Category Archives: Tips and Tricks

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!

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.

 

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.

Informational, Tips and Tricks

The Before and After Deception

It’s easy to photoshop a “before” shot into an “after” – Right is before and left is after

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?

Customers have sent their own pictures to us but there are too many variables to honestly advertise their improvement

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.

Tips and Tricks

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.

BP will dye the necks of your shirt if not washed thoroughly out

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.

Tips and Tricks

When the wash gets hard to pump – Just add water!

Quick tip for all of you body wash users: Adding water will return the wash to consistency .

We’re happy to finally made a body wash that didn’t have to be a chemical stew. The trade off is that the consistency can be uneven over time. Especially when the bottle gets low. Just add about 1/2” of water, shake… Voila, the consistency returns to normal!