shea butter Archives - Amazing Health Advances

DIY Retinol Facial Serum

AHA Publisher — Wed, 04 May 2022 07:00:49 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Although the skin is subject to acne, other skin conditions and aging, as the body’s largest organ, it also has the potential to soak up a lot of healthy vitamins. One of the main vitamins our skin soaks up is vitamin D, which it absorbs from sunlight. The skin can also absorb vitamins from face creams and moisturizers, including retinoids, which contain lots of vitamin A. Retinoids may be the way to healthier, more youthful skin. Read on to learn more about retinoids, retinol cream and how you can make your own homemade retinol facial serum. What Is Retinol Cream? Retinoids and retinol cream products were originally developed in the 1970s as an acne treatment. They also are used as a way to help treat aging skin, psoriasis and warts. Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives. Vitamin A has been known to help with eyesight, and it also helps keep the skin healthy. Retinoids are derived from animal sources and include retinol. Other sources come from carotenoids, originally from plants, and include beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. The major carotenoids are lycopene, lutein, and zeaxantuin, and are filled with antioxidant and photoprotective properties. Retinol face cream has many uses, such as minimizing the appearance of wrinkles, helping keep the skin thicker, maintaining the elasticity of the skin, slowing the breakdown of collagen, which helps keep the skin firm, and lightening those annoying brown spots caused by sun exposure and age. Retinoids can speed up the cell turnover of the skin. This process helps even out skin discoloration and smooths the skin. How to Make Homemade Retinol Facial Serum First, you’ll want to pour some carrot seed oil and rosehip oil into a glass measuring cup (see the full recipe at the end of this article). Carrot seed oil is high in antioxidants and a great natural retinol, and it comes from the seeds of Daucus carota, also known as Queen Anne’s Lace. Rosehip oil is great because it is high in vitamin C and provides anti-aging benefits such as protection from age spots. Next, place a shallow pan on the stove with about two inches of water in it and heat the water on low. Place the measuring cup in the pan, acting as a double-boiler. Now, add the almond oil and the apricot oil. Almond oil is great because it acts as a moisturizer and does not clog pores. Apricot oil is also a great moisturizer while offering vitamin A. Add these ingredients and stir, keeping the heat on low. Add the shea butter and green tea extract. Shea butter will add creaminess to the mixture while providing amazing skin healing benefits. Green tea is known as the anti-aging tea. Green tea extract benefits the skin much in the same way due to its numerous polyphenols it contains. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits include helping reduce acne while fighting the signs of aging. It’s no secret that shea butter is great for the skin. Shea butter is rich in both vitamin A and vitamin E, making it the perfect choice for this anti-aging recipe! Once added, stir until you reach a creamy texture. Lastly, add the anti-aging essential oils, lavender and frankincense. Lavender essential oil does more than relax you; it gives the skin a boost because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics. Additionally, lavender and frankincense both help reduce age spots. Frankincense also helps eliminate acne, wrinkles and scars. Lemon essential oil contains a ton of vitamin C and while you don’t want to overdo it because the skin can be very sensitive to the potency of pure vitamin C, one drop added to this mixture can offer some amazing skin-glowing benefits by reducing photoaging. Make sure to blend all ingredients well. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Once cooled, place in a glass container. Using a dark glass container will help it to last longer or you can store it in the fridge. Apply a small amount to the skin at night before bed. Make sure to apply it to clean skin. Use my Homemade Honey Face Wash, then pat dry. Precautions When using retinoid or retinol-based products, it is best to start with applying them every third day. Given that retinoids can cause some initial irritation, it helps to allow the skin to get used to it before going to daily use. Using it at night helps because using it while in the sun can cause sensitivity to the skin. Regardless, you will need to wear an all-natural sunscreen anywhere that you may be applying the retinol cream. If you are pregnant, check with your doctor before using retinol or high doses of vitamin A. Make sure to clean your skin and pat dry before applying the retinol products. To minimize skin irritation, it is best to avoid using with other skin care products — especially if they contain benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, resorcinol or salicylic acid. DIY Retinol Facial Serum Recipe Retinoids may be the way to healthier, more youthful skin. Learn how you can make your own homemade retinol facial serum. INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon rosehip seed oil 10 drops carrot seed oil 1 tablespoon almond oil 1 tablespoon apricot oil 1 teaspoon shea butter 10 drops lavender essential oil 10 drops frankincense essential oil 1 drop lemon essential oil small glass measuring cup shallow pan glass storage container INSTRUCTIONS Pour the rosehip oil and carrot seed oil into a glass measuring cup. Place a shallow pan on the stove with about 2 inches of water in it and heat the water on low. Place the measuring cup in the pan, acting as a double-boiler. Add the almond oil and the apricot oil to the oils in the measuring cup. Next, add the shea butter to the mixture. Add the lavender, frankincense and lemon oils and blend well. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Once cooled, place in a glass container. Apply a small amount to the skin at night before bed. Make sure to apply it to clean, dry skin. NOTES This facial serum should be stable at room temperature for at least a month. For higher temperatures, consider placing in the refrigerator. To read the original article click here.

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Homemade Lotion with Frankincense, Lavender & Peppermint Oils

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 07:00:37 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Did you know that almost anything you put on your skin can seep right through and into your bloodstream? Yes, that includes parabens and other dangerous chemicals in skin products. So while many of you have taken the clean eating movement seriously (and that is fantastic!), many are forgetting about the products that they are slathering on their bodies. Unfortunately, too many of these products are littered with chemicals and preservatives that head right into the bloodstream and travel throughout our bodies, wreaking havoc by causing inflammation and more. But it doesn’t have to be that way with natural skin care, including my homemade lotion for your face and body. Aging is an indication of the time moving forward and while we cannot stop time, we may be able to help reduce the signs of it through our skin. This lotion is easy to make and will soothe the skin while offering a healthy glow soon after the first application. How to Make Homemade Lotion To make this amazing homemade lotion, you can use a double-boiler or a glass heat safe bowl — you can also use a glass measuring cup — that fits inside a pan. Put the benefit-rich olive oil, beeswax and shea butter in the container you have chosen for heating over medium heat and slowly melt while stirring. If you are using a glass container and saucepan, make sure the sauce pan has enough water in it to cover about half the glass bowl. Olive oil has amazing moisturizing characteristics without being too greasy. Olive oil has been used since ancient times and it contains squalene, which is a phenolic compound that is filled with useful anti-aging antioxidants, hydrating qualities and may fight skin cancer. Beeswax is another amazing skin-healing ingredient, and it locks in moisture. Beeswax is filled with softening and emollient rich vitamin A, which can help rebuild damaged skin cells. And being comedogenic, it won’t clog pores — keeping the skin moist and blackhead free. Shea butter adds more richness to this hydrating skin-glowing lotion. With the ability to boost collagen, shea butter is a perfect ingredient to add to this blend. Once these ingredients have melted and are well blended, remove from the heat. After allowing the mixture to cool, add the essential oils. Frankincense is my go-to when it comes to skin. Not only is it an anti-aging and wrinkle-fighting ingredient, it helps heal bacteria-containing blemishes. Lavender partners right up with frankincense to help reduce acne-causing bacteria while providing useful relaxing benefits as well. And let’s not forget about peppermint oil, which travels with me wherever I go. While it can eliminate headaches in seconds by placing a drop on the forehead, it can eliminate aches from sore muscles and rejuvenate the skin. Peppermint essential oil is microbial, providing calming effects to inflamed skin such as a sunburn, eczema and psoriasis. Now you can try it out to see how you want the texture. For a creamier texture, you can use an electric mixer or hand beater for a minute or two. Once all ingredients have been well blended to the desired consistency and has cooled, place in a container. I like to use a glass mason jar, but you can also use a BPA-free plastic bottle with a pump. I like to keep my DIY lotion in the refrigerator during the warmer months to maintain consistency since the coconut oil can melt. You can decide what works best depending on where you live. I hope you enjoy this wonderful chemical-free lotion that is gentle enough to use every day! Homemade Lotion Recipe Here’s a homemade lotion for your hands, body and face. This DIY lotion is easy to make and will soothe the skin while offering a healthy glow soon after the first application. INGREDIENTS ¼ cup olive oil 3 tablespoons coconut oil 1 tablespoons beeswax 1 tablespoon shea butter 10 drops frankincense essential oil 10 drops lavender essential oil 5 drops peppermint essential oil INSTRUCTIONS Place the olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax in a glass bowl in a pan with warm water (or you can use a double-boiler). Heat the ingredients, while stirring, until they melt. Continue to stir until well blended. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add the essential oil. Stir again until well blended. Check the consistency. For a thinner, creamier consistency, use a hand mixer (or electric mixer) for one or two minutes. Place in your favorite container. Dark glass is best for extending shelf life Apply, as needed, to the hands, face and body, avoiding the eyes. To read the original article click here.

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Homemade Eye Cream with 4 Healing Ingredients

AHA Publisher — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:00:05 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Because we cannot see inside the body, the skin often provides the first obvious marks of the passing time and aging. It is a known fact that as we age, our skin becomes less resilient, resulting in dry skin and wrinkles. Often, the first place this is visible is not only the face, but around the eyes. Yes, I’m talking about the dreaded crow’s feet. Now, diet is a huge component in how our skin looks and feels; however, there are ways to positively affect the skin and create a beautiful glow and fewer wrinkles, including less visible crow’s feet, using natural remedies, including this homemade eye cream with four ingredients that help delicate skin. Why We Develop Dreaded Crow’s Feet While is seems that the best solution is to simply replace the oils that we lose due to aging and free radicals found in environmental toxins, it simply isn’t that easy. As reported by the journal Dermato Endocrinology, skin aging is a complex biological process influenced by a combination of factors, such as genetics, cellular metabolism, hormone and metabolic processes as well as chronic light exposure, pollution, ionizing radiation, chemicals and toxins. These factors together lead to the progressive changes in each skin layer as well as changes in the appearance of the skin, especially on the sun-exposed skin areas. Finely wrinkled and dry aged skin, especially in the eye region, is very common due to years of abuse. This happens because of gradual loss of skin elasticity, which is part of the cause of slower healing in older adults. What specifically can help reduce wrinkles around the eyes? Reduced collagen type VII, often caused by sun-exposed aged skin, may contribute to wrinkles by weakening the bond between the dermis and epidermis as we get older. And because of a loss of collagen, older skin begins to look irregular and disorganized by increasing the number of wrinkles and less firm areas of the skin, in particular on the face and around the eyes. The overall collagen content per unit area of the skin surface is known to decline approximately 1 percent per year. Three primary structural components of the dermis — collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) —have been the focus of most anti-aging research pertaining to the skin to include anti-wrinkle creams and various filling agents that you may find at the dermatologist. Therefore, I strongly advise that you use a collagen supplement (powder or capsule/tablet) to boost your collagen levels, and one of the first places you’ll notice improvement will be your crow’s feet. In addition, to achieve healthy, smooth, blemish-free, translucent and resilient skin, consider making a homemade eye cream. 4 Ingredients Because these four ingredients are pure and this eye cream recipe doesn’t contain toxic ingredients, they can be absorbed safely and effectively — helping your skin and the areas around your eyes retain moisture and, therefore, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It works by allowing the nutrients and proteins in these ingredients to encourage cell-regeneration. First ingredient is shea butter. It’s both moisturizing and very hydrating. When applied to the skin, it provides immediate softness and smoothness. But in addition, one study indicates that shea butter boosts collagen production, demonstrating some major anti-aging potential. Next is coconut oil, which is great for the skin, including around the eyes. Research reveals that virgin coconut oil improves the symptoms of skin disorders by moisturizing and soothing the skin. It also protects the skin by enhancing skin barrier function. Vitamin E oil may help improve fine lines and wrinkles by providing an antioxidant boost that protects from sun damage and encourages the healthy growth of new skin cells. When used both internally and externally, antioxidants are known for their ability to fight off free radicals and photo-induced skin aging, including wrinkles and dark spots. Lastly, several essential oils work well for the skin, but I consider frankincense oil the top choice. Benefits include the ability to strengthen skin and improve its tone, elasticity, defense mechanisms against bacteria or blemishes, and appearance as someone ages. It also may help tone and lift skin. How to Make DIY Eye Cream Put shea butter and coconut oil in a glass bowl, then place that bowl in a sauce pan that is filled with water. Make sure to not allow any water to get into the bowl. Place the saucepan with the bowl carefully on the stovetop. Heat to medium and mix oils together with a whisk. Whisk until completely melted. Remove the glass bowl from the stove and let it cool for 30 minutes. Add in vitamin E oil and frankincense essential oil and whisk again. Once mixed, put the bowl in the refrigerator for an hour or until solid. Remove from the fridge. With a regular mixer or hand mixer, beat the oils until they are whipped and fluffy. Fill a glass jar with the eye cream mixture and store at room temperature. Try to use within three months. Apply it morning and night around the eyes, after taking a shower or bath, or at least washing your face, when your skin is still wet. Homemade Eye Cream Recipe To help achieve the best results and to avoid toxic chemicals found in most commercial products, consider making a homemade eye cream. This DIY recipe includes four of the best ingredients for the delicate skin under the eyes. INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons unrefined shea butter 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil ½ teaspoon vitamin E 10 drops frankincense essential oil INSTRUCTIONS Put shea butter and coconut oil in a small glass bowl, then place that bowl in a sauce pan that is filled with water. Do not allow any water to get into the bowl. Place pan (and bowl) on a stovetop and heat to medium and mix oils together. Whisk until completely melted. Remove the glass bowl from the stove and let it cool for 30 minutes. Add the vitamin E oil and essential oil and whisk again. Once mixed, put in refrigerator for an hour or until solid. Remove from the fridge. With a regular mixer or hand mixer, beat the oils until they are whipped and fluffy. Fill a glass container with eye cream mixture and store at room temperature. Apply every morning and night around the eyes, after taking a shower or bath or at least washing your face, when your skin is still wet. Enjoy! To read the original article click here.

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