Natural Skin Care for Prevention and Healing Sun Damage

Last week I wrote some quick tips for caring for your skin within a whole food - whole health lifestyle: http://www.paulayoumellrn.com/blog/2015/5/17/holistic-skin-care   (yes, go back and read it if you missed it. Skin care begins on the inside my friends!)

This week: Natural Sun Screen & After Sun Skin Repair Recipe

I avoid commercial sunscreens as they are loaded with chemicals; the chemicals in the base lotion as well as the chemicals used for the sun screen affects. Any chemical put onto the skin that can alter cellular function in a way to stop sun burning... hmm, sounds like a chemical I do not want on my skin changing the way my skin cells function.

Natural sunscreens with zinc and titanium dioxide you ask? Nah, I will pass on them as well. First of all the base lotions, again, are loaded with chemicals I do not want on my skin. The zinc and titanium are sticky and white filmy on the skin. Yes, they make nano particle zinc and titanium sunscreens but I will pass on them as well.  Read on for my sun protective recipe.

My Natural Sunscreen Recipe

To make a natural sunscreen I start with an *organic, unscented lotion (no chemicals in this base lotion) and fill a 4 oz glass cosmetic jar almost to top... leaving room for:

1/2 - 1 tsp. organic instant coffee powder and 1/2 - 1 tsp. organic cocoa powder. Mix both into lotion very well. 
And essential oils, see below.

*Check massage supply websites for organic, unscented base lotions. You can buy them in 8, 16, 32, and 64 oz sizes. Read labels carefully to make certain you are comfortable with the ingredients going on your skin and therefore into your body.

And...

1 tsp. Wild Pansy extract powder and 2 droppers of wild pansy extract tincture. Again, mix in well. 

I use this sun protective lotion on my face, neck, and hands. I am very aware that I can not slather this on, head to toe, and think for a second that I can spend all day in the sun and not burn my skin. Life and sun exposure just does not work that way. This is my preventative for any more sun damage to my face and neck. I figure my teen years, living in the sun all day, have done enough damage. Now I do damage control.

I also try to do these things most of the time:

1. limit my sun exposure during the high, hot time of the sun 11 AM to 2-3 PM

2. Wear a wide brim hat when I am out in the sun

3. slather my face with my aging and sun damaged skin lotions.

Aging & Sun Damaged Skin Lotion

Summer Base: Aubrey Organic Aloe gel

Winter Base: Aloe plus 1-2 tsp. organic, unrefined, extra virgin olive oil (if you can make a comfrey infused olive oil... even better)

Using a 4 oz. glass cosmetic jar, fill it up leaving head space for olive oil in winter and drops of essential oils.

Anti-aging essential oils to add 6-8 drops of each (as per the Male Herbal by James Green)

• Lavender

• Frankincense

• Carrot Seed

• Immortelle (Helichrysum italicum)

I also add a Rosemary essential oil, 6 drops

The Anti-Aging Team of essential oils

Use on your face and neck after washing with water only in AM & PM. Apply a little extra around eye area to crows feet.

The aging skin remedy can also be made by adding the drops of essential oils to 4 oz. of the above mentioned unscented, organic lotion.

I sometimes add essential oils of rosemary or oregano as they all increase circulation to the skin. Increased circulation means more oxygen and nutrients to skin cells and better removal of cellular wastes.
Peppermint, in very small amounts, also aids circulation. Peppermint does cause / exacerbate reflux and it will bother reflux in your face lotion. If reflux is an issue, skip using peppermint.

The finished sunscreen and sun repair remedy.

Skin Care the Whole Food Way (and support for teen acne)

Those who know me know that my eating habits revolve around only real, nature made foods for this gal. No Ho-Hos, Twinkies, Doritos, and sodas for me.

I take care of my skin in this same Wise Woman way. If I would not put some substance in my digestive tract, why would I put it on my skin?

Call to Action: Take a very close look at the ingredients in the products that you slather on your scalp, face, arm pits, and overall body skin to cleanse, moisturize, deodorize, medicate, etc.

Would you put all of the ingredients in those products onto your plate?

Every ingredient will soak through your skin and be circulated around to every body cell. That's correct, every chemical becomes part of your cell makeup.

So what is a wise person to do to avoid all this crap in their skin care products?

1. Read ingredients like a chemical, refined ingredient detective, just as you do with your food.

2. Buy 100% natural products.

3. Make your own skin care products. 

4. Re-evaluate all the products you keep in cupboards, drawers, and medicine cabinets.  Are all of these lotions, potions, gels, sprays, deodorants, etc. really needed? I bet you can pare down to the bare necessities and save $$$ as well as chemicals on and in your body.

Good Skin Care Consists of:

• Whole Food Feeding your body to prevent skin diseases, rashes, aging (wrinkle), and pre-mature degeneration of the skin. If you understand these whole food principles... skip clicking on the link back there and move along.

• Whole Health Lifestyle Choices: Your skin is one of the first areas of the body to show signs of poor nutrition and lifestyle habits.  The advice about the link above is the same here... if you are well versed in whole health living just move along.

• Wise sun exposure. We need skin exposed to the sun to make Vitamin D. What we naturally make in our own skin is readily available for the body to use. Low quality Vit D supplements are not so easy for your body to use and add to toxic build up.

• Avoiding soap. I know, sorry on this one as I am certain I will be ruffling some feathers. Your skin has a slight acid mantle. This acidity is your first line of defense against foreign invaders (i.e. micro-organisms). Soap is alkaline. Soap on the skin changes the acid PH and decreases your skins immune function. Your skin has to work harder to repair this acid mantle. Keep soap out of the picture and you protect and assist your skin as it goes about the task of covering and protecting your beautiful body. On another note: the slightly acid mantle of the skin keeps bacteria at bay... natural zit protection. 

Occasional zits are one thing, acne is a whole other issue. Acne is a symptom of an unhealthy interior, poor food choices, a liver that is taxed and needs nourishing. 

Onto Teen Acne... (truly anyone's acne will benefit)

I cannot emphasize the need for real, whole, natural foods to care for teen acne (to care for everyone all the time). If a kid is eating junk food crap that food is what is creating their cellular health, every body cell, and the toxins in junk food are excreted through the skin (through your digestive tract and urinary tract as well). Unhealthy skin is a symptom of unhealthy diet and lifestyle.

Yes, kids will have some zits with the craziness of teen hormonal shifts and their growth spurts. Acne can be seriously diminished and also prevented by a healthy lifestyle. Healthy living also balances teen hormones so they are not so all over the place. Modern living and eating has wrecked havoc on human health, teens included. See good skin care recommendations above.

Using low dose anti-biotics and birth control pills to deal with teen acne is an attempt at quick fixes that has disastrous long term consequences: serious disruption of healthy gut microbes, anti-biotic resistant bacteria, nutritional deficiencies, and so much more. Teen's skin (and bodies) are so much healthier when we function from a space of natural healing and avoid caving to quick fix pharmaceuticals with long-term damaging effects.

Teen Medicinal Infusion (Herbal Tea) OR Tincture

To compliment a whole food diet clearing toxins from the body and helping to heal acne, you can make your own herbal tea or tincture. Teas are easy to make and use within 30 minutes. Tinctures take a month or so to prep but last years.

To properly make herbal teas, infusions, go to this link

A simple formula I made for my kids, when they were teens, is my Zit Zapper Potion.

• Red Clover for blood cleansing

• Burdock & Dandelion Roots for liver nourishment of the detoxification pathways

• Stinging Nettle Leaves for cell nourishment

• Milk Thistle Seeds for liver nourishment to build liver health

To make a tea, see link above, you will have to follow the instructions for a decoction when infusing the hard plant parts of the Burdock & Dandelion Roots & the Milk Thistle Seeds.

• I chop the roots into very small pieces and put them in the blender with the Thistle seeds. I blend quickly into rough chunky powder and then use for the decoction. I would chop 1 Tbsp of each of the 3 hard herb parts and make about 1/2 gallon of the tea.

• After VERY gently simmering the hard parts for 20 minutes or so, shut off heat under your pot. Add the tablespoon of Stinging Nettle leaves and tablespoon of Red Clover flowers. I have both of these measured out and ready in a bowl. I use my fingers to break them into smaller pieces before putting into the root / seed decoction.

• Once the soft plant parts are in the pot, stir gently, put pot cover back on, and let it sit and steep over night. The heat is off under the pot, no simmering of the soft plant parts.

• Strain & refrigerate. Squeeze all tea from the wet plant parts.

• Drink 2-3 cups daily. Measure out 6-8 ounces at a time, not a 12-16 oz. mug.

To make a tincture:

• have 2 tablespoons of each of the 5 herbs in this formula

• toss all into the blender and gently blend into soft, chunky powder

• add 8 ounces of organic 100 proof vodka to blender and swirl around to get the plant pieces off the sides of the blender pitcher. No wasting plants!

• Pour the plant vodka mixture into a pint or quart canning jar. Plastic lids work better than the 2 piece metal lids as the alcohol tends to eat up & rust the metal.

• Get all materials out of the blender

• label your jar with the herbs in it, date you made it, and the vodka you used. Store the bottle in a cupboard away from heat and light.

• gently swirl the contents every day for at least a month.

• After the month, carefully strain to preserve all of the liquid. Squeeze the herbs to get every last drop of your precious tincture.

• Store the finished bottle in a cupboard away from heat and light.

• Start of slowly taking 10 drops 2-3 times daily. After a week up to 20 drops 2-3 times a day. 3rd week: 30 drops 2-3 times a day. Skip one day a week. If some days you take twice and other days three times, that is perfect!

• Now if you want to get really fun, learn how to make tinctures with the phases of the Moon. Some are made from Full Moon to Full Moon, some from Dark New Moon to Dark New Moon. Herbal medicine making is a gift to your healing adventure.

Teen Skin Wash

Put into a clean 8 oz jar:

• 3/4 cup water

• 1-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (the raw, unfiltered variety)

• Optional: 1-2 drops of tea tree oil or oregano oil

• Keep cover on tightly

• Shake this jar well before using every AM & PM. Simply wet the corner of a thin cotton cloth (thick, fluffy wash clothes absorb too much of the liquid and waste it) and wipe across your entire face, neck, back, shoulders... wherever pimples plague you.

• If you are showering, shower before using this vinegar wash.  Splash your face with clean water, skip the soap, before applying if you are not showering. 

Another Homemade Product suggestion:  add 1 - 2 tbsp. of unrefined sea salt to above liquid and use as an underarm deodorant. The salt, vinegar, and essential oils work to prevent bacterial growth in your arm pits. Bacterial growth is what creates odor.  This will not prevent perspiring like antiperspirants do. Antiperspirants are a whole other toxin to learn about, consider not using, and get out of your life. Stopping a natural process, perspiring, is never a wise choice. Perspiring is one way your body rids itself of toxins. Having bowel movements is another. How healthy do you think you would be if you used a daily anti-BM pill? 

Questions, comments, some tried & true skin care thing you do? Please share in the comments.

More skin articles to read:

• Naked sun time

• Naked skin care: apple cider vinegar products that maintain your skin's acid mantle (yes, you can also make your own!)

• Secret face lift for making your own lotion

Stay tuned for next week's blog post on making your own natural sunscreen and anti-aging face cream.

My Secret Face Lift In A Jar

As I skip down the path of life, getting closer to 50, I realize the signs of aging are here on my face. Now I also realize that my sister, who is 2 years older, looks remarkably younger.  Oh the hazards of a nature girl; worshiping the sun by day and the moon by night, hiking, biking, canoeing, swimming my youth (and any adult moment I can squeeze out) and life away out under the open skies.  If, given the chance, I could do it all over again, I would not hide inside for fear of the sun, wind, rain, snow, and cold's aging effects on my face.  To hell with it all, I have lived to be on the tops of mountains, wandering deep in forests far from civilized life as we know it, riding country roads on my bike, swimming lakes and river .... so be it, I will take the sun and natural elements, wrinkles and all!

Ok, now with all that said, I have some secrets to prevention and repairing the natural elements effects on my skin and its visible signs of aging.

Number one is a whole food diet.  Eating real foods, natural foods, fortifies the body with nutrients we do not even know the names of.  These nutrients work hard to protect and repair. Thank you local farmers, I will eat your whole foods!

Number two through five is good sleep coupled with plenty of fluids, daily body movement, and finding peace within.

From there it helps to use only natural products on your skin.  If I would not put the '"ingredient" in my body because it is not a whole food, why would I put it on my body?

So here are my natural face lift secrets:

1.  I use no sunscreen lest I make it myself (the lotion recipe below is the base for my natural sunscreen).

2.  I wash my face with water only, splashing cold water on in AM and PM.  When living outside I use the springs, rivers, lakes and streams of the Adirondacks for face splashing.

3.  I put pure aloe on my face after splashing:

Aubrey Organics from Nature's Storehouse in Canton, http://www.natures-storehouse.com/

Mountain Rose Herbs via mail order:  http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/bulkmisc/bulkmisc.php

4.   Then I use the lotion I am about to give you the recipe for.  To this I add essential oils specific for sun damaged and aging skin.  There are essential oils specific for sensitive skin, skin from every decade in life, oily and dry skin.... you name it.  Want details, email me.

In the summer, the lotion I use is much lighter, mostly an aloe gel with a just a very few drops of carrier oil and the essential oils specific for sun damaged and aging skin.  This works best in the aloe gel from Mountain Rose Herbs as it is a gel.  The Aubrey Organics aloe is a very liquid consistency, great for putting on after the morning and evening face splashing.

To this face lift in a jar I owe thanks to three fabulous herbalists:  Rosemary Gladstar  (Family Herbal: A Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health, and Vitality), James Green (The Male Herbal), and Valerie Ann Worwood (The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy).  Blending their secrets has created my secret!

Rosemary's Perfect Cream

Ingredients

WATERS

2/3 cup distilled water--OR distilled rosewater or -- orange flower water) 1/3 cup aloe vera gel 1 - 2 drops essential oil of choice (here is where I mix and match from James Green and Valerie Ann Worwood's essential oil recommendations) Vitamins A and E as desired

OILS

3/4 cup apricot, almond or grape seed oil (I have used organic olive oil, as well) 1/3 cup coconut oil or cocoa butter 1/4 tsp lanolin 1/2 - 1 oz grated beeswax

Directions

1. Combine distilled water, aloe vera gel, essential oil and vitamins in a glass measuring cup. (Tap water can be used but it will sometimes introduce bacteria and encourage the growth of mold.) Set aside.

2. In a double boiler over low heat, combine remaining ingredients. Heat just enough to melt.

3. Pour oils into a blender and let cool to room temperature. The mixture should become thick, creamy, semisolid and cream-colored. This cooling process can be hastened in the refrigerator, but keep an eye on it so it doesn't get too hard.

4. When cooled, turn blender on the highest speed. In a slow, thin drizzle pour the water mixture into the center vortex.

5. When most of the water mixture has been added to the oils, listen to the blender and watch the cream. When the blender coughs and chokes, and the cream looks thick and white like butter cream frosting, turn off the blender. You can slowly add more water, beating it in by hand with a spoon, but don't over beat!  The cream will thicken as it sets.

6. Pour into cream or lotion jars. Store in a cool place.

7. For a thinner lotion, use more water.

Paula's IMPORTANT NOTE:  I do not add the essential oils in step #1 as described above.  To me, heating them destroys their natural nutrients. I add the essential oils as an additional step, my step #7.  I add the number of drops, based upon the size of the jars I have put the cream into, and stir with a tiny baby spoon to blend the essential oils well.

Essential oils for sun damaged and aging skin:  Add 4-5 drops per tbsp. of the lotion. James Green's Recommendations (the book Male Herbal) and what I have used for years: lavender, frankincense, carrot seed, Helichrysum italicum (Immortelle). Immortelle is a very expensive oil, but well worth it as per James Green, for its effects on sun damaged skin and skin cancer.

Essential oils for skin over 40: Neroli, lavender, frankincense, rosemary, fennel, carrot, lemon, evening primrose

Sunscreen you ask?  To the above Rosemary Gladstar's lotion I add: 

• 1 rounded tsp. of Mount Hagen Organic Fair Trade Instant Coffee,

• 1 rounded tsp. of organic fair trade cocoa powder, and

• 5-10 drops wild pansy extract.

• 1/2 tsp. wild pansy powder

• Wear a wide brim hat during the high, hot hours of the summer days and wing it with the sun and wind on my face at every other moment.

Chemical sunscreens?  Not a chance.  Frankly, I believe they cause skin cancer!

PS For another option to restore your youthful glow:  Call Shelby Connelly, Acupuncturist in Colton. She does an amazing acupuncture face lift. This is a series of treatments to restore vitality to the facial skin.  http://fiveelementsliving.com/