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Recent Posts by Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

The Secret to Perfect Skin

Kindred Skincare Co. | The Organic Beauty Blog

I get asked a lot about my beauty secrets:  the secret recipe for weight loss, the magic ingredient for clear skin or to stave off the signs of aging.  Usually, I shy away from the fix-all way of thinking.  With weight loss and health concerns, there is definitely no one thing that makes all the difference (though those dark leafies come pretty close).  But with skincare, I have to break my own rule… There IS a secret to beautiful skin, and that is…

OIL.

A child of the 80’s and 90’s, I grew up fearing oils.  We bought oil-free everything when it came to skincare, and of course, that was mirrored in our eating, as we were taught that fat-free was the way to go.  Man, were we ever wrong.

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How to Naturally Treat and Prevent Diaper Rash

naturally-treat-diaper-rash

A mom friend was telling me today about the turmoil of diaper rash, and she was shocked to discover that we’ve never had a bout of it.  As luck would have it, literally THE DAY I STARTED WRITING THIS ARTICLE, we had our first incident!!  And it was all because I got lazy and broke rule number 1 below.  But, this was actually a blessing in disguise, as I now actually have personal experience with the beast that is diaper rash, and can even further attest to the effectiveness of the remedies in this article!

There are a bunch of factors that play into diaper rash, but let me be the first to tell you, it’s not just another icky inevitability of babyhood. You can totally prevent diaper rash by taking a few, simple steps.

So what causes those rashy bums?  These are the main perpetrators:

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High marks for cannabis: Beauty super-ingredient

CBD for Life | The Organic Beauty Blog

Being a recent west coast transplant, I am no stranger to all the buzz surrounding CBD (cannabidiol) as a super potent force for health and healing.  Along with THC, CBD is one of the active cannabinoids in cannabis, accounting for about 40% of the plant’s extract.  But unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive (read: it’s not gonna get you high), and is loaded with tons of health benefits.  Taken internally — typically in the form of an oral spray or vaporizer — it has been found (through legitimate research published in places like The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology) to act as a major anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-depressant, anti-psychotic, anti-cancer, and anti-convulsant.  Pretty much anti-everything-bad-you-can-think-of.  This accounts for it’s widespread use in our beloved new state of California as a first line of natural medicine to treat a variety of health issues.  But even newer research is showing some pretty exciting results about CBD’s as a super powerful beauty ingredient, with the power to slow the signs of aging, heal dry skin, and calm breakouts… all this in addition to the proven topical effects of pain relief and decreasing inflammation.

Knowing how powerful CBD is internally, I knew I had to try it’s beauty effects for myself.

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Totally Personalized Skincare from Italy

Hekate Customized Skincare | The Organic Beauty

I am a sucker for personalization.. Be it a lovely monogram on purse, an annoyingly customized GrubHub order, or my wedding anniversary or daughter’s birthday emblazoned on everything from jewelry to albums and artwork, it’s those little personal touches that make all the difference. You’d think that with something as utterly personal as skincare, there would be more options for a totally customizable product out there — made specifically for your skin, with your chose ingredients, but alas, this is nearly impossible to find.  And it’s not easy to find a face cream for my combination, large-pored, breakout and redness-prone skin that’s starting to show signs of age. So you can imagine that I got positively giddy when I discovered Hekate Cosmetics, an Italian company that allows you to create totally personalized face cream.

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2016 #skingoals: Get Clear

5 Steps to Clearer Skin  |  The Organic Beauty Blog

Be it pimples, rosacea, eczema or other kinds of bumps, redness and inflammation that ail you, getting clear skin get feel like an elusive #skingoal.  The problem is that most people try to deal with these skin issues topically, which will only get you part way there.  Great skin starts on the inside, and the only way to truly clear up redness, inflammation, and breakouts is to take a holistic approach.  What you eat and what supplements you take are just as important as how you wash your skin and what products you use.  Follow these 5 steps to get clearer, happier skin, free from breakouts, redness, and bumps!

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How this nutritionist feeds her baby

Nutritionist Feeds Her Baby

As a holistic nutritionist, I put a lot of thought into what and how I want to feed my baby. Her first foods and the way she is fed set her up for a lifetime of healthy eating and a happy relationship with food.

I did a bunch of research before I settled on baby-led weaning and a very specific set of first foods for my little one. Check out this video where I discuss what I love about baby-led weaning, what foods I feed my little one, and how I’m setting her up for a lifetime of happy, healthy eating!

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The magic formula for a slimmer waist and healthy heart

The magic formula for a slimmer waist |  The Organic Beauty Blog

In the world of health, we’re always looking for a quick fix.  One magical pill, food, or tincture that will make it all better — help you lose weight, live longer, look better.  There are thousands of products out there that claim just that. “Take two pills a day and you’ll [insert egregious health claim here]!”  Though we may still be subconsciously looking for that one magic cure-all, our more rational minds tell us that it’s just not that easy. One supplement or food or herb is just not going to solve everything, but the good news is, there is a scientifically proven combination of factors that WILL promote a slimmer waist and healthy heart.  And guess what? If you think about it, I’m sure you already know what it is.

The magic formula:

Healthy diet + targeted supplementation + regular movement = a healthier, happier, prettier you.

Of course, the debate about what qualifies as a healthy diet, what supplements actually work, and what amount of what type of movement to do still rages on.

To answer this age-old debate, I turn to a couple of sources. Science, anecdotal evidence, and common sense.  Allow me to break it all up:

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Soothing Silver for Sore Nipples

Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers  |  The Organic Beauty Blog

If there’s one thing that comes up ALL the time amongst new moms, it’s sore nipples.  First they’re super sore in the beginning, as we sort out shallow latches and supply and get the hang of the whole breastfeeding thing.  Then, just when we think we’re home free, around 4-5 months, those babes start getting teeth, and being super distracted during nursing sessions, pulling and tugging at our poor nipples, and occasionally giving them a good ol’ chomp.  We’re not there yet, but I assume once the top teeth start coming in at 8-9 months, we’ll be in for a whole new round of drama.

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2016 #skingoals: Amp Up Your Anti-Aging Skincare

6 Steps for Younger Skin | The Organic Beauty Blog

The second biggest skin complaint I hear about from my readers (after dry skin woes) is staving off the signs of aging, without fillers, surgery, and toxic chemicals.  Now, we all know that’s a tall order.  Nothing works as well as a good old nip, tuck, or injectable.  But there is a lot we can do, naturally, to slow the signs of aging skin through our skincare and lifestyle habits.  I’m not one to judge a lady (or gent!) for choosing the medspa route, but try these steps first to amp up your anti-aging action, before going hardcore Cher all over the place.  Deal? Deal. Here they are, my…

6 Steps for Younger Skin

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Luxe Anti-Aging & Skin Perfecting Magic + Giveaway!

Beautycounter Countertime Collection | The Organic Beauty Blog

Let’s face it, the world of natural, non-toxic anti-aging skincare still has a ways to go.  In lieu of using the typical plumping, filling, anti-aging chemicals, most green beauty lines opt for the power of oils, essential and otherwise.  Don’t get me wrong, no one loves and believes in the power of oils more than me, but sometimes, a girl needs a bit more.  So you could go ahead and color me excited when a rep from Beautycounter reached out to me.

Beautycounter, based in my own beautiful Santa Monica, is a relatively new beauty company, dedicated to creating luxe and effective skincare that is totally safe.  They have a “Never List” of banned ingredients that go way beyond the parabens, phthalates, and mineral oils that most of us make a point of avoiding.  But the coolest thing is that these safe, luxurious products are jam-packed with super potent and effective ingredients that actually work.

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