Old English Lufu means Love

Tag: skincare

  • 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/

     

  • Bee Pollen, Royal Jelly, Propolis, Benefits For Your Skin

    Bee Pollen, Royal Jelly, Propolis, Benefits For Your Skin

     

    Let me start out by saying I feel like there is something so intriguing about honey and bee products.  First of all, the fact that honey never goes bad is amazing in itself.  Second, I love the concept of knowing that the bees had to touch how many flowers to make the honey.  I’m sure it is a lot of flowers so somehow you are getting the benefits of those flowers mixed in with your honey.  Third, when bees work in a region say for example Australia and now you purchase Australian honey, you are gaining the properties from that honey with the surrounding flowers in that area.  I always like to read where a honey is from and what flowers the bees were working with.  For example, eucalyptus or orange nectar, and then imagine the healing benefits of that part of the world.  Anyways this is my visual take on honey and how I became obsessed with honey and all things bee products.

    As explained in the paragraph above I am obsessed with bee products and it is why I chose to carry a bee product in my line. This post is going to feature the beauties and gifts given to us from the bees.  A pure gift from nature and why it is so important for the body.  I’m going to define the by-products from the bees and the benefits they provide for the body.  Also will give a breakdown of the ingredients in the elementLufu Bee Pearl Powder and the added ingredient of Vitamin C and its benefits for both your body and skin.

    What is Bee Pollen?

    Bee pollen comes from the pollen that collets on the bodies of bees as they fly from one flower to another.  It is said that bee pollen can also contain bee saliva.  Bee pollen is known to contain vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.  Bee pollen can also be found in skin softening products that can be used for eczema or diaper rash. This is a wonderful gift from nature.

    When consumed as a food, bee pollen does  seem to be nutritious. It’s a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and carbohydrates. Thus why I chose to include this product in my line. Studies indicate that bee pollen could increase strength in the body and even slow down aging. Another plus to add to your skincare routine.

    Bee pollen has also been recommended for:

    • alcoholism
    • asthma
    • allergies
    • health maintenance
    • PMS
    • enlarged prostate
    • stomach problems
    Bee pollen is also known to give energy mainly when used in energy tonics. Some herbalists have found bee pollen to enhance athletic performance, improve allergies and asthma and reduce side effects of cancer.  There has been medical research done but it has not been concluded yet that bee pollen may reduce side effects of radiation therapy. More research is needed but I could see it working in a positive way for the body.

    (Allergies)

    Added disclaimer bee pollen appears to be safe for most people, but if you have pollen allergies, you may have some reaction.  Allergic symptoms could include, itching, redness, shortness of breath, hives swelling and anaphylaxis. Bee pollen is not safe for children or pregnant women. Breastfeeding women should also avoid using bee pollen. If one is on blood thinners such as warfarin bee pollen may cause increased bleeding. Check with your doctor before taking bee pollen if you are taking over-the-counter medicines or prescription drugs.
    Just to be clear we do not want to confuse bee pollen with natural honey, honeycomb, bee venom, or royal jelly. These products do not contain bee pollen.

    What is Royal Jelly?

    Royal Jelly is created by the secretion from nurse bees in a colony to feed larvae and the queen bee. Because royal jelly is potent it is considered a dietary supplement and has a wide range of impact on women’s hormones. Royal jelly has been known to ease premenstrual and postmenopausal symptoms. As far as skin usage royal jelly is harvested from the queen cells of beehives and sold as a supplement or in skin creams to enhance collagen production,  and improve overall health. Modern science has lent some support to these and other traditional medicine claims however, more research is needed

    Ingredients of royal jelly: 1/4 teaspoon

    • Calories: 2
    • Protein: 0 grams
    • Fat: 0.04 grams
    • Carbohydrates: 0 grams
    • Fiber: 0 grams
    • Sugar: 0.13 grams

    Royal jelly contains only trace amounts of other vitamins and minerals.  Notice the sugar content is low at .13 grams.

    Research has found a number of potential health benefits to royal jelly:

    • Antibacterial Properties
    • Antiviral Properties (Studies have shown royal jelly has been an alternative treatment against herpes virus)
    • Diabetes Management (Has shown to improve glycemic status, lipid profiles and oxidative stress)
    • Menopause Support (Royal jelly may help to relieve symptoms associated with menopause)

    The BEST feature here is for the skin:

    • Collagen Production

    Royal jelly is a popular ingredient in skin care products, and the research supports its use as collagen enhancer. By boosting collagen production in the skin, royal jelly is known to protect skin against the effects of ultraviolet radiation.

    Because royal jelly is so potent, you should consult with your doctor before combining with any other supplement.

    Allergies

    As a warning royal jelly can also create complications for people with certain medical conditions or allergies. Some allergic reactions could include contact dermatitis to anaphylaxis. Royal jelly can also react with other medications you are taking. Consult your healthcare provider before adding royal jelly to your diet in order to rule out any potential symptoms. Be aware when introducing royal jelly to your diet and discontinue use if you experience an allergic reaction. Also, the effects of royal jelly on someone who is pregnant or breast-feeding are not clear. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding you may want to use caution with this ingredient.

    What is Propolis?

    Propolis is a mixture of beeswax, plant sap, and honeybees’ natural enzymes — and it plays an important role in keeping beehives in one piece. Sometimes propolis is called bee glue, it is an important material for honeybee hives. Propolis also seems to help keep beehives pest-free by preventing fungus and microbes from growing. There is more to propolis than its use as a bee-based building material.

    Studies have shown that propolis may have some significant health benefits, both as an oral supplement and as a topical treatment. Propolis provides micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Propolis is an excellent source of certain polyphenols that can be referred to as flavonoids. The flavonoids from propolis function as antioxidants.

    Other health benefits of propolis:

    • Decreased risk of cancer (due to the antioxidant properties)
    • Reduced ulcers (can also help solve internal problems as a supplement)  Studies have shown that consuming propolis, with or without honey, can help reduce the symptoms of gastritis and peptic ulcers  significantly.
    • Reduced inflammation (Some studies suggest that propolis has anti-inflammatory properties)
    • Controls blood sugar levels (Trials show that propolis supplements may significantly reduce fasting blood glucose levels)
    • Decreased risk of anemia Propolis is rich in B vitamins, which are considered essential micronutrients  Adding propolis to your diet can help you reduce your risk of a B-complex deficiency and associated anemia.

    Allergies

    This bee product does not appear to carry any significant health risks.

    There seems to be no recommended daily minimum or maximum intake for propolis. Propolis supplements are not regulated. Regardless of the dosage, you are still getting a healthy amount of polyphenols from these supplements.

    It is not necessary to consume propolis supplements to get more propolis in your diet. By adding more honey to your daily diet, you are  consuming propolis in small amounts. Raw honey and honeycomb are more likely to include propolis than filtered honey because propolis functions as a way of sealing the comb.

    My personal experience-

    Just a little story time on my own personal beliefs with supplements.

    I got into propolis a few years back and wasn’t even aware of its properties.  I bought it at the time as I was at a business that sold local honey and all things bees.  I was like, let me buy this propolis and try it out.  To be honest it did not taste amazing and my dosage said to take about 3 times a week.  I started taking the propolis and I noticed I felt good as if preventing me from getting sick.  I then had a dental surgery and was making sure to take the propolis. Because it is full of vitamins and minerals I knew that the propolis was very healing.  Yes my dental surgery healed nicely.

     

     

    Why element Lufu Bee Pearl Powder

    In the last couple of  years I stopped taking multi vitamins or supplements as I prefer to receive my nutrients from actual food.  I stopped trusting in the supplement industry for many reasons. For example I prefer raw cheese for my calcium or raw dairy which is full of vitamins.  (Also tallow) is full of nutrients.  So when I had the chance to introduce the element Lufu Bee Bread into my line I was excited.  I love this product.  Its all natural, actually coming from Latvia, and full of natural vitamins and nutrients.  You cannot go wrong with unwanted chemicals and additives when there are only 3 ingredients made by nature. Your getting a blend that helps provide vitamins, microelements, polyphenols, unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants.  This natural blend helps maintain your health, immunity, and energy level.

    Conclusion

    If your looking for an all natural daily supplement packed with ingredients form nature, we have it right here available on this website. element Lufu Bee Pearl Powder comes in a 1 month supply of 30 individual sachets. Is great to take on the go for work or to have in your purse or carry on.  This blend can be added to yogurt or smoothies.  I personally enjoy adding to my morning coffee. Be ready to experience a world of health in a little daily sachet.  Check out our promotional offer on the store page.

     

     

  • 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.

     

  • How I Cleared Up My Psoriasis & Product Recommendations (to help heal skin) Part 3

    How I Cleared Up My Psoriasis & Product Recommendations (to help heal skin) Part 3

    In this post I am going to talk about the signs of psoriasis and what you can look for to know if you have psoriasis.  Also I will share my personal story of how I developed psoriasis to help you understand how one could develop psoriasis and not even know they have it. Finally I will give you some pointers on products you can use to help sooth the redness and eventually balance or heal the red patches.

    Definition: Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, scaly, and often itchy patches on the skin.

    Common symptoms include:

    • Dry, thick, and raised patches
    • Red, scaly patches
    • Itching or soreness
    • Flaky patches
    • Patches of dry skin

    My Personal Story

    So here we are again years later in my life and now I have relocated 2 different times since I had my massive acne breakout.  My skin had gone back into balance and I was doing good.  I had lived in Buenos Aires for two years and the climate there was a little more dry than on the island of Maui.  So I had adjusted my products accordingly.  I point this out to help you realize that the climate you live in affects your skin. You want to be aware that sometimes you will need to change the type of skincare products you are using based on where you are. Especially your cleanser and your face cream.  Again some factors in your daily climate that affect your skin:

    • If your in a dry desert like climate very drying for the skin
    • If your in a cold climate and staying indoors with a heater on. ( Especially a gas heater is very drying for the skin)
    • If your in a hot climate and staying indoors with an air conditioning system, again very drying
    • If your in a tropical climate, a lot of humidity can add bacteria on your skin

    I relocated to Miami Beach and I was now back living in a very hot and tropical climate.  Everything was good as I prefer that type of climate but all of a sudden I was noticing red patches on my skin?  It was not making sense.  How could I have moved to a very heavy humid environment, more humidity than on Maui and my skin was getting dry patches?  This was not making sense?  So I started to use a gentle cleanser and was using the heaviest cream possible on my face.  If I could I would of slathered my face with shea butter.  Nothing was working though and nothing made sense?  So this went on for about 4 to 5 months.  The mystery of the red patches right below my eyes and on my cheek bones. Another pattern of  me changing products and brands constantly to see if anything would work better than the first heavy cream I had tried.

    What was  more perplexing and annoying is that I am an esthetician and this is my field and I cannot even get my own skin balanced or figure out what is going on with my skin.  So as the months went by and I was working part time at a restaurant one day it all came together.  I had probably been complaining to my manager that my skin was so dry in Miami and I couldn’t figure out why.  He made the comment that changed everything.  He said something like, “If your using the water on Miami Beach than anybody’s skin would be super dry as the water is so full of chlorine.”  I was like BINGO maybe that is it?  So I had to come up with a plan to test this new discovery.

    First I needed to stop washing my face with the tap water.  Now how was I to do that when I was wearing makeup?  I decided that my face needed a strong washing at night but in the morning how dirty was my face?  I had done a good cleaning the night before and now it was pretty much clean I just needed a light cleaning.  So I bought rosewater in a spray bottle and in the mornings I would use a cotton round and spray the cotton round with my rosewater and wipe across my face.  If the cotton was dirty I would use a new cotton round and wipe a second time.  Then I would continue with my morning routine of adding moisturizer and then makeup.  This became my new skincare routine.  After a few weeks, (remember it takes 28 days for anything to change on the skin)  I started to see the red patches disappear.  So the conclusion to all my problems was the chlorine in the water was stripping my face. Honestly this could happen to anyone, anywhere and so it is a story I wanted to share to point out that changing climates and environments can really affect your skin.

    Its All About The Water

    Also I point this out because it is good to be aware of what is in your water and what type of water you are using to wash your face.  I have never gone back to using water to wash my face in the mornings.  That was well over 10 years ago.  I have moved since then to different cities but using basically the (Toner Method) to wash my face in the morning is what has worked for me.  You really want to be aware of the water you use on your skin.

    Another thing to consider is travel.  I noticed after I had figured out what was going on with my skin if I traveled to a dry climate my little red patches would start to appear.  I would use my healing cream on them and they would instantly heal up.  Just flying on an airplane can cause your skin to be really dry.  Not to mention you want those 8 glasses or 64 ounces of water in a travel day that is hard to get consumed. By the time you land and if your using tap water to wash your face?  You could start to develop little dry red patches.

    Signs and Symptoms

    Some people do not even realize they may have psoriasis.  What you are looking for is fine little red patches on your face.  It almost always starts out under the eye right around the cheek bone and usually on the Left side of the face I have noticed.  If you walk around and think oh my skin is always red it may be that you are using to strong of a cleanser and then creating the patches and they are light but they exist. Or again the water in your area can be full of chlorine and hard chemicals that are hard on your delicate facial skin.  Like I said balancing the skin is a vicious cycle and you really have to be on top of things and aware of what can affect your skin.  There are different levels of psoriasis.  From just light small patches on the face that come seasonally to red almost raw skin.  Some people do not even realize that there are cures and creams for these red patches.  Some products I swear by that help through all this red and dry patches are listed below. (none of these are sponsored)

     

    Treatments

    Now having worked in the field and given many facials I can say that this brand that I worked with absolutely blew my mind when we did these specialty facials on either a sunburned skin or someone with severe redness.  If you ever want a special spa treatment I can recommend this brand, it is only found online or in spas. The brand is called Repechage and here is a link for the spa locater.  You will see the facial on the menu basically described as a Red Out facial or something along those lines.  Click this link here for a spa locator https://www.repechage.com/pages/locate-a-spa

    They also retail the skin care line for redness here:

    https://www.repechage.com/collections/skin-sensitivity-redness

    A great product line to use for redness and also if you want to treat yourself and have an expert in the field work with your red skin use the spa locater to find a location close to you or where you may be traveling to enjoy a relaxing service.

    This has been my experience with psoriasis and I wanted to share with you just in case you may have a similar situation going on with your skin.  Just to emphasize that yes your climate does affect the dryness of your skin.  Yes red little patches can be the beginning of psoriasis. Yes your cleanser that you start the day with can affect your skin (it can be to stripping).  Yes there are ointments and creams that you can be using to help heal your patches and dryness.  The most important factor here is that it is important to consider the water that you are using to wash your face with.  I will touch on water filters and what is best for our hair and skin on another post.

  • What Your Acid Mantle is and How (Your Cleanser) Affects Your Skin Pt.1

    What Your Acid Mantle is and How (Your Cleanser) Affects Your Skin Pt.1

    Skincare 101

    We are going to take this post to the basic skincare 101 science of skin.  In this post I will try and breakdown and explain what the acid mantle is in understandable terms and also guide you on cleansers and why they are an important factor when considering your acid mantle and skin type

    The acid mantle is very important in determining your skin type and how to balance your skin. I searched the definition of acid mantle in Wikipedia and it was a little to scientific.  I checked back to the more understandable definition from the Milady’s study book and found this explanation.

    Definition: The acid mantle is a thin, slightly acidic film covering the entire surface of human skin, serving as a protective barrier against pathogens and reducing body odor.

    Composition: The acid mantle is composed of:

    1. Free amino acids and α-hydroxy acids (lactic acids) excreted from sweat
    2. Free fatty acids and amino acids from sebum
    3. Urocanic acid and pyroglutamic acid

    pH Range: The surface pH of the skin’s acid mantle typically ranges between 4.5 and 6.5, with an average assumption of 5.0 to 6.0. However, recent research suggests that healthy human skin naturally tends to return to acidity levels below 5.0 when left untouched by skincare products or water for extended periods, with an ideal pH value of 4.7 and some individuals showing levels as low as 4.3.

    How I break it down to a facial client

    Everyday from the time we all wake up our skin is starting to balance.  There can be a lot of environmental factors that affect the balance of your skin. I will mention those later. Now as you go about your day I always say between 12 and 3 pm we all start to develop a little sheen or shine on our face. This happens to everyone male or female. The amount of shine one produces varies by climate so there can be a little of a give and take.  That sheen on your skin is your acid mantle.  What that does is it is designed to protect you.  A natural protective barrier.  Now if you cleanse your face and your cleanser is to strong it will strip your skin and make it feel nice and tight.  So what happens?  As the day goes on your brain will realize “Oh they do not have their protective barrier let me produce more oil for them.”  Now you begin the vicious cycle of trying to balance skin and you can produce more black heads and pimples. This causes your to go into a fight mode of trying to protect you and in the meantime your producing more oil. If you naturally have dry skin and your using a strong cleanser this can cause your skin to become extra dry and then eczema or psoriasis can occur.

    That is why with any skincare routine one of the most important products is your cleanser.  If you are washing your face in the morning to start your day and after you cleanse, your face feels nice and tight.  That is an indicator that the cleanser you are using is too strong. So my rule number 1 with cleansers:  You never want your face to feel tight after you cleanse your skin.  Yes it could happen with an exfoliant but we normally do not want to exfoliate more than 2 nights a week.  Night time is better for exfoliation followed by a deeply hydrating moisturizer.

    Rule number 2 which can be the next step in your morning routine is no alcohol in your toner.  The alcohol can also be drying and stripping.  Remember when we are using a skincare regime we are looking for that balanced glow.

    If a product is to strong and strips your skin you will produce more oil throughout the day.  If the product is to heavy for your skin and the molecules of say an oil or cream are to heavy that too can cause breakout on the other end of the spectrum.

    Rule number 3 is the water you are using to cleanse your skin with.  Do you live in an old building with old rusty pipes?  Have you looked up the region of where you live and the main water supply and what they put into that water?  If the water is heavily chlorinated then you will be essentially washing your face with chlorine.  Another stripping agent.  (Not to mention when you shower you are breathing that in) A website you can use to check your local water supply: https://www.livescience.com/59935-tap-water-database.html

    Rule number 4 how is the weather or climate where you are?  What time of year is it?  In winter we use electric and gas heaters to heat living spaces and that can have a heavy drying effect on the skin.  If you are going outside and it is cold with a chill whipping breeze on your face, that wind can chap your skin as well and cause heavy dryness.  If you live in a tropical climate, is it with heavy air conditioning usage?  Air conditioning can cause the skin to run on the dry side. Tropical humidity can sometimes make you produce what feels like more oil and you can have a layer of dirt and sweat mixed and cause a breakout reaction. Climate is a very important factor to consider when you are searching for the correct cleanser for your skin.

    Conditions that can be caused by your acid mantle being stripped are:

    • acne
    • blackheads and breakouts
    • eczema
    • psoriasis
    • extreme dry skin

    Again these main skin conditions can all have a root cause of the cleanser that you start your day with.  Its not a formula for all because each individual has a story but in a round about way when it comes to balancing skin it starts with the cleanser and your acid mantle. Then you have the conditions of rosacea or psoriasis.  That (in my opinion) is also a cleanser that is to strong stripping your skin.  I will side note here a lot of times the redness can be caused by the climate.  Especially the Northeast winters.  You can see the rosey red cheeks on the fishermen and a lot of times people do not attribute this to the climate. (there is a natural homeopathic cream for this redness stay tuned for part 2 post.)

    Types of Cleansers

    When we go to the beauty store or any section of any store that sells skincare products it can be overwhelming to understand the different types of cleansers and what they do or how they work with the skin. Let me explain 5 common types of cleansers you’ll find and how each one can affect the skin.

    • Milk Cleanser
    • Foaming Cleanser
    • Gel
    • Oil Cleanser
    • Micellar
    • Bar Soap

    I’ll start with my personal favorite which I think is good for everyone and that is the milk cleanser.  Some brands might have a cream cleanser or call it that variation but essentially it will be a more creamy type of cleanser. This cleanser is more gentle on the skin and will not strip your skin.  Next we have the foaming cleanser.  The foaming cleanser is normally designed for more oily skin.  It gives the sensation of a deep clean because the foam scrubbing feels like your really getting in there and cleaning but these types of cleansers can be harsh for the skin so be careful.  If you are using a foaming cleanser and have noticed some breakout I would probably discontinue use.  Also refer back to the rule.  If you cleanse your skin in the morning does the cleanser make  your skin feel tight?  I wouldn’t recommend that type of cleanser for you.  I’m going to place the gel cleanser in the same category.  Gel and foaming cleansers are designed for more oily skin types so if you notice any tightness after a use or wash I’d say it would be a no for your skin.

    Now oil cleanser  is considered to have the heaviest of molecules of all the cleansers.  A little bit close to micellar on the spectrum but more so heavier than all the other cleansers.  To be honest I wouldn’t start my day with either of these cleansers.  If you had massive dry skin or maybe an older menopausal skin this may work for your skin type to start the day but other than that I would use this type of cleanser in the evening and with a wash cloth.  Also I would suggest here that Micellar is a great make up remover.  Both eyes and face.

    My final cleanser here is bar soap. I used to not be a fan of bar soap at all but now here I am with my own brand of bar soap. https://elementlufu.com/store/lavender-cleansing-bar/ When I switched to more clean beauty products I started really looking into the breakdown of soaps and ingredients and what is in everything.  The right bar soap can be very clean (such as mine) and be effective and non stripping. What I find appealing with my bar soap and any “clean beauty” soap is if you can understand the ingredients.  That has become the most important thing for me in my products is to clearly understand what I am using on my face.

     

    Conclusion

    All in all you just do not want your cleanser to be stripping your skin.  Remember stripping equals more oil production.  When you cleanse your skin you are not looking for that tight tight feeling.  That is an indicator that the cleanser is to harsh for your skin.  I know sometimes that it can be mental and someone might desire that tight feeling to think that their skin is really clean.  But we just need to let that go because in the long run it is not going to serve you well. If you want that, “I need to feel super clean feeling,” you can always follow up with a non alcoholic toner and see the results on a cotton round.

    To not make this info to overwhelming I’ve decided to break this post into a Part 1 a Part 2 and a Part 3 because there is so much detail into really balancing the skin.  Like I’ve mentioned before, me personally I have been on both spectrums of skin.  I was an acne model in facial school where they could use my face to demonstrate how to properly extract black heads and pimples and then I was borderline psoriasis when I had moved to a new city.  I want to explain how those two conditions happened to me so that if anyone else may be in similar situations they can learn for themselves how to get back into balance or just realize the climate their living in and how it can have a dominant factor on skin.  So I will explain in Part 2 how my acne skin condition happened to me and recommend various products that I personally used to get back into balance.

     

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