Do Herbal Skin Care Treatments Work?

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October 2, 2009


There’s often a divisive gap between the medical community and the cosmetics industry on the value of herbal skin care products. The confusion this results in for the rest of us can be frustrating but the application of a little logic might help clear the air. Because, if you think about it, most medicinal and cosmetics products were herbal at one point in human history.

Native American Indians depended on plants and it would be wholly irresponsible to discount their practices as primitive simply because they are old. Advances in technology may have opened the world to new opportunities but that advancement doesn’t invalidate things that have worked in the past. For example, the use of Yellow-Spined Thistle in the treatment of burns and skin sores is no less valid today than it was 200 years ago. There are simply other options available.

One plant you’ve likely heard of that has received ready acceptance the world over is Aloe Vera. Thanks to humans, this plant has migrated to warm climates the world over and is used in everything from the treatment of burns to medicines. And, of course, you’ll find plenty of it in cosmetics. Again, the medical community hasn’t jumped on the bandwagon and begun lauding its value, but the cosmetics companies sure have.

Doctors Aren’t Always Right, Cosmetic Companies Aren’t Always Honest

The thriving malpractice industry should make that point clear but your common sense should tell you that, while certainly the smarter choice to bet on, even doctors get it wrong now and again. In my own lifetime, medical doctrine has changed on everything from the value of fat in our diets to numerous instances in which once wildly prescribed medicines have been yanked from the shelves as dangerous. So does that mean we should believe the cosmetics companies instead of the doctors? Not really. It just means that we should expect more out of both.

To claim clear and beneficial value in herbal skin care ingredients absent clinical study is no less irresponsible on the part of cosmetics companies than medical professionals claiming they don’t provide benefit without testing and proving their premise. In other words, the cosmetics industry is often guilty of hawking wares with no real proof of benefit and the medical community is often guilty of poo-pooing herbal ingredients without any real clinical study to support their skepticism. So what’s a gal or guy to do? Apply a little common sense and do your homework.

Absent clinical study by either party, we’re left to depend mostly on anecdotal evidence. The internet, for all its many flaws, has opened up doors our parents didn’t enjoy. An afternoon reading product reviews by those without any skin in the game (pardon the pun) can get you a long way towards deciding if an herbal skin care product can really deliver on its claims.

The simple truth is that virtually everything those same medical professionals so gleefully prescribe (in excesses, some might argue) have their roots in some herbal, botanical or natural substance. Seems odd, then, doesn’t it, that they’d have such a beef with the cosmetics industry for embracing “natural” as a good thing? On the surface, maybe. As already stated, it’s the absence of real medical studies in support of the claims the cosmetics companies make that inclines doctors to disbelieve the hype, but there’s more to it than that.

Doctors Just Hate Herbal Skin Care Products

Not really. Where the medical community does have a point is that herbal or botanical inclusion in skin care products is often little more than opportunistic marketing. What I mean by that is that we often make the mistake of assuming that “natural” is better. So when we see things like aloe or coco butter included in our skin care products, we make the assumption that the product is chalk full of healthy, natural ingredients and that it is, therefore, better for us. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the presence of those natural ingredients in organic herbal skin care products may be blinding you to the other ingredients on the list which may include plenty of chemicals.

The simple truth is that the marketing of natural herbal skin care products as somehow “better” is a sham. While there may be herbal skin care products with real benefits, a touch of lavender, saffron or jasmine or anything else prominently displayed on the product packaging is little more than bait. Sure, your herbal lotion or cream may smell a bit better for their inclusion, but you probably aren’t getting much in the way of any health benefits from rubbing it on your face.

Even assuming an herbal ingredient does have real beneficial value, that doesn’t mean every product you find it in has properly processed it or included enough of it in their product for it to result in any measurable results. This is even true of more mainstream chemical or vitamin-based products. Having it mentioned on the bottle really means next to nothing.

One example I’m fond of is the inclusion of “a complex of caffeine from coffee bean” in Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream. The product claims to brighten and depuff tired eyes. I won’t say whether the product works or not (for $29.50, I’d hope it does) but what I will say is that the mention of caffeine from coffee beans is nothing more than a clever play on perception. You know coffee wakes you up. You know it’s the caffeine in beans from which the coffee was made which is responsible for waking you up. That in mind, your natural inclination is to accept that having caffeine from coffee beans in a product really can wake up your puffy, tired eyes. Poppy-cock, I say.

Caffeine is a crystalline alkaloid and a diuretic. More importantly, it is a central nervous system stimulant. You get those “stimulating” benefits from it by processing it through your digestive tract and transferring it via your bloodstream to receptors in your brain. The very notion that rubbing minute quantities of caffeine on your puffy eyes will somehow “wake them up” is asinine. But we buy into it because human nature inclines us to seek commonality. If caffeine wakes me up then, sure, why wouldn’t it wake my eyes up too? Never mind that humans develop tolerance to caffeine. Ignore that there’s FAR more of the stuff in a single cup of coffee than you’ll ever find in a jar of eye cream.

In the case of Origins skin cream, it is likely other ingredients in far greater quantities which are responsible for the results you may or may not receive. Again, the product may work just fine (I’m not claiming it doesn’t). And for all I know, the drying nature of a diuretic may sap moisture from those puffy eyes and cause them to depuff (I doubt it). Even if that were the case though, is that what you want to do to the sensitive skin around your eyes? I’m just pointing out that it’s very easy to get suckered in by nonsense claims about herbal or botanical ingredients in skin care products that really offer little more than false assurances.

Dave Hates Herbal Skin Care Products

No, I don’t. I know that, having read what I’ve written above, you may be inclined to believe I’m not a fan, but it’s simply not true. Though I’ve evolved into a much more technical lifestyle, my younger years were spent avidly studying herbs and botanicals. I was fascinated by everything from the way Dumbcane could render a person temporarily mute (and in a lot of pain) to how the boiled bark of dogwood was a great treatment for constipation. In fact, I’ve been writing here about foods that are good for your skin and the benefits of antioxidants.  I really do recognize the value of plants of all kinds for their medicinal and (yes) cosmetic potential. But I also know enough about marketing to realize that, all too often, cosmetic companies are preying on an assumption that a picture of a familiar, pretty plant (preferably one that smells great) is a fantastic way to get into a consumer’s wallet. It’s the same reason so many cosmetic products look like creamy, delicious food. It’s psychological marketing rather than honest help.

If you have your heart set on finding herbal skin care products than can really work and can deliver on their promises without too much in the way of a chemical boost, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Spend plenty of time researching online and pay particular attention to reviews and feedback by real consumers just like you who have tried and love a product before you settle. No cosmetics company is going to come right out on the bottle and tell you “we just put these flowers and herbs in here because we know you’re gullible and they smell good.” Finding a product that is both herbal and functional will be entirely up to you.

While you’re at it and conducting your search, you may find a few sites out their run by people who concoct their own herbal skin care recipes. They often offer recipes or sell their cosmetics online. While I’m a big advocate of small business and always cheer for the little guy, you should be careful here. That’s particularly the case if you suffer from sensitive skin or skin allergies.

If you’re curious about herbs and their many uses, you should stop by www.naturalherbsguide.com. You might be fascinated by what you can learn there about all kinds of natural herbal remedies and supplements.

Check back soon for another beautiful skin post. I have to run to the grocery store to pick up a new bottle of shampoo with yogurt in it. Mmmm… yummy yogurt. I’m sure it’ll make my hair beautiful.

-D

Categories: All Natural Skin Care Products, Herbal Skin Care.

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J.R. Watkins for the Best All Natural Skin Care Products

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August 28, 2009

Looking for the best all natural skin care products? Well look no further! J.R. Watkins is a family owned and operated all natural skin care company that has been in business for over one hundred years! For a company to operate and thrive for that long, they must know what they are doing! J.R. Watkins manufactures high quality products and provides outstanding customer service.  It all began in 1868 when the J.R. Watkins Medical Company launched its first product, Original Liniment. Well, my skin loving friends, J.R. Watkins has come a long way since it sold its first bottle of liniment and now produces and sells hundreds of different health and beauty products…all natural, of course!

The goal of the J.R. Watkins Company is “To be the most TRUSTED natural products company.” Now that’s a mission statement! After all, if the consumer doesn’t trust your product they probably won’t buy it! J.R. Watkins recognizes how important it is to “go green” and protect Mother Earth and that is why they offer a full line of plant based home care products that are free of pollutants and are biodegradable. Wonderful! J.R. Watkins has truly been a pioneer when it comes to natural living. They use only the finest natural ingredients in their products and stand by the commitment they have made not only to their customers but the planet as well.

So what types of products does J.R. Watkins sell? Well, products are broken down into categories including Natural Personal Care, Natural Home Care, Natural Gourmet and Remedies. The Natural Personal Care product line includes facial and foot care products (such as the Gentle Pore Scrub which is made from apricot seeds and other natural ingredients), all natural hand a body lotions (the Lemon Cream Hand and Body Lotion is one my favorites), body creams, hand a cuticle salves, body oils, lip balms, bath salts and all natural travel kits.

 As previously mentioned J.R. Watkins is committed to Mother Earth and that is why they have created their Natural Home Care product line. Products within this line are, of course, all natural and free from petro chemicals, formaldehyde, and phosphates. Their home products are natural, plant based cleaners that are not only SAFE for you but the planet as well! J.R. Watkins has implemented a “Freedom Code.” This means that the products that they produce are FREE from the following: ammonia, animal ingredients, benzene, bleach, dyes, formaldehyde, petrochemicals, sulfuric acid, kerosene…well, you get the idea. Some of the products that can be purchased include all purpose cleaners (the green tea and lemon all purpose wipes really work!), orange citrus all natural and all purpose cleaner, lemon liquid  laundry concentrate, aloe and green tea liquid dish soap (which is gentle on the hands!), lemon furniture polish, lemon toilet bowl cleaner and many, many more!

It is easy to see that J.R. Watkins is COMMITTED to not only producing the best skin care products but the best home care products as well! As the company expands, so does the variety of products that they sell. Over the past several years they have added not only all natural remedies to their inventory but yummy, natural gourmet items as well (they sell all types of spices, extracts, even dessert and frosting mixes!). If you have a cold and a cough, don’t worry! Simply grab a bottle of all natural Supercold Cough Medicine and you’ll be on your way to feeling better in no time!

J.R. Watkins has been in business for many, many years. They strongly believe that all natural is better and that keeping Mother Earth beautiful is just as important as helping you with beautiful skin! Since 1868, J.R. Watkins has evolved into one of the leading manufacturers of not only all natural skin care products but oh so much more! Finally, a company that really cares…not only about YOU but the planet that WE ALL share!

Categories: All Natural Skin Care Products, Beauty.

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Berry Beautiful Skin Care

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August 26, 2009

1735936_blog1.jpgI had it in mind to begin writing about organic beauty products for beautiful skin but I promised to continue writing about foods for skin care so I’m sticking to that promise. The good news (for me, anyway) is that, when it comes to beauty products, food is about as organic as you can get! If you haven’t already read my post on drinking water for beautiful skin, please start there before you continue reading this. I promise this post will still be here when you finish but, water being as important as it is, you really should begin your skin-friendly foods education with that post.

In this, our next topic on foods that are good for your skin, we’re going to discuss the humble berry and fruits. In my European upbringing, wild berries and fruits were a common and frequent part of life. Avid hikers and outdoorsmen, Germans often find themselves exploring the wilderness and I, a guest in that country, fully embraced their traditions. That meant hiking through the beautiful countryside where the farmers didn’t mind if you picked the occasional apple or grazed from the wild berries surrounding their fields.

Among my favorite treats were the blackberries that grew almost to the point of being a nuisance to the farmers. Plump, juicy, sweet and tart, it was all my father could do to keep me moving if I happened to notice blackberries growing fence-side along the side of the trail. Living here in the US, I find them a lot harder to come by in the wild, but they are worth the effort to find or buy from a grocery store because blackberries are GREAT for healthy, beautiful skin. Why? Antioxidants!

Blackberries aren’t the only berry or fruit high in antioxidants. Sharing their ranking status as having the highest antioxidant capacity (out of just about any food) are blueberries, plums, strawberries and others. Nice as that is, you’re probably left wondering what the big deal is. What are antioxidants anyway, and why are they good for you? Glad you asked.

Basically, think of antioxidants as nutrients in food that keep you healthy by slowing or preventing the natural processes in biology that damage our cells. Getting a bit more technical, the cells in your body naturally produce free-radicals. These are a byproduct of using oxygen. It’s a bit like cell-poop if you want to think of it that way. The cell uses oxygen like you use food and produces free radicals like you might excrete waste. Cell poop is a bad thing. It’s something you can’t simply prevent because the production of free-radicals is a natural byproduct of your cell’s use of oxygen. Short of starving your cells of oxygen (which would kill you), you really have no choice but to suffer the potential consequences of them processing the oxygen which is oxidative damage.

So how do berries, fruits and other foods high in antioxidants help? Another good question! I’m glad you’re here asking. See, antioxidants essentially scavenge free radicals. In sufficient quantities, they can prevent the damage that simply being alive causes to your body. But the good news doesn’t stop there! Studies imply that antioxidants can prevent the development of anything from cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis and cataracts! Even taking skin care completely out of the equation those benefits alone make it worth your while to add some blackberries or other fruits to your next shopping list! But, since this is a blog about skin care and a post about foods for beautiful skin, let’s refocus.

Where your skin is concerned, free radicals damage the membrane of skin cells. Normal oxidation can be the source, but sun exposure can contribute too. Damaged skin cells, of course, run a risk of damaged DNA in the cell. So, the inclusion of antioxidant rich foods in your diet provides an army of free radical hungry nutrients which will protect your cells from being damaged in the first place! Whether your objective is to find something natural or simply the best anti aging skin care products, antioxidant rich foods are your number one resource for results.

Ok, but what if you don’t like blackberries. Hey, I sympathize. I’ve found the blackberries available in grocery stores here in the US to be more tart than those I picked in the German countryside as a child. I’m not a big fan of tart. The good news is that there are plenty foods high in antioxidants that can help you find your way to beautiful skin. In fact, the US Department of Agriculture produced a top 20 list. I’d list them all, but since this post is on fruits and berries, I’ll save the full 20 list for a later post but you should note that 13 out of the 20 items listed are fruits and berries. For now, here are the best fruits and berries you can eat for healthy, beautiful skin.

  1. Blueberries (wild)
  2. Blueberries (cultivated)
  3. Cranberries
  4. Blackberries
  5. Prunes
  6. Raspberries (my favorite berry of all)
  7. Strawberries
  8. Red delicious apples (good for keeping doctors AND dermatologists away)
  9. Granny Smith apples
  10. Sweet cherries
  11. Black plums
  12. Plums
  13. Gala Apples

When it comes to finding foods that are good for you, you’ll often find fruits and berries at the top of the list. But if you’re looking for foods for healthy skin, you can’t go wrong by selecting from the list above. Just as it takes time for the damage caused by free radicals, sun exposure, age and pollution to show on your skin, it also takes time for these antioxidant rich foods to reverse skin damage. For best results, include one of the fruits or berries listed above or one of the foods I’ll mention in my next post in at least one meal every day. In time, you’ll feel better, look better and be a healthier person over all!

Your body is wrapped in a new suit of skin about every 1 to 2 months. By including a healthy diet complete with water, antioxidant-rich foods and other dietary recommendations we’ll include in future posts, you can dramatically change your appearance in a very short amount of time. When to start your diet for beautiful skin? Why not today?

Categories: Beauty, Food for Healthy Skin, Health, anti aging skin care.

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Drink Water for a Healthy Beautiful Skin Care Solution

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August 22, 2009


5214434_blog.jpgNumber one on our list of good foods for your skin is water. Ok, not technically a food for skin care, I know. But for argument’s sake, assume that I mean consumable foods and liquids when I use the word “food.” Water’s benefits for healthy skin simply can’t be overstated. While there are foods that will specialize in promoting different health benefits for your skin, think of water as the A-bomb of skin care. Everything in your body requires it to function efficiently. Your cells (including your skin cells) thrive when ample water is present in the body. They literally starve in its absence.

 

Drinking too little water will lead to dehydration and that will become very evident in your skin. As your body suffers from inadequate water, your skin loses elasticity, becomes dry, flakey and splotchy. And no shortcuts here, folks. When we say water, we mean pure water, not soda or beer. And here’s a surprise, I’m not recommending bottled water either unless it is mineral water. Those minerals found in your clean and perfectly drinkable tap-water are actually good for you and your skin. Excessive filtration or distillation strips water of those minerals.

 

While your particular hydration needs will vary based on climate, activity levels and your body’s own specific requirements, a good safe amount to consume for normal activity is roughly 8 glasses a day. Yes, if you haven’t been good about your water consumption, you’ll find yourself making frequent trips to the bathroom until your body adjusts, but this isn’t just about vanity, folks. Looking good is just the bonus you get for actually being healthier. So go grab a glass of water and then continue reading. We’ll wait…, back? Ok, read on.

 

Now, why is water so good for you? If you haven’t kept up on your science, liquid water is the one requirement for life scientists can absolutely agree on. In fact, your body consists of about 65% water. When something is that fundamental to your make up, it doesn’t take a huge intellectual leap to conclude that the lack of that substance can be detrimental to you in many ways. At the extreme end of the spectrum, there’s death. The average survival rate for somebody deprived completely of water in any form is 3-4 days. That amount can be extended by a day or two or diminished by a day or two based on activity level and climate but, deprive yourself completely of water and the absolute best case scenario will have you dead inside of a week.

 

Less dramatic than death but very relevant here are the results of too little water. Many of us are slowly starving our bodies of this vital fluid on a daily basis. The results can be as mild as increased appetite (pay attention, gang, that means that too little water can leave you eating too much food which leads, of course, to weight gain). Dehydration is often misinterpreted as hunger. Want an easy way to shave off a few pounds? Make sure you drink your 8 glasses of water every day to suppress your appetite.

 

Other symptoms of mild dehydration include headaches, irritability and other nuisance symptoms. But the most relevant for our purposes is that prolonged dehydration will show in your skin. Let me elaborate a bit on that to explain what I mean by prolonged dehydration. I’m not talking about the failure to consume any liquid at all, but the long-term results of drinking too little water every day or substituting too many diuretics (coffee, tea, soda) in place of plain water. Over the course of months and years, chronic dehydraters (I made that word up) will see all kinds of undesirable results in their skin.

 

Even if you aren’t ready to jump on the virtues of water wagon yet, here’s something you should consider… those expensive skin care products you’re buying, useless. Useless, that is, if you aren’t adequately hydrating by consuming water. What good is locking in moisture if you don’t have enough in you to begin with? Most skin care products that promise healthy, glowing skin cannot come through on those promises if you are inadequately hydrated.

 

Finally, if you wake up with bags or dark circles under your eyes, you may be dehydrated. Both are symptoms of inadequate hydration (though poor sleep and illness can also cause this symptom). But, if you are otherwise healthy and rested yet still waking up to puffy raccoon eyes, it’s time to hit the bottle (the water bottle) and make a positive change in both your looks and your health.

 

The next time you’re out shopping for skin care products or if you buy skin care products online, take a minute to carefully read the product descriptions. You’ll notice they often state “for healthier looking skin.” There’s the difference between most skin care products and legitimate nutrition and hydration. Products give you healthier LOOKING skin while nutrition and water give you healthy skin, plain and simple.

 

We’ll leave it at that for now but the message here is pretty straight forward. Given the choice between healthy looking skin and actual healthy skin, the choice should be simple. And it’s just water, my friends; inexpensive, abundant, healthy water. It is the best anti aging skin care… no, the best overall skin care product you can buy affordably and use regularly. Drink a little today and, in time, you’ll be rewarded with healthier skin than even the most impressive organic skin care products could ever promise you.

 

Update: our next post on foods that are good for your skin is up. We’ll be introducing you to the benefits of delicious fruits and berries.

Categories: Beauty, Food for Healthy Skin, General Skin Care, Health.

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Eat Your Way to Healthier Skin

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August 18, 2009


1735936_blog.jpgAs this site is a joint venture between me and my wife, we often divvy up the duties. She writes about women’s skin care products and issues and I write about men’s skin care products and issues. Every now and again we have to flip a coin, though, because the topic applies equally to both sexes. That’s the case in today’s post which will focus on good foods for healthy skin because, boy or girl, man or woman, what you put in your body very much plays a part in how the outside of your body looks.

Now as a guy, I’d be lying if I said I’ve always given this concept a lot of thought. Truth told, I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy and my dietary concern was often dictated purely by what particular carnivorous craving was most in need of satisfying. You get older, you get wiser and you find yourself having to consciously make an effort to stay in shape and you start to think about this kind of thing more. As my wife and I have both adopted a healthier lifestyle in the last couple months, food has become an everyday consideration as we shed pounds and build muscle. It hasn’t reached an obsession stage (yet) but we feel it only makes sense to think about our skin as we continue down our self-improvement track. After all, toned, muscled bodies wrapped in wrinkly, oily or splotchy skin sort of defeats the effort, right?

Even so, I was still of the mindset that external skin care products were the true road to perfect looking skin. After considerable review of the research (and you’d be surprised how much science has gone into the study of this topic) I’ve become a convert. More than any cream, lotion, scrub or tonic, the food we eat is the most important skin care tool in our arsenal. With the possible exception of avoiding sun damage, healthy eating trumps everything when it comes to taking care of your skin. And here’s a shocker; some foods may even help defend against or off set the damage caused by the sun! The bottom line is, if you are looking for skin care products that really work, start in your refrigerator.

I know what you’re thinking. “Gee, Dave, that sounds great! So what foods can I eat for healthy skin?” Patience, my eager friend. We’ll get to that in our next post, but let’s first emphasize that what you AVOID eating (or eat in moderate quantities) is also important. Just as there are good foods that promote healthy (really healthy, not just healthy looking) skin, there are also those that can take you the wrong direction by promoting the excess production of oils. Those of you who have suffered from acne in your youth probably remember the warnings against chocolate and greasy foods. Well, they weren’t just trying to deprive you of the good stuff, gang!

Ok, enough said. Our next post will get into the specifics. Sorry for not covering it here but my wife warned me against writing my usual epic-length posts so that people could more readily absorb the information. I’ll be back soon with the information you need to eat your way to healthier skin.

Categories: Beauty, Food for Healthy Skin, General Skin Care.

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Kiehl’s Skin Care for Men

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August 17, 2009


kiehls_anti_wrinkle_cream.jpgSo you’re a man and you’ve decided to dispense with childish hang-ups and accepted it is time to take better care of your skin. Perhaps you want to look younger and more vibrant so you can be more competitive in a challenging job market full of young bucks trying to make their mark. Perhaps you look older than your years and just want an age-appropriate appearance. Or, maybe, you’ve found yourself in the dating world again and would really like to put your best foot forward. In a nation with a 50% divorce rate, that probably represents a lot of men.Whether your motivation is vanity, professional growth, feeling or looking better, men these days find themselves challenged not so much by their hang-ups than by their lack of education. Unlike the ladies, we aren’t indoctrinated into a world of beauty products at an early age. The closest we may get in our youth is acne fighting skin care products. Beyond that, though, we’re usually clueless. So where do we turn when we finally wise up and decide to actually do something about our skin?

We also tend to have some strict requirements in mind when we shop. Still embarrassed at the concept, we want our products to be non-descript or blatantly manly. No flowers on the containers for us, thank you. We want our stuff to either be bland, manly or to imply that we’ll be ravished by women should we use it. While I’ve yet to find a good skin care product for men that implies super models will rip our clothes off on first sight, I did have some luck in finding men’s skin care products that deliver on the non-descript element. For example, Kiehl’s skin care products for men deliver in this area. But they come with some more relevant assets beyond their packaging.

While there are any number of skin care products out there promising magical results, I suspect many people find themselves eventually disappointed. The proof of a solid, reliable and trustworthy company is often found in its longevity and this is why I’m devoting my first post on skin care products for men by singling out Kiehl. This company has been around since 1851, folks. You’ll be hard-pressed to find anything else out there that can top that, let alone top it and fill other criteria important to men.

I also give Kiehl’s skin care products points in the cost department. I won’t lie to you. You can find cheaper products on your grocery store shelves, but you know the old saying that you get what you pay for. A proven and respected industry leader such as Kiehl’s puts a name you can believe in behind proven products that have kept them in business for over a century and a half. Do you think some bargain basement product you pick up at the grocery store can match that? Besides, those of you who don’t want to be caught dead with any kind of “beauty” products in your hands would rather shop for men’s skin care products online anyway, wouldn’t you? God knows I do (I’m not quite as evolved and enlightened as writing this blog might have you believe).

Now the obvious question is what can Kiehl’s do for you? Kiehl’s offers a wide variety of solutions for just about every need including and beyond skin care. In fact, their selection is so well conceived they even have an All-Sport Swimmer’s Cleansing Rinse for Hair and Body which “neutralizes odor and drying effects of chlorine.” But since we’re discussing men’s skin care products, Kiehl’s is an excellent source for hand salve’s your wife will appreciate (rough hands may be manly but she’ll love you for a softer touch). They also sell made-for men soaps that exfoliate, incredible pre and after shaves for a baby-smooth, razor bump and oil free face and a variety of post-shave facial products that will wake up, hydrate and invigorate your face, as well as reduce wrinkles. Tell me shaving a few years off your appearance doesn’t sound good to you.

So there you have it, guys. If you’re interested in men’s skin care products, you can’t go wrong starting with an indoctrination into the world of better looking skin than by giving Kiehl’s skin care products a shot. As of this writing, Kiehl’s throws in 3 free samples with every purchase, allowing you to try additional products you might like. And guess what… you get to PICK the samples so you don’t have to worry about getting some random garbage you don’t have any use for. I love a great deal. You will too! So why are you still reading this? Get to it already.

Categories: General Skin Care, Skin Care Product Reviews, Skin Care for Men.

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Do Men Need Skin Care Products?

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August 16, 2009

The short answer is yes, if you care about your skin’s health or how you look. In my previous post, The Evolution of Men’s Skin Care, I tried to set your mind at ease by pointing out that the use of men’s skin care products is far more prevalent and accepted today than ever before. But, being new to the game, most men are ill-equipped to make informed decisions about their skin care. Sometimes we make bad decisions.

Some of you gentlemen may be wondering if you couldn’t get away with just using your wife’s or girlfriend’s skin care products. Men, you may have noticed that there are some differences between us and the ladies and I’m not just talking about the naughty bits. Aside from those obvious parts, we also happen to have very different body chemistry. Not only may her skin care products not work for you, they may have less than desirable effects such as over-drying your skin. Unless you are a chemist specializing in skin care, don’t take chances. Buy skin care products for men. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about some skin care needs we have in common with the fairer sex.

Acne is a shared complaint by both genders. This embarrassing and often painful ailment is universally distressing and crops up at the worst possible times with no regard for sex (or plans for sex, for that matter). If you’ve suffered from it, you know just how frustrating it can be. The bad news, folks, is that acne isn’t just a problem suffered by teens. While, yes, they represent the larger portion of society struggling with acne, there are plenty people who cope with adult acne every day.

Often associated with acne and another skin problem shared by both sexes is oily skin. While not necessarily a bad thing (oil is naturally produced by your skin) excessive oil and the failure to manage it or cleanse effectively can lead to black heads and acne. There are many cleansers designed specifically to remove excess oil, but you shouldn’t skimp here. Carefully designed products will help you manage oily skin properly without stripping your face entirely of oil. Overdoing it can lead to dry, irritated skin which is no less pleasant to look at than excessively oily skin.

We also both suffer equally from damage to our skin from the Sun and from pollutants. Fortunately there are products for both men and women that can defend against such damage and even reverse it! My next post on skin care products for men will help guide you to one of the first companies you should try as you delve into the world of men’s skin care, but for now recognize that the sun and environmental influences can and do cause your skin problems just as they do for women.

Diet can result in healthier skin and we’re all equally vulnerable to bad results from the consumption of unhealthy foods and inadequate hydration. Likewise smoking, stress, bad sleep habits all take their toll on both genders equally. And, finally, there’s age; the one assault on our skin none of us are immune to.

Perhaps the only real skin care concern we don’t share with women is the result make up has in clogging pores and the importance of its removal. But we’re just as susceptible to just about every other problem they face without the years of practice in preventing or diminishing the damage.

With so many enemies on so many sides doing so much to diminish our skin’s appearance, the question shouldn’t be “do men need skin care products,” it should be “where do I start!?” Well, we’ll get to that in our very next post on particular skin care products for men I think you’ll be very happy with. Until then, my friends.

Update: Our post is now up on Kiehl’s Skin Care Products for Men.

Categories: Skin Care for Men.

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La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX Sun Protection Skin Care Products

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August 14, 2009

la-roche-posay-picutre.jpgla-roche-posay-picutre.jpgIf you have heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times…the sun is BAD for your skin! No if ands or buts about it…the sun damages your skin and can cause serious skin problems. Despite all of the warnings, most people do not monitor their daily sun exposure (nor do they use daily sunscreen…which is a MUST!). In a nutshell, the sun RUINS your skin! Did you get that? Just to make sure, let me repeat myself, the sun RUINS your skin and can permanently damage it! Before we get to a great sun protection skin care product, let’s delve a bit deeper into what you need to protect against.Shine a Light On Me!

The sun radiates three different types of light. UVA is the most plentiful type of “radiation” and can damage your skin, not to mention cause cancer. UVA rays do not feel hot; therefore, they don’t burn your skin. However, don’t let that little fact fool you! UVA rays are quite powerful and can penetrate through glass (now you know what causes the inside of your car heats up on summer days). UVB rays are the nasty bits of sunshine that can cause blistering sunburns and instant skin damage. Finally, UVC rays (the red-headed step child..as you don’t hear much them) are filtered out by the earth’s ozone layer. However, as you may have heard, the ozone layer is depleting, therefore, more UVC rays are reaching the planet every single day.

It is a fact that over 78% of sun exposure that a person actually gets is unintentional and comes when they are simply taking a walk, taking out the trash, or even driving in their car (that is why you should wear sun protection ALL the time…not just at the beach and or pool). Please remember that today’s tan leads to tomorrow’s wrinkles! Excessive sun exposure (that you obviously need in order to get that glowing tan in the first place) will (and I promise you this) lead to future wrinkles! I can’t stress enough the importance of wearing a GOOD sunscreen on a daily basis (and for the love of all that is holy…AVOID TANNING BEDS AT ALL COST!!!!!!).

La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX With Mexoryl

One of the best sunscreen products on the market today is La Roche-Posay. In fact, it has been called the BEST sunscreen on the planet! Of course, this opinion is debatable, however many dermatologists agree that La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX is the absolute best sunscreen you can buy because it contains the chemical Mexoryl which in fact protects the skin from not only UVB rays…but the more powerful UVA rays as well. It has been stated that La Roche-Posay provides “almost PERFECT protection against sunshine.” If you are searching for sunscreen protection, don’t bypass this wonderful product!

Protecting your skin from the sun is probably the most important thing you can do in order to keep wrinkles at bay and your skin looking young and fresh. Buy La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX online today to get started with a smart and healthy skin care routine. Just remember, it is NEVER too late to start taking care of your skin by implementing and sticking to a daily skin care regimen. Good Luck and next time you leave your house…don’t forget to apply the sunscreen!

Categories: Health, Skin Care Product Reviews, Sun Protection Skin Care.

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The Evolution of Skin Care for Men

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August 13, 2009


There was a time not so long ago when one didn’t talk about men’s skin care. It was the equivalent of Fight Club for cosmetics. Back in those days, the homosexual community, always on the cutting edge of advancing men’s fashion, was were you went to find any man willing to invest time in taking care of his skin. Your average guy had nothing to do with the stuff.

 

Along came Ben Affleck and an assortment of other media-proclaimed “metrosexuals” and, suddenly, skin care for men became a bit more main-stream (along with hair treatment, facials, manicures and the like). Again, not the standard fare of your average guy. You didn’t sit around with your buddies chugging beer while watching the Bears and talk about what kind of skin care product you were using.

 

As I write this, we’re more than half way through 2009 and things have changed. Oh, don’t get me wrong, you still won’t find most of us sitting around talking about skin care while cheering on our favorite team, but it is also no longer a subject reserved strictly for minority groups like the gay community, Hollywood elite or desperate, acne sufferers. Skin care for men as become more main stream and accepted than ever before. Why the shift?

 

One could argue, perhaps, that we’ve evolved beyond outdated male stereotypes and are simply a smarter gender than before, but I think that’s giving us more credit than we deserve. I’m more inclined to think that the overwhelming evidence of accumulated sun damage plays a part in our putting the health of our skin ahead of our fragile male egos. After years of basking in the Sun’s rays at the beach and the prematurely aged faces we see staring back at us in the mirror, we finally “get it.”

 

Further compounding matters is a very competitive job market. With fewer jobs to support hungry would-be employees, older workers are finding themselves in fierce competition for jobs with younger candidates. It would be nice to believe we live in a country where silly biases favoring the young and healthy don’t exist, but that’s just not the case. More than ever before in recent memory, simply looking younger and healthier is actually an important weapon in your job-search arsenal. You could fairly say that the economy has done wonders to promote the virtues of men’s skin care.

 

Whether your motivation is vanity, improved self confidence, apparent age reduction, fighting wrinkles, protecting your skin from the sun, protecting your skin from pollution or just the urge to take better care of yourself, it is perfectly acceptable to find a few skin care products in a man’s medicine cabinet beyond those designed for acne or other medical conditions. In other words, guys, it’s ok to want to look better or to want to feel better about your appearance.

 

I bring this up because I think it’s important for us to get beyond those lingering hang-ups and to make the promise that we won’t be neglecting a male audience as we transition into a blog full of health, beauty and skin care product reviews. Though the majority of the topics covered will be for women’s products (simply by virtue of there being so many more of them to review) our male readers will find ample advice and suggestions here to meet their needs as well. We hope you’ll check back soon as we get underway.

Categories: Skin Care for Men.

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Going in a New Direction with Skin Care

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August 11, 2009

As you may or may not have noticed, I’ve been absent from this blog for a long time. In fact, it’s fair to say it began to die. That’s par for the course in the blogosphere, but so is the occasional resurrection. Truth is, I started this blog with the intent of learning how to blog. The topic, kindness, was an easy beginning writing about something that means a lot to me. But reality set in and, with experience now under my belt here and on other blogs, I know it’s time for a real change.

First, it costs money to host this blog and, shocker, kindness isn’t a profitable topic. In fact, it pays absolutely nothing. But that’s ok if I’ve brightened somebody’s day with what I’ve written in the past. Now, though, with a year of blogging experience under my belt, it’s time to resurrect this site, reinvent it, revitalize it and set off on a bold new journey.Under the surface, TK will still occasionally focus on kindness, kind acts and the occasional charitable organization that deserves attention. In addition, we will call out for accolades companies we feel do their business with kindness (to the animals, people, cultures and the environment). But, the blog’s main drive from now on will be as a joint venture with my wife focusing on one kindness we can all appreciate and that’s being kind to ourselves; specifically, kind to our skin, hair, appearance and physical health with emphasis primarily on skin care.

While this is a fairly substantial deviation from what this blog originally set out to accomplish, I think there’s definite value in it. My wife and I have been writing about the topic elsewhere and were surprised by how many people we actually helped. From acne sufferers whose lives were horribly disrupted by their skin problems to those simply looking to revitalize skin and at least look and feel younger than their years, there’s plenty of good in this topic despite it’s more commercial flavor. Being kind to ourselves in little healthy ways leaves us feeling more inclined to be kind to others. Happier and more fulfilled in our own lives, we are primed to spread that joy to others.

Consider this an early warning as we ramp up and begin to discuss skin care products for men and women. The content will begin going up soon and we’ll likely incorporate a whole new look down the road. Until then, hydrate, protect yourself from the sun and eat fish. All good for your skin!

Categories: Health.

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15 Ways to Get Better Sleep

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March 6, 2009

As I’ve stated here before, the kindness we show ourselves is just as important as the kindness we show others. By taking care of yourself you are both charged with positive energy and more motivated to share the wealth of good feelings you enjoy with others. Do you have one of those friends whose positive outlook on life is contagious? Sure, sometimes we just want to wallow in self-pity, but is that really constructive? Isn’t it better when we just let ourselves be carried away by that friend’s uplifting spirit? Why not be that person who brings out the best in others? To get there, you have to start with how you treat yourself. So, with that in mind, we’re covering another be-kind-to-yourself topic today; specifically, sleep.

The value of good sleep is often overlooked by many of us. Some of us avoid it for fear of missing out. Or perhaps we have so many things we want to do that we see sleep as a nuisance and fight it until we simply can’t resist any longer. Others are envious and would like nothing better than a good night of sleep but they simply can’t get it. If you are in the former camp, recognize that sleep isn’t an option, it is a requirement. Allowing yourself the time your body needs to recover will leave you much better equipped to accomplish the things you want to accomplish when you are awake. You’ll also be primed to enjoy those experiences you don’t want to miss as a good night of rest will leave you feeling more engaged, more in the now when the good times are rolling.

Aside from the obvious, healthy sleep should also be a critical element in your skin care and beauty regimen. Failing to get adequate sleep can leave you looking older than your years. By getting enough sleep, you afford your body the opportunity to perform its regularly scheduled maintenance as required. That includes everything from recovering muscles after strenuous workouts to, yes, rebuilding the skin you’re surrounded in which is constantly dying and being replaced. And for those of you who have dealt with shadows and bags under their eyes after too little sleep, you know full well how important good rest is.

For those of you who struggle with sleep for any number of reasons, there are things you can do to help grease the Sandman’s wheels a bit. Follow some of the tips below and see if it doesn’t result in some life changes.

  1. Go to bed when you are tired. Trying to force yourself to sleep at a certain time every night can lead to a never-ending battle with insomnia. Your body will let you know when it’s time to saw some logs. Listen to what it tells you. If you find yourself wide awake until the wee hours of the morning, that’s ok. We’re going to fix your schedule because, key to accomplishing #1 and getting enough sleep is…
  2. Get up at the same time, all the time. Every day. Yes, weekends too. Your mind and body can be trained. In the same way you can learn how addition, develop muscle memory or improve your reaction time, you can train your body to adopt a regular schedule. It will be painful until your body adjusts and you may find yourself getting too little sleep the first few days but, no matter what, get up at the same time every single morning. You’ll gradually find yourself ready for bed earlier every night until you are on a good schedule.
  3. Don’t listen to the experts. They’ve told us 8 hours is ideal for years but, the truth is that we’re all different. For some, 8 hours can mean waking up to a headache or migraine in the morning. Let your body dictate the right amount of sleep. If you wake feeling refreshed after 6 or 7 hours, that’s your target. Stick to it.
  4. Don’t go back to sleep. If you wake up naturally, get out of bed and stay up. Forcing yourself to go back to sleep can throw off your schedule, leave you feeling incredibly tired, lead to oversleeping or to headaches.
  5. Don’t take naps. Unless you are already a talented sleeper (and you wouldn’t be reading this if that were the case) naps can completely ruin your attempts at adjusting your body to a sleep schedule. If you have absolutely no choice due to excessive exhaustion, take no more than a 15-20 minute nap. If you dream, you’ve gone too far.
  6. No caffeine 4-6 hours before you go to bed.
  7. No exercise 4-6 hours before you go to bed.
  8. No eating 2-3 hours before you go to bed.
  9. DON’T think about work or any nagging problems in bed. If thoughts about a troubling issue keep nagging at you, get out of bed and out of your bedroom and write the thoughts down. Read through your list which should include what is bothering you, what you might be able to do to resolve it and, finally, why it really isn’t the end of the world. By making a list and logically addressing the points with some possible solutions and a reality check, you help put it into context as something you really shouldn’t be losing sleep over. You can then resume efforts to sleep. If the thoughts crop up again, get up and review your list. Expand on it. But don’t stay in bed. And remember #2. Regardless how late you stay up reviewing your list, get up at the same time the next morning.
  10. Let your bedroom be a bedroom. Don’t read in it. Don’t watch TV in it. Don’t dwell on problems in it. Do nothing but sleep (and snuggle with your honey) in your bed. By avoiding activities in bed other than sleeping, you train your body to correlate entering your bedroom and crawling into bed with sleeping.
  11. Consider a sleep mask. I have a very low tolerance for even the dimmest light when I sleep. I like it as dark as I can get it and have, on many occasions, resorted to a sleep mask to get what I need. Especially useful on vacations in strange places.
  12. Don’t argue or engage in deep conversations with your spouse in bed. I love a long chat with my wife but it has killed my ability to sleep on numerous occasions. Have your talks in the living room and saw logs in the bedroom.
  13. Get a new mattress. An innerspring mattress can aggravate pressure points and cause all kinds of restlessness, aches and poor quality sleep. If you and your spouse have compatible sleep preferences, a foam mattress might be the right solution. My wife and I have wildly different ideas of what’s comfortable in a mattress. Our solution was an air mattress bed. Specifically, we purchased the Sleep Number Bed as it allows us to adjust for our individual preferences without having to sleep in different beds. For comfort and quality sleep, a foam mattress works just as well, but air mattress beds like the Sleep Number bed trump foam mattresses in that they allow for individual comfort adjustment while also providing all the benefits of a foam mattress. The links I’ve included will take you to my site specifically devoted to air mattress beds.
  14. Meditate. Meditation does not deserve the reputation it sometimes caries as a “fringe” philosophy or the domain of shamans and monks. Every one of you has meditated and likely not even known it. What did you think you were doing when you were on that road trip and miles just whisked on by without you even being aware of their passing. Meditation is simply a relaxed, calm state of mind that allows you to live in the now without all the distraction of your conscious thoughts. Learning to do this in my adolescent years was the single greatest teen accomplishment in a vast arsenal of bizarre lessons learned. Learn it and you’ll be thanking me for the rest of your life for having suggested it.
  15. White noise. Buy yourself a soundscape CD specifically for sleep. If you’ve always zonked right out when sleeping at the beach, get an ocean soundscape CD and play it on repeat. If camping has always had you snoring in seconds, get a CD that has wilderness night sounds such as distant chirping crickets and maybe the sound of a stream.

As I wrote this post and hit 15, I realized I could probably go at this for another hour. Unfortunately, my own sleep schedule requires I be in bed no later than 1AM every morning and that leaves me only 40 minutes to wrap this up, post it, take the pups out one more time and then drift off into blissful slumber. Perhaps I’ll come back and revisit this topic in the future to add to the list. For now, do yourself the kindness of following some of the advice above. It’s just one more way you can care for your skin and it’s my sincere hope that it helps you.

Categories: Beauty, General Skin Care, Health, Inspiration.

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