Hey guys!
So I have made a tumblr that I am going to move to:
it is called www.naturally-emma.tumblr.com and I would really LOVE to meet some of the people that read my blog here. So if you have a tumblr, go follow me, send me a message saying you have read this blog, and I will follow back!
Love you!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
♥ Healthy Beauty ♥ Hair Care
Hello again, guys!
I have here the second part of the Healthy Beauty Series for you! This post will be all about hair care and how to keep your hair healthy.
I will start off first by telling you what my hair type is:
Hair Type
My hair is very fine and thin, with a natural wave to it. It isn't curly, just has a bit of body. My scalp tends to be normal-oily and the ends of my hair are prone to breakage and dryness because of how thin they are. I am also prone to "shedding" because of a thyroid condition that I have, so I have to be careful that the products I use don't contribute to the breakage and damage of my hair.
If you have a hair type that is similiar to mine, I will be sharing with you exactly what I have found to be working and what I religiously avoid. If you DON'T have hair similar to mine I will still be talking about general hair care, so there will be tips for you as well.
So let's get started!
THINGS TO AVOID IN YOUR HAIR CARE:
Sulfates: First and foremost, you HAVE TO AVOID SULFATES. Sulfates in general are just bad news. They strip your hair of all its protective oils and leave it porous and on the search for moisture. This is why your hair may feel light and bouncy but it is actually dry and prone to frizzing and breakage.
Silicones: Beware of these in your hair products. Silicones give your hair that nice silky, slippery feeling but they suffocate your locks. They coat them so that they feel nice, but all that does is dry them out build up in your hair, causing an oily film that only contributes to the drying out of your hair.
Alcohol/Sodium Chloride: These two ingredients are drying and are often used for clarifying the hair. For my hair type this is bad as they will dry out my scalp and cause my hair to become very oily and damaged.
More ingredients to avoid and why can be found here
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR HAIR CARE:
Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is a moisturizing base in hair care and helps to balance the scalps natural pH, so that your hair does not become stripped or too oily.
Carrier Oils: You have to be careful with these because some of the oils you choose can be too heavy for hair types such as mine. Good oils to look for are jojoba, coconut, sesame, apricot, or if you have thick, coarse hair look into shea butter, macadamia oil, olive and sweet almond.
Proteins: Look for hydrolized proteins as they rinse off and strengthen the hair. Proteins like keratin, soy, wheat, silk and collagen are all beneficial for the hair. Read more about them here.
Essential Oils: Essential oils are one of the main things that I look for in my hair care products. Essential oils such as rosemary, peppermint, thyme, and lavender are all good for hair loss prevention and help to promote growth. Oils such as tea tree, cypress, lemon, and basil are good for oily scalps and dandruff.
Apple Cider Vinegar: ACV is a common natural hair care ingredient because of its ability to balance the pH of the scalp, but also because it is surprisingly moisturizing for your locks.
PH BALANCING: One of the most beneficial things I have learned for my hair is that the more balanced it is, the healthier it is. I try and only use shampoos and conditioners that are pH balanced, it is has helped to balance out my oily scalp/dry ends issue like you wouldn't believe.
TREATMENTS THAT ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HAIR
There are a whole bunch of products on the market that claim to help your hair with damage, growth, split ends, you name it. But here are a few treatments that you can do for your hair that are natural, mostly DIY, and can actually benefit your hair and scalp.
Pre-poo
This process is very popular with people who have coarse, porous, dry hair. The concept is that you apply a pre-shampoo treatment so that your hair absorbs the nutrients in it and your hair cannot absorb so much water. When your hair absorbs water, it expands to absord it, and then when it dries and the water evaporates, the hair shrinks back, leaving it dry and stressed. You can buy pre-made pre-poo treatments such as Burts Bees Avocado Pre-Poo Treatment or Kiehl's Magic Elixir, however you can make your own effectively for cheaper using coconut, olive, or avocado oil. Coconut oil is the easiest to use, so you apply all over your hair and leave on for 30-60 minutes, then get into the shower and shampoo and conditioner as normal.
*What I do is a little different however. I dampen my hair with ACV and aloe vera juice by spraying it onto my hair and then I apply a small amount of coconut oil over top. This has worked for my hair as it doesn't weigh down my hair as much as straight oil does*.
Hot Oil Treatment
Hot oil treatments are good for moisturizing your hair and giving it a lot of shine. The most common oils to use for this is olive oil, jojoba, coconut or avocado. My favourites are olive and jojoba because it is so easily absorbed into hair and offers deep moisturization. You can also add essential oils mentioned above in this post to add some extra stimulation to your mix. To do a hot oil treatment, put some oil in a glass bowl and heat it up until its very warm. Start at the scalp and massage the oil into your head and gradually work your way down the hair shaft to the ends. When your hair is coated wrap your head in a shower cap (or you can use a plastic bag or tinfoil) and soak a towel in very hot water and wring it out, wrap your head up and wait 30 minutes - 2 hours. Keep the towel hot. You can also use a hair dryer if you have the time and patience. When you have let the oil soak in, hop in the shower and shampoo and condition as normal. It may take a few rinses but once the oil is out you will know. Don't forget to wash your body AFTER you have washed your hair so that you get the oil off of your body, that way your hair won't come into contact with it and get re-oily.
ACV Rinse
Apple Cider Vinegar rinse is to help rid your hair of any build up, while balancing your hairs pH and softening it. After you have shampooed and conditioned, spray a diluted mixture of ACV onto your hair and wait 2-5 minutes and rinse out. It will close the hairs cuticles keeping your hair smooth, silky and soft.
DO'S AND DON'TS OF HAIR CARE
DON'T
Shower
Pre-poo: Mixture of ACV and aloe vera juice in a spray bottle and dampen hair. Apply jojoba or coconut oil 30 minutes prior to shower.
Shampoo: I use Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo because it's ingredients are fantastic and it is pH balanced.
Conditioner: I use Kiss My Face Whenever Conditioner as well. I squeeze excess water out of my hair and apply the conditioner in my hair using the "ponytail" method, carefully massaging it in and working it into the ends. I then clip it up and leave it in for at least 3-5 minutes as I wash my body/face and shave my legs, etc etc
ACV Rinse: Spritz hair with diluted apple cider vinegar and massage in for about 2 minutes then rinse really well.
Post-Shower
Aloe Vera Juice: I put aloe vera juice in a spray bottle and once I have squeezed out as much water from my hair as possible, I spray the aloe all throughout my hair, especially on the ends.
Air Dry: I almost always let my hair air dry. I can confidently say 90% of the time my hair will be air dried. If I do use the blow dryer, I use it when my hair is almost completely dry anyways.
Products
Heat Protectant: On the rare occasion that I do use heat on my hair to blowdry I spritz my hair with Desert Essence Coconut Hair Defrizzer and Heat Protectant and blowdry.
Mousse: I am a huge fan of mousse because it helps give my hair volume and bounce, and helps bring out my waves in my hair. I use Kiss My Face Hold Up Styling Mousse. If I am using my diffuser then I will apply this mousse before my heat protectant and then blow dry with the diffuser. Otherwise I just scrunch and let air dry.
Dry Shampoo: On days where my hair is getting greasy I use Acure Organics Dry Shampoo or Talc-free/corn-starch based baby powder to control my oiliness.
Beach Wave Spray: I don't use this often because the sea salt is drying but if I feel like looking beachy and wind blown I use this DIY recipe for sea salt spray:
Treatments
Hot Oil: I use a mixture of castor, olive, coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, avocado, peppermint, and lavender once or twice a week.
Schedule
I try to extend not washing my hair for as long as physically possible, so I tend to wash my hair every 3-4 days, and use a dry shampoo in between. Then I hot oil treat once or twice a week depending on how much I wash my hair.The more I wash, the more I will treat. A typical week looks like this:
Monday: get up and go, don't do anything to it.
Tuesday: dry shampoo if need be, if not, get up and go.
Wednesday: Depending on how my hair is looking I will either water wash my hair, dry shampoo if need to and wash completely at night. If it still looks fine with dry shampoo I will wait another day.
Thursday: If I washed my hair the night before: get up and go. If I didn't: water wash, dry shampoo and wash out hair at night.
Friday: dry shampoo if I need to
Saturday: dry shampoo if I need to
Sunday: Hot Oil treatment and shampoo hair
So that is the end of part 2 of the Healthy Beauty Series on hair care. I hope you found some of this information helpful and happy hair care everyone!
I have here the second part of the Healthy Beauty Series for you! This post will be all about hair care and how to keep your hair healthy.
I will start off first by telling you what my hair type is:
Hair Type
My hair is very fine and thin, with a natural wave to it. It isn't curly, just has a bit of body. My scalp tends to be normal-oily and the ends of my hair are prone to breakage and dryness because of how thin they are. I am also prone to "shedding" because of a thyroid condition that I have, so I have to be careful that the products I use don't contribute to the breakage and damage of my hair.
If you have a hair type that is similiar to mine, I will be sharing with you exactly what I have found to be working and what I religiously avoid. If you DON'T have hair similar to mine I will still be talking about general hair care, so there will be tips for you as well.
So let's get started!
THINGS TO AVOID IN YOUR HAIR CARE:
Sulfates: First and foremost, you HAVE TO AVOID SULFATES. Sulfates in general are just bad news. They strip your hair of all its protective oils and leave it porous and on the search for moisture. This is why your hair may feel light and bouncy but it is actually dry and prone to frizzing and breakage.
Silicones: Beware of these in your hair products. Silicones give your hair that nice silky, slippery feeling but they suffocate your locks. They coat them so that they feel nice, but all that does is dry them out build up in your hair, causing an oily film that only contributes to the drying out of your hair.
Alcohol/Sodium Chloride: These two ingredients are drying and are often used for clarifying the hair. For my hair type this is bad as they will dry out my scalp and cause my hair to become very oily and damaged.
More ingredients to avoid and why can be found here
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR HAIR CARE:
Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is a moisturizing base in hair care and helps to balance the scalps natural pH, so that your hair does not become stripped or too oily.
Carrier Oils: You have to be careful with these because some of the oils you choose can be too heavy for hair types such as mine. Good oils to look for are jojoba, coconut, sesame, apricot, or if you have thick, coarse hair look into shea butter, macadamia oil, olive and sweet almond.
Proteins: Look for hydrolized proteins as they rinse off and strengthen the hair. Proteins like keratin, soy, wheat, silk and collagen are all beneficial for the hair. Read more about them here.
Essential Oils: Essential oils are one of the main things that I look for in my hair care products. Essential oils such as rosemary, peppermint, thyme, and lavender are all good for hair loss prevention and help to promote growth. Oils such as tea tree, cypress, lemon, and basil are good for oily scalps and dandruff.
Apple Cider Vinegar: ACV is a common natural hair care ingredient because of its ability to balance the pH of the scalp, but also because it is surprisingly moisturizing for your locks.
PH BALANCING: One of the most beneficial things I have learned for my hair is that the more balanced it is, the healthier it is. I try and only use shampoos and conditioners that are pH balanced, it is has helped to balance out my oily scalp/dry ends issue like you wouldn't believe.
TREATMENTS THAT ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HAIR
There are a whole bunch of products on the market that claim to help your hair with damage, growth, split ends, you name it. But here are a few treatments that you can do for your hair that are natural, mostly DIY, and can actually benefit your hair and scalp.
Pre-poo
This process is very popular with people who have coarse, porous, dry hair. The concept is that you apply a pre-shampoo treatment so that your hair absorbs the nutrients in it and your hair cannot absorb so much water. When your hair absorbs water, it expands to absord it, and then when it dries and the water evaporates, the hair shrinks back, leaving it dry and stressed. You can buy pre-made pre-poo treatments such as Burts Bees Avocado Pre-Poo Treatment or Kiehl's Magic Elixir, however you can make your own effectively for cheaper using coconut, olive, or avocado oil. Coconut oil is the easiest to use, so you apply all over your hair and leave on for 30-60 minutes, then get into the shower and shampoo and conditioner as normal.
*What I do is a little different however. I dampen my hair with ACV and aloe vera juice by spraying it onto my hair and then I apply a small amount of coconut oil over top. This has worked for my hair as it doesn't weigh down my hair as much as straight oil does*.
Hot Oil Treatment
Hot oil treatments are good for moisturizing your hair and giving it a lot of shine. The most common oils to use for this is olive oil, jojoba, coconut or avocado. My favourites are olive and jojoba because it is so easily absorbed into hair and offers deep moisturization. You can also add essential oils mentioned above in this post to add some extra stimulation to your mix. To do a hot oil treatment, put some oil in a glass bowl and heat it up until its very warm. Start at the scalp and massage the oil into your head and gradually work your way down the hair shaft to the ends. When your hair is coated wrap your head in a shower cap (or you can use a plastic bag or tinfoil) and soak a towel in very hot water and wring it out, wrap your head up and wait 30 minutes - 2 hours. Keep the towel hot. You can also use a hair dryer if you have the time and patience. When you have let the oil soak in, hop in the shower and shampoo and condition as normal. It may take a few rinses but once the oil is out you will know. Don't forget to wash your body AFTER you have washed your hair so that you get the oil off of your body, that way your hair won't come into contact with it and get re-oily.
ACV Rinse
Apple Cider Vinegar rinse is to help rid your hair of any build up, while balancing your hairs pH and softening it. After you have shampooed and conditioned, spray a diluted mixture of ACV onto your hair and wait 2-5 minutes and rinse out. It will close the hairs cuticles keeping your hair smooth, silky and soft.
DO'S AND DON'TS OF HAIR CARE
DON'T
- Wash your hair everyday. It strips the oils from your hair and makes it brittle and causes your scalp to produce more oils. You should only ever wash your hair every 2 days MAX. Some people wash their hair once a week and let their hair naturally sort itself out.
- Scrub your scalp. Be gentle and massage your scalp in the shower, otherwise you could be breaking your hair before it even has a chance.
- Get trims. You do not need to get your hair trimmed every 6 weeks. It would never grow! Only get it trimmed if you have split ends, and even then, only get the split ends trimmed! If I notice a split end on a hair, I just snip it off with scissors and keep up the maintenance.
- Use heat tools. You really don't need to use your hair dryer and straightener everyday. There are plenty of cute, no-heat styles, try some! Keep the heat away from your hair as much as possible and only use it on special occasions!
- Use hot water. Heat damages hair. That means that scalding water will have the same effect as other heat tools.
- Pick/touch your hair: DO NOT PICK YOUR HAIR! Do you want a head full of split ends? Also avoid touching your hair as your hands will deposit grime and oils in your hair and it won't look very good at the end of the day
- Wear your hair up all the time. Let your hair be hair and run wild and free. If it is always in a ponytail or worse a messy bun (don't get me wrong...I LOVE messy buns) the oils won't travel down your hair and you are risking badly breaking your hair and causing split ends.
- Brush your hair. Don't brush your hair more than you have to, you could be causing more breakage than benefits. If it gets incredibly tangled, brush it and then leave it. Also ALWAYS start at the bottom and work your way up with a comb and NEVER brush or comb your hair wet.
- Use products. If you really need to use product in your hair, opt for the natural option, it won't damage your hair nearly as much and won't leave build up.
- Start at the scalp. The ends of your hair are dead so if you notice they are damaged then it is too late. You need to take care of the hair on your scalp before all else because that is where your hair comes from! If you keep healthy hair growing, it will all be healthy.
- Protect your ends. Even though your ends are dead, it can still absord. If they are damaged beyond repair, you are out of luck. But if you have kept your hair healthy, moisturize your ends with aloe vera juice/gel, argan, or jojoba oil. The best way to do it is to make a low ponytail with your hands and anything below your hand you need to moisturize, paying particular attention to the ends of hair.
- Sleep on silk. Not only is it good for preventing wrinkles and keeping your skin cool, it also avoids having your hair snag and tangled over night.
- Braid your hair. If your hair is really long, putting it in a loose braid and using a scrunchy (aka something soft that won't break your hair) to tie it at the ends overnight is a good idea. It will keep it from getting caught in your hands or armpits...or partners teeth.
- Use a boar brush. Invest in a boar brush. They are great for gently de-tangling and helping natural oils in your hair moving and your scalp stimulated.
- Eat healthy and get your protein. Your hair is mostly protein so make sure that your body is getting enough to expend some on your hair.
- Use dry shampoo that is talc and sulfate free. Using dry shampoo will help extend your no-wash days and keep your hair looking nice.
Shower
Pre-poo: Mixture of ACV and aloe vera juice in a spray bottle and dampen hair. Apply jojoba or coconut oil 30 minutes prior to shower.
Shampoo: I use Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo because it's ingredients are fantastic and it is pH balanced.
Conditioner: I use Kiss My Face Whenever Conditioner as well. I squeeze excess water out of my hair and apply the conditioner in my hair using the "ponytail" method, carefully massaging it in and working it into the ends. I then clip it up and leave it in for at least 3-5 minutes as I wash my body/face and shave my legs, etc etc
ACV Rinse: Spritz hair with diluted apple cider vinegar and massage in for about 2 minutes then rinse really well.
Post-Shower
Aloe Vera Juice: I put aloe vera juice in a spray bottle and once I have squeezed out as much water from my hair as possible, I spray the aloe all throughout my hair, especially on the ends.
Air Dry: I almost always let my hair air dry. I can confidently say 90% of the time my hair will be air dried. If I do use the blow dryer, I use it when my hair is almost completely dry anyways.
Products
Heat Protectant: On the rare occasion that I do use heat on my hair to blowdry I spritz my hair with Desert Essence Coconut Hair Defrizzer and Heat Protectant and blowdry.
Mousse: I am a huge fan of mousse because it helps give my hair volume and bounce, and helps bring out my waves in my hair. I use Kiss My Face Hold Up Styling Mousse. If I am using my diffuser then I will apply this mousse before my heat protectant and then blow dry with the diffuser. Otherwise I just scrunch and let air dry.
Dry Shampoo: On days where my hair is getting greasy I use Acure Organics Dry Shampoo or Talc-free/corn-starch based baby powder to control my oiliness.
Beach Wave Spray: I don't use this often because the sea salt is drying but if I feel like looking beachy and wind blown I use this DIY recipe for sea salt spray:
Hot Oil: I use a mixture of castor, olive, coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, avocado, peppermint, and lavender once or twice a week.
Schedule
I try to extend not washing my hair for as long as physically possible, so I tend to wash my hair every 3-4 days, and use a dry shampoo in between. Then I hot oil treat once or twice a week depending on how much I wash my hair.The more I wash, the more I will treat. A typical week looks like this:
Monday: get up and go, don't do anything to it.
Tuesday: dry shampoo if need be, if not, get up and go.
Wednesday: Depending on how my hair is looking I will either water wash my hair, dry shampoo if need to and wash completely at night. If it still looks fine with dry shampoo I will wait another day.
Thursday: If I washed my hair the night before: get up and go. If I didn't: water wash, dry shampoo and wash out hair at night.
Friday: dry shampoo if I need to
Saturday: dry shampoo if I need to
Sunday: Hot Oil treatment and shampoo hair
So that is the end of part 2 of the Healthy Beauty Series on hair care. I hope you found some of this information helpful and happy hair care everyone!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
♥ Healthy Beauty ♥ Skin Care
So here it is guys! The first post in the Healthy Beauty Series!
This one will be all about my skin care essentials, as well as some tips and tricks I have learned along the way of my natural skin care journey.
So quick overview:
SKIN TYPE: combo-dry, sensitive, acne prone. My skin is mostly dry, like 80% of the time, but in the summer I can get the slightest bit shiny in my T-zone. However, for the other 3 months my skin is always in need of moisture. I get tight, red skin and though I don't tend to flake, my skin just feels painful. It's also sensitive and takes some time to adjust to products.
For the last few months/year I have been suffering from moderate acne. I typically breakout on my chin and between my eyebrows, as well as just under my cheekbone. And I usually get whiteheads (or sometimes cystic acne, but it almost always turns into a whitehead..).
I have researched and researched natural skincare, and I personally have been a big fan of oils. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about oils and people's skins react differently to different ones, so they are very difficult to discover for yourself unless you experiment.
So let's get started.
THINGS TO AVOID IN YOUR SKINCARE
Sulfates: This topic has been beat into the ground but nonetheless people continue to use sulfates. These are terrible for you skin. Here's why:
Fragrance: Fragrances (unless stated that they are created using essential oils or are phthalates) contain phthalates, which is a chemical that basically messes with hormones.
Parabens: These are chemicals that are used to extend the shelf life of a product, but studies have been shown that can link them to cancers in humans. Though there are different takes on this study, they are skin irritants and can cause serious reactions in peoples skin.
Sunscreen: Now this is a difficult one because just about everything with an SPF has a chemical sunscreen (physical sunscreens are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and are safer for the skin because they are not absorbed). Chemical sunscreen ingredients are irritants and are known to actually create more free radicals and damage your skin. For me personally, they also clogged my pores.
Here are a few more ingredients/things to read to get your research started:
12 Toxic Ingredients to Avoid
10 Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid
6 Scary Sunscreen Ingredients (and 6 safe SPF products)
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR SKIN CARE
Aloe Vera: It is one of the first things that I look for in my ingredients lists. It is a skin pH balancer and helps skin draw in moisture.
Tea: White tea. Green tea. Rooibos tea. These are all packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory goodness (which means less redness and irritation).
Carrier Oils: Oils like sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, coconut, argan, jojoba, sweet almond, avocado (and more) are all easily absorbed by skin and moisturize by either drawing in or locking in moisture to the skin. And they are all NON-CLOGGING. Do not fear oils, ladies. Even those with oily skin can really benefit.
Essential Oils or Herbs: The most common that I find myself looking for is tea tree, chamomile, lavender, calendula, rosemary (and more) because these are all anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients that do not bother sensitive skin and help to heal clogged or damaged pores and skin.
Shea Butter: A rich and non-comedogenic butter that has major moisturizing and healing properties and is packed with goodness for your skin.
Vitamin E & C: Vitamin E (tocopherals) is a moisturizing ingredient that is naturally found in our skin and helps with the elasticity and suppleness of skin. Vitamin C (asorbic acid) is an antioxidant that protects skin from free radicals, sun damage, hyperpigmentation (scars/brown spots), and helps cell-turnover.
Don't those ingredients sound nicer and more friendly? Because they are. Here is some more to read up on:
Natural Skincare Ingredients
7 Important Natural Skin Care Ingredients (<--- this woman's blog is extremely helpful to those looking to go natural)
Understanding Organic Skincare Ingredients
The most important thing about your skincare is to DO YOUR RESEARCH! This does not mean read reviews from other peoples point of view and hope for the same results. You will waste a lot of money that way (trust me, I did) and probably damage your skin. Research by looking up any ingredients you don't know and see if they are harmful, comedogenic, or irritating. Avoid as many chemicals are you can. They do more harm than good.
These sites are extremely helpful (and reliable) when researching ingredients:
SkinDeep Cosmetic Database
GOOGLE!
Now that some of that is cleared up, I will now share with you some do's and don'ts of skin care.
DO
Follow a regimen: Be strict with your skincare. Your skin cannot improve if it is getting taken care of 50% of the time. It needs time to accustom itself and absorb ingredients. So make sure that you cleanse 1-2x a day (if you are doing it once than make it at night so you can get rid of the days grime and splash your face with water in the morning), as well as moisturize and treat.
Exfoliate: Exfoliation is important in helping your skin heal and and prevent clogged pores. You should not be exfoliating your skin more than 3x a week, even less for more aged skin as the epidermis layer is thinner and can be more easily damaged. Choose an exfoliant that has fine grains or beads, as large granules (cough, St. Ive's, cough) tear your skin and leave room for bacteria growth. Look for ingredients like jojoba esters/beads (my fave), sugar, salt (more drying, use moderately).
Moisturize: EVERYBODY NEEDS TO MOISTURIZE. It drives me nuts when girls with oily skin don't moisturize their skin. They are asking for flaky, irritated, broken out skin. In order for your skin to stay healthy and clear and glowing is to make sure that it is not dry, which causes an overproduction of oil and thus, clogged pores.
Use sunscreen: A good sunscreen is important. Whether it is an SPF moisturizer or not, you need sunscreen. Most natural sunscreens are moisturizing as well, so make sure to go natural, also known as physical or mineral sunscreens... look for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide! EWG Safest Sunscreens - Natural Sunscreens
Use lukewarm/cool water: Hot water is detrimental to your skin (just like heat is bad for your hair!) as it creates a drying effect. Cold water isn't as bad but it can be a shock to your skin and nerves, which can cause visible blood vessels. Use lukewarm/cool water to wash your face so that it isn't taken by surprise.
Drink water and eat right: This has been beaten to death but for some reason people still don't want to believe it. What you put in your body affects what your skin looks like. Water is the most important beauty product, it's what your skin is (basically) made of! Eating the right foods will also help your skins defenses.
DON'T
Sleep in your makeup:Oh my gosh. Just don't. You are asking for clogged pores. Remove all traces of makeup before you hit the hay. Even if you are exhausted, use your toner of a makeup removing wipe. It's better than leaving the days bacteria on your face.
Pick pimples and scabs: I am bad for this. I usually get whiteheads so it was so easy to just pop them and move on. I am paying for that now. Even if you feel a cystic pimple coming, do not pinch or pick the area. Just don't touch it! I know it sucks but they will eventually pop themselves when they are ready. If you pop them, you will most likely be getting some scarring.
Pull or rub your skin: Pulling at your skin or harshly rubbing it is irritating to your skin, especially if you are acne prone or sensitive. Be gentle and let your skin care products do their job, not your biceps. Not to mention, pulling at your skin loosens it and can cause premature wrinkles.
Forget your neck and chest: This one is easily overlooked and I have to say that I sometimes forget as well. But your neck and chest are the two places that have the same sensitive skin as your face and is usually where aging is first noticed. So don't forget to wash and moisturize them as well.
HOW TO LAYER YOUR SKIN CARE
This can be very confusing for a lot of people, but there is a method to the madness of applying products to your face
1. Cleanse. Once your makeup is removed, obviously it is time to cleanse your face.
2. Toner. Apply your toner here. It is also beneficial for you to put your toner in a spray bottle so you can mist over your face and press it into skin with warm hands. This will keep skin moist for further absorption of products.
3. Correct. Now is the time to apply any correctors you might be using like blemish gels, skin brightener for hyperpigmentation, or a skin calmer for rosacea.
4. Serum. Apply your serum next. If you are using an antioxidant, it will help to put on during the day but is imperative that you use it at night in order to neutralize the free radicals in your skin cells.
5. Oil. If you are using oils, apply these now with warm hands and press into skin.
6. Eye cream. Apply your eye cream/serum/oil before your cream so that it is held into skin by your cream. If you are not using cream, apply it before your oils.
7.Cream. If you don't use oils, skip step 5 and go on and add your cream by dotting onto skin and smoothing and pressing into skin with warm hands.
8.. Sunscreen. Use this during the day. If you are planning on using your antioxidant serum during the day, apply it after your sunscreen.
Next, I will do an in-depth run-down of:
MY ROUTINE
Morning
Step 1: Cold Water. In the morning I splash my face with cold water a few times to remove any excess grime or oils that have accumulated throughout my sleep and it helps to wake myself up too.
Step 2: Andalou Naturals Brightening Clementine + C Illuminating Toner. Spritz on face to help with tone and T-zone shine.
Step 3: Heritage Rosewater and Glycerin. Spritz this on face after toner to help with moisture.
Step 4: Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Serum. I apply 3-4 drops of this serum into my hands and warm it up and then press into skin.
Step 4: DeVita Solar Body Moisturizer SPF 30+. I use this on my face after my toner's have dried. It says it is a body moisturizer, but it's so natural that I use it on my face as well.
Step 5: Makeup.
Bed-time
Step 1: Coconut Oil. I use coconut oil to remove my eye makeup and it is the best thing I have ever used. Will take off literally anything and helps condition the skin around my eyes, as well as my eyelashes. I even noticed a little bit of growth!
Step 2: Thayers Witch Hazel. I spray this generously onto my face and using a soft paper towel or cloth I remove my makeup. I will repeat this step in order to remove all of my makeup.
Step 3: Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk. I pump about two pumps into my hand and massage my wet face with this cleansing for 1-2 minutes. Then I rinse off with minimal water and gently scrape it off with my hand. I try to avoid washing off as much of the ingredients as I can while still removing the cleanser.
Step 4. Nelsons Pure and Clear Acne Gel. I apply this spot treatment and brush my teeth so that I let it sink in before continuing with my regime.
Step 5. Andalou Naturals Brightening Clementine + C Illuminating Toner // Rosewater Glycerin. At night, I have a smaller spray bottle where I mix my toner and rosewater together. It's about half and half. I spray this mixture on my face lightly and wait for it to sink in a little.
Step 6. Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum. Warm 3-4 drops in hands and apply by pressing into skin.
Step 7. Andalou Naturals Argan and Omega 3-in-1 Glow treatment + avocado oil + almond oil. I take about 3 drops of glow treatment, and 2 drops of almond and avocado oil and then I rub together, dot onto face, and massage into skin. I try and avoid where I put my spot treatment.
TREATMENTS
Exfoliant: Burt's Bees Acne Solutions Pore Refining Scrub. I use this scrub every 3 days and I let it take the place of my cleanser at night. After I've exfoliated for about a minute, I let it sit on my face for another minute or so. I just like to let the ingredients truly sink in before washing it off and continuing with the rest of my regime.
Masks:
IN THE SHOWER
Now, skin care does not just mean your face.
I take care of my all of my skin the best I can, which means my body is included.
The skin on my body is incredibly dry, all year round. All the time. And my back has a tendency to break out as well. I try to follow the same rules about my product ingredients as I do with the products I put on my face, though I am a touch more lenient about body products.
Body Wash:
Body Scrub:
I make my own body scrub by just adding a sweet almond and olive oil to a bowl of sugar and scrubbing my body. I scrub my body probably every 3 days or so.
OUT OF THE SHOWER
Body Lotion:
Deodorant:
I use my Secret Deodorant at night so it sinks in (I've heard that's how you are supposed to use clinical strength anti-perspirants?), and then in the morning I apply my Kiss My Face deodorant.
I know there is a big upset about deodorants and perhaps they are contain some dangerous ingredients, but I just don't think they are as much of a threat as people think they are. That's my opinion though. I won't stop using a deodorant that works because I feel like the chances of me getting breast cancer because of it, is very low.
Sunscreen:
Aaaand, that's everything! I hope this has helped some of you out and you were able to read my long speel!
Tata loves!
This one will be all about my skin care essentials, as well as some tips and tricks I have learned along the way of my natural skin care journey.
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| Oh man, sorry guys! LOL ^ |
So quick overview:
SKIN TYPE: combo-dry, sensitive, acne prone. My skin is mostly dry, like 80% of the time, but in the summer I can get the slightest bit shiny in my T-zone. However, for the other 3 months my skin is always in need of moisture. I get tight, red skin and though I don't tend to flake, my skin just feels painful. It's also sensitive and takes some time to adjust to products.
For the last few months/year I have been suffering from moderate acne. I typically breakout on my chin and between my eyebrows, as well as just under my cheekbone. And I usually get whiteheads (or sometimes cystic acne, but it almost always turns into a whitehead..).
I have researched and researched natural skincare, and I personally have been a big fan of oils. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about oils and people's skins react differently to different ones, so they are very difficult to discover for yourself unless you experiment.
So let's get started.
THINGS TO AVOID IN YOUR SKINCARE
Sulfates: This topic has been beat into the ground but nonetheless people continue to use sulfates. These are terrible for you skin. Here's why:
- They are irritants
- They strip your skin of natural oils and moisture
Fragrance: Fragrances (unless stated that they are created using essential oils or are phthalates) contain phthalates, which is a chemical that basically messes with hormones.
Parabens: These are chemicals that are used to extend the shelf life of a product, but studies have been shown that can link them to cancers in humans. Though there are different takes on this study, they are skin irritants and can cause serious reactions in peoples skin.
Sunscreen: Now this is a difficult one because just about everything with an SPF has a chemical sunscreen (physical sunscreens are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide and are safer for the skin because they are not absorbed). Chemical sunscreen ingredients are irritants and are known to actually create more free radicals and damage your skin. For me personally, they also clogged my pores.
Here are a few more ingredients/things to read to get your research started:
12 Toxic Ingredients to Avoid
10 Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredients to Avoid
6 Scary Sunscreen Ingredients (and 6 safe SPF products)
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR SKIN CARE
Aloe Vera: It is one of the first things that I look for in my ingredients lists. It is a skin pH balancer and helps skin draw in moisture.
Tea: White tea. Green tea. Rooibos tea. These are all packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory goodness (which means less redness and irritation).
Carrier Oils: Oils like sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, coconut, argan, jojoba, sweet almond, avocado (and more) are all easily absorbed by skin and moisturize by either drawing in or locking in moisture to the skin. And they are all NON-CLOGGING. Do not fear oils, ladies. Even those with oily skin can really benefit.
Essential Oils or Herbs: The most common that I find myself looking for is tea tree, chamomile, lavender, calendula, rosemary (and more) because these are all anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients that do not bother sensitive skin and help to heal clogged or damaged pores and skin.
Shea Butter: A rich and non-comedogenic butter that has major moisturizing and healing properties and is packed with goodness for your skin.
Vitamin E & C: Vitamin E (tocopherals) is a moisturizing ingredient that is naturally found in our skin and helps with the elasticity and suppleness of skin. Vitamin C (asorbic acid) is an antioxidant that protects skin from free radicals, sun damage, hyperpigmentation (scars/brown spots), and helps cell-turnover.
Don't those ingredients sound nicer and more friendly? Because they are. Here is some more to read up on:
Natural Skincare Ingredients
7 Important Natural Skin Care Ingredients (<--- this woman's blog is extremely helpful to those looking to go natural)
Understanding Organic Skincare Ingredients
The most important thing about your skincare is to DO YOUR RESEARCH! This does not mean read reviews from other peoples point of view and hope for the same results. You will waste a lot of money that way (trust me, I did) and probably damage your skin. Research by looking up any ingredients you don't know and see if they are harmful, comedogenic, or irritating. Avoid as many chemicals are you can. They do more harm than good.
These sites are extremely helpful (and reliable) when researching ingredients:
SkinDeep Cosmetic Database
GOOGLE!
Now that some of that is cleared up, I will now share with you some do's and don'ts of skin care.
DO
Follow a regimen: Be strict with your skincare. Your skin cannot improve if it is getting taken care of 50% of the time. It needs time to accustom itself and absorb ingredients. So make sure that you cleanse 1-2x a day (if you are doing it once than make it at night so you can get rid of the days grime and splash your face with water in the morning), as well as moisturize and treat.
Exfoliate: Exfoliation is important in helping your skin heal and and prevent clogged pores. You should not be exfoliating your skin more than 3x a week, even less for more aged skin as the epidermis layer is thinner and can be more easily damaged. Choose an exfoliant that has fine grains or beads, as large granules (cough, St. Ive's, cough) tear your skin and leave room for bacteria growth. Look for ingredients like jojoba esters/beads (my fave), sugar, salt (more drying, use moderately).
Moisturize: EVERYBODY NEEDS TO MOISTURIZE. It drives me nuts when girls with oily skin don't moisturize their skin. They are asking for flaky, irritated, broken out skin. In order for your skin to stay healthy and clear and glowing is to make sure that it is not dry, which causes an overproduction of oil and thus, clogged pores.
Use sunscreen: A good sunscreen is important. Whether it is an SPF moisturizer or not, you need sunscreen. Most natural sunscreens are moisturizing as well, so make sure to go natural, also known as physical or mineral sunscreens... look for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide! EWG Safest Sunscreens - Natural Sunscreens
Use lukewarm/cool water: Hot water is detrimental to your skin (just like heat is bad for your hair!) as it creates a drying effect. Cold water isn't as bad but it can be a shock to your skin and nerves, which can cause visible blood vessels. Use lukewarm/cool water to wash your face so that it isn't taken by surprise.
Drink water and eat right: This has been beaten to death but for some reason people still don't want to believe it. What you put in your body affects what your skin looks like. Water is the most important beauty product, it's what your skin is (basically) made of! Eating the right foods will also help your skins defenses.
DON'T
Sleep in your makeup:Oh my gosh. Just don't. You are asking for clogged pores. Remove all traces of makeup before you hit the hay. Even if you are exhausted, use your toner of a makeup removing wipe. It's better than leaving the days bacteria on your face.
Pick pimples and scabs: I am bad for this. I usually get whiteheads so it was so easy to just pop them and move on. I am paying for that now. Even if you feel a cystic pimple coming, do not pinch or pick the area. Just don't touch it! I know it sucks but they will eventually pop themselves when they are ready. If you pop them, you will most likely be getting some scarring.
Pull or rub your skin: Pulling at your skin or harshly rubbing it is irritating to your skin, especially if you are acne prone or sensitive. Be gentle and let your skin care products do their job, not your biceps. Not to mention, pulling at your skin loosens it and can cause premature wrinkles.
Forget your neck and chest: This one is easily overlooked and I have to say that I sometimes forget as well. But your neck and chest are the two places that have the same sensitive skin as your face and is usually where aging is first noticed. So don't forget to wash and moisturize them as well.
HOW TO LAYER YOUR SKIN CARE
This can be very confusing for a lot of people, but there is a method to the madness of applying products to your face
1. Cleanse. Once your makeup is removed, obviously it is time to cleanse your face.
2. Toner. Apply your toner here. It is also beneficial for you to put your toner in a spray bottle so you can mist over your face and press it into skin with warm hands. This will keep skin moist for further absorption of products.
3. Correct. Now is the time to apply any correctors you might be using like blemish gels, skin brightener for hyperpigmentation, or a skin calmer for rosacea.
4. Serum. Apply your serum next. If you are using an antioxidant, it will help to put on during the day but is imperative that you use it at night in order to neutralize the free radicals in your skin cells.
5. Oil. If you are using oils, apply these now with warm hands and press into skin.
6. Eye cream. Apply your eye cream/serum/oil before your cream so that it is held into skin by your cream. If you are not using cream, apply it before your oils.
7.Cream. If you don't use oils, skip step 5 and go on and add your cream by dotting onto skin and smoothing and pressing into skin with warm hands.
8.. Sunscreen. Use this during the day. If you are planning on using your antioxidant serum during the day, apply it after your sunscreen.
Next, I will do an in-depth run-down of:
MY ROUTINE
Morning
Step 1: Cold Water. In the morning I splash my face with cold water a few times to remove any excess grime or oils that have accumulated throughout my sleep and it helps to wake myself up too.
Step 2: Andalou Naturals Brightening Clementine + C Illuminating Toner. Spritz on face to help with tone and T-zone shine.
Step 3: Heritage Rosewater and Glycerin. Spritz this on face after toner to help with moisture.
Step 4: Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Serum. I apply 3-4 drops of this serum into my hands and warm it up and then press into skin.
Step 4: DeVita Solar Body Moisturizer SPF 30+. I use this on my face after my toner's have dried. It says it is a body moisturizer, but it's so natural that I use it on my face as well.
Step 5: Makeup.
Bed-time
Step 1: Coconut Oil. I use coconut oil to remove my eye makeup and it is the best thing I have ever used. Will take off literally anything and helps condition the skin around my eyes, as well as my eyelashes. I even noticed a little bit of growth!
Step 2: Thayers Witch Hazel. I spray this generously onto my face and using a soft paper towel or cloth I remove my makeup. I will repeat this step in order to remove all of my makeup.
Step 3: Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk. I pump about two pumps into my hand and massage my wet face with this cleansing for 1-2 minutes. Then I rinse off with minimal water and gently scrape it off with my hand. I try to avoid washing off as much of the ingredients as I can while still removing the cleanser.
Step 4. Nelsons Pure and Clear Acne Gel. I apply this spot treatment and brush my teeth so that I let it sink in before continuing with my regime.
Step 5. Andalou Naturals Brightening Clementine + C Illuminating Toner // Rosewater Glycerin. At night, I have a smaller spray bottle where I mix my toner and rosewater together. It's about half and half. I spray this mixture on my face lightly and wait for it to sink in a little.
Step 6. Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum. Warm 3-4 drops in hands and apply by pressing into skin.
Step 7. Andalou Naturals Argan and Omega 3-in-1 Glow treatment + avocado oil + almond oil. I take about 3 drops of glow treatment, and 2 drops of almond and avocado oil and then I rub together, dot onto face, and massage into skin. I try and avoid where I put my spot treatment.
TREATMENTS
Exfoliant: Burt's Bees Acne Solutions Pore Refining Scrub. I use this scrub every 3 days and I let it take the place of my cleanser at night. After I've exfoliated for about a minute, I let it sit on my face for another minute or so. I just like to let the ingredients truly sink in before washing it off and continuing with the rest of my regime.
Masks:
- Andalou Naturals Glycolic Brightening Pumpkin Honey Mask.
- Alba Botanica Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask
- Isvara Organics Clear Skin Facial Mask
- Aztec Healing Clay
IN THE SHOWER
Now, skin care does not just mean your face.
I take care of my all of my skin the best I can, which means my body is included.
The skin on my body is incredibly dry, all year round. All the time. And my back has a tendency to break out as well. I try to follow the same rules about my product ingredients as I do with the products I put on my face, though I am a touch more lenient about body products.
Body Wash:
- Nubian Heritage Mango Butter Bar Soap
- Nubian Heritage Coconut and Papaya Bar Soap
Body Scrub:
- Alba Botanic Acnedote Face and Body Scrub
- Sugar + almond oil + olive oil
I make my own body scrub by just adding a sweet almond and olive oil to a bowl of sugar and scrubbing my body. I scrub my body probably every 3 days or so.
OUT OF THE SHOWER
Body Lotion:
- Desert Essence Almond Lotion
- Desert Essence Tropical Coconut Lotion
- Alba Botanica Kukui Nut Body Oil
- Alba Botanica Kukui Nut Body Cream
Deodorant:
- Secret Clinical Strength
- Kiss My Face Liquid Roll On
I use my Secret Deodorant at night so it sinks in (I've heard that's how you are supposed to use clinical strength anti-perspirants?), and then in the morning I apply my Kiss My Face deodorant.
I know there is a big upset about deodorants and perhaps they are contain some dangerous ingredients, but I just don't think they are as much of a threat as people think they are. That's my opinion though. I won't stop using a deodorant that works because I feel like the chances of me getting breast cancer because of it, is very low.
Sunscreen:
- Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion
- Hawaiian Tropics Sheer Touch Sunscreen Spray
Aaaand, that's everything! I hope this has helped some of you out and you were able to read my long speel!
Tata loves!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
♥ Health Beauty Series ♥ Coming Soon!
So I have decided that I am going to do a series of posts about the products and routines I use in order to keep my skin, hair, and body healthy. I was going to do it all in one giant post but then I realized that there was no way I would be able to sit down and write it all at once...there is too much!
So this is just a heads up that some information is coming your way. Here is an overview of what I will be talking about:
1. Skin care (for dry skin, acne prone)
2. Hair care (avoiding split ends, keeping all types of hair moisturized, what to look for and what to avoid in your products)
3. Fitness (what I do to cover all of my fitness bases, my biggest pet peeves of fitness - specifically for ladies)
4. Supplementation (for skin, body, hair, etc - my routine and philosophy on the body and what it needs)
If I think of anything else I'll be sure to add it, but for now it will be a 4 part series! I don't know if I will be starting it this summer or when I get back in the fall, we will have to see how much time I have for myself!
Either way, STAY TUNED!
Love you all and thanks as always for reading this blog ♥
So this is just a heads up that some information is coming your way. Here is an overview of what I will be talking about:
1. Skin care (for dry skin, acne prone)
2. Hair care (avoiding split ends, keeping all types of hair moisturized, what to look for and what to avoid in your products)
3. Fitness (what I do to cover all of my fitness bases, my biggest pet peeves of fitness - specifically for ladies)
4. Supplementation (for skin, body, hair, etc - my routine and philosophy on the body and what it needs)
If I think of anything else I'll be sure to add it, but for now it will be a 4 part series! I don't know if I will be starting it this summer or when I get back in the fall, we will have to see how much time I have for myself!
Either way, STAY TUNED!
Love you all and thanks as always for reading this blog ♥
Friday, June 28, 2013
Pale Skin?
Lately I have been thinking more about my skin colour and I have (almost) come to the conclusion that I am just going to accept my pale skin. I know that it shouldn't be such a big deal BUT...I like looking tan.
Here are my pro's and con's:
PROS:
Anywho, I have made a collage of all my pale-skinned inspirations to show myself that I can be just as beautiful as they are:
Here are my pro's and con's:
PROS:
- Won't have to spend the money on expensive quality self tanners.
- Also won't have to waste the time with putting self tanners on..
- I won't feel self-conscious about my colour being splotchy and fading strangely because I hate that.
- It's my natural skin!
- Overall less time, less work, less product
- It would make me wear sunscreen all the time.
- I like being tan. It looks glowy and healthy to me.
- I can get blindingly white.
- I would feel self-concious about my super pale skin in the summer months (not so much winter and fall)
- A lot of my makeup and whatnot is geared towards tanned skin (I would have to learn how to make my makeup look good on my pale skin..)
- Redness and blotchiness in my skin would show up more.
Anywho, I have made a collage of all my pale-skinned inspirations to show myself that I can be just as beautiful as they are:
KRISTEN BELL
EMMA STONE
AMANDA SEYFRIED
KRISTIN STEWART
TAYLOR SWIFT
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