Grow, Babies Grow!

It is that wonderful time of year when we start to get our first sniffs of Spring. I just got my first a few days ago as a promise that Spring is really coming! It is also the time to get a'sproutin on what will eventually grow into our Summer bounty.
I have received a very clear message from my spirit guides that I plant an organic herb garden this Summer to allow people to select and harvest their own chosen herbs for treatments in my home skin care studio. I'm hoping to have plenty available for guests and neighbors to help themselves, too.
I have started sprouting Oregano, Basil and Cilantro as those are seeds I had on hand. I am planning on also sprouting Calendula, several Mints, Chamomile, Lavender and Yarrow. And maybe a few more :) I have never been known as someone with a green thumb, so I'm hoping my spirit guides can lend a hand there!
I am using the AeroGarden that my mom gave us a few years ago to give me a head start, using the empty pods that you can put your own seeds into. Some purists may call this cheating, but I need all the help I can get! Instead of their nutrient tablets, I am using Maxi Grow organic powdered seaweed. So far things are moving along beautifully. I've got a strong Basil sprout and Oregano not far behind. Grow little seedlings, grow!

To Beet or Not to Beet?

Juicing is really good for your skin. It gives you a concentrated dose of plant phytonutrients and antioxidant vitamins that help to nourish your skin cells and protect them from damage. Here is one of my favorite juice recipes for skin health. Some people are freaked out by beets. I used to be one of these people. But I have realized that it is just a misunderstood veggie! They are actually quite yummy! Beets and parsley have been recognized as blood purifiers and taking the raw juice internally can help your body excrete toxins that might be affecting your skin.

 I recommend drinking it once a week, especially when you can get the ingredients fresh in summertime.

2 organic beets
2 large stalks organic celery
1 large organic carrot
2 organic apples
1 bunch organic parsley

Juice according to your juicer's instructions. Usually, you would put the softest things in first followed by the rest (I usually start with the parsley). Be sure to roll the parsley into a ball before puting it in the juicer to help get the juice out. Voila! You can also squeeze the juice of 1/2 an organic lemon in at the end for a little zap!

Almay Pure Blends™ Eye Shadow

It seems like there are so many eco-friendly products coming out into the mainstream market these days. I am excited to see the beginnings of what I hope to be a major revolution in reformulation of mass-marketed products to include healthy, pure ingredients. So I gotta try them when I see them.

I picked up four of the five shades of Almay Pure Blends™ Eye Shadow to try (Lavender, Sage, Petal and Cocoa). They are marketed as being 98.2% natural, including yummy ingredients such as extracts of lotus and orchid. They are talc and paraben free, which is awesome. They are also packaged in pretty, simple eco-packaging.
I wanted to love these - I did! I got them on a 2 for 1 promotion, the colors looked beautiful. But after trying them several times, I just don't think they are for me. The colors were very pastel and very sheer. Too pastel and too sheer for someone as fair as myself. It almost looked like I didn't have anything on. The texture felt great, though. Light and airy. And they were super-gentle on my eyes, which is a plus as they are usually fussy with eye products.
I think that these might look great on someone with a darker skin tone than myself, so I would say give them a try if you are a medium to dark skin tone. They might work out great for you!

The Tan Tax

Not sure if you've heard about the "Bo-Tax", but a short while back the plastic surgery and dermatology industry was about to be given a jab by the government with a 5 percent tax on any elective cosmetic procedure, including Botox and the like. Turns out they are off the hook, as doctors and industry groups lobbied hard to nix it citing that it discriminated against women, who are the majority who recieve cosmetic surgery or injectables. They felt that it implied that a tax on cosmetic surgery was akin to a tax on alcohol or tobacco. A "s(k)in tax," if you will.
Turns out, the Senate moved their target to indoor tanning, thinking that placing a 10 percent tax would discourage people from the use of tanning beds, which some studies have shown causes skin cancer. The idea is to use the tax to offset the expense of providing health care insurance for millions of Americans who currently don't have any. It is expected, in 10 years, to raise 2.7 billion dollars.
While I am not a tanner and I do not recommend tanning, either in a bed or outdoors, I am still on the fence as to how I feel about this, as I did when the target of taxation was the cosmetic surgery industry. Don't we pay sales tax already on cosmetic products here in Michigan? What would make a cosmetic SERVICE different from a product off the shelf? Cosmetic services are expensive. Many people who recieve them have disposable income. Why shouldn't they be taxed?
On the flip side, there are people who receive elective cosmetic surgery for disfiguring conditions and scrounge for years to pay for surgeries and cosmetic treatments to correct them and, in turn, raise their self-esteem. Also, given the current economy, many people may choose to divert their disposable income somewhere else other than a cosmetic procedure, especially if it is being taxed. This could be devastating for plastic surgeons (for whom I have a soft spot as I have been employed by an outstanding board certified plastic surgeon since I began my aesthetics career).
OK, that is heavy. So I am glad that the focus was diverted to the tanning industry. But at the same time I am not. It still seems to be flawed. I would guess that the majority of people who tan are also women. So isn't it still discriminating? Anyway, I don't think it is going to stop people who are die-hard tanners from tanning.
What do you think?

Green Product Review: Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer

This is the first of ongoing posts reviewing natural, organic and green cosmetics readily available on the market. While I love making my own products (then I know exactly where they are coming from and can customize them to my own skin's needs), there really are some great products being manufactured and distributed to your local corner store. Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer (by Physician's Formula) is definitely one of them.
I love makeup. I have always loved makeup and always will, however, as I have gotten older I have found that too much makeup makes me look like either a lady of the night or my Great Aunt Sarah. Less is definitely more for me these days! Plus, being a busy mom of two kids under five years old, I don't have the luxury of makeup application time that I used to. Anything easy, fast and good for myself and the environment is A-OK in my book. This tinted moisturizer is just that.
Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer is 100% natural origin, 80% certified organic ingredients, including jojoba seed oil, sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, and shea butter. It has a natural SPF 15 (titanium dioxide). It is also 100% free of synthetic preservatives, parabens, GMO's, synthetic colors, synthetic fragrances and is cruelty free. It also has a lovely scent and glides on the skin like butta. It is also full of natural emollient oils that are low on the comedogenicity scale, which is good for my fussy, acne-prone skin. It gives it lots of needed moisture, without the breakouts. This product does contain talc, which some people believe to be a carcinogen, acne promoter and irritant (I have never seen any study that proves any of these things to my satisfaction, however). Just remember to shake all the happy ingredients up first for the best application.
I chose the Fair to Light shade, as it was the lightest one available on the shelf, but during a long Michigan Winter, I probably need the Ivory to Fair to actually match my skin tone. But the Fair to Light does give me a nice sheer, even hint of color on top of my usual Winter palor! Bonus! I would definitely recommend this product.

Psycho about Psychodermatology

I am really intrigued by a recent blog post I read today by Ted Grossbart PhD titled "Psychodermatology: Four Myths That Can Keep Your Skin From Getting Better." In the article, he explains how Psychodermatology, or the treatment of skin from both a biological AND psychological perspective (rather than just biological), puts to rest some of the common myths about treating skin, including the belief that skin problems can be treated only with medical solutions.
Dr. Grossbart discusses the mind-body connection regarding skin issues and how some people tend to have a closer mind-body link than others. I was fascinated that he acknowledged that the tendency is "in part genetic and in part the result of life experiences. Physical or emotional trauma tends to bring the mind and body closer."
He gives a stunning account of how hypnosis worked to cure a chronic plantar wart from the bottom of a young adult's foot. Absolutely fascinating!
Having lived first-hand through my own mind-body related skin condition, I plan to delve into Dr. Grossbart's blog posts more in-depth. I am completely hooked after reading this. He also includes a link to his site where you can download his eBook "Skin Deep: A Mind/Body Program for Healthy Skin." This is definitely the next up on my reading list. Thank you Dr. Grossbart!