Year: 2017

Three More Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress

Posted on by Christen Sblendorio

‘Tis the season once again! The holidays can be a joyful time, offering a chance to reconnect with friends and family, but they can also be stressful. The hustle and bustle of the season can be hectic and the pressure to buy and give gifts can be worrisome for some. In order to maneuver through this holiday season stress free, consider the following to help alleviate any holiday induced stress. Last year, we discussed Three Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress, so here are three more!

Make a Plan

Create a budget so you know your spending limit, and then stick to it. Lack of money is one of the biggest causes of stress during the holiday season. Making sure you adhere to your budget can help relieve the stress that comes along with overspending.This year, set a budget and don’t spend more than what you have planned.

Get organized by marking lists or using an appointment book to keep track of your to-dos and upcoming holiday events. It’s okay to decline an invitation to a holiday event that isn’t particularly important to you. Learning to say “no” will give you more time to say “yes” to the events that you do want to attend. It will also give you more time to complete the things you want or need to get done.

Continue To Gift Thoughtfully

You can offset the guilt of not wanting to overspend by giving something personal. You can show love and caring with any gift that is meaningful and personal and that will be worth more than a pricey gift from a big-box retailer.

You can kill two birds with one stone by searching for thoughtful gifts online at webanaturalproducts.com. This will also offset the stress that comes with shopping at an overcrowded mall during the holiday season. If you like the idea of a brick-and-mortar store, however, shop local. Most local stores have more unique, one-of-a-kind and personalized items that may not be carried by larger retailers.

Treat Yourself

Even though the holidays is a time based around giving rather than receiving, don’t forget that you deserve a little something too. This doesn’t necessarily need to come in a form of a new handbag or expensive luxury item- it can be something as simple as taking a little bit of time to set aside for yourself. This time can come in many forms such as going for a short walk, setting aside some time in the morning before you start your day, listening to some music or soaking in a nice warm bath. If you plan on giving yourself a little TLC in the form of self-care we suggest you indulge your skin with our Healthy Skin Spa Box. You could even buy two – one for you and one for a friend!

Taking care of yourself will help you deal with stressful situations during the holidays. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings and maintain a regular sleep, mealtime, and exercise schedule. But most of all, remember to embrace the season!

The K-Beauty Craze

Posted on by Christen Sblendorio

Although it’s been around for years, the hype that has been sparked by K-Beauty (Korean Beauty) seems as if it’s emerged overnight. Major beauty publications such as Refinery29, Bustle and Allure are all upping the hype and telling people that K-Beauty is here to stay.

What is K-Beauty?

K-Beauty is the umbrella term for all South Korean imports in the skin care, makeup and bath-and-body categories that has been sending U.S. beauty enthusiasts into a tizzy. Within the last 18 months, K-Beauty has become some kind of mega-sensation in America, due to its claims of being natural and effective, but also coming in pastel-colored packages, cute shaped bottles like pandas, cats, peeled bananas or eggs.

What K-Beauty Entails

A typical K-Beauty regime calls for incorporating up to 10 (sometimes more) steps into your morning and evening beauty routines. This regime begins with a “dual cleansing” step in which oil and water-based products are recommended, a series of sheet masks, essences, serums and rich moisturizers. After your morning regime, K-Beauty suggests applying SPF 35+, where at night the alternative is a hydrating sleep mask.

New York based dermatologist Dennis Gross, is a fan of this overly through multi step regime. Gross believes that “there’s a positive in having a beauty regime that goes beyond the basics and addresses issues such as fine lines, pores, and uneven skin tone.” Gross who doesn’t necessarily prescribe 10-step routines for his patients, still believes that a  “customized skin-care routine“ makes good sense from a skin-biology standpoint.

Where To Start

Although a K-Beauty regime calls for a “10-step” routine, this isn’t a rule. If it were, it’s one that can be broken. To simplify your routine, find products that multi-task. For instance, our “Awaken” Body Smooth Sugar is a natural and gentle exfoliating organic scrub. It is made with organic sugar, coconut and apricot kernel oils and glycerin and Vitamin E to nourish and protect the skin. Since it’s a gentle exfoliator, it can be used on face and body, but only recommended for to be used on your face 2-3 times a week or as needed.

For cleansing and cleansing pores, the Activated Charcoal Botanical Bar Soap is another great option. The shea and cocoa butter bar soap contains pure activated charcoal, which is known for its ability to draw impurities and excess oil from the skin and hair. This soap is great for oily skin, or for anyone who is looking for a deep cleanse.

The Best Of K-Beauty

Soko Glam is an online marketplace that specializes in K-Beauty products and has a page on their site which is dedicated to all the best of K-Beauty products. Consider their list the ultimate starter-pack to building your K-Beauty product arsenal.

Should You Use A Toner?

Posted on by Christen Sblendorio

If you find yourself wondering if you should add a toner to your skincare routine, know that the answer to your question is not a direct “yes” or “no”. Although toners have been typically for oily skin types that need an extra cleansing boost, many of them are now packed with extra skincare benefits, like hydrating and soothing properties. Different toners have different benefits and these benefits depends on your skin type and the type of toner that you use.

Dr. Alicia Zalka, a Yale-affiliated dermatologists states that “toners are not necessary, but they can be a great adjunct to a skincare regimen for those that need help with oily skin or markedly plugged pores.Toner is something I consider a second step of the cleansing process. The benefit is that, when used correctly, it can help remove excess oils and dead skin cells that may lurk on the face after washing. To some extent a toner can help other skin applications penetrate more rapidly.”  

What do toners do?

A toner’s purpose is to do a complete cleanse of the skin and refine pores. Toners remove dust, pollution and impurities that can still linger on the skin after washing with a cleanser. Toners were originally designed to help restore skin’s pH balance, which is slightly acidic (5.5-6.5). Old styles of cleansing (cleansers like soap bars) disrupted that balance, leaving skin more vulnerable to bacteria and other microorganisms. The disruption to skin pH can lead to inflammation, dryness and over time, accelerated aging. If you wash your face with a balanced, organic cleanser, your skin might not need the pH-balancing properties of toners.

Should I forget about toner?

If you have oily skin, a toner might be a beneficial addition to your skincare routine. Many toners targeted at reducing oil and clogged pores. If you have normal, dry or combination skin, the right toner will have ingredients that create a number of benefits, giving you a quick and refreshing lift that helps repair, restore, and renew your skin. For all these reasons and more, it is recommended you make toning the second step in your skincare routine after cleansing.

Natural DIY Toners

The good news is you can make your own natural toner at home. The following are ingredients on how to make your own toner best suited for your skin type and concerns.

A green-tea toner is a great option if you have normal skin. First make one cup of green tea. Then add half a teaspoon of honey and mix well. Let the mixture cool. Once cool, add three drops of jasmine essential oil to the mixture. Pour into an airtight bottle and store in a cool place.

If you have normal to oily skin the following toners are more efficient. To make an apple-cider vinegar toner add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to an airtight container and mix in 200 milliliters of mineral water. Store in a cool place.

For a Mint Toner, boil 6 cups of water and add a couple of mint leaves to the water while it is still hot. Allow the solution to cool and then saturate the pad with the solution and wipe your face with it after cleansing.

An Aloe Vera Toner can be made by slicing an aloe vera. Scoop out the gel and dilute 2 tablespoons of the gel with 1 cup of cool water. Apply the solution onto your face using a cotton pad after cleansing. This solution can also be used to sooth sunburns and rashes.

Make a Cucumber Toner by taking 2/3rds of a fresh cucumber and chopping it up into small piece. Pour a cup of water into a pan and add the chopped piece of cucumber. Heat the pan for about 8 minutes or until the water starts to boil. Blend the cucumber and the water. Let cool and then filter the solution out using a sieve. Apply to clean face using a cotton pad.

Ingredients To Avoid

When it comes to choosing a toner that’s right for you, there are some ingredients you want to avoid. Do not use a toner that has alcohol, menthol, witch hazel or fragrance in it. These four ingredients are not good for your skin. If you do choose to add a toner to your skincare routine and you choose your toner carefully, you’ll have a product that will do the following: complete cleansing, minimize the appearance of large pores, hydrate, help with oily skin and protect.

The Importance Of All Year Round Sun Protection

Posted on by Christen Sblendorio

With Fall here and winter approaching your first impulse might be to ease up on your sun protection. Don’t. Sun safety and protecting your skin against UV damage is a year-round commitment. According to Bruce E. Katz, the director of JUVA Skin & Laser Center in New York, “The sun’s harmful rays are just as strong and damaging despite what your thermometer says— particularly the UVA rays which are responsible for aging skin. UVA radiation reaches deeper into the skin and contributes to wrinkles and skin cancer risk. Nearly all (95 percent) of the UV radiation that we are exposed to is UVA.”

What is UVA?

To break it down, Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is part of the electromagnetic (light) spectrum that reaches the earth from the sun. UV radiation has wavelengths shorter than visible light which make it invisible to the naked eye. Ultraviolet A (UVA) is the longer wave of the two and the UV ray that causes lasting skin damage, skin aging, and can cause skin cancer. The shorter UV wave is Ultraviolet B (UVB). Ultraviolet B rays are what cause sunburns, skin damage, and possible skin cancer. By damaging the skin’s cellular DNA, excessive UV radiation produces genetic mutations that can lead to skin cancer. Both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization have identified UV as a proven human carcinogen.

UVA and Skin Cancer

The rise in the incidence of skin cancers over the past decades is strongly related to increasingly popular outdoor activities and recreational exposure. According to Alex A. Khadavi, the founder of Advanced Skin & Hair, “Reflection of radiation from snow requires aggressive sunscreen protection, maybe even more than summertime as individuals participate in snow activities like skiing and snowboarding. Almost 80 percent of UV radiation is reflected from snow while only 25 percent from sand.”

About 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and about 86 percent of melanomas are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun. Overexposure to sunlight is widely accepted as the underlying cause for harmful effects on the skin, eye and immune system. Because UV damage is mostly avoidable, experts believe that four out of five cases of skin cancer are preventable. Because sun damage builds up over time sunscreen should be applied liberally and evenly to any exposed skin. Sunscreen should be used everyday, even if it’s cloudy and sun does not appear to be present or in the forecast. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF), up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds. The SCF also reports that this is the reason people often end up with serious sunburns on overcast days if they’ve spent time outside with no sun protection.

Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation. Other types of sunscreen may help prevent sunburn, but they will not protect against skin cancer. Repeated sun exposure is the leading cause of premature skin aging. This is known as photoaging. It occurs because the sun’s ultraviolet rays alter the normal structure of the skin, causing the appearance of wrinkles and brown spots.

For more information on Vitamin D and what types of sunscreens to use, click here.