Winter skin care

Winter is here. Whether we like it or not... and I, personally don't like it.

In the winter, there are several factors which have an effect on our skin such as the large temperature fluctuations when we come inside from outside; the drying effect of the heated room and the low humidity of the cold air.

Especially people with dry and sensitive skin suffer around this time. The face is the most exposed to the weather. The skin can dry out very badly and could become very sensitive against many beauty products.

The most effective exfoliating fruits

1. Blueberries

Blueberries have an antioxidant effects, but you can use them as an exfoliant as well. Their acids are not too strong, so if you have a sensitive skin you can use it with no problem. Mash some blueberries and apply them on your skin.

2. Kiwi

It contains high amount of Vitamin C and works great as an exfoliant. You can use it for dry skin. Put the mashed kiwi into a yoghurt. The seeds could be irritating.

Product review: Alverde Naturkosmetik- Two-phase makeup remover

Today I want to introduce a German brand, called Alverde Naturkosmetik which is a natural skin care/cosmetic brand by DM (Drogerie Markt) in Europe. DM is a drug store. And they carry this natural skin care line and also another natural line Weleda. Alverde even has the Natrue logo on their products.

This product has no synthetic fragrances and colors, no petroleum derived products (parafines, PEG, -propyl-, -alkyl-, etc.), no silicone oils, no genetically modified ingredients, no irradiaton of end product and botanical ingredients and the product is not tested on animals.

Alverde Naturkosmetik- Two-phase makeup remover

It's an oil based make-up remover. When you use it it's a little bit foamy and left a sticky feeling, so I have to wash my face after using it. But it's not a big deal, cause if I wear makeup, I always wash my face anyways. I like this green look which caused by CI 75810. (It is a copper derivative of botanically derived color obtained from green plants.) And this 2 greens are so cool in the bottle. The darker green is the lighter consistency, this is why it's sitting on the top and the ligh colored green is heavier. You can see the line where they meet. So you have to shake it before you use it, thus those 2 liquid agents will confluent.

Negative things about the product

I don't like the smell tho. I don't even know how to describe it. And it has another bad thing: it stings the eyes, so you have to be careful with it.

But the product works great! You don't have to rub your eyes, it takes off your makeup very smoothly. I really like it. Overall is a very good makeup remover and I recommend it.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Glycine Soja (Oil)*, Glycerin, Alcohol*, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Lactate, Aloe Barbadensis (Extract), Simmondsia Chinensis (Oil)*, Persea Gratissima (Extract)*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Extract)*, Actinidia Chinensis (Fruit Extract)*, CI 75810, Olea Europaea (Oil)*, Helianthus Annuus (Seed Oil), Sodium Coco Sulfate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Parfum**, Limonene**, Linalool **

*Ingredients from certified organic agriculture

**Natural essential oils

You can buy it in all European DM drugstore. Alverde website: Alverde

Product review - Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

Here is another great, natural product from Burt's Bees. And you know what's funny? I have no idea how I got it:) Did I get it from someone as a gift or I purchased it? Good question and I think I will never get the answer, but I'm just glad that I have it.

The firts thing that made me fall in love with this balm is the fresh lemon scent. I just love it. It's pretty strong, but not sickening. You don't even have to put close to your nose and you can smell it.

Fluoride in toothpaste

I was brushing my daughter's teeth with a strawberry flavoured toothpaste, especially for children, when I decided to take a look at the ingredients. The box says it contains Sodium Fluoride "which is in our (Canadian Dental Associtation) opinion, am effective decay preventive agent..." But when I looked at the bottom it also says that prevent swallowing. Well...I'm using this toothpaste for a kid in her mouth, so it obviously could happen. Why is it a problem if the kid swallows the toothpaste by accident? And why every dentist and dental association likes fluoride that much? And what's the reality?

5 makeup brush set from Ecotools

Bamboo 5 piece brush set

I think these 5 brushes are the most important makeup brushes in a makeup kit. Brushes feature bamboo handles, recycled aluminum ferrules and soft, cruelty-free bristles. And it's just 10$.

Set Includes:

• Mineral Powder Brush
• Concealer Brush
• Eye Shading Brush
• Baby Kabuki
• Hemp & Cotton Zip Cosmetic Case

You can purchase it here

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Deep Conditioner

Deep Conditioner

Apply 1/2 cup of mayonnaise to your hair. (Avoid the scalp.) Massage in and then cover your hair with shower cap. Leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse it and then shampoo as usual.

Top 12 Skin Rejuvenating Food

Don't spend on money always creams and moisturizers, but pay attention to your diet. Vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids play a major role in making the skin regenerate every day.

Each of the following food has an anti-aging effect.

1. Pomegranate

Pomegranates contains antioxidants such as ellagic acid, polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins, can therefore lower a person's risk of cancer, Alzheimer's and premature aging.

2. Almond

Almond contains vitamin E, vitamin B which contributes to healthy skin and several other vitamin B and also contains antioxidants.

3. Bluberries

Blueberries are rich in fiber as well as vitamins A, C and antioxidants. Eat half a cup every day.

4. Pumpkin

Pumpkins contains lots of anti-oxidant vitamins A and C, as well as zinc and alpha-hydroxy-acids which helps to reduce the signs of aging.

5. Eggs

(Just from organic farms!) Eggs are a good source of high-quality protein which gives you amino acids needed for tissue repair. It also contains vitamin A which prevents acne breakouts and has an influence on cellular reproduction.

6. Avocado

Avocados contain good amount of monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins (vitamin E, C), phytonutrients and minerals. You can also use it topically. Eat half of an avocado daily.

7. Wild Salmon

(Not farm-raised) Wild Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids -which acts as an antioxidant-, selenium and minerals.

8. Acerola

Acerola, a cherry-like fruit with high antioxidant activity. It is considered to be excellent sources of vitamin C, exceeding the vitamin C concentration of oranges. It is also a good source of other nutrients including B vitamins, calcium, iron, bioflavonoids, phosphorus, malic acid, pantothenic acid, potassium, and magnesium. Eat 1 acerola per day.

9. Tomtoes

Tomatoes are the best source of the anti-aging antioxidant lycopene. But for some reason it is more easily absorbed by your body when it is cooked or processed.

10. Walnuts

Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Eat a handful a day.

11. Kiwi

Kiwi has lots of vitamin C and antioxidants which keep skin firm and help prevent wrinkles.

12. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes contain beta-carotene and an antioxidant that fights aging.

Sources:

Suite 101

Hubpages

Livestrong

Blog Pharmacymix

Fitness Magazine

Femina

Liebster Blog Award

I'm going through some big changes in my life right now and these things are hard for me... I'm moving back to my country due to a breakup with my boyfriend after almost 2 years. It happened out of the blue, I didn't expect it, but I have no other choice, but deal with it. Well if love is gone, is gone. After the first shock the second worst thing was that I had to realize that I can't take my dog -who I love so much- with me.

I need to start everything (literally) from the beginning and it's not easy. Find a new job (and work as an esthetician in my country is not really an option right now), find a new place to live, get use to again everything and being single. So I'm not on the top at this moment and for some reason good things are avoiding me lately. But I was so happy when Kelly from Savvy Suburban send me an unexpected msg that she had given me the Liebster Blog Award! Yaay!:) That gilded my evening. Small surprises are the best. Thank you Kelly very much! I'm honored.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Bright Teeth

Bright teeth

Mix 1 tsp baking soda and few drops of hydrogen peroxide until it reaches a toothpaste consistency. Brush your teeth with it, spit and rinse. You can also brush your teeth with toothpase after. Do it once a week.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Dry Chapped Lips

Dry Chapped Lips

Use a soft toothbrush and gently rub your lips in a circular motion. It will exfoliate your lips. When you're done, use your favorite natural lip balm.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Stiff neck

Stiff neck

If you wake up with a pain in your neck or shoulder, then use a hair dryer for a minute or two. Just put up your hair, turn on your hair dryer on warm heat (not hot) and aim it to your neck/shoulder. Hold the hair dryer 10cm away from your neck or you can add a layer of clothing and warm that up.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Thickened skin on sole of the feet

Thickened skin on sole of feet

Mix 3 tbs of sea salt with little milk until you get a thick paste. Soak your feet at least 5 mins in warm water, then rub this paste in your feet then wash it off. It makes your feet soft again.

Cellulite

What Is Cellulite?

Did you see little dimples on your skin when you pinch it? Even when you don't? If yes, it means you have cellulite. According to Louise Chang, MD: "Cellulite is caused by fat deposits that sit side-by-side with tough collagen fibers that are anchored to the muscle beneath. When the fibers pull tight, or the fatty areas grow larger, the fat deposits may bulge out. The connective tissue under the skin became loose and doesn't hold the fat deposits." It appears on thighs, abdomen, or buttocks. It's more common on women, but I saw guys as well with cellulite on their butt. And skinny girls can have cellulite too.

It has 3 stages:

Stage I.

In this stage, the cellulite appears when the skin is pinched.

Stage II.

The cellulite appears when the person is standing.

Stage III.

At this stage, the deformation on the outermost layer of the skin is visible whether the person is lying down, standing up, or sitting. You can't hide it anymore.

What causes cellulite?

• Diet: sugar, processed food, etc.
• Lack of physical activity
• Insufficient water intake
• Heredity
• Smoking
• Alcohol

How to make cellulite dissapear?

First of all you have to change your diet and have to start to workout. Drink plenty of water (no soft drinks or sodas). There are also some other treatments that can help:

• Cellulite massage
• Body wrapping
• Lymphatic massage
• Ultrasound

Essential oils

• Cypress oil
• Juniper oil
• Geranium oil
• Wild rosemary oil

Cellulite massage lotion recipe

Take your body lotion and put few drops wild rosemary oil in it. Massage it into your skin where you have your cellulite. You can add 1 drop of cinnamon oil, but note that your skin will be very red. This is not a problem, but better if you are aware about it.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Burn injuries

Burn Injuries

If your burned yourself then extract juice from an onion with a fruit blender and soak a piece of material or a gauze in the juice. Then put it on your injury. It helps for your skin to heal faster and you won't have blisters.

Dina's daily beauty tips: Shiny hair

Shiny hair mask

Mash avocado, add almond oil and use it as a hair mask. Leave it for 20 minutes and then wash it off. Style as usual.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Varicose Vein Remedies

Varicose Vein Remedies

If you have varicose veins on your legs, use apple cider vinegar topically a few times a day. Rub it on your skin. This will help the vein to retract. You can also start drink it. Or take two handful marigold (stems, flowers, leaves all together) and cut it in small pieces. In a saucepan warm up half kg pork fat (bacon grease) and put the marigold in it. Stir it for couple of minutes and then remove from heat. Cover and let it stand for one day. The next day warm it up again and filter through gauze into a clean jar. Your cream is ready.

Dina's Beauty Tips: Quick, natural detoxification

Quick, natural detoxification

Mix 500g whey with 100ml pine apple juice, 100ml Sea Buckthorn juice and half lemon juice. Divided it for the whole day and drink it. This juice will help to burn fat faster, speed up the digestion and helps to get rid of the toxins in the body.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Wart

Wart

Apply freshly crushed garlic on your wart and put a bandage on it. The wart will begin to flatten out and fall off after a week. Replace the bandage and the garlic every day. But be aware: the garlic literally burns the skin and it's really painful. So you have to be really careful to apply the garlic just on the wart and not on your skin. Or you can dip a piece of cotton ball in vinegar and put it on the wart for 2 hours every day.

Natural makeup brands

Frankly, I don't really use makeup for every day just if I go out. Ok, I use an eyeliner. I prefer actually a liquid eyeliner than a pencil. Oh and lip gloss. I just loooveee lip gloss. Even though guys think I put some saliva on my lips. Hahaha. But that's it. The reason why I don't really use makeup is that I didn't really find good, natural makeup brands. Until now. I collected some natural makeup brands, enjoy!

Dina's Beauty Tips: Smooth your Decolletage

Smooth your decolletage

Smash 1 tbs dried green tea leaves and mix it with 2tbs natural yoghurt. Apply it to your decolletage. Leave it for 10 minutes, then wash it off.

Dina's Beauty Tips: Puffy Eyes

Puffy eyes

Every once in a while (or often...) we wake up with puffy eyes. If you want a quick solution, then put an ice cube or a slice cold cucumber on your eyes. Leave it for 5-10 minutes and then wash it off with cold water.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Ingrown hair

Ingrown hair

If you suffer from ingrown hair, exfoliate the area, thus you remove dead skin cells. Use exfoliating gloves in the shower 3-4 times a week and apply moisturizer as well. You can also use tea tree oil (keep away irritation), witch hazel (works as a natural antiseptic) and sugar scrub (for exfoliating).

What Fingernails Reveal About Your Health?

Just like we can get lots of information about our health by checking our feet (reflexology), we also get many information from our fingernails.

Fingernails sings:

White spots

A lot of white spots on the nails may indicate zinc, iron deficiency or deficiency of calcium and magnesium (too much sweet food and sugar intake cause vitamin deficiency). It could be also deficiency of vitamin E and vitamin A. Although many people say it's a myth, I can tell you it's not. I'm the living proof that I don't hit or do anything with my nails and I get these white spots.

Color

The pale pink, almost white nail color refers to anemia, the blue color refers to circulation disorders. The yellow color indicates liver problems, diabetes, lymphatic diseases or chronic bronchitis, however usually it happens because of the nail polish or nicotine. The gray and black spots can indicate heavy metal poisoning.

The purple nails indicates cardiac disorders.

Vertical nail ridges

It's usually common and you don't have to worry about it. We get them as we're getting older. It's a simple sign aging.

Horizontal ridges

Too much stress.

Brittle nails

If you wash your hands a lot then your nails can turn to brittle. It also indicate kidney problems, thyroid and circulation problems.

Unusual thick nails

It refers to circulation disorders.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Silky hair

Silky hair

If you want to regain your hair glow, then after shampooing rinse your hair with beer. Leave it on for 3-4 minutes and then rinse with water thoroughly. The result will be a shiny and silky hair.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Yellow nails

Yellow nails

Nail polish can turn your nails yellow. If you don't want to polish it, then squeeze a lemon into a small bowl and soak your nails in it for 30 minutes. Then wash your hands with soap and water and you will immediately see the difference.

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip: Soft Lips

Soft lips:

Brush your lips with a toothbrush and then apply honey on them for 10 minutes. Rinse it with water and your lips will be soft and kissable.

6 mistakes that can ruin your skin

Maybe you are still very young and you can say: "it's not necessary to think about what will be with my skin when I will be older", but let me tell you something. If you don't do everything to keep your skin healthy, glowing and free of fine lines now, then later it will be almost impossible to get rid of those stubborn wrinkles.

It's worth to change also some bad habits now, because in a short period of time your skin will be grateful for that.

1. Smoking

Tobacco byproducts are seriously harming your skin and the speed up the aging. Smoking chronically deprives the skin of oxygen and nutrients. According to Jonette Keri, MD of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine: "In young nonsmokers, we don't usually see a lot of uneven skin tone, but this develops more quickly in people who smoke. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, and many of them trigger the destruction of collagen and elastin.

2. Lack of water

Water is required by every cell in the body as nourishment and to remove wastes. When water becomes scarce, the body tries to limit the amount it loses through breathing, mucous production, urination, perspiration and bowel movements. If you don't drink enough, your skin will be dry/dehydrated and flaky. Dry skin is not the direct cause of wrinkles but is, rather, a contributing factor. The lack of moisture is the responsible of the wrinkles.

3. Sun

We need sun of course, because of the Vitamin D. But sun exposure put us at higher risk of cellular damage, early wrinkling, age spots and skin cancer. Not many people know that our tanned skin is actually am injury to the epidermis. The sun's ultraviolet light damages the fibers in the skin and causing wrinkles.

4. Soft drinks

Phosphoric acid, added to carbonated drinks like cola is a preservative. It takes the calcium from the bones and it can accelerate aging. It was found to make the skin and muscles wither.

5. Lack of sleep

The first sign is if you don't sleep enough is dark circles and puffy eyes. But it also leads to fine lines. According to WebMd "When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic." You need to sleep at least 8 hours.

6. Extraction/Popping pimples

I know how annoying when you have a pimple and you have never been able to stand looking at it, but if it's possible, please go to a professional. If you are messing with your pimples you can actually cause scars. Also, if you try to extract a zit when it's not ready to come out, you can cause bigger damage: the pimple will be twice as big and you will get a wound on the top of it. Squeezing pimples pushes the bacteria further into the skin, causing more redness and swelling.

Source:

Webmed

Dina's Daily Beuaty Tip: Velvety smooth skin

Add natural milk powders to your bath water. It contains lactic acid and it has an exfoliating effect. It is even better than any body scrub!

Dina's Daily Beauty Tip : Glowing Skin

Glowing skin:

If you want a glowing skin, then mash a papaya and mix it with the same amount of honey. Apply it on your face with a brush, wait 15 minutes and then wash it off. The result will be a beautiful, fresh looking skin!

The healthiest people on Earth - What's their secret?

Everyone wants to live a long life. Usually when we're young we think no matter what, we will stay young and healthy forever. But unfortunately as we're getting older we realize that aging makes no execptions.

There are altough some nations where people live a very long life. And not just long, but healthy. Get to know these people's secret!

Okinawa

Many Okinawans reach the age of 110 years old. They have lower risk of heart attack and stroke, cancer, osteoporosis and Alzheimer. They don't just live long, but they even stay healthy. The secret? Healthy lifestyle. The traditional diet of Okinawa is vegetables, fruit, fish, soy, seaweed, green tea and rice. They don't eat too much meat or dairy products, they don't smoke or drink alcohol and their lives low in stress. The other most important thing is the physical activity: biking, walking several kilometers daily, practicing karate, kendo, dance and gardening.

Sugar and Skin problems

The human body is not ready to process that much sugar that an average person consume today. Sugar in products takes vitam B and other micro-nutrients from the body which are required for the break-down, thus causing deficiency diseases. It strongly acidifies the pH of the body, so for the compensation, the body takes calcium and mineral salts from the bones.

If you take a better look you will see, almost everything contains sugar. I checked my whole wheat flour and it contains sugar too!

Before I write about why sugar is bad for your skin, lets look at the types of sugar.

Types of sugar (the following list is not exhaustive):

1. Granulated (white) sugar

It is made from cane sugar or beet sugar. The sliced ​​herb is soaked, pressed and purified with phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide (slaked lime), which combine to precipitate calcium phosphate. All the organic impurities are removed with this process. Then then clarified syrup is decolorized by filtration. The purified syrup is then concentrated to supersaturation and repeatedly crystallized under vacuum, to produce white refined sugar. An interesting fact: the sugar contant of beet sugar is 18%, the sugar contant of refined white sugar is 95%.

Product review: Purepotions Skin Salvation

Purepotions is a natural brand and you can read about the company here.

If you read my blog regularly, then you know I suffer from Atopic eczema. I have actually 2 stubborn patches on my arm and sometimes 1 patch on my face. This type of eczema is a very stuff one and hard to treat, because the reasons are could be severe nutritional deficiency, stress or when too many toxins accumulated in the body. Frankly, I have to change my lifestyle dramatically to eliminate my eczema. Slowly, but surely I'm getting there, but it's not easy. No sugar for me at all, but I can't say no for Nutella. :) Who can?

Quick natural tips to cure body odor

The apocrine glands in the armpits release fats, waste products, and other toxins from the body when you sweat. Body odor happens when these toxins come into contact with bacteria on your skin. Here are some great and simpe tips how can you prevent body odor!

1. Soap

Use natural soap which contains lavender, tea tree oil or peppermint.

2. Witch hazel

Spray which hazel extract several times a day directly to your skin or put it on a cotton ball and wipe your armpits with it. The refreshing, sweet-smelling liquid is drying and has a deodorizing effect as well.

Candida diet

What is Candida?

Candida Albicans is a type of yeast of fungus that occurs naturally in the human body. It is found in the gut flora, in skin folds, in the mouth and vagina. So normally found in the body at low levels. When the immune system is down, Candida starts to multiply and take over all the healthy microorganisms. They can find their way to the bloodstream too (through the lining of the intestinal tract) and it can lead to many problems.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition which seems to be passed down through families. However it doesn't matter whether someone is a carrier of genetic predisposition or not, because mainly the lifestyle and the diet trigger the symptoms.

Symptoms of the Psoriasis:

• Red, flaky patches of skin with silvery scales
• Dry, thick, itchy skin
• Salmon pink skin
• Thick nails, yellow-brown nails, dents in the nail, and nail lifts off from the skin underneath
• Severe dandruff on the scalp

The most misleading beauty claims

I am sure you heard and read many beauty claims by companies about their product. I collected those that I find the most misleading.

1. Natural claims

Many companies use this claim on their products, although there is no proper definition for natural. I would say a product is natural if doesn't contain preservatives, it is free of any artificial dyes, perfumes and other synthetic chemical ingredients. The product's ingredients must originate from a natural source, but it's not necessarily grown according to bio standards.

I find also misleading when a company says about an ingredient it's natural, just because it came from a natural source. In this case that ingredient went through many chemically process and modification. It's far from natural.

Product review - Arbonne Part IV.

This part is the RE9 Advanced for Men. This includes the Exfoliating Wash, Shave Gel, Post-Shave Balm and Facial Moisturizer with SPF20.

I gave them to my partner and I asked him what he thinks. You have to know he doesn't really like skin care stuffs and he also thinks natural products are the same like non natural counterparts and there is no such a thing that toxic ingredients, because they have been used for generations with no problem. He actually thinks that natural products are just good reasons to ask more money for nothing.

Product review - Arbonne Part III.

This line includes 5 steps in the morning ( Facial Cleanser, Toner, Renewal Serum, Eye Cream, Day Cream) and 5 steps (instead of the day cream, it's the night cream) in the evening. This is basically a skin care regime. Personally I don't mind if I have to do these steps, because as an esthetician this is what I do for my clients and for myself when I want to do a proper, "pampering" facial.

1. Smoothing facial cleanser

• Smell: organge
• Texture: soapy, creamy, foamy

I washed my face with it and it gave me a clean feeling, although my skin on the cheeks became dry. (Sodium C14 16 Olefin Sulfonate causes the dryness.) It was like other facial cleanser.

The Story of Cosmetics - Video

I found this video and it explains very well the whole story about toxic chemicals and what we should avoid. Enjoy!:)

Product review - Arbonne Part II.

1. Instant Lift Gel

• Smell: It contains orange peel oil, so this is why the orange smell, which is very pleasant
• Texture: Sticky, colorless gel

I applied just to one side of my face to see if there is any difference. Well, it just sits on the skin and doing nothing. The only difference is that on that side of my face where I applied, my skin felt sticky. After 5 minutes I felt like I am wearing a mask, if I smiled my face were tight, but not in a good way. I was waiting at least 15 minutes to see if my skin will absorb it, but then I run out of patience and I washed it off. It was very uncomfortable to wear. Suprisingly I could wash off the whole Gel and my skin was so dry that I had to apply my Nourish Body Butter. (Yes, I use it on my face and it works great!)

Ingredients

You can see the whole ingredient list on the picture. I am just putting up those that you've maybe never heard, or heard, but don't know what it is and the non natural, synthetic ones. I also highlighted the harmful ones. There are few ingredients that I didn't mention, because of the lack of information.

Product review - Arbonne Part I.

Christina Atkinson, an independent consultant from Arbonne contacted me if I would like to try out their products. Before I said anything to her, I wanted to know more about Arbonne and also wanted to know what kind of ingredients they use. For some reason I didn't see the detailed ingredient list on their site (although I can see it now), so I asked Christina if she can send it to me. She was very kind and sent me the botanical glossary. I thought they use only these natural ingredients, so I said yes, I would like to get some samples.

Christina also sent me a pamphlet and I was very surprised when I found out that they are a multi-level marketing, "Amway" type company (MLM) which I really don't like and I am not interested in at all.

About the company

"Arbonne is a Swiss skin care products in the U.S. and includes a complete line of natural, botanical-based skin care, cosmetics, nutrition, fitness and aromatherapy products for men, women and children. Arbonne stands out as a company committed to providing pure, safe products that work. The formulas are: botanically-based - pH correct – hypoallergenic - dermatologist tested - never tested on animals - formulated without animal products or by-products - formulated without mineral oil -formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances."

That's basically what they say about themselves. Nothing new for me, for you, we hear the same things almost every day from other companies, although the reality is unfortunately different. In this case as well.

How to choose a facial cleanser

There are different types of facial cleansers and each type is designed for different skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination and sensitive.

Types of facial cleansers:

1. Syndets: These are soap-free cleansers and best for people with sensitive skin
2. Gel: These cleansers have a light lather that helps to absorb excess oils on the skin and best for people with oily skin. It is also a foaming cleanser. Purchase gentle and oil-free cleansers
3. Cream: such as milks, mousses and balms, help moisturize skin and best for people with dry skin. These are non-foaming cleansers

But I also believe that simple water and natural face oils could do the same job.

Health problems behind acne & blackheads

If you have too many pimples and blackheads and you couldn't cure it with any facial products, good to know those things below, before you run to a Physician. Acnes don't appear out of the blue with no reason. Oily skin and blocked pores are not the main reasons, because something had to trigger them. Dermatologists usually don't care about your lifestyle, diet or any health issues behind your acne problem and they just cover the problems with hormonal pills (ie. birth control pills) which is deffinately not the solution.

Possible health problems and triggers behind acne:

• Stress
• Hormonal problems or changes in your hormone levels: ie. before a menstrual period or pregnancy, female endocrine disorder (PCOS) etc.
• Some medications: androgens, lithium barbiturates, etc.
• Digestion problems
• Intestine problems
• Disturbances of liver function
• Renal/Kidney failure
• Disorders of water balance
• Circulation problems
• Bad teeth
• Tonsil problems
• Facial products with harsh chemicals
• Hair products: especially if you have acne or blackheads usually on your forehead
• Eating unhealthy foods like fast, processed, semi-finished, GMO foods
• Milk
• Sugar
• Toxins in the body
• Inflammation
• Absorption problems
• Problem with the gut flora

The texture of the blackheads tells a lot to a professional. She/he can take a conclusion about what kind of internal problem there is in the background.

These companies test on animals

It's a quick, useful information about companies who either test on animals or pay a laboratory to conduct tests on animals. Please make sure that you avoid their products. (They also use dangerous chemicals.)

According to Journal of the American Medical Association and the British Medical Journal it is concluded that because of the fundamental biological differences among species, animal tests do not reliably predict outcomes in humans.

However Frankie Trull, president of the non-profit Foundation for Biomedical Research (a promoter of responsible animal testing), explains that "over the past 60 years, scientists have figured out what works best in what models."

It means that they found those animals that are closely mimics of a human. "Scientists really do try to go that extra mile to find the species that will most accurately mimic how the compound would work in a human" says Frankie Trull.

This is terrible because there are other alternatives to test without animals. You can read about here: Peta.org

Certified Logos in skin care

If you want to buy real organic, natural, vegan or cruelty free skin care products, then you should look for these logos.

1. USDA Organic:

If you see this logo on a product you can be sure it contains at least 95% organic ingredients. Products made with a minimum 70% and under 95% organic ingredients, may display "made with organic ingredients," but cannot display the USDA organic label. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

2. NaTrue:

It is a non-profit organization formed by natural cosmetic manufacturers in Europe.

They certify to three levels:

• Natural Cosmetics: Ingredients must be natural but they do not have to be organic. This is when the logo comes with 1 star (from organic cultivation)
• Natural Cosmetics With Organic Portion: Natural cosmetics containing ingredients of organic origin at least 70% of natural ingredients must stem from controlled organic production and/or controlled wild collection. This is when the logo comes with 2 stars
• Organic Cosmetics: At least 95 % of natural ingredients must come from controlled organic cultivation and/or controlled wild collection. In addition, minimum levels for natural ingredients are even higher than for the second grade. This is when the logo comes with 3 stars

Beauty Basics : How to Wash Your Face Properly, for Clear & Beautiful Skin

Face wash

The very first thing is to find a proper facial cleanser which fits to your skin type. I made a post about organic skin care brands here and here . Simple hand soaps are not good for wash the face, because their pH level usually around 8-10., a strong alkaline and the skin pH level on our face is between 4-5.6 if it's balanced. An oily skin's pH is around 5.7-6.8. A dry skin is 7.3 to 7.4. You can see hand soaps are not made for face. Use facial soaps

I like to use my fingers instead of a washcloth, but it's your decision. I use facial cleansing sponges for my guest which I think is better than washcloth.

We have to wash our face twice a day, but mainly before bed to remove dirt (and makeup too, but I prefer makeup remover for this). I don't wash my face with a cleanser in the morning (just with water), because I don't need it; my skin is not dirty and if I used a cream before bed then I like the feeling of my skin -moisturized- in the morning. So I just use simple water.

Here is my advice for how to wash face properly:

1. Wet your face with lukewarm water
2. Squeeze a little amount of cleanser into your palm and rub them together, so it will dissolve
3. Use your fingertips (middle fingers and ring fingers) to apply the cleanser on your face and start a gentle circulation motions
4. On the cheeks always start from the outside and proceed inwards while you are doing the circulation motions, around your lips too, then come up to your nose. On your forehead you can do the motions in both directions, it's more like a spiral motion than a circular
5. Slow down around the eye area and here also use the outside from inside circulation method
6. When you are done, you can do 2 things: splashing your face with water or use a wet cotton pad or facial cleansing sponge and wipe your face with that until it's clean
7. Use a toner for your skin type, because sometimes even the best cleanser is not enough to get rid of all the dirt

Chemical hair dyes and their effect to our health

We are responsible for the condition of our hair. There are certain factors that effect the health of our hair. These are:

• Mechanical factors: combing, retaliate, etc.
• Chemical factors: dying, perm
• Heat and light: sun, hair drying, flat iron, curling iron, etc.
• Physiological factors like stress, smoking, diet, etc.
• The environment: smog, wind, weather and ozone

Almost everyone dyes their hair. I remember I was 16 when I started to dye my hair, back then I was red. Then I became black and slowly blond. It's been 2 years now that I don't dye my hair since I know how bad it is for our health.

Guest Post - How do we raise healthy kids in an unhealthy world?

When few weeks ago I wrote a guest post for Kelly, Savvy Suburban, I knew right away that I want a post from her too! She is a lovely mom of 2 boys and her blog is about health, eco friendly living, beauty, fitness and fashion. She writes for various magazines and websites as well. I love her blog, it's very informative, well researched and we can learn a lot from her. She also gives lifestyle tips & trends, matters on health, being green, important information and items that make life a little easier and more fun. So I asked her to write for us a post about how can she manage healthy living with children? She was so kind and came up with this amazing guest post for Be Beauty Smart! I hope you guys will enjoy as much as I do! Thank you so much Kelly!

How do we raise healthy kids in an unhealthy world?

by Kelly at Savvy Suburban

When raising kids, it's not easy finding balance between healthy, eco-friendly living and convenient, care free living. Kids are bombarded by commercials for processed food, exposed to a bevy of junk food at parties, play dates, games and school. I face many struggles in this arena. It’s not easy, but it’s not a losing battle.

I am passionate about living a healthy chemical free life and eating nutritious whole food. This became exponentially more important to me after I became a mom. It seems the minute we enter motherhood we become hyper aware of the anxiety inducing prevalence of BPA, phthalates, pesticides, GMOs, endocrine disrupters, toxic toys… the list goes on and on. We just want to protect our kids and keep them safe and healthy.

My kids, especially my 9 year old, give me grief about buying toothpaste without fluoride, 'fake' oreo cookies from Whole Foods, wearing pajamas that don’t have flame retardant chemicals, etc. They see their friends eating a bunch of junk food and using ‘regular’ chemical laden sunscreen, so I often hear, “all my friends get to!” Or he’ll retort with comments like, “other people drink out of plastic water bottles and use regular sunscreen spray, etc. and they’re fine.” I explain that poor health is achieved over years of not properly caring for your body. It’s not an immediate response, it’s prolonged use over a period of time that will cumulatively cause disease so it’s important to make healthy choices over the course of one’s life.