Kelly Bonanno

Your soulful coach for eco friendly living, clean beauty & wellness Savvy | Sexy | Beautiful | Healthy | You

skincare

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Giveaway! Enter To Win Pure & Coco Skincare AND Home Detox Masterclass & Coaching!

Enter for your chance to win Pure & Coco Skincare products AND Kelly’s Eco Wellness Coaching. Meet Pure & Coco founder, Rene Bartosh, and hear how she helps people naturally relieve dry skin and eczema with her inspiring Pure & Coco story. She also shares some of her top skincare tips!

One very lucky winner will receive the following prizes worth over $200:

Pure & Coco Moisturizing Exfoliators

Luxe Stainless Steel Spoon for Moisturizing Exfoliators

Bamboo Facial Washcloth

Cosmetic Travel Bag

Kelly’s Home Detox Masterclass

1:1 Eco Wellness Session With Kelly

Check out our interview:

Pure & Coco Moisturizing Exfoliators

  • Pure cane sugar gently removes the barrier of dead skin cells which blocks creams, oils, and lotions from properly absorbing into the skin, all without burning or irritating sensitive skin
  • Gently removes dry skin, flaking skin, & moisturizes to soothe itching eczema skin overnight
  • Helps even out skin tone, minimizes pores and calms redness
  • Dermatologist approved for use on your face & body, safe for daily use
  • Organic Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil leaves skin feeling soft and moisturized-not greasy

Luxe Stainless Steel Spoon for Moisturizing Exfoliators

  • This perfectly sized spoon scoops up the exact amount needed every time of your favorite Moisturizing Exfoliator
  • Easily scoop out the perfect amount each time
  • Helps manicures stay looking fresh longer because you no longer have to use your fingertips to scoop out the product
  • Keeps excess water out of product
  • Perfect for stirring if the product becomes separated from heat or hard from cold temperatures
  • Crafted from 18/10 stainless steel, resists rust and holds its polish well
  • Dishwasher safe

Cosmetic Travel Bag

  • This generously sized cosmetic bag can carry all of your favorite Pure & Coco skincare products, including a large Moisturizing Exfoliator, and plenty of room for all of your makeup
  • Convenient zippered compartment with breathable mesh fabric to safely store your makeup brushes
  • Removable dividers so you can customize the bag to your specific needs
  • Waterproof material, sturdy handle for carrying
  • Soft material for easy cleaning and storage

Bamboo Facial Washcloth

  • No more sharing the family bath towel to dry your face. These 100% Pure Bamboo washcloths are naturally anti-microbial and anti-bacterial perfectly suited for sensitive facial skin types
  • Using a separate towel for your face prevents transferring bodily bacteria onto your face
  • Double layered for extra absorbency and thickness
  • Machine washable

Kelly’s Home Detox Masterclass

Learn how to:

  • Go green
  • Detox your home
  • Reduce your body’s toxic burden
  • Reduce your risk of illness
  • Reduce your carbon footprint
  • Adopt healthy home habits
  • Eliminate chemical-filled commercial products from your home and daily routine
  • Eliminate and avoid toxins commonly found in households and everyday products
  • Learn about harmful chemicals commonly used in household products & which health risk they pose
  • Implement the best strategies to help ensure your home is as healthy and non-toxic as possible
  • Easily implement eco-friendly household habits and methods
  • Transition to clean, effective products for the home
  • Eliminate toxins and create a healthy indoor environment
  • Prevent long term health issues caused by environmental toxins
  • Choose healthy, safe, effective household products
  • Protect our ecosystem and help create a cleaner environment
  • Avoid being greenwashed ever again

Includes worksheets, handouts, pocket guides and a comprehensive list of my top favorite household lines that are safe and effective (cleaning products, candles, water filters, and more.)

In light of this pandemic, it’s more important than ever to create a healthy, less toxic home and personal care routine. Toxins lower immunity and wreak havoc on your health.

1:1 Eco Wellness Session With Kelly

  • We’ll reduce your body’s toxic burden by working on any aspect of green living  and wellness that you choose: beauty, personal care, home, lifestyle, nutrition or a combination
  • I will provide you with the very best plan to effectively detox your beauty and personal care routine to support long-term health, without stress or overwhelm
  •  Start/continue transitioning to the right clean beauty & personal care products for your skin type, preferences and budget
  • Learn how to balance nutrition and stabilize blood sugar levels so you can release unwanted weight and stop yo yo dieting
  • I will help you create a plan based on your needs and the type of skincare, beauty and/or home products that you want and need to make your green journey easier and more glamorous
  • Ask Kelly all your questions about clean beauty, eco friendly living, the products you currently use, which products you should use, nutrition and more

The prize is valued at over $200!

Enter and tag a clean beauty loving friend! Good luck!

A votre sante

xo Kelly & Rene

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InLight Organic Skincare Review & Giveaway

Allow me to gush for a moment… I simply love this line. The products I tried for this review are sublime. They prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can have luxurious, effective, high performing skin care products without turning to toxins.

Inlight Organic Skincare is formulated with effective organic food-grade and cold-pressed oils, herbs, the purest essential oils and beeswax. The products are formulated by homeopathic doctor, medical herbalist and skin expert Dr Mariano Spiezia, the company’s founder.

One of the products they sent me to review is their facial cleanser. It’s a deeply hydrating oil-based balm that lifts skin impurities, fights blackheads and spots and removes makeup. The scent of this cleansing balm is absolutely divine. My first thought was ‘do they make a fragrance in this scent?!’ I seriously want a perfume version of it!

It’s different from any cleanser I have tried. You leave it on for a few minutes to allow it to deeply decongest and cleanse then wipe it off with the ph balancing floral tonic or for added exfoliation remove it with their organic cotton glove or your own wash cloth. This lovely cleanser is the recipient of beauty awards such as Anti-aging Beauty Bible and Green Parent Natural Beauty.

The face oil is one of the best that I have tried. It glides onto the skin beautifully giving a silky feeling. The scent is very nice; subtle with notes of vanilla and rose. Every ingredient is clean as is the scent but even some organic fragrances can be too overpowering, this is not! It’s designed to moisturize and nourish the skin as well as balance production of skin sebum.

My skin felt wonderful after applying it. It absorbs nicely and works very well under make up. I also used it at night and do believe I see some improvement in my skin.

The packaging is also lovely. Performance is what really matters but presentation is important, baby!

Check out my latest video, I give my full review and interviewed Lucie Husarkova, founder of Hug Your Skin. She shared interesting information about some of the effective anti-aging ingredients they use.

Holiday shopping is under way so I know you’re looking for great gift ideas, luxurious skincare is always a wonderful gift. Treat yourself and the women on your list.

Enter the giveaway for your chance to win an InLight product. There will be 2 lucky winners! One of you will win the chocolate mask and one of you will win the face oil.

They are also kindly giving all of my fabulous savvy readers 15% off any purchase. Just head to my affiliate link and enter coupon code KELLY15 at checkout. Discount valid through end December 31, 2017.

If you purchase Thursday, November 23 through Monday, November 27 you’ll get the special Black Friday deal: 25% OFF with promo code BFCB25. Purchases over $60 will include beauty glove made from 100% organic cotton.

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Your Guide To Clean Beauty & Personal Care

You’re smart, savvy & healthy.

Your beauty products should be too.

The secret to adopting an all natural eco beauty and personal care routine is using products with clean ingredients. But it’s not that easy. Long lists of ingredients are daunting and look like you need a PhD to decipher. I was just as confused and frustrated as you so I did the research and found dozens of clean lines to make your clean beauty shopping experience a breeze.

You don’t have to give up anything! When it comes to products that do not contain harmful ingredients, there are many fabulous clean lines to choose from to help you take care of your skin and glam it up. Earth friendly does not have to mean earthy, ya feel me?

This is a comprehensive list of brands that I have vetted and researched. No greenwashing from any of these lines. Among them you’ll find fantastic skincare, body care, hair care, makeup and more. They do not contain any of the carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting chemicals found in most products on the market.

Many of these lines are completely pure, others may contain safe synthetics, dyes, etc. but every line you find here is clean. How green you want to go is your choice.

Curious to know how you can get your hands on my list of “bad” ingredients to avoid? Send your email address to me at kelly (at) kellybonanno (dot) com and I’ll send it right over for free or click here and have it delivered to your inbox.

You can find a comprehensive list of eco friendly household lines, including cleaners, laundry, clean candles, water filters, mattresses, clothing, jewelry, accessories, essential oils and more here.

I’m an affiliate for some* of the lines which means I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something through my link (this does not affect your price.) which I truly appreciate as it helps subsidize the free content I share here on my site, in my Facebook group, on Instagram, in my free newsletter, etc. Thank you for supporting me and my mission to help make your clean beauty shopping simple. I’m not affiliated with all of them but I do give my eco seal of approval to each one so happy shopping!

Find it overwhelming to figure out which products are best for you? I’ll take the guesswork out. Call, text or email me 818.235.2205  kelly@kellybonanno.com or schedule a complimentary call with me. I’m happy to offer guidance in choosing which lines and products will meet your needs and budget.

Now, on to the list!

100% Pure

100% Pure This is one of my favorite lines for skin care, cosmetics, bath and body products. They are made with the highest quality ingredients, completely free of all harmful toxins. The lipstick is very long wearing and the mascara gives luscious volume & length!

Credo Beauty A vast array of high performing eco-friendly, cruelty free, organic cosmetics and skin care lines including Kari Gran, Antonym, Gressa, Innersense, Josh Rosebrook, Lily Lolo, Priti NYC, Alima, RMS Beauty, Skin Owl, Vapour, W3ll People, Love Fresh, Rituel De Fille. Get 20% off with code: CREDOFAM

Madison Reed High quality, salon-worthy clean hair color actually does exist! Find your best hair color, cover those grays, get that glossy shine you want WITHOUT ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PPD, phthalates or gluten. With over 45 shades of gorgeous, multi-dimensional hair color with superior gray coverage, you’re guaranteed the perfect shade for YOU. Use code KELLY123 and receive 15% off plus free shipping on your first order!

Indie Lee  After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2009 (then fortunately recovering), Indie made it her mission to educate and empower others to make informed, healthy life choices and to create a line of clean products that are as effective as they are safe. 

Love Goodly A large selection of wonderful clean, eco beauty lines plus a subscription box containing 4-5 mostly full size products. Each month you’ll receive beauty and skincare, a style or home accessory and an occasional healthy snack and wellness item. With each purchase, they give back to a cause. 

Annmarie Skincare Handcrafted organic, wildcrafted skin care made with a 3-step, proprietary process. Very nourishing beautiful products that I highly recommend. 

Safe and Chic  An extensive selection of organic green beauty, skincare and hair products that are environmentally safe and never tested on animals. Over 1500 products and 85 brands to choose from. 

Pur a’dor  Clean skincare, haircare, and body care. Buy something and you’ll bring another tree into the world. They plant one tree for every bottle purchased at their online store. Hands down the BEST hair spray! Light with great hold, not sticky or wet. 

goPure Exceptional skincare based on the most potent active ingredients and botanical extracts. High quality skincare products at the lowest possible price.

Maya Chia Fantastic line of clean skin care products with high-performance, luxurious formulations. Their Super Blend rescued my dehydrated skin. Love it.

The Detox Market A wide variety of offer pure, effective, and elegant products. They are committed to curating the best of natural beauty while never compromise efficiency.

Odacite  They source the highest quality ingredients, precious plant extracts, magical oils and potent cosmeceuticals to create highly effective skincare with ultimate potency, absolute freshness and complete purity.

Living Libations  Unique, pure, healing beauty and personal skincare products formulated with some of the highest quality organic and wildcrafted essential oils found around the globe.

LivingLibations.com

Salty Girl Their goal is to have you ‘feeling beautiful, badass and ready for the day’, enhancing your natural beauty with clean nourishing ingredients and beautiful colors #OWNYOURBEAUTY

Roccoco Botanicals Superior skin care. Fantastic anti-aging skin care that is results driven as well as high quality skin and body care safe and effective for acneic and hyper-sensitive skin including rosacea and eczema using select anti-inflammatory active. 

Pour Le Monde Certified 100% natural and very beautiful fine fragrances made from entirely pure ingredients with great names like Empower and Envision. 

Lauren B. Beauty High quality couture eco nail care and polish in 85 beautiful colors that are glossy, long lasting and chip resistant, especially when you use one of their awesome topcoats like the Sun Activated UV Gel Topcoat. The brush is pre-lacquered with twice the standard amount of bristles, so your polish glides on smoothly and streak-free giving you a gel-like couture polish that dries fast. Use code kellyb20 and get 20% off! You’ll love their gorgeous colors, nail growth serum, cuticle oils, hand cream and the monthly Beauty Box.

Blissoma Holistic Skincare 100% natural, Certified Vegan, made in-house, packed with certified organic botanicals, bioavailable vitamins, essential fatty acids, and skin-soothing seed oils.  They specialize in care for demanding skin types such as extremely sensitive skin, allergies, or other skin problems. 

Juice Beauty Authentically Organic Formulas Made With USDA Certified Organic Ingredients: to enhance the powerful antioxidants and to limit pesticide and synthetic fertilizer residue. Try the NEW Green Apple Brightening Essence, now FREE Deluxe Size Moisturizer w/ purchase. Code: Essence

Wildling Empress Stone is a facial gua sha tool for lymphatic drainage is designed to help revitalize and sculpt facial skin and neck and alleviate tension. Empress Oil works with the tonic to hydrate and plump skin.

Inlight Organic Skincare Exquisite plant based skincare formulated with effective organic food-grade and cold-pressed oils, herbs, the purest essential oils and beeswax.

Hey There Savvy Beauty! Want my Top 10 Beauty Secrets Delivered To Your Inbox Instantly? Sign Up Here ?

This checklist gives you easy, actionable tips that you can start right away to look & feel your best!

True Botanicals They work with researchers at leading universities, including Carnegie Mellon and Cornell, to identify the most nourishing ingredients for skincare: botanical extracts packed full of antioxidants, vitamins, and essential fatty acids creating high-performance formulas by combining ingredients known to combat specific skin issues, such as acne, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles. 

Hynt Beauty Luxurious color and skincare cosmetics with rigorous ingredient quality specifications. Co-founded by breast cancer survivor, Meryl Marshall.

Pure Haven  Nourishing skin & body care, exceptional hair care, safe baby & kid’s care, makeup, excellent pet care, effective home cleaning & quality essential oils. Every item scores 0 – 1 on the EWG Skin Deep Database. No animal testing, everything is gluten free. Order direct through my affiliate site @ Pure Haven Essentials, or fill out this contact form for product inquiries, advice and orders.

 

Follain A healthy beauty store with safe and effective products from over 40 brands, all made in the USA. To be Follain approved, a product has to be safe, effective and luxurious. They test each for effectiveness by consulting with aestheticians, dermatologists, makeup stylists and other pros.  

Silk Naturals Clean make up that is free of harmful ingredients and affordable. Their philosophy is makeup should be fun! I agree. I love that they have several wonderful dupes for your favorite toxic makeup items. 

Waxelene  Safe petroleum jelly alternative. (One of my MUST have, holy grail items!) Organic therapeutic ointment that moisturizes, nourishes and protects dry and cracked skin without clogging pores. Comes in a tube, in a jar & in a lip balm which is my absolute favorite lip balm ever – totally keeps my lips soft and kissable.

Tata Harper High performing products formulated with more than 300 different botanically based ingredients sourced from all over the globe in high levels of concentrations.

Zoe Organics Baby and mom care made with high quality botanicals, waxes and minerals.

Real Purity  All natural products designed for the most sensitive of skin to soothe and soften.

Mad Hippie This award winning line of vegan skincare is dedicated to the preservation of the environment with their eco business practices and donations of $1 to conservation from every web sale. They have high performing serums, creams and oils that produce results. 

Pure Anada  Makeup, beauty tools, body care, mens care and skincare formulated with Olivem®1000 Crystal Skin™ and Leucidal® Advanced Aloe, a safe preservative.

Jane Iredale A wonderful collection of hypoallergenic non-nanoparticle mineral makeup and skincare products that nourish the complexion. This line is one of my personal favorites, superior products. 

Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Skin Perfecting Primer Soft Focus The Soft Focus liquid formula is designed to balance normal sensitive and combination skin types while instantly providing a naturally soft satin finish with beauty-boosting botanicals including Vapour’s proprietary Herbal Enlightenment Complex and Deep Moisture Complex of rich organic Pumpkin and toning Elderberry. Savvy girls, let me tell you, this is by far the best primer I have ever used. You will love it!

The Honest Company LOVE the mascara and primer in one, lengthens without clumping and is not pricey! 

Pleni Naturals Non toxic products for babies, kids and the whole family made with nourihing vitamins, antioxidants. A portion of proceeds go to Life Lab, a pioneering nonprofit cultivating children’s love of learning, healthy foods, and nature through garden-based education.

Eco Girl A women-owned and operated shop offering natural products for your health, beauty, style, home, and the planet. They’ve partnered with One Tree Planted to help support global reforestation by donating 1% or more of all website sales. A single tree can provide a habitat for hundreds of species. Trees are vital for the air we breathe, our water, medicines.

Acure Skin, hair, body, lips and baby care formulated with targeted plant and food based ingredients. I love their face scrub, cleansers, fruit enzyme peel and hair care & more. Affordable high quality. 

Crunchi High performance, safe, toxin free, beautifully pigmented cosmetics. My rep is Kerry, she’s super sweet and helpful, tell her Kelly says hi! 

Puracy Organic Hair Care & Skin Care Gift Set Award-Winning Organic Hand & Body Lotion, Natural Body Wash, Shampoo & Conditioner. Sulfate-Free, Developed by Doctors (pack of 4).

LURE Essentials 100% Pure Rosehip Seed Oil Certified organic, cold pressed, unrefined, virgin for face massage, skin, hair and nails. Hydrate lips, dry itchy skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, address hyperpigmentation. 

Manda Naturals reef safe organic food grade sun care. 

Lily Lolo Natural Organic Mascara Nourishes and conditions eyelashes – Enriched with chamomile and vitamin E. Adds volume and length to eyelashes evenly and smoothly with no flakes, smudges or clumps. Vegan and gluten free. 

Andalou Naturals Ultra Sheer Daily Defense Facial Lotion SPF 18. Lightweight hydration and ultra-sheer broad spectrum protection SPF 18 provide daily, easy to wear protection. Be aware, this is not 100% clean, however, it does contain anti-aging ingredients such asFruit stem cell complex, resveratrol, CoQ10. Plus, some of you are looking for ‘safer’, not necessarily the purest. 

Ever Skincare Clinically proven to target visible signs of aging, including the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and dark spots with clinical-grade level ingredients.

Lure BLISS Face Cupping and Anti Cellulite Cups  Face & Body Cupping Set: Cupping Massage is known to help: improve circulation, reduce inflammation , release toxins (lymphatic drainage and detox) , lower blood pressure , relax muscles , relieve joint pain , fibromyalgia , regulate hormones, release endorphins, promote healing, improve sleep.

Genetix Organic High performing organic serums for a variety of skin issues including their cult favorite Enhancement Oil with herbs that penetrate to stimulate blood flow and promote the growth and longevity of new cells. Can be used to enhance your breasts, butt and lips. Va va voom.

Pacifica A full range of lovely natural cosmetics, perfumes, nail polish and skin care.

Alima Pure Satin Matte Eyeshadow A highly pigmented natural loose-mineral eyeshadow with a matte finish. 

Amara Organics Vitamin C Cream Face cream with coconut oil, cocoa butter & jojoba oil nourishes skin, softens fine lines, fades age spots, and gives skin a radiant glow.

Babo Botanicals Skin, hair, sun and baby care made with a combination of pure plant actives, naturally derived, certified organic and all-natural ingredients. 

Clean Tan Self-tanning concentrate, natural bronze color that lasts like a spray tan, add to any lotion, serum or oil for a dream tan.

Just Nutritive Skin care, hair care, tanning products & pet care made with the purest plant oils, butters, botanical extracts and essentials from the best that nature has to offer.

Suzanne Somers’ Skincare, Haircare & Makeup Superfood for your skin feed to nurture and hydrate your skin, while giving you flawless coverage. They use effective botanical actives with ingredients like shea butter, jojoba, aloe, argan oil, grape seed oil, bamboo powder, tapioca, rich mineral powders, raspberries, oranges, Vitamin E and more.

For those of you who have curly hair, I have heard RAVES about Suzanne Somers True Brazilian!

Carina Organics Citrus Extra Gentle Shampoo Specially compounded for color treated, permed, bleached, hi-lighted, and dry hair, the extra gentle shampoo gently cleanses without stripping hair of it’s colour and replenishes your scalp with essential moisturizing nutrients.

Sex Oil  Hydrates and soothes with vitamin E, coconut and rosehips oil. High in antioxidants. Dual function as an unscented body or massage oil. 

Black African Soap  Body, hand and face wash that can soothe eczema, acne, psoriasis and more. 

Puriya Cream For eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dermatitis, shingles and rashes. Powerful 13-in-1 natural formula provides instant and lasting relief for severely dry, cracked, itchy, or irritated skin.

MyChelle Dermaceuticals Multi-tasking products formulated to address your specific skincare concerns. Their sunscreen is fantastic, one of my top sunblock picks.

Zoya Nail treatments and 10-free nail polish in several gorgeous colors. 

Prim Botanicals Lovely skincare, eco perfume, haircare, clean burning candles and pretty beach blankets. 

Prim and Pure  Affordable, safe, natural products for children and teens. 

Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes Tonic-infused natural face wipes to reboot dull, tired or oily skin with aloe, bamboo and green tea (20 individually wrapped bamboo wipes)

Jurlique Holistic Skin Care  Pure & natural skin care combining ancient arts of alchemy, herbal medicine & homeopathy. 

Hair Color 

Madison Reed High quality, salon-worthy clean hair color actually does exist! Find your best hair color, cover those grays, get that glossy shine you want WITHOUT ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PPD, phthalates or gluten. With over 45 shades of gorgeous, multi-dimensional hair color with superior gray coverage, you’re guaranteed the perfect shade for YOU. Use code KELLY123 and receive 15% off plus free shipping on your first order!

Palette By Nature Natural hair care and color free of PPD, PTD, Artificial Dyes, Amines, Ammonia, Peroxide, Resorcinol, Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates and pet grooming products. 

Hair Print Non toxic hair color for dark shades. 

Deodorants That Work

Pure Haven (my personal favorite), doTERRA, Phresh, Schmidt’s, Meow Meow Tweet or CocoPits.  

Sunscreen

Coola (fantastic under makeup), MyChelle Dermaceuticals (love this one too), Acure, Mad Hippie, Ever (this one has nice shades if you want tinted sunscreen), Manda Naturals, Block Island Organics, 100% Pure, Babo Botanicals.

Acne Care 

Blissoma, Osmia Black Clay Facial Soap, Roccoco Botanicals, Pure Haven Skin Care, Andalou Naturals brightening line, Suki clarifying toner & purifying acne serum. Tea Tree essential oil can be used as a spot treatment in some cases, check with me or your esthetician.  

Eczema Treatments

Pure Haven Dream Cream, Waxelene, Colloidal Silver gel, Black African Soap, Forces of Nature eczema control, Puriya Cream.

Dr. Wang Herbal Rescue Balm Herbal & NON-steroidal care for itchy, dry & irritated skin. Winner of 2017 Good Housekeeping Seal, safe for kids, developed by a dermatologist and herbalist.

For Baby & Mama

Ecocentric Mom  Monthly delivery club for moms who want to discover and save on the very best non-toxic, organic, natural and unique products for themselves, their babies and their homes. Each product meets their rigorous product standards.

Earth Mama Organics Clean, safe and effective herbal solutions for the entire journey of motherhood, including pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care. 

Feminine Care

Pads, tampons, menstruation care and more: L., Rael, Cora, GladRags.

Essential Oils 

Mountain Rose Herbs 

Pure Haven 

doTERRA

 

Clean beauty and household products

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*Disclosure* I may be an affiliate for some of the products that I recommend on my site. If you purchase those items through my links I will earn a small commission. This does not affect your price. I do appreciate you shopping through my links, it helps support this site so I can continue offering you lots of value, good recommendations and free information. Thank you in advance, I appreciate your support!

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Get Glowing ~ 4 Tips For Radiant Skin

Guest post by Naomie Pierre       

  • Keep Things Shaded

Most of us have heard by now that it’s smart to use sunscreen and stay out of the sun for long periods of time when possible. However, experts are finding that avoiding sun all together can be harmful. It actually does the body good to take in a little sun each day, you’ll get a natural dose of vitamin D. Morning exposure has the least harmful rays. The sun’s rays are strongest between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm. So, try stay out of the sun during those hours or seek shade and wear a hat. It’s also important to use sunscreen that does not contain harmful chemicals.

 

  • Avoid Smoking

We know that smoking cigarettes is one of the worst things you can do for your health but it’s also one of the worst things you can do for your skin. Taking in the heated, chemically-infected air of a cigarette dries out the skin, makes the skin appear aged and adds to the creation of wrinkles. Smoke decreases blood flow to the exterior layers of the skin which takes away important nutrients and oxygen. In addition, the components that aid in youthful, tight skin – collagen and elastin – are also destroyed by smoke. Another way that smoking wreaks havoc on the skin is by the same facial gestures being done over and over again as required by a repetitive habit like smoking. These facial gestures will eventually become wrinkles.

Healthy, vibrant skin helps us feel better about ourselves and more ready to face the world head on 
  • Be Kind To Your Skin

Despite what many facial cleansing companies might tell you, it’s actually very damaging to the skin to wash it too frequently. It is also harmful to use water that is too hot, soaps that are too strong (they strip oil from the skin), or to dry with too much gusto. Instead, pat your skin dry, use mild cleansers without toxic ingredients and be sure to moisturize every day.

  • Eat Plenty Of Fruits And Vegetables

Mother Nature’s resource for vitamins is one of our great friends when it comes to helping our skin shine. By eating organic vegetables and fruit, you are aiding your cells in staying healthy and being able to fight off pollutants, sun damage, free radical and acne outbreaks.

Naomie Pierre covers lifestyle, health, beauty, skincare and women’s health topics for My Doc Hub, a trusted online doctor reviews and medical information website.

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Can Microdermabrasion Ruin Your Skin?

Guest Post by Igor Marcikic

We`ve all heard of microdermabrasion, a mild, non-invasive method of removing dead skin cells found in the surface layer of the skin. It was introduced in Italy, almost 30 years ago. Today, it`s one of the most popular methods for dealing with acne, mild scarring and wrinkles, skin exfoliation and rejuvenation.

Can it ruin your skin? Not if it’s done properly. Microdermabrasion boosts skin circulation and helps rid skin of toxins and impurities. However, as with any procedure, there  are dangers and hazards to be aware of.

Aluminum Oxide Crystals

Although this technology is outdated, you have to be aware, especially if you are looking for a machine for microdermabrasion at home. Some older machines use aluminum oxide crystals to blast the dead skin cells off your skin. Research shows that aluminum in personal care products is linked to Alzheimer`s disease, breast and prostate cancer.

These crystals can:

  • Cause skin irritation and inflammation
  • Scatter into your lashes, hair and ears, causing discomfort and possible health problems
  • Irritate your eyes, causing corneal scratches and abrasions
  • Cause the powder from the crystals to get into the lungs and lead to health problems, especially with asthma sufferers

The solution to this problem was found in the use of a new technology – diamond tip exfoliation without the use of crystals. It is less irritating and far more gentle on the skin so it can be used even on more sensitive areas.

So, before you schedule a microdermabrasion procedure (or order a machine for home usage), make sure they use a machine with a diamond tip!

Sensitive Skin

“Is microdermabrasion safe for sensitive skin?” Since sensitive skin often goes hand in hand with acne breakout, this question is incredibly difficult to answer. If your skin is already affected by severe acne inflammation, rosacea or if you spot broken capillaries, you should steer clear of this procedure.

Those with sensitive skin should get a professional do to the job properly with a diamond tip since it will allow better pressure control depending on the skin`s reaction. After the treatment, moisturize and hydrate your skin with pure non-toxic products since it will be very dry. The second treatment should be scheduled at least 2-3 weeks after the first one, to give your skin enough time to fully recover.

Microdermabrasion And Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a challenging time, as far as the skin is concerned. You may be faced with new breakouts, rashes and all sorts of skin problems, but pregnancy is definitely not the best time for microdermabrasion.

The skin will be far too sensitive and the normal post-procedure changes (dryness, redness and itching) may greatly intensify. Not only that, your skin will take more time to recover, opening a doorway to various bacterial skin infections. I advise waiting until after the baby is born. Everyone, particularly expectant mothers, should avoid skincare products containing harmful chemicals.

Post-Procedure Problems

Redness and dryness is normal, to a certain degree, it usually feels like a mild sunburn. This usually goes away after two days. If they are still present after 48 hours, you should consult a medical professional. It is also advised not to expose treated skin to direct sunlight for a couple days.

At the end of the day, skin type and sensitivity vary from person to person, so there are no ultimate rules and regulations.  Arm yourself with knowledge and always ask questions if there are some parts of the procedure you are not 100% on board with.

Igor Marcikic is a beauty & skincare writer, for more info & tips visit his blog, Skincare Panda.

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Skin Care for your 20s, 30s, 40s & Beyond

Guest Post by Lee Ann Buttery

From college sorority sisters to centenarians and everything in between, everyone should practice good skin care. With each subsequent decade, we must adjust our skin care regimen accordingly. If we take proper care of our skin (along with eating healthfully and exercising regularly), we can be confident that we’ll age gracefully. Whether you’re 20 or 100, keep reading to learn skin care tips appropriate for your age.

20s

Your skin is still very young but it requires a little more attention than it did in your teen years. Simplicity is still key here, but now is the time to take a small step toward anti-aging for preventive purposes. If acne is an ongoing battle it may be because you are using the wrong skin care products for your skin type. If you have oily skin, opt for a gel-based cleanser. If you have dry skin, choose a cream-based formula. For acne-prone skin, use a cleanser that contains acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid. After cleansing, apply a toner on the face and neck—well formulated toners can offer amazing benefits to the skin.

To treat blemishes, use a spot treatment that contains salicylic acid and/or colloidal sulfur. The last step is to apply a moisturizer with a built-in broad spectrum sunscreen for daytime. Choose one with a physical barrier like zinc so you don’t absorb harmful chemicals. For nighttime, choose a formula without sunscreen. It is crucial to take proper care of your skin now, because you’ll reap the benefits (or lack thereof) in your 30s and beyond—especially when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun; sunscreen is the top anti-aging product. When you approach your early 20s, you can incorporate an eye cream into your regimen to slow the formation of crow’s feet.

30s

You may start to notice your complexion is not as vibrant as it used to be in your 20s. Also, you may notice a few fine lines and crow’s feet around the eyes. Now is the time to really address signs of aging. Aside from basic cleansing, toning and moisturizing, it would be wise to include a serum in your skin care routine. Choose an antioxidant-packed serum such as a vitamin c serum to help address discoloration and dullness.

Moreover, now is the time to be a little more aggressive with exfoliation—use a cleanser that contains an alpha hydroxy acid such as Glycolic Acid. Exfoliating two to three times a week will instantly slough away dead surface cells to reveal a fresher, more youthful-looking complexion. It will also help increase cellular turnover, which slows down as we age. Cellular turnover is the speed at which skin cells die and are replaced by new ones. The process of cellular turnover is what determines the youthfulness of our skin. For instance, a child’s skin has very fast cellular turnover, which is why their skin looks so young and smooth. At this stage of the game, you should be using an eye cream to nourish the delicate eye area, especially since it gets more fragile and thin as we get older.

40s & Beyond

When you reach your 40s and beyond, hydration is more important than ever before. Continue the basic regimen suggested for those in their 30s but step it up a bit. Your skin care products—from cleanser to eye cream should contain hydrating ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin and Lactic Acid. Retinols work wonders too. Furthermore, continue to exfoliate two to three times a week with a product formulated with an alpha hydroxy acid (Glycolic Acid), for higher grade resurfacing.

Regardless of your age, there are universal skin practices that everyone should abide by. Aside from the basics such as cleansing, toning and moisturizing, everyone should wear sunscreen on a daily basis, moisturize and exfoliate regularly.  Be careful of the products you use, most skin care lines contain harmful chemicals. Beauty comes with every age and good skin care will yield the healthiest skin possible.

Lee Ann Buttery is a Licensed Esthetician and Professional Makeup Artist who works for Mario Badescu. She is passionate about all things beauty-related and has a particular obsession with anti-aging.