Lipstick, Foundation and More

Calendula flowers have a long history of use in traditional medicine, with the beautiful flowers being soaked in oils to extract their medicinal qualities. Now, advanced technology in the field of botanical extracts has created the first Calendula essential oil, with an incredibly strong concentration of the therapeutic components of the flower. This essential oil, known as a Total Supcritical Critical Carbon Dioxide Extract, is very easily used by both natural health practitioners and by mothers using aromatherapy as a natural healing alternative in their home. A large body of scientific research has grown in the last decade revealing quite a list of profound healing properties of this extract. It has been found to have regenerative, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, antitumorial, and organ-protective effects.

The Brilliant Calendula Flower

Calendula flowers show off their antioxidant content with their deep red, orange and gold colors. The plants are a type of Marigold, commonly found in home gardens the world over. An oil infusion of the flowers, made by simply soaking the flowers in a “fixed” oil (like Almond or Jojoba oil) for up to several months. This infusion has been an exceptionally popular, if hard to come by, ingredient in skin care recipes, especially for infants and toddlers. Anyone prone to skin irritation would benefit from application of this very soothing oil. However, the infused oil has been generally difficult to find, and limits one to the oils included in any recipe. By using the Calendula essential oil in small concentrations, any carrier, with specific desired therapeutic properties can be used.  Read more...

Beauty has been desired by women throughout the ages. Beauty is the thing that attracts men. Beauty opens doors that are closed to the ‘non-beautiful’. Eve of the Old Testament was the beautiful temptress. Delilah and Cleopatra each used their beauty to wield power over men.

Concepts of beauty have evolved over time even though the desire to be glamorous has remained the same as always. In the past, European women carried parasols whenever they went out. These were not just a fashion accessory but had the very functional purpose of keeping the sun off the female’s skin in order to preserve her youthful skin. White skin was the ideal; any hint of a tan was considered lower class and decidedly unbecoming. Girls would pinch their cheeks in order to make them look rosy as was considered attractive at the time.

In the modern age, tanned skin is now thought to look healthy and beautiful. Rather than avoid the sun, women court it enthusiastically in order to achieve the sun-kissed glow. Where there is no sun, women can still achieve the same effects with bottled tan lotions or they can bathe under a sunray lamp in a tanning booth for that all important requirement of the modern beauty regimen.  Read more...

There are a lot of ways that women and men attempt attract each other. They dress nice, their hair is done, and they try to watch their breath. One other way is the spray of cologne or perfume.

There are a number of fragrances out there. Musk, floral, and citrus are just a few. These are the most popular ones. Lavender, evergreen and vanilla are a few others that do not belong in any of these categories.

These scented sprays come in a variety of smells and applications. There are spritzes, dabs and the more expensive rubs. They all generally smell good, but there are a few things that the wearer should bare in mind. The following advice is given to keep you and those you love safe.

Fragrance is a common allergy among some people. The smell of any type of strong scent can set them off. It is important to be discrete about your fragrance. Floral and citrus are the most common scents that set people with allergies off. If you are going to be among strangers, it is a good idea to fore go anything with a scent to prevent an allergic reaction.  Read more...

Humans have been using some sort of cosmetics and facial decorations for eons. Ancient man not only painted his face to signify his status in a tribe, he would add permanent scarring to add to the effect. Amazon Indians still use various forms of face painting for the same reason.

Throughout the centuries even men have used some type cosmetics. During the time of Louis XIV, all wealthy men in society wore powdered wigs, rouge on their cheeks, and dried ochre on their lips. Their wives even figured out how mix some fairly good quality foundations and moisturizers using what amounted to household ingredients: animal fats, paint and dried vegetables. These early cosmetics could actually be the first “all natural” products on the market!

In the early part of the 20th century, cosmetics became popular purchases at the corner drug store. Up till then, cosmetics had never been mass produced. It took the new movie industry to make that possible. Rich, poor, beautiful, and plain all ran to the new make up counters to see and to buy. Suddenly even the average housewife had a supply of lipsticks and eyebrow pencils and eye shadows.  Read more...

Perhaps one of the most revered formulations for skin care in natural medicine has been Calendula flower oil. Gentle and effective for children, the elderly, and everyone in-between, many generations have been mothered with the soft touch of this wonderful oil. At the same time, its use was rather limited; but now, Calendula essential oil has become available on a wide scale, allowing folks to make use of the recently elucidated VERY broad range of healing properties.

Calendula Flowers: Nature’s Gentle Healer

Calendula flowers, a particular kind of Marigold, is a genus of 20 species of herbaceous plants in the Daisy family. Calendula infused oil — made by soaking the flowers in olive oil — is highly regarded as a base of soothing skin formulas, with cooling and hydrating effects. It has been a popular ingredient in formulas for eczema and baby’s needs — or anywhere skin irritation is being addressed. The infused oil had limitations in that the base oil needed to be the infused oil itself, limiting other carrier or base oils included in the formula. Even very small quantities (1-3%, or 8-24 drops per ounce) of the essential oil added to your recipes can have dramatic results  Read more...

Many people suffer with the skin condition known as acne or Zits but while it can cause a great deal of distress, it is a condition that does have many treatments available. Skin care treatments are plentiful and research into the condition is continuing.

The products used would depend on the severity of the problem and whether it is a condition that can be treated without a prescription from the doctor.

General acne products are used as a preventative measure and include cleansers, make-up removers and other similar products that can help prevent acne. We should all use products like this to maintain our skin and prevent future problems from occurring.

More specialized cleaners are designed in the same way as acne skin care products, they clean out the pores to help stop sebum or oil which clogs up the pores. When the pores become clogged with this oil, bacteria which can cause the problem begin to grow.

Exfoliation skin peels have proved quite effective as a skin care treatment and at controlling the problem. Dead skin cells and other atmospheric pollutants are removed cleaning the pores which reduces the chance of any bacterial growth.  Read more...

Who doesn’t want to try to save some money in this economy? Most of us are looking for any way possible to trim up our expenses a little bit. Makeup isn’t something that you want to have to cut out all together, but there are ways to save a little money on your favorite products. Bulk, discount and wholesale makeup options can be a good way to save you money and still get what you want.

Discount makeup is always an easy way to save money. Just because the makeup is discounted, doesn’t mean that the actual product isn’t just as good in quality. Outlet stores for cosmetic companies will offer their makeup at a discounted price. You can usually find at least a few makeup outlet stores in most outlet malls.

If you don’t live anywhere near an outlet mall, or you prefer to avoid the crowds, you can still get discounted makeup. Cosmetic companies have websites so that you can order makeup online. There are almost always a few products that are being offered at a discount. If you think you can find a better deal buying the makeup from a distributor other than the actual brand name company, you will want to make sure you don’t get scammed.  Read more...

A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in the care of the skin. They help to treat problems of the skin, scalp, and nails. There are several subspecialties within the field of dermatology. Some of these subspecialties consist of cosmetic dermatology, dermatopathology, and immunodermatology.

Cosmetic dermatology places it’s focus on many of the surgical aspects of the field. Some dermatologists participate in several cosmetic surgical skin procedures such as botox, liposuction, and face lifts. Not all dermatologists perform these procedures, but the ones that do are most likely the best in their field.

Dermatopathlogy delves into pathology involved with the skin. Dermatologists looking to become dermatopathologist must go through a fairly rigorous course of training including six months of general pathology and dermatopathology. They will also complete one year of dematopathology fellowship. One of the big challenges of dermatopathology is the vast number of different skin diseases. There are an estimated 1500 rashes and skin tumor types, including variants, and not one doctor who has seen them all.

Immunodermatology is a part of the profession that focuses on immune mediated skin disease. The diseases that are of focus include lupus, pemphigus vulgaris, and bullous pemphigoid – just to name a few.  Read more...

There aren’t as many dermatologists as there are doctors specializing in other areas of medicine. Dermatologists do much more than treat acne and scars. With skin cancers on the rise, as well as a more pro-active attitude towards precancerous cell growths, dermatologists are more in demand than ever to perform check-ups and consult on changes in existing freckles and moles.

Other procedures a dermatologist might be involved with include laser hair removal, hair transplant surgery, tattoo removal and even face lifts. If it seems as though some of these procedures would be more suited to plastic surgeons, the truth is that many doctors do cross lines of speciality sometimes. Botox is an area many doctors are moving into because it’s a relatively easy process with a huge market that continues to grow.

Moles and freckles are a very common condition that dermatologists will be asked to check as skin cancer awareness increases. It’s also a result of a swing in attitude towards personal health, as more people decide to be pro-active and find potential threats to their health before they get out of control. Melanoma is a real problem in young adults and can so easily lead to death if not treated early.  Read more...