Many skin care companies are coming out with lines specifically geared towards sensitive skin, which is great news.  It can be difficult finding the right treatment choices when dealing with sensitive skin.  However, just because a product line claims to be for sensitive skin, I always recommend doing a test patch first.  It’s better safe than sorry when dealing with a condition like this.  The primary goal for treatment of sensitive skin is to calm and cool the skin while increasing the skin’s ability to create a barrier from the environment.  When purchasing a product, stay on the lookout for ingredients like aloe vera, chamomile, allantoin, azulene, and licorice extracts which help to calm and soothe the skin.

One skin care line that I’ve always been a true fan of is Origins.  Origins teamed up with Dr. Andrew Weil, the foremost authority on integrative health, and developed a collection of sensitive skin treatments that optimize the skin’s defenses while targeting a wide array of skin concerns.  Made of a potent blend of health-promoting plants and herbs, this line has shown to be a promising treatment for those with sensitive skin.  The entire line includes:

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Serum

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Cleanser

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Cream

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Treatment Lotion

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Eye Serum

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Face Lotion

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Eye Makeup Remover Pads with Therapeutic Benefits

Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins™ Conditioning Lip Balm with Turmeric

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Body Cream

Plantidote™ Mega-Mushroom Skin-Calming Face Mask

In addition to being a great line, Origins still holds true to their Recycling Program taking any empty beauty container (Origins or not) and recycling them for you.  Dr. Weil has also promised to donate all profits from his line of products with Origins to the Weil Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting integrative medicine through training, education and research. And as if this couldn’t get any better, Origins is offering a free Skincare Set with any skincare order until October 3^rd on Origins.com.  With four different sets targeting aging, brightening, firming, or repairing you get deluxe samples of a cleanser, serum, and Origins popular Modern Friction gentle dermabrasion.  How great is that?

So to all my sensitive skinned beauties, I feel your pain but stay positive.  There are so many promising products out there! 

Until next time everyone…  xoxo

So today I wanted to give you another tip on battling cellulite (I told you it was going to be a continuous one).  This at home recipe goes perfect in conjunction with Caudalie’s all-natural, anti-cellulite concentrate I told you about last week.  Plus its fun making your own concoctions at home isn’t it?  I’ve always been a little scientist ever since I was a little girl so I definitely think so. 

The following treatment is a great firming scrub that contains coffee beans (renowned as an anti-cellulite agent) to help detoxify and tighten the skin.  Combined with sugar and coconut, it also helps to exfoliate, reduce fine lines, and fend off acne.  Macadamia or olive oil is great for deep hydration while essential oils help to wake up your senses.  Gentle enough for every day use, this scrub will leave your skin silky smooth and will appear virtually dimple free.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups cane sugar
• ¼ cup ground coffee beans
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• ¾ cup macadamia nut oil or olive oil
• 1 tsp. honey
• 3-5 drops essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, ground coffee beans, coconut, and oil in a bowl until fully combined.  Add honey followed by the essential oil.
2. Transfer the mixture to a plastic container with a lid. (The scrub will keep for 1 to 2 weeks sealed at room temperature.)
3. Rub a generous scoop of the scrub over your arms, legs, stomach, chest, and bottom, scrubbing medium to hard depending on your sensitivity.
4. Rinse off in the shower under warm to hot water, ensuring the sugar crystals disintegrate completely.  Pat dry to allow the oils to soak into your soft, glowing skin.

Note: Those with very sensitive skin may wish to use pure cane sugar because it is less abrasive than raw.

Try this one out and let me know what you guys think.  It smells absolutely fabulous and is a great way to start your day!  There’s nothing better than the smell of coffee to get you going.  Plus this treatment doesn’t even cost you any calories like a cup of joe would!  How great is that?  Well, unless you eat it of course! 

Until next time ladies…  xoxo

*Recipe courtesy of spamagazine.com

Now there seems to be some controversy over whether or not drinking plenty of water is good for you skin.  Well I am here to tell you OF COURSE IT IS!!!  Since when is drinking water bad?  Now drinking plenty of water might not cure dry or dehydrated skin, but water can definitely help maintain a healthy complexion.  The skin is sort of a barometer of our health and you can definitely determine the overall health of a person just by looking at their skin.  When things aren’t going right on the inside, our skin screams out warning signs on the outside.  So paying attention to our skin runs deeper than just trying to look good.  It’s about feeling healthy as well!

Drinking water daily is important to our overall health because water is needed to assist in most of our bodily functions.  Water not only helps carry necessary nutrients throughout the body, it also assists in flushing out the harmful toxins as well.  For example, by helping to increase blood circulation and cleaning out the toxins, dark under eye circles and breakouts can be diminished.  In addition to transporting the good stuff and getting rid of the bad stuff, water also helps to maintain muscle tone, which in the face, prevents wrinkles and maintains suppleness.  And these are just a few examples of what water can do for the skin!

So what I’m basically trying to say is STAY HYDRATED!  And for those of you who can’t drink just plain water, sparkling water is fine too.  Just make sure you’re not drinking too many flavored waters with sugary syrups, as sugar triggers inflammation within the body eventually leading to wrinkles.  So if you have to, throw in a few fresh fruits to add your own healthy flavor.

Ok, so you’re probably wondering how all of this ties into BCB Eco-Fridays.  Well I have found the coolest eco-friendly water product out there!  SodaStream has created an at-home sparkling water machine that is popping up more and more at spas across the country.  Not only can you make your own bottled sparkling water in your very own home, you can adjust it to create your perfect amount of fizz!  How cool is that?  Even better, this gadget doesn’t require electricity or batteries.  Their products and bottles are completely recyclable, free of harmful toxins, and will save you from spending so much on individual bottles of water that you probably forget to recycle anyway.  Check out their website and learn more about SodaStream now.

Until next time…  xoxo

Well Dr. Dennis Gross, a renowned New York dermatologist, has created that product.  MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel 30 Day Supply does not actually peel the skin but instead provides a gentle, “microscopic” exfoliation that is safe enough to use every day.  This two-step process combines five Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acids at low concentrations to give a more gentle but effective treatment.  In addition to the exfoliating acids in the treatment are green tea extract, genistein (a firming ingredient derived from soy), and retinol.  All of these help yield an improved and luminous look.  These little pads that come as a treatment in Step 1 and a neutralizer in Step 2 literally take only two minutes of your day but give you a smoother, firmer, more even complexion over time.  And it all can go down in your very own home!

Check out this podcast by Dr. Gross himself speaking on the Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel.

I myself have tried this product and fell in love with it from the very first application.  The treatment comes in either a 30- or 60-day supply.  It is so simple to use and the results I saw were instant.  My skin felt like porcelain!  I was amazed.  Not only did my skin instantly feel smooth, but my skin tone evened out over time as well.  The product yielded such great results with my own skin, that I decided to investigate more of the MD Skincare line.

So yesterday we talked about my battle with bacne.  Well guess what?  Not only does Dr. Gross make the Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel, but he also makes one for the body.  It is with MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Body Peel that I was able to overcome the hyperpigmentation that resulted from my horrible habit of picking at my back.  Not only did my dark spots fade, but the texture of my back smoothed out as well.  I am a true fan of Dr. Gross’ products and I highly recommend you trying some of them out as well!

Until next time ladies…  xoxo