The skin is naturally coated with a thin layer of lipids and fatty substances, which are responsible in locking in moisture. This mechanism keeps the skin soft and supple. However, elements like pollution, poor diet, an illness and climate conditions can disturb this natural protective skin mechanism. Without a proper skin care regimen, you fail to maintain the integrity of your skin. This leads to skin dryness. On the other hand, suffering dry skin has something to do with what you are doing to care for your skin. The use of skin care products that contain harsh chemicals strips the skin with its natural protective layer of oil, leaving it unprotected and dry. Apparently, dry skin is a common health complaint. But though it seems to be harmless, it needs to be immediately and properly nursed to avoid serious complications and discomforts. If left untreated, dry skin may lead to infections, dermatitis, swelling and inflammation.

A number of factors are directly linked to dry skin. The simple use of harsh soap, clothes made from synthetic materials, misuse of moisturizers and poor bathing practices can cause skin dryness. This condition usually stems from using conventional soap products. Commercial soap formulations have but one function, to leave the skin clean by stripping away the dirt and oil buildup on the pores. The problem is that soaps tend to strip away the skin’s protective oils, leaving it unprotected and prone to irritation. Another cause of dry skin is the use of itchy clothing. Sweaters are usually the common culprit since most sweaters use synthetic fibers or synthetic materials, which expose the skin to many types of contact irritants. If you have this habit of taking long hot showers, the horrors of dry skin must cut down your shower time. Hot showers also wash away too much oil from the skin. This perhaps explains why you feel skin tightness whenever you step out of the shower.

Having dry skin also has something to do with the weather. Dry air, which is common during winter, tends to draw moisture out of the skin. This explains the term, "winter itch". Aside from that, the dry heat coming from your furnace causes loss of moisture on the skin. During summertime, staying in an air conditioned room for hours and hours tend to have the same effect.

Dry skin may result from a number of common medical conditions like diabetes, hypothyroidism and malnutrition. The fluctuation of glucose levels among diabetic patients naturally lead to dehydration, which dies out the skin. Hypothyroidism results to inadequate levels of hormones, which affects the production of protective oil on the skin. Malnutrition, perhaps due to eating disorders, also results to dry skin due to inadequate nutrients to maintain healthy skin.

If you are taking medications for conditions like high blood pressure, allergies, acne and other skin conditions, dry skin could be one of the possible side-effects. Retinoids, diuretic and antihistamine drugs usually cause loss of moisture on the skin.

Dry skin is condition that makes the skin feel tight, painful, dull, red and flaky. Its worst effect is its overwhelming itchiness. Though it is not a serious problem, it is uncomfortable and unsightly. With a good skin care regimen and proper hygiene, you can prevent or heal skin dryness.

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by keira-anne ?

70% Discount on Organic Skincare Range, Jo Woods Organic

Scinboutique are helping to ease the effect of the credit crunch by offering an incredible 70% discount on a luxurious range of organic skincare products. No woman wants to have to scrimp on her beauty regime, especially when it comes to really taking care of your body in the best possible way with chemical-free organic products, so now there is 70% of any of the luxurious products from Jo Woods Organics.

This skincare range is of the highest quality, beautifully presented, deliciously scented, totally organic and totally paraben free. The skincare products come in two gorgeous and unique blends; ‘Amka’ is a sweet blend of mandarin orange, Bergamot, Rose Otto and Jasmine whilst ‘Usiku’ offers a sultry blend of Rosemary, Cedar wood, Vetiver, Patchouli, and Ginger.

Jo Wood Organics contain the highest possible percentage of organic ingredients, all of which are from high quality and audited sources. Jo Wood are dedicated to finding organic alternatives for widely used natural ingredients, working with suppliers to boost the production of accredited organic crops. As nature provides all their ingredients Jo Woods want to keep their products as natural as possible, they are committed to making the purest products which produce the best results using only the highest grade of essential oils and plant extracts. The products come in sophisticated glass bottles which will stand out in even the most elaborately stocked bathroom!

The gorgeous Jo Woods products available on Scinboutique all with a 70% discount include, Amka Organic Bath Oil, Usiku Organic Bath Oil, Amka Organic Body Lotion, Usiku Organic Body Lotion, Amka Organic Body Oil, Usiku Organic Body Oil.

The Usiku organic body dew is 99% Organic, perfect for spritzing on after a shower and to pop in your handbag for top ups throughout the day! As well as energising your body and soul with its woody aroma, it also treats your skin with a healing, soothing blend of arnica, Echinacea, calendula and St John’s Wort. What makes it truly unique is the use of organic orange water in place of water. This very special ingredient, extracted from Sicilian grown oranges, contains trace elements which are essential for healthy skin, helping to stimulate cell metabolism and leaving your skin feeling hydrated and soothed. Presented in a beautifully decorated glass bottle and encased in a decadent black and gold carton it will stand out on any dressing table.

Jo Wood also offer three gorgeous gift sets presented in luxurious presentation boxes, which at 70% off provide the perfect high quality gift at a totally affordable price, and Christmas isn’t far away! The ‘Amka Organic Gift Set’ contains Organic Bath Oil, Organic Body Dew, Organic Body Lotion and Organic Body Oil. The ‘Usiku Organic Body Care Gift Set’ contains Bath Oil, Organic Body Soap, Organic Body Lotion and Organic Body Oil. The Jo Wood Organic Bath Oil Gift Set is also beautifully packaged and contains the two Organic Bath Oils; Usiku Organic Bath Oil and Amka Organic Bath Oil.

www.thebodydeli.com shows why feeding the skin with living, fresh and organic skincare is so important. Yummy!
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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by keira-anne ?

Why Choose Natural and Organic Skincare Products?

Organic and natural skincare products are becoming staple purchases for an increasing proportion for people. Everyone has their own reason for making their change, but perhaps two main areas of concern can be located explaining why organic and natural skincare products are taking the place of traditional, often far more extensively marketed, non-organic cosmetics.

The first of the reasons is the concern over what affect synthetic products have on the environment, both in terms of their disposal once they have been used, as certain chemicals found in skincare products can wreak havoc on the ecosystems that they eventually end up in once they have passed down the drain. Triclosan, which is found in soaps, along with toothpastes and deodorants, is an antibacterial which has been discovered concentrated in marine life, to which it is known to be toxic, and also in human breast milk. A quick mention should also be made to products that actually appear, or are, entirely natural and organic, but which are owned by companies that manufacture other, environmentally harmful products. Such an example came recently with the selling out of natural favourite Burt’s Bees to a leading bleach manufacturer.

The second issue which has caused many consumers to make the change from non-organic to organic skincare products is the concern over the effect that the chemicals they contain might have on our bodies. Here we should place a subdivision between ingredients that have been proven to be harmful under testing – which we shall discuss below – and ingredients that have been identified as potentially harmful, and which have not been proven to be otherwise, ingredients such as parabens (which have been linked to cancers, causing many companies to explicitly list their skincare product ‘Paraben Free’) and Genetically Modified ingredients, which people, quite frankly, just do not trust.

One pair of ingredients that you might want to stay alert for if you are still buying non natural cosmetic products – and one that you can be assured you are avoiding by picking those organic skincare products – is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and its brother in trouble Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate. These two ingredients are used in industrial and mechanical processes that might not initially appear to have much to do with the activities we normally associate with skincare and cosmetics, namely in car washes, for degreasing automobile engines and as floor cleaners. Yet, they are also found in over nine out of ten of all products that foam.

Of course, just because these two ingredients are used for industrial processes does not, in itself, mean that they are unsuitable for rubbing into our hair and skin. The fact that animals placed into contact with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate experience massive damage to the central nervous system, to their respiratory system along with chronic eye damage, diarrhea, sever skin irritation and, in a sizable proportion of instances, death, might be slightly more convincing argument for avoiding these chemical ingredients and going for organic or natural products – ignoring, of course, those that try to sweeten its appearance on their ingredients list by adding the information that is a ‘coconut extract.’

Related Organic Skincare Articles

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by keira-anne ?

Why Choose Natural and Organic Skincare Products?

Organic and natural skincare products are becoming staple purchases for an increasing proportion for people. Everyone has their own reason for making their change, but perhaps two main areas of concern can be located explaining why organic and natural skincare products are taking the place of traditional, often far more extensively marketed, non-organic cosmetics.

The first of the reasons is the concern over what affect synthetic products have on the environment, both in terms of their disposal once they have been used, as certain chemicals found in skincare products can wreak havoc on the ecosystems that they eventually end up in once they have passed down the drain. Triclosan, which is found in soaps, along with toothpastes and deodorants, is an antibacterial which has been discovered concentrated in marine life, to which it is known to be toxic, and also in human breast milk. A quick mention should also be made to products that actually appear, or are, entirely natural and organic, but which are owned by companies that manufacture other, environmentally harmful products. Such an example came recently with the selling out of natural favourite Burt’s Bees to a leading bleach manufacturer.

The second issue which has caused many consumers to make the change from non-organic to organic skincare products is the concern over the effect that the chemicals they contain might have on our bodies. Here we should place a subdivision between ingredients that have been proven to be harmful under testing – which we shall discuss below – and ingredients that have been identified as potentially harmful, and which have not been proven to be otherwise, ingredients such as parabens (which have been linked to cancers, causing many companies to explicitly list their skincare product ‘Paraben Free’) and Genetically Modified ingredients, which people, quite frankly, just do not trust.

One pair of ingredients that you might want to stay alert for if you are still buying non natural cosmetic products – and one that you can be assured you are avoiding by picking those organic skincare products – is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and its brother in trouble Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate. These two ingredients are used in industrial and mechanical processes that might not initially appear to have much to do with the activities we normally associate with skincare and cosmetics, namely in car washes, for degreasing automobile engines and as floor cleaners. Yet, they are also found in over nine out of ten of all products that foam.

Of course, just because these two ingredients are used for industrial processes does not, in itself, mean that they are unsuitable for rubbing into our hair and skin. The fact that animals placed into contact with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate experience massive damage to the central nervous system, to their respiratory system along with chronic eye damage, diarrhea, sever skin irritation and, in a sizable proportion of instances, death, might be slightly more convincing argument for avoiding these chemical ingredients and going for organic or natural products – ignoring, of course, those that try to sweeten its appearance on their ingredients list by adding the information that is a ‘coconut extract.’

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Image via Wikipedia

Your skin acts as the shield that protects your body against the damaging effects of external environmental elements like bacteria, UV rays, heavy pollution and dirt. Hence, it is important to make the best decision when it comes to your skin care regimen. To maintain healthy skin, you need to go beyond healthy diet and exercise. You need to do a routine personalized home care to keep it clean, supple, soft and smooth. Cleansing is a vital to proper skin care regimen. It is what frees the body from dirt and toxic build-up, which you accumulate every moment of your life. Actually, your body has the natural capacity to cleanse itself, but seems like dirt accumulates faster than your body cleanses the skin. When dirt build-up is not thoroughly removed, your skin becomes prone to irritation, breakouts, redness and other unsightly symptoms. This explains the importance of cleansing.

Experts recommend proper and thorough skin cleansing before applying moisturizer. There is a good explanation behind that. When regular cleansing regimen helps stimulate circulation, it also prepares the skin to receive topically applied nutrients.  Cleansing is done in preparation for the application of moisturizer. To get the full benefits of your good quality skin moisturizer, you first need to remove all the dirt and blockages on your skin’s pores. As you gently wipe cleanser wetted cotton pads or sponge, you remove the bacteria, old sebum and old skin surface, leaving behind a new dirt-free layer.

You need to remember that not all cleansers are created equal. This is to cater to the specific and healthy cleansing requirements of several skin types. For instance, dry, oily and combination skin types need to use the appropriate type of cleanser to thoroughly clean the skin without stripping too much of its protective oil film. Also, sensitive, aging, blemished, and inflamed skin conditions require gentle cleanser formulations to prevent aggravating their symptoms. As a rule of thumb, never use harsh products or products that use too many chemical ingredients as they can tend to disrupt the protective lipids and proteins on your skin. They also strip the skin completely with its protective film of sebaceous oil, causing sensitive, dehydrated and dry skin. Dry and sensitive skin might react badly to some of the normally tolerable and beneficial ingredients of your skin moisturizer. Using chemical-laden cleansing products is not only a bad habit; it also limits the benefits you can gain from a great skin moisturizing regimen.

Since different skin types have different skin care requirements, moisturizing cleansers were made to remedy the itchy, spotty, flaky and other unsightly symptoms of extra sensitive to extra dry skin. When properly used, it could be a great addition to an effective and safe skin care regimen. Aside from clearing up a day’s worth of grime, it delivers nourishing moisturizing elements that will help maintain healthy and youthful looking skin.

More than proper cleansing and moisturizing practices, selecting the right cleansing product is also vital to proper skin care regimen. Thorough cleansing ensures thoroughly moisturized skin. Use only the product that can deliver everything your skin needs using a lot less chemical to limit possible side-effects and optimize skin care benefits.

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by keira-anne ?

What Is Genuine Organic Skincare?

There are many wonderful, holistic reasons for choosing organic skincare products. The reasons range from wanting to reduce the number of chemicals on your skin, for your health, skin sensitivity or just based on personal principals.

The problem facing most consumers wanting to purchase genuine organic skincare products, rather than those making “organic” claims, is that a standard for the certification and labelling of organic skincare products is not available.

Currently in Australia, the only organic certification available for skin care products is a general food standard. This requires 95% of all ingredients, other than the water component, to be organically certified. Water generally makes up to 70% of total ingredients in many skincare creams. Therefore 95% of the remaining 30% of ingredients need to be organically certified.

Only a few Australian products have been certified to these very strict and sometimes impractical rules for food standards. It has been argued by some manufacturers, that to achieve the 95% certified rating is counter productive to producing an effective skin product.

Currently unrecognised are many skincare products with over 50% organic ingredients which cannot be certified, even though they have been manufactured by passionate organic supporters to the highest organic and natural principles.

Essentially, to make a cream for skin, there are two main components (oil and water) which need to be blended. A synthetic emulsifier is used to blend the oil and water components. Emulsifiers can make up to 20% of an ingredient mix other than water. Hence the catch 22, to make a cream which really penetrates and moisturises the deep layers of the skin with beautiful organic vegetable and essential oils, you need a synthetic emulsifier. Purestuf uses an emulsifier created from olive oil which is synthesised to form the emulsifier.

The cream also requires a preservative, so that it will not go mouldy in your bathroom cabinet. This is one area which really distinguishes skincare products. The organically passionate manufacturers use natural preservatives like grapefruit seed extract whereas other manufacturers add chemical preservatives containing parabens and other nasties to their products.

Organic skincare products produced and sold with integrity by the passionate manufacturers aim to be free from chemicals such as parabens, formaldehyde, petrochemicals etc. and made from as many natural and certified organic ingredients as possible.

Australian (and most overseas) manufacturers are not compelled to disclose the percentage of organic ingredients in their products. The word organic is not protected by any law about its use in terms of marketing claims. Often these other so called organic products, contain a very low percentage of organic ingredients and have many chemical additives, which are not good for you or your skin.

So what is being done to eliminate the confusion?

A group of leading Australian skincare product manufacturers (including Purestuf Natural Skincare) are currently working together to formulate a standard which can be certified by any one of the 7 Australian organic certifiers.

Until then – read labels and look for products which don’t include parabens, petrochemicals, sulphates, fragrances and clearly list the organic ingredients such as essential oils, vegetable oils.

For the time being, for consumers it is a matter of instinct, trust and reading the labels.

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by keira-anne ?

Get That Feel Good Factor and Go Green With Organic Skincare

Now more than ever women pay more attention to their appearance, yet in an age where the beauty industry rakes in billions the possible side effects of beauty are still relatively hush hush. In the many beauty tubes and tubs which crowd the average women’s dressing table and fight for attention on the pharmacy aisles, there are a whole load of ingredients which do not rate on the beauty spectrum. Things like SLR’s and parabens which can be extremely harmful to the skin and can also have a harmful effect on the environment.

Thankfully, these days we all have a choice and there are loads of fantastic organic skincare treatments which do not leave an ugly trail behind them. Using traditional methods organic skincare uses natural remedies and with ingredients like organic essential oils and other botanical ingredients a modern take on old fashioned beauty has formulated some fantastic results.

Organic beauty relies on aromatherapy and homoeopathic remedies to act in place of chemicals found in conventional skin care brands. Many people assume this limits the affectability yet in fact the natural remedies boost active ingredients making them more effective than chemical based skincare recipes.

As previously mentioned you can get just about everything organic these days and the realm of skincare is no exception. Most women and in fact men use an everyday moisturiser and it is usually not more expensive to switch to an organic brand. You can get budget organic as well as luxury organic skincare and there are different brands to match different budgets, just like the typical skincare brands.

The feel good factor of organic beauty products is hard to beat. The individual organically infused brands are always packed to the brim with organic goodness and bursting with the scents of fruits and flowers. Organic bath products will make any soak in the tub an event and will see the indulgence factor reach a new peak.

In order to get the best organic skincare products available it is worth checking out an online organic skincare specialist. These specialist online outlets generally stock a wide range of recommended products. These organic skincare stockists will be able to provide products which have been tried and tested and which adhere to strict guidelines which are put in place by each individual organic skincare boutique. Buying different brands from one organic skincare boutique will also mean that you don’t have to research into the beliefs and standards which each organic skincare brand creates to. It really is easy to go green and with so many organic skincare options available there really is no excuse.

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