Beauty Sleep:Chamomile: Magic Flower

Since going back to work, I have been using chamomile tea to decompress after a stressfull day.  I stopped smoking around 4 years ago and I had to find healty ways to minimize anxiety, stress, and blue days.  I have a glass of red wine once in a while but that can interfere with sleep.  So I started reading up on the benefits of chamomile and here is what I found. 
It reduces:
1) Insomnia, it contains a chemical that is like a natural sleep aid,
2) Depression, maybe because once you have a good night rest you feel like you can take on the day
 During the night the body restores all it is cells, I call it the night time "auto-shop".  If you don't have that restorative sleep everything starts breaking down and more problems start appearing with your whole body.
3) anxiety,
4) it has anti-inflamatory properties,
5) it helps with digestion
6) it has anti-bacterial properties.



See the scientific abstract below for more detailed information:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

Winter dry face

A friend inspired this short post.  First, streamline your skin routine.  Morning and night spray some evian water, chamomile tea or Avene Eau Thermale (from a Duane Reade drug store) onto your face and leave it one. You can buy a spray bottle from any drug store. Another option is to have a humidifier in your room at night.  Follow this with a night cream or moisturizer.  In the morning apply your moisturizer/and/or sunscreen.  Next, you have two options here depending on your age: in your twenties a press powder can be enough, in your thirties a light foundation will do wonders for giving you a finished look and as it also protects your skin from further daily "grime". And most foundations contain extra anti wrinkles ingredients that prevent further those little age lines. Don't forget about your eye cream and under eye concealer or you can use your foundation for a lighter under eye coverage.

Hope this helps

Too much exercise and the wrong FOOD can AGE YOU

Trying to stay healthy and maintain a good weight is ideal for anyone, however when we exercise too much the body's cells don't have enough time to RECOVER and REGENERATE.  They start breaking down.  The same is true for not having the right kind of nutrients in your body.  Without the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and good fats,...the builiding blocks that are needed for the cells to recover are missing.  The collagen in your skin starts breaking down and you get the sagging wrinkly look that we all dread. At around age 35 the cell recovery process starts slowing down significantly, that is why it is so important to WATCH what you EAT.

What is recommended to do to help your skin and your well-being

1) Sleeping plays a very crucial role.  No sleep no time for the cells to rebuild themselves with the right nutrients.

2)Yoga and strength training are recommended for stress relief that keeps at bay "bad" hormones that increase in your body with high stress levels.  These hormones break down the collagen in your cells as well.  Also yoga helps in increase oxygen flow to all parts of the body. The more oxygen flow the more cellular respiration which converts nutrients into energy use for the YOU.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/aging/photos/8-diet-and-exercise-mistakes-age-you#0

L'Occitane En Provence, Let your skin take a trip to FRANCE

Over the years I have discovered different lines and brands that just stopped time while enjoying their marvelous smells and products.  There was the Body Shop, in the early 90's that made everything smell delicious, and now there is L'Occitane that makes high quality body and skin products that are worth every penny.  My favorite products hands down are : 1) The Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream, 2) Amande Supple Skin Oil (almond oil), and 3) the Amande body milk or body butter.  They also have very light fresh frangrances made from native Provence flowers and fruits.  The fragrances are very subtle and they add a bit of mystery since they are not the traditional known brands.  And just recently they have introduced slimming creams and gels to the Amande line.  If you are in the NY city area there is a big promotional event at their Upper East Side store on 86th street on April 5.  I have not tried their slimming products but SHAPE MAGAZINE has given them a big thumbs up.  And just a quick suggestion,...have a glass of champagne while you try their products.

Take your SKIN out of WINTER HIBERNATION

As we make our way out of our winter caves for some sun and vitamin D, we still have to consider our skin.  During the winter months our skin is dormant.  You need some pick-me up therapy to bring it back to full on spring freshness.

1) Exfoliate,...either using a store brand or a made at home one. (some brown sugar or coffee with a bit of olive oil).  When you exfoliate, do it gently do not rub too much.  Just a light touch will do. Wash your face with cold water afterwards. 
2) Apply some vitamin E for your eyes.  Take a capsule and break it open.  Be careful it is very greasy so apply a small amount.  The rest you can mix it in with your sunscreen/and/or/ moisturizer.
3) Dab on lots of sunscreen.  The best that I found is Athelios SPF 60 made by La Roche-Posay. You can find it at Duane Reade.  It is very light and absorbs quickly.  It can also double duty as your moisturizer.

4) Add some eye cream concealer.
5) Mascara.
6) Press on Powder,...my favorite the Lancome brand.
7) Blush.
8) Lip gloss/lipstick and you are good to go.

Magic Capsule: Vitamin E

For the past few weeks I have neglected my daily skin routine, for good reason.  We are in the process of moving and with a 10 month old everything is 10 times harder to accomplish.  Even simple tasks like brushing your teeth or your hair require some production behind them.  On top of the moving situation I pulled my back again for the 3rd time this year.  So for a whole week I could barely keep up, even with help from my parents and husband.  However I remembered what my mom taught me. One vitamin capsule all it takes to SAVE YOUR SKIN from NEGLECT.

Any vitamin E capsules will do.  Take on break it,...put most of it under your eyes,...BEST EYE EMOLLIENT EVER.   The rest slather it onto your face and neck, left over for hands and cuticles. 

Be careful it is really REALLY GREASY ,...so put it on at night or if you stay in the house apply it in the morning.  Since I have been stuck to one armchair for the week I have been applying it every other day.   In smaller ammounts you can use it as an EYE CREAM  under a concelear.  It lasts all day since it is so so RICH.  You might not want to buy any other eye cream ever.  Than take one for YOUR HEART.

Problem Skin: If your pores clog easily or if you have an oily complexion just USE it for the EYES and neck, or hands.

Massages HELP you HEAL

When lower back pain started interfering with my regular activities, I decided to search different options that did not involve taking medication.  I found some alternatives that work well: massages, yoga, and acupuncture.  Massages are not just for relaxation they are for healing as well.   You might wonder why would I want to talk about massages since this is mainly a skin care blog.  It is simple, the better you feel physically the more happier you look, the more oxygen flows to your tired cells, the more radiant your skin.  Going back to massages.  Ancient people have been doing them a long time before the first spa ever appeared on 5th Ave,...or before the Chinese lady gave you a good seated massage.  Now science has proven that massages have the powerful effect of healing your muscles.  Studies have been done on athletes that complete extensive workouts and those that followed their workout with a 10-15 minute massage showed increased numbers in mithochandria.  The mithochandria is the key organelle of the cell that produces energy and helps restore muscle tissue. The ones that did not have a follow-up massage took longer to heal.  So there, now when you want to spend your money on healing your body, SPEND IT ON a MASSAGE.