Is There A Benefit To Alcohol In Products?

Everyone has their favourite toning solution as part of their skin care routine. But are you aware of some of the effects you will encounter by having alcohol in your toning solutions?

What about the awareness of what alcohol actually does to your skin, in terms of regenerating the skin's epidermis?

Let's start off with why it is important for you to use a toning solution after you cleanse your face.

It is very important to use a toning solution because once you wash your face and remove the elements of the day (eg. make-up  pollution, dirt, debris, oils etc. ) you need to replenish the moisture that has been lost due to the cleansing of the face. You need to bring your skin's pH levels back to normal in order for your skin to get the healthy complexion and clear skin.

The reason we need to keep the moisture levels at par, are in fact, going to slow the production of wrinkles and slow the ageing process. Also, 70% of wrinkles are due to sun damage and not taking the proper steps to help block the sun's rays from our faces and bodies.

Which brings me to the reasoning why you shouldn't use a toning solution with alcohol in it.

Alcohol is a very drying solution and you are applying that to your face after you have stripped the skin of it's natural oils by washing it. You are not replacing the moisture that has been lost you are just stripping the skin of the layers and causing the skin to become more dry, which will lead to the opposite effects you truly wanted.

Invest in an alcohol- free toning solution because those have moisturising ingredients incorporated into them. Whether the ingredients are natural plant extracts or natural/organic fruit extracts, those are the best ingredients for your skin that will help with healing and replenishing the moisture loss.

Next time you are looking to invest in a skincare line, pay close attention to details. Check the ingredients that you are going to be putting on your skin. Keep an open mind!

Education 101 on Compromising Ingredients in Some Products

Can I mix products without compromising effectiveness of the ingredients?

Answer is:

Yes you can! But you should never mix any products with SPF in them! It dilutes the sunscreen and your chances of being protected just diminished by 70%!

Never mix a product that has:

* Salicylic Acid
* Glycolic Acid
* Alpha- Hydroxy Acid

With:

* Hydroquinone
* Retinol
* Vitamin C products

The acids will breakdown these products and some of these products are meant for exfoliation. If you mix them with other products that are not meant to be mixed you could experience a deeper issue that could potentially burn your skin and/or cause a severe rash!

Just please be cautious and always read labels as they are important in everything we use in our day to day lives.

Natural Nail Strengthening Treatment

Are you finding that your natural nail is brittle and soft? 

Do they break real easy when doing your daily tasks?

Well I have a natural remedy to help with those issues!

All you need is:

20 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
15 drops of Carrot Essential Oil
13 drops of Grapeseed Essential Oil
13 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil
13 drops of Avocado Essential Oil
2 ounces of Jojoba Essential Oil

Blend all oils together and keep in a light-sensitive container or bottle (dark colour works great) with a dropper. Use it on the nail after you polish the nail or after you moisturize your hands. Give it time to settle into the nail bed and the cuticle before washing hands and doing your daily tasks. For best results, do it before you fall asleep at night. You are giving your hands a rest so the oils have more of a chance to absorb into the nail bed.

Enjoy!!

Chasing Your Eyeliner When It's Running Away From You

Oh that dreaded raccoon look that we all wonder how in just a few short hours, our eyeliner begins to run away on us.

We have all been through it, we get ready for work in the morning, looking perfectly dressed, a beautiful makeup application and yes you guessed it, by lunch time, you have developed a look that could scare you; the raccoon eye look.

We stand in front of the mirror, using toilet paper, paper towel and even our fingers to try to wipe the look away from under the eyes. Unfortunately those (3) ways of removing the issue at hand, are not the safest.

Under our eyes, the skin is extremely thin and the blood vessels are closer to the surface, so if you are using something rough and abrasive, you can break blood vessels which then lead to "dark circles" under or around your eyes. 

We don't realize how much bacteria is on our hands. So next time you go to wipe your makeup from under your eyes or even touch your face, remember what you last touched. Bacteria on your face and near your eyes can cause infections, breakout, etc. Just be aware!

Here is a quick solution to fix the dreaded raccoon eye look:

An easier way to help your makeup from running is to set your eyeliner!

It is a simple trick to finish you look before you leave the house. There are (3) ways to do this:
1.) Setting Powder- (Laura Mercier-Loose Setting Powder)
2.) Eyeshadow - Use a colour close enough to your liner and put it on top of the liner to help it hold on.
3.) Toner- Misting a bit of toner or misting spray on your face will help in setting your powder and give you a flawless look as well. (Firming Tonic Facial Mist-Osmotics)

Also, as in a previous posted article, you do not want to add eyeliner to the lower lid as that could lead to infections. Applying to the lower lid is another huge reason your eyeliner runs because throughout the day your eyes water, its natural, and your eyeliner will wash away. As long as you are educating yourself and learning from mistakes you will eventually understand. Practice makes perfect.

You make it work for YOU! :)