Natural Skin Treatment

 Our skin, like our entire body, is a machine.  Its purpose is to protect the vital organs, muscles, and bones underneath it.  To do this it must constantly revitalize by churning out new skin cells.  The skin has several layers. New fresh cells are generated in the lower most layers and slowly move toward the upper levels.  The movement takes about two to four weeks.

Skin cells should naturally slough off when they reach the upper layers. This doesn’t always happen.  Skin cells may get congested due to varying factors.  Sebum, the skin’s naturally occuring oil, may cause the cells to stick together is an example of this.  

Does this mean to scrub your tender skin till it glows red?  No.  However helping to get rid of some of those pesky dead skin cells can help with making our skin look healthier and be a better surface to absorb mosturizers and masks.  Keep in mind that if those moisturizers and masks are chock full of chemicals – the chemicals will be absorbed through your skin.  Try to keep your natural skin treatment care routine as chemical free as possible.

One over the counter product to try is Ecco Bella Leave-On Invisible Exfoliant and Blemish Remedy:

Here’s what one reviewer from Amazon had to say:

I’ve been using this product every morning for six months, and, coupled with a 5% benzoyl peroxide product at night, I’ve seen a significant improvement in my skin’s tone and texture. The benzoyl peroxide cream helps control my acne, and the salicylic acid/AHA complex in Ecco Bella’s product makes my skin noticeably softer, smoother, and more radiant. I’ve actually gotten a some compliments on my skin tone in the past few weeks — something that has NEVER happened before! Ecco Bella’s Blemish Remedy is a thin, yellowy-beige liquid. To apply, I press my index finger against the mouth of the bottle, flip it over and back, and then use my fingertips to spread the liquid around. I repeat this until I’ve covered my entire face. (I imagine you could use a cotton ball/pad if you wanted, but you’d probably go through the bottle fairly quickly.) I give it 10 minutes to really penetrate into my pores, and then I apply moisturizer/sunscreen and makeup. There is only one minor downside that I’ve experienced with this product: it has a strong “aromatheraphy” scent. To me, it actually smells a little like men’s aftershave. Luckily, the scent doesn’t linger. Some people will doubtless find it very pleasant. All in all, I highly recommend this product for those who are looking for an effective leave-on salicylic acid/AHA treatment. Additionally, Ecco Bella’s Blemish Remedy has no animal ingredients, and the company never tests on animals, making this product 100% vegan — a must-have in my book.

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Here’s a Homemade Recipe for your natural skin treatment exfoliator

Mix one tablesppon of sugar, one tablespoon of olive oil, and three drops of rose oil.  Massage over face and neck.  Rinse with warm water and washcloth.  Be aware to remove all of the oil from face. 

Natural skin products so don’t have to be expensive.  Who doesn’t have olive oil in their kitchen cabinet?  Depending on color, size, quantities, olive oil can range in price from $5 to over $30.  It can fit anyone’s budget.  You can even order it online, check out Amazon.  

Olive oil is sold in light to dark varities.  Don’t be fooled when you read “light”.  It refers to color not calories or fat amounts.  As an effective skin treatment, this oil is the ultimate moisturizer.   Note – moisturizing helps keep the skin supple, soft and smooth.  So OO helps in the anti-aging department too. 

Here are some ideas on how to add olive oil skin care to your natural skin treatment routine:

In your bath, add a quarter cup of olive oil (OO) with some drops of lavender or peppermint oil.  Lavender or peppermint are both very soothing.   This is a great moisturizing soak.

Grab some sugar, (I like the natural or molasses sugar becasue the granules are larger) and add two tablespoons of OO. Rub those hands together until the sugar dissolves. Rinse.  Badda-Bing – a great scrub for softening, dry hands.

For a groovy face scrub use the above, except use regular granulated sugar (smaller crystals), add two tablespoons of OO and half-teaspoon of Vitamin E or one teaspoon of Vitamin C.  Use as an exfoliator.  Follow with your usual cleanser.  

For some more bounce to your locks, use a few tablespoons of OO.  Massage into hair and scalp and cover with a shower cap.  Even a small plastic bag will do.  And some oompf by sitting under a portable hair dyer for 15 minutes – but that’s optional.  Wash and follow with your fav shampoo. 

OO is one of the best moisturizers from Mother Earth.  Try a dab or two today and add the double O to your natural skin care regimen. 

Acne is 

a) not just a teenager problem 

b) not connected to just certain foods like chocolate

Years ago, my pediatrician told me not to eat chocolate and spicy foods like tomatoes to avoid acne break outs.  Hopefully that sort of totally off the mark advice is no longer being given by the medical community.  However there is still a ton of misinformation out there about acne and how to care for it.

Acne breakouts can happen way after adolescence is over.  It also is not triggered by any particular food like chocolate. ( Thank goodness!)  However our skin is our finest barometer on what’s happening inside of our bodies.  This includes pyschologically.  Ever get a zit when you’ve been stressed out?  Acne could also be prompted due to an allergic reaction to particular proteins found in food.

The most common reaction to acne is to dry out the skin with harsh cleansers.  This is a bad move because stripping the skin of necessary oils tells it to make More oil.  Dry, flaky skin may result with congested oily skin below – and this equates to more zits.

To combat acne – especiallly with oily skin – use oil to cleanse it.   Oil with help to wash out impurities trapped in your skin and will spark your metabolism to output a healthy flow of sebum ( the skin’s natural moistruizer).This will helps pores to become tighter becasue elasticity will return to the skin.  

Here are some natural skin treatment  tips take care of acne-prone skin start with a gentle, nonfoaming or water soluble cleanser or cleansing oil.  Select and follow with a toner with a plant base, since plant derived alcohols help to dry pimples.  Try using something with tea tree oil, cucumber, or aloe to exfoliate the skin.  Use a moisturizer with skin healthy anti-inflammatory and antioxidants agents like chamomile, green tea, and/or tocopherol.  Finally, find a mineral sunscreen and use daily.

Here are some recommended products to try:

Mild Exfoliator

Dr.Hauschka Cleansing Cream

Facial Moisture Serum with Blue Chamomile and Echinacea This serum is recommended for oily, combination, and normal skin during times of summer and blemishing. Suki’s pure, potent, unadulterated mositure serums balance oil production, ease skin problems such as eczema, acne, rosacea, and other chronic conditions, & replenishes without clogging your pores.

To Combat Pimples (Apply vitamin c powder to pimples.  Add with body or facial oil)

Philosophy Hope and Prayer with Vitamin C

Mix it with ANY Moisturizer! HOPE & A PRAYER, a morning treatment, was originally formulated for the MEDICAL MARKET for the treatment of ALL SKIN TYPES. It is the FIRST AND ONLY HIGH POTENCY, guaranteed stable Vitamin C product that can be used alone or mixed WITH ANY OF YOUR FAVORITE products to instantly convert them into a state-of-the-art Vitamin C formula

Vitamin E is a multi-purpose supplement that can be easily incorporated into many beauty routines. The vitamin is in part composed of two chemical compounds called tocopherols and tocotrienols.  In lament’s terms these chemical compounds are naturals for fighting off free raicals.  As a result, vitamin e is an anti-oxidant that can help to fight a lifetime of pollution, smoking and sun exposure.

Used topically, this vitamin is a keen ingredient to heal wounds and replenish the skin.  And the best of all in my opinion – help to prevent stretch marks!  

It’s recommended to use natural vitamin e instead of the synthetic version to reap its full benefits.  Be advised the natural version may cost a little more but it will be worth it.  Buying the softgels will make it easier to add to lotions or body oils.

To  add an antioxidant boost to your homemade lotion, punch a small hole in a softgel (a sewing needle is good to use) and squeeze out the contents.  Blend it with a base lotion.  Two 400 IU vitamin e per ounce of lotion or gel will suffice.  Be careful not to use too much because the oil can tend to leave a yellowish residue on the skin, clothes and linen.  

The oil oxidizes slowly. Make sure to use it all within one month.  Or just plan ahead and make only a week or two amount at a time.  

The oil from the capsule also makes for great impromtu mosturizer for chapped lips.