You know you have that basket of products under your sink.  You know,  the ones you bought on sale (or not) and didn’t love the smell of, feel of, or just plain ol’ forgot to use?  They are sitting there taking up space and breeding bacteria, and degrading before your very eyes.   I’m calling these the nasty, inactive and expired.   Spring cleaning anyone?

Here are some helpful reminders of when to toss and replace your personal care products.  Keep in mind it does not matter if you only used it “a couple of times” – it you opened it, follow these guidelines for your safety.

When to replace

Sunscreen - replace last year’s sunscreen.  The active ingredient oxidizes and degrades making it less effective in protecting your skin.  Sunscreen is often left in your hot car, or sitting on the beach, next to the pool and other hot places which also contribute to degradation. Get a new sunscreen at least every 6 months.

Mascara - replace every 3 months.  Yes, you can afford to buy mascara four times a year to protect your peepers from infection.  Pink eye anyone?  Replacing your mascara with the change of each season will help you remember.

Foundation - replace every 6 months.  The products degrade and break down and can also grow bacteria transferred from your fingers or sponges.  If the foundation contains sunscreen, this becomes less effective over time.   Mineral foundations also expire and lose the effectiveness of the natural mineral-based sunscreen leaving you thinking you are more protected than you are.

Shadows, blushers, lip sticks, glosses and other “color” products - replace each 6 months.  Even powder products can breed bacteria from those brushes you never clean (see below for other spring cleaning tips), and from applying directly on the skin (fingers, lips, etc.)

Lotions, potions, wash, serum, creams – look at the expiration guideline on the product.  Often found on the bottom or back of the products, this will either be an expiration date printed in a date format, or will look like a little can with an open lid displaying a number (6M or 12M).  This tells you when the product should be replaced from the time it was first opened.  If the number is higher than 12M (12 months), I would suggest looking for a product with a lower preservative level.

Anything that looks separated, or has beads on it (in the case of lipstick or cream products), has changed color, smells funky, or is dried out or clumpy – pitch it!

Spring cleaning for your tools

Do you wash your brushes every week?  Yes, I did mean every week!  Brushes pick up oils from your skin, spread that back to your products and breed bacteria.  Here are some tips for the tool-challenged.

Facial and eye shadow brushes – wash each week in a mild soap-free wash (baby wash can work, or a gentle shampoo, or brush cleaner).  Suds them up and rinse in warm water until clear.  Do not soak them as this can ruin the wood handles, or loosen fibers.  Roll a hand towel up 1/3 of the way and place handles on the roll so the brush is slightly tilted forward on the towel.  Let air dry overnight.

Hair brush – clean each week by combing out hair stuck in bristles.  If needed to loosen dried on product, soak for 2-3 minutes in the sink filled with warm water using the same wash you used on the facial brushes (do this only periodically).  Dry thoroughly on a towel in the same manner as described above.

Other tips for “clean” beauty

Use a clean sponge each application, if you use a sponge – I prefer to use brushes for everything (including creamy concealers).  This cuts down on waste and the right brush provides a much smoother application than a sponge.

Don’t use your finger as an applicator (except for sunscreen or body lotion, of course).

Use a clean facial wash cloth and hand/facial towel each time you wash your face.

Keep it up and you will not have to deal with the nasty, inactive and expired.  Happy Spring Cleaning!

According to the USDA (via WebMD), American’s aren’t getting enough of 7 essential daily nutrients:  Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamins A, E and C, Calcium and Fiber.  Perhaps despite our attempt to keep up with the FDA’s recommendation that we eat a minimum of 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies (mostly veggies) a day, we are not eating what we need.   What should we eat to increase our intake of these 7 missing nutrients?  Fortunately for us, there are some foods rich in more than one of these often-lacking nutrients in our daily lives.

Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium (protects muscle and nerve function), vitamin A (healthy immunity & tissue growth) and fiber.  Don’t like sweet potatoes?  Add bananas and spinach to your diet.  Spinach is full of magnesium (helps with calcium absorption and prevents osteoporosis) and vitamin A.  Don’t like spinach?  Add beans and peas for magnesium and carrots for vitamin A.  Increase intake of healthy oils like olive oil, almonds, and omega 3 fatty acids to increase vitamin E assisting with immunity, the skin and protecting vision.  Increase fiber-rich foods (fruits and veggies), or add a food-based fiber supplement.  For calcium, you can increase dairy consumption, if you eat dairy, or take a calcium supplement.  Studies have shown that calcium citrate is the most absorbable form of calcium.

Take a GOOD vitamin supplement, and consider a natural fiber supplement as well (women should add Calcium and vitamin D on top of their daily multivitamin).  Not all supplements are created equal.  Different forms of nutrients are more bio-available than others and the manner in which it is formulated also matters.  Did you know that WHEN the supplement dissolves in your system makes a difference on how it is utilized?  There is a science to good nutrition.

The FDA does not regulate vitamins or nutritional supplements, and it can be difficult to navigate the hype, claims and advertising to get to the science of a product.  Be picky, and research the company.  Many cheap “vitamins” use inactive ingredients (binders) to make the vitamins/supplements into a pill that are inexpensive and ineffective delivery systems.  This leads to the destruction of the pill from stomach acid or the body’s inability to utilize the nutrients.  Obviously, this is a waste of time and resources for the client.   Find a supplement that is not made with synthetic vitamins (they are not utilized by the body and are excreted), and research the company.  I have total and complete faith in the supplements I take and the company who makes them (Daily Essentials by Arbonne) because I have researched the company, the ingredients and had them personally validated by nutritional professionals.  Do you have that faith in yours?

Most doctors no longer question whether or not supplements are needed.  We can no longer gain all our nutrients through our food thanks to chemical fertilizers, pesticides and over-farming which strips nutrients from our soil, and in turn, our food.  Eat a rainbow of locally grown and/or organic produce and include some of the above foods, consider a high quality food-based daily supplement, and you should be off to a good start.

With all these products we apply daily it is important to know what is in them.  Everything we apply to our skin is absorbed into our blood stream (this is how insulin, pain and nicotine patches work).  A couple of weeks ago I gave a product ingredient talk for a moms “Green Group”.   What I realized is that there can be a lot of confusion over which products are harmful and which are benign or beneficial.  This can be even more difficult because the FDA does not require complete ingredient lists on many products, or the ingredient lists are on the box  and once you throw away the box you can’t verify ingredients.    Add to that the marketing strategies of manufacturers based on current trends and it is hard to figure out what to buy and what to banish.   Additionally, there is debate about a number of ingredients and whether or not animal research is related to human response of the same ingredients.  For most of these ingredients, you will have to make the call yourself.

The purpose of this post is not to focus exclusively on lipstick, but rather all personal care products used by you and your family.  We will explore one ingredient each post for the next few posts.  The information is sometimes overwhelming and controversial.  My goal is to help provide you with enough information including background information on the ingredient of focus that you can either formulate your own opinion, or continue your own further research..

First topic:  PARABENS (methyl, ethyl, propyl or butyl)

Parabens are widely used as a preservative in cosmetics and skin care including sun care.  It is a common ingredient in both the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.  Debate is currently on-going as to whether parabens’ estrogen mimicking properties are enough to disrupt the bodies own estrogen production, and increase incidences of breast cancer.  Animal studies show increased breast tumors when injected with high levels of parabens.  Not all forms of parabens have the same chemical structure, and some have been deemed “safe” by the FDA.

Some forms of parabens are naturally occurring in food sources, such as blueberries which contain methylparaben serving as an antimicrobial.  Studies show that when methylparaben is consumed (as when eating blueberries) the digestion process minimizes the estrogen mimicking effect.  It does not go through this same process when applied to the skin.  High levels of parabens have been detected in breast tumors which fuels further research on the potential link between parabens and breast cancer.

Studies have shown that methylparaben applied to the skin react with UVB rays and increase DNA damage and skin aging.   (Wikipedia)  This can’t be a good thing!  DNA damage and increased aging is not beautiful, not to mention that DNA damage leads to increased risk for skin cancer.

Common products containing parabens:

• Cosmetics:  foundation, makeup primer, eye shadow, blush, lipstick, eye liner, lip liner, mascara, powder, etc.
• Sunscreen: often containing higher percentages of parabens than other products.
• Facial and Body care:  moisturizer, eye cream, serum, foot cream, facial wash, body wash, hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, the list goes on…

Bottom line – check your product ingredients!  Do your research.   I am very happy to use products that are free of parabens.  You will have to make the call yourself.

1st – WASH!  You must wash your face day and night, whether or not you wear makeup.  Why?  Imagine this…you wash your car in the morning.  Now, think of running your finger down the side of your car later that evening.  Yuck, right?  Your skin is exposed to the environment all day and accumulates pollutants, oils and grime.  Your skin repairs itself overnight, so it is important to start with a clean and prepped face before sleeping (more on the “prepping” part later in this post).   According to professional makeup artist Krista Embry (www.IYInow.com), each night you do not wash your face is like aging 7 days!  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my skin to live in dog years!  Washing in the morning is important because shortly after you wake up your pores open up and “suck” in anything left on your face after a night of sleeping.  Usually this is oil and dead skin cells (isn’t this a pleasant thought?).  So, yes, washing morning and evening is important.

2.  Toner should be applied after washing.  Why do I need a toner?  I hear this question all the time in my business.  The purpose of the toner is to remove cleanser residue AND to restore your skin’s proper pH.  Water in most cities is highly alkali, and your skin’s natural pH is slightly acidic.  It can not function and repair properly until the pH is corrected.  pH balanced and pH correct is not the same thing.  Also, avoid toners containing alcohol, it is drying to the skin and can create increased oil production to compensate for the drying effect of the alcohol.

3.  Vitamin C Serum can be applied both day time and night-time.  Make sure you are cautious about your product ingredients!

4.  “Lightening” serums or treatments should only be applied at night.  These would be treatments targeting uneven pigmentation or sun spots.  They can cause increased sun-sensitivity.

5. Moisturizer - Eye, Day and Night.  You should have a specific moisturizer for daytime that includes SPF protection (both UVA and UVB), and one for night that is a richer formula to assist in skin repair and collagen production during the night.   The skin around your eyes needs its own moisturizer because this skin is thinner and the pore size is different from the skin on the rest of your face.  When applying eye cream, pat gently with your ring finger (this finger is weaker than the others) and apply the cream to the bone around the eye (not right under the eyelash line).  Don’t forget the upper lids (again, on the bone above the eye).

6.  Masks – Masks are an important part of any skin care routine and help in ridding the skin of impurities, oils and to help keep the pores clear.  Some masks can also be specific to detoxification and can be used on the body as well and assist in a deeper level of purification (removing heavy metals and other pollutants).  Masks should be applied 1 – 2 times per week.

7. Scrubs.  These are also an important part of a skin care routine.  Scrubs can help by removing the dead surface layer of skin are revealing a newer layer of “baby” skin.  Scrubs can also help keep pores clear.  Scrubs should be applied LIGHTLY.  Remember, you are scrubbing your face, not your floor.  Scrubs should feel gentle to your skin, not scratchy.  If a scrub is too course, it can actually invite bacteria into your skin though abrasions and increase broken capillaries.  Scrubs should be used in the evening (after washing and before toner and moisturizing) 1 – 2 times per week.

Hopefully this helps you better understand the what, why and when of a quality skin care routine.  It may seem overwhelming, but remember, your skin is what people see EVERY day.  It is a lifetime investment in your image.  Take care of it and let people see your glow!  Next post – product ingredients; the good the bad and the ugly!

A man named Keith Kochner delivered a wonderful training I had the privilege of hearing last month.  The thought that stuck with me the most during this call was the origin of a tsunami.   I also had the opportunity to listen to a webinar by Ed Ludbrook entitled Titalwave.   This recurring theme made me think more about this concept of inertia and the force of nature.

A Tsunami is created when the earths plates shift at the ocean floor.  This shifting of plates causes the plates to rub against each other and ultimately, one of them will have to shift upward rapidly releasing the tension between the two plates (think of a sling-shot effect).  This happens with great force.  This shift applied with great force, can be as small as a 4 inch shift. Four inches at the ocean floor can create a reaction that resulting in a monster-sized wave moving with amazing inertia that is unstoppable!

The amazing part of this, is that a 4 inch shift of the same force occurring at the surface of the ocean, would create a splash, not a tidal-wave.   A correlation can be made between this and so many areas of our lives.   Of course, both of the trainings with the “tsunami” theme were business-focused, and this is a great application for this theory.   I do believe it has so many other applications to our personal lives.

What if we make that shift at OUR core?  At our “ocean floor” so-to-speak?  We know that strengthening our core muscles are important to a strong and healthy body.  They are what provide our body with proper alignment and support.   Now if we make a mental or spiritual shift at our core, doesn’t that support us as humans?  I am thinking that a small  shift at our core can create an unstoppable force in our own personal tidal-wave.

Some friends and I had a similar discussion on Facebook a couple of weeks ago.   The point I wanted to make then is that seemingly small events and actions can create either amazing or disastrous results depending on how deep into ourselves this shift takes place.   For example, faith at the surface is fleeting and washed away with small challenges, while faith at our core can change our entire life AND the lives of others.

The question is, what will you shift?  Or will you shift at all?

By all means, do go about life making a splash.   I choose to create a tsunami!

Apple anyone?

Did you know that the skin is the body’s largest functioning organ?  It has many jobs including protection, termperature regulation, providing the ability to sense touch and pressure and excretion (yes, this is both sweating and removing toxins from the body).

90% of the visible signs of aging are caused by the environment and the sun. This is called Actinic aging.  This type of aging results in pigmented spots (“age spots” anyone?), wrinkling, discoloration and thinner skin.  Only 10% of the visible signs of aging are caused by heredity or genetic factors, or Intrinisic aging.  This is where the loss of collagen and elastin production decreases about 65% between the age of 20 and 80.  Intrinsic aging also contribues to the thinning of the skin by about 6% every 10 years making the skin less capable of retaining moisture effectively.

In the 20s the first wrinkles appear from repetative movement (“personality” lines).  In the 30s skin becomes less resiliant as elastin starts to decrease and gravity starts to take hold.  This is when the first permanent lines start to form.  In the 40s, skin loses elasticity and the skin loses its “memory” and the first permanent deep lines and wrinkles are formed.  In the 50s and beyond gravity effects start to show as collagen and elastin production continue to decrease and the skin and muscles start to sag.   Where is the happy ending in this story?  The fact that 90% of the visible signs of aging are caused by the ENVIRONMENT and SUN!  This means that prevention is the key to keeping your skin not only healthy, but young, firm and resiliant. 

Think of an apple.  When you pick an apple from the tree, it is at that point starting the process of decomposition.  If you leave it on the lawn to be exposed to the sun, the air, the sprinklers and other environmental factors it will rot within days.  When you take that same apple and put it in the refrigerator, it will last a couple of months!  Why?  Because it is being protected from the environment.  This is why what you put on your skin matters.

Did you also know that whatever you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream?  This is how nicotine and pain patches work!  It matters what ingredients are in those products you put on your skin.  In following posts we will explore some common ingredients and their benefit or health-risks.

For now, check your labels and start evaluating what you are putting on your skin. Oh, and before you go out, make sure you put on that hat and sunglasses. 

For more information about the skin, causes for skin cancer and other skin-related facts visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skin.

I hope you find this both informational and fun!  Enjoy!

Spring is a time of year to get happy!  As we clean out our closests and garages as part of the Spring Cleaning ritual, why don’t we clean out the personal baggage we carry around?  This is the perfect time to move on from the past and start with a clean slate.  Let today be the first day of the rest of your life!  Live it with passion and love for all that is around you.  Live it with joy.  Life it with gratitude.  Live it with confidence.

I read a quote this week that I love.  I can’t recall the author or the exact text, and the prinicple of it is this:  Happiness is not a desitation, it is a journey.    Enjoy the journey and live your best life ever.

The beauty in this post is creating the life of your dreams.  Go do it!

What do you think it means to live beautifully?  To me this is not the fresh flowers on my kitchen table, or the amazing view that might be out my window.  It is not the smell of freshly cut grass or the diamond on my finger.  Living beautifully is a feeling of abundance, peace, joy and gratitude.  Living beautifully is a life-style that we can all achieve regardless of educational background, job status, relationship status or position in society.  It is our attitude and state of mind.  It is the difference we make in other peoples’ lives.   It is making a positive stamp on the world.

Here’s to each of you living beautifully!

If life is made up of all the littlest moments, and the memories, we should make those the special focus.  All the day-to-day “stuff” is what really makes up our life, and shows us what true love is all about.  It is the nightly tucking in of the children, it is reading to them when you are so tired you can’t hold open your eyes.  It is doing something for work you don’ t particularly love in order to provide security and safety for your family.  It is that silly little smile over an inside joke above the kids heads at the table.  It is falling asleep knowing you are someone else’s someone special.  It is knowing that without hesitation you would throw yourself in front of a moving bus to save someone you love.   It is my friend offering to pick up something for me at the store when my kids are sick.  It is the stranger sleeping in a hole in a foreign land armed to protect our country for my children and their children. 

There are so many ways that each and every day we show our friends and family love, it should certainly not be wrapped up in a bow for only one special day.  AND STILL…. I want those chocolates my husband brought home from Chocolatine (my favorite local chocolatier since there is not a Callebaut’s in town). 

The beauty in this post is the little things that might seem insignificant and yet are the foundations of our life!  Those are the things that love is all about, whether it is love for our country, love for our friends and family or love for yourself.   I would love to hear about the “little” things in your life that really aren’t so little.