Buying the right moisturizer for your skin type makes a world of a difference in combating breakouts or any skin condition you may have. It isn’t easy. Sometimes you have to try different types of moisturizers until you find the right match. That can be expensive and nerve wrecking at times. Believe me, I’ve been down this route long enough.

When unsure on which moisturizer to buy, consider buying the travel size first. It’s cheaper and you won’t end up throwing away too much of your money if the moisturizer was a bad one. If the brand you are interested in doesn’t come in travel sizes, it doesn’t hurt to ask for samples. The key here is to make sure the ingredients in the product are compatible to your skin condition. Often times, we buy based on the summary claim of the product, which is usually printed in the front of the bottle’s label. This is not to say the manufacturer’s claim is bogus but sometimes, the product doesn’t give you the result it claims.

If you are keen to certain ingredients that give you skin irritation or cause breakouts, then always read the products ingredients list. Familiarizing yourself with the skin care products ingredients is the best way to be a savvy shopper. For example, alcohol in any form is drying and if you have dry skin, it is best that you avoid skin products that contain alcohol. There are plenty of natural brands that do not use alcohols in their products. Never be shy or think it’s not worth the time to ask either the company’s customer service or store rep any questions or concerns you have. Every company has a contact information on its website or printed on the product’s packaging. It’s good to be curious and to learn. If you aren’t sure about the ingredients or if the product will meet your needs, inquire about it.

I bought an anti-aging moisturizer at my local health food store last year and just after the first use, I noticed my face was a bit dry but I continued to use it for a couple more times and within just a few days, certain parts of my face was getting flaky. I brought the moisturizer back to the store and spoke to the store manager about it. She pointed out that the main ingredient, Argireline, can cause skin irritation in some people. She refunded me for my purchase which was really cool. By the way, Argireline is sometimes listed as Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 as an ingredient so if you have sensitive skin, you definitely want to avoid this ingredient.

The above is a few of tips I have listed from my own experience of shopping for the right moisturizer. I hope you find them useful.

 

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I’m glad that L’Oreal now offers sulfate free shampoo and conditioner. Hopefully more companies will follow suit and eliminate toxic chemicals in their hair products. They can work to remove one toxic ingredient at a time like L’Oreal. There are safe, natural, and just as effective alternative ingredients to replace the synthetic chemicals that are in conventional shampoo. It is a matter of whether companies have the desire to take the proactive approach to replace those chemicals.

Sodium sulfate is a harsh foaming agent that strips the hair and scalp of its natural oil. It can cause scalp irritation and even hair loss. For people who do not have specialty stores or health food stores that carry natural and organic shampoo, at least now they can buy a healthier shampoo at their local drugstore. I am amazed at the many different lines of products that L’Oreal introduced to the market that contain no sulfate. They have hydrating, volumizing, strengthening, smoothing, and reparative shampoo and conditioner. They also have sulfate free shampoo for color treated hair too. L’Oreal definitely expanded their hair care scope to deal with specific hair condition for their customers. In addition to taking the first step in producing safe hair care products by eliminating sodium sulfate, L’Oreal do no use animal byproducts and they are 100% vegan-not tested on animals.

 

The skin on our face is much more delicate than our hands. If you use a regular face wash, you probably notice how similar the consistency and texture of the face wash to liquid hand soap. The reason why face wash and liquid soap feel the same is because they are basically made with the same ingredients plus and minus some extra ingredients to treat specific skin condition. For acne prone skin, for instance, benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid is added to the formula. The bulk of the ingredients in face wash and hand soap are chemicals that bind and preserve the finished product.

If you check the ingredients list of your face wash and liquid hand soap, you will notice some common ingredients such as dimethicone, phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, cocamidopropyl betaine, DMDM hydantoin, diethanolamine (DEA) and PEG followed by a number. These chemicals are fillers, thickening and foaming agents that can strip your skin natural oil causing  skin irritation. To balance the harshness of the chemicals, skin soothers and moisturizing agents are added to reduce dryness and irritation. By doing so, it only masks the skin irritants but it doesn’t mean these chemicals don’t affect your skin. Of these common ingredients, DMDM hydantoin -  a preservative, can release formaldehyde.  Formaldehyde is a known carcinogenic compound that has been linked to cancers. Ingredients that end with DEA – a foaming agent – when mixed with certain preservatives can become toxic and it too has been linked to various cancers of the kidneys, bladder, and liver.

There should be no reason why toxic chemicals are needed in our skin care products. Natural preservatives and cleansing agents can be found in nature. Synthetic chemicals can be harmful when absorbed by our skin and into our bloodstream. When choosing your face wash, look for all natural ingredients. Natural face wash contains plant based ingredients rather than synthetics. Companies are responding to the rise of health conscious consumers and some are committed to producing safe and natural products. As a matter of fact, there are now more selections of organic facial cleansers with the USDA organic seal of approval. Stores are stocking up on natural and organic face washes. The internet makes accessibility to natural products easy. If price is a factor, natural face wash is comparable to regular brands. Again, with the advantage of the internet, you can easily shop for products online and compare prices. It is not challenging or difficult to find natural products nowadays. The more you know, the better choices you make.

Still not sure where to start? You can find different brands of natural face washes at Best Organic Deals.

 

Picture courtesy of www.sidewalksoftheworld.com

While there is no cure for psoriasis, there are ways to reduce the severity of the symptoms and even prevent future flare ups. Psoriasis can be managed. The number one thing to keep in mind is to be proactive in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To do so means to eat healthy and exercise regularly. Seeking the right treatment for psoriasis comes second. If you don’t eat right to keep your immune system and well being strong and healthy, whatever treatment you take will not be effective.

Treatment Options For Psoriasis

There are plenty of internal and external treatments to relieve psoriasis symptoms and to manage triggers. Internal remedies involve taking prescribed medications and eating beneficial food to reduce skin inflammation. In Eastern medicine, psoriasis is explained to be a a skin disease caused by toxins in the blood due to excessive heat and/or wind, and dampness that have accumulated in the body. To purify and cleanse the body of toxins, certain herbs are recommended as they contain blood cleansing properties to aid the liver and kidneys to remove toxins in the blood. Additionally, Eastern medicine emphasizes on the importance of avoiding particular food such as greasy, spicy, seafood and even sweets to manage psoriasis. External remedies include using topical treatment and light therapy. Topical treatments such as cream, ointment, and lotion while light therapy involves using natural sun UV rays or artificial UV rays to help reduce inflammation, itchiness, and scaly skin.

A Right Psoriasis Diet

Eating healthy enables our immune system to function correctly. Nutrition from fruits and vegetables promotes a natural healing process from within our bodies. When you start to eat healthy, it can take over a year before you start to experience the changes in your skin and overall health. Foods rich in beta-carotene and chlorophyll are especially beneficial to reduce skin inflammations and eruptions. These foods help eliminate toxins from the blood. Carrots, pumpkin, squash, kale , collards, chard, spirulina, and wild blue-green algae are just a few examples of beneficial foods for psoriasis.

Natural Treatment For Psoriasis

External treatments for psoriasis differ from individual to individual. Some people find that avoiding excessive sun exposure help alleviate their symptoms while some find that the sun UV  rays or using UV therapy reduces their symptoms. There is no one size fits all treatments. In clinical studies published in the International Journal of Dermatology and the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, dead sea salt has shown to significantly clear psoriasis symptoms and even go in remission. Bathing in dead sea salt for 3-4 times a week has worked well for most people. Studies have found that t he mineral rich content in dead sea salt is key to reducing the recurrences of psoriasis and helps psoriasis into remission. Regular sea salt is not effective in treating psoriasis. Make sure you are using genuine dead sea salt.

Aside from dead sea salt, using natural external treatments for psoriasis is a better choice because you are healing with products that are formulated with plant extracts and beneficial herbs with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Psoriasis medications carry moderate to serious side effects and can be life threatening. Some drugs suppresses the immune system to treat psoriasis but in doing so, it also opens the door to potential dangers of increasing other infections because the immune system is weak. There are many natural psoriasis treatments on the market today. You can browse for some at Best Organic Deals.

 Adzuki beans are dark red to brownish beans used in soups and desserts. They contain high levels of “saponins” which are powerful antioxidants found to stimulate the immune system by increasing the production of antibodies to help fight off infection, preventing dental caries, protecting against bone loss, lowering blood cholesterol by preventing it from being reabsorbed, and lowering your risk of cancer. The benefits of adzuki beans are not just limited to our health, they are also great for our skin!  Adzuki beans have been used as key ingredients in Japanese skin care  for their beneficial and mild exfoliating properties.  The beans are milled into fine powder and are commonly found in Japanese face scrubs. While some face scrubs are harsh and may damage the surface of the skin, adzuki beans gently removes dead skin cells without irritating the skin leaving it smooth and soft.

Easy Adzuki Bean Face Scrub

I stumbled accidentally on the fabulousness of adzuki beans as a face scrub from a sample packet I received from one of my Pangea Organics facial cleanser’s order. After I used it, I loved how smooth and soft my face was. Just absolutely loved it! My complexion looked so radiant. I googled to find out more about adzuki beans because I never knew how great it was as a face scrub. I eat these beans for the health benefits and now I can use it for my face too! You can don’t have to buy adzuki bean face scrub. You can finely ground adzuki beans at home and add water to form a soft paste to exfoliate your skin. You can use a coffee grounder, blender, or mortar and pestle to grind your beans. You will be pleased of the result. It is truly a very wonderful exfoliator for especially sensitive skin.

Adzuki Beans photo credit: www.americanspice.com