There are hundreds of ways to make a natural skin mask at home using various fruits, vegetables and oils and You Tube is a goldmine for how-to instuctions. Here are two of my favorite…

Too Lazy to make your own? Check out this natural skin mask.

Hello paleface! Summer is over and you’re wondering how to keep a sunkissed glow over the winter without hitting the tanning booth. We all know the dangers of using a tanning booth excessively. And unfortunately, we can’t trust most of the tanning creams on the market today.

Most self-tanning creams advertised in television commercials and in your local department store are laden with harmful chemicals. Avoiding dangerous UV rays by rubbing chemicals all over your body isn’t that much better.

You no longer have to resort to streaky, blotchy, smelly tanning creams because Lavera has created a natural self tanner that truly works, one that gives you that “just off the beach” look.

Completely organic and chemical free, Lavera’s Faces SummerGlow Self Tanning Lotion for the face uses organic plant oils, organic herbs, and flower extracts. Lavera skin care products meet the strictest standards in the European skin care industry and are safe and effective for even sensitive skin.

Featured on Good Morning America and winner of the “Best Sunless Tan” Award by GorgeouslyGreen.com’s 2008 Beauty Awards, this natural self tanner contains a slightly lower dose of the active soy extracts so the color builds gradually, with no shocking contrasts or streaking. You’ll notice a tanned effect within 4 – 5 days of subsequent applications. With all natural ingredients including vitamin C and E it makes an extremely effective moisturizer.

Say goodbye to those smelly tanning lotions and get yourself a natural self tanner from a trusted name in natural organic skin care.

I received an email today regarding what could be the key to solving so many health problems including high blood pressure, asthma, and arthritis. Fascinating stuff.

What is this you ask? Water. Yes, I said water.

According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, MD, physicians don’t promote water as a cure for pain and illness however he believes that water is one of the best pain relievers and preventative therapies in existence.

In a special report from Natural News, “The Healing Power of Water” explains why.

You can read the full report or download it right here:

http://www.naturalnews.com/Report

Some of the points covered in the report:

* Why most people are chronically dehydrated and suffer from symptoms
of dehydration that are labeled “diseases”

* Which ingredients in soft drinks deplete the body’s water reserves Read the rest of this entry…

Looking for a great gift basket for the all natural, organic addict? The best natural gift basket is one that pampers the skin and the soul. Don’t give anyone a $70 organic fruit basket! I don’t know anyone who has organic fruit on their wish list! Unique, natural gifts are the way to go.

You won’t find these natural gift baskets at your local department store….

Urban Soul Indulgence natural spa and natural body care gift baskets contain 100% natural-source ingredients.  Products do not contain artificial preservatives, colors or fragrances; no petroleum-derivatives such as propylene glycol, PEG or mineral oil. Choose from Re:juvenate, Re:lax, or Re:new.

Bella Floria offers the Woodsprite Organic Spa Sampler Gift Box Lavender. Woodsprite organic body products are made with ingredients such as organic sunflower, organic sweet almond, kukui, apricot kernel and grape seed oils. Nourishing butters like organic Shea, mango, cocoa and kokum are also blended into Woodsprite organic body products in order to add vital moisturizing properties and add creamy, luxurious lather. A natural gift anyone would love.

Woodsprite Red Recovery Kit Features amenity sizes of thier best-selling 100% natural products, a kit containing everything someone needs to help them rest, restore and recover from a big night out on the town.

Nurture My Body Organic Skin Care Gift Baskets for normal, oily and mature skin are absolutely chemical free. And they’re made with certified organic ingredients, are not tested on animals, are phthalate-free, bottled in glass not plastic, and packaged with eco-friendly materials.

For the chocoholic The Organic Chocolate Fantasy Gift Set from Kates’s Caring Gifts promotes biodiversity, protects the environment, and tastes better than conventionally grown chocolate! All these chocolates contain organically grown, non GMO ingredients and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

For the expectant mom, Mambino Organics offers the Mommy Care Pack specially designed to take care of her from head to toe, not only preventing dry skin and stretch marks but also nourishing and calming the skin.

Looking for natural babt gifts? This “Natural Baby” Gift Basket will show that you care about their baby’s skin. Give non-toxic, safe and natural skin care products that will soothe and caress delicate newborn skin.

Build your own natural gift basket at It’s Only Natural Gifts. Choose your eco friendly gift bag or box, add organic sweets, coffee, body care products and even fresh herbs. Choose from hundreds of  natural items you can gear toward the recipients tastes. Add a gift note and your done!

What you must know about the organic label…..

National Organic Standards Board Tells USDA: “Stop Organic Body Care Fraud!”
ACTION ALERT: Tell the USDA to Stop Organic Body Care Fraud!
JOIN THE BOYCOTT/BUY-COTT: Boycott the faux organic brands and buy USDA certified organic body care products.

On November 5, 2009, the USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) passed a recommendation for “Solving the Problem of Mislabeled Organic Personal Care Products.” The recommendation urges the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to make sure that any use of the word “organic” on a personal care product is backed up by third-party certification to USDA organic standards.

Currently, as the recommendation describes, “at a given retailer, one may find personal care products such as shampoos and lotions labeled as ‘organic’ with no clear standards or regulatory underpinning for the organic claim – and unless the product is specifically labeled as ‘USDA Organic,’ the word ‘organic’ may be used with impunity. Manufacturers of personal care products that contain organic ingredients are hindered by a thicket of competing private standards and confusion regarding the applicability of the NOP to their products. Transactions lack the regulatory clarity that applies under the NOP to food products that contain organic ingredients.” Read the rest of this entry…

What to look for in a natural moisturizer for dry skin:

Cleansers that do not contain skin irritants like propylene glycol and detergents. Moisturizers containing GLA or Phospholipids can prevent dry skin. Oils like jojoba, almond, primrose, squaline, olive oil and argan oil contain fatty acids that will not block sebum. Stay away from anything containing mineral oil including baby oil and bath oil as they may leave your skin even dryer.

What to look for in a natural moisturizer for inflammatory skin problems such as psoriasis:

Pyrithione zinc sprays or lotions have been known to clear up psoriasis and similar conditions. Aloe and allantoin can reduce the discomfort of inflamed skin. Climatotherapy for psoriasis which is used in Israel at Dead Sea clinics, includes bathing in the Dead Sea.

Obey Your Body Dead Sea skin products are manufactured based on proven formulas combining essential minerals from the Dead Sea with a variety of plant extracts and vitamins, and are intended not only for the general public, but also specifically for persons with problem skin, including those suffering from various skin disorders – psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema, severe acne and more. Get 30% off your entire order of $250 for the month of November. Use coupon code TG1109.

What to look for in a natural moisturizer for oily skin: Read the rest of this entry…

Yes, natural skin whitening products do exist. Yes, you can lighten your skin naturally without using products that irritate and harm the skin like most skin whitening products. The answer lies in Xtend-Life’s Natural Whitening Day Cream.

This 100% natural skin whitening cream contains a special extract of Extapone Nutgrass which naturally inhibits melanin to whiten your skin gently. Extrapone Nutgrass has now been shown in clinical trials to reduce melanin by up to 40%. Its effectiveness and safety have been backed up by well designed clinical studies.

Nutgrass contains a volatile oil with b-pinene, cyperene, a-cyperone b-cyperone and a-cyperol as its main ingredients. It also contains alkaloids, flavonoids and triterpenes. Recent research has shown Nutgrass Root is effective at naturally lightening the color of the skin. This is due to its ability to inhibit the formation of the skin pigment melanin. It is also found to have anti-aging properties and fades freckles.

You can be sure your skin will not only become gradually whiter naturally, but it will also become brighter and healthier with no harmful side effects.

Being a member of a popular skin care forum, I am amazed at the number of people who insist on facial lightening, risking damage to their beautiful dark skin. Unfortunately, most are ignoring the warning signs of popular skin lightening products containing ingredients such as mercury and hydroquionone.

Using skin bleaching products containing mercury is known to cause Mercury poisoning which in turn causes neurological and kidney damage and may also lead to psychiatric disorders.

Hydroquinone which is no banned in Europe, is a toxic chemical linked to cancer, as well as a condition called ochronosis which results in skin disfigurement.

In addition, the FDA has now issued a warning  that “over-the-counter (OTC) skin bleaching drug products are not generally recognized as safe and effective”.

Xtend-Life New Offices in Thailand

In other words skin whitening creams can be dangerous to your health. Using natural skin whitening products eliminates these dangers.

More info….

Why Use Xtend-Life Natural Skin Products?

Dangers of mercury in skin lightening products

Dangers of hydroquinone in skin lightening products

Bleaching your skin is dangerous-photos

More and more women are looking for a paraben free lotion and for good reason. EWG’s Skin Deep website indicates that parabens are linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation . Since parabens are used to kill bacteria in water-based solutions, they inherently have some toxicity to cells.

Another concern is that parabens are known to disrupt hormone function, an effect that is linked to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity.

Parabens, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben are used as preservatives for longer shelf life to prevent the growth of microbes in cosmetic and skin care products. Today however, more and more cosmetic manufacturers, particularly those in the natural skin care business, are seeking effective alternatives to prevent microbial growth in personal care products. Companies are testing new product formulations and have created preservative-free products with a shelf life of six months to one full year.

Whether or not you believe that the dangers of parabens exist, why take a chance when there are many alternative paraben free products on the market today? Not only are natural skin care products free of parabens, but the natural ingredients may help eliminate many annoying skin problems for good.

So how do you find a paraben free lotion?

You can visit Skin Deep and search lotions with the lowest hazard score. Remember that you may not find your favorite pharmacy brands on this list even though they may not contain parabens. The list of products at skin deep show hazard scores based on all chemicals so look at the ingredients list.

If you’re in a hurry, visit Alchemilla for pure, natural paraben free products. Alchemilla’s paraben free lotion is lightweight, easily absorbed and formulated with ingredients like natural honey, nourishing plant based emollients and soothing organic herbal extracts. They glide on like silk and soak in quickly for beautiful, hydrated skin.

Varicose veins can be devastating to a person’s appearance. These dreaded nuisances are those stringy purple lines that seem to appear on a woman’s legs as she ages. Each year millions of women are afflicted with these unpleasant veins in their legs after having gone through childbirth or as they reach to point of menopause.

Extraordinary Health Magazine explains that varicose veins are caused when the blood in the veins has trouble getting back to the heart due to valves that are not working properly or veins with weak walls. Regardless of which theory may be correct, varicose veins are something no woman wants to contend with.

As these varicose veins begin to show their ugly face, a woman can experience pain, swelling, numbness, and fatigue in the legs. She may also feel the need to cover her legs at all times to avoid being embarrassed by these purple colored veins. As you search for a varicose veins remedy, you may incur a lot of expense as well as some pain accompanied by frustration. There are still many health insurance policies that refuse to pay for the costs associated with many removal procedures, including surgery. Plus, there is no guarantee that even the most expensive treatments will prevent the reappearance of varicose veins.

Regardless of the many hurtles they have to face, there are thousands of women who continue to try to find a vericose veins treatment so that they may begin showing their legs in public again. Many women tire of having to wear jeans or capris on hot days simply to hide their varicose veins; they would much rather wear a cute sundress or a fashionable pair of shorts.

The good news is that there are natural varicose veins remedies available that may help you. Lovely Legs, designed by Garden of Life, is a formula composed of a naturally occurring flavonoid called diosmin, which can be found in plant sources like the Bochu leaf and citrus fruits.

According to Life Extension Magazine, with the creation of Lovely Legs by Garden of Life, available at your local vitamin store, women may no longer have to simply accept the fact that they have varicose veins. The natural ingredients in Lovely Legs will help to tone the walls of small veins and capillaries, as well as help improve the overall circulation in your legs so that they are more beautiful and lively.

According to Dr. Emily Splichal, a New York City podiatrist, and Garden of Life medical advisor,

“Lovely Legs looks like it could have great success in increasing the tone in the veins and reducing the selling and heaviness that’s often associated with varicose veins.” 

Check out Dr. Splichas blog at http://rxsexy.blogspot.com/.  She offers tips for preventing varicose veins and avoiding heaviness in the legs.

Cardiolin contains a potent, synergistic blend of botanicals, including horse chestnut, butcher’s broom, Gotu kola, and grapeseed, that have been clinically evaluated and shown to promote circulation and diminish the side effects associated with varicose veins. Cardiolin can be used as an alternative therapy for managing the symptoms associated with varicose veins and circulatory support, as well as to reduce the unsightly appearance of bulging, discolored veins.

Herbal varicose veins remedies are gaining in popularity and as research indicates, may be as effective as many compression therapies. Alternative therapies continue to be the primary choice for many varicose vein sufferers, as surgical procedures for treatment are quite invasive and involve the closing or complete removal of the affected vein. Ouch.

Image by:© Kathy Wynn | Dreamstime.com

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• ‘Wash’ away varicose veins (timesunion.com)