Tips and Tricks

The Biggest Mistakes Acne Sufferers Make

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You aren’t washing off enough after your acne treatment
Use a lathered wash cloth after treatment to get rid of all traces of the acne solution. If you see any staining of towels, wash more thoroughly! Any product containing benzoyl peroxide needs work to take off the skin. If you leave benzoyl peroxide on the skin you may as well be leaving the products on permanently as the skin will adapt to the ingredient. Instructions and video here.

This also applies to using an acne treatment over the sink. This is hard to get the treatment right when it’s hard to lather and wash off correctly over the sink.

You are using acne treatments more than once a day
Never! Once again, exposing yourself to too much benzoyl peroxide risks roughening up your skin. Once a day treatment is ideal for long lasting clearness. As far as the natural soap and other products go, use as often as you like!

You are using spot treatments
A spot treatment will probably clear you up for a brief period of time. The problem is that these treatments are usually acidic, full of harsh ingredients and terrible for the long term health of your skin. Try the Kick Start Method for those tough areas.

You aren’t using enough product
Just like some use too much there are many that squeeze every drop of life they can get out of a bottle. Some try to get six months or a year out of a bottle. Until your acne is completely under control, you can only get three to four months max for facial acne. The first bottle should last no more than three months. Body acne? One to two months per bottle due to the thicker nature of the skin and more surface area. If you’re still not clearing up, use more.

You mix and match skin products
People often believe that if they mix and match products that they will get the best results. As with most things in life, shooting for a solution like a shotgun will usually not work. You need to focus on each individual product you try to see which one you get the most of.

Almost all skin care products today are acidic. Any liquid ointment should be avoided until you are clear. One by one add them back in to your routine and see how your skin reacts. For cover, our powdered mineral foundation works well (or a store bought foundation with as little ingredients as possible). For maximum cover, a paste can be made with the foundation and the daytime moisturizer. Apply the treatment with a makeup sponge. If it doesn’t say pH neutral, don’t use it!

You aren’t scrubbing hard enough
Your skin has many layers. The out layers are dead skin cells. Removing these dead skin cells opens up your pores and encourages new skin growth. This also aids the products into penetrating the skin. Do not be afraid to scrub hard. Most acne sufferers have tender skin. This is due to the products they’ve been using. Start out gently and gradually increase the effort you use to scrub. As your skin gets healthy, you will be able to take more exfoliation. Exfoliation is the secret to youthful healthy skin. It is exercise for the skin.

You’re using a toothpaste or shampoo that contains SLS
If you get breakouts around your mouth and chin you could be allergic to SLS  (Sulfates) or something else in your toothpaste. There are SLS-free toothpastes on the market that are great such as Biotene and Closys II. Others might have problem ingredients such as Papaya. If breakouts are around your hair line it could be due to the SLS in your shampoo. If you Sulfate seems to be the issue, avoid store-bought liquid soaps. Our body wash is liquid and contains no Sulfates of any kind.

You aren’t spending enough time in the sun
With the advent of sunscreen and better communication about the dangers of sun exposure, we’ve actually seen a rise in Vitamin D deficiency. With the fear of skin cancer people are shielding themselves from the sun with sunscreens. To the point of not getting any Vitamin D. According to studies up to 37 percent of caucasian adolescents are deficient and over 82 percent of African Americans are. With a large enough deficiency, the skin struggles to heal as fast and acne may be triggered.

The only way to get Vitamin D naturally is to spend about 15 minutes in the sun daily. Morning sun works best. Keep track of your time in the sun as you can burn fast when unprotected. Here is a sunscreen guide for natural ointments that are healthy for your skin.

The water quality in your shower is poor
Maybe it sounds like we’re reaching here but the quality of your water can make a huge difference for some. If you aren’t seeing results six months in it could very well be the quality of filter you use. Water is an element that affects your skin greatly. It also varies depending on the area you live. My son used to notice his acne staying clear when he away from college. After noticing a few instances of the same by our customers we looked into it. After customers got a soft water system their often skin cleared up. Could hard acidic water be the cause?

You have a gluten or food sensitivity
Sensitivities to food can cause a skin condition similar to acne. There is a simple (but challenging) test. Give up all wheat products for a week. You have to read labels. Gluten is in pizza, bread, pasta, beer and many distilled spirits. These kinds of wheat may even be found in cosmetic products. Sometimes it’s not the products your using or should be using, it’s simply your diet.

I’m a big believer in Karma. What goes around comes around. Our goal is to help people to have clear skin. Whether that’s with our products, a competitor’s or some other reason – all the power to you. Follow the directions and use some detective work!

Tips and Tricks

How to Naturally Clear a Skin Wart

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Sometimes you find the best solutions for an ailment are different than what the product is advertised for. Take for instance a skin wart. If you take any skin ailment like a wart into a dermatologist they will tell you that they need to freeze that ugly thing right out of existence. That may be quick but Cryotherapy essentially destroys the area. Good thing there’s a healthy alternative.

Here’s how to clear a wart on the skin the natural way:

  1. Take the Clear & Smooth Acne Treatment and exfoliate the area thoroughly. This helps get rid of some of that thickened skin and puts some great minerals on the skin. Benzoyl Peroxide may or may not affect the wart area so a typical exfoliator may work as well. Instructions on proper use here.
  2. Wash the area thoroughly with the body wash or natural soap. This will soften that thick skin up some more and keep the area clean. Using a regular soap may irritate the skin more so avoid this!
  3. Dry the area completely and apply the Eczema Cream. This cream has magical qualities that have solved many customer’s rash problems along with the bacterial condition known as (surprise) Eczema. A wart may be viral but it is a contagion like bacteria.
  4. Wrap the area with a bandaid or duct tape to insulate the area and maintain moisture. Duct tape applied to a wart has actually been proven to be more effective than Cryotherapy! If you don’t want anyone asking why you’re wearing duct tape fashionably then just apply before you go to sleep.
  5. Wait at least a week. Don’t irritate the area by picking at it. This is where having covering helps to avoid that temptation.
Now we can’t say that Carley’s products make a difference here. What we do know is that the glue  and lack of oxygen in duct tape is highly effective at killing off warts. Combine these effects with the already amazing effects that the Eczema Cream has on infected skin, the softening effects of the natural soap and the exfoliating effects of the acne treatment and you have yourself a recipe for success!
What you’ll need:
Tips and Tricks

Using the Natural Soap

The proper way to store the soap when traveling

Did you know that soap can breathe? You’d know a lot about natural soap if you took a look at what real soap looks like. It’s colorless, usually odorless and sensitive to the environment. Colors may change depending on the environment. Since we use the finest vegetable ingredients we can find they often vary by batch. Most of our ingredients come from incredibly diverse areas where they are made differently such as Shea butter. This means that each batch differs slightly in appearance.

Dark spots on the soap bars are not uncommon. As the soap ages, it will continue to discolor. This is normal and one of the reasons this is such a good soap! Beware of any products that look as good on Day 1 as they do in a year. Other soaps use chemicals (plasticizers) to preserve the same appearance for years.

Do not store soap in a plastic bag

Our soap bars will physically change over time. To many, as the soap ages it actually mellows and becomes even better. Like a fine wine!

Do not store this soap in a plastic bag. It is best to allow the natural soap to breathe. If you place this soap next to regular store bought soap it may absorb chemicals or odors from those soaps as well. This is also why the soap should breathe in an open environment.

Avoid a “Vanishing” Bar
While many tells us our large soap bars last forever, we have others that say they go through the bars like clockwork. With such a lathery bar of soap as ours, be sure and put the soap in a soap dish that is well drained and out of the shower stream. This will allow our soap to dry between showers or baths. If our natural soap stays wet in a puddle of water, it will melt fast.

Pro tip from our customer, Jill:

Cut your bars in quarters when you get them. They are already large “blocks” as it is and cut fairly easily. Dividing the bars increases the surface area and allows for the soap to “breathe” easier. Did we mention it’s easier to give to your friends that way?

Pro Tip from another customer, Caseh:

After cutting the bar into quarters take a cloth and wipe the soap hard a few times. This should create plenty of foam to wash the face with. This method also saves a lot of the soap so you can keep using that bar for months!

Informational

Essential Oils, Carrier Oils or Fragrance Oils… Which Should Go on Your Skin?

Rapeseed oil field – FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whether it’s going into your cars, on your food or on your skin – “oils” play an important role in the day to day lives of people. The origins and use of oils are so vastly diverse that it is hard to label every type of oil as such. While oil in cars is usually labeled a petroleum, the oil we’re talking is usually in the form of an essential oil or a carrier oil.

Webster’s dictionary defines cosmetic oil as: “a substance (as a cosmetic preparation) of oily consistency.”

An incredibly vague definition. Nothing is explained at all about why we use these oils or what kind we use. It is best to explain these oils by type:

Essential oils add the active qualities of a product. Whether it’s skin healing, soothing, softening, anti-inflammatory or a thousand different combinations of the above – every essential oil has numerous qualities. The only limit to a product with essential oils is what type go in what product. An essential oil known to soften rough skin will better go in a moisturizer than a discoloration cream.

We use essential oils in just about every product we use. It is the active ingredient to fulfill the benefits that we aim the product to achieve. Not only are there numerous kinds of essential oils but there are numerous grades. We use the highest quality forms with the least dilution. Some companies believe just a drop of expensive oil is enough but we believe that’s deceptive advertising.

Derived from the fatty portion of a plant, carrier oils are the vehicle that takes these oils through your skin. While some believe that oil containing products are what cause their breakouts there are others that believe that an oil can just sit on the skin. Both are wrong. Essential oils by itself may cause skin irritations or just sit there. Carrier oils will dilute these oils and allow the important stuff to break through the skin barriers.

Combine these with an efficient method of making moisturizer, notably without ingredients that block absorption, and you get the complete benefits of these oils.

Fragrance oils are the mystery oils in the cosmetic industry. Manufacturers do not need to disclose what is contained in fragrances. This is problematic for those with allergies to fragrances or what is contained in the base form. It’s hard to identify every ingredient in a product when fragrances are used. Aiming for paraben-free products? What about sulfate-free? With fragrances we probably will never know for sure!

Fragrances add little to a product other than aroma. This smell is short lasting and usually better for attracting people to the product rather than what it actually does. Combine the risks of using fragrances with such superficial qualities and this makes it a hard sell for us. We don’t use fragrances in any of our products.

Tips and Tricks

Regular or Industrial Strength Treatment for Acne?

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Most acne products on the market use Benzoyl Peroxide as the primary clearing ingredient. It may seem smart to use higher and higher amounts of this essential ingredient but we recommend less. Much less for healthy skin.

We use BP in our acne treatment like most others but in smaller quantities. This is why we we offer an Industrial Strength version for those with more severe acne as well as the Regular Strength.

Drying, Sensitivities and Overuse
Benzoyl Peroxide acts as an oxygen generator for your skin. When massive amounts of oxygen are absorbed into the skin, this disrupts bacteria. Acne is prevented from even forming if done right. Problem?

Benzoyl Peroxide is overused in today’s market. It’s easy to throw BP at the problem and create a quick fix. In today’s quick-fix-world where people demand instant cures it is hard to practice patience. But that is exactly the way to achieve not just clear skin but healthy skin. Clear skin done quickly may not stay clear for long. Healthy skin stays permanently clear!

The drying effects of BP are well documented. Not only can the ingredient dry the skin too much but the skin can adapt to BP. It begins to take more and more treatments to stay clear as the body adjusts to such harsh conditions.

A small portion of the population is actually allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide. This creates a rash on the skin when used as an ointment. That doesn’t mean these people can’t use products that contain BP. This just means they need to carefully monitor the amount they use on their skin. Here is a guide about using BP for people with skin sensitivities…

Regular Strength or Industrial “Kick Ass” Strength?
The goal is for all acne sufferers to be able to take the regular strength to stay clear. The “Kick Ass” formula uses a higher amount of BP (about 5%) to keep severe acne sufferers and teens clear. The regular strength uses about half that amount which is far lower and milder than other products on the market (and yet works more effectively!).

If you are a severe acne sufferer or teenager with acne, use the Kick Ass treatment. This formula has the right amount of BP to effectively clear the skin. Not only can this product better handle skin more oily and prone to acne but it isn’t full of heavy chemicals that most products marketed towards teens and severe acne sufferers do. For the hard to treat spots or lagging results, try the Kick Start Method. For body acne sufferers, skin on your body is less sensitive than your face. You can apply a more liberal amount on the body so the Kick Ass treatment may be for you.

As your skin becomes clearer, switch to the Regular Strength. If you have a pimple here or there, start with the Regular Strength. The Regular Strength has the ideal amount of BP for long term health. Not too drying, not too harsh for sensitive skin. Like Goldilocks said, just right!

The solution to your acne woes may appear to need extreme measures but they really don’t. If you have a history of acne ointment “abuse” (because that’s almost what it is!) your skin will take longer to adapt to milder treatments. All of those heavy acidic products so pumped full of terrible chemicals did long term damage to the skin. The skin will take time to heal. Don’t even think about an acid wash! You may as well pop pimples yourself and hope for the best.

 

Promotions

Carley’s Clear & Smooth is International!

Where is Carley’s Clear & Smooth available? Is Carley’s available in the United Kingdom? The Philippines? Romania? You name it, it’s probably available online. Your only limited by your access to the internet. Something tells me if your reading this that means you fit into that category.

One of the great things about an online business is that we don’t have to deal with retail. The typical retailer marks up products over 100%. Since manufacturing and distribution is done in-house we aren’t limited by geography.

A Scottish friend of mine annually flies to Orlando, Florida with bags of candies. Bags filled to the brim with world famous Cadbury chocolates. Trading these items with relatives, they get their shopping fix done and fly back full of clothes. Essentially trading hard-to-come items in America with hard-to-come items in Britain. What we don’t want is forcing you to do this with our products! That’s why we make shipping easy and fast. Oh, and guaranteed, of course!

Thousands of our customers hail from more than 70 countries. We have always had a strong presence in the United Kingdom and Canada. Many of our customers come from Southeast Asia. Some of our most active fans now hail from Australia.

The Aussies can’t get enough of our product. Maybe it’s due to the fantastic economy Down Under or maybe a couple raving fans. We don’t know but it’s exciting!

The international mix doesn’t stop with just our readers and customers. We find many of our best ingredients are imported directly from their source. This means a diverse mix of  ingredients fresher longer.

Informational

There’s a Bug on your Face! Cosmetics and their Love Affair with Coloring.

Have you ever gone on a run or bike ride and gotten a cloud of nats stuck to your face? It’s not an enjoyable experience. What if they were ground up and put in the products that go on your face?

Bug juice is an actual ingredient that cosmetic (and food!) companies use to make their product look pretty. Unless you’re Bear Grylls, the thought of that may make you uncomfortable.

Hold the beatles, please
The female cochineal, when crushed after feeding on the pricky pear cacti, create a striking red color. The coloring is used in everything from lipstick to cosmetics with a reddish tint. Though this product may have little effect on most, some have had serious allergic reactions to this popular bug extract.

Red Dye #2
We wish this problem were just about bugs. Almost every cosmetic uses some sort of colorant. You may remember the Red Dye #2 panic. Studied linked the popular coloring to cancer. The Mars Company had to take red M&Ms out of lineup even though it contained no Red Dye #2! The coloring made a comeback in the form of Red Dye #40. In 2010, several governmental organizations have called for the ban of this dye now.

Remind me to only drink black coffee at Starbucks – FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Starbucks recently “decided” to get rid of the bug juice carmine from their strawberry flavoring. Carmine is just a fancy word for crushed beetles. Starbucks will now use a natural tomato extract instead to color their strawberry filling. Why is it such a tug of war with the big companies to listen to the customers over margins?

How synthetic coloring?
Almost every colorant has some kind of effect on the body. Here is the “palette” of coloring a popular company uses for their line of cosmetics:

  • Brilliant Blue FCF – Derived from petroleum; known to cause allergic reactions; was banned in over 10 European countries
  • Sunset Yellow FCF – Derived from petroleum and coal tar; known to cause allergic reactions and hyperactivity; banned in several countries including Norway and Finland
  • Allura Red AC – Known to cause hyperactivity in children; The Center for Science in the Public Interest is calling for an FDA ban
We can’t look like Brad Pitt anymore than we can make a bug and color-free soap look like that

As much as we wish our soap could can be as pretty as Tyler Durden’s, we don’t use fragrances or coloring of any kind. In any product. This puts a major hamper on people’s expectations of what a soap should look like – pretty, sensual, beautiful, colorful. It’s not your prom date. It’s supposed to clean. For pure utilitarian purposes a soap with the absence of these terrible ingredients does far more for the skin.

“Natural” products
This goes back to what a natural product really is. We call our products natural and so do many others. But what is exactly is natural? Technically, bug juice is as natural as you get. The Ancient Aztecs used it as a dye for centuries. The real issue is the labeling. Companies list this ingredient as “other” or simply Carmine. It’s skating around the issue that bug juice simply disgusts most of us. Companies would rather keep their margins than disclose the nature of their ingredients.

Bug juice may seem gross but it’s not near as disgusting as some of the synthetic coloring that makes it’s way to the store shelves. Those can have devastating effects for some. For what? To make the product prettier. Nothing more.

Informational

If it’s Good Enough for King Tut’s it’s Good Enough for You: Black Seed Oil to Treat Eczema

Eczema and Itchy Skin Testimonials

“This absorbs so nicely and my hands are healing up already! In 2 days! Aloha!” -Louis

“This works! I had a rash for 2 months, this got rid of it in a week.” -sorchamacsidhe, eBay

“That eczema cream worked beautifully for an undiagnosed rash that
my daughter had. I mean… Instantaneously. It was absolutely amazing. I absolutely adore your product and even got another believer, who never found anything she was not allergic to except one cruddy over-the-counter product, who now swears by your product in Grass Valley.” -Linda, Grass Valley

“I love this cream. Started having very dry skin on my eyelids during the winter. I use this cream every night and within 2 days, my eyelids are no longer dry. Remember, this will not absorb in right away, but will within about 20 minutes. I just use it right before going to bed. Decided to try it on my face as well and it leaves my skin soft and hydrated. Very happy I found this.”

“May 10-year-old daughter had a terrible skin problem that has been resistant to many treatments. She would get wart-like bumps along with a constantly itchy skin rash that would redden, swell, and scale. My daughter started using the eczema lotion. It’s amazing. Literally within a handful of treatments, her 1+ year problem was gone. In fact, Carley’s wrote to inquire how it had worked and I had to admit that she had not complained for so long that I had literally forgotten what was once an EVERYDAY problem. I had to ask my daughter how it was working and she said it was definitely working! She has been itch free for over a month. How about that????!!!!!”

“This new eczema cream is really fabulous! Good work.” -k9tardus, eBay

“Love it, love it, love it, where have you been all my life? I’ll be back, thanks.” -sassyfrassy85, eBay

Product Reviewed: Carley’s Soothing Eczema Cream with Black Seed Oil 

Tips and Tricks

Carley’s Kick Start Method Video

Carley’s Kick Start Method is now visualized for you on video. Tell us what you think in the comments.

Tips and Tricks

Removing Make-Up the Natural Way

People ask us all the time if can they use their cold cream. A cold cream is an emulsified mix of water and fats that removes make-up and gives a cold sensation. Despite the longevity of cold creams through history (over 2,000 years), modern cold creams contain much more complex ingredients than their ancestors.

Due to the acidity and chemicals in cold creams to get the best results, we prefer you don’t. In fact we ask you to try to avoid all other liquid skin care products. Other liquid cosmetics not only contain acidic materials but very likely contain harsh chemicals, dimethicone (which blocks absorption in the skin), and allergens like fragrances.

Make-Up Removal

We recommend you use the natural soap to remove eye make-up. What if the natural soap doesn’t remove the eye make up? Easy. Just get a small bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. With a cotton pad you can easily remove make up. Afterwards, close your eyes and wash with our natural soap. Rinse.

Keep in mind, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a very delicate product and should be refrigerated for long term storage. Keep a small bottle of it in your bath and a big bottle in your fridge. If not the fridge, make sure the bottle is tinted, not clear.

Still Not Satisfied?

I know you like that cold sensation. Sometimes the best feeling after being out is a cooling sensation to your face. Try a moisturizer that actually absorbs in the skin and you will forget you ever depended on those cold creams.

Tips and Tricks

Natural Sunscreen Recommendations

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Everyone knows too much sun is bad for you. Not everyone knows the average sunscreen is also probably bad for you. Most sunscreens on the market have been inaccurate or misleading for years – they are now facing up to those consequences.

  • The FDA is now requiring all sunscreen brands to distinguish between UVB protection and the deeper penetrating UVA rays which are known to cause cancer.
  • Sunscreens with less than SPF 15 will have to have a warning on the label that the product cannot protect from cancer. Many brands have been caught exaggerating the SPF on their products.
  • Many brands are falsely advertising their sunscreens as “non-nano”. Nano ingredients in sunscreens have been known to cause cancer.

Cancer risks? SPF ratings? These are major obstacles to overcome even before figuring out what ingredients to put in! If we were to sell a sunscreen we would need to submit each batch for testing to get an SPF rating. This could take months – even years. There goes the freshness factor.

Don’t get too much OR too little sun – Recommendations
We recommend an SPF 30+ if your going to be out in the sun for an extended period. Don’t slather the SPF 30+ on your skin every time you go outside. Just like many get too much sun, there are those of us that get too little sun.

Instances of Vitamin D deficiency has soared as sunblock use has increased. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to skin problems, heart disease, chronic fatigue and even cancer. 15 to 20 minutes in the sun without a sunscreen daily is ideal for us to absorb enough Vitamin D. For us Floridians that is easy – so be wary of your location!

The best sunscreen we’ve came across is the Banana Boat Sport SPF 30. Both quick drying and lotion-free, this is an ideal spray. Neutrogena, Bullfrog and Coppertone all make a variety of these as well. Look for rub-free and lotion-free. Lotion sunscreens are too acidic and may counteract our product.

With the right color – the mineral foundation is almost invisible when applied

Mineral Foundation – A Sunblock?
A good mineral foundation can act as a sunblock. This is ideal for facial protection in any environment. Our mineral foundation contains Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide which are natural UV protectors. They re also known to naturally sooth the skin and known to heal acne.

This mineral foundation worked miracles for me when I was healing from my burns. I had to avoid direct sunlight for my burn and regular sunscreen would irritate the area. The mineral foundation not only hid the scar but it protected it as well.

Products Mentioned:
Carley’s Mineral Foundation
Banana Boat Sport SPF 30 

Tips and Tricks

What are those Bumps on My Arms?

As explained in our exfoliation guide, the body produces uneven amounts of skin cells in different areas. The reason your lips are red is due to the relative thin layer of skin you have there. The same holds true for the soles of your feet and palms. Alternatively, areas such as the outer arms and thighs are thick. With thick often comes problems such as keratosis pilaris.

Keratosis pilaris (or KP) is an incurable skin condition that produces rough, red bumps on the body. Most often seen on the arms, this condition is characterized by unsightly rough patches. Usually mistaken for body acne, we’ve found exfoliation and the acne treatment to help with both body acne and keratosis pilaris. Skin growth proteins (called keratin) block the hair follicles and form these bumps – usually in this area.

Body Acne or Keratosis Pilaris?

If you are suffering from body bumps in areas like the chest and back you probably have body acne. These are areas especially to susceptible body acne and should be treated just like facial acne – with a bit more exfoliation.

Instead of individual bumps you notice that your skin irritations look more like a patch. The skin is rough and forms goosebumps on areas previously mentioned – like the arms and thighs. Dry conditions seem to make it get worse unlike acne. You likely have KP.

Treating Keratosis Pilaris

This condition is incurable but we’ve had customers raving about how our products help. Though slightly different than eczema, we recommend similar ways to treat the skin.

  1. Use the body acne method. Quick start instructions can also be a good guide for the right way to lather and apply the treatment.
  2. Use the eczema cream on the areas. We’ve found this to be the best cream in treating the sort of dry, irritated skin that you get with keratosis pilaris.
  3. Keep the skin moisturized. A moisturizer that absorbs easily such as a dimethicone-free one works best.

Many sufferers of keratosis pilaris will not even see conditions in the humid summer months. Just following some of these steps has done wonders for many of our customers.