Calendula has been used historically to treat dry skin. If you decide to purchase a calendula ointment or skin cream, make sure that it does not contain mineral oil or any other synthetic preservatives or fragrances. Mineral oil found in many skincare formulas will clog your pores and you could also have an allergic reaction to the synthetic preservatives methyl and propylparaben.

If you would like to make your own calendula ointment, you can pick the desired fat for the formula. Some oils that you can use are beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, or kukui butter. These natural fats can be purchased online or can be found at an herbal apothecary.

The first step required to create your own ointment is to heat any one of the fats listed above in a saucepan. After the fat has been heated, turn the flame off and place the dried calendula petals into the pan. Once the petals incorporate well into the fat, you can now strain the mixture and then place it in a plastic or glass container. After the formula has cooled down, you can store it in your refrigerator in order to prevent it from going rancid. You can also find additional recipes for making this type of ointment online.

Historically, calendula has also been used to treat a number of different types of skin irritations. It is beneficial for soothing inflamed or irritated skin and may be useful in the treatment of acne and rosacea. In addition, it has been used to treat dry burns and minor cuts and scratches. Calendula is useful in the treatment of these conditions since it possesses both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Since our skin is exposed to the elements on a daily basis, we will eventually develop dry chapped skin. One way to help relieve it is by using a calendula ointment. This natural botanical will nourish your skin and not cause any skin irritation or allergic reactions. Use this wonderful botanical to improve your complexion and heal any skin irritation you may be suffering from now.

Most chemically produced and organic skincare formulas today contain shea butter since it is an effective moisturizing agent. You will need to be careful before making a purchase since there are different quality levels of shea butter. Depending upon the part of the country and the way in which the compound is extracted will determine its quality. The Shea Karite tree is grown in East And West Africa. The best quality shea butter comes from East Africa.

Things To Look Out For When Purchasing Natural Shea Butter

If you want to purchase the highest quality of this compound, then you should buy it in its raw form. One thing you will notice when looking at the product is that it will either be a cream or a greyish yellow color. In addition, the label packaging may state that the compound was extracted using water. These two tell tale signs will signify that the product is of the highest quality obtainable.

A less expensive form of this compound is a refined version. It is more processed than the raw form but it will retain many of its natural constituents. This refined version will also be less expensive and will also have a different color.

The least expensive form of shea butter is highly processed and uses a variety of solvents in its production. You will find this form of the compound to be pure white in color. If you have skin allergies, it is best that you do not use a highly processed form for your skincare needs.

Benefits Of Natural Shea Butter

This natural compound is an effective moisturizer and can help treat dry skin. It can also be used to treat diaper rash since it is soothing to the skin. Many natural shaving creams also contain shea butter since it helps prevent skin irritation and treat nicks and cuts. Lastly, certain skin conditions such as acne and eczema have been helped by the use of this compound.

Other Things You Need To Know About Natural Shea Butter
Unfortunately, this compound does not have a long shelf life. The longer it sits on your shelf and is not used will affect its potency and effectiveness. In addition, some skincare formulas contain a very small amount of shea butter and this will lessen its skin enhancing benefits. Lastly, most cosmetic skin care products contain a highly refined version of this compound and will not have any therapeutic benefit for your skin.

Natural shea butter can also benefit your hair. It is excellent for dry hair and should be applied to the roots and massage throughout the scalp and entire hair shaft. It has also been found to be beneficial for processed hair as it will add lustre and shine to your crown of glory.

Which Type Of Shea Butter Is Best For You

If you do not mind the smell of this compound, then you should consider purchasing raw shea butter. It is more expensive than the refined version but it is well worth it since it will be more beneficial for your skin and hair. You can find natural shea butter here for your skin and hair care needs. Consider adding this wonderful botanical compound into your daily skin and hair care regimen.

One cause of baldness is an accumulation of sebum in the scalp which shuts off blood supply and needed nutrients to the hair shaft. Due to this factor, the hair root is “choked” thus causing the hair to fall out. Some medical researchers maintain that massaging jojoba oil onto the scalp before a person has experienced significant hair loss can wash away the accumulated sebum and thus prevent the further progression of hair loss. Since the quality of jojoba oil on the market today varies, make sure you purchase one that is not watered down but instead contains 100% of this oil.

Jojoba oil is derived from the seeds of a shrub grown throughout various parts of the world. Originally the jojoba plant was grown in warm climates and was found in the south western states of Arizona and Nevada. It is beneficial for the scalp since it helps treat scalp psoriasis. If you also have acne, it is also safe to use on your skin since it non comedogenic. In addition, you can use it to treat cases of dandruff instead of using the common coal tar shampoos found on the market today. Jojoba oil regulates the production of sebum produced by the sebaceous glands in our scalp so that one’s hair is continuously moisturized.

There are many hair care products that contain jojoba oil on the market today. It is found in shampoos, conditioners, and hair styling gels. If you have dry limp hair, you can use a shampoo and conditioner containing this oil since it will moisturize the hair and scalp, and help bring out its sheen. You can find a good selection of hair care products containing jojoba oil online or at your health food store. When selecting any products containing this oil, avoid those that contain alcohol since that compound can dry out the hair and skin.

Jojoba oil is also sold as a stand alone product and can be used as a hot oil treatment for your hair and scalp. In order to recognize pure jojoba oil, it will be a yellowish brown color and the packaging will state that it is 100 % pure oil. Applying it to your hair and scalp daily will help prevent tangles and split ends.

Since there are different hair care products on the market that contain jojoba oil, choose the one that is best for your type of hair. If you have normal hair, choose a formula that contains a lighter concentration of this oil. If on the other hand you have dry hair you can use a shampoo and conditioner containing this compound and afterwards rub 100 % pure jojoba oil into your hair and scalp. In addition, make sure the hair care products also contain herbal ingredients such as nettles, aloe vera, and yucca since they are also beneficial for dry hair.

Using jojoba oil for hair care purposes is recommended since it will not cause any skin irritation or allergic reactions. Of all the variety of oils that are available to us in nature, it is the one that is the best one to help make our hair feel softer, improve its texture, and restore its sheen.

Vitamin A For The Skin
An important vitamin for our skin is Vitamin A. It is found in a number of foods such as spinach, yellow squash, carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes. If you are not getting enough of it in your diet, you can take a Vitamin A Palmitate supplement or take its water soluble form known as beta carotene. Either way, it is important that you get enough of this vitamin daily in your diet since it helps prevent dry skin. In addition, it has also been used to treat acne with good success.

Vitamin B Complex For The Skin
Another important group of nutrients necessary for healthy skin are the B complex vitamins. There are several nutrients that make up the B complex vitamins and they are thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, choline, and cyanocobalamin. These nutrients are found in egg yolks, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and legumes. They have been shown to prevent the development of acne and premature aging of the skin. In addition, the B complex vitamins have been used to treat sunburn and skin bruises.

Vitamin C
One water soluble nutrient that has been very well publicized is Vitamin C. You probably have seen a line of skincare products containing this nutrient since it has been shown to help treat aging skin. If you have a deficiency of Vitamin C, you may experience wrinkled or sagging skin. In order to maintain healthy skin, it is important that you take Vitamin C in supplement form each day as it will help increase collagen production in the skin’s connective tissue. If you have wrinkled skin, you may decide to use a serum derived from this nutrient.
Another nutrient that is getting a lot of press these days is Vitamin E. This nutrient has been touted to be beneficial for our heart and circulation. Newer studies have concluded it may not be beneficial for our health. You should discuss with your family doctor whether you should include this vitamin in your daily supplement regimen. For skincare purposes, Vitamin E has been shown to protect skin tissue, slow down premature aging of the skin and treat burns. You can find skin creams and oils containing Vitamin E online or at your local health food store.

By taking a multivitamin, you will be able to get the necessary vitamins for healthy skin your body needs. Keep in mind that you should also eat a diet rich in complex carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, and grains. In addition quality protein from fish, legumes, nuts and seeds are also essential to prevent premature aging and help internally moisturize your skin. By incorporating these foods and vitamins in your daily regimen, you will be able to see an improvement in the quality, texture, and appearance of your skin.

Eat Fiber
One of the best resources for those who have this condition is fiber. Fiber helps to relieve the symptoms of hemorrhoids, including the bleeding. To do this, it helps to soften the stool and increase its bulk. In doing so, you are less likely to strain when using the restroom. You can get more fiber from taking supplements or by eating foods that are rich in it, such as whole grains and vegetables.

Bioflavonoids
Another resource for most people are bioflavonoids. They are a plant compound that works by stabilizing and strengthening blood vessel walls. In return, this helps to decrease the inflammation in the area and reduces the discomfort and pain often associated with a hemorrhoid attack.

Other Solutions
There are other all-natural treatment options. Butcher’s broom, known as knee holly or box holly, is a type of plant which can help to work as an anti-inflammatory. Witch hazel can also be helpful. It is a natural ingredient applied topically to the area with an ointment or medicated pad. It will decrease bleeding and swelling. Horse chestnut is an herb that works much like butchers broom, to relieve symptoms and to reduce inflammation.

Hemorrhoids are painful and when they are severe, medical attention is necessary. However, for most minor and moderate cases, all natural treatments like these can be highly effective.

There are a large number of herbs that can be harmful to babies if you are breastfeeding. This may include:
• Bladderwrack
• Dong Quai
• Coltsfoot
• Chaparral
• Ginseng
• Kava Kava
• Rhubarb
• Star anise
• Indian Snakeroot
• Buckhorn
• Elecampane
• Ephedra
• Petasites root
• Phen fen
• Tiratricol
• Uva ursi
• Wormwood

Other herbs can also reduce the supply of milk. If any of your skincare products contain these herbs, avoid using them while you are breastfeeding. The biggest misconception people have is that if something is labeled all natural or organic, that it is safe not only for you but for your baby as well.

What To Do
You can take care of your skin while breastfeeding. However, your breastfeeding skincare regimen needs to be comprised of only health ingredients, herbs, and minerals that are safe for both you and your baby. Avoid any chemical based product in total, since those chemicals will get into your milk supply. Second, avoid any skincare line that has the above listed ingredients. If you are not sure if an ingredient is safe for your baby, ask your child’s doctor. The good news is that there are lines of skincare treatments that are completely safe for both of you.

The Skinny On Alpha Hydroxy Skincare

Long-term exposure to the sun is finally catching up to us, whether we’re gen X-ers who loved our tanning beds in the 90s or baby boomers who played beach blanket bingo while slathered with baby oil. Flash-forward to today and now all of us former sun-worshippers are left with nothing but rough skin and unsightly wrinkles where our gorgeous sun-kissed tans used to be.

Then along came Alpha Hydroxy skincare products and along with them, what appeared to be the answers to all of our anti-aging prayers. Now a billion-dollar industry, those products that tout AHAs as the magic ingredient certainly do help reduce our wrinkles, fade our sun spots and otherwise erase any other signs of aging skin. These products are also great news for the millions of us in the natural skincare movement (who are usually left out of the anti-aging category thanks to the use of harsh chemicals and the like). Because alpha hydroxy acids are actually pulled from fruit and milk sugars, many of the alpha hydroxy skincare products on the market today are also all-natural and even organic.

Alpha hydroxy is an expert exfoliating agent. It’s great for stripping away damaged skin cells and exposing the healthy, undamaged cells lying underneath. Many dermatologists use alpha hydroxy skincare treatments in their offices, including applying AHA directly on the skin in high concentrations. This popular and expensive procedure is best known as a “chemical peel”. When used in lower dosages in commercially available skincare products, the effects aren’t as quick to reveal themselves but can also be dramatic with prolonged use. This, of course, explains the continued success of the commercial alpha hydroxy skincare niche.

Regardless of whether AHAs work or if they’re holistic in their purest form, when you roll them up into a skincare cream – after all of the processing and additives are, well, added – the question remains: are they safe? Absolutely they are, especially if you follow the FDA’s recommendation and use products with only a 10% or lower concentration for prolonged use. Bottom line, alpha hydroxy is an acid, which means it has the potential to cause skin irritation – so choose according to how sensitive your particular skin happens to be. Studies have also revealed the alpha hydroxy can leave skin more susceptible to damage by ultraviolet light. Therefore, AHA users should look for a product that either has a sunscreen in it or use a sunscreen product as a supplement. One final argument for AHA’s safety worth considering: AHA has continued to enjoy FDA approval twenty years since its official launch as an anti-aging agent back in 1989.

Here is a full list of AHAs currently available in alpha hydroxy skincare products:

• glycolic acid
• lactic acid
• glycolic acid + ammonium glycolate
• alpha-hydroxyethanoic acid + ammonium alpha-hydroxyethanoate
• alpha-hydroxyoctanoic acid
• alpha-hydroxycaprylic acid
• hydroxycaprylic acid
• mixed fruit acid
• triple fruit acid
• tri-alpha hydroxy fruit acids
• sugar cane extract
• alpha hydroxy and botanical complex
• L-alpha hydroxy acid
• glycomer in crosslinked fatty acids alpha nutrium