Friday, August 5, 2011

Is Your Skin Care As Pure As It Can Be?

To achieve a more radiant skin and beautiful complexion, it is vital to use only the purest skin care products, particularly those made only with raw, living and natural ingredients. In this article, I explain why this is the best external skin care possible, which, together with a healthy diet, right lifestyle and a positive mental attitude, helps the skin to become softer, firmer and achieve an unmistakable glow.

From the outset Id like to emphasize that becoming more beautiful is available to anyone now, regardless of their present health, condition or age, who is willing to create beauty through changes in the diet, external skin care and mental outlook.

What we put on our skin is just as important as the food we eat. The skin is the bodys largest organ and plays a crucial role, not only in the elimination of toxins and in regulating our internal temperature, but also in terms of absorption.

Therefore it is critical to use skin and personal care products that, first of all, are free from toxic chemical ingredients. Some of these ingredients include:

a) Propylene glycol: Found in practically every skin moisturiser, propylene glycol is used as the base ingredient in the manufacture of brake fluid and industrial anti-freeze. It greatly damages and ages the skin. It also causes rashes and dry skin.

b) Lauryl sulphates: These corrosive chemical ingredients used in industry to manufacture garage floor cleaner and engine de-greasing are also one of the main ingredients in practically every major brand of shampoo, bubble bath, face wash, shaving gel & toothpaste. Lauryl sulphates eat away at the mucous lining of the skin, are highly irritant to the eyes and cause urinary tract infections.

c) Parabens: synthetic chemicals which have been linked with breast cancer. They are used as preservatives in many shampoos and personal care products.

Secondly, it is important to use skin care products that are made only with raw, living and natural ingredients such as raw cacao (cocoa) butter and cold-pressed oils. This is because the skin greatly nourishes from the life force, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids present in the natural ingredients.

The benefits are numerous. The life energy in the ingredients is highly nourishing and healing. Antioxidants for example, help to reverse skin ageing and inflammation and help heal scar tissue. Minerals play a key role in beautifying the skin, hair & nails. Sulphur, for instance, is a central component of collagen & connective tissue, which provides elasticity & flexibility to the tissues. Vitamins such as A, C and E are moisturizing, soothing and healing to the skin. Essential fatty acids help to remove toxins from tissues.

To ensure that the life force and all these nutrients are retained, skin care products must be made at temperatures below 40C. If ingredients are heated above this level during the manufacturing process, most of the antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and the life force in the ingredients are destroyed. A good example of this is cold-pressed olive oil, which has long been considered a topical remedy for wrinkles and facial lines. Not surprisingly, olive oil is the best source of raw vitamin E. However, it is also is extremely sensitive to temperature and light and becomes completely corrupted when heated.

Heated oils and fats when used in skin care products even in the so-called most natural ones- are actually one of the worst offenders to skin beauty. They contain highly toxic transfatty acids, which may be absorbed into the cell membranes, causing them to become porous and weak. Heating oils and fats also leads to the creation of free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that have lost an electron. Collagen, a protein molecule that constitutes 80% of the dermis, is particularly susceptible to free radical damage, which includes wrinkles, lingering scars and stiff collagen

In contrast, cold-pressed fats and oils kept at low temperatures help to beautify the skin, strengthen the cell membranes and restore nutrients to the tissues.

In short, the best external skin care is to use products made using only 100% raw and living ingredients. At present, the only company in the world producing a range of such products is Raw Gaia. More information can be found at www.rawgaia.com

(c) Hector Bolanos, 2006.

Facial Tips: Scrubs, Masks, and Exfoliaters

Your skin is your bodys largest organ. Its also the first thing that most people notice about you. It shields your bones, muscles, and blood vessels. Skin is so vital, so why do people not take better care of it?

Not drinking enough water, going out in the sun without sunscreen, and using harsh chemical products adds to the damage. There are a myriad of products on the market nowadays to help you keep your skin healthy, among them masks, scrubs and exfoliation products.

Before settling on a skincare regimen, you have to know what skin type you have. If youre lucky, you might have normal skin not too dry or too oily, but just right. More people will have combination skin where there are parts of the face and body which are dry and other parts oily. Or, you might just be all oily or all dry skinned. No matter which type skin you have, there are products made specially for you.

Facial Masks:

Facial mask products can be found for any skin type or condition. Do you suffer from acne or blackheads? There are facial masks that you apply, let dry dry and then peel off. Dead skin covering blackheads will become unclogged which helps clear them up. There are also facial masks that you apply and allow to dry, like mud masks. When you are done, you wash your face with warm water to remove the mud mask.

Mud masks have a number of benefits, including oil control. You skin will glow with health, not shine with oil. The impurities in your skins pores are removed by the mud mask, and appearance of those pores will be minimized. Pimple growth is lessened and blackheads dissolve and wash away.

Scrubs and Exfoliaters

You can consider exfoliating like using very fine sandpaper for your skin. You will be using a mildly abrasive material that buffs away dead skin cells, leaving glowingly healthy skin in its place. Exfoliating has several benefits. First, old dead skin cells making your complexion dull are scrubbed off, leaving new fresh skin cells. Additionally, after exfoliation, it is easier for skin to absorb moisturizers and other skin treatments.

If your complexion is normal to oily, exfoliating is helpful three to four times a week. For drier skin, exfoliation should only be done one to two times a week maximum. You should establish a skincare routine that includes all of these products, and adds a cleaner and moisturizer. You will keep your skin healthy far longer and feel better as well.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Finding Effective Skin Care Products

To know what to look for in an antiaging skin care product, its important to understand what causes deterioration in the skin over time. All aspects of aging, including slack skin, wrinkles and uneven skin tone are the result of free radical damage at the molecular level.

Oxygen molecules are the bad boys of the antiaging world. When involved in a chemical reaction, they frequently lose one of their electrons and then dash madly about trying to steal an electron from another molecule. This can start a destructive chain reaction of unstable molecules, called free radicals, dashing around creating more unstable molecules.

Think of it like a radical mob building to riot force. Free radical damage is also known as oxidation. On metal, it appears in the form of rust. So when we say we are getting rusty, its not really far from the truth!

Fortunately skin has amazing regenerative abilities that help it repair damage up to a point. As well, nature has provided an anti-riot squad called The Antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in the human body and elsewhere in nature. They effectively block free radicals from getting to other healthy stable molecules.

But there are factors that can accelerate free radical damage to the point that the balance of power shifts in favor of the free radical mob. Current thinking categorizes the factors into: lifestyle (meaning where and how you live); the natural aging process; and genetics.

Some of these skin risk factors can be changed and some cant. As time and science march on, the list of factors which can be mitigated grows longer and longer. Lifestyle changes are frequently possible if you know what to do and are motivated to make the changes.

Thanks to fairly recent scientific findings, the natural aging process of skin can be slowed and even reversed to some extent. That leaves only the genetic factors of skin aging that we are stuck with. At least for now.

UV protection, in the form of SPF creams, is the first topical step to take for your skins health. The second is moisturizing. The third step is assisting the fight against free radical damage with antioxidants. Steps four and five are skin care products that help remove old/dead/abnormal skin cells and those that promote normal skin regeneration. Many ingredients shown to accomplish this demolition and renovation are found in the latest generation of face creams.

In addition to antiaging treatments that support physical health and beauty, there are also antiaging skin care creams that address cosmetic concerns like adult acne, uneven skin pigmentation and lines of expression.


While no one dies from these conditions, it is widely accepted that if we look better, we feel better. So though treatments for these skin conditions are termed cosmetic , they frequently have a mental health benefit in that they support a healthy self-image and increased self confidence.

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before using any of these products.

For a list of the most effective skin care ingredients and what they do, visit kxxp://www.ageless-beauty.com/skin-care.html

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Pampering Products That Feel Like Paradise

Whether you're climbing your way up the corporate ladder or overwhelmed with the organizational tasks of home and kids, a luxurious vacation to an exotic paradise may seem like an impossible dream. You can only fantasize about an outdoor massage among fragrant island flowers or a nap after enjoying a brunch ripe with fruits fresh from the vine.

You might not have the time or the money for a sublime spa jaunt, but today, all it takes is a trip to your local supermarket, pharmacy or health food store to help you pretend. The newest grooming and personal care products are bursting with pampering exotic fruit and plant ingredients that won't just make you feel amazing, you'll look amazing as well.

Exotic fruits possess a host of beauty benefits. For example, pomegranate and lychee help rid your skin of toxins, smoothing texture and tone. Who knew that kumquat was so rich in ultra-moisturizing vitamin C? Fig can actually calm stressed-out skin. Plus, all these rich ingredients create luscious fragrances that soothe your soul and lift your spirits.

The newest "crop" of exotic personal care products includes Nature's Gate Organics Fruit Blends - shampoos, conditioners, body lotions and hand soaps - all infused with certified organic plant essences. Exotic fruits and herbal ingredients, including patchouli, rose geranium, wild ginger and red tea, work together to create an amazingly delicious, pampering experience. In addition, these products smell divine and are free of harsh chemicals and animal ingredients.

So, lay back in your bathtub, close your eyes and let the fragrance of faraway lands take you on a journey. You might not end up with a T-shirt souvenir, but you won't have to hassle with your passport or airport chaos either. And you'll look marvelous!

Sunday, July 31, 2011

What's Your Hair IQ?

How do you care for your hair? What hair products are right for you? If you don't know, you're not alone. A recent hair care survey by Impulse Research found many women make hair mistakes. Here are tips to help you get the most from your hair:

Long Hair Care

Fifty-three percent of women surveyed have longer than shoulder-length hair and 55 percent have had the same style for more than 12 months. To keep your hair looking great and feeling healthy, or if you're looking for a new style, remember these tips:

• Regis Salons stylists recommend a quarter-inch trim every five weeks to prevent damage caused by split ends.

• Cutting layers into long hair gives it shape and manageability. Adding fringe creates softness and definition while providing more styling options.

• Highlights and lowlights create texture and dimension without cutting layers.

That's Hot

Even though 75 percent of women use heat styling tools such as curling irons and blow-dryers, only 16 percent use thermal protection products regularly. Thermal protection products, such as Regis designLINE Get It Pressed Flat Iron Spray, prevent hair from heat damage.

Sixty-five percent said that they use a blow-dryer daily. Here are a few things to look for in a blow-dryer:

• Ionic blow-dryers reduce drying time to eliminate frizz and add body.

• A cooler setting or "cold shot" on blow-dryers is used to set a style once hair is dry.

• Stylists from MasterCuts, a family-oriented salon, recommend adding a diffuser to enhance curls and create volume and texture.

Pick a Product

The right product can add volume, hold, shine or curls. A stylist at a product-focused salon such as Trade Secret can help you identify your hair type and find the products it needs. Here are some guidelines:

• The heavier and coarser your hair, the heavier your product needs to be. Gel is great for supporting heavy hair and pomade and wax separate and define your style.

• If you have fine- or medium-textured hair, choose a lightweight product. Mousse provides definition and support and is a lighter styling solution than gel or pomade.

• Hairspray comes in a variety of strengths, from flexible to firm holds, and works with any hairstyle.

• Shine and smoothing serums add sheen to hair while controlling frizz. They come in a variety of weights so there's a formula for all hair types.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Botox - Is It Really Safe?

There is an old story about a town of people who were running for their lives from an approaching asteroid. They ran to the edge of town and were confronted with a cliff and a long drop. Seeing the asteroid behind them, they all jumped off the cliff. On the way down, one person shouted out, "Do you think we're going to survive the fall?"

Such is the case with people and less extreme circumstances, such as when they look in the mirror and see they have wrinkles on their forehead, crows feet and heaven knows what else. They scream in horror saying, "My God! Where is my Botox?" and they head straight for the doctor. Then, after getting the injection, they ask the doctor, "Um, doc, is this stuff safe?"

The truth is, up to the present, nobody has proven that Botox is harmful in any way. But one has to ask oneself a few questions and compare the situation to other things in medical history that at first appeared to be perfectly safe and then turned out to be total disasters, resulting in massive lawsuits. To illustrate an example of this one needs to go no further than Vioxx. The lawyers are having a field day with that one.

Given that Botox is made from botulism, albeit a purified form, one has to wonder just how safe this stuff really is, especially if taken for a long period of time. To start our suspicions we need go no further than some studies that were done on doctors who perform such procedures as Botox injections.

Research shows that many doctors fail to take a person's medical history before even administering these injections. That is something that should be standard procedure. Then there are the so called "lunch time treatments" where patients just pop by a doctors office for an injection with no appointment, much like getting an allergy shot. Currently there are attempts to make tighter restrictions on these pop in treatments.

Then there are those reports of actual botched treatments where the doctor injected the wrong area of the patient in spite of the fact that it was clearly indicated in the patient's chart which areas were to be injected for that particular visit.

While none of this actually proves that Botox itself is dangerous, it does tend to make a person wonder. If treatments involving Botox are so lax and regulations are so weak or non existent, then certainly there is too much room for abuse by money-hungry doctors who have no concern for their patients' well being. The simple answer of "It's perfectly safe" just doesn't wash with all that is going on and reported everyday.

The only thing we do know for certain about Botox is that it can cause side effects such as bruising, headaches, double vision or temporary drooping of the eyebrow or lid. Also, it can leave the face without expression. And the medical profession has admitted that if more than 2000 units are injected it can be toxic. A normal session is about 50 units.

Well, at least it's a start. Now the world just sits and waits for the other shoe to drop just like with Vioxx.

Say Yes To Teeth Whitening

Okay, I admit it. Its only now that I learned about the presence of teeth whitening treatments in the market. Before this very minute, I used to be one of the unfortunate millions who regretted the fact that once born with yellow teeth or acquired youre forever doomed with it. So you can just imagine my joy when I found out that theres actually such a thing called teeth whitening. And it actually works!

If youre wondering whats so bad about yellow teeth then look at the mirror once more and tell me straight whats so nice about it? Between yellow and white, why not go for the shiny kind of teeth? Why continue to suffer with yellow teeth when teeth whitening treatments can turn that into something that could rival Snowhites skin?

The advantages to going for a teeth whitening treatment are endless. Lets talk about looks. Whether you like it or not, having good looks matter in this world. It can open up doors that were previously shut close to you. And having shiny white teeth is part of being good-looking. No matter that you have just about the best facial structure since Audrey Hepburn and youre blessed with a Barbie like figure, with yellow teeth, youre still not considered beautiful.

Besides looks, there are also career advantages you could enjoy when you go for a teeth whitening treatment. Employers are always on the lookout for decent looking employees who could be presented as models to look up to. White teeth is often taken as a sign of responsibility because taking good care of ones teeth is quite a hard and often underestimated and undervalued task and its also seen as an indication of someone free from vices, nicotine in particular.

If youre inclined to say yes now to teeth whitening treatments, here are the options available to you.

Professional Teeth Whitening Treatments When I say professional, this means letting the dentist take over the teeth whitening treatment from point A to Z. This may also mean regular visits to the clinic until you achieve the proper whitening tone for your teeth. The effects of professional teeth whitening treatments are better than do it yourself treatments but theyre also more expensive.

Do It Yourself Teeth Whitening Treatments as you can already draw from the name itself, its something that you can accomplish all by yourself. The effects may vary, depending on your ability to follow the instructions to the letter and on the amount of whitening solution used in the treatment. Less expensive than a professional treatment.