Is your Shampoo causing your body acne? July 24, 2018 15:39

Do you suffer from body acne? Chances are your haircare or skincare products have something to do with it.

Hormonal Acne free for 5 years now! February 12, 2018 13:11

A little bit about me: I struggled with cystic/hormonal acne for years. The big painful under the skin turn black kind 😓I went to many dermatologists and even tried the infamous accutane, nothing ever worked permanently. Then I had a baby and the cystic acne turned into monster cystic acne, it was worse than ever. Between the hormones, my eating habits and the stress of a new baby I think it just had the perfect conditions to take over.

Is your acne being caused by your diet? February 19, 2016 12:22

I had dermatologist after dermatologist tell me that my diet had nothing to do with my acne, and for years I believed them and took the prescribed drugs. Then I had a baby, my baby had colic, and I started having the worst cystic acne of my life. I mean full on raging cystic acne, painful, and deep and they would turn almost a black color. It was embarrassing and awful to say the least. It was also very damaging to my self esteem.

Then I started doing some research. I had always been into eating healthy and staying slim, but I never connected my diet with my skin. But here it was scattered across the internet in blogs, articles and recent studies, people claiming that they cut out dairy and got on a whole foods, raw, paleo or some more healthful diet and their acne was cured. I wasn't convinced just yet, because I'd been shamboozled before and I wasn't about to get my hopes up, but I figured it couldn't hurt to try cutting out all dairy for a month and seeing what happened.

Well, what happened next was incredible. Within a week, no new cysts had formed, my son's colic seemed better, and I felt a little better as well. After a full month, the cysts were gone! My face looked clearer than it had since I was 14! I couldn't believe it, all these years I had suffered from acne and dairy was the cause. Why didn't any one tell me!!! I was really excited about this discovery but also a tiny, wee bit, angry at all the dermatologists that had never even acknowledged that my acne could be caused by my diet.

So what's the science behind all this? Why can dairy cause acne?

Hear are my theories since surprise! surprise! not a lot of research has been done on the diet acne connection.

Dairy contains hormones, these aren't just any hormones, these are hormones that can grow a baby cow into a full size 1000-1800 lb cow. The hormones that dominate are estrogen and progesterone. So essentially this could produce estrogen dominance in your body. Here are some symptoms of estrogen dominance according to http://www.healthline.com/health/high-estrogen

 

bloating

swelling and tenderness in the breasts

decreased sex drive

irregular menstrual periods

headaches

mood swings

fibrocystic developments in the breast

weight gain

hair loss

cold hands or feet

feeling tired or lacking energy

difficulty with memory

trouble sleeping

increased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS

Here's some more reading from Harvard about hormones in milk http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/12.07/11-dairy.html

Symptoms of high progesterone levels: according to http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/High-Progesterone-Levels.html

An imbalance of this hormone can lead to numerous negative side effects. Symptoms of high levels of progesterone include:

• Anxiety
• Bloating
• Breast tenderness
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Loss of libido
• Mood swings
• Muscle weakness
• Vaginal dryness

Other less common symptoms of high levels of progesterone include:

• Acne
• Greasy skin
• Headaches
• Hot flashes
• Incontinence
• Urinary infections
• Weight gain

 

So my theory is essentially a hormone imbalance issue.

Here's what I did personally to correct the problem.

Cut out all dairy and later wheat because I found wheat caused rashes, hives and breakouts to appear as well.

Side note: I had always been a rashy, blotchy skinned, seasonal allergies, some shellfish, fruit and some nut allergy person as well. My food allergies I've found are high histamine foods ( definition of histamine- a compound that is released by cells in response to injury and in allergic and inflammatory reactions, causing contraction of smooth muscle and dilation of capillaries.) This is a new development for me so I'm still doing a lot of research on this.

Supplements that helped tremendously! These were super important to the healing of my skin.

I am not affiliated with any of these brands, I just believe them to be high quality

Gelatin- only from grass fed cows ( I make gummies and eat a couple a day or make bone broth soups)http://www.amazon.com/Vital-Proteins-Collagen-Pasture-Raised-Grass-Fed/dp/B00NLQXXDQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1455899601&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=vital+proteins+beef+gelatin

Gelatin helps your body produce collagen which can fight and reverse the signs of aging, acne scars, etc. But it also helps heal your gut which is very important to healing your skin. Here's a good article on more of the benefits http://paleoleap.com/all-about-gelatin-and-collagen/

Vitamin D- Garden of life Vegan kind http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Life-mykind-Organics-Vegan/dp/B00K5NEPLW/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1455899452&sr=1-1&keywords=garden+of+life+vegan+d3

Here is a great article that will help you surmise if you have a vitamin D deficiency

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/28/vitamin-d-deficiency-signs-symptoms.aspx

Probiotics (so important for helping heal your gut!) Your gut can be damaged by many things from improper eating to antibiotics. If your gut is damaged it can "leak" and cause something called leaky gut syndrome, which can cause allergies, and a whole host of problems. Here's a good article on leaky gut symptoms http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10908/9-signs-you-have-a-leaky-gut.html

B complex vitamins: Garden of life raw B complex is my favorite. http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Life-Vitamin-Complex-Capsules/dp/B0098U0SQO/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1455900000&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=garden+of+life+b+complex

B vitamins help metabolize food and give you energy.

And vitamin C this is one of the brands I use http://www.amazon.com/Nutribiotic-Calcium-Ascorbate-Powder-Ounce/dp/B000I4C704/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1455900331&sr=1-1&keywords=nutribiotic+calcium+ascorbate

But I also use garden of life Raw C.

Vitamin C also plays a part in the production of collagen and elastin but it can also help heal infections and prevent or shorten viral illnesses. Vitamin C has been shown to have an effect on a number of cancers as well, it's powerful stuff. Here's an article about that http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/vitamin-c-pdq

So you may be asking what do I eat?

Here's a quick rundown of the staples in my diet:

Organic Black beans

Organic Rice

Organic Bone broths

Organic Raw fruit and veggies

Organic Grass fed meat

Free Range Eggs

If I get a hankering for cheese, I stick with goat cheese, it's much easier to digest and does not seem to produce allergic reactions in most people.

I try to stay away from processed foods, since there are all sorts of things in them, most of which are hard to pronounce and therefore I don't consider to be real food.

Lastly, my skin care regimen:

As you may know by now I have formulated a line of skin care products for those that suffer with acne, and I use the products everyday myself. They are natural, organic ingredients with no parabens/sulfates, chemicals, synthetics, etc. I grow a lot of the herbs used in my products and wild harvest some as well.

I use this soap once a day

http://www.hboskin.com/collections/organic-soap/products/acne-soap-charcoal-and-clay-soap-blemish-soap-organic-soap-organic-coconut-oil-soap-sea-buckthorn-oil-soap-skin-clearing-soap

I use this face mask/scrub a couple times a week

http://www.hboskin.com/products/organic-honey-face-scrub-or-mask-raw-unfilitered-honey-mask-lavender-honey-mask-enzyme-mask-acne-mask-moisturizing-mask-bath-beauty

I use these serums on a daily basis, after every time I wash my face

http://www.hboskin.com/collections/organic-anti-aging-serums/products/organic-rosehip-serum-anti-aging-serum-facial-oil-moisturizer-1-oz-fine-lines-and-wrinkles-serum-mature-skin-serum-crows-feet-serum

http://www.hboskin.com/collections/organic-anti-aging-serums/products/organic-blemish-ninja-oil-serum-acne-serum-pimple-serum-blemish-fighter-cystic-acne-weeping-acne-acne-scar-oil-acne-spot-treatment

And these are the acne kits I have formulated and personally used.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/263026567/organic-cystic-acne-program-grapefruit?ref=shop_home_feat_1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/223271896/acne-detox-cleansing-program-organic?ref=shop_home_active_15

https://www.etsy.com/listing/233874619/organic-skin-care-set-all-skin-types?ref=shop_home_active_7

On my etsy store you can see all the reviews my products have received.

Lastly! I am not a doctor and you should consult your doctor when making dietary changes and adding new products into your life especially if you are pregnant/nursing or have a medical conditions. These are my opinions and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Harmful Ingredients To Look for in Cosmetics and Foods January 30, 2016 16:17

Sourced from http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704811/PHENOXYETHANOL/

I have a general mistrust for "organic" store products...here's why...

Go grab an "organic" product you've recently purchased, find the ingredient list, do you see any of the following:

Hydantoin AKA DMDM- is a preservative that releases formaldehyde that is used in embalming. Found in many after sun Aloe vera products, lotions, sunscreens, etc.

Phenoxyethanol- AKA Ethylene glycol phenyl- is known to cause DNA mutations and is an endocrine(hormone) disrupter and can cause bladder damage. This product is also tested on animals so NOT vegan friendly! Another quick fact about this dirty additive is that you can find it in many shampoos and cosmetics so check your labels!!!

Germall plus- AKA Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate and Propylene Glycol (anti-freeze) yes the kind you put in your car, Need I say more? This is a very common preservative found in many cosmetics, body washes, shampoos, etc.

FD&C colours- such as Red 40, blue 1, etc are derived from the coal tar used to make synthetic dyes, I'm pretty positive It can't be healthy to put that on your skin or in your body.

DHA AKA Dehydroacetic acid- used as a preservative and can cause kidney damage if ingested, so my question is what happens when it's absorbed through the skin?

Synthetic Fragrances- can cause allergic reactions and are very toxic to t he body. They contain many chemical compounds ranging between 10-300. Many fragrance contains Phthalate which help make plastic products. So again you're putting endocrine disrupters, carcinogenic chemicals on your body when you apply any product that has a fragrance(s) in it. 

Hydroquinone- been shown to cause leukemia in mice. The European union banned it from cosmetics.

Methylparaben, and propylparaben- estrogenic (messes with natural hormone balance, too much estrogen causes estrogen dominance which can cause cancer, and many other problems for men and women), carcinogenic, allergenic, found in breast tissue.

Parrafin, mineral oil, petrolatum etc.- petrochemicals, clogs pores, acne causing, respiratory toxin, can cause dizziness

SO maybe you're starting to see why I'm a little skeptical of store bought products, many of them claiming to be organic and "good" for you.

I'm not buying it, literally.

I won't buy products with these things in them and I refuse to put them in the products I sell. If I won't put it on my skin, I'm not going to put it in my products, knowing that they're potentially harmful and therefore I am potentially causing another human being harm.

So before you buy, LOOK AT THE INGREDIENT LIST! I'm not yelling just urging you!

You may think it doesn't make a difference because it's in such small quantities, but your skin readily absorbs what you put on it and whatever you put on it can get transferred to organs, cells, your brain etc. Think about it....

That face cream you use, everyday, that may have harmful ingredients, those little amounts of preservatives and petrochemicals in the cream can build up in your system overtime, resulting in real problems for your body.

A word about the word "Organic."

My definition is different from the commercial definition of organic, to me organic means: real whole foods, and herbs that have not been treated with synthetic fertilizers or pesticides of any kind, have been grown in soil that does not have residues from pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, etc.. Free from all tainting.

For instance here is a list of Non Organic Ingredients allowed in Organic foods: Sourced from http://foodbabe.com/2012/05/24/full-list-of-non-organic-ingredients-allowed-in-organic-food/

 

Non-Organic Agriculture Products Allowed:

• Casings, from processed intestines.
• Celery powder.
• Chia ( Salvia hispanica L. ).
• Colors derived from agricultural products.
• Annatto extract color—water and oil soluble.
• Beet juice extract color
• Beta-carotene extract color, derived from carrots
• Black currant juice color
• Black/Purple carrot juice color
• Blueberry juice color
• Carrot juice color
• Cherry juice color
• Chokeberry—Aronia juice color
• Elderberry juice color
• Grape juice color
• Grape skin extract color
• Paprika color —dried, and oil extracted.
• Pumpkin juice color
• Purple potato juice
• Red cabbage extract color
• Red radish extract color
• Saffron extract color
• Turmeric extract color
• Dillweed oil
• Fish oil —stabilized with organic ingredients or only with ingredients on the National List
• Fortified cooking wines.
• Marsala.
• Sherry.
• Fructooligosaccharides
• Galangal, frozen.
• Gelatin
• Gums—water extracted only (Arabic; Guar; Locust bean; and Carob bean).
• Hops ( Humulus luplus ).
• Inulin-oligofructose enriched
• Kelp—for use only as a thickener and dietary supplement.
• Konjac flour
• Lecithin—de-oiled.
• Lemongrass—frozen.
• Orange pulp, dried.
• Orange shellac-unbleached
• Pectin (high-methoxy).
• Peppers (Chipotle chile).
• Seaweed, Pacific kombu.
• Starches.
• Cornstarch (native).
• Rice starch, unmodified —for use in organic handling until June 21, 2009.
• Sweet potato starch—for bean thread production only.
• Tragacanth gum
• Turkish bay leaves.
• Wakame seaweed ( Undaria pinnatifida ).
• Whey protein concentrated

Here's a list of synthetic ingredients allowed in "organic foods" sourced from http://foodbabe.com/2012/05/24/full-list-of-non-organic-ingredients-allowed-in-organic-food/

Synthetics Allowed:

• Acidified sodium chlorite—Secondary direct antimicrobial food treatment and indirect food contact surface sanitizing. Acidified with citric acid only.
• Activated charcoal —only from vegetative sources; for use only as a filtering aid.
• Alginates.
• Ammonium bicarbonate—for use only as a leavening agent.
• Ammonium carbonate—for use only as a leavening agent.
• Ascorbic acid.
• Calcium citrate.
• Calcium hydroxide.
• Calcium phosphates (monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic).
• Carbon dioxide.
• Cellulose—for use in regenerative casings, as an anti-caking agent (non-chlorine bleached) and filtering aid.
• Chlorine materials—disinfecting and sanitizing food contact surfaces, Except, That, residual chlorine levels in the water shall not exceed the maximum residual disinfectant limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Calcium hypochlorite; Chlorine dioxide; and Sodium hypochlorite).
• Cyclohexylamine —for use only as a boiler water additive for packaging sterilization.
• Diethylaminoethanol —for use only as a boiler water additive for packaging sterilization.
• Ethylene—allowed for postharvest ripening of tropical fruit and degreening of citrus.
• Ferrous sulfate—for iron enrichment or fortification of foods when required by regulation or recommended (independent organization).
• Glycerides (mono and di)—for use only in drum drying of food.
• Glycerin—produced by hydrolysis of fats and oils.
• Hydrogen peroxide.
• Magnesium carbonate—for use only in agricultural products labeled “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)),” prohibited in agricultural products labeled “organic”.
• Magnesium chloride—derived from sea water.
• Magnesium stearate—for use only in agricultural products labeled “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)),” prohibited in agricultural products labeled “organic”.
• Nutrient vitamins and minerals, in accordance with 21 CFR 104.20, Nutritional Quality Guidelines For Foods.
• Octadecylamine —for use only as a boiler water additive for packaging sterilization.
• Ozone.
• Pectin (low-methoxy).
• Peracetic acid/Peroxyacetic acid —for use in wash and/or rinse water according to FDA limitations. For use as a sanitizer on food contact surfaces.
• Phosphoric acid—cleaning of food-contact surfaces and equipment only.
• Potassium acid tartrate.
• Potassium carbonate.
• Potassium citrate.
• Potassium hydroxide—prohibited for use in lye peeling of fruits and vegetables except when used for peeling peaches during the Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) production process.
• Potassium iodide—for use only in agricultural products labeled “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)),” prohibited in agricultural products labeled “organic”.
• Potassium phosphate—for use only in agricultural products labeled “made with organic (specific ingredients or food group(s)),” prohibited in agricultural products labeled “organic”.
• Silicon dioxide.
• Sodium acid pyrophosphate —for use only as a leavening agent.
• Sodium citrate.
• Sodium hydroxide—prohibited for use in lye peeling of fruits and vegetables.
• Sodium phosphates—for use only in dairy foods.
• Sulfur dioxide—for use only in wine labeled “made with organic grapes,” Provided, That, total sulfite concentration does not exceed 100 ppm.
• Tartaric acid—made from malic acid.
• Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (CAS # 7722–88–5)—for use only in meat analog products.
• Tocopherols—derived from vegetable oil when rosemary extracts are not a suitable alternative.
• Xanthan gum

Can you believe it? That's why I said, check your labels!!

Here's a resource for your continued research on this subject.

http://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/

Image of phenoxyethanol sourced from http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704811/PHENOXYETHANOL/

Lots of love,

Heavenly Botanicals

~Brie

 

 

Apple Cider Vinegar Toner: A gentle daily Chemical peel! April 2, 2015 10:56

                                                   

 

Most people view vinegar as something only used for cooking and maybe a few for cleaning, but I'm going to tell you why Raw unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar is a perfect match for your skin!

First, let me ask you a few questions:

Do you have red, blotchy, rash prone skin?

Does your skin itch or feel irritated on a daily basis?

Do you break out easily and frequently?

A couple of  years ago I could've answered yes to all of these questions and if that's you, then listen up!
Your acid mantle has probably been compromised. What is your acid mantle?

The acid mantle is your skin's protection barrier. It protects you from sun and environmental damage (chemicals, pollution, etc.). The more alkaline your skin becomes the more acne, blemishes, allergies, rashes etc. you will have. This is why balancing the acid mantle is super important and why you shouldn't use face washes or anything on your face that is not pH balanced! For example most soaps have an alkaline pH which breaks down the acid mantle making your skin more vulnerable to damage.

So go now and look at your face wash, does it say pH balanced? If not, throw it out, it's wreaking havoc on your face!

Why apple cider vinegar (ACV)? Short answer: it's like a gentle daily CHEMICAL PEEL!
**********************************************
ACV contains acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and malic acid as well as vitamins, minerals and amino acids, all essential building blocks for healthy skin. You know those really expensive chemical peels you need to go to an esthetician to get? Well using ACV on your face is like getting that chemical peel but it's much more gentle, there are no chemicals, and you won't peel! You will see a glowing difference in your skin from using this on a daily basis!
ACV also lightens dark spots and acne scars!

Now that you have this information find yourself a gentle, pH balanced face wash and an apple cider vinegar toner. You can make it yourself, if you're a DIY-er, it's quite easy!

Recipe:
1 Tbsp ACV ( I recommend Bragg's Unpasteurized Organic ACV)
3-4 TBSP Water

Mix the ACV and water and apply it to your face with a cotton ball or paper towel, or whatever you prefer to use, just make sure it's clean!

NOTE: You will not get the same results with a pasteurized ACV because many of the healing components have been compromised/altered in the pasteurization process.

If you'd rather just buy an ACV toner I make and sell them here 
https://www.heavenly-botanicals.com/collections/organic-face-wash/products/purify-toner-witch-hazel-toner-calendula-yellow-dock-plantain-yarrow-acne-toner-cystic-acne-toner-cystic-acne-skin-care

All of my Organic Raw Unpasteurized ACV toners are infused with herbs organically sourced, wild harvested or grown on my farm (gardening is my other passion!).

Other benefits of ACV, when take internally (note my toners are for external use only!):
Helps control weight

Helps control the yeast balance in your body

Helps maintain healthy skin

Promotes digestion, especially in those with low stomach acid

Helps detox your body (if you're prone to yeast infections try drinking it daily, 1 tbsp in 8 oz of water a couple times a day).

Other ways to use ACV:
Prevent or treat Yeast infections- if you're prone to yeast infections try drinking it daily, 1 tbsp in 8 oz of water a couple times a day
Also try putting in a bath for yeast infections (1 cup per bath)

Bake with it! Yes if you're a gluten free baker and you often have dense baked goods results then try this awesome fix, substitute your baking powder or rising agent for 1 TBSP ACV and 1 tsp Baking soda. You may need to play around with the measurements depending on how big a batch you're making but I usually use this proportion for a cake recipe that uses 2 cups of flour. I will be posting some recipes in the future so check back!)

It can also be used as a hair rinse for silky soft hair. It will cleanse your hair of build up from hair products and close the hair shaft, reducing frizz and increasing shine!
Recipe:
1-2 TBSP ACV
1/2- 1 cup of water

FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.