Skin and Body
Manly Skincare – Shield For Men
Now that everyone is living longer and looking to stay as young as possible in their later years, modern men are beginning to take notice of their skin. Yep guys, I’m talking skincare, shudder. The truth is, we probably already use (or need) many types already- shaving cream, aftershave lotion, sunscreen, hair products and soap. The problem is most of these products are made with harsh chemicals, and many can be a bit on the flowery side of fragrance. Worry no more, Shield For Men has a guys solution to all of these problems.
Shield For Men, provides fresh, hand made to order, all natural/organic skincare products to men with a masculine twist. I was lucky enough to receive a sample to try, and I was quite impressed. Not only did the cleanser and moisturizers work brilliantly, they also had a distinctly masculine scent to them. › Continue reading
Sunscreen and the Environment – Coral Reef Damage
With more and more doctors and experts telling us to slather on a shotglass of sunscreen every two hours when at the beach to protect our skin, one must wonder, how much gets washed off in the ocean, and what is it doing to the environment? Plenty as it turns out. There has been major damage to coral reefs (many snorkel and dive destinations now ban the use of sunscreen), sea creatures, even natural freshwater pools in Hawaii. So what is one to do?
Easy, cover up. The oldest and most tried and true method to escape the sun is to seek shade, wear a wide brimmed hat or light, loosely fit clothing which can shade you from the sun and keep you cool at the same time. If you simply must use sunscreen, use a coral reef safe brand or sunscreens with physical filters (like zinc oxide and titanium), which reflect instead of absorb ultraviolet radiation, and use eco-friendly chemical sunscreens.
It takes only 20 minutes in the water before a quarter of your sunscreen washes off. Researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching.
DIY and Homeopathic Cold and Flu Home Remedies
I recently had a really bad cold or flu which lasted forever. During that time I found myself dreading taking another Advil, aspirin, NyQuil, cough syrup or throat lozenge. Was I just prolonging the sickness, and what kind of damaging effects could all of this harsh medicine have on my body? Near the end I found myself replacing the cough syrup with warm water, lemon juice and honey and then gargling salt water before bed.
Deep in my medicine cabinet I found an old bottle of ‘Rainforest Remedies’ that I got from a trip to Belize a while back. The ingredients were simple, with the main ingredient being simply cayenne pepper. I recall coconut water being another thing that really helped in my travels, which makes sense due to the fact it is a great natural hydrator and is full of electrolytes.
There are still many parts of the world which does not have easy access to modern medicine, and while for treating disease and serious illness there really is no substitute, what I was experiencing was more of an inconvenience that could probably be solved by traditional and homeopathic remedies. › Continue reading
Seattle’s Elaia Spa at Olive8
Many spa’s are trying to green up their image, but Elaia Spa is just naturally that way. Housed in Hyatt’s Olive 8 building in Downtown Seattle, it is part of Seattle’s first LEED certified hotel. As a part of a green building, certain requirements for water conservation, construction materials and energy savings are already part of the package. You can see these details throughout the Spa, although none of it distracts from the experience, in fact, it does more to enhance it.
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Coconut Oil Skincare – Just Coco
The smell of coconut oil always transports me to tropical island paradise, and for good reason- coconut oil has been used as a skin moisturizer, hair conditioner and healing agent by Pacific Islander and tropical natives for centuries.
Just Coco is a sustainable, community empowering business started by my world traveling friend Sara Krosch, and uses all natural cold pressed virgin coconut oil in their products. Based out of her home on tropical island paradise in the Philippines, she runs Just Coco.
Using only all-natural and, whenever possible, organic ingredients combined with virgin coconut oil, they create skin, hair and nail care products. All of Just Coco’s products are vegetarian or vegan.
Their cold pressed, preservative free pure virgin coconut oil contains 50% lauric acid (the highest content possible) with natural antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. › Continue reading
Top 5 Winter Skin Picks
When I first started changing my lifestyle to reflect my environmentally conscious goals, I had a very difficult time finding products that fit my spring and summer routines AND my fall and winter routines while still avoiding harmful skincare ingredients . The harsh winds, the freezing temperatures, and still having to deal with all the normal things that go wrong with my skin! Winter wreaks havoc on most people’s skin, and your regular routine usually does not pack enough moisture. I stock up on a myriad of products to get me through the winter, but I’ll share with you my favorites for this season.
This stuff smells sweet like Calendula and goes on thick. It has enough moisture to solve any trouble area. I like to keep some in purse for emergencies. It works miracles on knees, arms, heels, legs, elbows, and the occasional severe chapped lips. This stuff works on anything! It’s seriously amazing. My girlfriend uses it on her face as well and swears by it, but it is a little too intense for my own and causes breakouts.
If you’re more into oil, like me, I’d go with Dr. Hauschka. My favorite of their scents is the Arnica scent. My husband says that’s what ‘organic’ smells like and if so, that’s fine by me. I love body oils because they seem to lock in the moisture throughout the day. I crave hot showers in the cold winter months, but that strips the moisture even more from your skin. Throughout the winter I use this oil after every shower and before bed. I always wake up in the morning feeling silky smooth and supple! I love them!
3. Lavera Wild Rose Liposome Cream
This is hands down my favorite night cream. While it’s not technically a night cream, and I do use it for daytime use too, I love how well it works overnight. I didn’t really understand having a day cream and a night cream before, but now I get it. The hydraulic acid in this cream is the key. I swear it clears up my skin too, but it doesn’t claim to do that anywhere. Either way, you’ll wake up with noticeably smoother skin.
