Many individuals have suffered from acne at one time or another in their lives.  It may lessen or worsen with the seasons, diet or with hormonal changes in the body.  While it is not a life-threatening condition, many who deal with acne may feel a loss of self-esteem, especially if the acne is severe or leaves behind scarring.  The acne may also be painfully inflamed or sore.  Certainly, the shelves are full of medications especially formulated for the elimination of acne, but these medications may cause dry, flaky skin and may also aggravate the condition.  Therefore, natural cures for acne may be the first line of defense because they can be less harsh on the skin.

Mix equal parts of fresh lime juice and milk and use a cloth or cotton ball to apply the resulting mixture to the inflamed areas.  Let sit for 15-20 minutes, then rinse clean.

Yogurt and oatmeal make a wonderful acne healing mask for the face.  The yogurt’s lactic acid content can serve to soothe the skin, reducing inflammation and cleansing pores.  Oatmeal can soothe irritation and reduce inflammation also.  Mix plain yogurt with enough finely ground oatmeal to make a paste.  Apply the mask to a clean, dry face and let sit for about 15 minutes.  Rinse gently with warm water and pat dry.  If necessary, apply a light oil such as olive or sunflower oil to moisturize your face.

Ripe tomatoes are a natural astringent for the face and are great for oily skin.  Simply cut a ripe tomato in half and apply to the acne areas.  Leave the juice for about 20 minutes, then rinse clean.  You may also use tomato paste for easier application.

Please remember to do a skin patch test before applying any of these recipes to your skin and/or face.  This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any condition.  Consult with your doctor or medical professional before undertaking any type of treatment.

Hydrate! Just because it’s not hot, doesn’t mean your body doesn’t require the same amount of hydration.  You don’t breathe less oxygen at the change of seasons, do you?  Be sure to drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated.  Dehydrated skin looks dry, tired and may be prone to more wrinkling.

Get your vitamins! Vitamin D is essential for good looking skin and overall body health.  Summer is a great time to get lots of Vitamin D from sunlight, but as the days get shorter, the children go back to school and you’re indoors a lot more than you’re outdoors, it’s important to keep adequate levels of vitamin D in your body.

Moisturize! Topical moisture is just as important as hydrating the skin from the inside.    The best time to moisturize your skin is right after a bath or a shower – the skin has absorbed some of the water from the bath and is ready to have that moisture “sealed in”.  Try a natural oil such as virgin coconut oil, shea butter or avocado oil for all over moisture.

Eat healthy! Autumn is the best time to visit your farmer’s market for fall fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin, yams, avocado, apples and pears.  You can mash the avocado up for a great facial mask too!

Take care of your skin this fall – keep it hydrated, moisturized, and above all eat healthy foods.  The skin is the largest organ of the body and should be treated with care, naturally.

while in the shower or bath use either a pumice stone or foot file (one made to be used on wet feet – some are only for dry feet) to scrape off the dead winter skin on the heels and the ankles.  If you do this every time you take a shower or bath, then you won’t have to do a whole ‘thing’ once sandal weather really arrives.

Pay close attention to the skin on back of the upper arms and the elbows  – keeping these areas exfoliated and clear of dead skin is most important if you plan on wearing sleeveless shrits and tank tops.

Finally, check out those knees.  Grap a handful of wet baking soda and scrub those knees gently then rinse clean.  Believe me, you’ll have yourself looking great in no time!

In my search for that magic eczema cream that would ease my daughter’s itching, as she had it much worse than my husband, her pediatrician directed me towards Eucerin, Vaseline as well as  hydrocortisone cream.  Reading the ingredients on these items was enough to make my hair stand on end – I’m not a big fan of mineral oil mixtures or petrolatum jelly.  Mind you, these two oils do have their uses, but in my opinion, they are not for regular use on the skin.

After much research, I found my own magic eczema cream that worked for my daughter and my husband.  The base of the eczeam cream was unrefined shea butter to which I added other oils such as soybean oil.  After using this natural eczema cream on my daughter’s legs and my husband arms, there was a marked improvement in the appearance of their skin.  Of course, I used this shea cream on my two sons also and their skin improved, even though they had no marked skin conditions.

As it stands, I have not purchased commercial lotions or eczema creams since I discovered my recipe!  Please understand that I don’t claim that this cream will cure your eczema – I’m just relating my own experience.

However, if you would like to try out my homemade eczema cream, take a look at http://www.neosoulessentials.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=FortheBody and try a product today!

The stores are full of the same looking decorations year after year. Often, we purchase these ornaments, use them once or twice and they either end up breaking or we find something else in the stores that catches our eye. So much waste for such a short season! Try a “green Christmas” this year by using ornaments from nature or made from. Your garbage can and the environment will thank you. Plus, you don’t have to purchase all those storage containers in the after Christmas rush.

A green Christmas is very easy to have. Not only does a green Christmas lessen waste after the holidays, it saves you money too. By using materials from your own garden or a nearby park, you can create unique green Christmas ornaments that can make your holiday a special one.

Some ideas for creating green Christmas ornaments and decorations are dried leaves, pine cones, tree branches and fresh or dried fruits. You can even create your own fragrant wreaths by picking up the broken branches at the live Christmas tree lots.

Pine cones make great green Christmas ornaments. If you would like to get creative, use a small amount of glitter to add a bit of sparkle to some of the cones. Or, you can lightly spray paint the pine comes with gold or silver paint. Smaller pine cones can be use as Christmas ornaments with a bit of black thread and paper clips!

You can create a beautiful green Christmas centerpiece with colorful fruit, such as red and green apples, oranges, and even bananas, with a few sprigs of evergreen thrown in to add green foliage and visual interest. And of course, a beautiful red or white poinsettia can add the perfect touch, As an added bonus, your poinsettia, if handled correctly, can be revitalized to bloom the next Christmas season!

These are only a few ideas to create your green Christmas. With a little luck and a lot of creativity, you can create a beautiful eco-friendly Christmas each year to come.

I think that after my research into what we’re really putting on our bodies when we purchase that $1 or even sometimes $20 bottle of cream and/or lotion, it seemed to scare me away from a lot of those products.  Now, I can’t even go into a store w/out taking a peek at some of the lotion labels.  I mean, I don’t mind a synthetic fragrance here and there, but why must a list of ingredients for lotion be 10-20 items long?

So tell me readers, why did you decide to “go natural” with your body care?  Post your comment here about your reasons for switching to natural skin care or why you want to if you haven’t yet and you will be entered to win a 2 oz Jar of Eva’s Shea Buttah, Hempseed Oil Formula.

The winner will be selected randomly and will be notified via email.  Giveaway closes Sunday, November 30.

If you are planning a Thanksgiving dinner, it goes without saying that you should plan and prepare in advance.  Sometimes this is difficult to do, especially when the grocery stores sales usually begin the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  Take note, that in order to have an easy Thanksgiving dinner, you should keep yourself as stress free as possible!  This is where careful planning and simplification come into play.  Prepare yourself, however, for the fact that even with careful planning, there are always several last minute party preparations that you will have to do.

Grocery Shopping:
If you have not all ready completed your shopping try to do so MOnday or Tuesday evening.  If you truly want to have a stress free, easy Thanksgiving dinner, DO NOT by any means try to go to the grocery store, liquor store or any other store on Wednesday afternoon beyond 1 pm.  Schools usually are half-day that day and some workplaces close early.  And always, remember to go to the store with a list, which will prevent last minute trips to the QuikCheck

Decorating:
Keep it simple, keep it low key for your easy Thanksgiving dinner – remember, the key word here is easy!  A nice fruit bowl/basket and some candles placed in strategic places (lit or unlit) will give you the ambience you need.  You may also try using candle warmers with tarts to give an olfactory boost to your celebration.

Preparing Ahead:
You might want to prepareome of your foods and side dishes early. While you can prepare a number of dishes in advance, there are some that need to be made at the last minute. Perhaps you would like to prepare fresh salad or serve a cut cheese/fruit tray. These, by design would have to be done the day of.   If you don’t mind heating and eating and you have plenty of gravy, it may be advisable to cook your turkey or ham or other main dish ahead of time. Side dishes can be prepared or even purchased in advance and heated in the oven or microwave before serving.  In this way, the pressure is off for cooking the “day of” and you can merely reheat your dish.  An easy Thanksgiving dinner preparer knows how to take the shortcuts.As dinner is eaten, heat your pies in the oven.

Cleaning:
Again keep it easy.  if you don’t have small children, you should be able to do a “deep cleaning” ahead of time and merely do a quick vacuuming the day of your easy Thanksgiving dinner.  However, as one who has three small children and a dog,  I don’t stress about how immaculate the house is or is not.  In fact, immaculate house is not even in my vocabulary.

I hope these tips help you pull off your own easy Thanksgiving dinner.  And take it from someone who had takeout Chinese food one stomach-flu ridden Christmas – it’s not about the food, it’s about whose there.

Oh, and you may ask, how do I pull off my easy Thanksgiving dinner?  I buy it from Eden Gourmet in South Orange!

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I wrote before, my family is my guinea pigs and my husband works closely with me in the testing and development of my products. My daughter is my tester for my eczema products and my two sons, well, let’s just say they stay oily and fragranced.

Oh, yes, about bald men. My husband is a baldie by choice – he shaves his head every week or so. I noticed that even though he used shaving cream and rinsed well after shaving his head and used (gasp!) lotion, sometimes the skin at the back of the neck would dry out during the course of the day. It just wouldn’t do for the husband of “the natural skincare sista” to walk around with dry skin!

Now, my husband is a really simple person and, like many men, don’t want to deal with a lot of potions and creams in his morning routine. So I persuaded him to try to use the megamix whip on his head and it worked great! Not only did it absorb quickly and nourish that dry skin, but it left a nice sheen on the skin.

Some tips for bald men to keep that dome sexy and sleek:

• Always shave with a sharp razor – a dull razor will not give a close shave and may cause razor bumps
• When using a razor, always use a moisturizing shaving cream or shave oil to avoid nicks and cuts – virgin coconut oil can be used
• Use a soothing scalp conditioner on your head after shaving – you need to replenish your scalp’s natural oils try our Megamix Whip which is availabe u

After you’re all done, head over to Black Pearl Style Creations for a custom made knit scarf set to keep your head warm during the cold winter months!

The basic facts

Like the skin on your body, the scalp renews itself every 28 days by shedding dead cells and allowing new, healthy ones to emerge. Cold temperatures and low humidity, a reaction to harsh chemicals (like those used in permanent hair color), or a buildup from styling products can interrupt this natural exfoliating process–causing cells to pile up and turn into fine flakes. This accumulation can clog hair follicles and block secretion of sebum, further exacerbating dryness.

What to look for

* An itchy, red scalp after coloring hair or using hot tools.

* Small powdery flakes These are telltale signs that your scalp is dry, as opposed to having dandruff, which is triggered by a fungus and results in white, oily clumps.

Simple solutions

These easy steps will help ease the itch, fast:

* Avoid scratching. It’s irritating and can cause hair breakage.

* Use a moisturizing shampoo. Look for ingredients that help lock in moisture, such as sea-buckthorn oil, found in Aveda Scalp Benefits Balancing Shampoo ($12; aveda.com).

* Gently massage conditioner into your scalp after every shampoo to hydrate it and lift away some of the flakes.

* Lather up with clarifying shampoo weekly. These deep-cleaning formulas rid hair of product buildup and help loosen dead skin cells on the scalp.

* Turn down the heat. Hot water can zap natural oils from your scalp, making it ultra dry and sensitive; also choose the lowest heat setting on your blowdryer.

EXPERT STRATEGY If these tips don’t alleviate the problem in four weeks, see a dermatologist. She’ll check your scalp for a fungal infection, such as dandruff or ringworm (ringlike marks on your skin), and will most likely prescribe a topical steroid cream or shampoo, which will calm irritation and itch within a few days.

* The bottom line “Dry scalp is common, especially this time of year,” says Valerie D. Callender, M.D. “But it’s easy to fix. It’s just a matter of deep-cleaning the scalp and adding plenty of hydration.”

DRY SCALP

1. piled-up cells

2. fine flakes

3. clogged hair follicles

COPYRIGHT 2007 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group

Mary Rose Almasi “Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions“. Shape. . FindArticles.com. 26 Oct. 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_7_26/ai_n18629769 ]]> Mary Rose AlmasiGood hair days start with a healthy scalp. Its job, after all, is to grow strong shiny strands. But dry indoor air can zap moisture and dissolve protective oils from the skin on your head, leaving it itchy and flaky–and your mane dull and unmanageable. Help keep the skin you rarely think about (but should) in top condition with this advice from Valerie D. Callender, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine.

The basic facts

Like the skin on your body, the scalp renews itself every 28 days by shedding dead cells and allowing new, healthy ones to emerge. Cold temperatures and low humidity, a reaction to harsh chemicals (like those used in permanent hair color), or a buildup from styling products can interrupt this natural exfoliating process–causing cells to pile up and turn into fine flakes. This accumulation can clog hair follicles and block secretion of sebum, further exacerbating dryness.

What to look for

* An itchy, red scalp after coloring hair or using hot tools.

* Small powdery flakes These are telltale signs that your scalp is dry, as opposed to having dandruff, which is triggered by a fungus and results in white, oily clumps.

Simple solutions

These easy steps will help ease the itch, fast:

* Avoid scratching. It’s irritating and can cause hair breakage.

* Use a moisturizing shampoo. Look for ingredients that help lock in moisture, such as sea-buckthorn oil, found in Aveda Scalp Benefits Balancing Shampoo ($12; aveda.com).

* Gently massage conditioner into your scalp after every shampoo to hydrate it and lift away some of the flakes.

* Lather up with clarifying shampoo weekly. These deep-cleaning formulas rid hair of product buildup and help loosen dead skin cells on the scalp.

* Turn down the heat. Hot water can zap natural oils from your scalp, making it ultra dry and sensitive; also choose the lowest heat setting on your blowdryer.

EXPERT STRATEGY If these tips don’t alleviate the problem in four weeks, see a dermatologist. She’ll check your scalp for a fungal infection, such as dandruff or ringworm (ringlike marks on your skin), and will most likely prescribe a topical steroid cream or shampoo, which will calm irritation and itch within a few days.

* The bottom line “Dry scalp is common, especially this time of year,” says Valerie D. Callender, M.D. “But it’s easy to fix. It’s just a matter of deep-cleaning the scalp and adding plenty of hydration.”

DRY SCALP

1. piled-up cells

2. fine flakes

3. clogged hair follicles

COPYRIGHT 2007 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group

Mary Rose Almasi “Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions“. Shape. . FindArticles.com. 26 Oct. 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_7_26/ai_n18629769 ]]> http://sheaproducts.info/blog/soothe-a-dry-itchy-scalp-5-easy-expert-solutions/feed/ 0 http://sheaproducts.info/blog/three-benefits-of-virgin-coconut-oil/ http://sheaproducts.info/blog/three-benefits-of-virgin-coconut-oil/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:29:27 +0000 Natural SkinCare Sista http://sheaproducts.info/blog/?p=43 I’ve been working with oils for the last three or so years, trying to find that perfect combination that would leave the skin smooth and soft.  Along the way, I’ve learned so much about these oils and their benefits.   While these oils are great for your skin, some of them are even more excellent when used in other ways.

Virgin Coconut Oil is one of these very versatile oils that is good for you inside and out.  Let’s take a look at this oil

Origins:  Virgin Coconut Oil is the oil that is pressed or extracted from the fresh meat of the coconut.  It melts on the skin and smells of fresh coconuts.

Benefits:  There are three ways that virgin coconut oil can benefit you and your body.

• Cooking – yes, you can cook with virgin coconut oil and it will not make your food taste like coconuts.  It’s a great monounsaturated fat that can be used for frying (yes, you’re not supposed to fry food, but you know full well we sometimes do), in smoothies ( a great energy source) and in salad dressings.
• On the skin – Use it straight as a natrually scented massage oil or as a lotion for those dry spots.  I often use it to cleanse my skin and remove makeup and the environmental “dirt” from the day.  It’s a gentle cleanser that leaves your skin feeling great.  (Did I also say it smells good too?)
• On the hair – I use coconut oil as an “cold oil” treatment for my hair.  I slather on as much as possible, pop on a plastic cap and tie a bandanna around my hairline because the oil will run in your eyes (ask me how I know).  After about 20-30 min, I rinse my hair using warm water and a dab of shampoo, not too much -don’t want to rinse all that good oil out of my hair!  I also use it as a hair oil for mine and my children’s hair.

Try a small sample of virgin coconut oil to see how it works for you!