Posts Tagged ‘exfoliate’

Posted on August 24, 2010 - by Leslie Billera

Rough patch? The ‘Why’ Behind Dry

Your skin is more complicated than it looks. The average square inch of your skin holds:

• 650 sweat glands
• 20 blood vessels
• 60,000 melanocytes (pigment skin cells)
• 1,000+ nerve endings

All three main layers (epidermis, stratum corneum and dermis) work in harmony with one another. If any of the following are a part of your daily life, dry skin may disrupt your natural ability to moisturize:

• Exposure to excessive sun
• Excessive bathing
• Use of conventional, detergent-based soaps
• Low humidity
• Central air and heating

It’s time to get rid of pesky dry patches one and for all!

Moisturizing Madness to the Rescue!

Napa Valley Bath’s Moisturizing Madness gift set includes 3 steps to moister, smoother skin:

1. 8oz. Lavender Lotion – Certified organic herbal extracts, the highest-quality natural food-grade safflower vegetable oil, nourishing seaweed (algae) and healing aloe vera blend with four lavenders selected from around the world. Decadent, delightful…and mortal enemy of dry skin.
2. 4 oz. Body Butter - Combines the highest quality shea butter from Uganda, healing herbs, health-food-grade fresh vegetable oils, natural vegetable waxes, and soothing aromatic lavender water from the Aromatic Plant Project. A must-have for cracked, callused and parched skin.
3. Hoof Cream – This tin of rich balm revitalizes your hands and feet with a blend of olive oil, coconut oil, beeswax, tocoperol, orange essential oil, lavender essential oil and peppermint essential oil

…given the prices of typical department store brands (which are chock full of synthetic ingredients, toxic fragrance and may even be tested on animals) the Napa Valley Bath Moisturizing Madness package is a steal at $58 – order yours here!

Posted on July 22, 2010 - by Leslie Billera

5 Wrinkle Reducers

Yes, we want to age gracefully.

No, we don’t like wrinkles.

How do you marry these two simple premises?  If your skin detox program isn’t quite eliminating those lovely lines (after all, they are the calling card of a life well-lived!) here’s some more insights for glow-and-go wrinkle reduction.

Know Your Active Ingredients!

The following active ingredients may result in slight to modest improvements in wrinkles…while nothing is a miracle cure, these are considered top tier:

1. Retinol. An antioxidant neutralizes free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that break down your skin cells and cause wrinkles. Retinol is a critical antioxidant and the first one to be widely used in nonprescription wrinkle creams.
2. Hydroxy acids. These are exfoliants that remove the upper layer of old, dead skin and stimulate growth of smoother, more evenly pigmented skin. Look for alpha hydroxy, beta hydroxy and poly hydroxy. But note: these are synthetic substitutes for sugar-containing fruits, so a DIY all-natural or organic option would be better!
3. Copper peptides. Antioxidant power is pushed even further when combined with copper peptides, small protein fragments that are combined with trace elements of copper that are found in every cell.
4. Kinetin. Derived from plant growth hormones, kinetin is another antioxidant that helps skin retain moisture and stimulate collagen production.
5. Tea extracts. Green, black and oolong tea…not just for sipping! With their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, these teas are often found in wrinkle creams, with green tea leading the way.

Don’t forget to avoid junk food skingredients…and don’t forget organic everything for the rest of your bod!

Posted on March 16, 2010 - by Leslie Billera

Expert Voice: Laura Klein, Green Lifestyle Expert

At Napa Valley Bath, we celebrate body, mind and soul every day. In our ‘Expert Voice’ series, we’ll get insights and updates from those who are doing the same.

Meet Laura Klein, a green living authority and founder of OrganicAuthority.com and Laura Klein’s Green Club.  Laura has devoted her life to communicating how living a green lifestyle is healthier for you – and for the planet.

Pesky Parabens Everywhere

“Unfortunately, there are tons of toxic ingredients in our personal care products,” says Laura, “but I always zero in on paraben preservatives since they’re so rampant.”

Parabens are found in most cosmetic and beauty care products. Look for them as methyl-, propyl-, butyl- and ethyl-paraben on ingredient lists. They’ve been linked to cancer as well as infertility, birth defects and developmental delays in children.

“The repetitive, every day use of parabens is where the danger lies,” Laura says. And with women using 12 personal care products a day on average, exposure adds up fast.

Without further ado, here are some of Laura’s paraben-free, DIY recipes, courtesy of LauraKleinGreenClub.com. Try them out, and let us know what you think!

Laura Klein’s Green Goodness Deep Exfoliating Foot Scrub

Use this quick and easy recipe to revitalize tired feet and scrub away dead skin cells.

Healing Ingredients:

1 cup of sea salt
½ cup of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil

Additional Tools:

A wide-mouth glass jar
Wash cloth (preferably organic cotton)

How To:

Mix the salt and olive oil in your container. Sprinkle in your essential oil. Stir to combine.

Place a towel underneath your feet and sit down. Apply the scrub to your feet using an organic cotton washcloth. Gently exfoliate callus-prone heels and toes using light circular motions.

For a softer scrub for those of you who don’t have heavily calloused feet, replace the salt with cornmeal and/or baking soda.

Laura Klein’s Green Goodness Organic Oatmeal Mask

Oatmeal calms and softens skin. A natural anti-inflammatory, it creates a thin moisture retaining layer on the surface of the skin and acts as a super gentle exfoliant.

Healing Ingredients:

2 tablespoons dry, organic oatmeal (rolled, not instant)
2 teaspoons honey
1 egg white

How To:

An oatmeal mask is ideal for a tub soak. Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Mix into a thick paste. Apply to cleansed skin. Relax for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Follow with your favorite all natural moisturizer.

Posted on March 1, 2010 - by Leslie Billera

A Sea of Bodily Love: Sponges & Loofahs

We hope by now you’re treating yourself to at least one relaxing, aromatherapeutic bath a week that’s:

• Good for the earth: the non-toxic ingredients in organic bath and beauty products don’t wind up in our water streams.
• Great for your body: by making smart choices about the products you put on your skin, you’re investing your health.

Now it’s time to think about transporting all the nutrient-rich soaps, sea salts, scrubs and more available from Napa Valley Bath in the most eco-conscious way…

Sea and Be Seen

Opt for sea sponges versus synthetic sponges, which are typically made from petrochemicals.

For thousands of years, people have been cleansing themselves with multi-celled sea sponges. Sea sponges live in almost every aquatic environment, filtering nutrients from the water through their pores.

Real sea sponges:

• Are a non-endangered species, so they are greener alternative to synthetic sponges
• Regenerate, so there’s no worries about over-harvesting
• Hold a greater amount of water
• Biodegrade, so there’s no waste

So ditch that pink, plasticized pouf hanging in your shower – your green bath is truly sea sponge-worthy!

Love Your Loofah

Did you know that a loofah is a dried plant related to the squash family?  Loofah sponges can be used every day to:

• Give a boost to your circulatory system
• Cleanse and exfoliate your skin
• Help prevent cellulite build-up

Make sure that any loofah you buy is organically-grown and unbleached. In a DIY mood? Harvest your own!

Posted on October 22, 2009 - by Leslie Billera

Sweet Exfoliation: A Users Guide

Removing dead skin cells using exfoliation promises healthier looking skin that feels less congested.

When you use an all-natural exfoliating ingredient like sugar, you protect your skin from the following toxins. These ‘ingredients’ are often used in the products doled out by spas and high-end skin care clinics in deep-cleansing treatments:

• petrochemicals
• synthetic preservatives
• penetration enhancers
• sodium laureth/lauryl sulfates
• artificial fragrances and dyes

Why slough off dead skin cells with toxins when healthy, organic options abound? After all, our skin is our largest organ, a conduit to our circulatory system and our other organs.  In fact, what you put on your body is just as important as what you eat!

Sugar Love

Sugar is super sweet on the skin and a fantastic, all-natural exfoliator.  Sugar is…

• alpha-hydroxy rich, which amounts to a great glow
• safe: no harsh side effects
• great for all skin types
• an effective lymph fluid stimulator and circulator
• a skin hydrator – a natural humectant, sugar scrubs draw moisture to the skin

Healthy How To

To delight in the natural decadence of organic sugar exfoliating, simply follow these steps:

1. Apply sugar scrubs before you shave during a shower or warm bath

2. Apply the sugar scrub with small onward and outward movements; roll and press on your skin versus rubbing the scrub into it.

3. Focus on dry and scaly patches – but don’t press too hard!

4. Leave on longer to make your sugar scrub work as a mask

5. Rinse off with tepid water.

Check out all of our bath and body products and find the one that appeals to you!