1:3 Herbs for Skin Health: Calendula Officinalis

Calendula Officinalis

Parts of the Flowering Plant

This common yet lovely little flower "pot Marigold" know also as Calendula Officinalis, is native through out southwestern Asia, western Europe, and Micronesia, and the Mediterranean.  It has been cultivated world wide as an ornamental plant. Its name, Calendula, in Latin refers to "little clock" or possibly "little weather-glass". 

Calendula Officinalis

This flower has been used for skin treatments in it's native regions for centuries.  Calendula has very high amounts of flavonoids, a plant based anitoxidant that protects cells from being dammaged by free-radicals in our environment. This flower is known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, and antifungal properties.  And is very useful for treating minor wounds, chapped and chafted skin, bruises, burns, acne, and diaper rash.  

A lesser known fact of Calendula Officinalis is that it stimulates the production of collagen at the wound site.  This helps to minimize the scarring and of regular wounds as well as with stretch marks. Because of it's ability to stimulate collagen, Calendula is also able to protect the skin from premature aging and thinning.   This plant is gentile enough to treat even the sensitive skin of infants and babies making it a very versitile plant indeed.  

Calendula Oil

Calendula is found in many beauty products, bath products, creams, salves, ointments, facial systems, tinctures and teas.  The beautiful orange/yellow color of the flower seeps into the oil turning it a lovely golden color.  

DIY: 

Calendula Bath:

Get a large handfull of dried/fresh flower heads 

Mix with a quarter to half dollar size amount of lavender buds (optional)

Add flowers to a simmering pot of hot water and reduce heat

Allow 10 minutes to steep in water

Add 1/4 c. Sea Salt or 1/4 to 1/2 c. epsome salts

Allow time to dissolve in water

Strain out plant material 

Pour into Bath Water and Enjoy!!!!

Have you used Calendula for skin health? Do you have photos that you would like to share of Calendula Officinalis that you have grown your self? We would love to see and hear your stories. 

Vingegar: Just Another Reason to Love Apples!

To This...

From This...

         
How many different types of vinegar can you name?  Apple cider, balsamic, distilled, but did you also know that there is beer, cane, coconut, date, Asian black, fruit vinegars, vinegar made from job's tears, kombucha, malt, palm, raisin, rice, sherry and wine?

Historically vinegar has been used as a folk remedy for beauty (and many other things) for ages.  Vinegar for uses other than cooking, became popular in American in the early  1950's  when it was promoted by the best-selling book "Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor's Guide to Good Health", by D.C. Jarvis.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Vinegar has the natural ability to make both hair and skin look it's best!  Vinegar diluted to a 1:2 ratio, vinegar:water (or 1:4 ratio if you have sensitive skin) helps dissolve excessive fatty deposits and oils on the surface of the skin and hair.  It has a tonifying property (Alpha Hydroxy Acid)  that promotes blood circulation into the small capillaries that matrix through the skin. Vinegar also helps balance the pH of your skin and hair, reduces dry patches and dandruff, strips residue build up of "product" and hard water (which dull the hairs natural shine).  Because vinegar stimulates hair follicles it also helps with hair strength and length. Rinsing with vinegar closes the cuticle scales which cover and protect the surface of each hair shaft.  This lends to a smoother surface, one that will reflect light easier, be easier to manage, less tangle, and lending an over all healthy look (and feel) to your lustrous tresses. Vinegar is rich in Alpha Hydroxy acids, this is the substance in  vinegar that makes it work it's magic!

Unfiltered and Organic

As always my recommendation is to use organic base ingredients.  In this case I would also recommend unfiltered vinegar.  Though there are a large variety of vinegars available on the market, I would recommend which ever is easiest for you to make or use. It will look something like this if it is an unfiltered variety. And apple cider vinegar is probably the most common used for skin and beauty regimes. A raw unfiltered vinegar is going to have all of it's vitamins and minerals intact, making it the best possible product for use.

If you are concerned about the smell of vinegar remember to rinse out fully and then when done with your shower add a couple of drops of essential oil (lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, rose are a few great choices). You will notice that the smell dissipates greatly once your hair is dry.

*Important: always test your skin and hairs compatibility with a lower ratio dose first.  And regardless of the dilution vinegar stings when it gets in your eyes.  Shut them tight before pouring on this awesome all natural elixir and rinse, rinse, rinse, before opening them again.

Feed Back? Comment?  Photo's? We would love to hear what you have to say about your own personal experience with vinegars for beauty.

Folded Essential Oils: What are they????

Distillation Contraption

 So last blog post we were discussing phototoxic essential oils and towards the bottom of the blog I mentioned "folded" essential oils.  Many of you are probably wondering just what a folded essential oil is.

To easily break it down, a folded essential oil is a pure essential oil that has been further distilled and thus concentrated even further from it's already highly concentrated form.  There are a couple of reasons one would want to do this, which will be explained momentarily.  Basically, during multiple  distillations the terpenes are extracted. These are the more volatile (and thus prone to oxidation) portions of the oil.  So one reason for "folding" essential oils would be to prolong the shelf life of that oil. Terpenes are also what make an oil phototoxic or photosensitising.  So further distillations also reduces many essential oils potential to harm your dermal layers (skin) when combine with ultra violet light exposure (IE: sunshine).

Folding also changes the scent of many essential oils.  Removing some of the more bitter properties of the oils leaves a cleaner, fresher, more "to the point" scent reference.  Another word for this process is deterpenation and the end product know as terpeneless oil (folded essential oils)

Essential Oil of Lemon

The most commonly "folded" essential oils are those of:
Orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime, tangerine, blood-orange, mandarin, and bergamot essential oils.
One will most often see 5-Fold or 10-Fold oils.  The higher the number the more times it has been "folded" or redistilled.





*Some people will argue that "folded" essential oils are no longer suitable for use in aromatherapy.
Even while using folded essential oils it is not recommended to use directly on skin or with only a carrier oil.  And still be mindful and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.

What Are Phototoxic Essential Oils?

Sun Shine

+

Essential Oils

So, you may be asking what are "Phototoxic" Essential Oils?  Basically, phototoxicity also known as photosensitization, occurs when certain essential oils are used either in products, carrier oils, or neat that have specific compounds within them that cause excess sun burn or damage to skin when used in conjunction with ultra violet light exposure.

Citrus

The compound that ties each of the phototoxic  essential oils together is a terpene called furanocoumarin.  It is this constituent that when on the skin acts almost like a prism, bringing more ultra violet light to the skin surface.  In turn, this makes the skin much more susceptible to burning, and ultimately skin cell damage.   Furanoides are found in the leaves and seeds of many plants but as with those in the citrus family it is most commonly found in the rinds of the fruit.  Furanocoumarins help citrus fruit to ripen and maximize the sugar content in each piece of fruit.

List of Phototoxic Essential Oils:

angelica root

anise

bergamot

cassia

cumin

fennel

ginger

grapefruit (cold pressed)

lemon

lime (cold expressed not steam distilled)

lovage

mandarin

orange (unless "folded")

opopanax

verbena

To learn more about "folded" essential oils visit us here, next week at BEAUTIFUL YOU

Note Worthy Neem Oil

Azadirachta indica: Neem Tree

 Neem has been called The "tree of promise", this is an Indian Lilac,  a large standing tree of the mahogany family.  The Neem tree, Azadirachta indica, is native to the Indian subcontinent and has it's roots deep in historical uses of this culture.  Used both internally and externally, this tree has been used as a "cure all" in many tropical cultures throughout the world.

Immature Neem Seeds

 Every part of the Neem tree has medicinal and botanical uses; the branches, leaves, bark, fruits, flower and roots are all extreemly beneficial as they contain a compound called azadirachtin which gives this plant it's anti-septic, anti-viral,  anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic qualities.

Fresh Harvested Neem Fruit

Neem Oil is procured from the fruit of the Neem Tree. Often hand harvested, this oil has become a cash crop of the the tropics.  Since being "discoverd" by the Western culture, demand for this precious oil has sky rocked.  The oil it's self comes in an array of different colors, depending on methods of extraction and quality of how the Neem fruit has been handled.


 


Often times, the oils is obtained by crushing the interior kernal and extracting the oil it's self by methods of cold process or temperature controlled heating.  In India, neem oil extractors, "Teli" or oil men, were considered as a specialized profession.

 Recentally, hexane extraction has become a cheap and quick method in comparison of more traditional methods of oil extraction. It is important to note that this chemical extraction  is always an inferior oil end product.

Lets begin to talk about the oil it's self.  This oil is rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids.  It also contains Palmitic acid and palmitoleic acid, the rarely known omega 7.  These acids provide building blocks for hair, skin and nails, help combat wrinkles, increase elastin in skin, help maintain hydration and helps repair sun and oxidative damage to skin cells. It is widely considered for it's anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal properties.

Benificial Uses of Neem for Beauty

Hair: Neem is a natural cure for dandruff and dry scalp.  Weekly applications of this oil have shown to reduce dandruff, cleanse hair folicals, strengthen individual hair strands, and promote growth.  It can also be used to condition rough or frizzy hair as well as countering the effects of thinning hair due to stress, medication, pollution and more.

Skin: Neem has proven its effectiveness with eczema, psoriasis, and acne prone skin.  Due to it's astringent properties, it helps with wound healing and skin dammage caused by the above said skin conditions. Neem helps fight acne by distroying the bacteria that causes break outs. Neem oil contains an asprin like compound that helps with on site pain relief while it's anti-inflammatory agents (nimbidin and nimbin compunds) help reduce redness and further inflammation.  The high fatty acid content in this oil helps prevent scar tissue from forming and the oil it's self is non-comedogenic (or non pour clogging).

Neem naturally has a high level of anti oxidants which protect the skin from environmental dammage.  It also contains carotenoids, an anti-oxidant, that helps defend the skin from free-radicals.  All of the vitamin and esssential fatty acid content is readily absorbed into the skin, improving elastin, and smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. 

Neem can also be used to fight fungal infections of the skin, such as athletes foot, ring worm, nail fungus.  Tests have proven that 2 compounds found in the leaves of the neem tree, gedunin and nimbidol, are effective against 14 different cultures of fungi. 

DIY BEAUTY TIP:

*1 TBS: of you favorite Clay (bentonite, french green, kaolin to name a few) 

*Add 3-5 drops of neem oil 

*Add coconut oil or another liquid until the consistancy of tooth paste.  Other liquids could

        include: water, aloe vera water, hydrosol, any carrier oil of choice, milk, etc...

* Put on face in nice circluar motion and allow about 7-10 minutes to dry. 

*Rinse with warm water just before clay mask gets totally dry.  This is when the most of the 

    toxins have been pulled out and nothing is yet being taken back into the pores. 

This mask is good to use on a weekly basis, much more and skin will begin to dry out.  It is natural for our skin to produce oil and constant stripping of this natural process is less beneficial for our skin.

The Secret behind Sea Buckthorn (Oil)

Hippophae rhamnoides Sea Buck Thorn

Hippophae rhamnoides, commonly known as Sea Buckthorn, gets its common name from growing near the sea and from it's many spines or thorns that are similar to that of true Buckthorn species.  This plant is native to Russia, and the northern parts of both China and Mongolia. It's uses can be traced back to a meteria medica from the Tang Dynasty 617-907 AD. Historically the oil from this plant has been used as a beauty treatment to preserve youthful skin tone and texture, whiten teeth and as an internal medicine since long before the time it was finally written down.

Sea Buckthorn "fields"

 Sea Buckthorn is considered a drought resistant plant and can grow in extreme teperature variations anywhere from -45 to 104 feirinheight (-43 to 40 C).    It sends out extensive roots systems very quickly and is an ideal plant for controlling soil erosion.  Today, this plant is being grown extensively in Canada and through out Euroupe, as it's health benefits have began to become more widely known.

Sea Buckthorn Berries

There are two main variations of Sea Buckthorn oils.  That made from the seeds and that from the pulp of the entire fruit. There is a considerable difference in the fatty acid make up of each of these oils.  Linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid are the major fatty acids in the seed produced oil.  These essential fatty acids are also known as omega 6 fatty acids.  They are anti inflammatory, acne reducive, very moisture retaining and a powerful antioxidant. While the main fatty acid make up in the oil derived from the pulp is called palmitoleic acid and palmitic acid.  These are also known as omega 7 essential fatty acids.  These acids provide building blocks for hair, skin and nails, help combat wrinkles, increase elastin in skin, help maintain hydration and helps repair sun and oxidative damage to skin cells. 

Sea Buckthorn Pulp and Seed Derived Oils

Let's revisit this oil as a whole.  This ancient fruit contains 190 active ingredients between the two types of oil.  Nutrients including Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E, K, carotenoids, flavonoids, amino acids, phenols, folic acid, and over 20 different minerals.  What's more, it is the only plant know to contain Omega 3,6,9, and 7 essential fatty acids.  Most remarkable, perhaps, is this oils ability to heal wound damagaed skin.  It has a high success rate as a skin conditioning and repair oil.  It is nourishing, revitalizing, and restorative to the skin membrains, and can be used to topically treat burns of all kinds.  It has a remarkable sucess rate at helping heal damaged skin after chemotherapy and radiation burns and dryness. 

Healthy Teeth and Gums

Another interesting use for this oil is it's ability to work with strengthening gums, whitening teeth, and providing over all good oral hygene.  It helps with the healing time of herpes and canker sores and simply makes for a beautiful smile.

Bath In Your Own Personal Ocean. Why Bath Salts?

Information Brought To You By: Recherch'e Organics

 ~AN ODE TO SALT WATER AND IT'S BENEFITS FOR YOUR SKIN~

 

How would you like to bath in your own personal ocean? Think of that calm, relaxed, and tranquil environment.  What if it were available any time you wished? What if I told you, it was?

Your Own Personal Ocean..

Have you ever wondered why people bath with bath salts?  Is it because it's a fad thing, or a smell good thing, or perhaps there is something more to it?  Let me introduce to you a few more reasons why bath salts are something to take notice of.  First, lets "clear the water" so to speak.  It  very important (as always) that you know the quality of product you are buying.

Things to Look For:

 1: That it's REAL salt: not just sodium chloride but of the sea, or saline lake or Himalayan Mountains

 2: That essential oils are used for the aroma therapy aspect of the bath salt

 3: Personal choice: if you want unnatural colors or dyes in your salt

The Salt of The Sea

There is a long history to bathing in sea water and salt solution baths.  Hippocrates, the Father of  Modern Medicine,  first noticed some time around 500 BC that fisherman who injured their hands were also very quick to heal.   He began encouraging patients to bath in warmed sea water and called these treatments "thalassotherapy" or sea therapy in Greek.

Green Tea Infused Sea Salt (By: Recherch'e Organics)

 Natural salt contains many micro-nutrients and minerals that are beneficial for your body and your skin. While the warm water of any bath opens your pores and naturally relaxes you, there is much more happening in that bath with salt added to it.  Natural salts work to draw out impurities, pollutions, dirt and oil from the skins surface and pores, while helping release toxins from the blood stream and replenishing the mineral balance with in.  It hydrates the skin, increases moisture retention, and promotes cellular regeneration. Saline water stimulates your circulatory system, meaning it effects your heart, blood, blood cells, plasma, arteries, blood vessels, veins, and capillaries.  Natural salt combine with warm water helps keep your skin smooth, soft and supple, while improving common irritations like bug bites, rashes, as well as eczema, psoriasis, and acne.   Let's delve just a little further in to see what some of the common minerals found in salt can do for your skin and bodies over all health.

Himalayan Salt (Colored By Natural Mineral Content)

Magnesium is commonly found in natural salt.  Magnesium helps us combat day to day stress and fatigue.  It helps the nervous system respond less to "fight or flight" but in patterns that are more conducive to the given situation.  This mineral also helps with healthy calcium balance, calcium needs magnesium to be properly absorbed and used with in the human body.

Calcium is another mineral commonly found in natural salt.  Calcium has long been known to strengthen bones and nails which can help stave off diseases such as osteoporosis.

Potassium helps to balance moisture levels with in the skin.  It helps give the skin cells a plum and youthful look.  Potassium is needed after exercises and is used as a total body energizer.

Bromide is the mineral that soothes tired, sore muscles and relieves aches and pains from the joints.  It helps with the healing time between exercise and physical exertion and reduces internal inflammation.  This is the muscle relaxer, so to speak, of the mineral make up of salt.

Sodium, and of course there is sodium.  Sodium helps the body balance it's lymphatic systems fluid regulation. The lymph system is highly responsible for our bodies immune function and white blood cell transportation, there for sodium is actually an integral part of the health of our over all immune system support team.

*It is important to remember that bath salts can be a challenge to your circulatory system if you have a history of a weak heart or other circulatory related problems, you may want to consult your doctor before extensively exploring the use of these natural salts in your bath water.

DIY: Bath Salt  Exploritorium...

Making Bath Salts:

It is getting easier and easier to find unique salts even in local grocery/health food stores.  Going on line you can find a plethora of "gourmet" salts.  Almost any of these that are not flavored or infused salts can make a wonderful bath soak.  Some of my favorites are Himalayan Sea Salt (coarse grained), Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt, Cypress Flake Salt, any Black Lava Salts, just to name a few.

*Get a bowl and pour a hand full of your desired salt into it

*Add 3-7 drops of essential oil of choice (steering away from citrus which photo reacts with the sun           making your skin very sensitive to UV rays)

*Add dried flower petals if you choose approx a tbs. Lavender, Rose, Chamomile all make great 

       choices, but experiment and come up with your own.

*Have ready a 7x7 inch (approx) square of cheese cloth or muslin draw string bag and place the 

       contents of your bowl in the center of the square.

*Fold up the sides and rubber band or tie off to secure your salt and additions into the baggie. 

* Add to a hot bath and allow 3-5 minutes for it to fully dissolve

*Step in and ENJOY.