Carley’s Kick Start Method is now visualized for you on video. Tell us what you think in the comments.
Monthly Archives: July 2012
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.
Natural Sunscreen Recommendations
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.
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
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.
- Use the body acne method. Quick start instructions can also be a good guide for the right way to lather and apply the treatment.
- 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.
- 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.
Carley’s Quick Start Instructional Video
Tell us what you think in the comments below! Any requests for another instructional video?
Oil-Free Moisturizers: Why You Should Avoid Them
Think about a time when your skin was at it’s worse. It probably had an oily, greasy feeling that you couldn’t shake. It’s no wonder that you think the last thing your skin could use is a moisturizer containing oil. But that is exactly what I’m recommending you do.
Many people believe that if moisturizers containing oils touch your skin that the oil sits there and clogs pores. Exactly the opposite. As long as the moisturizers are dimethicone-free your moisturizer will act as a carrier by absorbing those oils. Many of these oils have magical effects on our skin:
- Jojoba oil – Similar to natural skin oils. Known to soften and moisturize dry/mature skin. Also known to treat skin ailments like psoriasis, dermatitis, oily scalps and acne.
- Kukui nut oil – Often used as a skin treatment after major sun exposure. Known to treat acne, eczema, chapped skin and even hemorrhoids.
- Tamanu oil – Known to treat dry and delicate skin as well as healing leg ulcers and bruises.
There are literally HUNDREDS of oils with different effects on the skin. The notion that you should use none of these is absurd.
Essential oils are ESSENTIAL
You are robbing yourself if you don’t expose your skin to these amazing oils. While your worrying that oil from cosmetics causes acne, you’re missing out on the oils known to treat acne!
I call oil-free moisturizers concoctions – because that’s what they are. A chemical soup of ingredients often there to replace the presence of what a true moisturizer contains – oils. Here’s a list of the things you typically find in an oil-free moisturizer:
- Parabens – Used to extend the shelf life of cosmetics. Parabens are actually a family of several chemicals and are known to disrupt the endocrine system.
- EDTA – Dissolves limescale. Also thrown in cosmetics so products don’t bubble up during manufacturing.
- Phenoxyethanol – Used as an insect repellant and anesthetic in aquaculture (fish). Also used in cosmetics as a preservative and is known to depress the central nervous system.
- Fragrances – Typically an allergen.
Plants, Seeds and Us
People that eat nuts are said to live two to three years longer than normal. Why? Nuts and seeds carry bountiful nutrients our bodies use.
Similar to a mother delivering nutrients to a baby by nursing, plants use oils as a way to deliver nutrients to offspring before they sink down roots. Every plant has it’s own formula within their seeds. The skin loves these oils because they are rich in nutrients. So as long as the oils can be carried through the skin (again, this where dimethicone fails) then they provide magical benefits.
Some are allergic to certain nuts and oils. This has provoked widespread fear in the industry to provide any oils – let alone the good ones. If you look at Mayo Clinic’s list of the top ten skin allergens, oils aren’t even there! Mostly artificial fragrances, preservatives and metals found in your average store-bought cosmetics. Allergic reactions to oils happen but they are rare.
A recent customer almost said verbatim what we’ve been saying here:
“This product has been AMAZING for me. Ironically the oils in the product have rejuvenated and softened my skin. The secret is using the right oils your skin needed.“
How to Strengthen Sensitive Skin through Exfoliation
If you see any cosmetic ad you’ll see the word “exfoliation”. Exfoliation remove the dead skin cells on the surface to give way for new skin. Few topics have such far ranging opinions as exfoliation – some say it causes micro tears while others use the science as an excuse to throw (literal) acids on their face. We’d like to think both are wrong.
Before I explain why a moderate exfoliate is so great, let’s take a look at the skin at the microscopic level. New cells are created at the dermis level. As the cells reach the outer epidermis level, they die. As the body ages so does the process of skin growth. Parts of the skin grow unevenly and you experience dryness and irritation. Exfoliation helps the process of removing this outermost layer. Dead cells can no longer block new ones from surfacing. Pores become unclogged and the skin becomes cleaner overall.
This is where two “schools of thought” form:
Exfoliation causes microscopic tears on the skin and should be avoided – This argument hypothesizes that exfoliation with any sort of roughness should be avoided. They especially bring up the point that crushed nuts or seeds cause microscopic tears as well as any exfoliant using a wash cloth. The problem with this theory is that the skin needs a certain level of roughness to remove the dead skin cells. Softly rubbing fine synthetic grains will exfoliate little. Your skin may even become irritated from these synthetic abrasives.
Effective exfoliation should be done with expensive chemical peels or dermabrasions – “No pain, no gain” is what dermatologists say about this procedure. By pain they mean putting acids on your skin so strong that your skin scabs and can takes weeks even months to recover from. The procedure puts patients at risk from everything from scarring to severe infections. All for supposedly slightly tighter skin with fewer blemishes. Yeah, and popping a pimple has a 100% of getting rid of said pimple. Doesn’t mean we’d recommend it. We don’t believe completely destroying your skin in order to rebuild it better is the answer and especially not if it involves killing most of your skin’s good bacteria.
Choosing between these two “schools of thought” is like choosing between a fitness program that doesn’t allow you to sweat and a program so tough you can’t move for weeks after the first day. Insanity!
We think there’s a reason why people with delicate skin tend to develop the most wrinkles. Their skin is very thin and grows slowly. As their skin scratches it bleeds easily. Extra layers of skin called scars form more easily in these areas. Skin is thin and less adapt to change. You can call this the natural aging process of skin but we think it can be reversed.
What did we learn from exercising about the skin?
During a hard session at the gym, microscopic muscle fibers are being torn. Once that soreness heals your muscles become stronger.. It’s the natural process called hypertrophy. Not only are they stronger but more durable. Our bodies are all about adaptations and repairing.
Exfoliation is no different. You have very sensitive skin? Exfoliate gently and build up. Your skin won’t grow into a dry, calloused mess anymore than you’d turn into a giant bodybuilder by consistently going to the gym. What you will see is the skin becoming stronger. Your body will be healthier and more adapt to change as the lifecycle of your skin is faster. Cuts will health faster.
The facial muscles are important to!
Another benefit of exfoliating is the massaging action you do to your skin. This invigorates the facial muscles. One of the reasons men’s facial skin ages slower than women is the act of shaving. Shaving forces men to use these facial muscles to get every part of the face to elimate the hair. Exfoliation helps but it is a good idea to work these facial muscles daily.
To summarize the consequences of not exfoliating I’ll quote my favorite movie The 40 Year Old Virgin: “Is it true if you don’t use it… You’ll lose it?” I think so.
Free Soap if you Like us on Facebook Plus More!
Facebook Promotion:
We love when people try the soap. We want to give an extra bar out on your next order. All you have to do is “Like Us” on Facebook.
Bars come included in almost every order already but we’ll send you an extra bar (two total) of the natural soap on your next order. Here’s how:
- Like us on Facebook
- Order something
- Email us about this Facebook Promotion
- You’ll receive an extra bar of soap goodness in the mail along with your purchase
- Follow us on Twitter for more promotions!
Note: If you already Like us on Facebook you can still participate. We’ve had customers “Un-Liking us” and then “Liking us” again just to participate. There’s no need!
YouTube Promotion:
An extra bar on your next order is nice… But you want more, right? We’ll throw you a FREE product, any product, of your choice if you record a short video about the products.
- Record a webcam/phone video to Youtube
- Send us the link
- Receive a product of your choice for FREE!
- Subscribe to our Youtube channel
Here’s a sample from one of our more enthusiastic customers:
You don’t need to record a an 18 minute video like this (awesome) customer did. A short video just explaining which products you love, which you don’t, how to use it is great. We LOVE these Youtube videos and we want our customers actively participating with us.
One person per promotion, please. Shipping is free.
While we’re on the topic of promotions:
Store – Buy two get 10% off / Buy three get 15% off / Buy four or more and get 25% off
eBay – Buy three and get one free
Look out for more in the future.
The Before and After Deception
Anyone with experience in marketing will tell you that you need a sensitive “BS meter” to survive in today’s consumer driven world. Cheap promotions, infomercials, too-good-to-be-true models, “miracle cures” all trigger this alarm. One of the most deceptive forms of advertising is the “Before and After Picture”. No industry does it better than cosmetics.
There is no better story than a dramatic transformation in pictures. Think about it: You’re looking for a product that can cure your acne and compare two different products. The “before” pictures are always the same. The “after” pictures? Also the same. From rough, acne scarred faces to clear as day skin. There is NOTHING that differentiates them (other than the paid models)!
This video of an “amazing transformation” was nothing out of the ordinary. All it took was switching the order of the pictures. The “before” picture – ironically done “after” was a result of vegetation and a vast amount of dairy and sodium. If an entire fitness program can deceive customers through five hours of amateur deception, what chance do you have believing a cosmetic company’s claims?
The skin industry uses this form of advertising even more deceptively than that video showed. Models are often paid to star in these infomercials and promotional adverts. Photos are taken without any make-up and the same facial expression in each – frowning. The “after” pictures are often no more than a savvy combination of smiles, professional makeup and Photoshop. Plastic surgeon Joseph Niamtu , DMD warns consumers to look for the differences in flash in these pictures. You can often spot major differences in pictures simply through the method of photography. When taken with a flash, the skin usually looks much better – and worse without the flash. The opposite effect may occur if the model has noticeably oily skin. Lighting, moods, day chosen, facial expression, make-up, diet and even Photoshop. Photoshopping has also become such a problem in cosmetic advertising that lawmakers are seeking to ban the practice. Tips for spotting deceptive cosmetic advertisements:
- The subjects chosen are models – This might be hard to spot but real subjects are almost always described as such
- Look out for the flash and lighting differences
- Notice if the skin has an other-worldly smoothness – This screams professional Photoshop
- The “before” picture is frowning and the “after” is smiling – Advertisers now seem to use the same facial expressions since it’s so easy to spot
- The words “miracle cure” show up anywhere
I hope I made your “BS Meter” that much more wary. We don’t want to be negative and tell you that our product – or any product out there – can’t cure you. It can. What we want to tell you is that this form of promotion has been used to death. We don’t want to give anyone false expectations. Everyone clears up differently at different intervals. This is why we will never use this dreaded form of promotion.
Showering with Acne: It’s More Important than You Think
Why do you suggest using the acne scrub in a bath or shower?
Most who ask this question want to use our scrub to take off make up in the evening. A natural soap is perfect for that. Keeping your skin meticulously clean is one key to controlling acne. The air is full of tiny dirt particles that embed themselves on your skin. If you aren’t taking a daily shower, you need to. Some need to take two a day.
The key for success is 30 seconds of scrubbing a day. This will completely remove remnants of the scrub. The nutritional part is absorbed into the skin, just like you’d rub a moisturizer. If microscopic amounts of the benzoyl peroxide stay on the skin you will not see long term results. Possibly no results. The powerful flow of the shower or submersion in a bathtub, as well as the natural soap with wash cloth effectively removes the Benzoyl Peroxide. Those embedded dirt particles (where bacteria hide) will also be removed.
Using over the sink, doesn’t effectively do this. Your towels, clothes and even your hair will stain. This is also why those stay-on-the-skin ointments work at first, but not long term once the skin adapts to the high exposure of BP.
When I grew my hair out I didn’t wash the scrub out. My shirts not only dyed in the neck holes but my hair slowly turned an orange hue! Don’t do this.
When you take your daily shower/bath, make that your treatment time. It really doesn’t matter when as long as it’s once every 24 hours. Wash at least one more time a day with the natural soap over the sink if you’d like.
What about an Aquasana carbon filter shower?
Carbon filters like Aquasana are worthless when trying to clean heated water. Carbon filters only remove chlorine. Sante for Health makes a filter that actually takes out the hardness plus other chemicals in the water.
Some water companies are adding ammonia to save money on chlorine. Ammonia is terrible for the skin! Sante for Health makes a special filter that takes out ammonia.
Why Freshness Matters (with Cosmetics)
In this day and age, being a budget conscious consumer has never been easier. Not only can you purchase products for dirt cheap prices at the supermarket but Frankenstein ingredients keep them “fresh” for years.
With a year past expiration these products often work just as “well” as when you purchased them. What does it say about a product that is as effective from Day 1 as it is in Year 2 or even 3?
The “fresh” label is thrown around a lot. Products made fresh create a fresh feel, freshy smell and makes your skin feel fresh! The problem? Most products on store shelves can’t be made fresh. The product turnover (rate they sit on the shelf) isn’t high enough. Even if the big companies could, they wouldn’t due to fear of margins.
Since skin care products are derived from plants and animals (though Carley’s avoids animal products) – their has to be a point where these ingredients lose effectiveness. This is where products that would otherwise go stale are pumped with ingredients to prolong lifespan. This is where that term “Frankenstein products” comes into play. Or if your a little more modern – think of the villain Bain that needed toxic chemicals to keep his powers.
The benefit of selling online is that product turnover is high. What is made in a lab one day can be packaged up the same day and ready to be shipped by the morning. Compared to products sitting on store shelves – that’s like comparing a fresh doughnut to a Twinkie!
What happens to ingredients when they go stale?
They become less effective. Most skin care products today are made in a pH acidic formula to take advantage of the long term preservatives (parabens). This is how big manufacturers get away with making millions of products at one time. Even if it takes years for them to be sold.
How long do you have before a product goes stale?
A typical retail product will have a shelf life of several years. It’s hard to know because there are no manufacture dates. Retail requires a long shelf life. We make everything in small bactches and ship fresh. We recommend you use within one year.
How can you prolong freshness?
Refrigerate – Products containing delicate ingredients such as the Eczema Cream, Eye Cream, Virgin Coconut Moisturizer, Lip Balm, Foot Balm, Tamanu Cream, Regeneration Cream and Rose Hip Cream are all stored in refrigeration. When not in use for a prolonged period, keep these products refrigerated. Don’t freeze them!
Sun – Just like your own skin, the sun can damage products. Try and keep any product out direct sunlight. This means keeping your shower window sill clear.
Preservatives – The more preservatives, the longer a product lasts. More importantly, the more preservatives the higher likelihood of skin irritation. To last any time on your bathroom counter a product needs some preservatives. This is why we carefully choose which preservatives are used – usually just a trace amount (less than 0.4%) of Germall Plus. No “natural” preservative can really ward off any significant bacteria or staleness.
As a general rule of thumb, use products within a year. We date ours as such. If you aren’t finishing these in a year, you aren’t using them enough.
Products Mentioned: