional sunscreen if you are outside for more than twenty minutes at a time.

Read More

What Causes Dark Under Eye Circles and How Can You Remedy Them.

What Causes Dark Under Eye Circles and How Can You Remedy Them.

Dark under eye circles are for many of us a fact of life we can not seem to escape. At times the Causes are simply a lack of sleep or stress which makes our face look drawn and almost zombie like. At others it is a skin condition or at the worst a medical condition. Over the course of this Article we will address the causes of dark under eye circles in Adults in Section One and in Children in Section two, as well as the Remedies either cosmetic, medical or natural.

Section One: Adults

First we must understand that the skin beneath the eyes is one of the thinnest on the Body. Every little change seems to be magnified and shows strongly. Those of us with fair complexion further more show it the most. Often times these under the eye circles are persistent and give us a continuously tired, sallow and worn out look. Making our Faces look older then we really are. Needless to say, that is not something we are striving for.

Let us take a look at some of the Factors of what can cause these unsightly "Raccoon Eyes" and what we can do to diminish them.

Family Genetics can be a factor.

Dark under eye circles can run in a family, more often seen in those with fair complexion then in darker skins. In that case sadly the only option we really have is to use cosmetics to cover them up. Use a yellow based concealer and blend it in carefully, please make sure not to rub it in too hard. You don't need to stretch or damage the already sensitive area under your eyes. An artful applied eye make-up that draws the eyes of the beholder to the upper eye Area can help as well. By using whites under your eyebrows and then sexy, tastefully or elegantly matched with other colors in combination with a brown or black eyeliner and mascara will make it appear more as an illusionary shadow then an actual under eye circle. A nice hairstyle, colorful clothing or darker lipstick all can help in deverting the attention away from the problem area. Make sure to get enough Vitamins E & D as well as sleep to not further darken those circles.

Lack or poor quality sleep.

The lack of sleep or poor quality sleep cause the blood vessels to become more pronounced under your skin. Your eyes are the first sign of sleepless nights.

Here the solution is pretty simple. Try to get more sleep. If the not the amount of sleep but the quality is the problem, find out what causes you to toss and turn at night. At times when we have a bad mattress that doesn't suit our particular body types we can wake up constantly and going back to sleep can pose a problem. Pillows can be the culprit as well. Make sure you have a relaxed atmosphere before you drift off to sleep. A sleep inducing incense or oil can be helpful, sometimes even a satchel under the pillow. Lavender/Vanilla or Jasmine/Vanilla are relaxing and calming fragrances used in Aromtherapy. A nice cup of milk (hot with honey) or refreshingly cool can also aid your sleep. The Calcium in the Milk is a relaxing factor. Lactose intolerant or just don't like the taste of Milk, try a cup of herbal tea. Chamomile (use the tea for drinking and the tea bags after for placing over your eyes - helps to relax the eye area and is a natural antinflamatory) or a mixture of mint and lemongrass can help you as well. Make sure your room is well ventilated and not too hot or cold for your liking.

Too much Sun Exposure can be the culprit as well.

If you don't take proper care of your skin during sun exposure you are running a high risk of not only Cancer but can also triggering age spots around the eyes. This can weaken the skin even further, which in turn can lead to dark under the eye circles.

Don't misunderstand me here, I am not advising you to stay out of the sun. Our Bodies need sun or we can easily fall into depression if we are deprived of the necessary sun light. Just be smart while going out into the sun. Stay out of the hottest heat, wear a Hat or put on SPF 15 or higher. For us woman there are foundations that have the SPF factors already included. A nice cool Wash clothe treatment after sun exposure is helpful and refreshing as well. Just put a cold compress over your eyes gently for about 10 minutes to once again shrink the veins to their normal size.

Too much smoking or salt use.

Smoking or the use of too much dietary salt can cause the veins to retain too much fluids, therefore becoming engorged and dilated. The obvious course of action is to watch your salt intake and either reduce your smoking habits or quit smoking all together if you are able.

Your Diet might be at fault.

Extreme weightloss is often a factor as well. The Body is reacting to the changes. When you are on a diet make sure to lose the weight at a healthy pace. Make certain to get the required Vitamins and Minerals your body needs and to eat healthy.

Simply getting old.

As we get old the fat pads under our eyes start shrinking which gives us that shrunken in look. At this point you can either see a cosmetic surgon and discuss cosmetic procedures or you can once again reach for the good and tried make up magic. However, a good diet and a healthy active lifestyle can help you stay younger looking.

Stress

Stress is a silent killer of humankind. Not only can it cause us to have mental and physical ailments if kept unchecked, but it can wreak havoc with our looks as well. By trying to reduce your stress, you can help reduce the appearance of dark under eye circles.

The wrong Make-up.

Believe it or not if you purchase make up (foundations and powders) that are too heavy for your particular skin it can cause minor bruising under your eyes. That is why a smart make up Artist avoid pushing, rubbing or applying of make up too heavy handed under this very delicate Area of your Face.

Allergies.

If you suffer from Hay Fever or other Sinus Related Allergies you can find your Under the Eye Area affected as well. See a Doctor or purchase some over the counter medicine to take care of your allergies. Once you have those under control your under the eye circles will diminish as well.

Section Two: Children

What however is the cause in dark under eye Circles in our littlest ones? Research has shown that dark under eye circles are more prominent in fair skinned Children. It however is no reason to panic. Besides the lack of sleep that even kids have at one point or the other the origin is often as simple as congestion of the nose. This congestion of the nose causes the fine little veins around the eyes to darken and grow larger.

Kids are more prone to Allergies and Colds then us adults.

Summertime Hay fevers, recurring colds and allergies or a chronic sinus infection can be to blame. Constant breathing through the mouth due to abnormally large adenoids can be counted as the core problem in some cases as well. See a Doctor and have him address and fix the problem. By describing the appropriate medical procedure in case of Adenoids this can be brought under control at a very young age.

Treat the underlying cause of the dark eyes;

be it by using allergy medicine for allergy or hay fever or other medicines and the dark circles will disappear.

Try a washcloth Treatment.

Since dark circles are a result of enlarged veins you can help them vanish by "shrinking" those Veins again. Try applying cold washcloth compresses to the area. Wring the cloth out for 10 - 15 min in cold water and make sure to reapply it often. If your child is a little fussy (for younger ones around 3 Years) you can also soak the Washcloth in a cooled down chamomile tincture. (Strongly diluted Chamomile Tea).

Make sure they have the sleep their little Bodies need.

If you have kids you already know the bedtime battles we all face. No matter how much they protest and think they have all the sleep they need, kids need to get their 8 Hours of sleep and their undisturbed REM Periods. Make their Bedtime a constant and set Ritual which makes it easier for them to go to sleep.

We can see Advertisements all over the News, Magazines and TV Advertisements for quick fixes for dark under the eye circles. Before you spend hundreds of Dollars on Remedies that may or not work please try to work with the causes listed above first and see if by treating the culprits you can go the natural route, if not please make certain to ask questions on Forums first. Get unpaid testimonies and read the labels carefully

Read More

How to Naturally Cure Black Circles Under Your Eyes

I'm a big believer in using natural remedies to treat common beauty problems. I come from a family where black circles are just a fact of life because of genetics, but that doesn't make me hate how they look any less. For years I tried to cover them up with make-up which of course only partly took care of the problem because as soon as I rubbed my eye the make-up would come off, sometimes before I even realized it had happened. I began searching for natural ways to take care of this problem and was pretty astonished to discover that some of the ingredients for these treatments I already had in my kitchen.

There can be a number of reasons you have black circles under your eyes. Lack of sleep, stress, genetics, fluid retention, and aging. Whatever the reason for those dark circles under your eyes, they can be treated and naturally.

One thing that is recommended over and over to treat dark circles under the eyes is to drink plenty of water, and have a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. So, one of the first things you want to do if you are trying to get rid of those dark circles beneath your eyes if you haven't already is to start drinking plenty of water. Then if you haven't already begin adding fruits and vegetables to your diet until they become a staple for you.

Are you in a hurry though? Do you want to see some results right away without having to wait? There are plenty of remedies that you can try in the comfort and convenience of your own home. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Put two teaspoons in the refrigerator, and then wait for them to get cold. Once they are cold, lie down on your back and put the spoons on your dark circles. This has a two fold benefit in that it will refresh the area underneath your eyes as well as the eyes themselves.

2. Dip two cotton balls in cucumber juice and place them on your eyes for 15 minutes. They will refresh tired eyes and take care of those black circles!

3. Cover your eyes with cucumber slices when you're feeling stressed.

4. Put cool teabags on the eyes. Teabags with chamomile in them are best as chamomile is an anti-inflammatory meaning it will reduce swelling in the tissue beneath the eyes.

5. You can also make and apply a paste of milk and powdered almonds to your dark circles.

6. Massage your eyes regularly. Take your ring finger and start at the corner of the eye, then push down with very gentle pressure a few times. Then using your middle finger as well, move your fingers from the inside corner of your eye to the outside corner, traveling along the dark circle beneath your eye. Put gentle pressure on the dark circle area with your middle finger.

The one where you put two cold teaspoons on the under eye area is my favorite and seems to be the easiest one that works well. The great thing about all these remedies is that you can find everything in your kitchen, or get it easily at the store. So, try one or more of these natural remedies and banish those dark circles while looking years younger in the process!

Read More

Tired Eyes Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Home Remedies for Tired Eyes

Tired eyes occur as a consequence of the effort. In general, there is a serious phenomenon. Tired eyes may indicate an eye disease in children or an age problem to person who are over 50 years old. In rare cases, eye fatigue is due to the presence of a disease or a medical treatment.

The symptoms include a burning sensation, heaviness in the eyes, sore eyes, watery eyes, dry eyes, blurred vision, an uncomfortable sensation of the eyelids or a pressure in the eye. Sometimes, eye fatigue can be accompanied by headaches, dizziness and migraines.

What are the causes?

- The air conditioning;

- Heating system;

- Tobacco or cigarette smoke;

- Industrial dust or other dust;

- Type of activity;

- Spending several hours a day in front of the TV or computer.

- Inadequate sleep;

- Excessive crying;

- Inadequate oxygen supply to the cornea;

- Pollution;

- Reading for extended periods;

- Exposure to bright light or glare;

- Straining to see in very dim light.

Aging

It is the main cause of eye fatigue after 50 years; the body releases fewer tears, determining eye dryness.

The deviation of the eye;

Latent strabismus is an eye disease characterized by the tendency of internal or external deviation of the eye. The person who suffers from strabismus finds difficult to keep the eyes in line.

The accommodation spasms come from the difficulty of the eye of focusing at small and big distances.

The convergence insufficiency, another eye disease common in children manifests by the inability to see well from a small distance with both eyes.

Hypermetropia (long-sightedness), the inability to see from a small distance can generate, if it is not treated, the eye fatigue because of the effort made to see well.

Other causes:

Certain medications may cause dry eyes;

Polyarthritis and arthritis;

Diuretics;

Antidepressants: atropine, lithium.

Home remedies for tired eyes

- Apply compresses of warm water on the eyelids, if the eyes are dry. It's not necessary to use sterile water.

- Use eye drops that will temporarily relax sensitive and irritated eyes.

- Create a proper humidity in the room at night, in order to avoid waking up with red eyes.

- Plan a break from your computer. Take a break of 10 minutes at every hour.

- Improve your working environment. Reduce the brightness of the computer screen or install a protection screen, reduce the intensity of colors.

- Consult your doctor when you have an eye problem. People often regret that they haven't asked for the advice of a doctor earlier, because the eye exam is not painful and the remedies are efficient.

When should you consult the doctor?

You must ask for the opinion of a doctor if:

- You have irritated, red, dry eyes;

- You don't see well;

- You see shining spots.

- You are very sensitive to light.

- You suffer from arthritis and polyarthritis and have the mouth dry.

Read More