Tag: Healthy Skin Tips

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Beauty Benefits Glowing Skin Tips Product

Shea Butter – The Skin’s Best Friend

A skin superfood, Shea Butter is naturally rich in essential fatty acids, phenolics and vitamins A, E and F and exhibits a number of skin-healing benefits.

Considered to be a sacred tree, the Shea Tree (also known as the Shea-Karite tree) grows naturally in the wild in the dry savannah belt of West Africa. A centuries-old legend tells that Egyptian Queen Nefertiti had discovered the miraculous Shea Butter with which she could take care of her incredible beauty.

 

Types of Shea Butter

Refined Shea Butter

Refined Shea Butter is known as the ‘processed form’ of Shea Butter. It’s used in large plants by manufacturers, using chemicals such as hexane. The chemicals help break open the seeds and speed the process of separating the fat (or butter) from the whole of the nut. These chemicals usually remove any odour and help make it smooth, allowing manufacturers to add perfumes and preservatives to increase shelf life.

Unrefined Shea Butter

Unrefined Shea Butter is the purest, most natural form of Shea Butter. Unrefined Shea Butter is removed manually from the seeds which allows for its vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and other properties to retain. Workers will gather the seeds and then boil them. After this, the nuts are crushed by hand so they can be slowly roasted in the butter. By boiling the seeds, the shells will be easier to use. Any bits of broken shell are removed so that the inner seed can be beaten along with water and then boiled again to extract the fat. As the fat cools, it’s whipped to make it smoother and a usable product.

 

Benefits of Shea Butter For The Skin

Highly Moisturising

Shea Butter is rich in vitamins A and E making it an excellent moisturiser for the skin as it nourishes and conditions even the most dehydrated and driest skin. Its fat content helps it to absorb into the skin easily and hydrate and smooth the skin without clogging up pores.

Anti-inflammatory

Shea Butter is packed with derivatives of cinnamic acid which have a ton of anti-inflammatory benefits for sensitive skin and acne breakouts, redness and flakiness flare ups. The essential fatty acids found in Shea Butter helps to lubricate and the protect the skin against inflammation and the effects of inflammation.

Anti-Oxidants

Shea Butter contains plant antioxidants such as vitamins A and E as well as catechin which work to protect the cells from free radicals and environmental damage. The cinnamic acid esters in the fat of Shea Butter help in preventing skin damage from

Sun protection

Shea butter acts as a natural sunscreen, containing natural SPF, providing protection against the ultraviolet radiations of the sun, though the level of protection offered may be variable. Shea butter is considered as the best skin care for winter and after-sun care as it provides the extra moisture, nutrients and protection needed by your skin during the cold season and summer.

Healing agent

Shea Butter has amazing healing properties, being often used as a base in medicinal ointments due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used since ages for the treatment of scars, eczema, blemishes, skin discolorations, chapped lips, stretch marks, dark spots, and in reducing the irritation caused by psoriasis. Due to its high content of vitamin A, it is effective in promoting healing and disinfection, and soothes skin allergies like poison ivy and insect bites. The vitamin F in Shea Butter acts as a rejuvenator for soothing and healing rough and chapped skin.

Anti-Aging

Shea Butter is considered to be one of the top anti-aging ingredients for the skin. Vitamin F found in Shea Butter helps to restore the elasticity of the skin and even skin-tone, hydrate and soften the skin. Shea Butter also works to promote the production of collagen to diminish wrinkles and fine-lines and reveal a radiant, youthful appearance. The anti-aging properties found in Shea Butter also help to stimulate blood circulation, promote cell renewal and the anti-oxidants help to fight free radicals which increase the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Shea butter is one of the most used, and probably most versatile natural beauty ingredients and you can find it on our Glamour Ageless Anti-Aging Serum, Amazing White Illuminating Serum and Caviar Enrich Eye Cream.

 

 

Thanks so much reading our post!

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– Kathleen Natural

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Beauty Glowing Skin Tips Health Product

Advice for Summer Time

Tips from Natural and Organic Brand Kathleen

The summer is finally here and we are ready to dig up our slippers and oversize floppy
hat! However, there are some point we should pay attention before going outside and enjoy the sun.


SunlightWhat happens to our skin when we get to much sunlight?

Sunlight is a combination of 3 types of rays – infrared, visible lights and ultraviolet. Usually the ozone layer absorbs most of toxic lights. However ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) penetrate through cloud and glass, deep into our skin, causing skin cell damage and premature aging. While the UVB penetrates into the outer layer of the skin epidermis damaging the cells and causing the skin to be inflamed or sunburnt, the UVA penetrates more deeply into the second layer of skin dermis causing direct damage to supporting tissues leading to ageing effects. Both types of rays are attributed to causing different skin cancers.

 

 

How should we read labels?

SPF stands for “sun protection factor” which represents the length of time you can stay in the sun protecting from UVB.  SPF 15 means a person who normally (without sunscreen) would turn red after 10 minutes of sun exposure would take 150 minutes (10 x 15) to turn red.  However, this does not mean you can stay in the sun for 150 minutes.  Red is the main symptom that our skin cells have been damaged.

SPF rating system applies to UVB rays only.  We need protecting from UVA also which causes of skin premature aging.  In the revised EU guidelines for sunscreens products, this should be a UVA seal which requires providing consumers with a minimum level of UVA protection in relation to at least 1/3 of the SPF.

In US, FDA requires the phrase “BROAD SPECTRUM” which will provide protection from both UVA and UVB. Therefore, we are not looking for a SPF product only and also the UVA seal or the phrase “BROAD SPECTRUM”.

Is SPF 30 better than SPF 15? SPF 15 will filter out about 93% of UVB rays and SPF 30 filters out about 97%.  European manufacturers most of the time recommend SPF 50+, which gives you almost 98% protection compared to the other ones.

 

SPF and UVBHow do sunscreens work?

Sunscreen is mainly composed by UV-filters.  These work in one of two ways: (1) absorbing the UV-light by ‘soaking it up’ like thousands of tiny sponge soaks up water or (2) reflecting the UV-light away from the skin like thousands of tiny mirrors.  Absorbing filters, also called chemical or organic filters, soak up UV-light then converting it into lower energy and safer infrared light.  Reflecting filters, also called mineral or inorganic filters, are commonly used together with absorbing filters to get more efficient results.  Different UV-filters tend to be effective against different wavelengths of UV-light, therefore most sunscreens products include several different UV-filters to provide a broad spectrum of protection, high SPF value and UVA seals.

My Recommendation

Avoid

Never expose to sunlight longer than necessary.  Try to stay out of the sun between the hours of 10am to 4pm. The longer we are outside, the longer our skin suffered from UV-lights.  No matter how – do not let SPF, UVA, hat – fool us into thinking we can stay out in the sun longer.

Shade

Staying under shade, such as a tree or umbrella, can reduce our sunlight exposure, but not completely.  Only very broad and thick shade such as thickly wooded areas and widely overhanging structures provide enough protection explained by British Association of Dermatologists.

Cover up

  1. Clothing

We can select dark-coloured, synthetic fabrics, close weave and dry clothing (fabrics get wet, their protection can be halved).

  1. Oversized sunglasses

Please remember to check your sunglasses with ‘real’ sun protection. Remember that the UV-protective chemical on sunglasses is invisible, so the colour of the lens not an indication of protecting.  Label must clearly state the following labelling.

  • “CE Mark” and British Standard (BS EN 1836:1997)
  • UV400 (it means the sunglasses blocks up to 400 nm of UV-light)
  • 100% UV protection written on the label or sticker
  1. Hat

Hats are great for protecting our face, ears, eyes and head and back of the neck. So choose a wide-brimmed hat for most protection. Baseball caps are not a good choice.

  1. Sunscreen

Nice thick layer sunscreen can sit on our face and protect from UV-lights. National Institute for Health and Care recommends a minimum of SPF 15 and UVA seals in the UK.  And don’t forget our lips.

DRINK WATER!

Watery fruits and veggies like watermelon, papaya, pineapple, muskmelon, grapes, orange, tomatoes and cucumber helps you feel refreshed and hydratedmeloun during summer and also feeds you with nutritious goods.

  • Percentage of water (H2O) per fruit:

Cucumber – 96%

Tomato – 94%

Watermelon – 93%

Strawberries – 92%

Orange – 90%

Peaches – 89%

Pineapple – 87%

Blueberries -85%

Musk Melon – 85%

Grapes – 81%

Papaya – 80%

Thanks for reading!

If you like this post, you may also like Silk Amino Acid is a super-ingredient, Unlock the Secret of Coenzyme Q10, Sweets accelerate skin aging, and Roughness, Irritation, Fine lines, Tightness, Flaking.

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Beauty Glowing Skin Tips Health Lifestyle People

Strawberry – The power of Antioxidants

Since Summer started this past 20th June, what else could be better then enjoying a bowl of strawberries!? If you’re not yet a fan, you should be. Not only are they summery, juicy and delicious, they are also nutrient-rich and packed with antioxidants. Strawberries also offer a wide range of health benefits, being wrinkle prevention one of them.

Still not convinced? Then here are 10 reasons why you should add more strawberries to your daily life.

  • Boost immunity

According to a Toronto-based dietitian Madeleine Edwards, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. Most mammals have the ability to produce vitamin C naturally, apart from Humans, which is why it is so important to incorporate them in your daily life. One serving of strawberries contains 51.5 mg of vitamin C, which means thats around half of your daily requirement. Its also a fast-working antioxidant meaning they become “workable” with our blood after eating the fruit for just a few weeks.

  • Promote eye health

The antioxidant properties in strawberries help prevent cataracts (clouding over the eye lens) which can lead to blindness in older age. Our eyes require alot of vitamin C to protect them from all the exposure to free-radicals from the sun’s UV rays, which can damage the protein in the lens. They also play and important role in strengthening the eye’s cornea and retina

  • Help fight cancer

Vitamin C is one of the antioxidants that can help prevent cancer, considering a healthy immune system is our body’s best friend. But is not all. They got another properties called ellagic acid, lutein and zeathancins which helps to suppress cancer cell growth.

  • Keep wrinkles away

Vitamin C is a vital property to help our body produce collagen, which helps to improve skin’s elasticity and resilience. Since we lose collagen as we age, eating food rich in vitamin C will probably result in a healthier and younger looking skin.

  • Fight bad cholesterol

Strawberries also contain powerful heart boosters. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death among Canadian women. Ellagic acid and flavonoids or phytochemicals can provide an antioxidant effect that can benefit heart health in various ways. One way includes counteracting the effect of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL bad cholesterol in the blood which causes plaque to build up in arteries. They also provide anti-inflammatory effects, which is also good for the heart. Adding strawberries to the diet reduced oxidative damage, as well as blood lipids both of which play a role in heart disease and diabetes.

  • Reduce inflammation

Antioxidants and phytochemicals found in strawberries can also help reducing inflammation of the joints, that may cause arthritis and lead to several heart disease. A recent study done by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that women who ate 16 or more strawberries per week have 14% less chances to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein, which makes the inflammation.

  • Regulate blood pressure

They are also rich in potassium, another healthy nutrient that will help regulate blood pressure and may even help to lower high blood pressure, acting like a buffer against the negative effects of sodium. With the impact they have on the reduction of LDL, strawberries become one of the most healthy fruits you can eat.

  • Boost fibre

Fibre is a necessity for healthy digestion, and strawberries naturally contain about 2 g per serving. Problems that can arise from lack of fibre include constipation and diverticulitis an inflammation of the intestines which affects approximately 50 percent of people over 60. Fibre can also aid in fighting type 2 diabetes.

  • Aid in weight management

Sometimes, maintaining a healthy weight can be one of the hardest things to do. But don’t you fear! Strawberries are here to help. Our weight can be one of the best defenses against type 2 diabetes, not to mention it is good for you overall. They are naturally low in calories, fat-free and low in both sodium and sugar. The total amount of sugars are fairly low with 4 grams per serving and the amount of carbohydrates is equivalent to half a slice of bread. If you eat around 1.5 cups, you will have a snack with less the 100 calories!

  • Promote pre-natal health

Strawberries provide Folate (B-vitamin) recommended for pregnant woman or trying to conceive. Meaning you can get around 21mcg per serving by eating strawberries. Folate is necessary in the early stages of pregnancy in order to help develop the baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord. The folic acid will also prevent certain birth defects, such as spina bifida (condition where the spine does not develop properly, leaving a gap in the spine).

However, even if strawberries sound like a “miracle” fruit, you must be careful which ones to buy and where to buy. Strawberries are more likely to contain pesticides than any other type of food. Test samples in Britain showed that all strawberries selling contained traces of at least one pesticide. Reports have been found that 2.2% of the british strawberries were above the legal limit. You might want to give that punnet of strawberries a good wash before you tuck in – or better still, go organic.

Have you ever tried any skincare with strawberry? Check out our Amazing White illuminating Serum which help to enhance skin elasticity with a whitening and moisturizing effect. In addition, strawberries have purifying results making the skin look fresh and smooth.

 

 

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Lifestyle People

Hay Fever

Everyone can suffer from hey fever in life.

Who’s affected

Hay fever is a common allergic condition that affects up to 10 million people in England, according to the NHS. The number of sufferers is expected to rise to 30 million by 2035 due to an increase in air pollution and pollen counts soaring.

Research found that hay fever usually begins in childhood or during the teenage year, and it’s more common in boys than girls.  In fact, you can get hay fever at any age. Studies show that a lot of adults will develop this allergy in their 30s, 40s and 50s.  Half a million new “middle-aged” cases are predicted in the next decade, according to the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit.  Therefore, everyone can develop hay fever in life.

If you have a family history of allergies, particular asthma or eczema, you are more likely to suffer hay fever.

How’s affected

Hay fever doesn’t be a serious threat to your health, but it can affect your quality of life.

Pollen is a fine powder released by plant during their reproductive cycle.  As pollen contains proteins that triggers your body an allergic reaction, causes your immune system produces histamine into your blood stream, to protect your body against infection. This histamine causes the nose, eyes, throat and airways to become swollen, irritated and inflamed.

Different types of pollen are released throughout the year in England.

Birch: Second week of March to first week of June (peaks last week of March to mid-May).

Plane: Mid-March to mid-May (peaks last week of April to second week in May).

Oilseed rape: Last week in March to mid-July (peaks mid-May to end of June).

Oak: First week of April to mid-June (peaks end of April to first week in June).

Grass: First week of May to second week of September (peaks first week in June to last week in July).

Nettle: Beginning of May to end of September (peaks last week of June to first week in August).

Mould: Early autumn and late spring. Symptoms are worse inside than outside.

If you suffer allergies all year round, you may allergic to dust, especially notable in winter when the central heating is turned on. Symptoms are worse indoors.

Here is the pollen forecast by Met Office which is up to 5-day ahead.

What’s solution

There’s no cure for hay fever, but most people can relieve symptoms with treatment, at least to a certain extent.

You can relieve symptoms by taking “antihistamines”, which can help to prevent an allergic reaction from occurring and “corticosteroids”, which help to reduce inflammation and swelling.

However, new research has concluded that people regularly taking popular drugs for hay fever and other allergies, did worse in cognitive tests and showed signs of loss of brain cells and connections. Therefore, it suggested there may be a link to dementia.

The most effective way to control hay fever would be to avoid exposure to pollen.  You may prefer to take home remedies and boost our immune system.

Home remedies

  • Close doors and windows during pollen season.
  • Don’t hang laundry outside — pollen can stick to sheets and towels.
  • Use an allergy-grade filter in your home ventilation system and change it regularly.
  • Avoid outdoor activity in the early morning, when pollen counts are highest.
  • Stay indoors on dry, windy days.
  • Use a dehumidifier to reduce indoor humidity and mould.
  • Avoid mowing the lawn or raking leaves.
  • Wear a dust mask when cleaning house or gardening.
  • Use allergy-proof covers on mattresses, box springs and pillows.
  • Wash sheets and blankets in water heated to at least 130 F (54 C).
  • Vacuum carpets weekly with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a small-particle or HEPA filter.
  • Spray insecticide designed to kill dust mites (acaricides) and approved for indoor use on carpets, furniture and bedding.
  • Consider removing carpeting, especially where you sleep, if you’re highly sensitive to dust mites.
  • Wear wraparound sunglasses to stop pollen getting in your eyes.
  • Take a shower and changing clothes after being outdoor to remove the pollen on your body and hair.
  • Apply a small amount of Vaseline to the nasal openings to trap pollen grains.

Strengthen Immune System

Vitamins

Take Vitamin C which is another form of antihistamine’

Take Vitamin E which is an immune booster as well as an antioxidant, so protects you from free radicals like pollution.

Honey

Honey can desensitise your body to other pollens and reduce hay fever symptoms.

Carotenoids

This naturally occurring pigment can be found in foods such as carrots, apricots, pumpkin, sweet potato and spinach and acts as a powerful antioxidant to help reduce inflammation and fortify your immune system.

Fish

Omega fatty acids contained in fish are important for a healthy immune system. The first phase of an immune reaction is an inflammatory reaction – and fish oil is an anti-inflammatory. Not only that, it’s a great booster for your immune system.

Nuts

A great source of magnesium and Vitamin E.  Magnesium helps increase lung function and may protect against wheezing.  Vitamin E is an immune booster and an antioxidant.

Apples, Oranges, Berries and Grapes

Natural source of Vitamin C and antioxidants which reduces inflammation in the body and protects against allergy symptoms.

Do you suffer from hay fever? Tell us your hay fever experiences.