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Yes To… Everything!

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

One of our all-time favorite drugstore natural beauty brands has done it again!  (And again, and again, and again!).  The nourishing, beta-carotene rich Yes to Carrots collection of skin and haircare products has always been there for us in a pinch, when we’re stuck in an unfamiliar town and need to grab some face wash at the local CVS.  All the products are paraben, SLS, and pthalate-free, and feature some potent, organic ingredients.  They are such a major standout among all the chemical and carcinogenic crap products available at most drugstores and box stores, and beauty editors have been noticing, and unloading a bunch of awards on some of the standout products below.  So we have been super excited to witness the growth of the brand to feature lines specific to different beauty concerns, all packing the same powerful botanical punch.

While Yes to Carrots is still a great go-to for dry skin, we love the soothing, calming, and gentle Yes To Cucumbers line for sensitive skin.  For anyone with skin prone to redness, the Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes are the perfect solution for refreshing and cleansing the skin while on the go… I always have a pack in my travel bags!  The whole line features soothing and calming organic ingredients like cucumber, aloe vera, green tea extract, and spirulina.

For acne-prone skin, the Yes to Tomatoes line really delivers.  I’m a huge fan of the Repairing Acne Lotion for controlling and treating mild breakouts.  It’s loaded with acne-busting, natural salicylic acid and witch hazel, healing organic aloe, anti-inflammatory organic tomato extract, and antioxidant and anti-microbial pomegranate extract.  For major, day-ruining zits, I love the Roller Ball Spot Stick.  The roller ball minimizes transfer of bacteria from your hands to an already problematic pimple, and the super potent ingredients also include soothing and anti-inflammatory ginger and bisabolol and healing tea tree oil, in addition to an even higher concentration of acne clearing salicylic acid.  The stuff really works!

The two new additions to the line are no less stellar than their veteran cousins. Yes to Grapefruit is a potent line for dull and uneven skin.  The Daily Facial Scrub is perfect for bringing out skin’s natural luminosity.  Loaded with brightening and smoothing organic grapefruit peel extract and lemon balm, as well as healing and nourishing organic sunflower seed oil, it removes impurities, improves tone and clarity of skin, and lightens scars and dark spots.  For uneven skin on the rest of your body, try the Dark Spot Correcting Body Lotion, with masterwort and capsicum fruit extract to soothe and protect skin.

The other new kid on the beauty block is the Yes to Blueberries collection, perfect for preventing aging and the formation of fine lines.  Blueberries are bursting with skin protecting antioxidants which reverse the signs of aging, so it makes perfect sense that they would be the headliner for this potent line.  Other ingredients like organic cotton thistle, wild acacia and paracress flower are clinically proven to hydrate aging skin, reduce fine lines, and boost natural collagen production.  The whole line is great, but we’re particularly into the  Deep Wrinkle Filler and Brightening Eye Roller, which both noticeably perk up skin.  Check back in to enter to win our giveaway of a collection of six Yes to Blueberries products for face and body!

We are so thrilled that there are non-toxic, natural beauty products like these in the mass market.  It is now easier and more affordable than ever to find safe products that are just as effective as their chemical and carcinogenic counterparts.  Alright ladies, no more excuses!  Clean out that medicine cabinet and say yes to restocking with products tailor-made for your skin concerns, that are actually good for your skin!

Anti-Aging Magic from Avitalin

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

Marina Volod, creator of Avitalin Skincare, has devoted her life to the study of skin physiology, cosmetic ingredients and skin nutrition, and that immense knowledge base has yielded the creation of an immensely effective, powerful, and best of all, healthy line of vegan skincare products. For the past month, I have been using her products, and I have to say, my skin absolutely loves it!

I follow my oil face wash with Avitalin Firming Fluid ($55), which is formulated with anti-aging skincare powerhouses like hyaluronic acid, peptides, and phospholipids. It also has one of my favorite natural ingredients, seabuckthorn oil, which is a wonderful anti-inflammatory antioxidant. The vegan fluid goes on super smooth, and I actually found that I don’t even need a moisturizer after using it!

When my skin is feeling a little overstressed and red, I love to use Rebalance Calming Complex ($58), which is specially formulated to calm sensitive skin, especially if you’re prone to eczema, rosacea, or dermatitis. It is loaded with nourishing, anti-inflammatory ingredients like rooibos and green tea extracts, licorice and oat extracts, and calendula. It also helps to keep skin cells young and vital with potent vegan embryonic phyto complex and beta glucans. It leaves skin silky smooth and even, and provides non-greasy moisture all day long!

To keep eyes youthful, I love the Smooth Contour eye cream ($55). It is marvelous for getting rid of any puffiness and dark circles, and feels absolutely luxurious around the eyes. It’s made with ultra nourishing shea and cocoa butter, brightening alpha-arbutin, and the patented Syn®-Ake, which is a potent complex that relaxes facial tension, preventing the formation of new lines, and improving firmness and tonicity.

Once a week, I love to exfoliate and rejuvenate my skin with the Active Enzyme Peel ($40), which uses gentle fruit acids and skin lightning ingredients to increase cell turnover, improve skin’s texture and brighten the complexion. Pineapple and papaya enzymes make this peel feel and smell like a treat straight out of the spa, while arbutin and baltic amber extract deliver potent skin transformation.

Marina really embodies our ethos here at The Organic Beauty, that nature provides us with the most effective and potent ingredients to heal and beautify our bodies, inside and out!

I love the Avitalin line so much, I just have to share it with you, my beautiful readers! From now until next Friday, March 15th, we’re holding a giveaway of over $160 worth of Avitalin products! Click here to learn how to enter!

Natural Oil Face Wash Method for Perfect Skin!

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

Natural Oil Face Wash Method for Perfect Skin! | The Organic Beauty BlogAfter one of my best girlfriends told me of her new oil face wash routine, I was intrigued, and more than a little bit skeptical. I’ve had oily skin my whole life… How could washing my face with oil help?? But as I watched my friend’s skin get clearer and clearer, my curiosity got the best of me. I picked up some jojoba oil from Trader Joe’s and did the deed! Low and behold, my face was significantly less oily throughout the day, and within a few weeks, my perpetually clogged pores were clearer, and my skin was the softest and most glowing it’s ever been. I’ve been using this method for a couple of months now, and I have to say, I’m never going back! Best of all, this is so much less expensive than buying fancy face washes, and so much more effective and natural! Here’s how it’s done:

Step One: Choose (and blend) your oils

The official prescription calls for a combination of castor oil and another balancing oil in the following proportions:

  • For Oily/Breakout Prone Skin: A blend of 30% Castor Oil to 70% Sunflower Seed Oil/Jojoba.
  • For Balanced Skin: A blend of 20% Castor Oil to 80% Jojoba Oil/Olive Oil.
  • For Dry Skin: A blend of 10% Castor Oil to 90% Jojoba/Olive Oil.

You may want to add a drop or two of yummy essential oils to add a scent and some added healthy skin benefits! Try essential oils of lavender, rosemary, tea tree, or eucalyptus.

If this all seems like too much work, you can try a pre-blended oil.  I like Kindred Skincare Co. Complete Cleanse Oil (for oily and blemish prone skin), 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm (for normal to dry skin).  I’ve also had great results with just pure organic jojoba oil, which is super easy to find and doesn’t require mixing.

Step Two: Cleanse and steam

For maximim benefits, use this method at night. There’s no need to cleanse your skin the morning after, you can just rinse with warm water. This allows your skin to balance itself and prevents over-drying and overproduction of sebum! You’ll need a washcloth, your oil, and some super hot running water.

  • Start by massaging the oil into your dry face, giving extra attention to areas where you have makeup or clogged pores. Take your time while massaging the oil into your skin. Let this be a calming moment in your day. Breathe deeply and enjoy the sensation.
  • When you’ve massaged your face for a minute or two, soak your washcloth in steaming hot water, wring it out, and apply it to cover your face. Keep it on until it cools, and gently wipe the oil from your face. Rinse the washcloth in hot water and repeat. The hot washcloth opens your pores, and allows the oil to bind with it and remove impurities from your skin! Don’t be afraid of the oil… The washcloth cleans it off your skin, leaving just enough moisture to keep you glowing and hydrated.
  • Pat your face dry.

Step Three (Optional): Moisturize

If your skin feels at all tight after your oil wash, you can use a couple drops of your oil (or one of the oils below) to moisturize your skin. If you don’t wash your face in the morning, your skin’s oil production should normalize within a few days of using this method. But I still like to use a really great face oil as a moisturizer after I shower. My absolute favorite is Osmia Organics Facial Calibration Serum (check out my interview with the owner of Osmia, Sarah Villafranco). For some other great face oils that clear pores and cure breakouts, check out this post on Well+Good NYC.

Best Natural Treatments for Rosacea

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

Rosacea is one of those pesky, mysterious conditions that can often be rooted in the mind-body connection.  A frustration a lot of people with rosacea have is that nothing seems to consistently help them manage their breakouts.  A new face wash or magic serum may work for a month or two, but those red blotches just keep coming back.

So what’s the trick?  A less is more approach to skincare, and a holistic approach to self-care and eating that nips those triggers in the bud.  Read on for some natural rosacea treatment facts you may not know!

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