Relish that Cranberry (for skin health)!

Vaccinium oxycoccos: Cranberry

Cranberries, a fruit that we think of only (or particularly) around the holiday season.  We think relish, cranberry sauce, cranberry scones, but rarely do we think, "Oh those lovely red fruits that are so healthy for us (and our skin)!" Native to northern North American and Southern Canada, these low lying, evergreen shrubs have been a staple for the indigenous people of this area for thousands of years.

Since it IS the season, the glory days of these shiny red fruits, let's delve in a little deeper and glean an understanding as to the health benefits that they tout. When talking about the "big gun's" of cranberries we are mainly talking about it's staggering amounts of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that helps your body (and skin) fight off free radicals.  Free radicals are a major cause of premature aging for our skin.  Also vitamin C helps reduce inflammation making it great for people who suffer from acnea, eczema, psoriasis and other itchy, red, signs of irritated skin.

Let's look at some of the other special qualities that cranberries have:

*Perfect ratio of omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids: meaning not only is our skin very willing to
   accept this oil as wonderful hydration, it also helps as a catalyst to bring other nutrients into our
   skin with ease.
*Anti-yeast and anti-fungal properties: great for a skin and scalp wash. Helps alleviate dandruff, itchy
   scalp and dull, limp, lifeless hair.
*High in tocotrienols and tocopherols: (vitamin E) another very powerful antioxidant, power fighter
   of free radical invasion to the largest organ in our body system (our skin).
*Vitamin C (already mentioned) is needed in the formation of hydroxyproline and hydroxylisine
   and other amino acids required to produce collagen. Collagen is what makes our skin, firm, healthy
   and wrinkle free.  This is what young vibrant skin has that aging skin lacks.

Cranberries, Seeds, and Oil

Now that we know what is in this potent holiday fruit,  how do we reap the benefits of cranberries?  There are a couple of different way to do this depending on what you are looking for. Drinking 1 ounce of pure (no sugar added) cranberry juice daily is said to have wonderful results for your body both internally and externally.  If you would like to target the skin however it is also recommended to either use the pulp of fresh berries (blended into a puree) and made into a masque, freshly juiced and applied to skin and hair, or in the form of cranberry seed oil.  The oil is deeply penetrating (due to the ratio of fatty acids mentioned above), where use of the actual berry is not only fun and festive but also gives antioxidants that the seed oil does not.

DIY CRANBERRY POWER MASQUE: 

1 tsp plain yogurt

1 tbs raw honey

1/4 c. cranberries

cranberry juice (no sugar added) to moisten as needed

take cranberries and put into blender and liquify. add raw honey and yogurt and continue to blend until a paste is made.  If liquid is needed cranberry juice is a great option, another option would be to add milk (as milk has many beneficial properties to skin as a cleanser as well)

Other add ins: 

Gelatin: add a few pinches of non flavored gelatin to very small amount of warmed milk or water. 

              gelatin will help loosen and slough off old, wary cells. great addition for non vegans to this

              masque. 

Clay: any of your favorite clays (french green, kaolin, etc) 1/4 tsp.

As always we would love to hear from you! Do you have product with cranberries in it? Let us know some of your favorites.  Happy Thanksgiving, give thanks and praise. 

Until next time, 

From us to You. 

Recherche Organics

What is Kukui Nut Oil?

Aleurites moluccans

Kukui; a stately tree, with origins in Asia, was introduced to Hawaii's fertile soil by sea faring polynesians hundreds of years ago.  Historically speaking, Kukui trees quickly became invaluable to the natives of Hawaii and revered by the islands chieftans known as the Ali'I.  The Ali'I wore leis of highly polished Kukui nuts showing their spiritual and social status. The oil rendered from the nuts of this tree (Kukui Nut Oil) was used to waterproof the boats and canoes of these sea faring peoples.  In the late 1800's this oil also became highly reviered in a "surf building ritual" and would be used to oil down the surf boards prior to putting them into the water.  But the Pacific Islanders also loved this oil for it's benefits for the skin, hair, and body. It was consider the oil of choice by the Ali'I , who were massaged, sometimes for hours at a time, with Kukui nut oil.

Kukui Nut

This oil in recent years has begun to make a name for it's self outside of the Hawaiian Island chain. Kukui nut oil is used to moisturize and protect the skin from the external environment. Sun, saltwater,  and wind are no match for the moisturizing ability of this fine oil.  It works great in reducing the inflammation of sun burn as well as other types of burns.  Currently Kukui nut oil is being tested in Hawaiian hospitals to see how well it helps reduce to symptoms related to radiation and chemo burns.

This oil is known for leaving the skin soft and supple.  By nature it is non greasy making application easy and mess free. It contains skin protecting vitamins such as A, C, and E who's antioxidant properties are known to help fight free radicles.  Also containing essential fatty acids (EFA's) linoleic and linolenic acids. Essential fatty acids keep the skin looking youthful.  Young skin is full of plump water filled cells.  As we age our skin looses it's ability to retain water causing sagging, dull, and "crepe" skin.  A healthy skin cell has a healthy membrane, keeping the good things such as water and nutrients in and allowing the cell waste to leave the cell.  And low and behold essential fatty acids are what make for a healthy cell membrane, hence a healthy, vibrant skin cell.

Kukui Nut Oil

Dried Kukui Nuts

 Uses of Kukui Nut Oil:
*Hair and Scalp treatments
*Babies Skin
*Reducing Dry Skin
*Reducing Dandruff
*Minor Burns, Cuts, Wounds
*Exposure to elements
*Radiation/Cheomo burns


This oil needs to be expeller pressed at cool temperatures to maintain the quality and health giving properties.  As always make certain the the oils you choose come from reputable sources.

We would love to hear about your experience with Kukui Nut Oil!  Please like, comment, and share to insure that we are able to keep presenting you with quality information.

Thank you and until next time,
Recherche Organics

Radiant Skin with...Rose Hip Seed Oil?!

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Rose Hips from Wild Rose: Rosa rugosa

Fall is in the air and these vibrant beauties are out in abundance right now!  Rose hips are the little red fruits found on wild rose bushes throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, and even China. Wild rose bushes are willing to grow most places that have seasonal (autumnal) change world wide.

Possibly best known for their abundance of vitamin C (1,770-2,000 milligrams/ 100 grams vs. an orange approximately 50 milligrams of vitamin C. per 100 grams) these small fruits are packed with a plethora of antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids, and minerals.

Pictured above are the small seeds found within the rose hip fruit.  It is here, in these small group of seeds,  that the precious rose hip oil is extracted from. Rose hip seed oil is the only vegetable source oil known to contain retinol (vitamin A).  This little known, yet highly revered oil also contains great amounts of essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega 6,), and linolenic acid (omega 3), a powerful antioxidant called lycopene (what makes tomatoes red) as well as beta-carotene.

Unadulterated Rose Hip Seed Oil 

So what does all of this mean for you and your skin?
The essential fatty acids (EFAs) give this oil it's moisturizing properties.  It is very beneficial for tired, dull, weather worn skin. The vitamin A helps the oil to penetrate into the skins epidermal layers,  deepening the effect of the oils moisturizing ability. Vitamin C antioxidants help with collagen production reducing the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles. Over all rose hip seed oil has been noted to improve the over all tone, moisture content, appearance of dark spots and blemishes, healing damaged skin cells and helping to slough off cell's that are beyond repair.
This leaves your skin feeling fresh and new after each application.  Rose hip seed oil is very gentile in nature making it an oil that can be directly applied to most skin types.

It is important to note however that due to the delicate nature of this oil, through cold pressed extraction process, it should be kept refrigerated in order to prolong it's shelf life.

DIY:

an easy application of this oil is to take a small amount of your favorite lotion, skin cream, night treatment and add a few drops of rose hip seed oil. Mix it together thoroughly and apply to skin.  This oil is considered a "dry oil" and will not leave your skin looking shiny or feeling greasy.
Using rose hip seed oil in this way allows you to keep a larger amount stored safely in the fridge while making it accessible and an easy way to add it to your daily or nightly beauty routine.

Hemp Seed Oil: Fad or For Real?

Information brought to you by: Recherch'e Organics

Hemp, Seeds, & Oil

I have been asked often what is all the hype about hemp seed oil? Is it merely fad or is there truly something behind this taboo substance? I would like to explore this oil in depth and allow you, the reader, to make up your mind if in fact there is something beneficial about this oil.
  

Can You Get High From Using Hemp Seed Oil? 

 In a day and age when Marijuana is all over the news, every state in the USA is trying to figure out their own methods to the "war on drugs, and every third person is proclaiming the "health benefits of this almighty plant", it is difficult to discern what is true and what is merely hype.  So lets first start with this question.  Can you in fact get high from using hemp seed oil? The answer is NO and here is why.  Plants that are being grown for oil production (mainly Canadian seeds are here in the USA) have a very low resin content to begin with.   The resin or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana)  is not found with in the seed it self.  Instead it is contained in the flowering bud and to a lesser degree the leaf of the plant. Once the seeds are harvested, they are then washed and cleaned of any potential resin (industry average says up to 99.99%) that could have encountered the outer husk of the seed.  The seed is then sterilized (so it will not be a viable plant producing seed any longer) and then pressed into the finalized product... the oil.  

So What is in Hemp Seed Oil (if not THC)?

With that question behind us, lets take a further look as to what is in hemp seed oil.  Hemp seed oil is in fact a nutrient dense and highly usable oil.  It can be used in skin and beauty care as we will be looking further into.  It can also be used as a food grade oil (though not recommended for cooking  even low heat exposure). This oil contains antioxidants, protein, carotene, phytosterols, phospholipids, as well as many valuable minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, sulfur, zinc and phosphorus.  It is considered a complete protein and contains all 20 amino acids, including the 9 amino acids that are essential aminos (meaning our body does not produce them).  It also has a horde of vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D, and vitamin E.  With each oil, with each natural ingredient, there is always one thing that stands out above all else.  The ONE, possibly single most important or interesting fact about hemp seed oil is the fact that it has a very high percentage of Essential Fatty Acids (or EFA's)  and not only is the percentage high, it is also in perfect balance between omega 6 and omega 3 at a ratio of 3:1.  This is the perfect balance for our human bodies. 

From whole seed, to ground seed to oil

What Does This Mean For Our Skin? 

Now understanding that hemp seed oil is full of nutrients, how does this oil benefit our skin and hair? 

The protein found with in this oil repairs damaged skin on the cellular level.  It is able to strengthen the cell walls while it is hydrating and helping the epidermal layers of skin maintain its moisture content. This oil is great for skin suffering from inflammatory conditions, such as acne, roseacia, eczema, psoriasis.  It has strong anti-inflammatory agents such as; GLA gamma-linolenic acid to aid in reducing the skins inflammatory response. This natural moisturizer contains vitamin D (as above mentioned).  Vitamin D helps achieve soft, smooth and well hydrated skin.  It has been used abundantly to help prevent premature aging and does this by helping maintain the moisture balance with in the skin cells.  In 2005 a study conducted in Finland by J. Callaway and was published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment.  J. Callaway's findings were the "symptoms of skin dryness and itching significantly improved in dermatitis sufferers after suing to hemp seed oil for a period of 20 weeks."

Hemp Seed Oil for Beautiful Skin and Hair

DIY

1 Tbs of Hemp Seed oil massaged into the the scalp 1 time per week and followed with regular shampoo and conditioning will strengthen the hair follicles, help repair damaged hair, and leave a beautiful and lustrous shine.