Green Tea and Skin Benefits

Anyone who has ever traveled to the South knows that Southerners LOVE their sweet tea... For Christmas this past year, my husband's grandparents gifted my little family with a HUGE tin of assorted teas! Orange spice, peach, raspberry, green tea, earl gray... all kinds of yummy things! I've tried unsweetened teas before and never really cared for them, but I decided this week to give it another try... I am hooked! I've spent the past three days guzzling peach tea and raspberry tea... and now I am on to green tea, and I am hooked!!

I have always heard that green tea can do amazing things for the body, so while sipping on a glass of green tea with lemon, I started doing a bit of research. Did you know that the antioxidants in green tea can help lower cholesterol, help ward off cancer, help prevent heart attacks, and can even help you lose weight?

Green tea is even beneficial for your skin! People who use green tea on their faces claim that they have seen new brightness and more even-toned skin, as well as more youthful looking skin. Here's a few ideas that you can try:

• Brew some strong green tea and cool it. Store it in a spray bottle and spray your face in the morning.
• After brewing tea, open the used tea bag and remove the leaves. Add the leaves to a face cream (like a face mask or Noxema-type cream and apply to your face. Leave it on for about 5 minutes, then wash.
• Make a homemade face mask! Mix up pureed cucumber, honey, french green clay (You can find this at health food stores in the Health/Bath section) and green tea leaves for a soothing, rejuvenating mask!

You can even use green tea in homemade toothpaste. Just follow our recipe and substitute green tea for water! Lemon extract may make for a great flavor!

Cheers!

Soap Labels and your Skin

Soap is great! It gets us clean, itmakes bubbles, it smells nice... But have you ever bought a bar ofsoap that just didnt agree with your skin type? Maybe you broke outin acne or had a reaction... Well, the best thing that you can do foryour skin is to read!!

But wait... what am I looking for?

Well, first lets start out with thefront of the label. Does your “soap” actually say that it issoap? Some commercial “soaps” are actually “detergent bars”,which contain more synthetic ingredients that can cause irritations.

Next, lets look on the back at theingredients. If you are looking at a commercial bar of soap (andyou've determined that you are looking at real soap!), it may lookkind of confusing... sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate or sodium palmkernelate... sounds like a nightmare chemistry test! You're actuallylooking at the names for the natural oils that have been effected bysodium hydroxide, or lye. For instance, sodium palm kernelate is thegeneric name for Palm Kernel Oil after it has combined with lye. Manylarge soap making companies will have the generic names on theirlabels, but smaller soap makers may just stick with “tallow,coconut oil, palm kernel oil, sodium hydroxide.” Both are the same!

Now, what about your pores?

Some oils used in soap making can beclogging to pores, which can lead to break outs of acne. Some oils,such as cocoa butter, coconut oil (in large amounts), and wheat germoil are very prone to clogging pores. Other oils, like sweet almondoil and castor oil, have a low probability of clogging pores. You canfind a great list of oils here:(http://www.soapnuts.com/noncomo.html)

Once you determine your skin type, youcan work towards finding great skin products that work well with yourskin to keep it healthy, supple, and firm!

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Know your Skin Type

Oily, dry, normal, sensitive, combination... No, these aren't terms used in cooking or baking... they are skin types! But wait... how can you tell which one of these types you have? Well, all you will need is some tissue, and rub the tissue on your face when you wake up one morning.

If your tissue has oil spots... Congratulations, you have oily skin! Oily skin can be prone to break outs of acne, so make sure to keep your skin clean. You may also need to treat break out spots with an OTC medication containing benzoyl peroxide to help treat the acne.

If the tissue is dry and your face feels tight... Congratulations, you have dry skin! Dry skin occurs more often as we age, and can contribute to the occurrence of wrinkles. To combat dry skin, make sure to yse a moisturizer daily to keep the skin soft.

If the tissue is dry and your face feels normal... CONGRATULATIONS, you are one of the lucky ones with normal skin! You are really lucky! Normal skin requires little care, is not prone to acne break outs, and is not prone to wrinkles! Lucky dog!

If your tissue is dry, but your skin is prone to redness and irritation... Congratulations, you have sensitive skin! People have sensitivities to many different chemicals and irritants, so be wary when trying new products. The best way to try a new product is to apply the product on a “test patch” of skin and wait 24 hours to see if there is any irritation. A visit to a dermatologist can also help with discovering irritants or seeking treatment.

Some of us may have more than one skin type, and if so.... Congratulations, you have combination skin! One of the more combination-types involves the T-zone, or the forehead and nose. Commonly, the forehead and nose will be oily, while the cheeks and eyes will be normal or dry. Combination skin can be easily managed once it is discovered.

Also, be aware that as we age, skin type (like hair type) will change! However, when we are aware of our skin, we can clean, cleanse, and treat it the best we can in order to have the healthiest and happiest skin on the block!

Winterize your Skin

The winter season can be harsh on our skin... Cold winds, heated houses, steaming baths all take their toll on our skin. However, there are many things that we can do to help prevent the damage, or soothe the damage after it is done. 

 

Here are a few changes you can make... your skin will thank you:

• When showering, try to take warm showers, instead of hot showers. The temptation for a relaxing, steaming shower will be there, but the heat will make your skin sweat, and dry it out quicker in the cold. Hot showers can also do damage to hair by drying it out.
• Showers are all about getting clean, but the WAY that you get clean can affect your skin. When lathering up, use a glycerin-based soap over a detergent or cleanser bar. Glycerin is a humecant, which means that it binds water to it to be absorbed by the skin. Also, be sure not to over-scrub. You can use a loofah when you wash to exfoliate your skin without serious scrubbing, and will leave your skin soft.
• The best thing that you can do for your skin in the winter time is to keep yourself hydrated! Healthy skin is hydrated skin, so make sure to drink lots of water! Sodas, tea, and other sugary/caffeinated drinks do not hydrate as well as good old water, so drink up the clear stuff!
• If you prefer to use a lotion on your skin, check the label for a few skin-drying ingredients. Avoid lotions that contain ethyl or menthyl alcohol. Moisturizing lotions will contain glycerin, that wonderful humecant! 
• Go easy on the hand sanitizer! Just like some lotions, most hand sanitizers have a base of ethyl or menthyl alcohol, and they will dry your paws out fast. Instead, fight those yucky winter germs by washing your hands in warm water.

Have a happy winter with happy skin!