Skincare Information and Tips

More Skincare Information and Tips: Home Facials and Dry Skin Help

Is water really important for your skin?

Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day ??? ?

Bathing....It's Worth Your Time!

At one time, it was thought that bathing too much would dry the skin. Not true.....hydrating the skin is vital. Water that is too hot is what would do harm. Especially for those who suffer with dry-skin!

Like sea salts, other detoxifying additives are seaweed and mud products. A mixture of salts and oils are beneficial for relaxation, rejuvenation and easing sore muscles. The addition of essential oil blends can relieve many physical ailments such as muscle tension, congestion and sinus problems, improve circulation and provide relief from stress.

When adding any additives to the bath, such as salts, oils or seaweed, soaking for at least twenty minutes will give you the fullest benefits.

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Leg Shaving Tips

Bentonite clay is often used to make shaving soaps because it has a slippery consistency (it's almost slimy feeling) thus letting the razor glide over the skin easier. You want a good lather from a moisturizing soap, or a shaving gel or cream product. Using a good moisturizing soap has improved my skin over all. Never, never use a deodorant soap. That will cause irritation "for sure"!

While we're on the leg area......An important factor in firm skin is new cell generation and good circulation. Massaging and working the skin and muscles creates your circulation of blood flow to improve. This helps to firm the skin.

I do want to tell you that the best way to use any exfoliating product is to not try to remove years of imperfections in a week or two! Instead, use a quality product, use it consistently and do not apply hard pressure to the skin. Let the product gently glide over the skin with light pressure. As tempting as it is to get the results we want quickly, it is best to do a little at a time and not irritate or damage the skin further.

Bathing can be a lengthy process for us girls by the time we do everything. But as often as you have the time when showering or bathing, take the extra time to work the skin and the muscles in your problem areas such as the back of the thighs and upper legs. You can do this with your soap and wash cloth or loofa. Massage these areas to get the blood flowing and create better circulation.

If you have a severe dry skin problem and your skin is scaly, not just dry or "normal" dead skin, it may be in your best interest to see a Dermatologist. You could have eczema or psoriasis and need a Doctors prescription creme.

Also, a quick note on some research I did on all these new products the big cosmetic companies are coming out with. Products such as Alpha and Beta Hydroxy.

The FDA regulates these types of products, and these companies that are marketing such promises as wrinkle and cellulite miracles, just really do not work because the companies are not allowed to use it at the strengths required. Only a Doctor of Dermatology is licensed to use at prescription strength to actually get results. So if you were thinking of investing in over the counter cellulite treatments, then your money would be better spent seeking a Dermatologist's advice and help.

Some of Nature's Gifts to Our Skin

Here are some examples:

Almonds: The almond is cultivated in Greece and throughout the Mediterranean, where it's oil is used to soothe dry skin.

Avocado: Since pre Columbian times, Latin American women have used the inside skin of an avocado because it acts as an excellent exfoliant while adding Vitamin E to your complexion. Avacado contains essential fatty acids, proteins, minerals, beta carotene and Vitamin E. It is a nourishing oil for dry skin.
See Site Links below for home facial recipes with avacado.

Cocoa Butter: Cocoa butter comes from the cocoa bean and is an age old secret of Tahitian women. It is used to counter-act the drying effects of salt air, intense sun and extreme weather conditions. It is known for its emollient properties.

Honey: For centuries Columbian women have been aware of the beatifying properties of honey. Not only does it cleanse, nourish and heal, but it's also a natural moisturizer. Honey can be used as a face mask as well. See Site Links below for home facial recipes using honey.


Jojoba Oil: Great for all skin types due to its close chemical structure to the skins own sebum (oily secretions), giving it excellent moisturizing and emulsifying properties. Contains protein, minerals, and myristic acid, an anti-inflammatory agent.

Milk: Milk nourishes and softens the skin. For centuries ancient Egyptians, among others, used milk to smooth and rejuvenate dry, lifeless skin. While all milk is good for the skin, goat milk has been proven to be most beneficial to the skin due to its natural ph level is closest to our skins ph.

Olive Oil: Good for dehydrated or irritated skin. A healthy natural oil internally and for external use. Olive oil on a cotton ball removes make up very well.

Pumice: Rock formed from the ash of Volcanic eruptions. In ancient times, many structures were built with volcanic rock.

Today, it is used in skincare to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Pumice stones are used on rough skin and callouses on the feet. In powdered or ground form, it is used in hand cleaning products such as mechanic's hand wash and gardeners and painters soap because it cleans in the crevices of the hands well to remove oil, dirt and stains.
Loofa: (loofah) A dried fibrous fruit of a plant. (A gourd actually) The "genus luffa" or a loofa gourd.

It is used as a rough sponge. The gourds grow on a vine until matured. They look like big cucumbers and can be from 12" to 18" long. The outer shell is broken and the fiborous sponge is removed and the seeds saved for planting. The sponges are washed, sometimes bleached, rinsed and then dried in the sun.

The rough texture of the gourd sponge encourages circulation of the blood flow which in turn, speeds new cell growth.


Special note on Glycerine: Glycerine penetrates the skin to help moisturize from the inside out. It softens the skin and is best for people with dry or sensitive skin.
It's chemical name is "Glycerol". It melts at 160 degrees.
Glycerin is a humectant derived from vegetable fatty acids, drawing vital moisture to the skin to ensure flexibility and resilience. It is a natural by-product.

Is it true that many commercial soap manufacturers remove the glycerin?

Yes. It is removed and used in higher priced upscale products such as lotions and creams, leaving a harsher, less moisturizing bar of soap.

(less glycerin=less priced=less quality; and you can feel the difference). The soap on the shelves of drug stores and supermarkets is not actually soap, it's detergent that irritates and/or dries out the skin of most people.
You would not believe the stuff in these bars! Chemicals....lot's of chemicals.

You do not need this! Your skin is being damaged from these chemicals, and who knows what other negative effects it may have on you and your skin! Why? Money. They produce thousands of products for next to nothing by using chemicals and animal fats. (remember, they also remove the glycerine) They know everybody uses/needs soap and you are mostly paying for the packaging the bar comes in and the advertising they must do.

The FDA does not require "soap manufacturers" to label soap (bar) products. Most people don't even wonder what soap is made of therefore are clueless to what they are bathing their skin with. The rest of us do know that originally, soap was/is made with lye (a corrosive alkaline substance) and that it was a long and difficult chore. Even further back in history, soap makers used "Tallow" to produce soap (cow or sheep fat).

Lye was locally made from various and sundry caustic ingredients, including fowl droppings, human urine, wood ash, and powdered limestone, mixed down with rainwater to desired strength. Lye was used to bleach, to soften, and to scour, and to dissolve unwanted bits of adhering materials (flesh or fat from hides during tanning, for instance).

Owner's Note:

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