Why Organic Skin Care is More Affordable

April 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »

You may be wondering how organic skin care products can be less expensive than traditional skin care products.  The reason is because  people more likely use more of a particular traditional product and they therefore need to buy it more frequently.

Non-organic skin care products contain a high percentage of water — this is actually often a base ingredient, so, you’re basically purchasing a highly diluted product.  A person who uses non-organic cream moisturizers may go through two to three jars before they notice results. Plus, the results are usually only temporary. You’re actually saving more money when you buy organic skin care products because you consume less of the product, the results are visible earlier and they last because your skin is becoming healthier.

The Herbalix Geranium Cream Moisturizer for dry-damaged skin may cost more than the average cream moisturizers you find at traditional stores for $8.99. Why?  Because  this product contains a variety of natural ingredients. It also lasts a lot longer than a jar of non-organic moisturizer. And the good news is the results are visible earlier and they last.  The main reason for this is that your skin is becoming much healthier.

Non-Aluminum Deodorants Help Those Who Sweat

March 20th, 2012 by admin No comments »

There is one very important part of  your body — the underarms.  Have you ever wondered why they smell?  Experts are just now learning about how this affects our health. Your underarms are the part of our bodies where the fluids from the lymph nodes drain.

Body odor is the unpleasant smell our bodies can give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids. Actually it is the  bacteria breaking down protein into certain acids. Ironically, sweat itself is odorless to human beings. It is the rapid multiplication of bacteria with sweat that causes the unpleasant smell – and this is simply perceived as unpleasant because most people have been taught to dislike it. Many people with smelly underarms are finding they get better results when they use a non-aluminum deodorant.

Body odor starts around 14 to 16 years of age in girls and 15-17 years in boys.  People who eat spicy foods, or the obese, plus individuals with diabetes, are more prone to having body odor. Body odor can occur in our feet, anus, genitals, groin area, pubic hair, armpits, and even behind the ears. The odor can have a specific smell to each and every individual. Plus a person’s unique body odor can be influenced by gender, health, medication and diet.

Human bodies have three to four million sweat glands, of which there are two types: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. Eccrine glands are a type of simple sweat gland located in almost all areas on the body where there is skin. They produce sweat that reaches the skin’s surface via coiled ducts (tubes). Eccrine glands are responsible for regulating our body’s temperature. Apocrine glands are found in the genital area, breasts, eyelids, armpits, and ears.

Benefits of Using Liquid Goat’s Milk Soap

March 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »

All to often in the hustle and bustle of our morning routines, steps in the beauty regimen are skipped.  You don’t need to trade precious minutes of sleep to make sure you look good !  Try shifting some morning activities to the night before. You can wash and dry your hair in the evening. Or even skip wet hair altogether; a lot of women are switching to dry shampoo
Here are just a few tips to follow:

Rather than applying a full face of makeup, consider tinting your lashes at a beauty salon. Semi-permanent dye colors lashes for up to a month giving your eyes a natural look.  You can also skip the foundation as well.  Try  loose  mineral powder can give you as much coverage as a liquid foundation, and you can add concealer for problem spots – like under the eyes or over blemishes.

You might consider switching to a liquid goat’s milk soap. The alpha-hydroxy acids in liquid goat’s milk soap penetrate the top layers of the skin to exfoliate or slough off old skin cells. This exfoliation stimulates the skin to regenerate healthy cells.  The result is smoother, softer skin with fewer fine wrinkles.

Liquid goat’s milk soap also “feeds” the skin as it is able to penetrate skin cell walls in a way other soaps can’t. The pH of goat’s milk is very close to the skin’s own pH levels. This ultimately enables the skin to absorb the emollients in the milk as well as the glycerin that is a natural byproduct of soap making.

There are many ways to make your mornings less hectic. If you want to streamline your beauty routine, consider taking makeup out of the equation and focusing on what’s underneath. A liquid goat’s milk soap might give you the confidence to go makeup free.

Organic and Natural Skin Care Trends Globally

February 17th, 2012 by admin No comments »

When new trends emerge it can be confusing. One example is the natural food and organic or natural skin care products trends. We all notice labels with the ingredients stated as “natural,” but what that word means isn’t always what you think. Have you noticed there has been a big trend in the last year towards using the words natural or organic on skin care product labels? The fact is that all the big brands now have lines of organic skin care products.

So how do we know these claims for “organic” or “natural” are real? Neither the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have provided a definition for the term “natural” except for within the meat and poultry industry. Therefore, the word “natural” on other products like skin care products doesn’t actually reflect any standard or mean anything at all.

Over the years many food manufacturers have been capitalizing on the confusion surrounding the term “natural.” Now that there are so many  natural skin care products being called natural, what does this really mean?  Does it mean that the ingredients are grown using methods that don’t rely on artificial substances or processes?  If a consumer sees a product described as natural, they might be fooled into buying it, even though it uses processes and substances they want to avoid, because there are no standards.

Even the term organic means different things in different contexts. Foods that have been labeled with the “USDA Organic” seal are 95 to 100-percent organic, which means that they use only the most natural methods and ingredients. Foods that bare the phrase “contains organic ingredients” typically contain less than 70 percent of truly organic ingredients. Here is what you should watch for when it comes to the term organic when used along with natural skin care products.

You should seek companies that make clear claims to back up their organic skin care products.  See if the products are made in a controlled lab environment with respect for quality and purity during the manufacturing process. Make sure they are using stainless steel tanks, paddles, and piping, and no plastic, silicone, or other harmful components. In other words, no raw materials should ever pass through plastic.

Furthermore, look for companies using safe packaging — environmentally sound and ingredient-protective. Check to see of the packaging is leach-free and EA, BPA-free. The products must remain free of second-hand synthetic chemicals and phthalates.

What’s more, make sure that the companies behind the natural skin care products that you use are committed to a clean America with clean energy, and that they are taking responsibility for cleaning up the environment by switching to clean energy, green building and alternative fuels.

The Dangers of Crystal Deodorants

February 3rd, 2012 by admin No comments »

Mineral salts are in the water we drink, and they are also in most of the foods we eat. Miceral salts are actually in the air we breathe as well.  Alum, in its natural form, is the third most abundant element that has been found in nature on earth.  Alum is a basic building block, and its has been part of our environment since the beginning.

However, there are some controversial and potentially harmful aluminums that are found in most many commercial antiperspirants For instance,  aluminum chlorohydrate, a neurotoxin that alters the function of the blood-brain barrier, and also aluminum zirconium.  This is a chemical that is used in most consumer deodorants and antiperspirants, and it can cause allergic reactions in some people. And, crystal deodorants are made of a natural mineral salt that  has been harvested directly from the earth. It is also known as alum.

Crystal deodorants help prevent body odor by creating a thin barrier above the skin so that bacteria cannot form, and it is the bacteria that cause odor. Crystal deodorants are made from natural mineral salts (alum).  Even though crystal deodorants do not use aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium, or any other harmful aluminum, some people believe them to be dangerous to the skin.

Deodorants and antiperspirants are the most common products  used to control body odor in recent centuries, as deodorants mask, suppress or prevent body odor.  But they don’t reduce the amount of perspiration the body produces. On the other hand, antiperspirants are made from chemicals made to inhibit the activity of sweat glands. Even as deodorants are considered to be a cosmetic product (only controlling odors), antiperspirants are considered drugs.  Why? Because they affect the physiology of the body, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) controls any active ingredients that are used in antiperspirants due to this drug classification.

As of late there have been many claims that crystal deodorants, being promoted as all-natural deodorant alternatives to chemically laden commercial deodorants, are composed of mineral salts, which form a topical layer on the skin. In reality, many of the deodorants on the market today simply mask odor with fragrance.

Many people believe that salts in antiperspirants form temporary plugs in some of the sweat gland openings, and it is this that inhibits the secretion of moisture, or sweat.  Antiperspirants use the main ingredient which is an aluminum-based compound such as Aluminum Chlorohydrate, Aluminum Chloride, Tricholorohydrex Glycine, Aluminum Zirconium, or Aluminum Hydroxybromide orThese are all considered unhealthy ingredients.

It is for these reasons that Herbalix reasearched, tested and developed  the non-aluminum deodorant known as Herbalix Nighttime Detox Cream.

Preventing Breast Cancer

January 28th, 2012 by admin No comments »

A new report is out based on a two-year-long study designed to determine if there is a defiite link between breast cancer and our environmental factors. Based on a panel of 15 cancer-research experts and nine members Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies of Science, the members to a look at hormone therapies, plastic, hair dye, heavy metals, flame retardants, chemicals, pesticides and industrial chemicals, radiation, drinking tendencies and smoking and evencanned food. Sadly, about 230,000 women have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the year 2011.

As of yet the report produced inconclusive evidence that chemicals were party to causing breast cancer. It also excited a lack of reliable scientific literature — however, for the first time, the Institute of Medicine is now alerting doctors to pay more  attention to chemicals.  There are even some studies showing biological activity which could be a link to breast cancer.

Researchers did not yet come up with a definitive answer but that does bot mean the chemicals in question are safe. Plus the data on suspect chemicals like parabens or BPA was not as complete as it could have been, partly due relaxed chemical regulations that have allowed 40,000-plus chemicals to be released onto the marketplace without any testing whatsoever for long-term health.

There have been numerous conflicting reports over the years. Some scientists proposed that certain ingredients in underarm antiperspirants or deodorants may be related to breast cancer because they are applied to skin next located next to the breast, and lymph glands. Human exposure to aluminum results in its accumulation over time. This has caused many consumers to start to choose non-aluminum deodorants.

One  chemical widely used as a preservative in  pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food products has recently been found in tissue samples from 40 women who have breast cancer. There were numerous studies since 1998 which have raised concerns about the potential role of these parabens, which had they have oestrogenic properties. in breast cancer –  The research team studied these samples from 40 women who were having mastectcctomies, finding 99 per cent of the tissue samples contained at least one paraben.

Parabens are a chemical compound found in many toiletry products and that includes underarm deodorants. The most common parabens used in cosmetic products are propylparaben, butylparaben and methylparaben, and also  sobutylparaben and benzylparaben.   millions of people globally still use traditional products that are made with alum salts or aluminum and parabens, although many people have migrated towards non-aluminum deodorant in recent years.

What is interesting is that the team found even women who didn’t use underarm deodorants still had parabens in their tissue, which suggests that they are entering the breast tissue via other sources, ultimately confirming there is, “no simple cause and effect relationship between parabens in underarm products and breast cancer.”

There are companies like Herbalix Restoratives that make detox cleansing deodorants that rid the body of excess aluminums, and it is recommended that women use non-aluminum deodorant and anti-perspirants.

Even though the treatment for breast cancer has come a long way, and the death rate has fallen by more than 30 percent since the year 1990, actual breast cancer prevention has not come very far as of yet. Even though there has been evidence that links chemicals and other environmental contaminants to the disease, there are some other science-based ways that could protect women.

It is essential to be active and cut any excess body fat to avoid risks for breast cancer risk dramatically. Obesity, along with genetics, contributes to about 30 percent of the breast cancer diagnoses, so watch what you eat — go organic to avoid chemicals, and avoid canned foods. Try a non-aluminum deodorant, avoid excess radiation, research your hormone therapies carefully, watch the amount of alcohol you drink, and quit smoking.

The study’s researchers have also placed a big emphasis on the possible role of benzene in causing breast cancer. You can get a whiff of benzene as it vapors off when you pump gas for your car, or inhale air pollution. Always avoid running your car inside a garage, and be careful around gas-powered equipment such as leaf blowers or mowers. Don’t store these items in your home’s basement. Benzene also often emits from scented candles, creating indoor air pollution. Get beeswax candles instead. And overall start using green products to reduce chemicals in your home.

Skin Care for Snow Survival

January 6th, 2012 by admin No comments »

If you enjoy snow sports, or live where the weather is cold and snow remains on the ground for what seems like months, here are some skin care survival tips.

First of all, do not even think about going outside without protecting your skin with a layer of organic moisturizer — because the snow is white and reflects the sun, increasing dry skin factors.  In fact in Europe and Asia there is something called sea buckthorn that are rich in antioxidants, and that thrive in the harsh cold harsh winter conditions, vitamin A, C, and E.  This helps calm inflamation.

People with sensitive skin can use natural skincare products without chemicals are very effective during seasonal changes. Herbalix Supreme Solution™ intensive body moisturizer is ideal for cold weather, and it is formulated using a rich blend of pure,  non-RBD oils, (Olive Safflower, Rice Bran, Almond, Avocado, Pumpkin Seed, Meadowfoam, Carrot Seed.) Supreme Solution formula contains NO water.  The  combination of oils penetrates deeply and hydrates very thoroughly. Just remember that it is concentrated and a little goes a very long way.

Herbalix uses packaging that is safe,cenvironmentally sound, and ingredient-protective.  All plastic packaging used in the Herbalix Restoratives product line is identified and accepted for recycling.  Plus, the recyclable packaging is EA-BPA free with no (EA) estrogenic activity and leach-free, so Herbalix products are  free of phthalates and other second-hand synthetic chemicals.

Is Sodium or Alum Salts Really Bad for Us?

January 3rd, 2012 by admin No comments »

With the New Year in swing, many of us are back to our usual resolutions – dieting, more exercise and other health regimens like reducing our meat or salt intake. We have all heard that salt increases the risk for heart disease, but new research shows that while a diet high in salt does increase the risk for heart disease, even more important is the ratio of harmful sodium to protective potassium. Potassium activates nitric oxide which reduces pressure in the arteries, and this lowers the risk of hypertension. This study was based on data from more than 12,000 adults in the United States. On the other hand, a higher level of sodium in the diet raises the blood pressure and with it the risk of chronic hypertension by blocking nitric oxide and stiffening arteries.

What’s more, there are many others who have researched the harmful effects of aluminum and alum salts commonly found in anti-perspirants, and more and more people are turning to non-aluminum deodorants.

Despite efforts to get Americans  to eat less sodium, typical intake of this nutrient has increased significantly since the early ’70s due to more consumption of processed foods, and restaurant foods, which we know  rely on salt  to enhance flavors and preserve the meals.  The average American consumes more than 3,400 milligrams of salt daily. Approximately ninety percent of the sodium in our diets in the U.S. comes from salt, and three quarters of that is consumed in processed and restaurant foods.  But our body’s requirement for sodium is at about  220 milligrams per day.   The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans regarding their salt intake recommends a maximum of 2,300 milligrams (a teaspoon of salt) for those over age two, but only 1,500 milligrams for the 70 percent of adults at high risk of sodium-induced illness.  Those are people  50 plus, all blacks, and anyone with diabetes,  chronic kidney disease, or high blood pressure.

Sadly, the study also revealed that when meals with little sodium relative to potassium were compared with meals that had a high sodium-to-potassium ratio, nearly 50 percent of the latter group were more than twice as likely to die from ischemic heart disease during a follow-up period averaging about 14.8 years.

When it comes to the other health risks associated with alum salts or aluminum, keep in mind that even most crystal rock deodorants contain alum salts, and therefore can clog the underarm lymph glands.  It has long been suspected that aluminum is harmful to our overall health, and that aluminum-free deodorants are a better choice. To find out more about non-aluminum deodorants, visit the Herbalix Knowledge Center.

11 percent of Traditional Shampoos Contain Possible Carcinogens

December 19th, 2011 by admin No comments »

You may have tried a natural shampoo only to find that it had no suds, and that in the end your hair was left feeling greasy and limp. Until recently, the chemicals left out of natural shampoos was the main source of the suds. This explains the reason why most all-natural shampoos really are not natural.  Generally most companies that make “natural shampoos” add some botanical ingredients, but leave in the lathering chemicals and call the shampoo “natural.”

A Washington, D.C.-based non-profit research organization, The Environmental Working Group focuses on environmental and health issues. It  said in a review of 413 shampoos last year, 11 percent of products contained a known possible carcinogen found in some dandruff shampoos which includes selenium sulfide and coal tar; 17 percent had ingredients that could be linked to breast cancer, while 82 percent had ingredients believed to help carcinogens penetrate the scalp. One of these key ingredients is EDTA, propylene glycol, urea, and PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate.

Have you ever wondered if any of these chemicals actually penetrate your scalp to cause health problems? In a report three years ago, the industry-supported Cosmetic Ingredient Review found that the lathering laureths, and other ingredients, are nothing to really worry about.  However, these ingredients are still transdermally absorbed plus the vapors can also be breathed in while you are washing your hair.

More than ever before, many of today’s demanding consumers want a shampoo that is not only safe but also sudsy.  Some companies are taking out the harsh chemicals, such as sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate and, replacing these with vegetable- and coconut-based latherers, which are safer, and it makes a milder natural shampoo with some lather.

Even so,  you might wish to look for cleansing products that are listed as “organic shampoo” – at least 95% organic like the Herbalix Pure Botanical shampoo. Also keep in mind that a natural shampoo should have a stimulating aroma rich with its ingredients, such as grapefruit or sage.  These shampoos are highly concentrated and rich in conditioning oils, so they don’t strip your hair follicles, but rather clean hair gently while restoring the proper pH.  It rinses clean and and leaves hair soft and shiny.

Check the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics site, to see what chemicals your cosmetic brands are really using, then choose Herbalix 95 percent pure, botanical organic shampoo. And to learn more about the classification of organic products watch this video on organic skin care.

New Info: Medicinal Benefits of Plants

December 16th, 2011 by admin No comments »

The December 15, 2011 issue of Science Daily published a news story about the fact that soon all the data scientists now have will be made available on the genetic blueprint about how medicinal plant genes encode their beneficial properties.  Scientists have captured the genetic blueprints of medicinal plants for the advancement of drug development following a $6 million initiative for studying how plant genes contribute to making those chemical compounds used in medicine, with a  focus towards  compounds that have anticancer activity. Up until now,  understanding the molecules and genes involved in the formation of beneficial compounds has not been complete.

The  two-year project enabled researchers  to develop a collection of data that might aid in understanding about how plants make chemicals, a process called biosynthesis, so that in the future we can engineer plants to produce larger quantities of medicinally useful medicine compounds.

The John Innes Centre and its research group is working towards the first full genetic sequence of a medicinal plant. The group plans to  experiment with combining beneficial properties from different plants to create the first new-to-nature compounds derived from plants.

The reason for the study is because of late, fewer and fewer new drugs have been making it to the marketplace over the last 10 years, in large part because of a reliance on chemical synthesis for making new chemicals. Yet two-thirds of all currently prescribed drugs can be traced back to natural sources and the development of resources such as those in the MPC to facilitate new drug discoveries.

There are many well-known medicines which come from plants, such as foxglove, which gives us the cardiac muscle stimulant digoxin. Periwinkle plants offer a source for the chemotherapy drugs vinblastine and vincristine. These and many other medicinal plants with a wealth of compounds that are ideal  for medicinal applications.

Researchers studied the genes and chemical profiles of 14 plants that are commonly used for medicinal properties including: periwinkle,  foxglove, and ginseng.  Now researchers will be able to determine how nature’s chemical diversity is created. In the end this should enable them to uncover new drug candidates or increase the efficacy of existing ones.

Source: The MPC project with participants from the University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, Iowa State University, the University of Mississippi, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the John Innes Centre in Norwich. These researchers represented a broad spectrum of expertise from plant biology and systematics to analytical chemistry, genetics and molecular biology, and drug development from natural products.

To learn more about the plants and herbal resources that Herbalix uses to preserve its skin care formulas, and how these plants and herbs have medicinal properties, go to The proprietary Herbalix™ Sea Blend Preservative System is a complex and potent herbal/botanical tincture with origins in Chinese, East Indian and Native American traditions. This organic preservative consists of a proprietary blend of herbs and plants harvested from the land and also the sea.

Source:  (Science Daily; December 15, 2011 — http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215095243.htm#.TvDLkHKzmcI.email)