2 Ingredients to Watch for Under Your Christmas Tree!

Today I was reminded of why I started making skin care products - even the "natural" companies, aren't living up to their promises! In my mailbox today I found a newsletter (more like a newsPAPER!) from one of the biggest commercial companies toting the natural vibe. Now although this big company (that starts with an "L" and ends in an "H"), makes products that are better than a lot of what's available out there, they are still using two ingredients (in the majority their products) that are on most "dirty dozen" lists of ingredients to avoid.

I previously talked in length about one of those ingredients, parabens, in a previous blog post. A summery of their danger is that they mimic hormones and are readily absorbed into our skin. You'll find these at the end of the "Big L's" ingredients lists for many of their products.

The second shameful ingredient that the big L adds to pretty much anything that bubbles, suds, or fizzes, is SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate). I'm sure I've mentioned this problem ingredient on many occasions but since I don't have a blog post summarizing what it is and why you'll want to avoid it, now is the time! The last thing we all want is to start a new year bathing and soaking in chemicals! Without further a do, here's what makes SLS so shameful!

What Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are:

They are forming agents in the most basic terms. They create bubbles, form, and clean. They are some of the most widely used sulfates because they cheap. The almighty dollar strikes again. You'll find these sulfates in all kinds of bath and body products including bath bombs (the big L is notorious for SLS in their bath bombs), shampoo, body wash, bubble bars (I've never seen one made without SLS or SLES), tooth paste, dish soap, bubble bath, shaving cream, etc. SLES is said to be the milder of the two, but its effects seem to be much more long lasting.

Why they should be avoided:

• Concentrations as low as 0.5% can cause irritation.
• Concentrations of 10-30% can cause skin corrosion!
• Rashes, scalp scabs, canker sores, dry skin patches
• Color stripping
• Stripes shine from hair
• Penetrates skin easily and can't be metabolized by our liver
• Possible endocrine disruptors
• Not just skin and scalp irritants, they are also eye irritants
• Contamination with 1,4 dioxane (cancer causing)

How to spot them on labels:

They will be listed exactly how I've listed them in this post (minus the abbreviation):

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Today's take away:

Read labels! It's the only way to see through marketing hype to know if you're getting a natural, safe, skin loving product, or you're getting something that seems wondering but actually contains cancer causing ingredients! Again, watch out for any ingredient ending in -paraben, and watch out for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate

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My Wedding Skin Care Routine

I have had SO many requests wanting to know what "Batty did to get ready for her big day"! One of the questions I've been getting the most is my skin care routine. Although I didn't change it up TOO much from my normal routine, I did increase the amount of clay masks and quick stick applications I did. Below is a breakdown of my routine 10 days before the wedding! I want to stress that the routine I decided to do was with MY skin in mind. I wouldn't suggest it for everyone as we all have skin that is at different stages, has different "problem areas", etc. I'm open to putting together a personalized routine for any brides (or anyone else!) out there who would like one! Contact me for more details (jamiesabot AT gmail DOT com). Now on with the "Batty as a Bride" routine! ;)

Here's the products I used:

Black Charcoal Cold Press Soap

Facial Primer/Day Moisturizer

Tea Tree Facial Scrub

Patchouli Facial Moisturizer

Dry Clay Mask

Kabuki Brush

Unscented Facial Scrub

Exfoliating Bath Glove

Quick Stick Acne Fix

Mild Unscented Jojoba Facial Scrub

Here's the routine I followed:

Thursday October 6 - TIME TO GET SERIOUS!

When I got up:

• Washed with black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Washed with tea tree facials scrub.
• Applied Patchouli Moisturizer.
• Waited 30 minutes, then applied dry clay mask with kabuki brush (went to bed with clay mask ON!)

Friday October 7, Saturday October 8, & Sunday October 9 - CLAY DAYS {DETOX}

When I got up:

• Washed face thoroughly with unscented facial scrub (read: washed off clay mask).
• Followed up with a light washing of black charcoal cold press soap, and exfoliating bath glove in any areas that needed it (usually around my nose)
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Washed with black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied Patchouli Moisturizer.
• Waited 30 minutes, then applied dry clay mask with kabuki brush (went to bed with clay mask ON!)

Monday October 10 - DEALING AFTER DETOX

When I got up:

• Washed face thoroughly with unscented facial scrub (read: washed off clay mask).
• Followed up with a light washing of black charcoal cold press soap, and exfoliating bath glove in any areas that needed it (usually around my nose)
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Washed with black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Patchouli Moisturizer.

Tuesday October 11 - DEALING WITH DETOX PART 2

When I got up:

• Washed with tea tree facial scrub
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Wash with tea tree facial scrub and followed up with a light washing of black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied Patchouli Moisturizer.
• Applied quick stick acne fix ALL OVER.

Wednesday October 12 - ROUND 2 OF CLAY DAYS

When I got up:

• Washed face thoroughly with tea tree facial scrub
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Washed with black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied Patchouli Moisturizer.
• Waited 30 minutes, then applied dry clay mask with kabuki brush (went to bed with clay mask ON!)

Thursday October 13 - DEALING WITH DETOX

When I got up:

• Washed face thoroughly with unscented facial scrub (read: washed off clay mask).
• Followed up with a light washing of black charcoal cold press soap, and exfoliating bath glove in any areas that needed it (usually around my nose)
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Washed with black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied Patchouli Moisturizer.
• Waited 30 minutes, then applied dry clay mask with kabuki brush (went to bed with clay mask ON!)

Friday October 14 - STARTING TO FOCUS ON CALMING

When I got up:

• Washed face thoroughly with unscented facial scrub (read: washed off clay mask).
• Followed up with a light washing of black charcoal cold press soap
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Washed with black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Patchouli Moisturizer.

Saturday October 15 - CALMING IS A MUST

When I got up:

• Washed face with mild unscented jojoba facial scrub
• Followed up with exfoliating bath glove in any areas that needed it (the last few days, I haven't needed this much)
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moistuizer.

Before I went to bed:

• Washed with black charcoal cold press soap.
• Applied quick stick acne fix on any blemishes
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moisturizer

Sunday October 16 - THE BIG DAY

When I got up:

• Washed with mild unscented jojoba facial scrub (and used exfoliating glove for any extra spots - I didn't really need it, but I wanted to make sure I had the smoothest possible skin to work with!)
• Applied Facial Primer/Day Moisturizer
• In the afternoon I gave my face just a quick wash with black charcoal soap and reapplied the facial primer before diving into my makeup routine! I might share that on the blog in the future ;)

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How to Manage Curly or Wavy Thick Hair - Part 2

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Video: Happy Canada Day Plus What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!

Original Blog Post:
What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

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How to Manage Curly or Wavy Thick Hair - Part 1

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Skin Care: Skin Type & Products Talk (the video version)

See the original blog post here.

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Skin Care: Factors Influencing Your Skin Type (the Video version)

Part 2 of the skin type talk.
See the blog post here:
http://battysbath.blogspot.com/2011/05/skin-care-factors-influencing-your-skin.html

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Skin Care: Your Skin Type (the Video version)

Batty's intro thoughts about skin types
See the blog post here:
http://battysbath.blogspot.com/2011/05/skin-care-your-skin-type.html

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How To: Natural DIY Hair Gel

I recently got asked on the Batty's Bath Facebook Fan Page about natural hair styling products. I wont be adding any to the Batty's Bath line any time soon because they are super easy for you to make at home! This natural hair gel is so easy to make I almost didn't think it was worth a whole blog post lol! But, since it's not common knowledge and makes a great gift for those hard to buy for boyfriends, husbands, brothers, and dads, I couldn't help but share it here! Bookmark this post so when you get stuck for what to get those dudes for their birthdays or Christmas you'll have a quick and easy solution! :)

It's interesting to note that this recipe is versatile and rich in omega 3s - omega 3s encourage hair growth! Another interesting point is that the flaxseeds you'll use in this recipe are the same thing that many companies use in their products and it's what flappers used in the 20s to create that pin-curl look!

Enough with introductions though, let's get to the recipe...

NATURAL DIY HAIR GELL

What you'll need:

• Ground Flaxseeds
• Water

What to do:

• Boil 1 cup of water
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseeds
• Mix

Tada! You're done! I told you it was super easy! You just created a frothy gel-like consistency that makes for a nice, strong hold (plus sexy shine) hair gel!

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Parabens - How to spot them on labels

In the past I've talked about what parabens are and explained why all of my products are paraben free but I feel it's worth repeating. The point of this post isn't to just repeat a post I've written previously, but instead, I'm going elaborate on my previous post by including how you can spot parabens by reading the labels on your favorite beauty products.

First, let's do a quick review....

Parabens are preservatives used in over 70% of all beauty products. This is why you NEED to know how to spot them because you can bet that if you've bought something from the drug store, mall or department store lately, there's a good chance it has parabens in it.

Why you should avoid them

• one study showed that they can age the skin with exposed to UV light
• another study showed that they mimic estrogen
• they have been found in breast tumor tissue
• contrary to what was previously thought, they can penetrate the skin and migrate into body tissue

Now let's learn how to spot them!

If you have never read an ingredients label on a beauty product before, now is the time to start. When you do - don't freak out! If it's a commercially made product, the ingredients list is going to be HUGE with super long unpronounceable words, but I'm here to help you out! There's lots of things to look for on ingredients list, but we're going to start with baby steps and ease into things. If there's anything I've learned from my university years, it's don't try to learn EVERYTHING all at once. Instead, start with something that's manageable and build your knowledge bank from there. Today we're going to start with parabens.

The great thing about starting with parabens is that they are pretty easy to spot on a label because the name of the ingredient generally ends with "paraben"! Parabens aren't awesome but it's awesome that some of the most common ones include the word "paraben"! There are a few that are a bit tricker to spot but thankfully the list of incognito parabens is short

Here's the most common parabens you'll find on ingredient lists:

• methylparaben
• ethylparaben
• isobutylparaben
• propylparaben
• ... (other variations ending in paraben can be spotted as well)
• hydroxybenzoic acid
• hydroxybenzoate

There you have it! Go grab the products you use everyday and check out those labels! You'll be glad you used your new label reading skill to protect you and your family!

Stay tuned to the blog or join the mailing list for more "ingredient spotting baby steps" you can take!

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What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

The signs of summer have certainly shown themselves lately. Over the past few weeks I've been asked more times than I can count about natural sunscreen; mainly, "Do you make natural sunscreen or know where I can get a good natural sunscreen that isn't gross?"

After a lot of consideration, a discussion the fan page, and mulling it over with a close friend, I've decided NOT to make natural sunscreen, at least not for sale. I'll be making it for myself and my fiance, but I decided not to offer it for sale mostly because of the regulations AND my fear that with a natural sunscreen in hand some people will throw everything they know about being "sun safe" out the window. That scares me more than anything!

So if you can't get a natural sunscreen from Batty's Bath, what should you look for? Well, I'm going to answer that question by informing you on what to look for in a natural sunscreen and what to watch for (i.e. run away from)! There's a few ingredients in "chemical" sunscreen, and sunscreens claiming to be "pure" or "natural" that you need to learn so you can steer clear of them! Let's get started...

First up, the good guys...

When looking for a natural sunscreen look for ingredients that protect you from the sun by physically blocking & deflecting the sun's UVA and UBA rays. These include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. One thing to note though when looking for sunscreen with either of these two natural ingredients is making sure that they are not used in nano form. What does nano form mean? Well Nanoparticles are very controversial right now. It refers to the size of the actual minerals and at the smallest size, they can penetrate the skin easily. Because of this, some experts are concerned about particles entering the body and accumulating in body tissue or getting into place they shouldn't be (for example, your cells). So what do you need to now to avoid purchasing a product that could have nanoparticles? First you need to know that you want the particles to be larger than 100 nanoparticles. If the packaging or description doesn't say, ask!

Next up, the bad guys.....

This is not one of those times when going after the "bad boy" isn't as exciting as it was when you were teenager! In fact, playing around with these "bad boys" can have much more serious effects than a good cry over a tub of ice cream! This group of ingredients are found in chemical sunscreens and protect you from the sun by absorbing UV rays before they have a chance to damage your skin. When looking for this list of bad boys, check out any products with "SPF" on the label, especially if they don't mention that it is a mineral or physical blocker that's protecting you. So who are the bad boys? Without further ado, here's how you'll find them on an ingredients list: padimate-O (PABA), benzophenone (oxybenzone), homosalate, and octylmethoxycinnamate (octinoxate).

So what makes these ingredients so bad?

First, padimate-O (PABA) is a physical blocker (not a bad thing) but it is also a suspected carcinogen. Second, Oxybenzone (benzophenone) has shown endocrine disruption in animals, although the relevancy of this finding is debated as some experts claim that it doesn't enter the human bloodstream in any meaningful way. Third, the remaining ingredients are suspected of messing with hormones. Yikes!

So why care about the effects of the sun in the first place?
According the Canadian Cancer Society, "Natural sunlight is important for good health. But too much exposure to the sun’s rays can cause skin cancer and eye problems. Being safe in the sun can go a long way in protecting yourself and your family. There is no safe way to get a tan. Tanning beds and sun lamps are not a safe alternative. The more you use tanning beds and sun lamps, the greater your risk of getting skin cancer." - Canadian Cancer Society Website.

So we're not talking about the difference between being pretty in pale, and being tremendously tanned, ... we're talking about keeping you safe from too much sun exposure that causes skin cancer! If you haven't taken this seriously in the past, this is the year to start!

Hoping to see all you lovelies the same shade this summer as you were this winter ;)

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Skin Care: Skin Type & Products Talk

If you're a follower of the blog, you've probably read my previous posts Your Skin Type and Factors that Influence Your Skin Type. Today I'm going to address something very important!

The products you're using COULD be dictating your skin type!

For example, you may think you have dry skin naturally, where in fact the harsh cleanser or toner you're using is actually the cause. Another example would be using a moisturizer that is making your skin oily due to being poorly formulated (or made for other areas of your body that are known for being super dry - for example, your feet).

What does this mean for you?

It means that a quick look and feel of your face can't tell you for sure what skin type you are. You need to take a review of the products you're using and be objective - how do they make your skin feel after use? Are you using one product, only to follow up with another one as a result of the first (the best example of this is using a "cleanser" (read: NOT REAL SOAP) that strips your natural moisturizer barrier and then following up with a super heavy cream, balm or serum to try to replace the natural oils that were stripped). It may take some willpower to put down those products that you've been loyal to for years but it's worth trying. Truly look at what the products you use day in and day out are doing to your skin - are they worth exposing your skin to? are they worth your money? your time? Our skin is great a balancing it's natural moisture barrier if it's not being exposed to detergents or other harsh ingredients. Remember that and seek out products that will help your skin, not hinder it.

You maybe starting to notice a trend here:

"Skin types" are nothing more than categorizing the condition of your skin which, will change often and frequently meaning that holding on to or identifying with a skin type is mostly a waste of time - retrain your brain to disregard being put into a skin type box! Instead, monitor your skin and care for it by addressing it's changing needs. The more in tune you are with the state of your skin, the closer you'll get to being able to give it what it needs, when it needs it.

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Skin Care: Factors Influencing Your Skin Type

In a previous post I started a discussion about skin type. This post continues that discussion with a look at what factors influence your skin care type. As I noted before, our skin type changes often, which means the needs of our skin changes. I will go into more depth about the needs of skin types in the future, but first I'll share why you skin experiencing these change in the first place!

There are two types of factors that effect our skin type: external factors and internal factors.

External factors include:

• The climate our skin is exposed to
• Over or under moisturizing
• Over or under exfoliating
• Using irritating or drying products
• Using inappropriate products
• Unprotected sun exposure
• Prolonged sun exposure
• Secondhand Smoke (see)
• Pollution (creates additional free-radical activity that damages collagen and the skin's genetic stability)

Internal factors include:

• Hormonal changes
• Pregnancy (hormonal changes)
• Menopause (hormonal changes)
• Menstrual cycle (hormonal changes)
• Rosacea
• Psoriasis
• Dermatitis
• Genetic predisposition of skin type
• Smoking (one cause of necrotic skin which occurs when not enough blood and oxygen are supplied to a given skin region.)
• Medications (note: some birth control pills can increase oily skin & breakouts while others can improve skin's appearance)
• Diet (although a small factor, there is research showing a diet high in antioxidants & omega 3 & omega 6 can help). Also see this blog post.

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Skin Care: Your Skin Type

We've all heard about "Skin Types" such as oily, dry, normal, and combination skin. Have you pinned down which category your skin falls under? If you're like most, your skin never fits in one category indefinitely because our skin type changes from season to season, and even week to week! In the winter we may consider our skin to fit into the "dry skin"category, whereas in the summer it fits into the "oily skin" category.

So why do we bother having skin types at all? Well, mostly because they are a great marketing method for skin care companies! It's much easier for them if you consider yourself to fit in one category and one category only so you continully buy their "{insert type here} skin care line" over and over again without considering any other options.

The truth is that your skin will never fall into just one category all the time. Several other categories have also been marketed such as sensitive skin and acne-prone skin. Instead of describing what the surface of your skin is currently experiencing (such as excess oil), they describe REACTIONS to products that your skin experiences. With that in mind, I'd be more apt to say that ALL skin types are sensitive and acne prone under the certain conditions.

Not only will the category of your skin change (due to internal or external factors), it will also change over time AND can fit into more than one category at once.

Additionally, the "normal" skin type category is the one we'd all like to fit into because it's considered to be the skin type with no problems or visible flaws. However, the majority of women, including those who seem to have a "flawless face", do not consider themselves to have "normal" skin. And the ones that have said they have "normal skin" in the past, often change the category they feel their skin fits under in the future. This is a good representation of how everyone's skin type changes... or rather, the needs of our skin changes often! It also points out that even women who have skin that makes us totally jealous, aren't always happy with their skin and don't consider it to be "normal", or perfect all the time. I'm not pointing this out to say that you'll never have "normal" or "perfect" skin, I'm trying to drive home the point that we're far too critical of a few fine lines, a hint of red, a blemish or two, or even freckles (which by the way, are beautiful so flaunt them if you have them!). What we need to do is learn to love our skin by focusing on it's NEEDS and the condition of its overall state, rather than focusing on tiny areas that can only been seen THISCLOSE in the mirror or by losing sleep over what an ad on TV has told us to worry about! (I would love to put in a perfect example of one of these commercials here but I'll save it for the youtube or blogtalkradio version of this topic!).

I have a LOT more to say about Skin Types so stick with the blog over the next little while as I will be discussing skin types in more detail! Also, in the future I'll share this info on blogtalkradio and possibly youtube so tune in/subscribe to those channels to hear or see me talk about Skin Types while adding in extra info and stories that I haven't included here. :)

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Video: Blackheads - what they are, and how to get rid of them

See the blog post for this video here.

See all of Batty's videos on youtube.

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The Benefits of Soy Butter

Soy Butter is used in our "wet" clay mask. Out of all the wonderful butters that nature has to offer you might be wondering why I picked soy butter. There wasn't just one reason to pick soy butter, but many! It's such a wonderful ingredient that has so many good qualities! Check out the list below to learn about what's so great about soy butter!!

• Since it is made from soya beans, it is extremely high in lecithin, sterolins, vitamin E, omega 3 fatty acids and isoflavones.
• It penetrates easily into the skin which makes it an effective moisturizing agent.
• It re-hydrates and replenishes the skin’s lipid barrier to help hold in moisture while softening dry, chafed, and damaged skin.
• It exhibits good spread-ability on the skin, making it ideal for a facial clay mask.
• It has an extremely mild scent making it great for people who are sensitive to strong orders, fragrances, and scents.

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Skin Care Facts: Blackheads - What are they really?

Let's Talk Blackheads!

So what are they?

Blackheads may make skin look dirty, but they are unrelated to dirt. They are actually created before the oils in your skin even react the other layer!

Where do they come from?

Blackheads are formed when:

**hormones cause too much oil to be produced**

**dead skin cells get in the way of oil trying to exit the pore**

**the pore is impaired or misshapen**

These 3 things add up to having the exit where oil exits, to be blocked... and viola! A clog is created! As this clog nears the surface of the skin, the mixture of oil and debris oxidizes and turns, you guessed it: black.

So What Can We Do to Get Rid of Them?

You cannot scrub away blackheads, at least not completely. Using a topical scrub removes the top portion of the blackhead, but does nothing to address the underlying cause, so they're back again before too long. The best way to deal with blackheads is to combined several strategies to address all the reasons that they crop up!

Here are Batty's best tips and tricks to work into your skin

care routine to avoid & clear up blackheads:

1. Be diligent in exfoliating your face with a good facial scrub daily!
2. Keep dry skin at bay but making sure your skin's natural moisture barrier is taken care of -- moisturize after washing your face & use a facial soap that wont strip your skin's natural moisture barrier -- because the combo dry skin & dead skin cells will just create more blackheads!
3. Let your makeup do some work: wear a primer with natural detoxifying clays.
4. Introduce your skin to a detoxing dry clay mask (here's a how to video!) and follow up with a good facial scrub. This process will pull up some of those clogs to the surface of your skin where they can be scrubbed off.
5. Switch to mineral makeup - it's less likely enter & clog pores (and if it ever does enter the pore, it's easily pushed out)
6. Check out this blog post to see if a vitamin deficiency might be causing your skin to produce extra oil
7. Change your pillow case frequently - oils from your hair & face, plus dead skin cells and other debris hangs out on your pillow case and that's just asking for problems! Keep your pillow case clean so your face can stay clear!

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What Olive Green Clay Really Does for Your Skin

Our primer has it, our facial masks has it, and even our cucumber facial soap has it... what is it? It's Olive Green Clay!

Olive Green Clay is our "go to clay" around here because it's strengthening for all skin types! This clay has got it going on ;) It's the strongest of all clays for detoxification - something that is essential to keeping skin clear and health which makes it vital in the care of acne-prone and oily skin.

So what else is so great about this clay? The detoxification properties already make Olive Green Clay absolutely amazing but it does more than just that! The minerals in the clay help to rebalance oil flow (another essential element of controlling breakouts), strengthens the skin, and aids in the repair of scars (an added bonus for those of us who have scars left over from previous or long-term breakouts!). The repairing properties for scars also makes Olive Green Clay ideal before, during, and after pregnancy where stretch marks are of concern.

So the next time you're applying our primer, facial masks, or soaping up with our cucumber facial soap, you know exactly what that wonderful clay is actually doing for your skin! It's a good feeling isn't it? :)

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Vitamin Deficiency and Your Skin

Although taking your vitamins doesn't mean you'll never need to wash your face or exfoliate again, making sure you're not deficiency in particular vitamins & minerals can definitely go a long way in helping your skin care routine. Combined with the good old basics of skin care, proper nutrition could give your skin the boost it needs!

Here are some common symptoms of mineral and vitamin deficiency:

• Acne: Acne lesions can be triggered by deficiencies in vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, biotin, and zinc.

• Dry Skin: Focus on the proper intake of vitamins A and C, which will replenish and rejuvenate your skin from the inside out.

• Oily Skin: This is a similar symptom to acne breakouts and lesions, but if your skin is excessively oily, it is best to focus on your vitamin B2 intake. This is a common deficiency that can cause oiliness in the complexion, often creating painful acne lesions or making it difficult for your makeup to stay on all day long.

• Rosacea: Rosacea is exacerbated by a vitamin B2 deficiency. Having a proper vitamin B2 intake will work to balance complexion and prevent the redness and swelling that is so common with a rosacea flareup.

• Stretch Marks: If you want to minimize stretch marks in your skin, focus on vitamins E and B6, as well as an ample intake of zinc.

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Dead Sea Salt: Is it really better?

Today we take a look at one of the ingredients I use in my B&B products: Dead Sea salt!

Dead Sea Salt refers to salt extracted or taken from the Dead Sea. It is a popular ingredient of many common bath products including bath salts, salt scrubs, foot scrubs, body wraps, bath bombs, soaps, and a wide variety of other cosmetic products, including makeup.... but is it all it's cracked up to be? It appears so!

Dead Sea salts have been reported to have the following benefits:

• Rheumatologic Conditions – Dead Sea salts can be effective in balneotherapy of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Osteoarthritis. The minerals are absorbed while soaking, stimulating blood circulation.
• Common Skin Ailments – Research has demonstrated that skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis are relieved by regular soaking in water with added Dead Sea salt. The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends Dead Sea and Dead Sea salts as effective treatments for psoriasis. One study concluded that the high concentration of magnesium in Dead Sea salt was instrumental in improving skin hydration and reducing inflammation. Another study conducted at the University of Negev, Israel also looked into the claims of Dead Sea Salt and found that although common salt provides benefits to psoriasis suffers, Dead Sea Salt does a slightly better job at reducing it's symptoms (when soaking it salt baths regularly).
• Allergies - The high concentration of bromide and magnesium in the Dead Sea salt can relieve allergic reactions by cleansing and detoxifying.
• Skin Aging – Further research into Dead Sea salt benefits has shown a 40% reduction in the depth of wrinkling.

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