Tag Archives: carley’s clear and smooth

A Natural Solution to Dandruff? Warts? Rashes? Alternative Uses for Carley’s Products

August 5, 2013 Stephen Wills 1 Comment

Despite what the label says, Carley’s products tend to be very dynamic. The reason why is that the product lines are consistent with similar base ingredients and the same quality control processed throughout. Even the pH is kept about the same!

Due to the moisturizing nature of many of the products, we’ve seen people have success with a wide range of products they’ve tried. Some consider these products universal in their uses – Especially the soap. What are some cool “off-label” uses we’re talking about?

Rashes – Customers come to use everyday telling us that their pesky skin rashes went away after applying the Eczema Cream w/ Black Seed Oil.
Burns and chapped lips – The Kukui Nut Body Lotion and Exotic Butter Night Time Moisturizer worked amazingly on my 2nd degree burns, cooling the skin better than any store-bought Aloe Vera cream ever could. I even use it on my lips when chapped if the Lip Balm isn’t nearby.
Makeup base – Hair and Makeup Artist Jenny Karl swears by the Virgin Coconut Moisturizer. She uses it as a base before applying makeup for her clients. And yes that includes some pretty famous actors, models and fitness clients!
Wart remover – The Clear & Smooth exfoliant worked wonders on a pesky skin wart I had. Apply a small amount and cover with duct tape (duct tape seals the skin better for warts). Here’s a full write-up I did on wart removal.
Dandruff – I’ve found that the new Tea Tree Oil Cream will actually ward off dandruff from forming. Apply to the scalp, rub down for 15-30 seconds and then let sit on the scalp for 3-5 minutes.
Male pattern baldness – This one may be a stretch but I use the Clear & Smooth exfoliant in my scalp every day. Studies show that stimulating the scalp increases oxygen to the blood under the skin and nothing is better than an exfoliant. Factor in the good ingredients in the Clear & Smooth and you have something that has miraculously prevented me from seeing the same balding effects that every other male (and female) in my family has seen. Full write-up here.
Sunblocker, burn cover-up – The Mineral Makeup Foundation is a great sunblocker for your face. Even better, it’s the perfect cover-up for burns. The worse thing you can do for a large burn is to expose it to sunburns. Avoid scarification by blocking the sun over the burn. It doesn’t hurt your appearance to block a bad burn anyways.
Facial shaving – The Daytime Moisturizer works as a great facial shaver. Even better than Daytime is now the Hair (yes, hair) Conditioner.

It’s not just us that have found amazing uses for Carley’s products. Our customers were asked what “off-label” uses they found for these products:

Shampoo, shaving cream, piercing/tattoo cleaner, dandruff – “I use the soap as shampoo, shaving cream, piercing and tattoo cleaners. The moisturizer in my hairline and eyebrows to prevent dandruff flakes, and it works! I brag about how universal the soap is to all my friends, hahah.” – Samantha
Facial Shaving – “I’ll start out this topic by saying my guilty pleasure is shaving with our hair conditioner. I know this sounds weird, but it works really well. I get a pepperminty smooth shave. The same properties that help the hair and scalp seem to help the blade cut the beard more easily. I used to use our body wash to shave with, but the hair conditioner works even better. I’m pretty sure it would work well shaving legs too.”
Severe diaper rashes – “The Kukui Nut Body Lotion does wonders for severe diaper rashes. Leave it on overnight and its healed in the morning!!” – Kasey
Shampoo, body wash, face wash, shaving and cleaning your puppy – “I use the natural soap, as shampoo, body wash, face wash, to shave and to suds up my pup. It is the best product out there!” – Doreen
Preventing fluffy hair – “I used your moisturizer on my hair to prevent puffy hair.” – Kate
Washing false teeth and getting rid of laundry stains – “My mother washes her false teeth with the soap. She also said it’s better than Shout for laundry stains.” – Albert
Rashes – “A few months ago, our three-year-old started breaking out in a light rash on his back. We used this [Eczema] cream on it a couple of nights and it went away, after months of having applied other creams every single night just to keep it from getting inflamed. So that’s great, but then we really got to see what it can do. Two days ago, he woke up from his nap with a horrible heat rash covering his entire right leg. He said it was itchy, and it looked bad enough that I thought I was going to have to take him to the doctor on Monday. We applied this cream probably five times over the next 18 hours, and this morning the rash was about 90% better.”

So what about you? Are you finding any new uses for Carley’s products that we don’t know about? Send them here.

Informational

Eczema and Skin Rash Solutions with Black Seed Oil

July 30, 2013 Stephen Wills

When it comes to skin issues, the most frustrating ones are usually the most persistent:

How did I get this skin rash?
What am I allergic to now?
Why won’t those bumps on my arms go away?

At least with breakouts you know what you’re dealing with. That rash on your neck can be caused by a thousand things you come in contact with everyday. Most supposed dermatologists and skincare experts couldn’t even name the exact cause or solution to your skin irritation problems (at least not on the first try).

That’s why we took a look at some essential ingredients and found one in particular that caught our eye – Black Seed Oil.

Used all the way back in ancient Egypt, this oil came from something called the “seed of blessing” for a reason. They even found this oil in the Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb! The famous Greek physician Dioscorides used Black Seeds to treat headaches and toothaches. There’s a common saying that Black (Cumin) Seed cures every disease but death itself. Over 40 health conditions are said to benefit from the use of this herb.

If over 40 conditions can benefit from this oil then why not use this ingredient to crack the mystery of that persistent rash? Or those annoying bumps on your arms?

We think we found a pretty good solution that seems to be working for customers. Carley’s Eczema Cream has helped countless customer’s psoriasis, itchy bumps, red areas, rashes and more. It’s the “Wildcard” of the Carley’s pack and really one of our favorite products out there.

Products mentioned:
Carley’s Soothing Eczema Cream w/ Black Seed Oil

Reviews
“My 12 yr old son has really dry skin, sandpaper like, on his arms and legs. We started using the eczema creme and what a difference! I don’t even have to remind him anymore to “put lotion on” because it works and he knows it. Because it doesn’t have a strong smell it is also ok for a boy. LOVE LOVE LOVE this product and many of your others. My skin is also very dry and it is great to have a lotion that makes it feel better.” -Betsy

“of all the free samples you sent (and I did try them all) was the item I just ordered (Black Seed ointment?) My skin improved ALOT until I ran out of the sample, Now I am beginning to get eruptions on my lower arms and lower legs and on the side of my face. This is not just acne. I have been fighting this buger for 13 months!. Have spent a fortune on doctors, and tests. NONE of them know what to do. They really don’t know what it is, so they’re calling it stress! WHAT IS STRESSFUL IS LOOKING LIKE A LEPER & ITCHING SO BAD AT NIGHT YOU HAVE TO SLEEP IN THE DAYTIME — OH AND LETS NOT FORGET, SPENDING MONEY & MILES & TIME TO SEE PHYSICIANS WHO DON’T EVEN ACKNOWLEGE YOU HAVE ANY CAUSE BUT FREAKING STRESS! But….I digress. I look forward to receiving my cream, and maybe it will begin clearing this mess up again! Thank you for taking time to listen and to care enough to actually HELP. More later!”

Informational, Ingredient

Is All Argan Oil the Same?

June 28, 2013 Stephen Wills 2 Comments

Take a look at any commercial today about hair and you’ll see the words “Moroccan Oil” or Argan Oil plastered on your screen. You’ve heard from us about the benefits of Argan Oil. You’ve also heard the commercials but is there really a difference between what you find in the stores and what you’ll find naturally from those strange, goat-filled trees in the deserts of Morocco?

Grown naturally from the Argania Spinosa tree in Morocco, Argan Oil is incredibly beneficial for your hair and skin (known to repair damaged hair and skin), has an unique and exotic feel about it and is the “latest craze” in skin care. This means a lot of oil is being imported from these small local farmers in Morocco. What you’re also seeing is the dilution of the actual Argan oils once they make it in the products you adore.

Major companies and over the counter hair products are throwing in a few drops of the oil and calling it a “Miracle Moroccan Oil” treatment for your hair. This is absurd!

What’s even more absurd is the quality of the oil they are using. Let’s not touch on the low quality of oil they throw in from other sources and just focus on Argan Oil. The Argan Oil being “thrown” in is sub-par at best.

Freshness
Argan oil is unstable and needs a cool environment where the oil can maintain freshness. For major companies that means the oil is thrown into a vat of chemicals during the production process to maintain this “freshness”. From there they will sit on shelves for months and years at a time before use.

Price
The price and quality of Argan Oil is important. The more affordable versions (often used in culinary) won’t work on the skin as well as the slightly more expensive versions. Most companies try and throw in the cheapest possible oil they can get away with to preserve their margins. When you’re just using a few drops, who’s going to notice the difference?

Our Argan Oil
We’re proud to be working with some great partners directly from Morocco for the best Argan Oil there is. This means we pay a slightly higher price for a better overall product. Not only is the oil better but it’s fresh so you won’t be putting a stale, unstable oil right on your skin. Oh, and there’s more Argan Oil in some of our products (like the Conditioner) than probably any product out there in the world. Win win!

Informational

Frizzy, curly, or out of control hair? Carley’s has a new product for that!

June 23, 2013 Stephen Wills

Keratin controls frizzy hair and makes straight hair feel more alive – But what exactly separates Carley’s Keratin Treatment with any other? Other Keratin Treatments use all sorts of unpronounceable ingredients and an uncertain amount of keratin. Why be uncertain about what you’re leaving in your hair.

This makes no sense – How can a keratin product not disclose how much keratin they use? We use 10% (the max recommended amount) with a high quality mix of ingredients that treat the hair. Due to the high cost of keratin, we’re willing to bet that other products don’t use anything close to 10%! Combine that with the fresh ingredients used and you have one of the best treatments on the market for your hair.

For more info about Carley’s Hair Keratin Treatment click here…

Informational, Ingredient

What’s Different in Store Bought Hair Conditioners and Carley’s?

May 23, 2013 Stephen Wills

I do our formulating. That means I am pretty familiar with ingredients used in the industry. Since we just released our new Argan Oil Hair conditioner, I wanted to take a few moments and look at a hair conditioner from a company that has the word organic in their name.

I can’t tell you who they are because they might sue us.

When I look at most of these ‘natural’ conditioners I see lot of extracts – horsetail and coltsfoot among many other extracts. I’m not a big believer in extracts. I know of no study that proves horsetail can even be absorbed or adsorbed by the hair. We don’t like to use most extracts unless we extract them ourselves (such as the broccoli sprout extract we put in most products). Because there are no standards for strength of extracts you’ll find the qualities vary – usually from useless to almost useless.

Picked at random, I’ll take a look at the ingredient labels (keep in mind, ingredients are listed in order of prominence. highest percentage first):

Aqua – That is water; is it just purified? Or reverse osmosis like we use?

Cetyl alcohol (coconut fatty alcohol) – This is actually good; but at #2, seems too high

Aloe barbadensis (aloe) leaf juice* – This is good, but the juice can be pretty watery

Alcohol denat – (denat. is short for denatured alcohol, wonder why they abbreviate it?); Whoa, what’s this doing here at #4?

Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil – It’s good, but about the cheapest oil you can buy; and this is their first oil – no comparison to Argan! I can buy a gallon of sunflower oil at the grocery store for around $20. The Virgin Argan oil we use is from a specialty importer at $150 a gallon; and Argan is about a million times better for the hair.

Milk protein – What this does, I don’t know; we wouldn’t use it because it is animal derived. Hmmm!

Glycerin – I don’t know if it is vegetable, it should say vegetable. if it’s not vegetable, it is animal derived. You do not want to know how animal derived glycerin is made. I’m guessing it is vegetable.

The next ingredients we call ‘Label Candy’. They look good on the label. They are found to be effective at selling the product.

Equisetum hyemale (horsetail) extract – No actual proof it does anything. Sounds great though. Horses have got long tails. and we all want long hair. Oh sorry, horsetail is a plant. I shouldn’t make fun.

Tussilago farfara (coltsfoot) leaf extract – Again, looks good. But how can the hair absorb it? Again what’s with all the horse references?

Tanacetum annum (Moroccan blue camomile) oil* – This might be good. It is an essential oil. Mostly used for scent. Although it does have some astringent properties. I know right at this point we are dealing with a tiny amount. At $120 an ounce, I am 100% certain there is very little in this product.

So the rest of these ingredients are in tiny proportions… A few drops, maybe, with each use. Maybe a few drops in the whole bottle. I’m not bothering even mentioning them.

Brassica campestris (turnip) oil, aleurites fordi (chinawood) oil, citrus grandis (grapefruit) extract, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) extract, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), glycine soja (soybean) oil, daucus carota sativa (carrot) root extract, beta-carotene.

*Organic

I’d also want to know what the pH is
Since they don’t use a traditional preservative, very acidic I’m guessing. I don’t see anything that will condition the hair except cetyl alcohol. Maybe that’s why it is #2? And the aloe vera juice (which is good) and sunflower oil.

Some of the ingredients are Organic. So what? Wouldn’t they have to be all Organic to make it worth even mentioning? Besides who can believe what is and isn’t organic today?

I’m trying to figure out why denatured alcohol is the fourth item on the list. Essentially rubbing alcohol. I have no clue why they are using this? If it was way down the list, it wouldn’t matter. but 4th???

This could be an exercise in futility. Only detail junkies like me would even care. I just find it real interesting.

Informational

Does a Drop Count? How Skincare Companies Deceive Customers with their Labeling

March 28, 2013 Stephen Wills

A drop might do for some, but not us. It is legal to advertise an ingredient in a product, or call a product after that ingredient as long as you have the ingredient in the product… Even if it’s only a DROP! As most people know who read ingredient labels: The first ingredient is the most prominent. As you go down the list there is less and less of what is there. So if the ingredient you are buying the product for is five or six lines down, chances are you only have a drop or less in each use.

What gives? Why do companies exaggerate the best ingredients and ignore the elephant in the room – The frankenstein ingredients that they throw in to make them last longer on the shelves? Would a product ever be called “Yellow #11 Cream”? It’s not quite as catchy and I think you answered your own question.

I recently stumbled upon an Argan Oil cream giveaway. This being a major ingredient in our Tamanu Cream, my curiosity took me to the ingredients on the back. Here’s what I found:

That’s right. The named ingredient is listed third to last. Right after Yellow #11 and Red #17. Just like I would never recommend using the oils directly on the skin (they don’t absorb), I would never say is enough! We deal with miraculous ingredients everyday but they’d have to be taken from the Fountain of Youth for a drop to make an effect!

Argan Oil makes up 5% of our Tamanu Cream. The primary ingredient (and namesake) Tamanu Oil makes up 6%. Would you rather have something that looks (coloring) and smells (fragrances) great when first opened – or something that actually works and makes you feel good?

Products Mentioned:
Carley’s Tamanu Cream for Scars and Discolorations

Informational

Why Have International Shipping Prices Increased?

March 21, 2013 Stephen Wills

You may have noticed your international shipping bill increased this year. Compared to what you were spending, this is a rather large increase at that. Why has Carley’s Clear & Smooth increased their price and is it worth it?

USPS (United States Postal Service) increased their postage rates for American sellers shipping internationally as of January 2013. These prices hit hard for international customers as they increased about $7 across the board for the type of shipments that go internationally. Virtually all small businesses in America that ship internationally are struggling to cope.

American-Made Products
Being American-Made is something for us to be proud of. These products are made in America and packaged and shipped around the world using some of the best ingredients in the world. That means a lot of product going back and forth over the borders. While we love shipping to all parts of the world, it is just not possible for us to eat all of these shipping costs. You will see your shipping increase but don’t let that discourage you from trying quite perhaps the most truly natural product in the world with the best ingredients.

Is it worth it?
While you can put a price on clear skin and overall skin health (despite what those $100 moisturizer makers tell you), we’d like to think we are still quite affordable for what the products offer. Ask yourself how may months do you get out of a bottle? If you get the 3-4 months that we recommend, you are looking at the price of about 3 cups of coffee at Starbucks a month (about $10-$13). If you order two products you’ll still pay the same international rates so consider that.

You can find cheaper acne and skincare products if you walk to your local drug store, sure. You can also find some incredibly expensive options and we believe that Carley’s Clear & Smooth sits at the lower end of this totem pole of quality products. Do you really want to skimp out on something that you enjoy so much for you skin to go for the cheap drugstore options that didn’t work before?

Will the prices continue increasing?
Eventually, yes but not likely anytime soon. We’re doing our best to make sure the shipping prices don’t hurt our customers. We actually lose money on many transactions over shipping and we need to anticipate these increases just as much as any penny pinching customer. As gas prices rise and the USPS faces more budget problems, we’ll see future increases for all American exporters at some point. This increase was substantial and likely won’t happen again for some time. One thing you can look out for is exchange rates. In countries like Australia, the US dollar goes far and looks to continue that way so things can always be worse.

Email me if you have any questions about the most affordable shipping options for your international order. We follow the orders to make sure they go where they need to go so you can continue using your favorite American products!

Informational, Tips and Tricks

A Mineral Makeup Guide – Foundations, Finishers, Blush, Bronzers and Makeup Removers

March 11, 2013 Stephen Wills

The number one question we get about products to use with our skin treatments is – What do I use for a foundation? How do I cover my acne until Carley’s kicks in? We love nothing better than hearing your stories of make-up free days. Even with clear skin, most women need make up when going. But as we investigated most make up, we were mostly concerned with the first layer. The foundation.

Liquid foundations on the market are just horrible. They are loaded with all sorts of chemicals. Just look at the ingredient labels. How many of those ingredients can you pronounce? It’s the same stuff in almost all store-bought moisturizers. Designed to be easy to manufacture and last on store shelves for years. Here’s the kicker: Most liquid foundations are so acidic, they may actually counteract our treatment.

That’s ok for most, but not for acne prone skin. You already know that you can’t use everything because many things make your acne worse. Mineral make ups are good, but many have suspicious ingredients too. We like a simple formula that provides good coverage.

Mineral Foundation
Easy to apply. Lasts all day. Has sunscreen protection too. Carley’s Daytime Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin is perfect under it. With a powdered mineral foundation, they are applied with a brush and last all day. Mineral foundation make up is even water proof. While covering up skin discolorations they still feel light. Coming in 17 different colors and contains Mica, Zinc Oxides, Titaniam-Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue. does not contain Bizmouth Oxychloride.

Mineral Finishing Powder
To be used over the mineral foundation is Carley’s Mineral Finishing Powder. Giving you that finished, dewy look is made to set your makeup so your makeup is even. Containing Mica and Iron Oxides, this is a simple formula that is highly effective at handling the job.

Mineral Blush
So you have your makeup set and looking glamorous. How do you get that red, blushed look in your face that you always see makeup models demonstrate so perfectly. A Mineral Blush is great at handling this naturally with Mica, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide and Ultramarine Blue.

Mineral Bronzer
Getting that perfect sun-kissed look is possible with a proper bronzer. With a Mineral Bronzer, you have the opportunity to have that perfect bronzed, tanned look without forcing yourself to sit out in the sun all day and hurting your skin. Containing Mica, Iron Oxides and Ultramarine Blue, this highly simple formula has what you need for that golden shine to your skin.

Makeup Remover
People ask us all the time if can they use their cold cream. We say 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 due to the ingredients and consistency.

Use the Natural Soap to wash off the makeup. What if the natural soap doesn’t remove the eye make up? Easy. Just get a small bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Use that with a cotton pad to easily remove make up. Then close your eyes tight and wash with our natural soap (again). 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 the big bottle in your fridge. If not the fridge, make sure the bottle is tinted, not clear.

Promotions

Press

March 5, 2013 Stephen Wills

Carley’s Clear & Smooth does not have a large advertising budget. We’ve found that our company’s expenses lean enables us to better focus on you, the customer. Without massive advertising expenses we keep overhead low so they can be affordable and made of the highest quality. Despite our lack of budget, customers and bloggers love to talk about Carley’s Clear & Smooth. Here are some press mentions, blog reviews and review websites that mention us.

Acne.org, a popular acne review resource that lets users rate acne products currently has Carley’s Clear & Smooth rated one of the top five most popular and highest rated product lines at 4.24/5 average rating.

Naturally Beautiful – Beauty Over 50 TV Segment w/ Host Adrienne Janic

Jenny Karl of Jenny Karl Hair & Makeup Agency’s Favorite Affordable Beauty Products
“I use this eye cream on my clients daily. It’s great for sensitive skin.”

So you know what I use on my hair — what about my skin? – Alex JouJou at The Wavy Tales
“I have received so many compliments on my skin after I started using this stuff. HIGHLY recommended!”

How I Cleared Up my Adult Acne (Thank you Carley’s Clear & Smooth) – Kerry Monaghan
“Carley’s has great reviews all over the internet for their Clear & Smooth Acne Treatment. I ordered a bottle and it came with a bar of their natural soap. Their prices are awesome, ingredients are natural, no testing on animals, customer service is friendly, shipping is fast, and you can return any products that don’t work out. I had nothing to lose.”

I am DONE with Acne! My Skin is CLEAR!! – PrissyGreen
“So I have some updated photos and wanted to tell you with out any reservation, that Carley’s Clear and Smooth has worked for me! Kicked some major acne a$$!”

Your Essential Skin Prescription for Acne Prone and Problem Skin – Diva Village
“For your cleansing needs, you need to get your hands on the all natural, hand-made soap from Carley’s Clear and Smooth. This soap has changed my life. It comes in bar form and can be used on the face and the body. It is virtually unscented and makes your skin feel unbelievably clean. It’s good for any skin type and great for men who like to keep things simple. Make sure you cleanse your skin day and night. You can’t even imagine what attaches to your skin (and clogs your precious pores) in just a day, so make sure you don’t go to bed without cleansing.”

Slightly Single in LA Movie Set Photos with Makeup Artist Jenny Karl

Product Credits in Gorezone Magazine

Clear & Smooth Review – Opinion Queen
“The results were fabulous! My skin was super soft and my acne seemed to be healing even after just a few days. As with any acne product, you do have to use it for a few weeks before you can really decide if it is working for you or not.”

Solving skin problems, one spot at a time – Egab
“This is easily the best thing on the market in regards to acne treatment. I’ve been using this stuff for about a year now, and it is AMAZING. My skin cleared up within the first week of using it and has stayed clear since. I’ve reccomended it to friends and family, who it worked just as well for. This stuff is phenomenal.”

Tips and Tricks

For Those Few with Super Sensitive Skin – Some Tips

February 2, 2013 Stephen Wills 3 Comments

I want you to imagine getting rid of your acne as mountain you are going to climb. Going up is tough. The reward is at the top of the mountain. It is going to be tiring and stressful and it will seem like it is not worth it. That is what our product is like for some people. Yes, it is tough at first. When you the reach the top of the mountain, your skin will change. Your skin balances. Your skin will become soft supple and healthy. Always clear too. However, you have to get to the top of the mountain first. Most people who follow our directions reach this point after about two to six weeks.

Why so long?
What you have been using in the past has damaged your skin. Benzoyl peroxide is a remarkably effective ingredient. How long it continues to work depends on how it is used. If left on the skin for extended periods (along with acids), the damage can be severe. This is why you have sensitive skin. Your skin is so stressed it is producing large amounts of oil and telling you to avoid benzoyl peroxide.

Let me give you an analogy. There is a product out there called Ambien. It helps people sleep. In fact, it is a miracle in a bottle for people who cannot sleep. However, if you use it for too long, you quickly become dependent on it. Sleeping without it becomes impossible. In addition, you cannot use it long term because it starts affecting your brain and memory function. Therefore, you must gradually withdraw from Ambien. I know because this happened to me recently. I stay up late answering emails. This makes it difficult for me to sleep. After my doctor stopped my refills, I knew I had to quit. It was not easy, but I kicked it.

Benzoyl peroxide is also a wonderful effective ingredient. However, if left on the skin for more than 30 minutes a day, long term, it has a real wicked side. It damages the good natural flora your skin needs to be healthy. That is where you are. That other product’s skin wash is a powerful combination of acids and benzoyl peroxide that has put you in this situation. Their product keeps us busy.

What our system does is helps the skin to restore the natural flora to your skin. You have to reach the top of the mountain for our product to work. The soapy washcloth sweeps all of the benzoyl peroxide from the pores of your skin. If you do not do that then the benzoyl peroxide stays on your skin in the pores, just like an ointment. When used correctly, at first there will be some dryness and irritation, but eventually your skin will balance. Of course, our product is much more than just benzoyl peroxide. Clear & Smooth is a system that delivers massive amounts of nutrients into your skin.

regularstrength — Clear & Smooth only has 2% Benzoyl Peroxide while most use more than 5%

So how did we learn about short contact with benzoyl peroxide working?
I am allergic to benzoyl peroxide. Nevertheless, it was so effective I had to come up with a way for it to work with short-term contact. That is where the soapy washcloth came in. At first, I thought it was just me. We noticed others who did not have this allergy also saw wonderful long-term results with short contact. Some took a while. Those that did not follow our routine in the beginning eventually saw our product stop working (even if it worked for awhile).

Moisturizers
Our moisturizers do not clog pores and that does not cause acne, anyway. How your skin deals with the ever-present bacteria determines how clear your skin is. Right now, your skin is defenseless. That is why it is so sensitive. We have helped many people in your situation. This is why we want you to avoid other skin care products. Everything out there is too acidic. Our pH neutral daytime moisturizer for acne prone skin works wonderfully under a mineral powder foundation.

Here is what I would like you to do for super sensitive skin.

About 5 minutes before your shower, paint the areas most problematic with a thin layer of our product
Next get in the shower and rinse off our product. Forget about scrubbing at this point
Take a fresh clean washcloth and make it soapy
Use this washcloth, gently washing the areas you are treating. Rinse thoroughly. Even if it hurts, do this
Gradually work into gently scrubbing with our acne treatment. It might be a week or so before you can do it. Do not get discouraged!
Eventually we want you doing the Quick Start routine
At some point, the dryness, the oiliness, and the sensitivity will be less and less
You will notice your skin will feel softer as you get near the top of this mountain
Your acne may not change at first. Do not be discouraged
There is nothing else (from what we’ve seen) on the market that is going to help you. You are in what we call burnout

Tips and Tricks

Body Acne Instructions

January 22, 2013 Stephen Wills 2 Comments

Even though you may be suffering from facial acne just as much as back acne, you may be surprised how much thicker the skin on your body is. The thicker skin on your body requires slightly more effort in ridding spots on your body of acne and skin irritations. This method is most likely is too strong for your face where the skin is much thinner. This will help you save money when treating large areas.

Instructions for Body Acne:

Take two clean, dry wash cloths into the shower
Wash lightly using your hands with the natural soap and rinse. This conditions the skin for the acne treatment
If you are doing both your face and body, scrub your face first with your hands and rinse
Turn off the shower head and apply the Clear & Smooth to a dry wash cloth
Scrub for 30 seconds with the dry wash cloth and treatment. This will remove more dead skin cells and allow the treatment to get deeper into the skin. Don’t scrub so hard as to make the skin raw. After a few treatments you will get a feel for how hard to scrub. After your skin becomes healthy you will find the extra exfoliation is exhilarating. This method also helps you cover more area with less of the treatment, to save money.
Turn the shower back on, rinse, and then lather up the second clean wash cloth with the natural soap and wash thoroughly all treated areas. Rinse

Any other time you wash just use our natural soap and a clean wash cloth.

If you are experiencing skin irritations on your outer arms and thighs then you are likely suffering from keratosis pilaris. Here are instructions for clearing your skin of keratosis pilaris.

Informational, Tips and Tricks

The Little Chemical That Can’t: Triclosan and How to Avoid It

January 17, 2013 Stephen Wills

You probably know that the average store-bought soap is a chemical soup of Frankenstein ingredients. Ingredients that you now know can’t do anything to the skin but make it smell better. Triclosan is one such ingredient.

triclosan_Products — Triclosan-containing products

Invented in the 1960’s by a chemical company, triclosan was created as an effective antibacterial agent that kills bacteria. That might be awesome for your dirty countertops – but what of your skin? Your skin is the most exposed organ in the body and has a symbiotic relationship with the good bacteria on your body. Killing all the bacteria on your skin can have devastating effects for the health of your skin.

“[Triclosan] contributes to the growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and causes a range of human problems.” – Food and Water Watch, 2009

Triclosan as an antibacterial soap is a relatively recent trend. Despite purported claims by major companies that antibacterial soaps are healthy, no such proof exists. The FDA voted 11-to-1 that antibacterial soaps were no more effective than regular soap and water. Oops.

Triclosan-Free
Carley’s Clear & Smooth doesn’t touch triclosan with a 10 foot pole. Not only do we recommend avoiding products with triclosan but we adamantly oppose anyone on the acne regime to even come in contact with antibacterial soap. Why? While bacteria is responsible for acne and many major skin irritations, the solution of wiping out the skin’s bacteria as a panacea is a short-term fix that puts the skin’s balance in disarray.

Swearing off triclosan
Triclosan is found in virtually every antibacterial soap there is. Your hand soap, your detergents, your other household cleaners. To swear off this harmful soap to both you and the environment, try using Carley’s Natural Soap. Here are tips for replacing your household cleaners that come in contact with your skin with natural soap like Carley’s.

Put a soap bar in the bathroom next to the sink instead of hand wash. Lathering up a soap bar should not be hard at all with a soap tray.
Check your cosmetic ingredients for any that contain triclosan. Toss them. Or donate them to your worst enemy.
Replace dish soap by creating your own handpump. Put chunks of the soap in a handpump and add water and shake thoroughly. Voila! You have an easy lathered and convenient handpump that won’t destroy your skin or the environment.

Remember, sometimes it’s the little things that help your skin. Triclosan is linked to skin allergies and skin irritations. It may be just the small change in your life that gives you the perfect skin you were looking for.

Products mentioned:
Carley’s Natural Soap (1 bar)
Carley’s Natural Soap (5 bars)