Chocolate Cherry Marshmallow pizza recipe

What you will need:

Pita bread
Chocolate spread
A handful of marshmallows
A handful of fresh cherries

Paste the chocolate spread onto pita bread.  I used Lovingearth Raw Organic Coconut Chocolate Butter (because it's better for our health than hazelnut spread).

Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over chocolate base.

Cut the cherries in halves, remove and discard seeds and stems. Sprinkle cherries evenly over base.  You don't need too many.

Bake in 160 degree oven for around 10-15mins, until marshmallows have spread out and cherries are releasing their yummy juices.

Allow to cool for about 5 minutes because the marshmallow will be too hot and sticky to eat straight away.  Slice up and serve.

  

Perioral Dermatitis part 2

treating perioral dermatitis naturally

After a week of trying natural remedies let me tell you what I tried and the results I found. [read part1 here]

For three days (Fri, Sat, Sun) I tried an application of three different creams - none of which are natural: Clearasil, cold sore cream and antibacterial cream.

The reasons I tried Clearasil is because benzyl peroxide is meant to be useful for treating PD.

The reason I tried an anti-bacterial cream is because I read that often PD can result from not cleaning your skin regularly (or using harsh cleansers).  PD can also occur after an acne/pimple breakout.  Both suggest to me an element of bacteria as a potential cause.

The reason I tried an anti-fungal cream is because I read that PD can often result from an overgrowth of candida in the body which is fungal.

I applied each cream in different areas so I could note each result.  The acne cream was put on the outer part of my nose (to the right of the top pic), the anti-bacterial was applied to the Philtrum, and the cold sore cream the area in between the two.

The results of each:
1 - The acne cream seemed to help the rash not spread but didn't make the rash go away.
2 - The cold sore cream did very little, if anything the skin felt more irritated and itchy.
3 - New blisters appeared on the area where the anti-bacterial cream was applied.

All up the skin was irritated and itchy and started to look more angry and was spreading into the nostril. I'd say non of those creams were beneficial for treating perioral dermatitis.  After 3 days I stopped applying the creams altogether.  Stopping the creams left me with extremely itchy red skin, in fact I'm pretty sure the rash was looking worse.
Late at night out of sheer irritation I went outside and cut a piece of aloe Vera leaf and applied natural aloe to the area.  The relief was practically instant, although it left my skin dry and flaky.

I'd been taking evening primrose oil since Saturday morning and wasn't really sure it was doing much since the creams seemed to exacerbate the rash.  On the fourth day I ditched the dreams and began the natural remedies.

The results of the natural remedies: 
1 - I stopped drinking caffeine since the rash can be stress related, my caffeine intake would have been increasing my stress levels.  Left me with a vague foggy brain and a dull head ache for days however I think this made a big difference.
2 - Evening primrose tablets - two per day.  I really have no idea what or if the tablets are doing anything because it's hard to measure an internal result.  All I know is evening primrose is good for soothing PMS symptoms, is natural and good for the skin.
3 - Washing my face regularly with a sulfate free cleanser [Facial & Body Wash].  I found the skin really cooled down and the rash eased after I cleansed my face.  As mentioned above since bacteria plays a part in the condition regular cleansing helps keep the skin clean and fresh.  Also perioral dermatitis can often appear after a bout of acne or a bad break out and regular cleansing helps keep those nasty break outs at bay.
4 - Moisturising with a natural moisturiser [Rich Cream Moisturiser] free of harsh chemicals and additives. I used this moisturiser for a cold cream application as well and found it soothed the skin and the rash for the rest of the night.
5 - Aloe Vera gel fresh from my garden applied to the area helped stop the itch and keep it at bay for a good while.  It also seemed to help heal the rash.  It did leave the skin dry and peeling yet I found I could remove the dry flaky skin and the rash was still looking better.
6 - After a couple of days I stopped applying the aloe vera and used Sothing Salve instead, mainly because I have it on hand and it's easier to apply.  Also didn't leave my skin flaky, while soothing the itch fast.  I applied the salve whenever the rash is itchy for some instant relief.
7 - Natural mineral makeup to hide the rash, with the added zinc being beneficial in helping treat the rash.  It's important to clean your brushes regularly to remove bacteria and make sure the rash doesn't spread.  NOTE: It is important to have as many makeup FREE days as you can and if you wear makeup wash it off at the end of each day.
8 - Not touching my face.  Again it's a bacteria thing touching grotty fingers to face as well as spreading the bacteria across my face.

All up, a week later I'm finding the rash is starting to simmer down.  I have no new blisters and the bumps from the previous blisters have pretty much gone away.  Now I'm left with a dull pink/red rash and I'm hoping through keeping this treatment up the rash will be gone within another week.  Fingers crossed.

The trouble with this rash is it gives a false sense of security.  It's often said that just when sufferers think they've got the rash under control... BAM... it suddenly flairs up again.

*    *    *    *

Struggling to rid yourself of the rash?  Try the above tips and see if it makes a difference for you and let us know how you go.

*    *    *    *

  

Perioral Dermatitis (PD / POD)

I have written about this condition before in my article Overexposure ~ a skin reaction that occurs when your body cannot deal with the constant chemical influx anymore, when it has reached a point of 'critical mass' and you begin to see skin reactions as a result: contact dermatitis aka overexposure.

I have had perioral dermatitis a number of times in my life, when I was 21, 26 and 31.  When I got perioral dermatitis again at 31 I realised the ingredients in the skin care products and makeup I was using were causing or exacerbating the problem.  That was when I began investigating chemicals in products and began creating my own skin care range to use on myself, my children, family and friends.  Since making the change to all natural products my skin has been better than ever.

Yet... now many years later the perioral dermatitis has come back!

Looking up the causes of PD they say things like steroid creams, fluoride in toothpaste, SLES/SLS, mineral/petroleum products, heavy creams and ointments, sunscreens, chemicals/additives in skin care and hormones all play a part (though for the most part there is no known cause or cure for PD). Mainly women get perioral dermatitis which further suggests that our hormones (as appose to men's) play a part in the condition.  Apparently PD will more likely appear during winter and doesn't like hot water.

It's been a long time since I actively used any of those types of products so that can't be what is causing my current outbreak.  Although at the time the rash came back I had been using a moisturiser (for 2 weeks) a friend gave me to sample containing cetearyl alcohol, triethanolamine, diazolidinyl, urea, methyl and propyl parabens.  I stopped using that cream as soon as the rash appeared yet that didn't make it go away.  As for hormones... well... looking back it just so happens that each time I got perioral dermatitis major stressful events occurred in my life, which would equal a rise in cortisol levels (a steroid hormone) and each time I was drinking more coffee than usual.

I have also considered weather caffeine is part of the problem since I've been drinking more lately and I drank a huge amount, 12 cups of coffee a day, when I first got the rash.  Which makes sense because caffeine also increase stress levels within the body.

When I last had the rash I was prescribed a triamcinolone cream.  Applying that cream on this rash made it worse and so it would since it's a corticosteroid cream (as are Advantan, DermAid and Celestone M) and steroid creams must NOT be used on perioral dermatitis.  When I stopped using the cream the rash became worse as it states will happen - supposedly it gets worse before it gets better.  Ironically applying Clearasil previously also made the rash worse even though benzyl peroxide is the active ingredient and is meant to work well on perioral dermatitis: along with metronidazole, erythromycin, tacrolimus, clindamycin, pimecrolimus, sodium sulfacetamide. 

Some natural remedies that (supposedly*) help decrease PD symptoms are apple cider vinegar - diluted and applied to the area and drinking a shot each day, vitamin E oil applied to area, tea tree oil diluated and applied to area, evening primrose tablets, zinc (natural - without chemicals) topical and tablets, regularly cleansing the skin with a SLES/SLS free cleanser.  Some even say bicarb soda and anti-fungal creams help.  *I say supposedly because I've not tried or proven any of them myself.  I can see how evening primrose would help since it reduces stress and is good for relieving PMS symptoms (PD can occur or flare up during or prior to menstruation).  Most mineral makeup powders (the good brands) use zinc powder.  I found using a mineral makeup cream (not the loose powder) made the rash worse.  I just started using Rich Cream Moisturiser which soothes and reduces the symptoms and is natural and toxin free.  I'll use it for a couple more days and see if it keeps the rash soothed.

perioral dermatitis

At the moment the rash is just a few small red lumps near my nose that are itchy and red.  However if left untreated it has the potential to spread all around my mouth and nose and even inside my nose.  I may eventually have to bite the bullet and see a doctor to have the correct cream prescribed (maybe even antibiotics - though I hope not because I don't like taking them).  In the mean time (since I'm not a fan of non-natural remedies) I will try some natural remedies and see what happens.

What I will try:
~ Regularly cleansing with a SLES/SLS free Facial & Body Wash with moderately hot water.
~ Rich Cream Moisturiser to reduce dry skin naturally.
~ Evening primrose oil tablets to aid with dry skin and help reduce stress symptoms.
~ Zinc in my natural makeup because zinc is meant to help and I NEED to apply makeup to hide the angry red rash.
~ Clearasil: I'm going to try applying this to a specific area to see if the benzyl peroxide helps reduce the rash.  I'll  also try an application of anti fungal cream and a cold-sore cream, in specific areas and note the results. 
~ Reduce my caffeine intake (hopefully to zero).

I'll have to try/test these remedies for a number of days/weeks and note the results before knowing if any of these things are working.  I will keep you posted on the findings.
                                                                                 *    *    *
Have you had encounters with perioral dermatitis?  Did you have success with any natural remedies? Tell us your story :-)

  

. • :*˙˙˙*: • . Shine JOLI Shine . • :*˙˙˙*: • .

Article written by founding direction of JOLI Natural Skin Care for Build a Little Biz - SHINE

INTRODUCE YOUR BIZ

My focus is on skin care made the traditional way, the way nature intended it.  Making skin care upon request so it is fresh and ready to use as apposed to skin care that is mass produced and sitting around on store shelves for long periods of time.  I am incredibly passionate about making skin care free of the harmful chemical cocktails found in most skin care.  Creating beauty products that are good for people as well as the environment.

My inspiration and the idea for a new skin care line came from my babies.  All of my children (from newborn to toddlers) were unable to use the skin care given in the hospital goodie bags without getting rashes on their skin and severe nappy rash.  I looked around for products that were gentler and tried so many different brands only to find none of them worked and they still contained iffy ingredients.  For a very long time they bathed in plain water because it was the only thing I could put on their skin.

Initially a friend and I began playing around with skin care recipes to see which ones we liked and which ones gave excellent results.  At the start we were just playing around, experimenting if you will.  Though after some time I realised we were onto something because I now had products I could use on my children’s skin with impressive results.  It is a long story of how the business grew from there.  In short I wanted to make the products available to everyone, certain that there must be other mothers in the same plight as me.  Other people with sensitive skin needing skin care they could use without issue.  With this in mind I invested serious time, effort, training, research and money into launching a new range of skin care that is unique in its absence of known skin irritants.

CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE

Soon after the product / website launch (albeit a humble and quiet event) I was approached by someone talking about the Skin Deep Database and The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, sites promoting businesses who supply safe skin care, asking if JOLI would like to be part of this campaign.  Naturally I said yes and proceeded to work with the database which highlights companies manufacturing low hazard rating skin care.  It is wonderful to be part of such an important campaign.

Not long after being accepted by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics I was approached by someone representing PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] wanting us to be a part of that also.  Animal rights and animal testing had not been our focus, however since we don’t test on animals I applied and was approved by PETA as a company who does not test on animals and who does not use animal ingredients where supply of the ingredient harms an animal.

Similarly we were also approved by an other animal welfare advocate group Choose Cruelty Free, the Australian version of PETA whose accreditation application is considerably more stringent, and are please to be accredited by them also, as well as being part of their publication Cruelty Free List.

INSPIRE OTHERS

You don’t know what you don’t know.

Boy did I find this out the hard way.  Due to my previous employment positions, training and eduction I was naive to the fact that I actually knew so little about what I was getting myself into.  I thought it was child’s play and that I knew all I needed to know about running a small business.  That I would just put my feet on the ground and start off running.

I soon found out this was not the case and when I needed someone to turn to all I had were people with no experience running a business.  People who would give me all sorts of advice about changing the colour of the logo and the website colour scheme to the company name not being satisfactory enough.  Foolishly I followed a number of their suggestions much to the detriment of the direction I wanted to take.

Seeking more knowledge I turned to other small business women and books.  Reading as much as I could about running a small business.  I have learned much about what works and what doesn’t.  Mistake were made and while I wish they hadn’t been, having made the mistakes is what created learning, understanding and knowledge.  From knowledge comes growth.

My Inspirations:

• Diary of a Small Business Owner – written by Anita F. Brattina
• Lessons of a Lipstick Queen – written by Poppy King

EDUCATE BY EXAMPLE

Branding

When my friend and I first started making products we made our own labels using Avery, choosing our own fonts, colour, background and so forth.  The labels were neither water nor smudge resistance.  There was no logo or something with which you could identify the product or brand.  We were only making for ourselves, family and friends, and to sell at markets, so we didn't think it mattered much.  Once I started to sell to the public I kept going with the same tacky labels for a while.  Making changes to the colouring, wording and font here and there trying to establish some type of recognisable ‘brand’. I cringe now when I think of this yet it’s the truth.

After some advice from a friend I approached a number of printing companies however very few wanted to deal with my small print runs.  One printing company was nice enough to take me on and new waterproof, smudge resistant labels were created with a logo I designed myself.  Nice enough and fairly eye catching while still not saying what I needed it to say at a glance.  Quality skin care.  I had invested all this time and money into packaging, ingredients and all manner of other necessary items without sparing any real thought to labels.

Serendipity.

By chance another business woman and I struck up a friendship and she spoke to me about branding.  Turns out she knows someone in the business of branding, put me in contact with them and thus the BRAND was finally formed.  I now had a unique yet recognisable logo to show people who the company is at a glance.

If I had my time again and knew then what I know now I would have invested in branding right from the start.  It would have been the very first thing I did and yet I didn’t know anyone who did branding when I first set out nor did I know anything about branding in order to seek it out in the first place.  It was really an amazing coincidence that it came to me the way it did and the time it did.

What I learned about branding while  working with Additiv Design and Print [now Ideapro] was how important BRAND is.  From the style to the colour scheme.  The message I wanted to send was ‘I am as professional as my competitors and my products are excellent quality’.  Colour scheme was equally important as it has to appeal to my specific clientele.  Pink would not work for example as it doesn’t say natural nor does it appeal to both men and women.  We chose chocolate and sunset for the colours and stayed with my previous butterfly theme, for 1. so previous customers would still have something to recognise the product/brand by. 2. butterflies symbolise renewal which is was great skin care is all about. 3. who doesn't love chocolate and sunsets :)

SHARE KNOWLEDGE

Customer Love

One of the things that I felt was important was giving back to my customers since they are the one’s supporting the business and helping me grow.  To achieve this I implemented a Customer Loyalty Rewards scheme where customers receive discounts on subsequent orders when they open online accounts.  In doing this customers are rewarded for their purchases and I’m sure they are a little bit please when they receive their discounts.

Also customers are able to put in requests and tell me about their skin care requirements and I am able to work with them to come up with a product blend or scent that is just right for them.

Sales Tactics

I also like to include product samples and / or a free gift with outgoing orders.  This way customers get to try a product and see if it’s suitable for their needs.  If so they can purchase the product on their next order already knowing it will perform well.  I know there is bound to be a product suitable for a particular skin type or condition they have and they’re unaware of the benefits until they try the product.

Setting up an online shop

To begin with I sold online on a group selling site.  Set up a store and listed my products selling to the public.  This was enjoyable to begin with then numerous changes came into play and selling there became too competitive, expensive and un-worthwhile.  Sales slowed while fees increased.

Looking into alternatives there were web hosts whose fees were quite reasonable.  I could purchase a domain name from them, have monthly hosting and also use their web templates if I wanted.  Doing the math I found that if I set up a domain name, set up web hosting and created a website I would be better off costs wise than selling on the group site.  So this is what I did.

To set up a website I purchase a web creation program that thankfully came with a ‘How To’ book because I was starting from scratch knowing absolutely zero about setting up a website.  It took me three long stressful months of working all day and staying up late to put it all together.  I’m sure I went insane at some point because it was so complicated and hard work.  The end result was worth it – for the most part what I learned from the experience was priceless.

Would I do it all again.  Mostly likely I would because I have the kind of mind that loves a stimulating challenge.  Yet setting up of the website took up all of my time and energy and the family came second to the work I was doing.  It would have been easier to let someone else set up a website for me, someone who knew what they were doing and could have done it sooner.  Nonetheless it was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve done to date and I’m so glad I went down the path of launching my own independent website.

Work Life Balance

After the website was complete hubby and I came to an agreement that my work hours would be set (10am - 6pm, Monday to Friday) and I would be off the computer at 6 spending time with the children before they went to bed, with weekends free for family time and tending to the house.  Having agreed to this I find it quite easy to adhere to this routine.  Each day is pretty much set by a routine that includes breaks and lunch time just as it would any other office based job.  By 6pm I am quite exhausted after a hard day at the office so it’s easy to want to leave the office and enjoy time with the family.  On occasion I’ll do some overtime.  Not often though.  I try to ensure I treat my business and my hours much the same as I would normal office hours.

Once clocked off my family have my undivided attention for the most part – I’m often still thinking about work.  Having regular set hours has helped organise my day and my time.  I tend to look forward to starting my day because I have left over tasks to do; something that wasn’t happening when I stayed up all night trying to get everything done.

SHINE MESSAGE

This is a something my eldest son told me when I was having a bad ‘why am I bothering? I should just quit’ day.

“If you quit because you think you’re failing then you will have failed.”

When I have those quiet moments where sales slow down, I feel un-loved and un-appreciated, I hold on to what my son said. That quote keeps me going, pushing on, moving forward. 

Another quote I have posted to my office wall is:

“Think Big when you’re making plans for your business and ignore the voices (including yours) that say “you can’t do that yet.” ~ Belinda Copywrite Matters

  

Digging Deeper into the Real Beauty Campaign

You might have heard about the Dove Real Beauty Real Women campaign.  I was reading an article about the campaign which I shared on our Facebook page, and it talked about:

1. How the models are still heavily photoshopped.  In fact the photographer goes on to say that due to their imperfections they required more photoshopping than usual.

2. How the campaign increased Dove sales by 700%.

3. How the beauty industry is based on making women feel bad about their hair, their body, their clothes, their feet, their hands, their looks, their wrinkles, their weight, their cellulite and scars etc etc etc.

From someone who works in the beauty industry I dislike the idea of being all about making women feel bad about their appearance.  I've struggled enough with my own self image without wishing that struggle upon other women and I'm not in this industry to change how you look because you're not good enough, I'm in it to help you keep your assets in the best condition you possibly can.  [Mind you I've always wondered where that dislike of ones self stems from: the media, peers, upbringing, nature, nurture?]


For me JOLI is not about changing who you are because you're not good enough.  JOLI is about embracing your awesome qualities and making the most of them because you ARE good enough.  It doesn't matter if you're big, little, older or younger.  There are things about you - good hands, good feet, great legs, nice boobs, pretty eyes, nice lips - that are awesome and special and worth looking after.  It is as simple as that.

There is also 'comfort' to consider.  For example after my shower if I don't moisturise it feels as though my face will crack.  Yes moisturising is about hydrating my skin, keeping it in top condition and if it keeps some wrinkles at bay them I'm happy with that too, however, mostly it's about being comfortable with my skin and feeling better when I've applied moisturiser.  It's the same with my sons eczema, it is comforting to have salve applied to stop the itch.

There is a big difference in taking care of your skin because you desire to do so and taking care of your skin because the media tells you you're not good enough if you don't.

One thing you will notice about JOLI is the distinct lack of 'pretty young girl' images for a number of reasons.
1) JOLI don't wish to spread the message that being a pretty, slim, young girl is the be all and end all of our existence.  There is enough of that message in the media already.
2) JOLI don't want my customers looking at a picture of somebody and feeling they have to aspire to that or feeling bad if they don't look like the person in the picture.
3) JOLI don't want my customers thinking if they use JOLI products they will look like that.  Sorry... if you're in your 40's (Go you!) you're not going to look 20 no matter how much Rich Cream Moisturiser you slather on ;)
4) JOLI don't want to buy into false advertising or contribute to the growing number of women who dislike themselves or their appearance.

Bottom line is you're going to remain looking like you and that is OK... it's better than OK.  It's great, perfect and exactly who you should be.  At JOLI our aim is to help you be you as comfortable and happy in your skin as possible xo

*    *    *

What are your views on advertising campaigns and their affect of self esteem?
Share your thoughts, we'd love to hear them.

  

Rubber Glove Syndrome

I'll start off by saying I don't think there really is such a 'syndrome'. I'm using the above title to point out wearing rubber gloves causes a number of skin conditions such as contact dermatitis.

In my line of work I hear from a lot of nurses and cleaners who spend their days with their hands stuffed inside rubber gloves. On top of that they're often exposed to and using chemical cleaners and washing their hands often. They present with extremely itchy rashes on their hands that won't go away.

Wearing rubber gloves can be toxic to some who are allergic to latex. It can be annoying at best to others. There are people who never wear rubber gloves for these reasons.

Having wet hands while wearing rubber gloves heightens skin reactions which is why nurses and cleaners often have more severe cases of rashes on their hands. Their hands are often wet either before or during wearing their gloves. Sweating while wearing gloves is also another cause.

Recently I had a skin reaction on my right hand, I started getting hang nails (those painful little pieces of skin that peel back from the cuticle) and my thumb started to feel like it was burning. It was red and very painful to touch. This is followed by a layer of skin peeling off leaving me more exposed to pain and sensitivity. At first I didn't understand why it was happening and I thought it might have been caused by the increased paperwork I've been doing (organising and revamping my office). Working with paper can cause our hands to become dry and have symptoms such as hang nails and dry sensitive skin.

One morning I decide to wrap my thumb in bandage tape because the pain was unbearable. I began doing the dishes, put the rubber gloves on and could feel wetness inside the right glove. I realised the glove had a hole in it and all the time I'd been doing dishes that week I was exposing myself to wet latex and it was causing my skin reaction. Time to throw away those leaky gloves and get a new pair!

Time also to do some natural healing by applying Rich Cream Moisturiser on daily, along with Fancy Cuticle Oil.

The best way to combat Rubber Glove Syndrome is to avoid wearing gloves when your hands are wet or damp or sweaty and avoid wearing gloves that allow your hands to be exposed to water while you're wearing them. Another option is to wear cotton gloves underneath your rubber gloves.

It is VERY important to rehydrate your hands afterwards. Make sure to moisturise with an all natural moisturiser like Rich Cream and AVOID chemical moisturisers because they'll only exacerbate your condition.

* * *

  

DIY Toilet Bombs & Scented Rocks

Toilet Bombs ~ deodorise & kill bacteria

You will need:

2/3 cup baking soda (bicarb soda)
1/4 cup citric acid

30 drops each lavender, peppermint and lemon essential oils (I used 30 drops of eucalyptus and lemon eo)

cold water in a spritz bottle

Sift baking soda and citric acid in a bowl.  Add the essential oils and mix well.  Spritz the water onto the dry ingredients and mix well before mix starts to react and bubble.  Keep spritzing a little water at a time until mixture comes together to form clumps.

Roll mixture into teaspoon size balls and place on baking paper on a flat surface.  Leave to dry thoroughly before storing in a pretty jar.

Note: the balls swell up if you add too much water.

Alternatively you can place the mixture flat (a slab of mixture) onto baking paper and leave to dry. You can then break it up into pieces when it's completely dry.  Or into chocolate moulds for decorative balls.


To use:
1) Plop one ball into the toilet water after flushing for a fresh scent.
2) Plop one ball into the toilet tank and leave for 15mins before flushing.
3) Add a ball to the toilet water before giving your toilet a clean.

Scented Rocks ~ room, draw, car deodorisers (from JOLI Natural Skin Care)

You will need:

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup table salt

1/3 cup cold water

1/8 teaspoon fragrance

1 drop food colouring
*makes about 15 balls


Sift flour and salt into a bowl.  Add fragrance and colouring to cold water then add the water to dry ingredients.  Mix into a soft dough.

Roll mixture into teaspoon size balls and place on baking paper.  Leave to dry over night.

To use:
Groups of balls can be placed in organza bags and stored in the car, your nicker draw or hanging off the toilet door.

  

Chemicals In Our Day To Day Life

There are chemicals all around us – in our skincare, food, drinks, household cleaners... everywhere.  I never used to pay too much attention to how many chemicals I was exposed to – I was always a little blasé and didn’t really care, up until a few years ago when my mother-in-law introduced me to natural & chemical free skincare, which I feel in love with instantly.  Chemical free skincare sometimes has the ‘label’ of being more expensive than regular over the counter ranges.  Some of the more expensive beauty counter brands are packed full of chemicals – why pay higher amounts just for the brand even though it’s full of nasty chemicals?  If you were to be given a list of all these nasty chemicals in these products (without being told what products these chemicals are composed in) and if you were asked if you would expose yourself and your body to these, your answer would probably be no – so why pay high $$ for a beauty product, just because it has a well known brand name written on it?

After only using chemical free skincare over these past few years, I can no longer tolerate chemical-filled ones.  They smell just as nasty as the ingredient listing reads, and some feel quite ‘yucky’ too.  I was recently given a sample of a well-known brand’s most recently released face cream.  I was intrigued to try it, so off I went to the bathroom mirror and delicately applied it to my face, neck & décolletage.  Approximately 5 minutes later, I could actually taste the face cream.  I thought back to how I had applied it – had I somehow put some on my lips?  I was fairly certain not, but was starting to think that maybe I had...  The following day, I used the remainder of the sample sachet, being very careful to make sure I went no where near my lips... again, within 5 minutes I could actually taste it again.  I could not believe how nasty this product was for me to be able to taste it after applying it – what is this nasty face cream doing to my body and blood stream??  The following day I was very keen to use my chemical free face cream again and not being able to taste it.

Anything we put on our skin gets absorbed in to our blood stream, therefore I like to be very careful with all my skincare and makeup products.  I have been using chemical free lip balm for over 5 years now, and I can no longer wear store bought lip balms – as soon as I apply them I can taste the chemicals. 

My body has definitely thanked me for eliminating chemicals from my daily skincare regime – did you know that the average woman applies 14 different skincare & makeup products each day?  I was alarmed when I first heard this, until I listed all mine:

1.       Morning – face cleanser

2.       Morning – face toner

3.       Morning – moisturiser

4.       Morning – deodorant

5.       Morning – perfume

6.       Morning – foundation

7.       Morning – mascara

8.       Morning – lip gloss or lip stick

9.       Night – Shampoo

10.   Night – Conditioner

11.   Night – face cleanser

12.   Night – face toner

13.   Night – moisturiser

14.   Night – foot cream

15.   Night – hand cream

That’s pretty scary!!

With such a wide range of chemical-free skincare and makeup on the market these days, we are sure to be able to easily find a range or product which suits our personal budget and needs.  It’s fun to go out and start investigating these ranges and products, so if you’re only just beginning your chemical-free skincare journey, I am sure that you will enjoy every step of your learning path, and I can be fairly sure that you will not want to go back to chemicals.

Guest Blog by Rebecca