Natural Remedies for Dry Skin

With winter just around the corner and the air turning dryer by the day it is only natural for your skin to start to feel neglected. Dry, cracking hands and feet are a common problem for many people this time of year. It can be easy to rush to the nearest drugstore and grab some quick fix in a plastic bottle, but when you read the label you may be shocked to find you can’t pronounce half the words on it because it is so full of chemicals. Why not look for something a little less complex and a little more natural? You can find just what you need right in your kitchen:

• Try massaging regular mayonnaise into the dry area. Let it sit for fifteen minutes and then wash it off with warm water.
• Gently rub grape seed oil into the dry areas and let your skin just soak it all in.
• If your face is bothering you try mashing up a banana and applying it like a facial mask. Leave it on for a good five minutes and then rinse off gently with warm water.
• Avocado is a great natural moisturizer. Mash it up and apply to effected area. Let it sit for twenty minutes and then rinse.
• Take some oatmeal and use it as soap. It sounds strange, but just place it in your wash cloth, get it thoroughly wet and proceed to cleanse as normal. (Colloidal oatmeal is best)
• Get an Aloe Vera plant and use the natural gel from that to sooth your dry skin.
• Before taking a bath try rubbing the dry area with honey. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse off in the tub.

Some of these ideas may sound outrageous to you, but they are definitely worth a try. Happy skin will make for a much more happy you.

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Green Hair Dye

Can you imagine being that dedicated? I mean to dye your hair green for the sake of going green?? LOL. Seriously, I am not talking about the color green! I am talking about eco friendly hair dying!

Honestly, the best choice is to avoid dying your hair altogether. However, if you are a diva like me, there are a few other things you can do to at lest make a greener choice when dying your hair!

Green Hair Dye Tips

1. Stay away from hair dyes that contain ammonia and coal tar.
2. Do not leave the dye on your hair longer than directed. No exceptions.
3. Go for low impact hair dyes. Henna based dyes and semi permanent are best.
4. Do not dye your hair. Natural is best, so they say! LOL! It is certainly the best choice for the environment…if you are brave enough to be free and gray!

One green choice at a time will do wonders for making a difference and being a better steward of God’s planet!

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Stay Green!

               

Personal Care Products in the Green

Personal Care products are a part of our everyday lives. Most people use them…Skin care, cosmetics, sunscreen, deodorants, etc.

We can make changes and efforts to green them up!

Tips for Green Personal Care Products

• Use less. Many personal care products have cancer causing chemicals in them…not good for you or the environment. Limit use to what is absolutely necessary and opt for eco friendly when possible.
• Eliminate synthetics. Period.
• Buy in bulk. Saves you money, time, packaging and fuel.
• Stay away from harmful chemicals and ingredients. Placenta extracts, mercury, lead acetate, and phthalates to name a few. Seriously, if you cannot pronounce it…maybe you should not buy it??
• Avoid Petroleum by-products. They will be listed as petrolatum and petroleum distillates.
• Only buy personal care products from companies that have made the “Compact for Safe Cosmetics” pledge. (www.safecosmetics.org) Tip: Burt’s Bees offers many products that are safe, cheap and eco friendly.
• Contact the companies you buy from the most and ask them to make the above pledge.
• Do it Yourself. Making it yourself will really help you and the environment. If you have the time, energy and ability, make your own personal care products!

Research, be informed and make wise choices before you purchase personal care products. It is so much more than helping the planet. It is saving yourself and your family from the harmful chemicals and side affects caused by many of these products.

If we all stand firm in this, companies will be forced to make better choices in how they make personal care products and we will be making an impact for our children and be better stewards of God’s planet.

Be safe. Be smart. Be Green.

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Stay Green!

               

Going Green with Cosmetics

Wearing makeup is what many women do. I am one of these women. I recently began to ask around about green and eco-friendly make up. Can we really go green with cosmetics? The answer is yes!

A few examples of how women can go green with cosmetics

Smaller packaging. choose items that have minimal packaging. This will be a huge benefit to the environment in the long run.

Go for organic. Look for organic made products and packaging. All natural is the better way to go. Look for vegetable extracts and products that do not contain synthetic chemicals. This will seem like a daunting task. Do not become discouraged though, there are companies that specialize in making natural cosmetics. You can view an extensive list here: safecosmetics.org/display.php?modin=50

No animal testing. I am not even sure how and why this practice ever began. However, it is no longer as popular and there are a lot of companies that do not do this barbaric practice. You can find a list of cosmetic companies who have made a public commitment to not test their products on animals here; leapingbunny.org.

These are just a few simple things that we can all do to be greener with our cosmetics. If every woman would make just one change in her cosmetics, we would see a huge impact for the positive. We seem to think that going green and being mindful of environmental issues is complicated. I am here to tell you that it is not. It simply requires on positive choice at a time!

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Stay Green!