Posts Tagged ‘skin care’

5 Easy and Natural Skin Care Tips for Winter

Dec 5, 2011 Eco Friendly Beauty Tips

Winter hasn’t officially started yet, but plenty of places have cold weather now. The cold air outside and the dry, heated air inside can be really tough on your skin. There are plenty of products out there to moisturize your skin, but if you want to avoid long chemical names, you may be better off making your own products. Fortunately, that’s pretty easy.

1. Dry brush exfoliate


Dry brush exfoliation can help to get all that dead skin off. It feels pretty nice too. You need a soft, natural bristle skin brush for this and a gentle touch. It’s not about scrubbing yourself red, after all. Use circular strokes as you work up your legs and arms. This method isn’t for your face or other places where your skin is more sensitive or thinner, and avoid any injuries you may have at the time.

2. Jojoba oil

I like the way jojoba oil feels on my skin. It absorbs very nicely and leaves it feeling soft, and a little goes a long way.

If you want a pretty scent, add just a couple drops of your favorite essential oil. Make sure it’s safe for skin first. Lavender, chamomile and rose are good choices. Mix it in with your jojoba and it’s ready to go.

Other oils can work well, depending on your skin type. Coconut oil is another popular choice. It may take a bit more work to rub in when the house is cooler, as it solidifies when the temperature goes below 76 degrees F, but scrape a little off the top and rub it between your hands to take care of that issue.

3. Shea butter

Shea butter is another excellent moisturizer. You can mix in a little jojoba or other oil that’s good for your skin plus some essential oils to make a very nice moisturizer. Many sources recommend unrefined shea butter as the most effective. Some find shea butter to be on the greasy side, but that’s true for many oils. Give homemade moisturizers a little leeway while you wait for your skin to absorb them.

4. Drink lots of water

Drinking plenty of water throughout the year helps keep your skin healthier. Well hydrated skin starts from inside your body.

5. Avocado face mask

Mash one avocado until smooth. Add in one teaspoon of olive oil. Mix, then spread over your face. Relax for 20 or so minutes before cleaning off, then moisturize as usual.

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Treat Your Skin to Eco Friendly Care

Jul 16, 2010 Eco Friendly Beauty Tips

Many popular beauty treatments you buy in the store really aren’t that good either for your skin or the environment. They give a temporarily good look, but in the long run they’re hard on your skin and may even be damaging.

It’s amazing how easy it is to make some basic beauty treatments at home with products that are much kinder to your skin and the environment. They won’t feel exactly like store bought products going on, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Do your best to find organic versions of these products. Fair Trade is a good choice also when you cannot find locally produced versions of these products.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil, especially organic, virgin, unrefined coconut oil is wonderful for your skin. You don’t need a lot. Just take a little and rub it in. It’s also very good for hair, but be very careful to not overdo, or your hair will appear oily.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil has similar effects to coconut oil, but it is a much lighter feel. It is considered to be the most similar to the skin’s natural oils.

Shea Butter

Shea butter is another great choice for dry skin. Once again, organic and unrefined are the best choices, and you may be able to find Fair Trade shea butter. There are claims that shea butter can treat a variety of skin ailments, but I would suggest testing it out on your own.

Honey

Honey is an ingredient in many homemade facial recipes. The simple reason is that it’s great for most types of skin. It’s mildly antimicrobial and helps to keep skin moisturized. It can even be used to soothe cuts and burns. Raw honey is considered to be better by many people.

Egg Whites

The proteins in egg whites are good for your skin. Whip them, apply to your face, and let it dry for 15 minutes before rinsing off with cool water.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Many people are fans of the wide range of uses of apple cider vinegar. On your skin it acts as a natural toner and is great for the pH balance of your skin.

Essential Oils

Some essential oils are great for your skin. Others aren’t so research before you add any essential oil to your skin care regimen. They should always be added to a carrier oil such as coconut oil or jojoba oil, just a few drops per ounce. Lavender is a great choice for a relaxing scent. Tea tree oil is popular for its antiseptic effects.

There are many more products you can find around your home to care for your skin. The best part is that you can treat your skin wonderfully while spending less than you would for name brand products that might be damaging your skin in the long run.

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What’s the Right Sunscreen?

May 23, 2008 Eco Friendly Home, Environmentally Friendly, Going Green

Despite the weather in my area today, it’s time to think about sunscreen. Summer is very close and many places already have hot weather.

On the other hand, we’ve gone from over 100 degrees F in my area on Monday to thunderstorms and flood watches starting yesterday.

I’ve been working on remembering to sunscreen my daughter each day before school. She tans beautifully, but I don’t want her getting too comfortable with that. In the long run it’s better that she wear sunscreen.

Many sunscreens, however, really aren’t that good for you. There are the usual concerns about endocrine disruptors. Whether or not you think they’re a problem, if you can avoid the whole issue by making the right purchase, why not? All that really matters in that case is that the product works well.

At least an SPF 15 should be worn if you’re going to be spending significant time outside. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are good ingredient choices. You can check a lot of sunscreens out at Skin Deep.

Here are some good brands:

Total Block
Some varieties of Alba (see Skin Deep for details)
California Baby
Aubrey Organics
Burts Bees

Not all of these can be found in the Skin Deep database, but most are made from all natural products. All natural does not guarantee safe, of course.

Another alternative is to wear clothing that helps to protect your skin from the sun. Regular clothing will do this, but if you need some extra protection you can shop for clothing that offers more than the usual UV protection.

Sunscreen is a habit you should build into your morning routine if you know you’re going to be in the sun more than a little. You don’t have to spend the day at the beach to damage your skin.

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