New Years Skin Resolutions

Well Christmas is finally over, and Im still full from all the baked goodies Ive been vegging on all week long while home with my youngins! Time to gear up for the new year! People across the world will be starting to ponder their NYE resolutions once again. While there may be a few things you want to work on in your life, I always suggest putting personal health, and your skin as top priorities. Unfortunately, more often than not, the determination to shape up lasts about as long as it takes the ball in Times Square to drop!

The key my friends is to think of something feasible! Think good resolutions you can make without major stress or strife. I figure as long as it helps me to make strides in the right direction, it’s worth it. There are plenty of easy, affordable ways to stick to your new years resolutions. Real skin care is much more than just skin deep. Your skin is a living, breathing organ of your body. As such, just like every other organ in our body, it needs to be fed from the inside – it requires nutrients.

Check out the 5 basic ingredients that you need to feed your skin. These could be some great suggestions for your 2012 resolutions and inspire you both mentally and psychically!

Good nutrition: Keep it simple, fresh and unprocessed. The cells that make up your skin need the right nutrients for proper development, and growth. Try starting to eat more organic, locally grown fruits, and veggies instead of meat. You could start with one meatless day a week and work up towards more days as you progress. Eggs also make a great substitute. They are full of essential vitamins and minerals, and provide a high-quality source of protein that has been shown to keep hunger satisfied throughout the day. Eggs are also a great part of a balanced diet for people trying to manage their weight for the new year. Attaining some of these healthy eating habits can even help reduce big world problems too like drought, soil depletion, and hypoxia.

Exercise: Okay, so this might coincide with a lot of people’s New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, but it is worth saying again. Many place the cliche label on “working out” as a new years resolution. Little do they know how easy it can be to place it in your schedule, or how beneficial that 15min a day can be to keep blood circulating to all of the skin on your body, creating new glowing cell regeneration. Hop on that treadmill!

Sufficient water intake: that’s a biggie. Most people (irrespective of were they live) will utilize around 3 liters of water per day. If you do not drink at least this amount, your body will either not function well (on some level) or it will take it from where ever it can. That is called dehydration. You know, dry lips, dry flaky skin, parched mouth, cracks on you tongue, premature wrinkles… the list goes on. So, drink up (water, mind you) or shrivel up – it’s up to you. Watch this video for extra inspiration and more facts about water and skin: http://youtu.be/CvxMV2DJPl0.

Sleep & Relaxation: Adequate rest and relaxation: don’t work yourself to an early grave – it’s not worth it. Make sure you get the sleep you need. Did you know that a study in England showed that your IQ (intelligence) drops if you do not have 8 hours sleep per night? Think about it, do you get more work done if you feel well rested? Can you concentrate better if you’re not tired? – I bet you can. Some people might scoff at the idea of making a New Year’s resolution to sleep for at least 8 hours a day, but it is a very valid resolution, especially for your skin. Not only can sleep help you keep those dark circles under your eyes at bay, but it also reduces stress, which can cause allot of skin problems you will read more about below.

Stop Stressin: Did you know that stress can cause wrinkles, and acne? Sorry to say, but its true! Stress not only affects acne flare-up, in general it worsens the overall skin condition. It induces the adrenal glands into overproduction of cortisol, a steroid, which in turn makes sebaceous glands produce more oil and make skin extra oily. This the reason why in stressful periods, people experiencing an increase in acne get more inflamed, pus-filled papules than simple whiteheads or blackheads. Stress can also decrease the wound healing capacity of immune systems up to 40%. This factor doubles the impact of stress on acne, and the possibility of acne scaring (especially if you are picking your face). Wrinkles: A small but significant study in 2004 showed the first link between chronic stress and aging. This study showed that telomeres (structures at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with aging) also shorten prematurely in persons experiencing long-term psychological stress, in effect, prematurely "aging" the cells. Stay Positive: Everything happening in your life, you have attracted. Its true. We are like magnets. Like attract like, you become and attract what you think. If you think about what you dont want, you will attract more of that. How can we tackle our negative thoughts? By watching our “feelings”, and shifting your awareness. Start feeling GOOD this year, and the universe will react accordingly. For more info on positive thinking, you might enjoy this movie/book-> http://thesecret.tv/.

I really hope 2012 brings you beauty, confidence, and prosperity. Take advantage of the momentum that the new year brings. A chance to have a fresh start! Progress = happiness, and the new year can mean a new life. Make 2012 your best year yet. 

Oh, and as always, choose organic beauty products & skincare!

Love and Encouragement,
-BeautyCritic Ashley!

Organic Moisturizers

When it comes to organic moisturizers, there is allot to choose from! Whether it be your favorite brands of lotions, or your own homemade oil concoctions, there are almost endless ways to moisturize. So long as its "organic" anyway. The exposure you get of chemicals from a body lotion are much higher than the exposure you get from just a dab of face cream, so what you choose to be your primary all-over body moisturizer should be that of something 100% organic and healthy for your skin (as opposed to a synthetic lotion full of harming toxins). You have a choice between lotions and oils. Lotions are oil-in-water emulsions, they only set on the skin, and the alcohol and water just evaporate, only thing benefiting from a lotion is the oil in it. The rest of the contents you just paid for just evaporate?
Yes.

Moisturizing lotions, balms, and creams help fill the gaps between skin cells caused by over-stripping. Organic moisturizers provide two basic types of securities: occlusives and humectants. Occlusives form a seal on the skin that locks residing moisture in (examples include shea butter, beeswax, nut and seed oils). Humectants, such as seaweed, honey, and glycerin, draw moisture from the atmosphere into the skin. While you can still find organic moisturizers that have either humectant or occlusive properties, “a good moisturizer will have humectants to attract moisture and occlusives to seal it in,” says Close. “Look for one that has both.” From there, find a blend that suits your skin type and includes only organic ingredients.

Many are scared of the idea of using just an oil because they think they will be a greasy mess all day. Untrue, in fact, many are unaware of the spray mists and dry oils that can be lightweight and leave minimal residue. Oils will soak-in best right after a bath or shower, and can even be used in your hair sometimes, not to mention the naturally carry their own aromas (without the use of synthetic toxic fragrances). There are thousands of great smelling oils to pick from that can benefit your skin!

If you’re tired of all the chemicals and synthetic fragrances in most store-bought creams and lotions, you might want to consider making your own too.  Most people think that making creams and body lotions is difficult but it’s actually fairly easy, and there are tons of wonderful homemade moisturizer recipes.

TIP: Moisturizing right after showering or washing your face will trap some of the moisture from the water. How you apply your moisturizer is also important. Rub the product in gently, as too much pulling on the skin can induce wrinkles.

TIP: Choose a moisturizer according to the amount of oil in your skin. Also, depending on the season or climate, your skin will need less or more hydration at different times. “The biggest outside influence on your skin is the humidity level,” explains Barbara Close, author of Pure Skin (Chronicle Books, 2005) and founder of Naturopathica Holistic Health Spa in East Hampton, New York. As the temperature falls, humidity falls with it. And the colder the weather outside, the higher you have to crank up the heat, which causes indoor air to dry out even further. As a result your skin’s need for moisture increases in the winter, particularly on your face where exposure is greatest and your skin is most delicate. It’s a necessary to keep moisturized with a natural organic lotion during the winter. During the fall/winter/spring months boiling water once a day, or getting a humidifier can be really beneficial for the hair and skin too.

Sensitive Skin: You may consider your skin sensitive if it gets blotchy after being exposed to cold wind, or strong scented products and oils. Lavender, Germain chamomile, olive oil, and coconut oil will be a great choice of anti-inflammatory ingredients in your organic moisturizer if your skin is sensitive.

Oily Skin: If you remove oils from the skin, it can become more prone to bacterial infection. Your skin produces oil to protect itself from the environment. Oily skin is thick, prone to breakouts, due to the larger pores. A lighter moisturizer containing a more stimulating emollient such as safflower seed, or sunflower oil would work best.

Dry Skin: If your skin feels tight after cleansing, flakes, and wrinkles appear, you may have dry skin. The best moisturizers for dry skin contain oils and butters derived from avacado, sesame, and almond.

 

Body Clay

Organic body clay and mud are good to detoxify, moisturize, and purify the skin. Majority of body masks are made of clay. Clay absorbs up to two hundred times its weight in water. Clays are naturally occurring substances containing minerals, trace elements and nutrients.

Each kind of clay has it’s own pedigree:

• Green: Contains magnesium oxide, works on cleansing the skin and absorbs the fat from it
• Red: Enriched with iron oxide that helps in renewing the cells of the skin and aids dry skin.
• White: Enriched with the flint sand and helps the body to regain the salts and to get rid of the toxins and aids sensitive skin.
• Yellow: Characterized by its richness with salts, helps the skin to restore the oxygen, aids tiring skin.
• Blue: Fits all skin types, because of its antiseptic properties that give the skin freshness and vitality.
• Gray: Contains a high percentage of zinc which helps the body to produce salts and the sequestered water that is suitable for topical treatment and reducing the weight in the desired region.
• Black: (Safaga sand) contains a very high percentage of salt and plays an effective role in allowing the skin to get rid of all skin diseases, and this is well known all over the world.

TIP: Apply the mask on your body and leave it till it gets dry, the time you leave your clay on depends on the type you've selected and the current “type” of skin you having. Avoid talking or expression movement, get muscles relaxed as much as possible. If you apply the mask to your face, make sure you use a natural toner after you’ve rinsed your mask off, let dry, and then apply moisturizer.

 

Seaweed Wraps

Seaweed wraps are purely organic body treatments that help to detoxify the body through the sweating process to eliminate impurities from the body.  These restorative wraps are great for dry, cracked skin, they help reduce the appearance of cellulite, tone and firm the skin, aid aching bones, arthritis, joint pain, water retention, sagging skin, stretch marks, and stress relief. It cleanses both inside and out.

Seaweed wraps contain sea weed, sea salt, amino acids, anti oxidants, and vitamins such as  iodine, and protein. Also known as Algotherapy, the therapeutic use of sea weed is an excellent way to feel new and improved. Ingredients are selected for their individual properties and are mixed together synergistically to create a formula that can be absorbed by the skin to help with a specific problem. Once the formula is applied to the specific area or all over the body it is then wrapped with a style bandages (or wrapping cloths) which help hold the formula on the skin and keep the body warm, and then covered with warm blankets and towels, and left to sweat out the toxins.  While most spas offer a seaweed wrap that covers the entire body, it is possible to receive a treatment that targets specific areas such as the arms or legs. Seaweed treatments will improve the firmness in your skin as well as help you with other problems.

There are over 3,000 different types of seaweed. Most wraps use seaweed algae from the Brittany Coast of France. Something about the way it grows in that area of the world. A lot of spas will order the seaweed from France to use in their centers for their own famous seaweed wraps.

Just to name a few, and their beneficial properties:

• Spirulina: Single cell alga rich in protein and antioxidants.
• Laminaria: Green alga, rich in iodine and stimulates the oxygen content in the cells.
• White Alga: Rich in calcium and magnesium. Acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps to relieve water retention, and stimulate circulation.

Most seaweed wraps take place at the spa, however there are natural recipes that help you in creating the same wrap at home. The cost of a seaweed wrap usually costs about $100. You can purchase seaweed paste for an average of $20-$30, or make your own by finding a good recipe online. Whether you venture to the spa for your first seaweed wrap or choose to enjoy it in your own home, the results will leave you amazed.


TIP: Seaweed wraps should not be used as a substitute for the care and medications of your professional health care team but can be an alternative to discuss with your doctor about trying a few times. Always consult with your doctor prior to doing any type of body wrap since you are exposed to a great deal of heat. Some people with certain medical conditions are not advised to use body wraps.

 

Body Mask

The best time to get an organic body mask is during the change of seasons, so an average of 2-4 times a year. During the season changes, your skin is shedding its scaly dead skin cells like a snake. Organic body masks are safe and nontoxic. Depending on what ingredients you use, body masks usually contain clay, fruit extracts, herbs, oils, vitamins, and minerals. Organic body masks, and skin treatments not only refresh and rejuvenate your skin, but they also bring the feeling of the relaxation and spa ambiance. You can use many different body treatment methods, and essential ingredients in your body mask depending on what you want toning, exfoliating, or deep cleaning. You can find great organic body masks, mud baths, wraps, and peels on the market, at your local spa, or make one of your own at home. You can make body masks at home for a fraction of the cost of a salon treatment with just a few basic ingredients.

Benefits of organic body masks:

• Sucks and removes toxins out of the skin.
• Absorbs excess oil, and dirt.
• Clears up body pimples, and blackheads.
• Eradicates joint and muscle pain.
• Promotes blood circulation.
• Moisturizes, hydrates, firms, and smooths pores, and the texture of the skin’s surface.

TIP #1:  When making your own body treatments, be sure that you use herbs that you do not have a known allergy to and that you immediately rinse off the body wrap ingredients if you feel any discomfort

TIP #2: Take into consideration your current skin type and how much time you have to mix the mask ingredients together and leave it on. Keep in mind some masks are drippy and can make a mess. Have a decent amount of towels readily available.

TIP #3: Body masks are usually applied one inch thick at the most over the body parts, avoiding sensitive areas like the eyes and mouth. It will take at least an hour to dry.

 

Exfoliate Skin

Aside from cleansing and toning, Organic exfoliation is the second most important step in skincare. Exfoliating the skin is very beneficial, and should be done at least once a week. Exfoliating actually helps your skin so much, you will find yourself moisturizing less. It allows the body's oils to surface and moisturize the skin naturally. During skin regeneration, the epidermis is able to replace itself completely in 45-74 days. Sometimes, the old cells form a united front and stick around longer than they should. Especially in the summer time, because our sweat acts like glue. (It clumps the dead cells together and inhibits the skins natural ability to shed like a snake.) Gentle, consistent exfoliation is essential to aid cell turnover, revealing a fresher, plumper, smoother tone, and allow for skins hydration.

      Here are some of the many benefits to exfoliating:

• Gets rid of dead skin cells.
• Sweeps away dirt.
• Moisturizers and oils go on smoother and penetrate & absorb better. Allowing your skin free to absorb oxygen and other nutrients into your body.
• Improve circulation stimulating blood flow.
• Unclog pores and prevents ingrown hairs.
• Skin look more evened toned, shiny, & smoother.
• Gets rid of flakiness, and relieves itchiness.

  There are many different methods and recipes for exfoliation:

• Washcloths
• Jojoba Beads
• Loofahs
• Sea Sponges (Be sure to wash & dry sponge well after each use, dead skin and soap collect easy in sponges, its also important to replace them every 2-3 months)
• Silk Mits (Gentle for sensitive skin)
• Dry Brushes- (Most effective exfoliation)
• Even Cheesecloth or a Gauze Square

Techniques vary, but the purpose of exfoliation is well worth the indulgence brought forth by the many different materials and ingredients used, the effects on the spirit and skin will be equally rewarding!

Salts, scrubs, peels, polishes, are also great ways to exfoliate the skin. Using alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or gylolic acid are more alternatives. These substances are found in many foods, and fruits. Lactic acid is from sour milk, and glycolic acid is derived from sugar cane. They may tingle, and irritate the skin a bit, (after all- they are acid), but this is a rare instance where an irritating product can actually help your skin. These great acids cause a gentle exfoliation of dry, dead skin cells and create a softer, smoother texture. Many dermatologists consider glycolic acid also to be effective in helping acne prone skin. AHA’s really should not be used unless you have ance, or mature skin (sun damaged). Over use of AHA’s can cause your skin to become thin and rubbery.

TIP #1: When using AHA’s, make sure you apply an organic sunscreen before exposing your skin to the sun.

TIP #2: If your skin is sensitive, you may want to make sure you are testing your product before you go on a full-body scrubbing mission. Make sure you don't apply your exfoliating regimen to your face, the tools and products used for "body" exfoliation are much to harsh for the skin on our face, this is because the skin on our face is much thinner and being to abrasive with it can cause damage and broken capillaries. Sensitive skin users should also be leery in purchasing an organic scrub that contains minty ingredients such as tea tree oil, and eucalyptus because it could be irritating for your skin.

TIP #3: After you exfoliate, make sure you rinse very well, and don't forget to pay extra attention to your elbows, knees and heels when exfoliating (and with your moisturizer).

 

Organic Soap

If you are one that prefers bar soap over body washes, and gels, that's great, so long as it is organic. Organic soap, it seems like a simple choice, but think about the increasing effect of such choices on our health and on the environment. Organic soap is made with all natural ingredients and organic essential oils such as olive oil, shea butter, and glycerine. This means that at the very first stage, these ingredients were created with organic farming methods. Organic soap is good for your body,  Ph balanced, and gentle on your skin.

Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, personal care products and their ingredients are not required to undergo approval before they are sold to the public. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned only 11 ingredients—meanwhile the European Union has made a list of 1,100 ingredients deemed too hazardous for use in personal care products. It has become the American consumer’s responsibility to read the labels, and it has become my personal interest to help you decode those labels! The majority of commercial brands contain one or more of these synthetic components that you should try to avoid:

• Synthetic Fragrance
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
• Triclosan

Most conventional soaps also contain artificial colors and dyes, parabens, growth hormones, and other harsh detergents. Here's a list of other soaps to avoid:

Deodorant soaps: These soaps may kill odor causing bacteria, but the harsh chemical additives necessary to do so dry and irritate the skin and could be harmful.

Antibacterial Soaps: These contain triclosan, the superhero antibacterial soap is actually bad for you, bad for the environment, and potentially bad for the population as a whole. Laboratory evidence suggests that if the widespread use of anti-bacterial soap continues, stronger strains of bacteria can emerge—and we could be introduced to antibiotic-resistant super germs. In fact, the World Health Organization has launched a global campaign against the overuse of antimicrobials.

Medicated Soaps: Medicinal substances (sulfur, tar, resorcin) are added to the soaps to aid in treating acne, but so does tea tree oil. If your trying to battle acne on the skin of your back or chest, try a soap containing an effective organic essential oil, such as tea tree, lavender, olive, castor, or jojoba essential oils.

The best thing to do is to buy soap made from responsible manufacturers. Organic soap is made with certified organic ingredients. That is, according to USDA and ECOCERT at least 70% of the ingredients should proceed from organic agriculture. Only certified organic products can bear the USDA and ECOCERT seals of approval. Before a pack of soap can be labeled organic, a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Also, all organic ingredients must be certified to national organic standards.

TIP: A good organic soap will not strip away the beneficial oils of the skin along with the grime, or alter the slight level of acidity that is normally found on the skin to protect it from bacteria. This is a reason why you should never use bar soap on your face, even if its handmade, its alkalinity will upset the pH balance, leave the skin feeling taut, and cause irritation.

Organic Body Wash

Purely organic body wash delivers your body a long lasting, soothing aroma, and should leave your skin feeling, and smelling fresh, and not leave any greasy film, clog your pores, or dry the skin. A good organic body wash will clean the dirt particles; remove excess oils and the dead skin cells as well. Organic body washes, and gels differ from conventional ones by the natural contents, and ingredients contained in them. With its ingredients like nut oils or citrus oils the body wash also looks after the moisturising requirements of the body. You can enjoy an invigorating bath without worrying about the possible skin irritations.

Organic Body Wash Versus Conventional Ones:

It may be shocking but it is absolutely true that the cosmetic soaps, body wash, shower gels and all most all the products are made up of almost 10500 different chemicals. And do you really believe all of them are safe? Not even thirteen percent of the total chemicals used in these cosmetic products are skin safe. They are not approved by any government! Goodness! Till date how many chemicals have you tested over your skin? And then you complain about rough and dull face! At least with organic body wash you can refrain yourself from this chemical attack. Also, by going organic you are serving the environment as well.

Disadvantages Of Conventional Body Washes:

There are many unnecessary ingredients in today's body washes, gels, and bar soaps. Even some washes from top organic brands contain some toxic ingredients in their washes. Conventional body washes, and gels are similar to       shampoo, they both contain drying ingredients like sodium sulfate. They feel  silky on your skin because they contain silicone, but this lubricant is toxic and it stays on top of the skin because the molecule is too big, and  the body wash fails to penetrate the skin.     Here is a list of what you don't need in your wash and what you shouldn't waste your money with (all you need is a wash is a surfactant mix and some gentle emollients):

NO SODUIM MYRETH SULFATE
NO LAURAMIDE
NO SODUIM LAURETH SULFATE
NO SODUIM LAURYL SULFATE
NO COCOAMIDE MEA
NO PARABEN PRESERVATIVES
NO POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS
NO TROMETHAMINE
NO DIOXANE

Benefits Of Organic Body Wash:

1. It is apt for all the skin types.
2. It also treats the skin problems like acne and rough skin to some extent with its anti bacterial properties.
3. It gives you a pampering bath.
4. With its soothing, soft aroma, you feel fresh and energised all day long.

Make sure the organic body wash or gel is purely organic. Detergents, soaps, or saponins should be the only cleaning agents in your body washes.

• Detergents allow oil and water to mix so oily grime can be removed during rinsing.
• Soaps are created by saponifying olive, jojoba, or coconut oils with alkali potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, wood ashes, or ashes of other plants.
• Saponins are created by plant glyosides, includes soap wort, soap lily, and soap berry tree that derive their name from their soap-like properties.

Vitamins For Skin

Cosmetics Companies now market "beauty" vitamin pills with special blends of vitamins C, E, A and B that target hair, skin, and nails. Forget about them. Not only are they more expensive than a generic or health-food-store multiple vitamin, but you may be getting too much of one nutrient and not enough of another.

If you already take a daily vitamin and then take a "skin enhancing" vitamin on top of it, you could easily ingest too much zinc or Vitamin A, which can build up to dangerous levels in the body. There is no need to take a fistful of vitamins everyday. Taking excessive amounts of some vitamins can also lead to depletion of other vitamins or minerals. And if you replace your daily multiple vitamin with beauty vitamins, you could miss out on other important nutrients that are crucial for good health.

There are so many health benefits for taking vitamins, especially if you opt for more expensive natural vitamins that contain more bio-available substances than conventional synthetic pills. Vitamin A is essential for normal development of skin and other epithelial tissues, B-complex vitamins help bring blood to the tissues and vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Other vitamins such as D, E, F, and K are also essential for your skin.

Retrieving vitamins for your skin through a good diet is even better! There is no substitute for the vitamins and minerals in food. Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat orange foods (dried apricots, pumpkins, carrots) that are rich in beta-carotene; eat leafy greens that are rich in vitamin E; eat yellow foods (lemons, grapefruit) for vitamin C. White foods like dairy, eggs, and fish are an important source of vitamin A. Drinking raw fruit and vegetable juices is really good too. Five servings of each food group is the recommended requirement. Doing this will give your body the enzymes it needs to maintain good health. Enzymes effect the synthesis of skin lipids as well as the skin’s support structure of collagen and elastin. Eating these healthy colored foods also provides our bodies with phyto-chemicals, which you can’t get from nutritional supplements. They lower cholesterol, flush out carcinogens, boost the immune system, and reduce the effects of aging.

 

Its All Good

Peppermint All Natural Lip Balm