Beeswax; great for the skin and aromatherapy as well!

Beeswax is an amazing substance created by the honey bee inside the hive.  This wax has become very popular in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and natural skin care industry offering outstanding therapeutic and natural moisturizing properties.   Beeswax is not only therapeutic for the skin but offers aromatherapy as well.  Unlike many commercial candles, beeswax candles are free from synthetic chemicals such as paraffin’s which the EPA has said can release carcinogens like benzene and touluen.  The burning of these paraffin candles release toxins that can be just has harmful as to second hand tobacco smoke.

Just as it is important to consider what we are putting on our skin, we should also be aware of the air that we are breathing.  Making every effort to live a more chemical free lifestyle is extremely difficult.  It is not just the products we put on our bodies, or the food we put in our bodies that we need to be conscious of, but our environment as well.  Replacing the candles in your home is just one simple thing to consider for healthier living this New Year.

Beeswax candles when burned emit negative ions into to the air cleaning it  of dust, pollen, mold, and other toxins and pollutants.  These candles also burn hotter, brighter, cleaner and longer than any other candle, and are drip less and smokeless as well.  Be sure when shopping for beeswax candles to only buy 100% beeswax, because if it isn’t, you are most likely getting something else that is mixed with chemicals.  Labeling laws allow beeswax to be on the labeling if it has; as little as 10% beeswax.

Increase your Omega-3′s for healthier, younger looking skin.

There are many, many products available today on the markets that promise healthier, younger looking skin.  Many of us are becoming more informed of the importance healthy skin has on our overall well being, and have chosen to not only use natural skin care products, but to eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water and take the right vitamins that will also contribute to healthier and younger looking skin.

A major contribution for many of our current health issues today including skin cancer is our diet.  Most of us are lacking Omega-3 in our diet.  Omega-3 fatty acids play a huge role not only for our skin but our entire body.  The DHA and EPA fats found in omega-3 oils also promote a healthy heart, immune system and mood support.  Instead on maintaining a healthy 1:2 ratio of both omega-3 and 6 fats we average between 20:1 and as high as 50:1.    We very much need to reduce our Omega-6 and increase our Omega-3’s  The Omega-3 fatty acids keep skin cells strong and full of moisture by normalizing skin lipids preventing dehydration in the cells.

Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) native to western Asia and southern Europe the Mediterranean region is considered to be one of the oldest recorded herbs in history. There have been references of Rosemary written on stone tablets from ancient Sumerian dating as far back as the 5^thmillennium B.C.

Rosemary is most recognized as a spice for flavoring food and beverage, but has long been used as an antiseptic and astringent as well, and is included in many skin care products for its beneficial effects on both the skin and hair. Since ancient times this wonderful herb has been a symbol of friendship, loyalty and remembrance.

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Fels Naptha

For over 100 year Fels Naptha has been used for effectively treating and preventing poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak.  Did you know that poison ivy resin can remain on your clothes for up to one year?  Many handmade laundry soap recipes include the ingredient Fels Naptha as a base, because of its century long reputation for not only effectively eliminating the dangers of these resins, but Fels Naptha gets the job done when it comes to eliminating tough stains.

Though you can typically find Fels Naptha in the same aisle as you would find soap bars, it is not recommended to use Fels Naptha as a body washing soap bar, for its active ingredient is a skin and eye irritant.  This soap should be reserved instead as a base for homemade laundry soap, or for pre treating stains before washing.  The ingredient benzene solvent is proved to cut through grease and tough stains.  Fels Naptha has also been known to get rid of aphids in the garden and to treat itchy bug bites and burns and itching from poison ivy, oak and sumac.

The best method for moisturizing hard callused skin. Friday, January 8, 2010

Are you moisturizing everyday with expensive lotions and are still suffering from dry and itchy skin on those hard callused areas such as your feet, elbows and hands?  These areas may benefit a little better with a hard lotion bar rather than a cream, salve or lotion.  Hard lotion bars are in a solid form having a waxy texture.  They are made of Shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax, grape seed oil, and pure essential oils.  This blend of ingredients locks the moisture in allowing deep penetration and long lasting results.  If you are suffering from severe callused skin on your hands, elbows and feet I highly recommend giving this method of moisturizing a try.

Foods To Avoid For Healthier Looking Skin

As many of us are becoming more aware of the importance of having healthy skin for our overall well being, we begin to start focusing more on what we are putting on our skin using natural skin care products. We are becoming more informed and educated on the subtle dangers of most synthetic ingredients we find in many of the products we use and consume on a daily basis, which is great, but let us not forget that the foods we eat also effect the condition of our skin.  I have previously posted on the importance of drinking plenty of water, and to get plenty of foods with vitamin A and omega 3’s.  Here are some foods you should avoid for wanting to maintain healthier looking skin.

Anything that will make your liver overworked such as alcohol will contribute to unhealthy skin.  Just like the liver your skin also is an organ and in fact is the largest organ of the body, and these two organs are at constant work eliminating toxins from the body.

Avoiding junk food will also help contribute to healthier looking skin drastically.  Sure those chips, candy bars and soda pops are so good, but they are loaded with synthetic ingredients that hold absolutely no nutritional value, and not only could they cause damage to your heart and stomach but to your skin as well.  If you, or someone you know is suffering from bad acne, experiment with eliminating all junk food and drinking nothing but water for a week or two and see if there is any difference.

I can go on all day long listing foods that are not good for you; basically anything that has refined flower, sugars, additives are not good for your skin.  The sugars are the most aging toxins that age the skin by fluctuating blood glucose levels.  Bottom line is listening to your body.  These foods may taste great at first but how do you feel afterward s, and how do you feel after you have eaten a very healthy meal.  Using skin care products such as goat milk soaps and bathing in homemade bath salts indeed contribute to healthier skin, but what you eat also plays a big factor as well.

Benefits of Beeswax

Beeswax has natural moisturizing and healing properties that make it a very popular ingredient in natural skin care products.  Beeswax is used often in creams, lotions and natural lip balm, because of its ability to lock moisture in and does not clog pores.  This natural ingredient is also high in vitamin A, which is important for human cell development.  Beeswax is also known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial properties as well.  Beeswax however is not recommended to use if you do have a bee allergy.  Always check your labels, for it is very common for natural soaps, creams, lotions and lip balms to have beeswax as an ingredient.

Vitamins for the skin are found in goat’s milk.

I was just recently part of a conversation where the question of which vitamins really work for the skin was asked. Of course amongst the group many suggested all the right vitamins such as vitamins, E and D; but did you know that you can naturally get a good portion of the vitamins  your skin needs  by simply using goat’s milk soap?  Goat’s milk is full of nutrients and vitamins such as C, B1, B6, B12, and E.  Also goat’s milk has a ph level that is similar to the ph level of our skin, which helps protect the skin from invading bacteria and chemicals.

Drastic changes in temperature leads to drastic changes on our skin.

Drastic changes in the temperature can have drastic changes on our skin, especially our lips and hands, and there are several ways you can maintain healthy skin during the winter months.   Here in Up-State, NY it is not unusual to experience it being nearly 40 degrees one day, and the very next below zero.  Kind of crazy, I know!  When the weather changes like this we tend to notice that it is not only us who do not appreciate the freezing cold change, but our skin as well.  Washing with handcrafted soaps that still contain all its natural glycerin, exfoliating on a weekly basis, applying body lotions, and using natural lip balms are all important applications for maintaining healthy and vibrant skin during the winter months.

Healthy Food for Healthy Skin

The skin plays very important roles in keeping our body protected and healthy.  It is our body’s first line of defense in protecting it from invading bacteria.  This is why it is important to know what we put on our skin because of its permeability.  This is one major reason why many consumers have been switching over to natural skin care products that are free from harmful chemicals.  Just as it is important to put healthy products on your skin, is it just as important, if not more important, to put healthy foods on your plate.  There are many foods that are great for the skin that could even prevent skin issues such as acne or even eczema.

Foods that is high in vitamin A, such as low fat dairy products or fruits like mangoes and papayas and vegetable like carrots are all high in vitamin A, which are high anti- oxidants, and help keep your skin looking young and healthy.  Another great source of anti-oxidants is from blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and plums.  It is important to incorporate Omega 3 into your diet as well, and the best source for this is in fish, Salmon in particular.  Omega 3 fights inflammations that age the skin, can reduce acne and dry and flaky skin as well.

One last tip for healthy skin that you will not find in the cosmetic isle is water.  Make sure to drink plenty of water, at least 8 glass’s a day.  It is important to keep the skin hydrated for it to work properly in eliminating toxins from the body.  Live well, shop smart, and be healthy!

Soap is soap; right?

If you were to tell me two years ago that you could tell the difference between using handmade soaps vs. synthetic soaps, I would not have believed you, nor would I really have even cared; soap is soap, right?  No Way!  It was not until washing with handmade soaps for a couple of years, that when forced to wash with a commercial soap, could I tell the difference.  The commercial soaps leave my skin feeling dry and itchy.  It’s as if my skin now knows that it really wants, and needs that natural glycerin and pure essential oils absorbing into the skin leaving it moist, clean and healthy.  If you have not had the pleasure of enjoying this experience, do your skin a favor and give it a treat, by washing with a 100% chemical free, all natural hand crafted soap bar.  A soap bar that contains no fragrance oils, just pure ingredients, like goat’s milk, pure essential oils and real herbs such as lavender, calendula, and rosemary.  Not only will your skin be thanking you but the rest of your body as well.  Having healthy skin effects your immune system also, increasing your overall health.

Are you drinking enough water?

There are many natural skin care products on the market today, but one thing that is just as important as to finding natural products that work for you is water.  Yes, water plays a very important role in the overall health of your skin and your body.  The skin eliminates toxins from the body, but cannot do this properly when the skin is not hydrated, and the pores are not free from being blocked by dead skin cells, dirt and oil.  Also when the body is dehydrated other skin and health issue can occur like severe acne, constant fatigue, muscle soreness, and could even be as severe as to affecting your kidneys.

How does one know if they are dehydrated?  Well one way to tell is by the color of your urine.  If it is a pale yellow or a clear color you are not dehydrated, but if it is a yellow or gold color and has an unpleasant smell you are most likely dehydrated.  Keep in mind that some vitamins like B- complex can make your urine a gold color as well, which is not a sign of dehydration; however we should all drink between 8-10 glasses of water per day.  By just breathing our lungs will expel 3-4 cups of water a day.  It is good to keep in mind those 8-10 glasses of water are needed, but if you are very active, whether it be exercise, sports, or work; to drink even more than the 8 to 10 glasses.  The more the body sweats the more we need to replenish.  Are you drinking enough water?

Calendula “mother of the skin”

It is no mystery that the cosmetic and skin care industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.  What is the very first thing you see when you walk into any department store?  Right smack in the middle of the front entrance is typically where you will find every skin care brand imaginable, all promising to make you look young and feel great, at very costly prices.  The funny thing to me is that one of the very best all-purposed skin care ingredients can be grown right in your own back yard, at a very low cost.

Calendula officinalis has been named by herbalist as the “mother of the skin.”  This plant is from the marigold family and can be easily grown throughout North America and Europe.  Calendula has a track record for over 1,000 year as having many medicinal properties.  When shopping for natural skin care, make sure to look for calendula creams or soaps and salves that have this wonderful herb as an ingredient.   Not only does Calendula offer medicinal and culinary properties, but is most recognized for its effectiveness in treating skin problems, such as wounds, burns, insect bites, eczema, shingles and skin ulcers to name a few.  This wonderful herb can be taken both internally and externally.  Calendula is used in salads, and to spice up meats and salads and can be made in to a tea, and externally Calendula is used in lotions, creams, handmade soaps, and refined oils.

Are anti-bacterial products that contain Triclosan in them Safe?

I had just recently read an interesting article from the folks at beyond pesticides as I was researching the chemical Triclosan which is commonly found in over 700 household products containing antibacterial properties.  Triclosan is  also known as Irgasan and Microban.   The article mentions of an independent study a group of girl scouts conducted in St. Paul Minnesota for a science project fair.  The girls grew their own bacteria and tried to kill it with Triclosan, and found that the bacteria actually started to grow.  This two year study has led the girls to believe that because it did not actually kill the bacteria, that anti-bacterial products with Triclosan in them could actually create Super Germs.  The girls also met with local law makers who submitted a bill in effort to ban the use of Triclosan.

The girls also found that though anti-bacterial soap can kill 99.6 % of germs, regular soap can kill 99.4% of germs.  Other studies have been conducted as well of hundreds of households who do use anti-bacterial soaps and those who do not, and there was no decrease in colds, or any sickness.

Triclosan has been classified by the (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a health and environmental danger.  Studies that have been finding Triclosan in 3 out of 5 human breast milk samples shows that this chemical does work its way in to our bodies.  Triclosan has been linked to dioxins which are carcinogenic chemical that cause cancer as well as many other health problems such as birth defects, decreased fertility, and a weakened immune system.  Also Triclosan has been reported to react with chlorine molecules in tap water, forming chlorinated dioxins which are harmful as well.

I know this is crazy, and you may be asking yourself; what do I do?   Well according to the girls study and many others, regular soap kills nearly the same amount of germs as does the anti-bacterial ones do.  Also there are some essential oils that are commonly found in handmade soaps such as Tee Tree oil, and grapefruit seed extract that have antimicrobial properties in them.  Most importantly we should wash our hands often, lathering the soap for a good 10-15 seconds and rinsing in warm water drying with a clean dry towel.

A Fun Way to Learn Edible and Medicinal Plants.

Sale Ends Friday Dec. 2 2011,  Save Nearly 50% Off.  Includes New, " Herbs for children during cold & Flu season" video class.  Click here to order.

Less than a century ago gardening was a necessity for many, and the use of herbs was common medical practice.   We have become so dependent for whats convenient, and for instant results that we seem to have skipped a generation on basic homesteading principles, such as growing your own food or treating common illness with natural remedies.  I find it amazing  the amount of young adults that I know who have never planted a garden, and would not know how to grow and harvest their own food if they needed or wanted to.  I also find it amazing how quick doctors are willing to fill out prescriptions for every aliment under the sun, when there are so many natural remedies that have been practiced for thousands of years with proven track records having no harmful side effects!

However I am encouraged of the recent movement of consumers fighting back, demanding the right to know what is in their food, products, and medicine, and to see many taking the steps educating themselves and households of such subtle dangers.

If you want to learn more about edible and medicinal plants, I would like to share a great website that I have stumbled upon, and that is www.learningherbs.com. The website is packed full of valuable information that offers amazing products as well.  One of the products that I particularly think is great that will help the entire family learn more on edible and medicinal plants is the board game Wildcraft.

This game not only teaches teamwork, but over 25 medicinal and edible plants used in most first aid applications as well.  This makes a perfect gift that the entire family will enjoy and benefit from!

Geranium Oil

The Geranium plant is more than just a pretty flower; it offers numerous medicinal values, through the process of steam distillation from the stem and leaves, producing Geranium oil.  Geranium oil is known to have anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties and is one of the many essential oils that have been recently reported for effectively fighting off Super germs.  Pelargonium graveolens is the most effective species for offering medicinal value.

Geranium oil has found its way into the natural skin care industry; offering many skin care benefits.  It works great for eliminating body odor; popular ingredient in natural deodorants. Geranium oil helps regulate sebum production, it also can speed the healing of wounds, and cuts, and  is also used to treat acne, dermatitis, eczema, burns, ulcers, tonsillitis and much more.  This oil is very effective on dry skin; it balances the skin and sedates any inflamed tissue caused by shingles or burns.