Biosphere

How to Treat Acne Prone Skin Naturally

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:50:06 +0000

This is the second in a two part series on how to treat, heal and improve adult acne. In this article I will discuss how to treat your skin on the outside. A lot of the time people with acne tend to over dry their skin causing more of a problem. When you dry out your face not only do your cause already inflamed skin more irritation, but it can cause your skin to produce more oil. In turn your skin will try to replace the oil and sebum lost by over drying. Unfortunately most of the products on the market cause over drying. They contain benzoly peroxide, alcohols and harsh soap and sulfates. All of these can dry your skin causing your skin to produce more oil and therefore more acne.

1. Don’t use soap on your face. Use a gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry your skin. Soap will over dry your skin. Have you seen a bar of used soap that has dried and cracked in the shower that same drying happens to your face. I use an organic super skin cleanser made with activated charcoal. Charcoal is a great ingredient for acne prone skin and helps deep clean and pull out toxins and dirt from pores. It also contains tons of antioxidants, DMAE, and MSM. DMAE helps with pore and skin tightening. When you cleanse your face remember to wash with warm water to open up your pores and rinse with cold water to help tighten and close the pores.

2. Moisturize. There are a few different approaches to take with moisturizers. I use a organic super serum, which is a very light lotion that is not greasy. It leaves the skin feeling soft. If your skin has severe dry areas because of winter skin or over use of drying cleansers, Whipped Shea butter is a good night cream to use. Shea butter is great for scars and helps texture without clogging your pores.

3. Deep clean a few times a week. I use a rhassoul clay and neem powder mask 2-3 times a week. The neem mask deep cleans and helps heal the skin. Neem powder has been used for centuries to help treat acne and other skin conditions and has antibacterial properties.

4. Keep your hands away from your face. If you touch your face you are adding the bacteria and oils from your hands to your face.

5. Make-up if you use it try and use mineral makeup instead of a liquid base, and don’t forget to wash it off before bed.

Natural Ways to Heal and Treat Adult Acne

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:09:31 +0000

Some of you might be in the same boat I am. I thought after I was no longer a teenager my acne would go away. Unfortunately as I aged my acne got occasionally worse. My acne is not severe but persistent. I have seen a dermatologist who put me on topical medication that dried out my skin along with an antibiotic. The antibiotics caused all kinds of problems with the rest of my body. The antibiotic killed off all the bacteria in my system even the good ones needed for digestion. My skin was clear but I felt horrible. Antibiotics to treat acne is like using napalm to kill an ant hill. I tried many over the counter acne treatments, all of which didn’t work after awhile and dried my skin out. I will share with you the things I know have worked for me. You may not like them, a lot of it is lifestyle changes that can be hard at first.

1. Your diet effects your skin. No I am not talking about chocolate, I am taking about refined carbohydrates and dairy. Both of which cause mucous like “gunk” to build up in your system, and if there is too much gunk, some of it will come out through your skin. This is by far the hardest change to make. All refined foods are out, I stick to fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean meats and fish. You eat like a caveman (or cavewomen), which is how are bodies have evolved anyway. On a bonus side note, this diet is great for losing weight. When I switched to it I lost the wieght I had trouble getting rid of for years.

2. Drink lots and lots of water! And for added help add a little lemon juice which helps cut the gunk in your system to help flush it out before it turns into acne.

3. Exercise so you sweat. Sweating helps to flush toxins and gunk from your system instead of it getting clogged in your pores. I started doing bikrams yoga, which is yoga done in a 103 degree room. You sweat a lot, when I first stated it made my acne worse but after a few weeks my skin was clear and healthy. Bikrams is an extream, any exercise will help just make sure you do it without makeup on because the sweat and makeup will clog up. Right after your done exercising you want to wash your face off quickly, use warm to wash your face then splash with cold water to help close your pores.

4. Stress, try to stay away from it! Easier said then done I know, but try to stay present and not let your mind stew on your problems of the past or future.

5. A lot of acne is hormonal, and therefore harder to control. The lifestyle changes will help when your hormones are up and down.

In my next post I will talk about what you can do to take care of the skin on your face to help heal acne without drying out your skin.

At home spa treatment Rhassoul Clay

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:46:52 +0000

At home luxury spa treatments with Rhassoul clay. Rhassoul or red clay (Moroccan Red Clay) comes from the atlas mountains in eastern Morocco, it has been used for centuries as a skin and hair treatment. It is highly absorbent and effective for cleansing and detoxifying the skin. It is used to reduce dryness, reduce flakiness and improve skin clarity, texture and elasticity.

Clinical studies done on Rhassoul clay have shown the a single use of our Rhassoul clay mask will statistically:

. Reduces skin dryness by 79%
. Reduces skin flakiness by 41%
. Improves skin clarity by 68%
. Improves skin elasticity and firmness by 24%
. Improves skin texture by 106%

In addition to the oil removal characteristics, use of a Rhassoul clay mask has the ability to smooth and improve dry skin. It has been used for over 12 centuries by populations from North Africa, South Europe and Middle East.
Every clay facial mixture contains plain water or distilled water for the liquid. Mix the luke warm water and clay in a non-metal bowl and stir the clay with the liquid until it is a smooth paste. Use equal parts liquid and clay or start out with a little less liquid because you can always add more. Allow the clay to stand for a few minutes to absorb the moisture. Apply a 1/8 to ½ inch thick layer to the face and let it dry. It usually takes 5 minutes for delicate skin and 15 to 20 minutes for normal skin, but if it is wet, it is still working. The pulling and tightening sensation isthe effect of the clay drying on your skin. It is normal but use your best judgment, if it starts to be irritating rinse it off. Remove the clay mask by washing off with warm water. Your skin may have redness after the mask but this is normal and will disappear in time. If a rash should happen to appear, discontinue the mask.

In my Rhassoul clay healing mask I have added neem powder has an anti-bacterial quality for acne and healing properties for many other skin conditions.

I use my rhassoul clay healing mask 2-3 times a week and my skin has never been clearer or softer. It is a great vegan friendly way to treat your skin to a luxury at home spa treatment.

Daily Natural Beauty Regimen

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:00:42 +0000

I am often asked what natural beauty products I use personally. I have been making my own natural bath and body products for years in effort to keep my skin healthy and looking good. Here is my typical daily beauty regimen.

I wake up and jump in the shower where I use my all natural coffee brown sugar scrub on my thighs and elbows. The caffeine in the coffee beans helps the appearance of cellulite, improving the texture. I have found it makes the backs of my thighs soft and smooth. It is also great for rough patches on feet and elbows. I polish the rest of my body with either tangerine sugar scrub or my lemon verbena sugar scrub. These natural sugar scrubs are fine grain sugars that are gentle enough to use daily. They also leave my skin soft and moisturized.

On my face I use my natural clarifying sugar scrub on my face a few times a week. The clarifying sugar scrub has added neem powder which has been used for centuries to help heal skin problems. I wash my face twice daily with my organic clarifying facial cleanser. It is packed with antioxidants and nutrients to powerfully cleanse the skin. It contains activated charcoal to remove dirt and oil from pores and MSM and DMAE to improve the texture of skin and help tighten pores.

To moisturize my skin I use a combination of two products, whipped shea butter and nourishing body lotion. Since having a baby I was left with stretch marks on the tops of my thighs, I use my calendula whipped shea butter, to help heal them. It works great, in a few months my stretch marks were visibly lighter and much smoother. I used it while being pregnant, and it kept my belly nice and moisturized, unfortunately I didn’t use it on my thighs and that is were I ended up with the stretch marks. On the rest of my body I use my lemon verbena nourishing body cream. I love the soft texture, and fact there are no chemicals, which always dried my skin out. It is a great all over body moisturizer and doesn’t leave me feeling greasy.

On my face after the shower I use my organic super serum. This clarifying facial super serum contains DMAE, antioxidants, MSM and hyaluronic acid. Since I still struggle with occasional adult acne this serum helps keep my skin soft smooth and moisturized. It is not a greasy moisturizer, it is light and doesn’t clog my pores. Hyaluronic acid helps to retain skin moisture, the DMAE helps keep skin tight and toned. Before bed I again wash my face with the clariyfying facial cleanser and apply the super organic claryfying serum. Three times a week I apply a rhassoul clay mask which is fortified with neem powder. Rhassoul clay gives my skin a deep clean, leaving it soft smooth and the skin tightened, i moisturize with the super serum after washing off the clay mask.
To keep my skin healthy I also drink plenty of water, get lots of good sleep and eat right. I know I have seen a drastic improvement in the health and look of my skin since I have gone all natural.

Why Jojoba Oil is so good for your skin…

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:31:28 +0000

Jojoba oil is a very special kind of oil, actually it is a liquid wax ester. Native Americans have been using jojoba for centuries to treat sores, cuts, as a conditioner and for other skin treatments.

Jojoba oil resembles human sebum which is the natural substance our skin produces to keep our skin supple. As we age we start to produce less sebum, and jojoba oil can act as a replacement.It also mimics collegen. Jojoba is perfect for any skin type. If your skin is oily jojoba oil will dissolve clogged pores and restore the skin to its natural pH balance. Jojoba is readily absorbed into skin because the skin accepts it as sebum.
Although jojoba oil is very expensive it does have a long shelf life; it will never break down or go rancid. Jojoba is expensive because it can take up to 1200 nuts to get one pond of jojoba nuts, which have a 50% yield of oil. Jojoba will not leave a greasy feeling on the skin because it is absorbed. Scientific research has shown that jojoba can increase skin softness by up to 37%, it reduces superficial lines and wrinkles up to 25% upon application and up to 11% after 8 hours. Jojoba oil is hypoallergenic. I use jojoba oil in my many of my products. It is the base of my body creams where I combine jojoba oil and aloe the cream does not leave a greasy feeling on your skin, and it does not contain chemicals which can eventually dry your skin.

All Natural No Paraben Body Cream Aloe Jojoba 8 oz By Biosphere

$15.95

Featured Artisan Eco Tot Toys

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:26:58 +0000

Chad Crosby, is a furniture maker, and unemployed teacher turned toy maker. He had a baby and now makes eco friendly teethers and toys. His daughter is 6 months old and he didn’t want her growing up in sea of plastic. So now he makes environmentally friendly and everlasting hardwood creations designed to enrich your child’s life and stimulate their development. He uses reclaimed and recycled hardwoods finished with natural fruit dyes and beeswax. The toys are beautifully designed and he takes pride in craftsmanship. Check out the wonderful eco friendly toys.

Pyramid Wood Stacker Toddler Toy by eco tot toys

Eco friendly wood teethers by Eco Tot Toys

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Lavender Aromatherepy

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:18:37 +0000

I have been using lavender essential oil for years. First time I used it I was visiting my parents and had a bad case of insomnia. I had battled with insomnia for a few years and had been trying all kinds of different medication. Nothing worked right. Most of the time all the remedies I tried either didn’t work or worked way too well leaving me groggy the next day. So my mother let me use some of her lavender essential oil. I sprinkled it a few drops on my pillow and it worked like a charm. I still use it when I am having trouble sleeping.
Not only is lavender essential oil good for insomnia but there are a lot of different uses. This oil has been used for everything from dermatitis, eczema, sunburn, insect bites, headaches,migraine, rashes, insomnia, infections, arthritis, anxiety, tension, psoriasis, scars, soothes
and regenerates cells. It is effective in treating infected hair follicles and other minor skin conditions, pimples, black heads and light forms of acne. It is good for all skin types and balances sebum. Lavender is an excellent and safe children’s remedy including rashes, bumps and bruises and sleeplessness. Lavender is antiseptic, an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, anti-infectious, antitoxin, anti-parasitic, restorative, calming and sedative. I use all natural lavender essential oil in many of my products including all Natural Lavender Sugar Scrub and Lavender Nourishing Body Cream.

Skin Healing with Calendula

admin — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:55:49 +0000

My little girl has a cheek rash so I have been doing research on different natural ingredients used to treat skin in infants. Although there are a good deal of healing herbs, calendula seems to be the most effective for her. I have been using calendula cream on her cheeks and it has been very effective. Calendula is commonly known as the marigold flower. Calendula has been known to be used for centuries to treat skin conditions, reduce inflammation, combat infection, speed up healing, and reduce bleeding if any.

Calendula is one of the best herbs for treating local skin problems. It may be use safely wherever there is an inflammation on the skin, whether due to infection or physical damage. It can also be used for any external bleeding or wound. Calendula will benefit slow healing wounds and skin ulcers. It is ideal for first aid treatment of minor burns and scalds.

I am in the process of developing new creams and treatments based on Calendula. I will be making a calendula salve and calendula butter.

Coffee Brown Sugar Scrub

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:52:38 +0000

Coffee makes a wonderful addition to sugar scrubs. The grounds help exfoliate old skin cells, while the caffeine can help minimize the appearance of cellulite and varicose veins. Many studies have shown that caffeine helps cellulite when applied to skin, but it has the opposite effect when taken internally. I use is on my thighs everyday and it makes them smooth and soft. I love this stuff, smells like a cup of coffee in your tub. I use it as a thigh scrub and I can really feel the difference. This coffee sugar scrub is a great morning pick me up. I add natural brown sugar and super fine sugar to polish and exfoliate the skin. Vitamin E is added which is so good at fighting free radicals that damage skin. Grapeseed oil is the lightest of oils and virtually odorless. It contains vitamins, minerals, high in polyunsaturates and protein. All these ingredients are totally natural, so you can keep the chemicals off your body.

Coffee Brown Sugar Natural Body Scrub

Natural Bath and Body Products

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:25:44 +0000

Finding all natural products is hard enough online but in store and can be quite impossible. Most of the products labeled with the words natural, really are not. Switching to using natural products can be a challenging experience. When switching to natural products there are things to consider. Products with water do eventually grow bacteria and mold so any product with water as an ingredient has to have a preservative. Although there are natural preservatives they don’t extend the shelf life of bath and body products like their chemical counterparts. That’s why natural products once opened should be discarded no less then one year after opening. Another way to extend the shelf life of natural products is to use containers that filter out light. Opaque or amber jars and bottles work best. I use amber jars to package all of my natural bath and body products. For example.

Tangerine All Natural Sugar Body Scrub Aromatherapeutic 8oz Biosphere

This is all natural sugar scrub made with only natural sugar, essential oils, grapeseed oil, and vitamin e. Because this sugar scrub does not contain water, vitamin e can act as the natural preservative.