HERBS N' TINGS!

NATURAL SHAMPOO & HAIR DYE

I have been in the lab reformulating old products to better suit your needs and also developing new ones.  In my quest to develop new products, I've been researching all kinds of ingredients, from all corners of the world.  I happened to stumble on a series Indian herbs which when steeped in hot water becomes a natural shampoo.  Who knew???  The three Indian herbs I came across are called shikakai powder (Acacia concinna), Amla power (Emblica officinalis) and aritha powder also known as soapnut (Sapindus laurifolia). I know it all seems strange and foreign but if you have some time and willing to try something different and want to go towards adopting a more natural beauty regiment then you should really consider these natural alternatives.  I actually tried the recipe below and my hair came out amazing.

Shikakai powder is from the de-shelled shikakai nuts. Shikakai is referred to as "fruit for the hair." It has a naturally mild pH, and it gently cleans the hair without stripping it of natural oils.  It's a great natural hair wash which can be used to control dandruff and for sensitive skin.

Aritha Powder, also known as Soapnut Powder, comes from the fruit of the Soapnut tree.  The pulp of the fruit contains a high level of saponins that act as a natural foaming agents.  This powder can be used to wash delicate fabrics as well as to wash sensitive skin and hair.

The amla fruit, also known as the Indian gooseberry, comes from a small tree that grows throughout India.  It is said to penetrate the scalp and strengthen hair at its root, to stop and reverse abnormal hair loss and to promote stronger, healthier new growth. It is also an excellent conditioning herb.

 

I realize that everyone can't just private jet it over to India and pick up some of the local fruit so I've found the powdered version of these fruits available for sale at a local India grocery & also online here.

I highly recommend deep conditioning your hair first with natural and then use these powders.  

1 tablespoon of shikakai

1 tablespoon of aritha

2 tablespoon of amla

 2 cups of water

Bring water to a boil, pour water into a bowl with powders and allow to steep.  Once water is cooled strain and use water to wash your hair.  Focus on the scalp with your hands and rinse.  PLEASE NOTE:  This will darken your hair, so if you are oppose having your hair darken then I don't recommend.

The top picture shows my hair right after I had washed it with regular shampoo.  As you can see my hair is naturally dark brown with lighter streaks of brown in it.  The picture on the bottom is what my hair looked like after using the above recipe.  Darker & definitely shinier.

Another Great Read!!!

Hi everyone,

I had the opportunity to attend the Integrative Healthcare Symposium as a guest, this past Friday and Saturday at the Hilton Hotel in NYC and as typical at any conference, trade shows or expos there is always literature at the entrance and of course throughout the entire show relating to the topic of choice that is being showcased. In this case, it was integrating natural health care solutions with more traditional ones. A kind of east meets west type of symposium for doctors, health care practitioners etc.

One of the most interesting piece of literature that I picked up in relation to what I do was a magazine called Natural Solutions. I've seen this magazine around for quite some time and have even maybe browsed through it at a doctors office or standing in line at the grocery store and have always thought it was a good but for some reason the issue I picked up sparked my interest more than usual and so I decided to share the knowledge with you. Surprisingly, the issue that was up for grab wasn't the latest issue, Sept. 09' but nonetheless, very relevant and informative. What really caught my attention was the article on page 35 called Faux Naturale, which in a nutshell informs readers how to tell which the difference between truly natural beauty care lines and which ones are just "greenwashing."

This magazine, overall, has a plethora of information not only on natural beauty but also on incorporating natural solutions to your health, eating and in almost every aspect of your life. So next time you're at your local bookstore or newsstand, pick up the latest issue of Natural Solutions magazine also check out their website at www.naturalsolutionsmag.com. It will definitely not disappoint.

2010

Last year was a tough year for businesses big and small including mine. Although it has been a rough patch and I've had to step away from writing on this blog to concentrate on other matters, I realized that I really missed writing my weekly two cents and that 2010 is looking bigger and brighter. For all who are out there you've been following thank you for your support. Know that we will be up and writing again and there will be some exciting changes to Luxe Essentials coming in the near future.

xoxo,

Nydia

Great Read!!

I happen to stumble upon this book while browsing the beauty section of a prominent book store. The title of course drew me in and as I thumbed through it I found that this could be a very good reference book for learning even more about the natural/organic beauty world. Being the "frugalista" that I am, I didn't pick it up there but instead got it at a discounted price at another notable book store in NYC, I'm on a tight budget and I do whatever it take to stay on it. I say all this to tell you that if you seriously want to learn about harmful ingredients to avoid in your personal care products and to learn how to make some of your own at home this is definitely the book for you. From the moment I picked up this book, I haven't been able to put it down, it has been added to my library of reference books on green beauty. Once you read this book you will not look at your everyday personal care products the same anymore. Julie Gabriel, a lifestyle expert and holistic nutritionist offers advice about how to adopt an all-natural beauty routine that will help you look and feel better, which toxic ingredients to look out for, and how to become a smart green shopper when looking for beauty products as well as which organic gimmicks and tricks to be aware of. What's also great about this book is that the author Julie Gabriel points out products that she thinks are completely bogus green companies and beauty lines that are truly the real thing, if not close, all this is based on her extensive research of course. You can pick up "The Green Beauty Guide" here at Amazon.com or at your local discounted book store.


xoxo,


Nydia

TOP TEN SYNTHETIC INGREDIENTS YOU SHOULD AVOID

1. MINERAL OIL
Is derived from petroleum and is found in everything from lotions to mascara. When applied to the skin it leaves a shiny layer on top of the skin which prevents the skin from breathing

2. SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES
Companies uses hundreds of chemicals to mimic the smell of your favorite flower or dessert treat because it's cheaper. A lot of times these chemicals irritate the skin, cause dizziness, headaches, rashes and hyper pigmentation. Don't use products that use the term "fragrance" instead look for products that uses essential oils.

3. PROPYLENE GLYCOL
Is used as an humectant in creams, suntan lotions, mouthwashes and many more products. In 1992 the FDA proposed a ban on propylene glycol in louse-killing products because it has not been shown to be safe and effective for it's claims. Need I say any more!!!!

4. TRIETHANOLAMINE
Used as a foaming/emulsifier, it is know to be harmful to the body in large amounts. Causes skin & eye irritation, drying hair & skin.

5. IMIDAZOLIDINY UREA
The most commonly used preservative in personal care and is the second most identified cosmetic preservatives causing contact dermatitis according to The American Academy of Dermatology Standards.

6. PHENOXYETHANOL
Another commonly used preservatives that the FDA states can depress the central nervous system as well as cause dermatitis.

7. METHYLPARABEN
If you don't know by now, then you will know now that anything with the word paraben attached to it is usually not good. Parabens are on everyone's radar because of it's ability to mimic the human hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast
cancers. New studies are demonstrating that whole parabens can be found intact in breast tissue and are an endocrine disruptor. Synthetic chemicals such as parabens, like fat, collects in fatty tissue, i.e. breast tissue, which the body can not eliminate.

8. DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol)
Often used in cosmetics as emulsifiers and/or foaming agents, they can cause allergic reactions, eye irritation and dryness of hair and skin. DEA are "amines" (ammonia compounds) and can form cancer-causing nitrosamines when they come in contact with nitrates. Toxic if absorbed into the body over a long period of time.

9. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE
Used as a water softener, mostly in baby products this ingredient can cause eye and skin irritations and skin rashes

10) DIAZOLIDINYL UREA
Another preservative used in everyday personal care products. It releases formaldehyde when mixed with water which makes the environment less favorable to the microorganisms to grow. Formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which provides sufficient evidence that formaldehyde causes nasopharyngeal cancer in humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Ingredient of the Week

ROSEHIP OIL ---- "Cosmetic Surgery in a bottle"

From the moment I first read about this little known oil, I knew that I wanted to incorporate it somehow into my products. What impressed me the most about it was the amount of scientific research that has been done on the oil and the very impressive results that has been shown. But before I get into that let me give you a little background info on rosa mosqueta oil, as it's also known as.

BACKGROUND

Rosehip oil is extracted from the hip or fruit of the rose. The hip is the round tomato red fruit that occurs on rose bushes anytime from late summer to autumn. The plant is native to Chile where it grows wild. The oil has been used by the native people of the Andes for centuries.

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES

In 1988, two scientists published their findings on the effects of rosehip oil on three groups of patients over the course of 4 months. The three groups consists of, women with pre-mature aging caused by the sun, scars from surgery and patients who suffered from burns. After each group applied rosehip oil twice daily the results were considerably noticeable. Scars and wrinkles smoothed out, age spots disappeared almost completely and burns improved by 97%. There's also additional studies done that has shown that rosehip oil is great for hair care, especially perm, colored and damaged hair.

QUICK FACTS

• Suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive
• It can be used directly on the skin, dilution not necessary
• Can be used on all ages, including babies
• It's considered a "dry" oil which means it absorbs easily in the skin, leaving no greasy residue
• Has high levels of topical tran-retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A, this is what helps with premature aging caused by the sun
• Great for burns,scars, wrinkles, age spots and stretch marks (will even help scars that are over 20 years old)

So, before you go under the knife or even laser to get rid of scars or wrinkles, try a bottle of organic rosehip oil first. Take a picture of the area that you want to apply it to and date it, use the rosehip oils twice daily for about months to see results. After four months take a picture of the area again and compare side by side to see the difference, I guarantee that you will not be dissappointed.

xoxo,

Nydia

Ingredient of the Week

ARGAN OIL

Predicted as being one of the the top ten beauty ingredient to look out for in 2009, this "liquid gold of Morocco," is made from the nut of the Arganic Spinosa tree. This oil is high in Vitamin E, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. It is one of the rarest oil in the world due to the small and very specific growing area. Traditionally, the oil is produced by hand by local Berber woman. It is a time consuming task where the pit of the seed is cracked with round rocks. One to three kernels are removed from the pit and the kernels are gently roasted. The roasted kernels are then grounded into a paste with the use of water and then oil is extracted out of the paste.

Moroccan women have been using this oil in their hair, nails and skin. It's high concentrations of vitamin E and linoleic acid makes it ideal for treating scar tissue and reduces active blemishes. It is also known to revitalizes and improves the skin's elasticity, relives symptoms of eczema and psoriasis and reduces redness.

Another great important fact about this oil is that the women are solely responsible for extracting this oil in fairly traded co-ops and because of it's growing popularity, it has helped employ 2 million people. Be on the lookout, this oil could very well be your skin's liquid gold.