Skin Rhythm Eco-Tip

Dismayed by all the water going down the shower drain, I decided to start stopping the tub up and using the shower water to soak my feet.

It normally takes me about 10 minutes to shower and the tub gets about half full during that time.

I feel good about getting a second use out of my water and my feet are much softer, a big bonus during sandal weather.

**Adding about six "glugs" of white vinegar and a few drops of essential oil to the water gives me added aromatherapy and exfoliation benefits, even without scrubbing! Try it, you'll be amazed!

It's the Balm!

Today I did my test batches of my "Family First Aid Balm" and "Emergency Chocolate Sweet Lips." I was going to do a trial run of the clear batch as well, but I think I'll save that for tomorrow.

I thought the emergency chocolate lip balm would be clear but hello! It's brown! I put cocoa powder in it, so I'm not sure how I thought it would be clear! (all of my lip balms look mostly clear on the lips) I poured this one in tubes but I was thinking of having it in round tins if I decide to keep it in the line. I haven't applied it yet but it smells great, like a batch of brownies!

The first aid balm has manuka oil and lavender as the active ingredients and has some comfrey leaf and organic spirulina to add color and soothing properties.

So--after the clear is done and after I finalize the texture on the lip balms and finish the labels then they will be all ready for sale!! I am going to make all of them in tiny batches to ensure freshness (the vitamin e acts as a natural preservative so they will be good for at least 6 months after opening, probably longer) and make them on demand once they are up for sale on Etsy.

Miracle Ingredient: Manuka Oil

Like a lot of products I now use regularly I first discovered manuka oil when I was working at Elephant Pharmacy. I was able to bring in new products and had been sent a sample of an essential oil I had never heard of: manuka oil from New Zealand.

The literature claimed that it was far more effective at battling acne, body odor and infection than it's well-known cousin, tea tree oil.

I took the sample home and tried it out. My earrings had irritated my ears and I had a nasty infection in one of them that had been raging for over a week. I remembered the manuka oil and applied a few drops. At first sniff it is mild and woody, but later smells a little strange, like feet.

I woke up the next morning wondering what the unrecognizable smell was, then realized my ear was not throbbing and itching like it had been. I looked in the mirror and was amazed to see that the infection was completely gone.

Since then I have used it to treat many, many different first aid issues in my home. It wiped out ring worm on my then-infant son, it has helped fungus on my husbands toenails, it has sped up the healing of monthly breakouts on my chin, the list goes on. Another great thing about manuka oil is that it is far more mild than tea tree oil and never stings the skin, even when applied to blemishes.

It's the best essential oil to have in your first aid kit and a great one to have for summer. It can treat insect bites, sunburn and aching muscles in addition to treating acne, fungus, rashes, scrapes and other abrasions and various other ailments.

I noticed recently that it is an ingredient in the Dr. Hauschka Pure Care Cover Stick (the concealer that replaced the discontinued Cover Stick Puncto) I first suspected it in the product the first time I took the cap off, the smell is very distinct. Here is what the DH website says about it:

"Tea tree and manuka oil in the Dr.Hauschka Pure Care Cover Sticks provide antimicrobial qualities."

I've been experimenting with making my own lip balm, I am also going to make a first-aid salve for my family to use during the summer and manuka oil will be the main ingredient!

Gorgeous: Third Time's the Charm?

I made the third "flavor" lip balm today, Gorgeous which is tinted red and has a rose fragrance. This is the last tinted balm in my line, then I will make one or two clear. The rose was tricky because it is in a jojoba base (pure rose is very expensive) so it was hard to get it as "rosy" as I would like.

I have been trying to figure out the clear balm option. I feel like I need to throw at least a touch of mint in there somewhere. Super minty balms are not my favorite, but I seem to be in the minority there. I also wanted to have at least one that was unisex and maybe one that is chocolate (chocolate-mint?) so I can use cocoa butter as well as shea butter for a creamier balm. I'm going to make some test batches and see what happens.

I'm working on the labels now so I'm hoping to have it all finished sometime in July.

This has been so much fun!

Lovely: The Second Batch of Lipbalm

Today I made the second "flavor" of lipbalm in my humble line. It is scented with neroli and is tinted a soft, neutral nude color. (those are my "temporary" labels!)

I had to scrap the idea of using bergamot because it is photoactive meaning it could cause the skin to be easily burned in the sun. (ouch!) but luckily neroli does not do that.

The color isn't as apparent on the lips as the pink is in the Amazing balm, but it is much shinier thanks to the addition of castor oil. I may tone it down a bit for Gorgeous (red rose) I'm still playing with the formulations. I like the idea of a bit of shine, especially with the tinted balms but I want it to still have substance and staying power on the lips.

A thinner consistency will also disappear faster in the tube and be less economical. Although most people tend to lose their lipbalm before finishing it completely anyway!

What do you think? Do you prefer a richer lipbalm or a slicker, shinier, glossy balm?

More Summer Survival Tips!!!

Yesterday I gave you summer skincare tips, now Whole Foods Market has a couple of new podcasts to help you navigate the other annoying aspects of hot weather: sunburn, scrapes, bites, bruises, sore muscles, and sprains among other things.

Malia Curran, MS, MPH, is a nutrition and health consultant from Boston and is featured in the latest podcast, Natural First Aid for Summer.

Dr. Tiffany Binder is a Naturopathic Physician, a general health care practitioner and a leading expert in nutrition and supplements from Colorado and is featured in the first Whole Body podcast of June, Summer Fun Not Sore Muscles.

I'm especially excited that I now know how to naturally treat my twin toddlers' sun exposure and inevitable scraped knees and also have some great tips on staying healthy during the scorching summer months.

Be sure to check out the Whole Foods Market blog, The Whole Story often for great tips that benefit...well, your whole body. ;)

Hot Weather Survival Tips

Here in Texas we are careening towards summer at a breakneck pace. We normally have a two to four week period between seasons where it is in the 80's and gorgeous. We skipped right over that and have been in the 90's now for weeks.

That means that my skincare normal skincare routine flew straight out the window. Luckily I have some emergency products in my arsenal that have kept my skin from freaking out too badly in response.

Here are a few tips and my current faves.

Modifying My Regimen:

During the cooler months I love the full-on Hauschka ritual complete with twice-daily warm compresses. This time of year I cringe at the thought of having anything warm come near me (aside from my morning tea. )

Luckily, the Dr. Hauschka lemon bath is there to step in where my Spruce and Lavender baths left off. A cool lemon compress after a day outdoors is absolutely dreamy. Simply dip a Dr. Hauschka biodynamic cotton compress or a cotton wash cloth or diaper in a basin filled with cool water, squeeze out the excess and press onto clean skin. The point of the warm compress is to soften dead skin cells and relax pores, but if you are in warm and/or humid weather that will do the trick instead.

It feels even better if you refrigerate your Cleansing Milk and Facial Toner and cleanse as usual beforehand. The antiseptic properties of lemon also help keep breakout-causing bacteria in check.

Any mask you may use, especially a gel or cream-based mask feels great when refrigerated, especially if you have a sunburn (just spot-test first to make sure there are no acidic ingredients that may irritate sun-sensitized skin)

Toner is the usual refrigerated skincare product, and you can also make your own skin refresher using distilled water and essential oils in a non-plastic bottle. Aluminum chills nicely, so I have a few on hand to make my own aromatherapy face and body splash. (lavender -peppermint is a favorite combination of mine)

Accepting Nature:

2. I have oily skin (I am just now admitting that to myself! Hi! I'm Jennifer and I have OILY SKIN!!) and love the beautiful semi-mostly-matte finish that my Glominerals pressed powder foundation usually provides. However, during this time of year I embrace the sweaty dewy look instead. It is much less of a hassle and looks much more beautiful and natural in the bright sunlight. Powder touch-ups + sweaty skin = cakey mess.

The best way to do this is to use a tinted moisturizer. If you need more coverage than this provides, you can additionally use a thick, creamy concealer on any blemishes, hyperpigmentation or redness you may want to tone down. (apply after you apply your tinted moisturizer) I also love this sheer foundation which is one step up from tinted moisturizer and doesn't feel heavy at all.

It's important that it is thick and slightly sticky to provide staying power in the hot sun and I like to apply with a brush. The fingers will melt the concealer slightly due to body heat and therefore it will be a bit thinner and not stand up well to sun exposure.

Start at the center of the area needing to be covered and concentrate the product there, blending outward in short, feathery strokes. Blend the edges until they disappear into the surrounding skin and leave the middle well-covered. You can finish with a tiny bit of translucent powder applied with a small brush. The idea is to not apply powder all over the face, so you would just use it to set the concealer. I only do this on major breakouts that I want to minimize and leave the redness around my nose, etc. to fend for itself.

If you are using a tinted moisturizer with SPF you will need to do one of two things. Either apply a thin layer of a non-SPF moisturizer underneath or apply two thin layers of tinted moisturizer with SPF. The reason for this is that a moisturizer needs to be able to penetrate the skin while the SPF needs to sit on top of the skin to protect from the sun. If your skin is dry it will absorb the moisturizer leaving your skin less protected from UV rays. I love using the Juice Beauty oil-free moisturizer underneath either the Juice Beauty Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 or the Dr. Hauschka SPF 30 for Children and Sensitive Skin mixed with a) Translucent Bronze Concentrate on good skin days or b) Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer on not-so-good skin days.

Controlling Excess Oil

I have the unfortunate problem of a combination of active sebaceous glands along with a dry, dehydrated epidermis that refuses to slough itself off properly. This has led me in the past to believe that I had dry skin. I actually have oil-rich, water-dry skin.

If you're still following me, this means that I should drink LOTS of water, especially in hot weather, take an EFA supplement daily and exfoliate regularly. A manual exfoliant doesn't really provide a uniform finish on my skin so I need to use a mild chemical exfoliant instead.

I am IN LOVE with the Nude Skincare Miracle Mask. I have tried EVERYTHING to help combat the milia that form inside my skin when I do not exfoliate often enough. The very first time I used this mask I got such incredible results. If I use it weekly my skin is much brighter and smoother. It was due to this mask that I could actually experience the oil level of my skin. It turns out I was quite oily underneath that layer of sandpaper skin!

Which leads me to my next "miracle" product, the Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil. If I use a few drops of this after toning my oil level is regulated within a day or two. Once it is balanced I can switch back to a light moisturizer underneath my sunscreen.

Finishing Touches:

I love makeup so much, but this time of year it is easy to overdo it when applying the same amount you would use during the winter. The sun is bright and will unattractively highlight a heavy-handed makeup application.

Once your (very few!) flaws are concealed and your skin is protected from the sun all you need is a touch of color. That is where you Sun Goddesses would sweep on a bit of bronzer. I am fair-skinned and turn as pink as a little piglet in the sun so bronzer just makes me look dirty and unnatural.

Instead I use a bit of bright pink cream blush on the apples only, well-blended and a touch of highlighter along the cheekbones and slightly up the temple and on the inner corners of the eyes.
Shimmery nude or matte taupe eyeshadow, a smudge of brown liner and a coat of mascara finishes the breezy, summery look I'm after.

The Dr. Hauschka Blue Mascara is one of my favorites. It really makes my brown eyes stand out. This is not Diorshow, however so if applied heavily it WILL smudge and run. Applied with a light touch, though it stays on great all day.

If I want more dramatic lashes during steamy weather, I need one of the "Japanese tubing technology" mascaras. These surround each lash with a plastic-polymer formula and stay on until you apply both water and pressure. This means it will stay on if you go swimming UNLESS you also rub your eyes afterwards.

This one has always been my favorite brand, I've used it for about five years. The Kevyn Aucoin mascara is almost identical. It's important to point out that this is not a natural product. However, I do use it for it's superb performance during the allergy season and throughout hot, humid weather.

I hope this helps you beat the heat beautifully!

Remember: stay protected and stay hydrated!

Lipbalm--Maiden Voyage

Yesterday I made my first batch of lip balm. I tried out the recipe I had recently created using elements I liked from all my favorites. (and believe me there have been MANY I have tried, loved and hated)

I didn't add color or pour into tubes, I just wanted to get a feel for the texture and try out fragrances.

I was pretty excited about it, it turned out nice and hard (important if it will be in a tube in someones hot pocket or purse all summer) yet creamy. I wasn't 100% sure about the texture, though, I was afraid it was a bit too waxy. (although I like a balm with some staying power, like you could take a shower and still have some on your lips when you get out) I decided to try again today, perhaps keeping the original formulation for use as a cuticle cream.

Today I modified the recipe adding less beeswax, more shea butter and more agave nectar and tinted it a soft rosy pink.

I was afraid to get too excited about it, but I had a tube in my pocket that I applied as the day wore on and I have to say I'm pretty pleased. It is creamy, stays on well and gives just a touch of color.

I love the agave nectar, it does make it slightly sweet without being sticky. I am using a lot of floral essential oils and really, they don't taste great.

Here are the final picks:

1. Serene: vanilla/agave/lavender--clear

2. Gorgeous: rose/agave--touch of red

3. Amazing: geranium/agave--touch of pink

4 . Lovely: orange blossom/agave--touch of nude

Thanks so much to all who offered feedback.

These will all be for sale in my Etsy shop as soon as I build up some inventory. I'll keep you posted on when I'll be open for business. In the meantime, if you are dying to buy one send me an email (jen@skinrhythm.com) and I'll make you a custom tube. I just have to design the labels and I'm all set.

Holistic Kisses,
Jen

Opinions, please!!

Hi, all!

I am experimenting with making my own line of yummy lip balm. I have always been into DIY beauty products, when I worked at Elephant Pharmacy I taught a Do-It-Yourself Spa Products class and it was a blast!

I have a few ideas and wanted to get some feedback before I continued. They will all be in a beeswax/shea butter base (sorry vegans!! If I get a lot of interest I will do a vegan coconut oil/shea butter blend) so there will be a natural sun protection of about spf 4.

I have six names and "flavors" in mind although I may not do all at once. I may start with a few and add to the line later. I'm mostly making these for gifts and to sell on Etsy.

1. Sublime--bergamot/agave nectar (natural sweetener) This is in tribute to my favorite morning tea--Earl Gray with LOTS of agave! My only concern is that the bergamot may increase sun sensitivity.

2. Delectable--vanilla/agave

3. Gorgeous--rose/no agave? Should this one be colored? Red?

4. Serene--lavender/no agave? Is lavender too overdone? Should I put agave in all of them? Do you lick your lips enough to where you would like for them all to be slightly sweet?

5. Amazing--geranium/no agave? Geranium has always been one of my favorite essential oils along with neroli, AKA #6. Should this one be colored? Pink?

6. Lovely--orange blossom/no agave? Should this one be colored? Nude?

Thanks in advance! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated and I will draw three names at random to receive a tube once they are ready to go! State your preference for "flavor!"