Iced Green Tea for strengthening your skin

Noticing papery, thin skin? Try our clay masques to return elasticity and improve complexion. Use them once a week or more often during summer to help control sebum production as well as deep cleanse. You can also add skin-strengthening foods that reinforce skin’s capillaries, making it appear more supple and tone. Best foods include: cranberries, blueberries, bilberries, tea (green and black), black currant, onions, legumes, and parsley. Summer is the best time to pick berries, but my favorite way to consume vital minerals in abundance is to make my own iced green tea. You not only improve your skin, but also get your minimum 2 liters of water intake and load up on naturally occurring antioxidants! 

I make my iced tea with matcha green tea available at Costco. Why matcha? Because in 2003, researchers from the University of Colorado found that the concentration of the antioxidant EGCG available from drinking matcha is up to 137 times greater than the amount of EGCG available from other commercially available green teas. Matcha is also said to boost metabolism and help reduce cholesterol levels when drank regularly. 

All you need is boiling water, biggest cup your can find and some matcha.  I use 5 tea bags at a time. Add boiling water and let them sit for at least 3 minutes. Remove bags, do not squeeze too hard as it may make your tea bitter. Transfer your hot brew into a pitcher and add cold water. I usually use 1 cup of brew to 2-3 cups of cold water. (corrected on 08.02.12) 


Let your tea cool down to room temperature on the kitchen counter before placing it into refrigerator to avoid sudden temperature drop, which can make your iced tea cloudy. Add some mint or better yet, slice of lemon for extra Vitamin C and ENJOY!

Till next time,

Liana.  

Skin Care Essentials - Exfoliate

As part of our “essential skin care steps” blog series here comes today’s post about second important step on your way to a beautiful and healthy complexion. You can read about first step here.
Exfoliation - a simple and effective beauty treatment which artificially encourages the gentle removal of surface skin cells. Our body sloughs off up to 500,000,000 dead skin cells every day - by actively assisting this process we help cell renewal and regeneration. Exfoliation actually lifts of the top layer of dead skin cells, dirt and sebum, revealing new layer of young looking skin beneath. This stimulates the blood circulation in the dermis, which in turn feeds the newborn skin cells more efficiently and rids the area of waste products. As the skin ages, the production of of new cells slows down, often leading to dull skin tone and uneven texture.
Exfoliation can also assist with some other common problems like flaky or ashy skin or enlarged facial pores. Dermatologist Susan Evans, MD, recommends exfoliation to help fight enlarged facial pores. “Pores appear enlarged when they are clogged, dilated, or infected, and that's why the best way to keep your pores small and less visible is to keep your skin clean all the time. Often the pores get clogged with dead skin cells, dirt, and oil, which makes them appear more prominent. That’s why regular skin exfoliation is essential, in order to remove the dead skin cells and to allow your skin to produce newer, healthier cells”. (WebMD article)
There are many great natural exfoliants that can be found on the natural market today. Most popular of them are sugar and salt. We create our emulsifying body polishes with pure cane sugar and Dead Sea and Epsom salts, with addition of extra conditioning butters and oils. Our double whipped body polishes/scrubs are not messy and not runny - they are always ready whenever you are.
It is recommended to exfoliate at least once a week and even more frequently during summer, to shed off extra dirt that we accumulate from spending more time outside, and to rid of sun-damaged cells. Quick tip: depending on the personal preferences body polishes can be applied on dry skin to achieve more friction and exfoliation, or lightly damp skin, to insure easy glide for sensitive skin.
Note: salt body polishes may sting sensitive skin as well as cuts and bruises.

For facial exfoliation, we recommend using Marmalade Hills clay masques, as clays provide gentle exfoliation and deep cleansing without applying any pressure.


Hope you find this post useful. Take care of your skin and it will thank you!

Till next time,
Liana.

Summer Skin Care Regiment

During hot summer months we all have to adjust our skin care regiment. As a nicer and hotter weather moves in more people break out due to increased perspiration and increased time we spend outside. Because of this, our skin produces extra oils and accumulates extra dirt and debris, thus allowing more pimple-causing bacteria to grow. My skin type is combination and I find summer the most challenging time for my facial care. All I'm trying to do during summer is to keep my oil production down and milia or tiny bumps (with white heads or without) under control. You can't really cure these problems, all you can do is prevent them. During hot months make it a habit to wash your face with soapy water a number of times a day. If you have oily skin, wash your face at least twice a day with our Tea Tree Cucumber facial bar or Geranium facial bar. If you have dry skin, wash your face not only in the morning but also at bedtime to remove excess oil and makeup. Creamy Classic Lavender facial bar or Milk ‘n Honey bar would be your best choices. If you have combination skin, I recommend using Geranium facial bar or Milk ‘n Honey twice a day during hot summer months. You can also use our All-Natural astringent toners to clean your face as many times as you need. And here is a hint on how to get the most out of your toner: during especially hot days keep your toner in a refrigerator and use it all over your face and neck to wipe out the dirt, to replenish and refresh your skin.

Everyone spends more time outdoors during the summer, which means that environmental debris and pollutants can have an additional impact on your skin's ability to remain elastic, free of bacteria and excess sebum. I personally notice more problem spots after a day of gardening or day at the outdoor art show. The great way to deep cleanse, sooth, draw out extra oils and firm your skin would be to use of our All-Natural Clay Facial Masks once a week and even more often during summer. Clays are widely used in spas all over the world. I love them especially for their ability to detoxify tone, gently exfoliate and deep cleanse our skin. They are full of rare minerals and they are designed by nature to absorb impurities from skin as they dry. After 15 minutes of our clay mask treatment you will wash away (together with clay) extra sebum and dirt, and add a few years to your looks by returning natural elasticity to your skin. Oily Skin owners: Sea Kelp Detox is for you. Dry and sensitive skin owners: Strawberry Fig would benefit you best. Combination skin: Banana Mango would work great for your skin.

Due to hotter weather you may feel less need to use your moisturizers and it is perfectly fine. For our Facial Serum users I would suggest to play with your usage amounts or maybe even postpone use of it completely during the summer. Try using less drops per area and spread it thinner on your face. Just recently I started using my serum every other day instead of every day and I am thinking about cutting it down to once a week. I just wash my face with Milk 'n Honey soap (in my soap dish now) as many times as I need , use my new favorite Apple Twist Toner and I am good to go until evening! For Oily or Combination Skin owners I would recommend replacing your moisturizers completely with our All-Natural gentle Facial Toners. They are light, refreshing, soothing and moisturizing.

If you have extra oily areas, you can dry problem areas with Glycolic Acid pads. 10% Glycolic Acid and 5% Cylicilic Acid formulation is mild enough to not give you any skin irritations. You can get pads at your dermatologist office or online. Read list of ingredients carefully to make sure there is no Acetone!

Adjust your makeup regimen to the summer climate and your outdoor activities as well. Select powder blushes and eye shadows rather than cream products because they are less irritating and more likely to hold up in hot and humid weather. Use mineral foundations that will double you as SPF protection. If you need a good mineral foundation you can find some here and here. Learn how to apply natural-looking, barely there makeup for those outdoor occasions.

Enjoy your summer friends! Till next time,
Liana.