Month: November 2020

Categories
Beauty Wellness

A Guide To Achieving Smooth Skin.

Smooth skin is desirable for just about everyone, unfortunately a number of factors can make it difficult to get rid of rough and dry skin. Fortunately when it comes to skincare nothing is impossible including achieving the smooth skin of your dream, and there are a couple of simple techniques that can take you one step closer to having buttery smooth skin. 

Before we get ahead of ourselves how does rough skin happen in the first place? Well, there’s a couple of culprits when it comes to rough skin. It could be a skin condition such as eczema, a damaged skin barrier, or exposure of irritants to the skin. Unfortunately, skincare products could be contributing to this issue. One of the most problematic skin care ingredients is denatured alcohol. Although if you have sensitive skin other ingredients such as essential oils, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide can also be problematic. However, lack of skincare products can also become an issue, to be more specific lack of sun protection. Sunscreen is super important to matter what type of skin you have, UV damage can cause damage to important collagen fibers in the skin which in turn causes dry, irritated, and acne-prone skin. 

But the sun isn’t the only external issue, things such as air pollution, dry air or cold winds can be affecting your path to smooth skin. To avoid this it’s important to make sure cleansing and moisturizing are a regular part of your routine. 

  • Chemically exfoliate

Getting rid of dead skin cells is the first step to achieving glowing and smooth skin. Although the idea of a “chemical” exfoliation may seem far too harsh, it’s actually much gentler than a mechanical exfoliation. Instead of tearing the dead skin cells of like a mechanical exfoliation, chemical exfoliants use gentle (and safe) chemicals to dissolve the “glue” that is holding dead skin cells onto the face. However as with any type of exfoliation its important to be gentle and not to use it everyday we recommend 2-3 times per week. 

  • Start dry brushing

Another form of exfoliation that has become quite popular is dry brushing. Dry brushing has a couple of benefits which make it a handy tool when it comes to getting smooth skin. For one it exfoliates and removes dead skin cells but it also stimulates circulation, which reduces puffiness, improves skin elasticity, lifts and tones the skin. 

  • Use a humidifier

Smooth skin starts with hydrated and moisturized skin. While it is very important to hydrate your skin on the inside it’s also important to do so on the outside. Using a humidifier is a great (and easy) way to reduce the effects of dry air on your skin, and add extra moisture to your skin. 

  • Start using vitamin C serum

Vitamin C is a powerful skincare ingredient, it has anti-aging properties and repairs existing skin damage. This leads to  bright, smooth skin. It also helps prevent future damage from free radicals, by neutralizing them. 

Vitamin C also helps prevent and repair UV damage. When your skin is exposed to UV light it lowers your vitamin C levels. Using a vitamin C serum can reverse the effects of sun damage. Vitamin C also repairs collagen levels by supporting collagen growth. All of this combined make vitamin C the perfect ingredient for smooth skin.

  • Use a strong moisturizer 

Moisturizers are a must step when it comes to smooth skin. For starters they help treat dry and flakey skin, which are the opposite of smooth and hydrated skin. It also prevents skin from being too oily which can lead to acne and an oily appearance on the skin. 

Moisturizers almost always are made with ingredients called emollients. Emollients are some of the most popular types of ingredients when it comes to smooth skin because they trap moisture onto the skin while preventing water loss. Another form of ingredients often found in moisturizers are humectants. Humectants help to moisturize the skin by pulling moisture from the surrounding air and onto your skin. 

If your finding your moisturizer isn’t doing the trick for your skin try to find a stronger moisturizer with emollients (things like shea butter, squalene, beeswax and cocoa butter), or humectants (things like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, honey and niacinamide) to help on your road to smooth skin. 

  • Use daily UV protection

Harmful UV rays are a cause of a number of skin issues, but one thing they are definitely not helpful for is getting smoother skin. While this shouldn’t be surprising information, a key step in having healthy, glowing skin is protecting your skin from the sun. It’s super important to protect your skin with sunscreen of around 30 SPF. Keep in mind you also need to reapply sunscreen throughout the day and use other types of sun protection (hats, sunglasses, etc).

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Lifestyle Wellness

How Forest Bathing Can Help Improve Sleep.

Sleep is a rough spot in many people’s lives. Whether it be the day to day struggle of a bad night’s sleep or someone actually diagnosed with insomnia or other sleep disorders getting a good night sleep can seem impossible. There are tons of remedies that have come out to receive a better night of sleep but one of the best remedies we have found so far is forest bathing. 

What is forest bathing you may ask, it is a form of meditation which originated in Japan. Also known as shinrin yoku (shinrin meaning forest and yoku meaning bath) forest bathing has become a popular form of treatment for different mental and physical health issues. Despite the name there isn’t any actual bathing involved in forest bathing. In fact it’s quite simple, practicing forest bathing involves opening your senses to involve the nature around you. 

It may seem silly but studies have shown that forest bathing can reduce signs of anxiety, depression, insomnia and increased selflessness and gratitude. So forest bathing has been shown to have many benefits, one of its biggest being sleep improvement. But forest bathing isn’t just simply improving a night of sleep it has even been shown to cure insomnia. 

Anyone living with insomnia knows it is no simple illness. Sleep is a super important act of self care that improves and helps just about every bodily function. Insomnia makes it extremely difficult to even achieve one night of sleep. Insomnia does have medication treatment but it can cause your brain to be foggy and overall make life more difficult. Luckily as hopeless as it may seem forest bathing actually can have extreme benefits for insomnia and some have even said it’s completely cured them. 

While forest bathing offers great benefits for those struggling with insomnia it also offers benefits for those just struggling to get a full night of sleep. Forest bathing can improve sleep length and overall quality. While scientists have yet to figure out exactly what about forest bathing offers so many benefits as opposed to a regular meditation we know for sure that it calms the mind. Scientists have hypothesized that some of forest bathing benefits come from oils found in trees that cause our bodies to release a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin is the same chemical released when we experience positive human contact. Oxytocin also counters cortisol also known as the stress hormone stress is a big cause of difficulty with sleeping, oxytocin counters this leaving our mind peaceful and ready for sleep. 

The best part of forest bathing is it’s a quite simple act. You can forest bathe for as long as you want (there are even week long retreats specifically for forest bathing) however you only need a few minutes a day to get started. Forest bathing consists of going into the forest with no devices, for at least 20 minutes (for maximum benefits we recommend  45 minutes) and taking deep breaths and grounding yourself (be sure to stay safe during forest bathing and be aware of your surroundings). 

If you find yourself trying every sleep remedy on the internet or spending your days wishing you weren’t so tired, a great habit to start is forest bathing.

Categories
Lifestyle Wellness

6 Best Lifestyle And Self Improvement Books.

Gaining new knowledge is something people are always looking for. A great way to gain new ideas and knowledge is books! I love reading self improvement books and I always learn something new that I use in day to day life. Here is a list of some of my favorite self improvement books.

  1. Atomic habits: By James Clear

This book focuses on how to build good habits and get rid of bad ones. I love this book because it really goes in depth on how to create habits and has diagrams and examples which are super helpful for learning new ideas. 

  1. Grit: By Angela Duckworth

Grit goes into how to have more grit and what exactly grit is as well as some of the science behind having grit. This book was super helpful in helping me fully understand grit and how to use it.

  1. The Four Agreements: By Don Miguel Ruiz

This book is probably one of my favorite books, it talks about a code of conduct based on ancient toltec wisdom in a meaningful way. I try to use the ideas in this book through my daily life. This book contains great ideas to live by and I definitely recommend you read it. 

  1. Presence: By Amy Cuddy

Presence is all about being present with your body language and how to use your body to boost your mood and confidence. It has all kinds of examples and studies in it wich was super helpful to understand the concept. 

  1. Everything is figureoutable: Marie Forleo

This book (along with four agreements) are on the top of my list. I found this book so entertaining while still containing useful information. Everything is figureoutable is great because not only does she use examples from her life but encourages the reader to find examples in their own life and has activities at the end of each chapter to keep you engaged. 

  1. Eat beautiful: Wendy Rowe

Eat beautiful is all about eating to improve your skin, including what foods to eat and what not to eat recipes and some skincare tips!

Categories
Beauty

10 Simple Secrets To Dewy Skin.

There are constantly new trends in the beauty and makeup world. One of the most popular trends recently is dewy makeup and skin. This makes tons of sense, although it’s just recently become more of a trend dewy skin has always been desirable. That being said there are tons of tips to get rid of textured, blemished, and dry skin to move on to dewy skin. Below are some of our favorite tips to achieve glowing and dewy skin. 

  1. Exfoliate regularly.

Exfoliation is the best way to obtain brighter skin, it’s also super easy. The most important thing to keep in mind with exfoliation is to keep it to a minimum of 2-3 times a week. This is because exfoliation can be harsh and strip your skin if used too often. Dermatologists have found the best form of exfoliation is a chemical exfoliant as opposed to a mechanical exfoliation. This is because mechanical exfoliation can cause micro tears and damage to your skin. 

  1. Use serum.

Serums are great because there are tons of different formulas that focus on different benefits. Such as serums that brighten, exfoliate, anti-age and more. When it comes to dewy skin these are all great options but if you need a good place to start we recommend a brightening serum. 

  1. Use products that promote circulation.

Poor circulation has bad effects on the skin such as drying or aging skin. Unfortunately circulation can also be impaired with age which is one of the culprits to aging skin. Skin care products with stimulating ingredients such as niacinamide, peppermint and vitamin B12 improve blood flow to obtain dewy and radiant skin. 

  1.  Hang your head upside down to promote blood flow.

Blood flow is a great way to improve dull skin. A nice trick for glowing skin is to carefully hang your head upside down for around three minutes (be sure not to hang upside down too long and only stay if you are comfortable). This can help skin appear to have an “inner glow” you will also notice a slight blush on your skin.

  1. Use Vitamin C.

Vitamin C has become a popular ingredient when it comes to skincare. One of its many benefits is brightening the skin. This happens by interfering with the pigmentation production and improving overall skin health. You only need a small amount of vitamin C to see instant and visible improvements. 

  1. Keep skin hydrated with a moisturizer.

A dewy look starts with hydrated and moisturized skin. Anyone and everyone who’s interested in skincare should always start with a moisturizer no matter what skin type they have. For years there has been a misconception about moisturizers and people with oily skin saying that if you have super oily skin you don’t need a moisturizer. This is totally untrue; everyone should use a daily moisturizer especially if you’re looking to achieve the dewy look. For dewy skin we recommend using a low weight cream moisturizer rather than a thick oily moisturizer. 

  1. Focus on repairing your moisture barrier.

If you’ve noticed your skin is dry, flakey and irritated this most likely leads to issues with your moisture barrier. As we’ve said above moisturized skin is a crucial step to a dewy look which is why it’s important to work on repairing your moisture barrier if it seems damaged. Luckily there are tons of products aimed towards doing exactly that, look for products aimed to get rid of red, dry, flakey or irritated skin that use hydrating ingredients. 

  1. Use facial massage tools.

Recently massaging tools have become super popular from guashas to jade rollers there are tons of options when it comes to giving yourself a face massage. These tools decrease puffiness and promote good circulation. Most of these tools are also super simple when it comes to user friendliness. If you want something super easy to use we would recommend a jade roller as it does most of the work for you all you have to do is move the roller. 

  1. Cleanse your skin regularly.

Cleansing is a crucial part of the skin care routine. It’s super important to remove dirt and grime from your skin to prevent acne and dirt buildup. Some cleansers also include exfoliating ingredients for a more radiant look. Try finding cleansers with salicylic acid to help prevent acne, flakey skin and clogged pores. 

  1. Stay hydrated. 

Keeping hydrated is helpful for almost every bodily function. When you’re not drinking enough water it can cause your skin to appear dull while wrinkles and blemishes can appear more prominent. Hydrating properly has benefits for the skin such as keeping skin plump and improving skin elasticity. For an ideal skin glow, the average person should drink around eight glasses of water (or around sixty-four ounces). Staying hydrated will not only keep your skin glowing and clear, but it will also help make sure your organs and body are running smoothly.

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Beauty Wellness

What Is Plum Oil? And What Are Its Benefits In Skincare?

Recently there are tons of new natural skincare ingredients such as aloe vera, almond oil and plum oil. Plum oil is exactly what it sounds like, an oil extracted from the seeds of French Ente plums. It has a couple of benefits, Its most popular benefits being skin and hair. Plum oil has been shown to be a super powerful ingredient similar to dried plums, which have been added to our list of some of the top superfoods. 

People seem to love plum oil and its effect on the skin. Many people love how plum oil has a rich and non sticky texture while still offering many benefits, which is great for people with oily skin. 

So what are all the benefits of plum oil? Like many natural oils, plum oil has tons of proven benefits for the skin. Below are all of the reasons you should try adding plum oil into your routine. 

  • Sun Protection 

We can never get enough sun protection and even if you’re using a daily sunscreen we can always use a little extra. Plum oil contains vitamin E which naturally protects your skin barrier from harmful UV rays and sun damage. 

  • Heals skin

The skin on our face goes through a lot from acne scarring, to sun damage which is why healing our skin is so important. Plum oil uses its many vitamins and omega’s to help heal and protect the skin’s barrier. 

  • Hydrates skin

Whether they have oily or dry skin, moisturizer is a big part of anyone’s skin care routine. Plum oil contains omega fatty acids, which are moisturizing for the skin. As Well as this it contains Vitamin E which is another major moisturizing ingredient. 

  • Gives skin a radiant/bright look

If you’ve ever seen someone with glowing and radiant skin, there are many reasons and ingredients that could cause that one of which being plum oil. One of the greatest beauty benefits of plum oil is the glowing look it gives skin. 

  • Protects against free radicals

Free radicals are unfortunately responsible for breaking down collagen in skin which in turn causes aged, saggy or unflattering skin. Fortunately there are tons of ways to battle free radicals. And one of those ingredients is, you guessed it plum oil. Plum oil contains 13 nourishing omega fatty acids and Vitamin E and A which provide the skin the opposite of what free radicals do. They heal and hydrate skin, promote skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. 

With all these benefits plum oil seems like a win win deal. However as always with natural ingredients and oils there is always a risk factor of side effects. Luckily plum oil doesn’t have many but there is always a risk or an allergic reaction. This is why it’s important to spot test the plum oil on your hand before slathering it on your face. 

Another wonderful thing about plum oil along with many other natural ingredients is its super easy to use. Once you get your hands on plum oil all you have to do is drop some into your hands and put it straight on your face. Simple as that!

Categories
Beauty Lifestyle

12 Makeup Tips For Glowing Skin.

The way your skin looks can have a huge effect on how confident and good you feel, and even with makeup it can be hard to cover up skin blemishes and imperfections. However luckily it’s not impossible to get the perfect skin complexion using makeup with just a few simple tips. 

  • Take care of your skin.

It may seem obvious, or it may seem easier to just cover up blemishes with makeup. But it’s super important to put taking care of your skin first. If you’re taking good care of your skin and have a good skincare regime you won’t need as much makeup.

  • Apply concealer before foundation. 

Typically people apply foundation and then concealer, but it may be a better idea to apply concealer first and then foundation. Apply concealer on your nose, chin and under eyes. After doing this you wont need as much foundation and your skin will appear much brighter. 

  • Fully blend your foundation.

Blending foundation can be a bit of a hassle but it’s super important. Use a brush or sponge (more on this below) and blend outwards and down the neck. Blending down the neck is crucial to avoid looking like you’re wearing a “foundation mask”. To avoid it looking like you are wearing foundation blending it out fully is super important.

  • Use sponges and brushes.

Going along with the importance of blending foundation the most popular ways to do so is using a foundation brush or sponge. When it comes to deciding between a sponge or brush its all about preference, you can even combine the two. 

-Foundation Brush

A foundation brush is my personal favorite way to blend out foundation. It gets in every area of the face easily, and easily glides along the face unlike a sponge which requires a dabbing motion. To use a foundation brush just put some foundation on the back of your hand and directly dab the brush in the foundation and apply to the face. One of the only downsides to the foundation brush is that it can cause a streaky look on the foundation if it’s not completely blended, but this is pretty easy to avoid. 

– Sponge

When it comes to foundation a sponge is probably the most popular option. While it can be a bit more difficult to deal with and to get into tight corners of the face its can offer a more smooth and even look than the brush when the foundation is fully blended. 

  • Properly match your color.

Matching colors can really make or break your makeup look because it can be quite obvious if your color doesn’t match. Unfortunately for some people it can be extremely difficult to find a color that properly matches them that where mixing colors comes in. When you can’t seem to find a foundation color you can mix your own using two different shades. Mixing shades is quite easy, just take the two shades closest to your own and mix them together. 

  • Use primers.

Primers have become quite popular to not only give your makeup a better look but also add a protective layer between your skin and the foundation. Primer is great because it helps the foundation apply more smoothly by filling lines and wrinkles so the foundation won’t sink into it. It also acts as a moisturizer and plums the skin. The good news is for anyone with super oily skin there are tons of oil free primers so it doesn’t add to the shiny look oil gives the skin.

  • Use blush and bronzer.

Since foundation covers up any access color in your face it’s important to use blush and bronzers so it doesn’t look super unnatural. Blush and bronzer are also super easy to use but really elevate your look. 

  • Use a low coverage foundation.

Unless it’s absolutely necessary for your skin its best to avoid a full coverage foundation when possible. This is so you avoid a “cake face” or a super thick, unnatural sheet of foundation. It’s best to apply foundation in areas with unnatural skin tones or blemishes. 

  • Apply facial mist averterwards. 

A dewy look is super desirable and achieving it doesn’t just come down to how you apply your makeup but also what you do afterwards. Facial mists are a great and super easy way to achieve a natural and dewy makeup look. 

  • Use a potted foundation.

While potted foundations may not be as popular as liquid foundations, it offers a more natural dewy foundation look. Potted foundations are super easy to use possibly even more so than regular liquid foundations. All you do is place your foundation sponge directly into the pot and then it can go on your face.

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Lifestyle Wellness

What Is Epsom Salt And What Does It Do?

Epsom salt has recently come back in terms of trends. Epsom salt started with athletes using it as muscle relief however now epsom salt is used by everyone to celebrities and influencers to people at home. But people aren’t just using epsom salt for no reason, it actually has tons of benefits. 

Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate is a mineral compound made of magnesium and sulfate. This means that epsom salt is not actually a salt but instead a mineral compound despite the name and the salt-like look. Despite not being a salt the name isn’t completely random. Epsom salt gets its name from Epsom,Surrey where it was discovered in the 17th century. However epsom salt has been shown to have more benefits than just treating muscle aches (which it is quite good at). The more benefits epsom salt has been shown to have the more popular it has gotten especially recently. 

Magnesium is a super important biochemical for our bodies. It reduces muscle pains, supports immune system health, produces sustainable energy, promotes healthy bones and keeps a steady heartbeat. Magnesium sulfate (epsom salt) has the same benefits. When epsom salt is used the magnesium directly soaks through the skin. The most popular and best way to get the benefits of epsom salt is through a bath. Warm bath water allows the magnesium so soak into the skin better. This is because the warm bath water allows the skin vessels to expand making an easy path for the epsom salt to enter the skin cells. 

So what exactly are the benefits of epsom salt? 

  •  Relaxation/stress reduction

Baths themselves have been known to have a stress reducing effect but to get even more benefits from your calming bath adding epsom salt is a great idea. Magnesium is a major stress reducing mineral and to promote a calm and relaxed mental state by lowering the stress hormone called cortisol. 

  • Alleviates joint pain

Many people have reported epsom salt reducing effects of arthritis and fibromyalgia. This is most likely because of the magnesium that epsom salt contains. Considering people with arthritis and fibromyalgia are typically lacking in magnesium. 

  • Heals acne and eczema 

While epsom salts benefits on acne have not been scientifically proven many people have seen benefits from it. Epsom salt may reduce the pain and swelling that comes with acne as well as serve as an exfoliant and loosen up clogged pores that cause blackheads. 

  • Releases toxins 

The best known way to release toxins is through the skin and luckily that exactly what epsom salt does. Due to the sulfate that epsom salt contains epsom salt is a great ingredient to flush out and release toxins from the body. 

  • Reduces inflammation

As stated above one of the many benefits epsom salt is drawing out toxins, this includes the toxins responsible for inflammation. Aswell as this epsom salt reduces swelling stiffness and general pain. 

  • Soothes skin

Epsom salt bethes can exfoliate dead skin cells, smooth rough skin, and even ease dry skin. 

  • Promotes foot health 

If you’re a dancer or athlete you’ve probably heard of or even used epsom salt before. While epsom salt is great for easing muscles and things alike another popular use for athletes is foot health. All of the benefits mentioned before also apply to the feet, but along with this epsom salt has been reported to prevent foot fungus. 

Luckily using epsom salt is quite easy. The main thing to keep in mind is when making an epsom salt bath it’s important to pour in a generous amount of salt. It is also important to make sure the water is fairly warm/on the hotter side. The recommended amount of epsom salt for a standard bathtub size is around 2 cups. Then all you have to do is soak in the bath for around 20 minutes. 

So epsom salt seems like a pretty great deal. Unfortunately everything comes with a few down sides, but luckily epsom salt doesn’t have many. The biggest issue with epsom salt is that it can be slightly drying, which is something to look out for if you have dry or sensitive skin. To make sure you’re good before fully submerging yourself in an epsom salt bath, spot test on a patch of skin. 

In conclusion epsom salt is an almost perfect ingredient that has many benefits and is super easy to use.

Categories
Beauty Wellness

How To Tell If Your Acne Is from Stress.

Stress is a common thing everyone goes through, unfortunately so are breakouts. Almost everyone has experienced acne at some point or another and they probably will experience more in their lives. Unfortunately there are a lot of different things that can cause breakouts whether it be hormones, clogged pores, unhealthy diet or even stress. That’s right, stress not only takes a toll on your mental health but also your skin, which can make stressful times even more stressful than they already are. The worst part about stress breakouts is it can be difficult to figure out whether stress is what’s causing your acne. But luckily it’s not impossible. 

Stress is a very probable reason you’re experiencing breakouts this is because when you’re stressed your stress hormones rise signaling your body to produce more oil in your oil glands. This however is different from hormonal acne caused by your period. Hormonal acne has the same effect on the oil glands. The best way to tell the difference is to track your acne. For example if you’re noticing you get breakouts during a certain time of your cycle every month it’s probably not a stress hormone (unless something stresses you out the same time every month). You can also track if you’re breaking out after using a certain product. It is likely related to that product rather than stress.

There is also another way to spot stress acne. Stress acne typically appears in the cartian spots on the face. If you often experience acne in your T-zone (above your eyebrows on the forehead, and down to nose and chin in a T shape) it is quite possibly related to stress. If pimples in that area are accompanied by blackheads, whiteheads, larger pores, shiny/oily skin, redness or itchiness it’s most likely because of stress as regular acne won’t appear with these symptoms. 

Now that you know what stress acne is it would be useful to know how to prevent it. But before we learn to prevent it we need to understand exactly how stress acne works. As it may seem quite simple, stress acne goes deeper than just stress. As you may know acne is typically linked to hormones the same goes with stress acne. Stress triggers the release of a hormone called cortisol also known as “the stress hormone”. Cortisol in high enough amounts disrupts the hormone levels that control the sebum balance in your skin, which in turn can result in clogged pores which can result in acne. Stress can also cause hormonal changes that simply worsen your acne. 

So finally how can we prevent stress acne? Firstly taking care of your skin and regular acne treatments are a great way to deal with stress acne. Some options to use for acne treatment are topical over the counter treatments such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. It’s important to figure out what works for your skin, if your stress acne isn’t going away it’s important to switch up your routine and figure out what’s going to help. If nothing seems to work, it’s important to talk to a dermatologist to see what you can do.

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Beauty Lifestyle

Can Aloe Vera Treat Acne Scars?

Aloe vera has become a very popular ingredient especially in skincare. Aloe vera is most well known for being a hydrator however it can also be an exfoliant, it has mostly been used for sunburns, dry skin and even eczema. Aloe Vera is great for just about every skin type especially because it doesn’t have an oily consistency. With this alone aloe is a great ingredient but aloe may also be a treatment for acne scars. 

Anyone who’s dealt with acne knows it’s awful, annoying and can be incredibly hard to get rid of. But even worse than acne is acne scars. Acne scars can be even more difficult to get rid of than acne, and can even take weeks or months to go away. Luckily there are a couple of treatments for acne scars one of which is aloe vera. 

But what exactly is aloe vera? Aloe vera comes from the natural aloe plant. It comes in gel like consistency and is quite simple to get straight out of the aloe plant. All you have to do is cut open one of the leaves from the plant and the gel will come out easily. 

There are a couple of benefits aloe has on acne scars one of which being repairing the skin. Like any other scar, acne scars are caused by a breakage in the skin. Luckily aloe vera can help prevent and treat these scars because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. As Well as this studies have shown that aloe vera increases growth factors from the cells that make collagen also known as fibroblasts. Aloe vera also heals wounds and inflammation. Which is exactly what acne scars are. This is because aloe vera decreases a chemical called thromboxane which slows down wound healing. It also contains something called magnesium lactate, which decreases histamine (a chemical involved in the anti-inflammatory response) and itching/irritation.  

But aloe’s benefits don’t stop with just acne scarring. Many people know aloe vera is a great treatment for sun burns or damaged skin but there’s even more than that. Going along with the sun burn treatment one of the benefits of aloe is soothing the skin. As mentioned before soothing the skin is the most popular use of aloe when it comes to skin care. It can be used to soothe itching, burning, and irritation. Another benefit is moisturizing, aloe has been shown to have a strong moisturizing effect however it may not be the best for people who need an extreme moisturizer such as people with eczema.  Aloe can also prevent transepidermal water loss or (TEWL) TEWL is something that happens when the skin gets dehydrated caused by water passing from the body, through the epidermis and into the surrounding air. This can cause irritation and dryness in the skin. Aloe contains something called phytosterols which soothe the irritation caused by TEWL and can also prevent TEWL itself. Lastly aloe vera can cool and hydrate the skin, this helps with the sunburn aspect because while it is actually helping the sunburn it feels nice on the irritated skin as well. This is due to the fact that aloe vera is 99.5% water. 

Now that you know how aloe vera helps to get rid of acne scarring, there are a couple of ways to use aloe so which one is the best for acne scars? There are a number of different ways to use aloe some of which including, gels, drinks and supplements. So far the best way we have found to use aloe for acne scars is gels or topical treatments. Taking aloe vera orally has shown to not have the same effect on healing scarring or other wounds. Whenever you notice acne scarring showing up on your skin you can start applying aloe right away for 1-2 weeks or until you have the results you want. Start your skin care routine normally by washing your face. After you’ve dried your face you can apply a thin layer of aloe to the skin and continue with your skin care routine. This should be done 1-2 times a day. 

With anything skincare products (especially natural ones such as aloe) irritation is a risk. Luckily since aloe is mostly water and not a strong ingredient it doesn’t have much of a risk for bad side effects. However, allergies are always a risk when it comes to natural ingredients. If you’re not sure whether you’re allergic to aloe or not, be sure to spot-test it on your hand or arm before applying it to your face.

Categories
Lifestyle Wellness

10 Simple Ways To Ease Your Mental Health

The state of our mental health plays a huge part in our day to day life. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to keep a good mental state especially with outside forces affecting our lives. This is why it’s super important to find things you can do to help your mental state. Luckily psychologists have found multiple easy things you can do to keep mentally stable even in some of the toughest times. 

Here are some of the best easy ways to put your mental state at ease. 

  1. Get enough sleep. 

Getting sleep is super important for your body’s overall health but it can especially help your mental state. A bad night of sleep can cause unnecessary stress and your capability to deal with stress, increase anger and can also increase your probability of developing a mental illness such as depression. On the contrary a good night of sleep can increase mental resilience and daily mood this is because while you’re asleep your brain works on repairing not only injuries but also repairs our brains and mental state and consolidates our memories. It’s super important to get a good night’s sleep everyday but especially so, if you’re feeling anxious or depressed. 

  1. Do something you enjoy/something your good at.

This is pretty self explanatory but doing something you enjoy is a great and fun way to boost your mental health. Doing something enjoyable releases good endorphins that help beat stress hormones. As well as this doing something you know you’re good at when you’re feeling down helps boost self esteem and cause you to move your minds of what’s bothering you. 

  1. Learn what helps you cope with stress.

When it comes to dealing with stress everyone does something different, it all depends on what personally works for you. Luckily there are lots of different ways to deal with stress check out our article 15 Things You Can Do To Decrease Stress for ideas on how you cope with stress and anxiety. 

  1. Spend time with people you love.

Human connection is super important for everyone, because humans have always been social animals. Especially if your feeling down a possible cause could be isolation or lack of human connection. Social connection can lower your risk for mental illness, improve self esteem and even boost your immune system. It is important to talk to friends or family that make you feel good. 

  1. Meditate. 

Meditation has been known to be a great way to put your mind in a relaxed and tranquil state. Meditation may seem difficult but it’s quite simple to follow a guided meditation. Studies have shown that only five minutes of meditation a day can be a simple treatment for stress and anxiety. Anxiety can also help with other mental illnesses such as depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), schizophrenia and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Meditation has also been shown to help with pain and other illnesses such as cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, headaches, sleep disorders and asthma. Next time you’re feeling stressed take a five minute meditation break before resuming with your day. 

  1. Take a break from stressful activities.

As obvious as it may seem sometimes we avoid doing the things we need the most, and in this case the thing you need the most could be to simply take a break. Whether it be work, school, friendships or other outside sources, it’s important to take your mental health into account when dealing with these things. 

  1. Eat healthy food.

Eating nutritious and healthy food does not only affect our physical health but also our mental health. This is because stress negatively affects blood pressure and blood flow. Healthy foods also affect blood pressure and blood flow but in the opposite way as stress. Some foods that reduce stress include: 

-Avocado

-Banana

-Tea

-Carrots

-Nuts

-Dark chocolate

-Swiss chard

-Orange

-and more

  1. Exercise. 

Much like healthy food exercise doesn’t only have physical benefits but also mental. Exercise can not only take your mind off any bad emotions you’re feeling, but it also has been proven to release positive endorphins that fight against stress and depression. The endorphins have been associated with “the runner high” because of their antidepressant-like effects. This is likely because exercising can cause cell growth in the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain that affects memory and emotion. People affected by depression have a smaller hippocampus which is why cell growth in that area is an effective antidepressant. 

  1. Treat yourself with kindness. 

As simple as it may seem being kind to yourself has a huge effect on your mental health. Studies have shown more self-compassionate people tend to cope with difficulties and negative feelings better. Aswell as this it can also lessen feelings of anxiety or depression. Self kindness is so effective in helping mental health that a form of therapy has been made called compassion focused therapy.  

  1. Get help from a professional.

Getting help from a professional is a great resource when your mental health isn’t doing well. Therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for many people dealing with mental health issues or mental illness.