Glowing Skin, Naturally - Super Natural 20% Vitamin E Facial Oil
 
 
What's the best thing to put on oily skin? Well, let's start with the worst thing you can put on oily skin - which is any lotion, cream or cleanser that's designed to remove excess oil.

Most products of this kind will strip your skin of its natural oils. This upsets your skin's natural balance and fools the body into thinking it needs more oil. The sebaceous glands step up their work and you're back to where you started. You might even be worse off.

After all, you can bet all those harsh detergents and chemicals you're pumping into your skin aren't doing you any favours. They may even be setting you on the path to more serious skin problems.

There's two things you can do to break this cycle.

One, cleanse your face with a mild and gentle cleansing milk, such as Super Natural's Organic Cleansing Milk. We call our product Emulsifying Cleansing Milk, because it's an oil-in-water mix that naturally emulsifies grease and impurities so they can be easily rinsed away with water.

Two, after patting your face completely dry, try applying the smallest amount of an oil-rich formulation such as Super Natural Vitamin E Balancing Facial Oil or Nourishing Skin Food.

These products contain blends of organic plant-based oils rich in fatty acids - which studies have shown is exactly what healthy glowing skin loves.

While you may think your skin is already oily enough, it was the French dermatologist Dr Aron-Brunetiere who first noted that the best way to treat an excessively oily complexion was with an oil-in-water emulsion. This seems to send the brain the message that oil is in plentiful supply, and that it can ease off with its own production.

Give it a try. It might just work wonders for that troublesome oily skin of yours.
Super Natural Emulsifying Organic Cleansing Milk
Vitamin E Facial Oil
Super Natural Nourishing Skin Food
Add Comment
 
 
A customer contacted me recently to tell me this remarkable story.

Dear Lesley

Thank goodness for Super Natural! A few months ago I suffered an extreme allergic reaction after applying a well-known brand's anti-ageing moisturising cream. I tried all kinds of things to soothe my skin, but most just made it worse. I finally found what I needed in your Vitamin E Oil and Monoi Moisture Lock.

PG - Hampshire

I wanted to find out more, so I contacted this lady. What she told me made me even more wary of the way major manufacturers are going about developing new skincare products. Though, naturally, I was delighted that my own products came to the rescue.

Read more
Add Comment
 
 
Ever been out for a hike in the wet? Notice how your boots can really soak up the moisture. Of course, how saturated they get depends on how well protected they are. Neglect them and you can bet your blisters they'll be sopping wet, especially if they're made of leather.

It's not so different with your own skin. The dryer your skin becomes, the thirstier it gets. Give that parched skin the chance to absorb some moisture and it'll lap it up like a cat in a desert. But is water what your skin really needs?

There's a lesson to be learned from those boots. Make a habit of drowning them and leaving them to dry out and pretty soon the very same leather that was once so soft and supple will turn hard and rigid and start to crack.

How do you give those boots TLC? You give back one vital ingredient the leather had when it was protecting the animal it came from. Oil. Oil lubricates, softens, protects.

You'll have noticed that while the boots were wet, the leather was more pliable and softer than when it was bone dry. But the effect is short-lived. Worse than that, every time you leave those boots to dry out, they seem to leach yet more moisture into the atmosphere.

There's a parallel here with our own skin.

Sit in a bath too long and your skin will wrinkle as it drinks in water. Yet that moisture doesn't get further than the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum. Your body is waterproof. The only part that allows water in is that outermost layer. It's here that free amino acids, lactic acid, urea and salts mingle to form what is known as natural moisturizing factors (NMFs). It's these NMFs that suck in water at every opportunity. Man, they can't get enough. See, their job is to keep the stratum corneum soft and plump by seeking out and holding onto moisture.

In a nutshell, that's why the first rule of skincare is Apply a Moisturizer.

But wait. There's more to learn from that wizened old pair of boots.

Just as leather ends up drier than it was before it got wet, so repeated use of a water-based moisturizer can result in skin that is drier than it would be if you left it alone. It's only the repeated use of the moisturizer that keeps the skin healthy and glowing. This is because too much water applied to the surface of the skin can dilute those moisture-loving NMFs to the point where they start to evaporate.

The answer? Look to those boots one more time.

Your body produces its own "oil" - a waxy substance called sebum. Unfortunately, as we age, our sebum-production "factory" starts to slow down. The net result is that the stratum corneum can no longer hold onto moisture the way it did when we were fresh out of high school.

What to do? You guessed it. Give it the same loving care you'd give your faithful footwear. Put the oil back in. A good dressing with cold-pressed, plant-based oils, preferably organic will work wonders.

And keep you in great shape for decades to come.

(c) Copyright Alexa Charmant 2010. No unauthorised reproduction.

Add Comment
 
 
What is polymorphous light eruption? What are the causes? Who is likely to suffer from it? What can you do to relieve it? Are there any known cures?

Here we look at the answers to these and other questions about the condition commonly described as an allergy to the sun.

Please note, however, that this information is for guidance only and must not be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice.

What exactly is polymorphous light eruption?

Polymorphous light eruption - also called polymorphic light eruption is a rash that shows up as a reaction to exposure to sunshine. "Polymorphous" signifies possessing various forms - it can present as small red bumps, blisters or red patches.

Usually the rash comes up on the arms, lower legs or chest. It's unusual for it to appear on the face. The inflammation is more often than not accompanied by itching or burning. Some individuals also feel flu-like symptoms.

What are the causes of polymorphous light eruption?

The response is caused by ultraviolet light (both UVA and UVB). A mere 20 minutes in strong sunshine can set it off. Because UV light passes through glass, you don't need to be outdoors to be affected.

The rash generally begins in spring after the skin has been protected by clothes in the course of the winter months. The precise medical cause is not known, but is thought to be linked with the immune system.

Who is likely to suffer from polymorphous light eruption?

Polymorphous light eruption is more commonplace in temperate climates. It affects about three in twenty people in the UK and is more prevalent among women than men and among individuals with fair skin. It usually begins around the age of thirty and subsides in later life.

Sufferers often first become aware of it when they have a vacation in the sun. Keeping out of direct sunlight will invariably prevent it becoming any worse. And the rash will usually go away without any kind of medication within seven to ten days.

As the summer goes on, most people find their tolerance increases and they are able to spend longer in the sun without it causing a reaction.
What can you do to relieve or prevent polymorphous light eruption?

One of the best things to do is stay out of direct sunlight as much as possible. Wear clothing which keeps skin exposure to the bare minimum and use a decent sun lotion.

Try to acclimatize slowly when those sunny days arrive after the winter. This is especially important if you have experienced a rash such as this before but not had any idea that it could be polymorphous light eruption.

Treatment in severe cases may involve topical ointment steroids or antihistamines. Other kinds of treatment which have been explored include prophylactic light therapy and a course of exposure to a pulsing light-emitting diode.

In extreme instances, always seek advice from a qualified clinician.

My mother suffers from polymorphous light eruption. Does that mean I will too?

It's possible but not definite. Around 15% of sufferers report that one or more other member of the family also has the problem.

Are there any known cures for polymorphous light eruption?

Cures, no. But antioxidants do seem to offer a glimmer of hope
Beta-carotene is known to increase tolerance to sunlight. So you might choose to make certain your diet incorporates foods high in beta-carotene. Examples include kale, sweet potato, turnip greens, spinach and carrots.

A research project done in 2004 discovered that mixing an antioxidant formulation that included 1% Tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) with an effective sunscreen turned out to be more effective in curtailing polymorphous light eruption among suffers than sunscreen on its own.

As yet no manufacturer has taken this finding into product development. But it might happen one day.

Antioxidants - an essential part of good health
The beneficial effects of antioxidants will come as no surprise to anybody who knows the fundamentals of natural skincare.

Products such as those you can order from Super Natural Organic Skincare are specifically formulated to provide a blend of organic, cold-pressed, plant oils which help guarantee the optimal performance of the skin's built-in self-management system.

Although absolutely no claims are made here for their effectiveness in healing polymorphic light eruption or any other skin-related ailment, people with a range of skin issues have described beneficial results.

Why not check out the natural way to glowing skin?

(c) Copyright Alexa Charmant 2010. No unauthorised reproduction.
Add Comment
 
 
Vitality, good health, radiant beauty. Glowing skin conveys all this and more.

It's also an indication of how well you're looking after your skin and allowing it 'do its own thing'.

The more I discover about skin care, the more I see the need to keep everything as simple as possible.

Anti-aging serums and high-tech nanoparticle skin rejuvenating creams? Not for me.

You can't get better than a skin care regime specifically designed to aid and enhance the body's innate ability to take care of itself.

Here are my top seven tips for a beautiful, glowing complexion.

1.    Protect against sun damage
2.    Drink water throughout the day
3.    Cleanse with cleansing milk
4.    Do NOT use a toner after cleansing
5.    Keep it simple
6.    Get plenty of antioxidants

1: Protect against sun damage

Discovering this late in life can be a bit depressing if you've been a sun worshipper. But it's never too late to take action.

Sunlight is a great provider of vitamin D, which we need for good bone health and a correctly functioning immune system. But:

- stay out too long
- avoid the middle of the day
- take advantage of shade
- and choose your sun block carefully (see below).

Choosing a sun block

Choose a sun block based on mineral reflectors, such as titanium dioxide, rather than one that uses chemical agents.

Many modern sun creams are chock full of chemicals. Can using them day after day for hours on end actually be good for your body? Rather you than me.

2: Drink water throughout the day

Ignore the doubters. Skin definitely appreciates a good top of up H20.

Then again, so do countless other parts of the body, from your digestive system to your brain.

If you've never been much of a water drinker before, I suggest you try it.

My skin is certainly a lot smoother and plumper when it's well hydrated.

Aim for six to eight glasses a day.

3: Cleanse with cleansing milk

We all have our preferences, and cleansing milk is mine for good reason.

Cleansing milk contains more oil than water. This draws out grease and impurities like a magnet without damaging the skin's natural protective barrier.

Go for a PH-balanced cleansing milk with AHAs, such as lactic acid. This loosens the 'glue' around dead skin cells and stimulates regeneration.

It's also a good idea to exfoliate once or twice a week using a warm, damp face cloth.

4: Do NOT use a toner after cleansing

Surprised? Listen up.

The outermost layer of your skin contains something biologists call natural moisturizing factors (NMFs).

These little guys are hydroscopic: they love water and drink it in at every opportunity.

Trouble is, they don't know when to stop. They'll guzzle away until they get so diluted they can't hold onto what they've got.

Next thing you know, they're giving that water out to the atmosphere through evaporation.

So instead of soft and supple, skin, you can end up with skin that's dry and flaky.

The main culprits here are toners, spritzers, water-based gels or any other 'light moisturizers' that contain more water than oil.

So do your skin a favour and dump these potential 'de-moisturizers'.

5: Keep it simple

The labels on some skincare products read like a recipe for chemical soup.

Of course, by law, every ingredient has been tested and passed as safe. But what of the combined effects of all these chemicals?

Can we know for certain that we're not damaging our long-term health by continually putting them in our bodies?

- no parabens (widely used as a preservative)
- no mineral oil (which has no nutritional value)
- no synthetic perfumes
- no synthetic colors

6: Get plenty of antioxidants

Antioxidants help cancel out and undo the damaging effects of free radicals.

This damage occurs at a molecular level and reckoned to be a key factor in the formation of wrinkles. You can't stop it happening any more than you can give up your need for oxygen.

But what you can do is make sure your body is has a regular and plentiful supply of antioxidants.

Many skin care products contain ingredients with antioxidant properties, such as vitamin A - which may be listed as retinol - vitamin E and rosemary extract.

But lots of common foods do the job. The best include beans (red, kidney, pinto), berries (cranberry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry), artichoke hearts, apples, prunes and pecans.

7: Take care of your skin's protective barrier

Skin is remarkable. But without proper care, it simply won't perform as well as nature intended.

The skin's outermost layer skin is made up of flattened (keratinized) cells. These cells are entirely different from the deeper skin layers. Their purpose is to protect and preserve; they are our first line of defence.

Skin with a dull, dry, lifeless appearance is out of balance. It no longer has the necessary composition of oils and water to do the job it was designed to do.

Sebum is the body's natural moisturizer. But as we age, our body produces less and less sebum. This can lead to dry, flaky skin and the so-called visible signs of aging.

To restore the balance, we need to step up our intake of essential fatty acids. The most natural way to do this is through a properly balanced nutritional program. You can also give your skin a helping hand from the outside with a specially formulated skin care product.

You want an oil, rather than a cream, ideally one with a blend of natural, organic, cold-pressed, plant-based oils. Something like Super Natural 20% Vitamin E Oil.

To sum up

In a perfect world, your skin would look after itself and we'd all have a naturally beautiful, glowing complexion.

But life isn't like that. So why not follow these seven tips to help keep your skin looking and feeling wonderful?

(c) Alexa Charmant 2010. No unauthorised reproduction
Add Comment
 
 
Massage a few drops of Super Natural 20% Vitamin E Skin Balancing Oil into your skin night and morning and you'll soon feel the difference. Not only is vitamin E a powerful antioxidant, so protecting against free radical damage, you'll be helping your skin improve its moisture-retaining ability. Result: soft, silky skin and an end to dryness.
Add Comment