Old English Lufu means Love

Category: Skin

  • The Largest Organ, Skin and What We Absorb

    The Largest Organ, Skin and What We Absorb

    This post is not just going to address the skin on your face.  Most of the post on the blog teach how to balance your skin, pop your pimples, choose the right cleanser.  In this post were not just addressing the skin on your face were going to address the skin on your body too.  Do you realize that you can use the best products on your face and do a daily skin care routine but that the skin on your body needs attention as well?  Do you realize the skin on your body also ages you?  Unless you plan on wearing long sleeve tops and long pants, if you don’t take care of the skin on your body the aging will catch up with you.  I am going to cover some issues about the largest organ on your body which is your skin.  Were going to aim to keep that skin on our body young looking.  But how?  Know that being the largest organ on your body your skin ABSORBS EVERYTHING.  Think about that.  Everything you put on your skin is absorbed into the body through your skin cells.  Within 20 minutes whatever you put on your skin is hitting your liver and going into your bloodstream, which then triggers your lymphatic system to work to get out all the excess chemicals your body does not need and cannot process. Always here for the visuals.

    Acid Mantle Stripping

    First I want to address something that has been driving me crazy for years.  The water we use on our skin.  Back to explain the acid mantle in easy terms.  Every morning when you wake up and wash your skin, whether it be your face or a shower/bath it sets your skin on a tone for the day.  Between 12 and 3pm you will see your skin start to produce a shine.  That shine is your acid mantle.  This is a natural defense created by your body to protect you.  Different climates cause the shine to be stronger, or you can produce more “oil” or sheen we can call it.

    The skin on your body also produces that sheen.  That sheen is going to protect your body.  If you are in a hot sunny climate your acid mantle helps protect you from the sun.  If your in a cold climate the acid mantle will help keep your skin from drying out.  So what happens when you strip your acid mantle?   You essentially loose your protection and put your skin into a mode of over working to protect you, which can sometimes cause super dry skin issues or sunburn for example?

    What causes the stripping? To harsh of chemicals on your skin.  Translation your soap is to strong.  If a cleanser you are using on your face is to strong for your skin type right after you wash your face it will feel tight.  That is not the feeling you want.  However, there can be an issue with the water where you are cleansing and there can be a lot of chlorine in the water.  This will naturally strip and dry your skin.  The same for your body.

    There’s Something In The Water

    Lets talk about the elephant in the room, or should I say bathroom.  Do you realize that most unfiltered water in the bath or shower is loaded with chlorine?  Do you realize that as you shower you are breathing in chlorine?  This is a toxic gas definitely having a negative effect on your lungs. The off gas of chlorine is chlorin which was banned in 2017 from using medically.  If you bathe in the bathtub with no filter are you aware that you are soaking in chlorine?  What about the children?  If your child is bathing in a bath water that is not filtered it is full of chlorine.  Effects of chlorine exposure include……

    • Eyes, nose and throat irritation
    • Shortness of breath
    • Pulmonary edema
    • Skin irritation
    • Redness
    • Blisters
    • Dry Skin
    • Hair Damage
    • Exacerbate asthma symptoms

    Studies show that if you swim in a chlorinated pool or you relax in a jacuzzi for just 15 minutes your body absorbs an equivalent of drinking 8 glasses of water with chlorine in it. Very dehydrating and now your full of this chemical.  So yes you probably feel dehydrated after being in a pool or jacuzzi all day.  Why? Because your body is absorbing the chlorine through your skin.  Its the same as if you were drinking the chlorine in your glass.  I imagine if you were to drink regular water from the tap you may just get the same effect.

    The reason I’m addressing these two issues for the body is because how do you keep your skin young looking?  How do you keep the skin on your body young, if you are bathing in massive chemicals, not just chlorine?  What kind of effect is that having on your skin?  City water systems are known to have bacteria, hormones such as estrogen from birth control, and pesticides to name a few flowing through them.  You can be bathing in all those chemicals?  Most of us shower or bath everyday so imagine the viscous cycle you are putting your skin through? Your getting unwanted chemicals in on the daily, putting the body in defense mode and essentially with all that chlorine stripping your skin.

    Creams, Oils, Lotions & Filters

    Now yes you can invest in creams and lotions and body oils to counterbalance the effects of the chlorine exposure you have received from the shower.  But you also want to consider your in a viscous cycle. Just investing your time and money to slather on another cream to have it stripped off the next bathe session and more chemical exposure?   By all means please DO put on the body cream as the skin on your body needs that to stay supple and young looking.  Two of my faves are here: https://www.100percentpure.com/products/coconut-nourishing-body-cream?variant=39707518271566

    https://bubbleandbee.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=368&feed=123 (Affiliate Link)

    What if we could take this anti-aging vibe a little deeper?  What if we could keep the skin on your body in check and at its utmost prime?  If your goal is not to get pruney and wrinkly skin on your arms and legs you will need to invest in a quality shower filter.

    I recently invested in the most AMAZING shower filter.  Its hands down untouchable.  I was going through A LOT of chlorine exposure in the shower.  I had been traveling and everywhere I was staying did not offer a shower filter.  My hair was getting so dry and my skin was actually getting ashen.  I couldn’t handle how bad the skin on my body was looking and I finally said, that is it I am going to invest in this filter.

    None of that chlorine exposure can be good for my body or anybody.  My hair was in the worst shape I had ever seen or felt it.  Dry like straw.  Imagine the chemicals my hair was absorbing and that was not even including any chemical hair treatment exposure it had gotten?  Every hair wash my hair was getting worse and worse.  So I will link the shower  and bath filter here.

    https://missellen.kangendemo.com/

    If you have any questions you can contact me on the contact form.

     

    Vitamin D (Sunlight)

    Now, this part isn’t going to be your usual esthetician make sure you use your sunscreen advice.  I do not believe in sunscreen (spf) and I can explain why.  First of all your skin has its own internal protective measures (aka your acid mantle)  They say the best sunscreen is a base tan.  I am taking this from Andreas Moritz owner of the Ener-Chi Wellness Center.  I will link the interview on Youtube here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1V7qcsuV3k

    To paraphrase the interview what Mr. Moritz is explaining about SPF is that the chemicals they put in sunscreen would be illegal if they put those chemicals in food.  Yet they put the chemicals on the largest organ in your body that immediately absorbs those chemicals and they end up in you liver.  He has stated that skin cancer didn’t exist before sunscreen. When you are loading on “sunblock” you are essentially blocking your chance to absorb Vitamin D. Whether you realize it or not vitamin D is a very “healing” vitamin.  It comes from the sun and the body needs it.

    When you go out into the sun and sunbathe you are absorbing the suns rays and absorbing Vitamin D.  The body does not immediately process the vitamin D into your cells.  It needs up to 48 hours to absorb the suns rays and send it throughout your system.  If you go and take a shower and use soap you are going to wash off your vitamin D  and again strip your skin.  Mr. Moritz of Ener-Chi Wellness Center states it is best to wash your underarms and private parts that aren’t exposed to the sun and then let the body do its thing and process the vitamin D.

     

     

     

     

    Another thing that I would like to state, there are foods you can eat that internally block the sun.  If you consume these different foods before you go out in the sun these foods will help to block the UV rays on the internal side of your skin. The list of internal sunscreen foods are………

    • Blueberries
    • Broccoli
    • Carrots
    • Cacao
    • Celery
    • Dark Leafy Greens and Cruciferous Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Green Tea
    • Hemp Seeds, Chia Seeds, & Flax Seeds
    • Pomegranates
    • Sweet Potatoes
    • Tomatoes
    • Watermelon

    Each one of these foods has various properties in it that are designed to work with the sun and your skin to protect you.  So imagine if you will you go out into the sun and absorb the suns rays.  Of course you do it naturally and in a healthy way of say,  your exposed for 1 hour.  If you come back inside and shower with a chlorinated chemical shower again you will strip that acid mantle that now has vitamin D exposure.  What happens?  Your body needs 24 to 48 hours to absorb and utilize that vitamin D.  However, if you strip it in the shower you will loose that vitamin D.  It explains a lot as to people who live in the “sunshine” state and when tested, they are vitamin D deficient.

    Also note, the sun is very healing.  Back in the early 1900’s hospitals used to offer sun decks to heal with.  If a patient could get sunlight exposure daily they had a time they would put the patients bed out on the deck and help to heal with sun exposure.  Vitamin D is very nurturing to your bone health and overall well being. Also note, back in the 1900’s sunscreen did not exist.

    Conclusion

    Just bringing awareness here to the viscous cycle your skin goes through on the daily and how important the water that touches your skin is.  For me I could see how out of balance my skin and hair had been getting when exposed to all those chemicals and I felt I needed something extreme to put my skin back in balance.  The Anespa DX doesn’t just filter the water it adds minerals back into your skin.  I know that I needed something to really help my hair and scalp to rebalance itself.  The Anespa filter definitely gives you the feeling that you are showering in a waterfall with clean filtered water and getting nature put back into your skin, hair and body.

    I added the section on vitamin D because I feel it is important we realize how much our skin absorbs.  Both from the sun and the chemicals we put on our skin.  Most people don’t know that the sun exposure you do get is either blocked by sunscreen or stripped, thus causing a negative balance of vitamin D exposure.   If I want to protect my skin when going in the sun, if I know I’m going to be out for an extended period of time I will 1) wear a hat, 2) wear some kind of long sleeve loose clothing like flowy linen pants or top, 3) use a mineral makeup base on my face and again cover my body.

     

     

     

     

  • Types of Clogged Pores & The Best Way To Pop A Pimple

    Types of Clogged Pores & The Best Way To Pop A Pimple

    To pop or not to pop, that is the question?  Dermatologist for the most part say not to pop. I disagree.  This post will explain the different types of blackheads and pimples there are and how you can properly extract them.  I can explain on a professional level (esthetician to esthetician) and an at home level what to look for while performing your own extractions.  Disclaimer this is all knowledge I have gained while working on clients and also personal.  Not to be recommended as medical advice. I’ve always had the opinion to pop pimples but correctly.  My thought is that pus represents infection.  If you have infection where is it going to go if you don’t pop it?  It can stay in the skin and infect more pores.  If you do not feel confident to pop your own pimple then I would recommend booking a facial that includes extractions and letting a licensed esthetician who is trained on extractions to help with your blackheads and pimples

    Note to avoid clogged pores and pimple issues with the skin I always emphasize that one should drink 8 glasses of water a day.  If your looking for a good filter this company offers good water bottles and pitchers that filter water. (Affiliate Link)  https://clearlyfiltered.com/?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&cjevent=2d4f2d6229ed11f0835504340a82b82a

    Blackheads

    What are black heads?  Why do they exist?  How do we extract them or “clean the pores?”  Basically you have to visualize your skin with a bunch of tiny micro circles which would be considered your pores.  Sometimes those circles get clogged.  Now I’m going to try and go into more detail here because there are a lot of facets and entities to clogged pores.

    How a pimple can form or develop-

    First you have your basic blackhead, let us use the nose as an example.  When you look at your nose you see tiny little microscopic circles or holes.  Some people you cant really see with the eye but once you put pressure on the nose area white pus can come out.  Some people have larger pores and when you apply pressure a light brown or beige color comes out and that is a little more dirt so we can call that  a blackhead.  Then there is a third level of blackhead.  This is when the skin has grown over the pore so when you push on it nothing comes out.  To extract this type of blackhead you need a lancet (or a sterilized needle). Because the skin has grown over the pore you need to create an opening which is why you need the needle or lancet. Just a tiny poke and it should open that pore up. It is strange because usually you get a pustule if the skin grows over a blackhead and it gets infected.  Then pus grows under the skin and then you get the pimple bump.

    Milia

    Milia are a special type of pimple that I would recommend having removed by a licensed esthetician that is confident to remove the milia.  Normally a milia is a very small white bump that does not grow to a large pimple and stays in the skin.  It does not come to a full head.  Essentially a milia is similar to a black head but it is a tiny whitehead.  The only way to remove a milia is to poke a hole and let the pus out because the way the milia is formed is by skin covering the pore.  Milia are usually found on the skin next to the eyes which is delicate skin.  The reason these pimples form is because a lot of times the eye cream is to thick.  Milia can be found on other parts of the face but usually the cause is heavy molecules in the eye cream.  You want to be aware of your eye cream ingredients and not have to heavy of oils or mineral oil on that area of the face.

    Hormonal Pimples

    Hormonal pimples are the type of bump you will experience around that time of month or when your ovulating.  They can be a bump that never comes to a pustule head.  You want to be aware of the bump and not try to pop it if it does not come to a complete head.  It technically can just be a hormonal bump but if no pus comes in the pimple it will leave when the hormonal fluctuation is finished.

    So essentially every pimple starts with your pore getting clogged.  If you understand from the paragraph above either you have a black head and you want to clean your pores or if you don’t address a clogged pore it can get a little bump and create pus.  So step one, clogged black head.  Step two, if you don’t get that clogged blackhead cleaned out, your skin can create pus and then you have what you would call a pimple or a pustule.

     

     

    Large Pimple? What is it?

    Taking this further because this is my observation while doing extractions on my own skin and hundreds of clients.  Have you ever had a large bump and a pimple is forming?  You know its coming and you know its growing and it is going to be big?  A douzy of a pimple right there on your face or forehead. You can feel the pressure building and it can be painful.  You can see pus starting to form and your getting ready to pop that pimple.  Finally you see enough pus and you go for it.  Then what happens?  You think you popped the pimple and the next day you wake up and look in the mirror and!!!!!…….MORE PUS!!!!  Now what happened?  You thought you popped it?  How can there be more pus?  Better yet you go to pop again and hardly anything will come out?  Oh this gets annoying. It can take days for this one to heal.

    Breaking down this type of pimple for you so that you can understand what happened?  I explain it this way to my clients all the time.  So imagine again your tiny little pores.  Your blackheads. Now not one but imagine 3 little blackheads are getting infected.  So they grow into a big pimple but at different stages.  I like to say there neighbors.  Its like one neighbor is full of pus and ready to go and the other one is behind by a day and the third another day.  Those are the worst type of pimples to deal with but essentially that is what is happening.  So one pore is full of pus and ready and the others are behind but the bump on your face is in the same area.  The best way to get this type of pimple popped (technically about a 3 in 1) is to wait until the pimple is really ready to pop.  Almost like the first part of the bump is turning from white to yellow.  That way the neighbors are caught up.  Then again you want to use a lancet to create an opening for the pus to exit the skin. If you wait that extra day you can almost always get your pimple popped better and cleaner and not have to try and re-pop.

    When popping a pustule or pimple lancets or a clean needle are necessary.  You need to create a little opening so that the pus has an exit for the skin.  If not, you can put pressure and the pus can go under your skin causing bacteria under the skin and more break out in that area.

    One more thing I want to add here.  Yes we are all different.  Our bodies are different and we react to things different.  One thing that always will help your pores to be clean is drinking 8 glasses of water a day.  That just helps your lymphatic system clean and filter your skin from the inside.  On that note it is perfectly natural if you go to extract your blackheads that different colors come out.  For example an auto mechanic that works around grease can, more than likely, have black coming out of their pores when extracted.  Someone working around dirt and dust normally have brown coming out.  There can be different levels of dark to light brown.  Then some people you go to clean their nose pores and they have a light green to white coming out.  I’ve seen it all because its a combination of your external environment “landing” on your skin and your internal environment and how your skin handles filtering or cleaning your skin.

    Another note to estheticians performing extractions, smells can come out of the pores when extracting and cleaning blackheads.  Common ones can be a smoker.  As your cleaning the pores and performing extractions you can usually smell like a fresh cigarette smoke smell.  I’ve also had clients who love garlic and as I’m cleaning the pores a garlic smell is present.  Just note if you notice any smells it is natural as your doing extractions.

    How To Properly Extract

    In the Spa Room-

    Note if your reading this and not an esthetician you can always learn how you should be receiving extractions properly to know if the technician is missing any steps.

    Step 1)  After properly cleansing the skin and performing a form of exfoliation you normally would use a steamer to soften the skin.  Some spas have stopped using steamers and they use a type of disincrustation formula to soften the skin.

    Step 2)  Once the skin has been prepped either by disincrustation or steam its time for extractions.  You normally can use a magnifying lamp if available but either way you want to make sure you have enough light to see the skin.

    Step 3) You want to make sure to have the proper protective gloves or finger cots on. I personally prefer to use either a tissue or 4×4 to perform extractions.  I wrap the tissue around my extracting fingers and it helps to keep the gloves from sliding and as you are doing the extraction it cleans up what ever is coming out of the pores. You can also use a comedone extractor tool.  I have used these on occasion but because they are metal they can hurt and also leave the skin more red.  The best one I have found that can work is a thin wire one. The less metal the better.  Also as far as lancets go you want to make sure that legally your state allows you to use lancets.  If someone has a large pustule on the face and you cannot use a lancet I usually leave it alone.  You don’t want it to turn the skin super red and have the pus release under the skin.  If you feel that you can get it by popping off the pus top then go for it but just take into consideration that the skin can be more red.

    Step 4)  After you have finished extractions I usually use a toner on cotton and wipe the face.  You want to feel like you gently cleaned the skin.  If the spa you work at has high frequency then this is the time to use the violet wand which is anti bacterial.  Some spas have LED and if you’ve just done extractions you would want to use the blue light to calm the skin.

    When performing extractions on a client or on yourself the key to a successful extraction is to see the angle of the pore. Meaning, if you see a pustule what angle is the pus at?  This is the proper direction to put the pressure and push the pus up and out.

    At Home Extractions-

    1. If you are going to attempt to clean your black heads or pop any pimples at home I always recommend after a shower as you need to soften your skin first.  If you have a mini portable steamer that can also help.  Also boiling water in a pan and covering head with towel but be careful not to put your face to close to the water as that can feel like burning.
    2. As far as a lancet goes I’ve seen them for sale at CVS or you can order online.  If you don’t have a lancet you can use a sewing needle with a thin point and make sure to wipe with rubbing alcohol before you use.
    3. Now the crucial part.  I always suggest wrapping tissue around your fingers to not rip your skin.  The tissue protects the skin.  If you use your finger nails you can end up squeezing and slipping and cut the top layer of the skin which can cause scarring.
    4. As you attempt to pop the pimple use your lancet or needle and find the tip of the pimple. Poke just a tiny hole in the pimple and apply pressure at the bottom of your pimple closest to your face to let the pus out.  You know when the pimple is finished emptying when a clear fluid comes out.  That is your lymph cleaning everything out.  If you get just blood there is usually more to pop and you attempted to pop the pimple to soon.  You always want a clear fluid to pass through to show the pus has all come out.
    5. Same thing as in the spa setting you want to use something to clean the extracted area.  Toner on a cotton pad is good.  One of my favorite toners is Cranberry Toner from Arcona. https://www.arcona.com/product/cranberry-toner.html   Cranberry is antibacterial and will help the extraction to heal and cleans it out.
    6. If you are bleeding try and hold a tissue to coagulate the blood so that you don’t leave a huge mark.  (Not sponsored I just love this product for all skin types.) The cranberry toner helps with this step. https://www.arcona.com/product/triad-pads.html

    Conclusion

    My final thoughts on extractions.  After reading through this article you might think that popping a pimple is invasive.  As I said most dermatologist recommend not popping a pimple.

    Another suggestion for someone who wants thorough non invasive extractions is to book a hydrafacial.  The hydrafacial machine performs the best extractions and shows you what was removed in the gunk jar.  You can check the hydrafacial website and find a location near you.  I would highly recommend this machine facial for extractions (not sponsored) https://www.hydrafacial.com/find-a-hydrafacialist/

    Do I believe in spot removers and overnight pimple remedies?  No.  I know there are a lot out there to choose from and people recommend salicylic acid.  I was using a spot treatment on my pimples when I went through my acneic phase.  I would feel a bump coming on, put the salicylic acid on the bump and the next morning I’d wake up and still have a bump that never came to a head.  I  didn’t like that because again I always feel you need to extract out what is in the pore.  It didn’t make sense to me to know that something was growing in the pore and it never came to a full head to pop?  I found out a few years later that salicylic acid is basically diluted aspirin.  You need to be aware of the source and you want the salicylic acid to come from the white willow bark which is natural and better for the skin.

    I hope you find this article helpful on what to do with a blackhead or pimple and how to properly extract them.  If you are a parent with a teenager who is going through hormonal changes and may have some breakout hopefully these tips can help you.  As I always emphasize drinking water would be step one to help clear skin up naturally.  Bottled water or spring water is best but if you need a good water that is alkaline and antibacterial with healing properties you can check out the Kangen water info here  and learn about a new type of water to help your skin and heal your skin. https://missellen.kangendemo.com/

     

  • What Is Tallow & How Tallow Benefits Your Skin??

    What Is Tallow & How Tallow Benefits Your Skin??

    The famous hype across the internet these days is TALLOW!!!  What is tallow? Where does it come from?  Why are people putting it on their skin?  What are it’s benefits?  In this post I will attempt to answer these questions and explain in detail the benefits of tallow and your skin.

    What is tallow

    Tallow is rendered (melted) beef fat.  What is rendered?  When the raw fat of the beef is cooked until it turns into a hot liquid getting any bacteria out and from there it turns into a solid at room temperature. In the tallow world, as there are other forms of tallow such as pork, sheep, and goat to name a few, beef has the most nutrients. Grass fed beef is going to have more nutrients then grain fed beef.  If we remember learning about vitamins the fat soluble ones are found near the liver and fatty tissue.  This is where the best tallow comes from.  Now what vitamins are we finding there?  Vitamin A, D, K, E and B12.  Note these vitamins when you use tallow as a cream on your face are going into your skin cells.  Your body will recognize this as food for the skin.

     

    History

    Beef tallow has a history that dates back thousands of years. As early as 2,000 years ago, ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Mesopotamians relied on beef tallow for various survival needs. Tallow was a byproduct of cattle domestication, providing the population with a source of fuel, nutrition,  and preservation.

    During the medieval era, the use of tallow flourished. Tallow was a vital part of daily life in homes, castles, and monasteries. In medieval dishes, tallow was used for frying meats, adding flavor to stews, and even making crusts for pies. Its high smoke point made it a reliable choice for cooking in a time when vegetable oil did not exist.

    In ancient cooking, tallow served as a primary cooking fat, used for its ability to withstand high heat. It was commonly used for frying, roasting, and preserving meats. Tallow was also used for making soap during the Middle Ages. Soap made from beef tallow produced a solid lather and was used for both personal hygiene and  laundry cleaning. In addition, tallow candles were the choice for lighting, as they were more affordable than candles made from beeswax. Candle makers thrived in many European cities with tallow candles being a common product sold in many markets.

    Breakdown of nutrients in tallow

    1. Natural Minerals 
    2. Conjungated Linoleic Acid-Natural Anti Inflammatory Properties
    3. Palmitoleic Acid(Omega 7) – Skins Basic Building Block
    4. Palm Acid – Improves Protective Barrier (Acid Mantle) of Skin
    5. Stearic Acid-Repairs Skin and Improves Suppleness of Skin
    6. Cholesterol which runs your hormones and helps you skin with nutrients

    For the added break down of vitamin properties A, D, E, & K found naturally in tallow

    • Vitamin A: Promotes cell turnover and reduces signs of aging

    • Vitamin D: Supports healing and skin repair

    • Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant, protects skin from environmental damage

    • Vitamin K: Helps reduce dark spots, scars, and redness

    This list is giving you the breakdown of the nutrients in tallow and how they all help the skin.  But tallow is also used to cook with.  So all the nutrients you are reading about for your skin apply to your internal body if you were to consume tallow.  As I always say in skincare if you are getting an internal boost in nutrients and minerals it will show on your skin from the inside.  I personally have cooked with tallow and love it for cooking.

    Beneficial Properties

    1. Anti-Ageing- the vitamins and nutrients in tallow help reduce the fine lines and wrinkles which help promote a more youthful appearance
    2. Soothing and Healing-tallows anti-inflammatory properties help sooth conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin
    3. Deep Hydration-receive a deep level of moisture due to tallows ability to deeply penetrate into the skin.  The body receives product deeper because of all the vitamin and mineral properties.
    4. Bio Compatible – Skin-fatty acid profile resembles the natural oils (sebum) in human skin. Tallow absorbs easily without clogging pores or causing irritation.
    5. No Synthetics as tallow is a natural product it works as an excellent emollient that locks moisture in the skin keeping you hydrated
    6. Free From Harmful Additives-being this is a natural product there are no synthetics which can cause allergies.  Tallow is all natural and no chemical fragrances
    7. Supports Collagen Production-natural fats in tallow help to support collagen production giving skin more elasticity and firmness
    8. Balances Skin good for acne scaring & healing
    9. Non Comedogenic – natural product from nature so will not clog pores

    How It Works

    So why this product and the ingredients works so well?  I want to talk about chirally correct for a few minutes.  What is chirally correct?  I will try and explain it in simple terms…..

    I worked for a skincare brand that promoted chirally correct with their ingredients.  Essentially all the molecules in the ingredients go into a spin trap. Meaning the healthy molecules stay in the ingredient and the unhealthy spin out. A healthy molecule to the skin spins to the right.  The cells in your body also spin to the right thus allowing your skin the most absorption of the ingredients.  So when a product line is chirally correct you are absorbing the product.  Most skincare brands the molecules spin to the left which leaves the product sitting on top of the skin not absorbing in. This is why when you start to use a new product and it can take more than 30 days to notice a difference.  It is because your skin renews itself every 28 days.  If you start with a new product, yes you’ll notice a difference after a month but a chirally correct product you will notice within about 5 uses a change in skin.  It is because your skin is getting the best nutrient and absorption rate.

    Another way to explain it is that every molecule in an ingredient has two sides.  The most healthy molecules are filtered through a spin trap.  If a company doesn’t put their ingredients through the spin trap then your getting both sides of the molecules which isn’t as high quality of an ingredient and your skin and body will not recognize it. The absorption wont be there.  Why I love tallow is because you could literally consume it.  It is food for the skin.  Your skin will absorb it and utilize it along with all the vitamins tallow provides. I’m going to add two companies that I love using their products and they are chirally correct.  The one skincare line that first taught me about chirally correct is Arcona. The other skincare line that you can find chirally correct products is called Skin Perfection.  Both of these skincare lines I love their products (not sponsored).  I will ad links here.

    https://www.arcona.com/what-makes-us-different.html

    https://www.naturalorganicskincare.com/collections/chirally-correct-skincare?_pos=1&_psq=chirally+correct&_ss=e&_v=1.0

    Why element Lufu Tallow Cream

    Our tallow cream is formulated with clean ingredients.  We take pride that our tallow comes from grass fed beef.  Our ingredient list and breakdown is grass fed & finished beef tallow, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic golden jojoba oil, organic lemongrass essential oil, and organic lavender essential oil.

    ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL PROPERTIES – Olive oil is packed with healthy vitamins, fats, and antioxidants, and these components can contribute to healthier-looking skin. Olive oil moisturizes skin by locking in moisture, and its antioxidants can help to improve signs of aging.

    ORGANIC GOLDEN JOJOBA OIL PROPERTIES – Organic gold jojoba oil has very similar properties as natural
    skin sebum. That is why jojoba oil is quickly absorbed and does not leave an oily film on the skin.  The golden part of jojoba oil is from the highest quality golden seeds of Simmondsia Chinensis seeds cold-pressed. Unlike other skincare oils, the structure of jojoba oil is very similar to the natural oils of our skin. Which means it not only moisturizes, but absorbs faster than other oils.

    ORGANIC LEMONGRASS ESSENTIAL OILS PROPERTIES – Research has shown that lemongrass essential oil has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and astringent abilities.  Wanted to include this powerful essential oil in the product to help with a therapeutic scent as well as helping balance the product.

    ORGANIC LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL PROPERTIES – Lavender oil can be a gentle way to treat acne due to its ability to kill bacteria. Lavender essential oil is also gentle enough to help heal eczema and dry skin and lavenders soothing properties can also help with wound healing.  Lavender has also been known to promoted the growth of collagen and boost the tissue remodeling of the skin.

    All of the ingredients in this blend are made to help you lock in moisture and help your skin receive the best nutrients with the tallow but also not feel to heavy on the skin.  Its a perfect balancing blend of tallow in combination with natural skin balancing oils.

    Conclusion

    When you are using element Lufu tallow as a moisturizer you are getting more than a three in one product.  Literally can be used as an eye cream, neck cream, can use on your lips, can use on your elbows, heals and knees.  Can essentially be used on your body to hydrate.  Definitely worth the investment. Hands down you will notice within days of use a lighter depth to your wrinkles. With continued use the wrinkles will definitely be less pronounced if not gone.  If you are a nail technician this is a great product to use for massage of hands and feet. Tallow will  help with wrinkles of the hands and help with dry cracked heels and have your clients coming back for more services.

    Stay tuned for a new scent coming soon, and take advantage of our discounted offers on a purchase of two or more products bundle. Enjoy your new found knowledge of beef tallow and its amazing benefits to your skin health.  Leave any comments or questions below this article or in the contact form.

     

     

     

     

     

  • What Is Face Mapping???

    What Is Face Mapping???

    Have you ever heard of face mapping?  Have you ever had a small little pimple break out on your face?  Maybe one that keeps coming back in the same spot?  Or, your getting a lot of breakout on a few repeat areas of your face?  Maybe a repeat or return pimple? I’m creating this post to give you tips for breakout and ideas as to what could be causing them.  I’ll explain face mapping and breakdown different areas of you face along with the organs those areas are connected to.

    What is face mapping?

    When I was studying in my esthetician course on the island of Maui we had a very thorough education.   Being we were on the island there is a huge Asian influence we were taught a few more things stemming from the Asian cultures.  There are a lot of Japanese or Japanese Hawaiians living on the island  as Japan is 5 hours away from Hawaii.  So a lot of people had migrated over from Japan and mixed with the Hawaiians and the Hawaiian culture.  That being said we actually learned that face mapping came from traditional Chinese medicine.  I wanted to point out the Japanese Hawaiians because the whole island has an Asian approach to doing things.  Basically the concept of face mapping is like this.  Your face tells a story.  There are points on your face that are connected to your internal organs or areas of the internal body. If something could be going on internally with an organ it can show up on your face as a pimple or breakout. It doesn’t just have to be pimples. You can also just be getting red patches that could be surface dryness but can be stemming from something internal.

    Example:  The nose point would be connected to your lungs, there are two spots by the mouth and they are connected to the small and large intestine.  There are the areas on the face that always break out when you are stressed and there is the hormonal area.  I will draw a map of the face with the points I learned and these have been proven time and time again in my career and when I mention an area the person can put the break out to a reason that can be affecting the internal body.

    The Map

    Would like to note here this is the map I learned from.  If you goggle face mapping or look up other articles there may be different face maps that represent the facial areas different.  I also have had that happen with reflexology of the hands and feet.  You can take into account that nothing is set in stone but this is a general guide.  I feel confident sharing this map as through the years I have seen the connection of these points on the face with myself and my clients with results for figuring out skin issues.

    As you can see on the map the different points on the face and how they relate to the internal organs.  Essentially the idea is. if you had a break out and it was around your nostrils your lungs are being exposed to something and it is coming out on your skin.    So the two spots next to the nostrils would be considered your lung points.  The two points next to the corners of your mouth would be considered your digestion.  Within the lines of digestion are your small and large intestines.  Sometimes you can get breakout along the small and large intestine lines if your eating something your intestines cannot handle.

    To the side of either of the intestine lines is your hormonal breakout.  Normally you can get a pimple in that area when you are either ovulating or getting ready to have your period.  Its just a large dose of hormones and the excess is coming out on the skin.  Anytime you get a pimple right on the jaw bone but underneath it that area represents stress. Hands down I see it on my own face if I get stressed.  The spot right under your nose that is above your lip in the little dip represents the uterus.  Now I have only learned this as the uterus.  If I had to take a guess for men it would be one of their male sexual glands.  If something is going on internally in your uterine area or reproductive organs you may get a pimple right in the middle of the upper lip.  The general area that I know from experience if something is going on in your stomach you can have break out on the forehead and also the cheeks.

    What to do about it

    Just be informed.  I am explaining this concept to bring an awareness as to why you could be breaking out.  I can say from my own experience when I was in manicure school and we were working with acrylic,  I had pimples many times next to my nostrils.  I know it was from breathing in the acrylic chemicals.  My body was not used to the strong chemical and I was being affected by it.

    I have learned that a hormonal pimple is not always a pimple and does not pop the same as a pimple.  If that’s the case it is actually better to leave the bump alone and let it heal itself. You can know you have a hormonal pimple by the location on your face and it usually is a more spread out bump. If the breakout doesn’t come to a complete head or look like a regular pustule it is best not to touch and it will go away.

    If you have little pimples on the intestinal line then that can be a food allergy.  You want to pay attention to what you ate the night before or a day before to see why you can have little breakouts on that area of your face.  I know that I am allergic to seaweed and every time after I have eaten say a sushi veggie roll the next day I will always have tiny little bumps on the intestinal line.  That is my body reacting to the food and sending it out through my pores.

    If you have a pimple in the uterus area something can be going on with your uterus and or your reproductive zones.  But also you can just have a hormonal thing going on and if your ovulating or getting ready to have your period you can get a pimple in that area.

    Also the stress pimple on the jaw line.  If you get a big pimple right around the jaw line it is in the stress area or zone of your face.  You can almost check in with yourself and see if you have a stressful event coming up or something going on that is stressful.  A pimple on the bottom of the face right around the jaw bone area usually represents stress.

    Now the area which I marked on both cheeks and the forehead, that area would mainly represent your stomach.  What ends up happening is if you are allergic to a food or you are consuming something that your digestion doesn’t handle well it can manifest on your face in the cheeks and forehead.  I know when I was consuming almonds and was allergic to them my whole forehead had a lot of breakout.  It some time before I put it together that what I was consuming  I was allergic to and my skin was definitely showing me.

    Can I just throw this out there?  Not always the case, but sometimes when people part-take in a recreational drug that gives you, let’s say the munchies it can cause a lot of break out on the cheeks and forehead.  Sometimes people do not realize they are allergic to that said drug and the body is detoxing it as best as it can and as fast as it can.  Hence why the breakout on the cheeks and forehead.  It is a larger surface area and can help to get the toxins out.  Not always the case but something to think about.  It doesn’t even have to be a drug that gives you the munchies you could also be taking prescription drugs and your body can react to it with a little break out here and there.

    Another area I want to add that is not drawn on the map is the liver.  Under your eyes on the inner corner represents the liver.  Yes you could have no sleep and have dark circles.  We all can get that.  However, if you have puffy eyes and a lot of dark color under your eyes this area represents your liver.  Ask yourself are you consuming something your body cannot handle?  If you drink a lot of wine are your eyes dark underneath the next day?  Sometimes people are allergic to pasta and they get dark circles under their eyes.  Also believe it or not burning scented candles can cause puffy eyes and dark circles.  Fragrances can be taxing on the liver and it will show on your face.  Also again prescription meds affect your liver.

    Knowledge is Power

    I just want to bring an awareness to this topic.  The more you know the more you can try and heal your skin.  Sometimes it starts on the inside.  Once in awhile you have a lifestyle change and start breaking out and you cannot figure out what is causing it.  Instead of running to get an anti acne cover or a new cleanser maybe just think about any recent lifestyle changes and what could be causing it?

    Another note is the skin on your body.  Sometimes you may get a pimple on the back or arm or maybe even the buttocks.  Nine times out of ten that is an ingrown hair and it has developed due to friction and then causes the hair to grown into the skin and a little pus to form around where the hair is growing in.  I always suggest to pop and get the pus out.  Why?  If you don’t open the pustule and get air into it the hair follicle will keep growing internally.  Have you ever had an ingrown hair and you can take a needle to it and get it out and it is nice and tight curls and really long?  Well I have had that happen and I can honestly say it is better to pop and remove them on the body then to let them stay growing.  Just a nice poke with a sterile needle and then some alcohol after to clean the skin.  But you want to look for the hair and maybe even use a nice sharp tweezers to try and get the ingrown hair out.  I always say if you don’t get the ingrown hair out it will stay in your skin and keep growing.

    Conclusion

    Now that you have learned the concept of face mapping you have an ability to spot other issues going on in the body.  If you do have a breakout or pimple I always say first drink a lot of water.  Dehydrated skin is dry skin and tight skin.  The lymphatic system is always cleaning from behind the skin and the more water you drink the more it aids your system to flush out toxins.  So water water and more water is always the first step.  Second you now have a new awareness and maybe you cannot handle certain foods in your body.  Again water water water as that helps get things moving out that shouldn’t be in the body.  Also consider your surroundings and environment.  If your breaking out by the nostrils maybe there is mold in a work place or home or place you frequent and your body is letting you know.  Or you take a weekend trip to a city with lots of pollution and you get a pimple by the nose point?

    Face mapping is just another way to be in tune with your body and aware of what is going on.  Having this tool can help you to solve little issues you or a family member may not be aware of.  If someone says to you, “I don’t know why, but I keep breaking out in this spot.”  You now have a tool to help them or suggest to them maybe something is going on.  Leave me a comment if this has helped you or given you a new light on breakouts on your face.  Would love to know how you find this post helpful in your skincare journey.

     

  • Best Natural Fibers For Skin & Body(How Fibers Affect Your Health)

    Best Natural Fibers For Skin & Body(How Fibers Affect Your Health)

    What are fibers?  Fibers are in our life everyday?  Fibers are what we wear on our bodies.  Fibers are what we use in a coffee filter, a tea bag or toilet paper.  Unless your running free and naked on a nude beach the human body is in constant contact with fibers. Fibers are being used for your everyday needs either on your body or being used for everyday items like writing on a paper notebook.  I am going to try and break down and bring an awareness as to why what types of fibers or materials we use on the daily and how it can affect our physical health.  Hopefully this post will inspire you to make healthy choices in the clothes you purchase and the linens you use for your home.

    My First Experience With Fibers

    About ten years ago I was booked a job at a trade show.  Normally when I work in trade shows we are usually a crew of about 3 girls and or guys minimum.  In this show I was booked alone and the client wanted to meet me and train me the day before the show started.  I did not know what I was getting into. So I proceeded to find the booth location at the Miami Beach Convention Center and met with the client.  The client was a man around 50 years old and he was from the United States.  The company was from Germany the this client was a manager from North Carolina.  So this man proceeds to explain to me about the company and he has a little hesitation as he is saying what the company does.  Finally he just says the awkward, we are the largest manufacturer of tampons in Germany. We are at capacity in sales and we have our booth here at this show to visit our existing clients. We need you to stay at the booth when we have our meetings.  We want to train you a little on fibers so that you can answer questions and look knowledgeable.

    Well that was it a fast crash course in fibers and now I am representing the company.  I met the next day with their lead scientist and he explained to me how fibers work and what different types there were and the scientific names of these fibers.  I learned a lot about working this convention such as a water soluble fiber like a tea bag or coffee filter is called Poseidon in science terms. Also the US had two companies that made fire retardants for mattresses and right after the companies merge the federal government made it mandatory to place fire retardants in all mattresses being manufactured.  The tampons that this company manufactured were made from Eucalyptus trees.  Basically they trim down the branches and make a pulp and then break that down more and spin into a fiber which created the material to make the tampon. (Never knew the brand of these tampons but I worked for them)

    Learning to Sew

    Fast forwad a few years later and I relocated to Los Angeles California.  When I first moved to the new city I enrolled in a sewing class at Mood Fabrics.  I started to learn to design patterns and sew and I loved it.  My sewing teacher https://linda-tidwell.square.site/  linked here for reference made a comment that once you learn how to sew you never will look at material the same again.  She was right.  You can see quality fibers and material and quality stitching and design in clothing and anything sewn.  So at this time I became invested in working only with natural materials.  Meaning for me the fibers that come from nature which are: silk, cotton, wool, linen, bamboo, hemp and some forms of rayon.  Here is a list of the derivatives of these fibers if you are interested:

    • SILK – SILK WORM
    • COTTON- GROWN IN FIELD
    • WOOL-SHAVED FROM LAMBS FUR
    • LINEN-SPUN FROM FLAX SEEDS
    • BAMBOO-BAMBOO
    • HEMP-HEMP
    • RAYON-EUCALYPTUS TREES
    • ALSO PERSONALLY I LOVE WORKING WITH LEATHER MAINLY COWHIDE

    So these are the natural fibers that I started shopping for and paying attention to.  A couple of years later I got into home decor and had now relocated to Miami Florida.  I had heard about linen sheets and how good they were for you but at the time I couldn’t exactly explain why?  I invested in a queen size sheet set of linen top and bottom and two pillow cases.  The day after I first slept on my sheets I found a video that explained materials and fibers and there frequencies.  To sum it up an Israeli scientist measured the frequencies of fibers and it is broken down as this:

    • HUMAN BODIES FREQUENCY IN A HEALTHY STATE IS 100
    • ORGANIC COTTON AND HEMP FREQUENCY IS 100
    • REGULAR COTTON FREQUENCY IS 70
    • HUMAN BODIES FREQUENCY IN A DISEASE (NEAR DEATH STATE) IS 15
    • SILK, POLYESTER, ACRYLIC AND RAYON HAVE A FREQUENCY OF 20 (NEAR DEATH FREQUENCY)
    • FREQUENCY OF LINEN IS 5000
    • FREQUENCY OF WOOL 5000

    Notes:

    1) If you wear linen and wool together they cancel each other out and the frequency becomes 0.  The scientist believe this is because the frequency of linen spins one way say, to the right and wool to the left.

    2) Hospitals back in the 50’s used to have linen sheets.  Linen is very healing to the body giving the high frequency of the material that helps your body to heal and restore as you sleep.

    3) Polyester, Nylon and Acrylic are synthetic fibers.  Low frequency  of around 20 and you can notice when doing laundry that static shock you get when pulling these items out of the dryer?  That is because this material is very electrically charged which is harmful to the body as it can disrupt the bodies natural electrical field.

    4) Fire retardants are an unnatural chemical very harmful to the body.  Why it is required in mattresses while you sleep and restore?  Also a lot of manufacturers use in children’s clothing.  In a landfill in San Francisco where mattresses were dumped a lot of the women who lived close by they found fire retardants in the women’s breast milk.  (Double note:  If you were wearing fire retardant pajamas or sleeping on a fire retardant mattress you would more than likely die of smoke inhalation if you can make it that far into a fire without burning on your mattress or in your pajamas. Maybe quick question, why is this a required ingredient in all mattresses?

    5)  I’ve know that polyester comes from crude oil.  Imagine rubbing crude oil on your body and walking around all day.  That is what these fibers essentially do and many manufacturing of woman’s bras, the main material used is polyester.

    Fibers Effects on Physical Body

    Just a quick example here from studies that have been done.  A lot of the dry fit materials or work out wear is made from synthetic fabrics like Spandex, nylon and polyester, all of which are essentially plastics. These materials are made from petrochemicals and are often formulated with harmful chemical additives like phthalates and bisphenols. Now, research has been shown that sweat leaches chemical additives from plastics and those chemicals are then available to be absorbed through our skin.

    So imagine we have been taught that when you sweat it is a great way to detox and get toxins out of your body. So know were wearing mainly polyester and plastic fibers in our workout clothes.  So what is happening is those fibers have chemicals in them.  So you go out and have a great sweat session.  The moisture from your sweat causes these chemicals to release from the clothing onto your skin.  What do you think will happen?  Your skin will absorb these chemicals.  Reintroducing new toxins right back into your body.

    This is why for over 10 years I am always looking for cotton workout clothes and especially leggings.  They may fade in color or not last as long but I am happier wearing something not made of a synthetic fiber.  Not easy to find we definitely have a ways to go on this topic but its a start to bring the awareness.

    I also want to point out about the bras.  I have been looking for cotton bras for many years.  I am not sure if anyone noticed but they brought back cotton bras but if you look in the cup it is a polyester material?  Really doesn’t make sense as that is the part that is touching your skin.  I have been on a mission to wear cotton bras for more than 10 years pretty much cotton everything.  Why?  Because the materials that touch our skin really actually go into our pores. In the last year I have been looking for organic cotton and linen more so as fabrics to be wearing.  I have found some companies that make organic cotton bras and also a women who sews linen bras.  Let me find some links here for you.  I will keep this post open and ad links as I find more alternatives.

    Note, Third Love is an affiliate link and there is no added cost to you but a commission to me if purchased.  Very amazing bras that add half cup sizes so if you are looking for a good fitting bra, this company definitely can help you.

    Also note, when you first buy clothing I would suggest always washing it before you wear.  I’ll probably have to do a major post on laundry detergent too.  But a lot of clothing has formaldehyde and chemicals on it from the boxing and shipping process so again you will be wearing those chemicals until you wash the item.

    Conclusion

    We use fibers in our clothing and our everyday usage,  including sheets and towels.  Basically anything that is touching or comes into contact with your skin is affecting your health.  I wanted to create this post because this is how I have been living my life for well over ten years.  I am not just a food ingredients reader I am a label reader.  You will find me in any clothing store looking for the tag, normally found on bottom right side of item on the inside.  I will read the label and if it says polyester or any derivative I will pass.  Does it take longer to shop?  Yes, but I am willing to take that time.  If this subject is all new to you but your feeling motivated feel free to search my suggestions and I will be adding more.  Clothing manufacturers need to be held accountable but also companies too.  Especially when it comes to work uniforms or kids school uniforms.  Were literally getting exposed to chemicals.  Lets put our dollars to work to let people know what we want more of and what companies you are choosing to support.

    I am going to put some reference links here and you can learn more about fibers and natural materials and your health.  As always any questions or comments feel free to leave a comment or use the contact form.

    References

    https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2023/nov/02/workout-clothes-sweat-chemicals-cancer

    https://gaiaconceptions.com/pages/the-frequencies-of-natural-fabrics

    Check out the podcast on Spotify The Hannah Dunning Project.  She talks about all things materials.

     

  • Benefits of Natural Vitamin C for Your Skin and Body

    Benefits of Natural Vitamin C for Your Skin and Body

    Are you an orange juice drinker or a grapefruit juice drinker?  Do you prefer concentrate or fresh squeezed?  Do you avoid the pulp or are you good to drink the pulp too?  In this post I am going to touch on vitamin C both internally and topically and try and help you to understand how vitamin C can help your skin produce collagen both internally and on the surface and why natural vitamin C from nature is best.

    Different types of Citrus

    Okay so lets start with the basics.  What do we have for citrus fruits?  We have lemons, limes, oranges, mandarins, tangerines and grapefruit.  Now note that limes have more vitamin C than oranges.  (Just a side mention)  What I want to emphasize here is grapefruits and oranges.  Lets start with fruit juice basics and I’ll try and tie this into skin as best as I can.  Were going to start with the healthiest orange juice is pure oranges that are freshly squeezed or juiced.  The same with grapefruit.  Why do you want it freshly squeezed?  When the fruit is freshly squeezed it has the most nutrients. Also the white of the peel is full of nutrition and one thing I do is peel the whole orange and put it in my Vitamix blender.  I will make sure to keep as much white pulp on as possible and I sometimes cheat and add a little bit of skin as I blend it up.

    I noticed a trend in Miami when I was going to get fresh squeezed orange juice.  Have you seen those orange squeezing machines that the base is yellow and you put the oranges in and then they turn the machine on as you order and the oranges start to get squeezed and there is your fresh juice?  Well I’ve noticed lately I will go to order the fresh juice and they just hand me an orange juice in a plastic cup in the refrigerator made earlier in the day and say here you go it was made fresh this morning.  Do you know how annoyed I get? I want to have Fresh Fresh orange juice and I ordered it and paid more because I see the machine and then they hand me orange juice that is 5 hours old? Probably absorbing all the plastic from the cup that I will now be consuming.  Anyways the point is the freshest most nutrient rich juice is fresh squeezed.  Otherwise it is better if you just eat the fruit directly.

    Next we have grapefruit.  Grapefruit is a little more on the bitter side.  One way I like to sweeten grapefruit juice up is with honey.  If you ever cut a grapefruit in half and cut out the little triangles and eat with a spoon its nice to add honey.  Eat the little grapefruit wedges and then squeeze out the rest of the juice and get as many nutrients as possible.  Note in all citrus fruits you want seeds.  We do not want to buy seedless as that is basically GMO.  That means the fruit has been altered and with that alteration your body does not read the nutrient codes the same.  Its like your eating a whole orange and getting half the nutrients. So embrace those seeds let them be in your glass.  Have fun with them.  I let them get blended up in the Vitamix blender too. Seeds are our friends and seeds are life.

    Citrus and Collagen

    Citrus fruit has a lot of great health benefits but I am going to emphasize here grapefruit first.  Why because grapefruit is in first place of the citrus family for the most nutrients for skin and oranges come in second.  So grapefruit contains flavones and flavonoids.  This helps with phytonutrients.  Phyto attracts the sun hence why they say citrus can give you sun spots.  In small doses though the sun is very healing for you.  Grapefruit can also have drug interactions.  Note if your taking any prescription or vitamins not on an empty stomach and not going from straight grapefruit consumption to vitamin/medicine consumption.  Your stomach will more than likely have a reaction.  The vitamin C content in grapefruit juice plays a role in collagen formation of the skin.  This is important for the skin cells to keep there strength and structure.  This is why I am trying to emphasize fresh juice not concentrate.  With concentrate there is usually added sugars.

    If you have to buy fresh orange or grapefruit juice you also would want to look for unpasteurized juice.  Pasteurization heats up the juice to remove any bacteria but the heating process takes away the nutrients. Lets be honest how much bacteria is in citrus fruits?  Little to none is my guess that is why I am always on the hunt for unpasteurized juices. So again lets imagine your drinking a full 12 ounce bottle of juice that you just spent about $5 on but your getting about 3o percent of the nutrients from the actual fruit.  I can tell you that Trader Joes sells unpasteurized orange juice and I know in the state of Florida WaWa the gas station and minimart offers unpasteurized orange juice.  I cannot speak for Wawa in other states as I haven’t seen if the unpasteurized juice is offered.

    Vitamin C in Skincare

    So moving on we’ve covered the bases of vitamin C internally and how important and good for you it is to have the purest form of citrus juice.  Now lets talk about vitamin C in skincare products.  I’m going to share a short facial room story here to give you an idea of how important is it to have real ingredients in your skincare products.

    So I was working at a spa in Hollywood Ca and this particular spa carried two product lines.  I was new to both product brands and I was in my training phase.  (basically giving free facials) Can learn about that more from this post. https://elementlufu.com/confessions-of-a-licensed-esthetician/

    I had done the one training with the first brand lets just say it was a French line and they offered a vitamin C facial.  So previously my new coworker, we were both training and new, had given me the vitamin C facial from the French line.  On this day we were meeting with the trainer from the second brand of skincare products that were more natural and made right there in Santa Monica.  Now before we started training my coworker asked me, “Oh I want to know how did your skin feel after the facial I gave you?”  I had received the facial and everything was fine but about 3 hours later my face felt so dry and was itching and tight.  I explained to her what had happened and then the trainer from the other skincare brand made the comment that the product probably wasn’t natural and a lot of times brands use ascorbic acid as vitamin C which is lab made or the vitamin form almost imagine a powder.

    We then proceeded to learn about this new skincare brand and had our training from an all natural version of vitamin C that is literally extracted from the citrus fruit.  I learned a lot that day about lab made and actual nature derived ingredients in skincare products.  My visual for this one is imagine an orange cut open and rubbed on one side of your face and then imagine a chewable vitamin C vitamin either rubbed on your other cheek or diluted in water and then rubbed on your face.  Which side do you think is going to feel better?  Its hands down that nature wins.  Not lab created products.

    Another experience I had was with another well know skincare brand that lets just say they promote themselves as medical grade.  Aka lab made ingredients or medical ingredients.  I had moved to Florida by now and was working in a higher end spa and they offered a lot of different product lines.  I was training with the different lines and I gave two different facials to two different estheticians that worked in the spa.  So one of the training expectations is to give the person feedback on their skin.  Can I tell you both of these women’s skin felt DRY like sandpaper almost.  This is two separate women and two separate facials within weeks of each other.

    The first one I had commented oh your skin feels a little on the dry side.  She claimed that her skin wasn’t dry and that she was using the vitamin C serum from said product line.  I couldn’t argue with her because 1) I’m not there to make her feel bad and 2) she is an esthetician as well and she knows what she knows.  I can personally say I had never felt such dry skin but I left it alone.  The second facial and second esthetician same thing. Dry dry skin.  I made the comment, oh your skin feels a little dry what products are you using?  She replied with the same vitamin C serum that the previous esthetician was using.  Both of them had the tightest driest skin I had ever felt.  So I know that I would not recommend that product to anyone.  But again medical grade doesn’t mean its good.  If anything your skin wont absorb the product the same.  (I can explain how that works in another post).

    Conclusion

    So in conclusion what have we learned?  Nature works best, YES???  Both on the internal intake of fruit juices and the purity of the juice or the fruit and on the topical skin level.  I can tell you as your reading a skincare label it can be very hard to determine if the vitamin C in the product is ascorbic acid or vitamin C extracted from citrus fruit.  One way to know is if the ingredient label flat out says ascorbic acid I would give that a no.  You can sometimes know if a brand has an emphasis on natural products from nature and or has ingredients organically grown or from the farm.  If I had to guess I’d say its 50/50 these days of which skincare lines carry natural vitamin C.  The said brands that I was working with in this post were Arcona, Dr. Dennis Gross, and Guinot.  You can plug in on your own which one was which in the story.

    If you are interested in fresh citrus fruit grown on a farm in central Florida and shipped directly to your door year round then I have a link for you.  Hale Groves even has a citrus club where you can have citrus shipped to you on a monthly basis.  Also great they offer gift boxes you can surprise your friends and family.  (Incoming affiliate link.) By clicking on the link I gain a little commission but does not affect your cost.  Click on the link below and check out the many citrus options available to you.  Please leave any questions or comments in the contact form and remember natural is always better for the body internally and externally.

    http://www.halegroves.com/?utm_source=AFF&utm_medium=AFF&utm_campaign=AFF

     

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