5 Secrets for Naturally Beautiful Skin

©Sami Blackford www.love-yourself-naturally.com

5 Secrets to Naturally Beautiful Skin

Sami Blackford www.love-yourself-naturally.com

http://www.love-yourself-naturally.com/


I don't know about you, but when I was in school I had terrible trouble with my skin; it was oily, which lead to blemishes, blemishes, and more blemishes!

I tried so many off-the-shelf products that my toiletries cupboard looked like a Boots store cupboard. Nothing seemed to work. A lot of the products just dried my skin out, which may have helped with the spots, but the dry and flaky patches looked just as bad.

In the end, I went to the doctor. He prescribed something for me. I was at the end of my tether, so I tried it.

The fact that it was prescription-only should have been the first clue, the fact that it would sting when I applied it to my skin should have been the second clue, the third clue, and the one that finally sank in, was that it made my skin really dry, patchy, and flaky. Not pretty.

Why am I telling you my teenage skincare traumas? I hear you ask...

Well, I'm 27 now, and it’s only in the past couple of years that my skin has calmed down and I can say that we've made our peace with each other. I've developed a skincare routine that works for my skin, and the blemishes, though still there occasionally (especially at a certain time of each month - darn hormones!), are far fewer than they were.

Plus, as an added bonus, I've been told (several times, I might add) that I look younger than my age!

Result!!!

In researching the skincare market before and during setting up , I

have discovered the truth behind some of the products out there, and the ingredients that go into them.

For example, Sodium Laureth Sulphate - a popular ingredient used in foaming face washes and the like - was developed as an industrial cleaner... And we put that on our skin?! It strips the skin of all its natural oils, drying it out, and leaving it patchy and flaking.


Introduction

http://www.freyaluna.com/


I've come to realise that all those skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, sensitivity, and the like, are, in the most part, exacerbated by the products that we apply to our skin.

The products I create for are all natural and handmade. They

contain no harsh chemicals or preservatives, but are packed full of Mother Nature’s gorgeous-ness to help you achieve naturally beautiful, healthy skin. Each product is designed and formulated to not only look, feel and smell good, but to do good to your skin as well. It is very important to me that each and every Freyaluna product has beneficial skincare properties! I’m pleased to say that the feedback I’ve been getting from customers shows that Freyaluna products live up to that fundamental requirement. So here they are… turn the page for my 5 Secrets to Naturally Beautiful Skin! Your skin needs you to know this stuff!


Introduction



As a food, honey has been recognised as a life-sustainer even since pre-Biblical times. Cavemen learned to grab combs of honey from hives, as they warded off the stings of a million angry bees, because of the life-giving and delicious properties of this amber nectar. Honey has been used both as a food and a cosmetic throughout the centuries. Easily assimilated into the body, its vitamins and minerals boost its value as a health-giving food. Those same vitamins and minerals are what make honey a powerful cosmetic when a poorly-nourished body produces a clogged and muddy complexion.

Repeated applications of tissue-building honey will bring a glow and freshness where none existed before.

Honey’s hygroscopic nature attracts and holds moisture to the skin.

This means it helps to restore dried, aging tissue, at least as long as the application of the honey continues.

As well as this, honey’s bacteria-destroying properties can help to soothe patches of inflamed skin. This soothing, thick liquid that heals, hydrates and nourishes, is on of the best skin-foods there is. Of course, as with all sugars, too much honey as a food shouldn’t be consumed as, for all its healthy qualities, it has a high sugar content and so should be taken in moderation (and sometimes not at all – particularly by diabetics or hypoglycemics).

But there is no limit to its application to the skin because, although only a small fraction of the honey applied is absorbed by the skin, it is enough to produce the desired effects.

One of Freyaluna’s best-selling products is our wonderful Honey Hand Cream. I swear by this product! I keep a pot by the bathroom sink and use it every time I wash my hands. I also use it on my face occasionally, if I feel I need something a bit more intensive and healing.


Honey


http://www.love-yourself-naturally.com/product/honey-hand-cream/

http://www.love-yourself-naturally.com/product/honey-hand-cream/


When it comes to skincare, I can’t help but mention lavender! It is such an amazing plant, with a multitude of uses.

There are many varieties of lavender, most of which grow wild in the Mediterranean, and are cultivated in gardens across the globe. Lavender officinalis is said to be the most odorous.

Lavender is one of the most popular oils in aromatherapy, and has been used for its healing properties for hundreds of years. For centuries lavender bags have been placed in drawers and wardrobes to keep moths at bay.

Revered for its antiseptic qualities by the Romans, they used it to bathe and cleanse wounds. The Latin ‘lavare’ means ‘to wash’.

Lavender is one of only two essential oils which can be used neat on the skin, the other being tea tree.

However, as with all essential oils, there are some precautions that should be acknowledged. Some people who have low blood pressure could feel a bit dull and drowsy after using this oil. Additionally, it is an emmenagogue (promotes and regulates menstruation) so is best avoided during the early months of pregnancy.

Lavender appears to cleanse and soothe the Spirit relieving anger and exhaustion, resulting in a calmer approach to life. It has a sedative action on the heart and can help to bring down high blood pressure and calm palpitations.

Lavender has long been known as giving effective relief from insomnia.

The pain-relieving qualities of lavender deal effectively with

muscular spasm

sprains

strains

sharp rheumatic pains.


Lavender


A blend with marjoram can enhance this effect.

Lavender can be beneficial to the respiratory system, and can deal with such problems as bronchitis, asthma, catarrh, colds, laryngitis, and throat infections.

As mentioned before, lavender is also useful with menstrual problems such as scanty periods, and may help in childbirth, relieving pain and speeding delivery.

Lavender is valuable for most skin types and conditions, since it;

promotes the growth of new skin cells

exerts a balancing action on sebum (the skins natural oil)

has a pronounced healing effect on burns and sunburn

is helpful in cases of acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Lavender is also an effective hair tonic, and may be of help in cases of alopecia.

Lavender truly is a wondrous herb!


Lavender


Shea butter has been used for centuries on the African continent and is completely enmeshed within the history and culture of the West African wooded savannah. Shea butter is mentioned in almost all African historical documents, including a reference as early as Cleopatra’s Egypt, which mentions caravans bearing clay jars of shea butter for cosmetic use.

Shea butter is the oil from the nuts that are gathered from wild trees scattered throughout the fields and forests of the wooded savannah. Shea butter has many useful properties and has been used as a decongestant, an anti-inflammatory for sprains and arthritis, a healing salve for baby’s umbilical cords and after circumcision, as cooking oil, and as a lamp fuel.

However, the protective and emollient properties of shea butter are

most valued for skincare.

Unrefined shea butter contains an abundance of healing ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, proteins and a unique

fatty acid profile, and is a superior active moisturiser.

Unlike petroleum-based moisturisers, shea butter actually restores the skin’s natural elasticity. Shea butter enables your skin to absorb moisture from the air, and as a result, it becomes softer and stays moisturised for longer.

People who use shea butter regularly notice softer, smoother, healthier skin.

Shea butter has also been shown to help with skin conditions and ailments such as;

extreme dryness

psoriasis

eczema

Shea Butter



dermatitis

skin allergies

fungal infections

blemishes

wrinkles

stretch marks

scars

… and many, many more.

During stressful times of my life, I tend to suffer from mild eczema on the insides of my elbows. Now, I know that compared to many people’s experiences of eczema, mine is pretty small-fry, but it drives me crazy! Applying Freyaluna’s The One for Eczema, (which contains shea butter, as well as some other gorgeous skin-nourishing and soothing ingredients) a couple of times a day can really soothe the itching and help to clear it up.

Jojoba Oil


Shea Butter


Jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba) is a botanical extract of the seed of the jojoba tree (Simmondsia chinenis).

What’s interesting about it is that it isn’t actually oil, but rather a liquid wax.

Out of all of the compounds in nature, the structure of jojoba oil most closely resembles that of your own skin’s sebum (the oil naturally found in your skin), and because of this it has a natural affinity to the skin, and is readily absorbed without making the skin feel greasy or tacky.

It doesn’t clog the pores and helps to balance the production of sebum.

Applying jojoba to the skin can “trick” the skin into thinking it is producing enough oil.

Jojoba contains myristic acid which has an anti-inflammatory action.

It is thought that jojoba oil…

has the ability to minimize fine lines and wrinkles

promotes skin suppleness while assisting with the rejuvenation of the skin

has exceptional trans-epidermal water control

is well tolerated by people with skin problems

does not aggravate acne.

During dermatological tests, it was shown that jojoba oil increases the skin’s suppleness by 45% and after 8 hours the effect was still present.


Jojoba Oil


It was also found that jojoba oil softens and smoothes the skin and helps with fine line reduction. Continued use of jojoba oil results in reducing superficial facial lines.

Studies also show that jojoba oil relieves the symptoms of psoriasis.

I absolutely love jojoba oil and often use it neat as a cleanser or moisturiser. It is definitely a great oil for use during facial massage. Due to its balancing action on the skin’s sebum, jojoba oil is useful for all skin

types. It’s really quite clever because it can reduce oiliness of oily skin, and improve moisture content of dry skin! Because of this action, I like to use jojoba oil when creating Freyaluna facial range of products. Sugar


Jojoba Oil


Sugar has been produced on the Indian subcontinent since ancient times but, though today sugar is a staple product in kitchen cupboards far and wide, it took its time to reach this status.

It was not plentiful or cheap in early times – honey was more often used for sweetening in most parts of the world.

These days, as well as being the world’s favourite sweetener, sugar is also a

popular ingredient in skin care products because it is a useful natural exfoliator.

Its properties also mean it…

does not clog pores

helps to eliminate blemishes

restores balance to the skin’s oils

At we use fairly-traded, raw cane sugar that is made from clarified

cane juice boiled down to a crystalline solid.

When you regularly exfoliate your skin with a sugar scrub, it becomes healthier in appearance and function. After dead skin cells have been exfoliated, your skin works more efficiently to expel toxins and take in nourishment.

Skin becomes more uniform in appearance, is softer to touch, and has a radiant glow.

Some people worry about using exfoliators of sensitive skin, but sugar scrubs

are gentle enough to use on sensitive skin types. This is because

sugar isn't as abrasive as it may feel at first, because it slowly dissolves as you wash.

Sugar is also less dehydrating than salt scrubs, and can be used by all skin types.


Sugar



I know this book is titled 5 Secrets to Naturally Beautiful Skin, but I thought I’d sneak a sixth one in! I felt I couldn’t write this book without mentioning water. Sadly, the effects of “plain ol’ water” are greatly undervalued.

Human skin, and the whole body, is made up of up to 90% water. So it makes sense that to stay hydrated we need water.

Water is great because it keeps you hydrated and helps to eliminate toxins from your body in healthy ways through your kidneys

and colon, instead of them coming out through your skin as acne, eczema, psoriasis, etc.

It is recommended that you drink 6 – 8 glasses of water per day. If you’re finding this difficult then don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be just plain water. You could drink cordial (though watch out for high sugar content), herbal teas, fruit juices, etc. You could also get your daily water allowance from fruit and vegetables that have high water content, such as apples, grapes, celery, etc.

But what about water as part of your skincare routine? This is where hydrosols come in! Hydro-whats?! You might have heard of rosewater or orange-flower water. Well, hydrosols, often known as floral waters (hydrosols can be made from flowers, leaves, trees, etc., so aren’t strictly ‘floral’ waters), are created during the production, or distillation, of essential oils.


Water


As these waters contain dilute amounts of the essential oils, they also carry the beneficial properties, such as healing, soothing, calming and hydrating, as well as being astringent (help to tighten, tone and close pores), anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory.

When people suffer from skin conditions such as acne, excess oil, eczema, psoriasis, or dry skin, there can be a tendency to over-cleanse or over-moisturise, depending on the condition.

Hydrosols are a lovely, gentle way to cleanse, tone, soften, soothe and hydrate the skin without destroying the PH balance of the skin (our skin is naturally acidic in nature), or applying a non-breathable layer (mineral oils found in many creams don’t allow the skin to breathe). They are safe, gentle, and can be used on the most sensitive of skins.

I love to use rosewater on its own as a facial tonic after cleansing. It really refreshes my skin.

So to keep your skin and body well hydrated, you do need to be drinking plenty of fresh water everyday (I know you know that already, but thought I’d repeat it anyway!).

But when it comes to skincare, keep a look out for the hydrosols. They’ve got so much more going for them than just plain old water!


Water

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5 Secrets for Naturally Beautiful Skin