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Skin Care for Kids – Slather and Scrub - October 31st, 2009


As the body’s largest organ, the role of your skin is to protect your organs on the inside, to keep you warm when you are cold, to cool you off when you are hot, and to keep infections out of your body. It’s a big job, thus our skin is worth taking care of.

It’s especially important for parents to follow a skin care regimen for kids to protect them from the sun and bugs, as well as to ensure they are properly cleaning and moisturizing their skin. Following are tips on skin care for kids:


Sun Care Apply sunscreen daily to all children 6 months of age or older. Keep infants out of the sun. Use a sunscreen designed for kids – one that contains a sun blocker such as titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen for older kids – one that protects against both UVA and UVB rays – with an SPF of 15 or higher. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to exposure, then re-apply every 2 hours. Lead by example and be a role model for your kids by applying sunscreen to yourself to teach healthy habits.

Bug Protection Apply insect repellent to all children 6 months of age or older. Use an insect repellent with a child-approved dose of DEET. If you live in an area with a high concentration of mosquitoes or are planning on visiting such an area, dress or pack appropriately. The best protection is from clothes, like long sleeves, pants, a hat and sunglasses. Extra clothing can also help protect against poison ivy and poison oak.

Bath Time Use a fragrance-free, hypo-allergenic, soapless cleanser (available at most grocery stores). Limit your usage of bubble baths and bath products with fragrances and colors as these tend to dry out children’s skin. Avoid scrubs and cleansers with exfoliants. These tend to dry and irritate children’s skin. Apply a hypo-allergenic, fragrance-free moisturizer to your child after every bath or shower.

Use these skin care tips for kids to keep their skin healthy. With the proper protection from sun and bugs and a proper cleansing regimen, their skin will be around to protect them when you’re not.


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Handmade Paper – How Lokta Paper is Made in Nepal

Nepali crafts people have been producing handmade lokta paper for more than a thousand years in the Himalayas.   What is Lokta paper? Lokta paper is prized for its attractive texture, the durability and strength of its fibre and its resistance to insects. The people of Nepal continue to use handmade lokta paper and, until [...]

Skin Care Apart From Skin Care Products

Anti aging skin care is retarding the aging process.Today everyone wants to hide their age using procedures (and a number of people are successful too).Antiaging skin care is about discipline. It is about being proactive.Here are a few tips for proactive antiaging skin care:1. Take vitamin C from your diet:A well balanced diet is the [...]

The Benefits of Handmade Soap - October 31st, 2009


Soap is one of the oldest cleansers used in the modern world. Soap is made by chemical reaction caused by a mixture of oil, water, and lye (the catalyst the soap making process). When making soap, while lye is used, after the saponification process, all the lye is completely depleted. All soap used is made using lye. The oils and ingredients used in soap change from recipe to recipe and can achieve different types of cleansing. Animal and plant oils are used for making soap and each attains a different soap texture and result.

The factory made soap purchased in stores today aren’t what our ancestors would define as soap. Soap has natural moisturizing qualities which have been stripped from modern factory soaps. While soap is a “cleanser” factory soap is more like a “detergent” and will dry and irritate your skin. The reason why factory soaps do this to your skin and handmade soaps don’t is due to the ingredients used in mass-produced soap. When companies make soap in bulk, they switch ingredients so that they can get more soap made for less money. This can prove to be very harmful to the end-consumer.

While handmade soaps used to be used all time by our ancestors, it was only recently that we switched to mass-produced soap. Ever since then, however, people have been slowly switching back to handmade soaps due to their health benefits. The use of synthetic, harmful chemicals in factory soap has been scientifically proven to cause harm to the skin over long periods of time.

Handmade soaps have always been known for the effective cleaning power but recently scientific studies have shown the benefits of handmade soap to be incredible. It’s always been speculated that handmade soap has built-in healing properties. People suffering from skin disorders like eczema, or have excessively sensitive skin, have found relief through the use of handmade soap. Compared to the mass-produced soaps in the store, handmade soaps are much more mild and skin friendly. The major difference between factory soap and handmade soap is the amount of glycerin found natural handmade soap. Glycerin has natural moisturizing abilities and is typically stripped from commercial soap and put into lotions. That stripped glycerin is then replaced by synthetic, irritating chemicals.

Natural handmade soap is much better for you than commercial store-bought soap. If you’ve been having skin problems or have easily irritated skin, you should seriously consider switching to handmade soap. You’ll notice the difference almost immediately and will grateful that you did switch.

Funny Union

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Coming Clean: The Truth About Soap - October 31st, 2009


What Is Soap?

Soap is the oldest cleanser around. It is created by a chemical reaction between oils, water and lye. Although lye is used to make soap there is no lye left after saponification (the chemical reaction that makes soap) is complete. There is no such thing as a bar of soap that was made without the use of lye. Different kinds of soap are made using a variety of different oils. Both animal & plant oils can be used in the soap making process, each adding different qualities to the soap.

Conventional Bar Soaps

Much of the soap available in the store today is not really soap at all, but a detergent. Detergents are a petroleum based product, like gasoline and kerosene. Have you ever noticed how regular soap leaves your skin feeling dry, itchy and tight? Alkali, the most common irritant in soap is often the culprit. Others ingredients in mass-marketed soap have been proven harmful to human health and can cause severe skin irritations in some people. These include ingredients such as DEA, Isopropyl Alcohol, BHT and Triclosan (commonly found in anti-bacterial soap). The most common ingredient in conventional bar soaps is sodium tallowate. It is the natural product of combining tallow, or beef fat, with lye. The attractiveness for tallow for mass producing soap is that it processes quickly, produces a hard bar of soap and is cheap and plentiful.

The New Bar On The Block

While there is nothing new about handmade soap, its popularity is growing rapidly. The sales of handmade soap continue to grow as part of society’s movement toward buying products that are healthy and good for the environment. With the ever increasing use of synthetic chemicals and studies about their dangerous effects, consumers are on the lookout for more “green” alternatives.

Benefits Of Handmade Soap

Evidence abounds of the healing properties of a handmade bar of soap. Those who suffer from skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, as well as people that have sensitive skin or are hypoallergenic often find immediate relief by switching to handmade soap. Compared to store bought soap, handmade soap is very mild. They are often made from vegetable-based oils, such as olive, coconut, and palm and do not contain the potentially harmful chemicals found in conventional bar soap. One of the biggest differences between commercial soap and handmade soap is glycerine. Glycerine is a clear liquid that absorbs water from the air and is a key factor in keeping skin soft and healthy. Glycerin soap is especially good for sensitive and delicate skin, and for children. Because it is a high quality by-product in the soap making process, many mass commercial soap manufacturers often extract the glycerine and sell it as a by-product to be used in higher priced products like lotions and skin creams.

Handmade Soap Is Good For Your Body

For adults, the skin covers approximately 20 square feet of the human body. It is the largest human organ and is the bodies first line of defense against dehydration, temperature, infection and harmful substances. Handmade soaps give your skin the care it deserves and make bathing a gentle, soothing experience.

Handmade Soap Is Good For Your Mind

For many of us today, life seems to move at an often hectic pace. While the stress of everyday life increases, personal time is at minimum. A fragrant, handmade bar of soap is a simple indulgence that fosters a feeling of relaxation and being pampered. Treat yourself or someone you love to the benefits of handmade soap!

Wallpaper Union

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Skin Care – How To Take Care Of The Skin You’re In - October 31st, 2009


Take care of your skin now and you’ll reap the rewards later. Celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman have flawless skin. Legendary beauty, Sophia Loren gives meaning to the phrase “aging with grace”.

Of course these beauties have an advantage that most Americans do not have – large amounts of money. Many of us cannot afford to spend large amounts of money for beauty products. Some celebrities are known to spend up to $500 on small jars of “fountain of youth” type elixirs.

So what can the average American do in their quest for healthy looking skin? Stick to two basic practices:

Pick the Best Skin Care Products For You

The biggest factor in achieving healthy skin is to utilize products that your skin loves. In order to do this, you need to understand your skin type. Do you have dry skin and therefore need dry skin care products or do you have oily skin?

Knowing your skin type will narrow you playing field. There are many, many products on the shelves at your local drug store or in your higher-end department stores. You’ve probably heard terms such as Alpha-hydroxy Acids (AHAs), Beta-hydroxy Acid (Salicylic Acid), Retinol, etc. Cosmetic manufacturers use these propaganda-like words to sell their products. Do these terms really mean anything? How do they help your skin?

The simply fact is that you don’t need to be a scientist to find the best products. Let common sense be your guide. Do you know someone, who has used the products before? Did they find it helpful? These are questions that you should ask when selecting products.

After suffering from acne and oily skin as a teenager and now dry skin – I have tried every acne skin care product, oily skin care product and dry skin care product on the shelf. I have also tried several natural/organic skin care products. Some work and some don’t.

Over the years, I have developed my list of the best of the best skin care products including acne skin care products, dry/oily skin care products, natural skin care products and anti-aging skin care products.

Make Your Beautification Ritual, Routine

Once you find the best skin care products, develop a skin care treatment/beautification routine. If your routine is in the morning or evening, then give yourself about 15 to 30 minutes to engage yourself without interruption.

Take pictures of your starting point so that you can track your progress each week.

Consult with your local day spa esthetician for more skin care ideas.

Beauty is only skin deep but a beautiful heart and mind, deserve beautiful skin.

Dating My Match

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Skin Care For Your Lips - October 31st, 2009


There are a lot of skin conditions that are found on the lips, present on the surrounding regions, like lesions or excess hairs.

Lots of people are seriously involved in treating these problems, although their treatment can be challenging, with new and efficient strategies. In this article, we will give you a briefing of the lip conditions as identified by skin care experts.

Hair Troubles

Hirsutism is a skin care problem that features excess hair on the skin of the lips. It is best treated with topical eflornithine that inhibits the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase that results in hair growth.

Alopecia areata leads to facial hair loss although no therapy has been identified by skin care experts.

Malignant and Benign Tumors

Vascular lesions with bleeding and friable tumors are known as pyogenic granulomas that lead to oozing and bleeding. Skin care dermatologists treat them with electrodessication, excision and cryotherapy.

Old people have dark purple venous lakes with the color often being confused with melanoma.

Small numerous vascular lesions on lips are often inherited in hemorrhagic telangiectasia or the rendu osler weber disease. Dilated blood vessels may also appear on the skin’s surface on those with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Sole brown flat lesions on your lips can also be melanoma requiring immediate surgery. Here, the rate of metastases is high as it can spread to other areas of your body. It also causes squamous cell carcinoma on the lips.

Precancerous Lesions

These are mostly actinic keratoses which are also called AKs. They are featured with a rough scaly surface with a record of sloughing and redevelopment occurring at intervals, as suggested by skin care doctors.

The treatment is recommended by various kinds of therapeutic effects such as the following:

Cryotherapy PDT or photodynamic therapy Imquimod 5% cream Topical fluorouracil 5% cream

Lesions that are Inflammatory in Nature

Inflammatory conditions on the mucosal surfaces and skin are evident at any age. Skin care conditions like these are also known as perioral dermatitis cause the following:

Papules that are small superficial and circumscribed skin elevations Papulo vesicles that are small semi solid elevations that result in blisters Pustules that are vesicles that have inflamed base containing pus Comedons or blackheads are also common in affecting children; they are also spotted in adult females.

Hereditary hypersensitivity can also be developed like atopic dermatitis, asthma and hay fever in reaction to the usage of cosmetic products, inhaled agents, fluorinated topical corticosteroids etc.

Cold Sores

This is a recurring painful condition that is treated with oral therapy as well as topical prescription therapies like the following:

Alacyclovir Penciclovir

Scaled Lips

Diffuse scaling of your lips which is also known as cheilitis according to the terminology of skin care is caused by atopic dermatitis, several drug reactions as well as contact dermatitis.

Chronic conditions can be treated with low potency topical corticosteroids and emollients. Contact dermatitis is caused by lip licking, lip gloss, dental hygiene products and others.

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Organic Flea Control – Keep Pets Healthy While You Kill Their Fleas - October 31st, 2009


Fleas are a pest that will affect not only the pets in your life but can affect you too. When it comes to fleas, they will suck on the blood of any organism around them. However, they are especially troublesome to cats and dogs because they can give them some intense skin problems. Thus, you will want to try your best to get rid of fleas as soon as you know they are an issue in your pet’s life. Organic flea control will help you with this.

If you have a flea problem, you should consider getting rid of them organically. Chemicals can be especially harmful to the environment and can negatively affect your and your pets. Additionally, throughout time, fleas can build up a tolerance or resistance to chemicals. Then, once this happens, you will have to invest in even stronger chemicals, which in turn is even more dangerous. Consequently, not only are pets suffering from annoying fleas trying to bit them, but they have to deal with increased levels of chemicals in the house. Thus, the organic flea control approach is a safer bet than to fill your house full of synthetic chemicals. Nontoxic or chemical-free flea control is not only a safer option to go with, but it can end up saving you money in the long run.

Flea combs are one of the most basic and successful ways to control fleas in the home. These combs are generally stainless steel and have teeth that are close together. These combs are specifically designed to remove fleas and eggs from your cat or dog’s hair. Most flea combs have one side of finer teeth to deal with animals with fine hair. When you use the comb, you want to make sure that you check the comb and remove the fleas, placing them into a container full of soap and water. After each combing, the number of fleas that you remove should decrease. If the number increases, then you may need to try other organic flea control methods because the one you are using its not curbing flea production.

You can also invest in an organic flea bath. This, along with combing, can help to reduce the number of fleas on your pet. Invest in some organic soap and wash the pet thoroughly. If you want, you can try and clean the cat or dog first with regular soap and water, but if things do not improve, there are a number of organic flea bath soaps available in today’s market.

In addition to the above methods of flea control, you can also change your cat or dog’s diet. This can help relieve a pet’s itching and irritated skin. There are also plenty of lotions to use to help soothe an animal and reduce the flea population.

Beauty Health Unit

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The Saponification Process of Handmade Soap - October 30th, 2009


Soap is the most important aspect we have to use on our bathing activity. It can be in a form of soap bar or liquid soap. The most important thing of using natural soap is simply because this soap will not make your skin dried. Handmade soap is different from common soaps. The soaps that you usually find in the market are a kind of detergent bars. Those kinds of soaps have a risk to irritate your skin because they have removed the skin-loving glycerin from them and replaced with synthetic foaming agents. This features will make your skin dry. As information for you, a bar of soap has to pass saponification chemical process first before its send to the markets.

Basically, the soap maker will blend oils (fat) with sodium hydroxide (lye) and the chemical process that follows to make soap. When handmade soap is finished saponifying, there will be no lye left in the soap. All lye has been neutralized during the chemical reaction in the process. Don’t worry about the moisturizer. During the saponification process, glycerin is produced naturally. This is the main feature which moisturizing the skin. Some soaps also have to pass superfatting process. This process means that when they figure up the formula to make a soap, the soap maker add a little more oil than the lye.

The benefit that you gain from this process is the extra oil will stays in the soap and helps to moisturize your skin. Usually, the soap maker uses 100% sea butter for the superfat. As we know, sea butter has many good benefits without the oily feeling. Your skin will feel so normal and healthy without any oily pores. Well, handmade soap has many good ingredients. Soap makers use many natural things to get the most beautiful and moisturize skin. You can choose the most suitable ingredients for your skin to get the healthy skin.

Animenewsnetwork

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Organic Face Cream – What Makes it So Special? - October 30th, 2009


There is a growing trend toward organic products worldwide these days. What was once thought of as a hippie fad is quickly becoming popular among all walks of people. What exactly constitutes organic face cream, though, and what makes it so different and special?

First, I have to point out that not every product that has the word organic on it is an organic product. Some products use the term to denote only one or two organic ingredients. It is important, if you are looking for truly organic products, to ensure that every ingredient is organic.

When looking for antioxidant face cream organic is definitely the way to go. I have used soap and foaming face washes all of my life, and never considered using an organic product. All of the reading I have done lately, though, convinced me to buy an entire group of organic skin products, from face cream to soap and shampoo. I decided to see for myself if there was any difference at all.

After only the first day, my skin felt softer than it probably ever has. I could detect a hint of floral fragrance, but noticed there was not an overwhelming chemical or perfume scent to my skin. Most impressively, though, I was not covered with dry skin after using the products.

As far as my face is concerned, it is smoother and cleaner than it has ever been. I am young enough to not yet be plagued by wrinkles, but after a few days I noticed that the puffy bags under my eyes had cleared up. I have had these for years, and an organic face cream got rid of them in a week!

I am still noticing new benefits to these organic skin products. I have stopped getting blemishes all the time, and my skin is no longer alternating between so dry that it flakes to being quite oily. Now my skin is just, well, skin. I don’t notice that it is anything in particular except clean. For someone who has had problem skin for over two decades, this is pretty profound for me.

I have always leaned toward products that had plant oils or extracts in them, but never really saw any results. A few weeks ago I read that all of the chemicals and alcohols in those products make it impossible to see any real benefits at all, so I decided to try this little organic experiment. I truly do not think I will ever put another chemical based product on my skin.

When it comes to antioxidant face cream organic is the only thing I will ever use again. My skin is actually healthy and the natural ingredients leave me with a sense of well-being. I don’t think I have ever used a product that left me feeling confident before.

Of course, organic face cream works best if you aren’t putting other chemical based products on your skin. Now that I know what it feels like to not use those products, though, that is certainly not a problem I have. I think I would recommend that everyone give these organic products a try, because no matter what I say, there are not enough words to explain the difference organics have made to my skin.

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