Benefits of Organic Rose Hip Oil for Your Skin

Rose Hip (Flowering) (Photo credit: Brian Digital)

 

10 Key Benefits Of Rosehip Oil:

1. Helps to prevent or improve fine lines & wrinkles: due to its high fatty acid and antioxidant content, rosehip oil works wonders in improving the condition of the skin, especially skin that has been exposed to excessive sunlight.
2. Effective moisturizer for dry skin: it is very helpful when used on any dry skin condition such as eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis.  The oil penetrates into the deepest layers of the skin to lock in moisture.
3. Proven to reduce & improve scars: due to the complex mixture of ingredients and its ability to regenerate skin cells producing more collagen, rosehip oil can make a dramatic improvement to scar tissue, after just a few weeks of use.
4. Can also help burns: a scientific study found that rosehip oil was extremely effective in reducing redness and helped to improve colour and  tone.
5. Can reverse effects of photo ageing: a study of the benefits of rosehip oil was conducted on women who had spent considerable time in the sun and had various signs of photo ageing such as hyper-pigmentation and sun spots. They applied rosehip oil daily for four months and improvements were noted as early as week 3.  By the end of the study, most of the sun spots had vanished, their wrinkles were smoothed out and their skin was glowing.
6. Helps to prevent/reduce stretch marks:  rosehip oil is safe to be used during pregnancy and after birth.  It has the ability to firm the skin and help it to regain its elasticity, as well as fading external scarring.
7. Safe to be used on babies & children: another great benefit of rosehip oil is that it can be used on all the family.  It is safe to be used on the sensitive skin of babies to help with cradle cap and eczema.  It is also excellent to help children’s chickenpox scars fade quickly.
8. Gives skin a natural glow: it helps to restore even skin tone, smoothes out wrinkles and fine lines, diminishes scars and gives skin a healthy glow!
9. Balances out oily/combination skin: rosehip oil is a dry oil, which means that it is quickly and easily absorbed into the skin and can help to prevent breakouts.
10. Evens out skin tone, minimizes pores and blemishes:  another wonderful benefits of rosehip oil is that it delivers a better, more even complexion.  It minimizes the size of pores and helps blemishes to fade and disappear quickly.

Related articles

• DIY: Rose Hip Anti-Wrinkle Cream, Oil & Tea… For The Health of It!
• The Ginormous Benefits of Rosehips
• Rosehip Oil
• Rose Hips for the Health of It
• The Rose Hip Hype.

When life gives you lemons….Make skincare

Lemon is an amazing fruit. It is good for you on the inside and out. I had no idea that lemon could do so many great things to make my skin look and feel better. Check out these 8 ways lemon is truly a miracle fruit.

Fade age spots – Just apply straight lemon to the areas before bed and wash off in the morning with cool water. After a week or two, the lemon will have cleansed the skin and lighten the color. If you want an all over body treatment, just add 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice to your bath and soak for 20 minutes.

For brighter, softer skin use fresh lemon juice on any area of your body, including the knees, elbows, and face to brighten up and soften your skin.

Get Rid of Blackheads If you rub lemon juice on the area with your blackheads, it should make them disappear. Do this every night and rinse with cool water in the morning until blackheads are gone.

Make a moisturizing mask for dry skin by mixing equal amounts of honey, lemon and olive oil. Apply the mixture to dry areas on the skin and allow it to dry thoroughly for about 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

As a toner for oily skin, combine 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons vodka, 1 tablespoon distilled water, and 1 teaspoon witch hazel. Apply with cotton balls and rinse with cool water. If you store in the refrigerator, it should last up to a week.

To exfoliate dead skin cells rub a cut lemon dipped into a half-teaspoon of sugar over your face for a few minutes, or create a mild mixture by using lemon juice, sugar and a small amount of water. Do this once a week to help remove dead skin cells and refresh your skin.

To make a lemon anti-wrinkle mask mix a teaspoon of honey, a few drops of lemon juice and a drop of sweet almond oil. Apply this mixture on the face and allow it to dry for 20 minutes and wash off.If your skin is sensitive to the citric acid in lemons, you can dilute the juice with some water. Using a cotton ball to apply is the best way. Try not to use lemon juice on your skin before any sun exposure since it will make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

Source: Perfect Skin Magazine

Related articles

• Stressed-Out Skin? Try These DIY Facials

Acid Mantle? What is an Acid Mantle?

 

Have you ever heard of an Acid Mantle?

Yes! You have one… and caring for it is critical for maintaining healthy, beautiful skin.

The Acid Mantle is a very thin layer, a barrier that lies on the surface of the skin. This acidic barrier is a mixture of sweat, sebum, oils and salt which is excreted naturally by our skin. The acid mantle naturally protects the skin by killing bacteria before it can get inside the skin. It also helps the skin hydrate and maintain it’s moisture.

The acidity of the acid mantle is measured by its pH. pH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14. Healthy skin usually has a pH between 4 and 5.5. Skin pH can vary in different parts of the body.

It is very important not to strip the skin with harsh alkaline soaps / cleansers. Doing this will allow for bacteria to enter the skin ~ disturbing the acid mantle leads to skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, rosacea and acne.

Your dermatologist, Esthetician or even your local pharmacy can recommend skin care products that are pH balanced. At-home PH testing kits are also available.

Balance=Healthy, beautiful skin!

 

 

Overnight Skin Care

After a day of coming in contact with harsh environmental conditions, our skin has been exposed to a lot of harmful elements. Over time this can result in damage to the skin and cause pre-mature aging. Because of the harm, it is important to take care of your skin. The benefits of a night skin care routine include improving skin tone and color, reducing skin blemishes, and hydrating and rejuvenating the skin. Establishing a night skin care routine will allow the skin to breathe, heal, and restore to a healthy young glow

At night, skin experiences several changes:

• Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) increases, causing the skin’s protective hydrolipid barrier to weaken, allowing for greater penetration of active ingredients.
• The skin’s own natural antioxidant levels increase.
• Skin repairs from the day’s damage from exposure to environmental aggressors, such as UV rays, smog, nicotine, etc. and rejuvenates itself.
• Stress hormones decrease during sleep, so the skin is better able to repair itself.
• Oil production is two times lower at night than during the day.

The time that the body spends sleeping is one of regeneration. It is the time that your body can undo a lot of the harm that you encounter during the day, and it is this time that a night cream can attempt to manage the harm done to your skin. While a day cream is suited towards protection, guarding you from the various effects of your environment, including harsh light from the sun and pollutants you may encounter, a night cream should be oriented towards healing what you encountered in the time available.

What are the benefits of a dedicated nighttime skin care plan?

Night creams and serums are especially designed to improve your skin while you sleep. Packed with vitamins and active moisturizing ingredients, night creams or serums are especially beneficial for those past the age of 30 when skin begins to show the first signs of aging. That’s the time when fine lines appear, the skin becomes drier and less elastic, and skin begins to look dull and patchy.

In your 30s, opt for an anti-aging eye cream. In your 40s, night is a good time to apply your anti-wrinkle cream.  It’s important to avoid applying eye cream too close to the lash line as the product will actually end up in your eyes, picked up by your eyelashes. Every time you blink the hairs will lift microscopic amounts of product and it can eventually deposit into your eyes.  Anything that enters the eyes can be an obvious irritant and cause unnecessary puffiness

Use products with performance ingredients – During the day your skin requires environmental-protecting ingredients but at night when your skin is regenerating, look for repair, exfoliating and anti-inflammatory ingredients.

-Repair ingredients like glycolic acid, retinol, Peptides,and Red Marine Algae to encourage collagen activity.
–Exfoliation to stimulate new, healthy skin cell growth while removing surface dry skin cells. Skin rejuvenation is all about “out with the old, in with the new.”
-Soothing ingredients like White Tea Extract and Azulene to provide anti-inflammatory relief.

Get your beauty sleep – There is no doubt that getting enough sleep every night can offer many skin benefits. Sleep can reduce dark circles because a lack of sleep compromises your body’s circulatory system and you get stagnant blood in the vessels under the eyes because it hasn’t properly drained. Lack of sleep also causes the skin to look pale and tired because the circulation has been impaired. In addition, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep because sleep deprivation also causes stress, which can aggravate all skin conditions, including acne, eczema and psoriasis. Bottom line: when you’re tired, you look it!

Last but not least,

 Change your pillowcases frequently – Why? Bacteria and oil may get reintroduced into the skin when you sleep so it’s always suggested for acne-prone skin to have a fresh, clean pillowcase to sleep on.

Related articles

• How To Improve Your Beauty Sleep

Product Review: Clarisonic Classic Cleansing System

Have you heard of the Clarisonic yet?  You need to.

The Clarisonic Skin System is a water-proof, hand-held device with a vibrating brush head. You apply a cleanser then move the brush on your face in a circular patter. A built-in timer tells you when to move from one face section to the next.

What is it: Sonic skin cleansing. Sonic technology first changed the way we clean our teeth–now it’s changing how we cleanse our skin! This cleansing method is so gentle and effective, it is used and recommended by leading spas and dermatologists.

Who is it for: All skin types.

Why is it different: This sonic micro-massage gently cleans pores–loosening dirt, makeup and oil as it reduces the appearance of pores and wrinkles. It’s proven to remove six times more dirt, sebum, and makeup than traditional, superficial cleansing, allowing your serums and moisturizers to absorb better. Skin is left soft, pampered, radiant, and younger looking–without harsh abrasion or chemicals. It’s so gentle, you can use it twice daily. You can also use it on your face, decollete, and body, if desired.

How do I use it: Use for one minute once a day, every day. It’s waterproof, so you can even use it in the shower or tub. Pair it with any non-abrasive cleanser.

Think you’ve removed all your makeup with your cleanser? There is probably makeup, dirt, and other impurities left behind after you cleanse that you can’t even see. The sonic frequency moves Clarisonic’s soft, gentle brush back and forth at more than 300 times per second, thoroughly clearing pores and skin surface  The Clarisonic  goes beyond cleansing by using sonic technology to gently yet deeply cleanse pores of environmental toxins, makeup and bacteria-without abrasion or harsh chemicals.  The Clarisonic development team, led by the primary inventor of the cutting-edge Sonicare® toothbrush, is committed to creating new ways to shed years off your skin. The easy-to-use daily devices use advanced sonic technology for results that are nothing short of impressive. With regular daily use the Clarisonic reduces dry skin patches, oily areas and blemishes and immediately leaves skin feeling and looking smoother.

My thoughts:  I LOVE my Clarisonic.   I’ve become addicted to my sonic toothbrush for the deep clean it gives my teeth and the Clarisonic is no different on my face.   I use it each night to cleanse my face and remove makeup.  Nothing I’ve ever used compares to the amazing clean along with the ease of use.  It literally takes just one minute to deep clean your face each night.  One minute!  Best minute you’ll ever spend.

In my professional opinion:  I recommend the Clarisonic to everyone!  Who couldn’t  benefit from a cleaner face?  The sonic action deep cleans pores while the brush cleans the surface and assists in exfoliation.  Both keys to a clear, smooth complexion.  I recommend using the device just once per day and I recommend it for the removal of makeup as it truly does a superior job.

In addition to the Classic model, the is the Plus model which is for the body as well, and the Mia, a smaller size version perfect for travel.  Any model is recommended.  The Plus model is great for pre-tan body exfoliating.

Clarisonic is proud to support breast cancer research. With every Pink Clarisonic purchase, a donation is made to help fund the fight against breast cancer.  Think Pink…..October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and October starts tomorrow!  What a great way to help yourself and others at the same time!

Related articles

• Summer Breakouts? Clear Up With Clarisonic
• love :: clarisonic

SOAP is a 4 Letter Word

The reason that bar soaps are particularly harsh on the skin is because they strip away the healthy, natural oils that the skin produces in order protect it. Many bar soaps strip this necessary oil, damaging the skin. As you know, bacteria thrive in low pH, so soaps with higher pH actually cleanse the skin better. This is for a number of reasons that have to do with the chemical formation of your skin. When skin is cleansed in high pH cleanser, very little, if any, dirt or make up is left behind. This ultimately will make your skin cleaner, smoother, and softer. That is why bar soaps should not be used on the face. Instead use a good cleanser formulated for your skin type.  Facial cleansers are mild and are capable of maintaining the proper pH for your skin.

 

Harmful Effects of Soap on Facial Skin

Alters Normal Skin pH
The normal pH of the skin is between 5.0-5.6. This pH range means that skin’s normal pH is between the acidic and neutral range. Soaps are usually more alkaline in nature owing to their cleansing properties. This alkaline nature is not good for facial skin and tends to make it dull and dry. Facial skin is naturally hydrated with oils that the skin secrets for itself. Using harsh soaps for washing face removes the protective oils from the skin leaving it extremely dry. Excessive dryness triggers the oil glands of the skin to secrete more oils thereby, making it oily. Women with oily skin may find soaps helpful in providing that dry look, but are unaware of the fact that this dryness will further trigger oil secretion by the glands of the facial skin.

Produces Wrinkles
Using soap for cleansing face reduces acidic nature of the skin and its moisture content. The near to acidic pH of the skin is essential to kill bacteria and prevent them from thriving on it, which is lost due to soap. Dryness and dehydration causes development of fine lines which gradually turn into wrinkles. Wrinkles make your facial skin look mature and once this happens, you can do nothing to get back your lively skin.

Reduces the Natural Moisturizing Factor
The natural moisturizing factor is responsible for keeping the skin nourished and moisturized all the time. Skin proteins are a part of the upper layers of the skin. The surface active agents used in soap production bind to these proteins and hydrate them excessively. This results in swelling of proteins which facilitates penetration of soap ingredients deeper into the skin. Strong chemicals coming in contact with deeper layers of the skin cause irritation and itching. After the water evaporates, the proteins are left drier than before, which reduces the natural moisturizing factor of the skin.

Causes Allergic Reactions
Soaps are made up of strong chemicals and not everybody’s facial skin is resistant enough to bear the ill-effects it brings along with it. People with sensitive skin often develop allergic reactions towards some or the other chemical ingredient present in the soap and face undesired consequences. Facial skin is extremely delicate and cannot handle strong chemicals therefore, must be kept away from soap.

May Leave Soap Residue
Using soap for cleansing face can be harmful if one does not wash the face properly after its application. Improper rinsing can leave a layer of soap residue on the skin which can increase its dryness and cause redness along with itchy feeling.

Natural Skin Care with Honey

September is National Honey Month! Jam-packed with antimicrobial properties, honey is a sweet treat for the skin!

So what is it about honey that makes it so good for you?  The first factor is its natural antibiotic properties.  Bees feed honey to their young and they use different enzymes to create an antibiotic and antimicrobial environment; keeping the honey fresh.

These antibiotic and antimicrobial properties are perfect for a honey facial.  They naturally clean the skin and boost the immune system.

Honey is natural and easily absorbed by the skin. It also has a high antioxidant content.  So a honey facial can help you reverse sun damage by eliminating the free radicals caused by sun exposure. 

 

5 Pampering Homemade Natural Skin Care Recipes with Honey

Here are some do-it-yourself, self-help, extremely easy to follow recipes to enjoy the benefits of honey in skin care. I recommend them also because all the ingredients that go along with them are so easily accessible.

1. Cucumber-Honey Toner:

Puree 1 cucumber in a blender, drain and collect the juice. Add 2 teaspoons of honey into the juice and mix. Pour the mixture into a bottle. Apply on the face and neck area with a cotton pad in the morning and at night. Air dry it and rinse clean. Store the bottle covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2. Honey-Apple Toner:

In a blender or food processor, combine 1 peeled, cored apple with a tablespoon of honey and pulse until smooth. Apply mixture to face and allow it to stay for 15 minutes, then rinse.

3. Honey-Oats Face Scrub:

Combine 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon finely-ground almonds, 2 tablespoons dry oatmeal, and some lemon juice or yogurt to a luxurious and exfoliating facial scrub. Massage mixture gently onto face, then rinse with warm water. This blend gives a deeply emollient cleansing to the pores of your face. Almonds and oats are superb softening exfoliants.

4. Gentle Honey Cleanser:

Mix 1⁄4 cup honey, 1 tablespoon liquid soap and 1⁄2 cup glycerin (found in drug stores). Apply gently on to face using a face sponge. Rinse with warm water and pat face dry.

5. Hot Honey Bath:

Perhaps the easiest natural skin care recipe using honey — Add 1/4 cup of honey to your hot bath water for silky and luscious skin. This is especially good for dry skin.

All Natural Homemade Pore Strips

Ingredients
1/2 Teaspoon unflavored gelatin (grocery store)

1 Teaspoon of milk

Directions:

Stir together and microwave for 10 seconds

Apply the mixture heavily avoiding your eyes using cosmetic brush

Let it dry for 20 minutes or until completely hardened.

Peel off the gel!

Quick Organic Skin Care Tips

Honey
Honey is antibacterial, which makes it lovely to use on oily or blemished skin. (Cover a blemish with a dab of honey, place a Band-Aid over it, and it will be gone by morning.)  Its stickiness makes it a terrific adhesive to hold ingredients together in facemasks.

Sugar
Sweeten your bath or shower with a handful of organic sugar – brown or white – and use it as a body scrub. A sugar-and-water paste will also exfoliate dry flaky skin or stubborn rough spots on elbows, knees, and heels.