Skin Care Myths!

We’ve all heard it: French fries cause acne. What?! Nothing could be further from the truth! In this post, I debunk some of the common (and sometimes dangerous) skin care myths.


Myth #1:
You have oily skin, so you can’t use a moisturizer.
False! For our oily skinned sisters, balance is key. Our skin naturally produces oil for lubrication. But when you have oily skin, that production is always in overdrive. Trust me. I know! I used to always avoid the use of moisturizers because I thought, “I have enough moisture. I don’t need anymore!”. False again. Actually, when your skin is not adequately moisturized (meaning water content) or dehydrated, it will try to correct the problem itself and produce MORE oil! Ugh!

Something that I always tell oily-skinned people to remember is, your skin is oily. It was always oily, and it will always be oily. You will NEVER be able to change your skin type. However, you can help minimize some of the slickness by giving your skin what it craves – moisture. Stick with an oil-free, non-comedogenic formula and use it twice a day. You’re still going to have some shine, but over time, the total grease factor should decrease. Besides, we oily skinned beauties age beautifully!


Myth #2
You don’t wash your face enough. That is why you have acne.
Ummm, excuse me?! Did you just say I don’t clean myself enough? Now, we got beef! Acne is a skin disorder, mostly triggered by hormonal issues. Nothing more. Nothing less. It has very little to do with how often, or how vigorously, you wash your face. In fact, washing acne-prone skin too often will almost always lead to more breakouts (and oilier skin). The key to acne is keeping your pores clean and free of debris. When you have pores clogged with dirt, oil, old makeup and sweat, breakouts will follow. Try cleansing your skin with a mild cleanser morning and night and follow with a salicylic acid product at night. Salicylic acid is great for gentle, gradual exfoliation. It is also really good at cleaning out clogged pores. Benzoyl Peroxide is another favorite ingredient of mine. Use it on an active pimple to help kill the bacteria that has set up residence on your face. Be careful with this product though. It can be extremely drying. A moisturizer 


Myth #3
Sweets & fried foods cause breakouts.
There are two things a large order of curly fries, 20 piece wing dings, and a 20 oz Coke will not do:  help you win the Beyonce look-a-like contest and cause you to get a pimple. Pimples and acne are caused by bacteria and abnormal cell division, not Big Macs with extra Mac sauce. The idea behind this myth is that an overall healthy diet, full of fresh green vegetables, fruit and mega doses of clean water daily will help you to become a healthier person, period, thus making your skin, hair, nails, etc. healthier in the process.


Myth #4
Women of color don’t get sunburn or skin cancer.
Please, please, please stop spreading this dangerously untrue information. While it is true that people of color are less likely to get skin cancer, when we do, we are more likely to die from it. This is the same deadly disease that took the life of Reggae legend, Bob Marley. Many people don’t realize that it takes years (and I mean 20, 30 years) for sun damage to appear on anyone, and usually by the time it appears on us chocolate skinned beauties, it’s far too late. I could go on and on about the dangers of UVA and UVB rays but suffice it to say, a broad-spectrum (meaning it protection against UVA and UVB rays) is a daily necessity. Make it a habit now to begin examining your skin monthly for new spots or moles that maybe were not there the previous month.


Have you heard any skin care advice that you later found out to be a myth? Tell us below!

Cosmeceuticals vs. Natural skin care – “Should I feel guilty about using skin care products that contain non-natural ingredients?”

Skin care is a very expansive field. Walk down the health and beauty aisle at any drug or department store and you are likely to be bombarded with moisturizers, night creams, eye creams, butt creams, everything you can think of! The average lady (or gent) perusing the aisles is likely to become overwhelmed. I mean, exactly what is an AHA? Why does that foot cream have so many ingredients? You really need to be armed with a slew of information in order to get the most of your visit.

Lately, there has been a big shift in buying to natural products. Many people (including myself) have chosen to educate themselves about their skin care and decided to make some changes. Many of the traditional products found on the shelves at your local department store contain ingredients that could wash away battery corrosion (okay, that is an exaggeration, but you catch my drift). Because of this, thankfully, consumers are becoming more informed and letting cosmetic manufacturers know “We’re not gonna take it!”. 

Ok, so just what is a cosmetic? In the simplest of terms, a cosmetic is any product that cleanses or beautifies the skin, hair or nails. So then, what is a cosmeceutical? This funny looking word is a combination of “cosmetics” and “pharmaceuticals” (or drugs – legal ones). It’s used to describe products that both beautify (the cosmetic) and treat/prevent (the pharmaceutical). Some examples are dandruff shampoo, antiperspirant deodorants, or a moisturizer that contains alpha hydroxy acid (or AHA). These product both cleanse or beautify and provide a treatment as well. A cosmeceutical will always have an active ingredient. Think about a tube of toothpaste. It always says “Active ingredient: Fluoride”, then it lists the other ingredients.

Sample cosmeceutical ingredient list

In recent times, a big debate concerns the use of natural products versus using products formulated with synthetic ingredients. It took me a while to figure out my position on this topic. I mean I have a natural skin care line. So I should be all natural, all the time, right?

Wrong.

Anyone who follows me on YouTube or knows me knows of my struggle with my skin. They know all about my acne issues. And I mean serious acne issues – cystic acne – that can not be treated by applying Tea Tree Oil (trust me, I tired it all). I finally accepted what I knew as fact: cystic acne forms and lives in the dermis (2^nd layer of skin) and nothing that is not a drug is able to penetrate down to the dermis. Nothing. I came to the conclusion that I had to visit a dermatologist. I visited the derm, and was prescribed a retinol-based, topical gel called Ziana. I was at a crossroad because this product is chocked full of preservatives and fillers. The same preservatives and fillers I was trying to get away from. But, I took a good look in the mirror at the speckled face staring back at me and knew I had to use it.

I began applying the gel very lightly every night, then switched to every other night, using a Vitamin E cream on the nights I didn’t use the gel. Wow! What an improvement I saw in my skin in about 6-8 weeks. I still maintain my “as-natural-as-possible” routine and am very pleased with the results.

The moral of the story is: Don’t be so attached to one specific thing that you don’t get a chance to do what’s right for you. My philosophy has now become that some synthetic ingredients are possible to make a product do a specific thing. I, personally, do not believe that everything can be cured or treated the natural way. I am very thankful, however, that consumers are becoming more aware and expressing an opinion in their skin care formulations.

What do you think? Do you follow an all-natural skin care routine? How do you feel about some of the ingredients that are in your products? Let us know!

"Scrubs are scary!"

I've had quite a few people ask me what to do with a body scrub. Exfoliation is a very important part of skin care. And I'm not just talking about facial skin, our ENTIRE bodies need exfoliation from time to time.

The term exfoliation refers to the "peeling or sloughing of the horny (outer) layer of the skin, known as the corneum". This simply means removing the top layer of skin, that can become dull, dry and dehydrated. The skin can be exfoliated via chemical (think chemical peels) or mechanical (think scrubs, something that is done manually) methods. The method we will focus on today will be mechanical. 

Exfoliating the skin mechanically, or manually, involves using a product with an abrasive material. You may find a scrub made with salt, sugar, or crushed nut shells. This type of scrub can be used all over your body. But, when you use a scrub on your face you want to be especially careful. Personally, I prefer to use a scrubbing pad on my face. They are gentler and safer for sensitive facial skin. 

Facial scrubbing pad

One of the number one questions I get from customers trying out  Ámbreöse Collection is "What do I use a scrub for?". I have to admit, the first time I heard this I was really surprised. I thought everybody knew what a scrub was and what it was used for. But then I started getting this question more and more, and I realized many people really don't know or understand what a scrub is or it's importance. 

I recommend using a scrub 1 - 2 times per week. I like to use my Whipped Shea Butter Scrub every Monday and Thursday night all over my entire body (except for my face, or course). The most effective way to use a scrub is after cleansing but before shaving or waxing. After cleansing, stand back from the water (or stand up, if you're taking a bath) and starting at your ankles, apply a generous amount of scrub and work your way up your legs, scrubbing in small, circular motions. With this particular scrub, I like to really rub it in, to make sure I get the Shea Butter into my skin. I move on to the other legs, the work my way up my body. I focus on my knees and elbows because the tend to get very rough. I like to save my feet for last, since the scrub can cause the tub to get really slippery. And for my feet, I need something a little more aggressive, so I like to use the Body Polish instead.

Body Polish

Since following this twice weekly regimen, I can honestly say my skin is smoother and less elephant-like. So, please, don't be afraid of exfoliation. It is necessary, and you skin will thank you. Trust me. 

So how do you really feel about scrubs? Do you use them? Do you think they are unnecessary? Let us know!

Work It Out Wednesday

As part of my plan to increase my physical activity, I've been trying to find things that I can do at home instead of always having to go to the gym. One of the things my boyfriend stresses is doing something, anything everyday. For awhile, we were doing an ab circuit at night, along with push-ups in addition to our daily workouts. Clearly, I fell completely off and now have to start all over.

Plank on stability ball

So, the moves that we're going to focus on this week will be the plank and the push-up. Ironically, as I was doing my push-ups last night, I was thinking about just how much of your body they work: arms, chest, and your core. This morning, while perusing the internet, I came across an article that talks about the same thing. The push-up is an excellent move to not only tone your upper arms and chest, but also to help you build a stronger core and more defined abs. According to Yahoo! Sports, "(t)he push-up incorporates the stabilization muscles of your core, combining an upper-body pushing movement with a plank -- one of the best and most basic exercises for your midsection."(source). The plank is one of my favorite moves mostly because I'm utterly amazed at how much strength it takes to hold that pose for the recommended 15-30 seconds! Whew! The plank works wonders for your core and a strong core is needed for just about everything.

Follow these steps to perform the perfect plank:

1. Start by lying face down on a mat. Place your forearms on the mat and directly align them under your shoulders.
2. Extend your legs behind and rest on your toes, as if you are about to do a push up. Be sure not to toot your booty up towards the ceiling. Your shoulders, back, butt and toes should all be aligned. 
3. Tighten your ab muscles. This will help you hold the position correctly. Breathe evenly, in through your nose and out through your mouth. 
4. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. If you are more advanced or feel up to the challenge, shoot for 60-90 seconds (Good Luck!)
5. Try and do 3 sets of 3! 



Perfect plank form



                              

Now for the push-up, the form is basically the same. The ab contraction is the same also. The difference is, you are now going to place your hands underneath your shoulders and lower your body in one fluid motion. The idea is to go all the way down, with your chest just about touching the floor, and come all the way up. The number one thing to remember when doing this is to let your arm muscles and your core do the work.

We're not doing the caterpillar y'all! Your entire body should be lifted with one motion. Give it a try. Start out where you are comfortable. If you can only do 2, then do 2, or push yourself and do 3 and see how proud you feel!

If you just absolutely can not do the standard push-up, try the modified version. Place your knees on the ground and cross your ankles behind you, lifting them slightly up off the ground. Lower your upper body down slowly, as close to the floor as you can and then push yourself up to the starting position, using only the strength of your arms and core.

Tonight, I will be doing 3 sets of the following:

• 10 push-ups
• 30 second plank
• 25 crunches

Join Me!!!! Leave a comment letting me know you will be trying this tonight. This will be my nightly routine for the next 7 nights. Each week, I will build on this by adding additional exercises and/or extending these. I can't wait to see how good my arms look after 30 days of this!



Disclaimer: I am not a fitness or nutrition expert. These tips are merely suggestions that I make based off of what I do for myself. Before doing any of these moves, please consult a medical professional. This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any condition or illness.

Getting it together...

Once I decided to become natural, I, like many other naturals, began to take a look at myself as a whole. I started not only reading labels on conditioners, but also on lotions, face wash, crackers, juice. Everything that went on or in my body. I looked in the mirror and was not happy with what I saw. I thought back to 5 years ago when I was a size four, and then I looked in the closet at my size 11 pants. Smdh. How did I let this happen? How in the world did I gain 30 lbs in that short amount of time? How did I think I was looking ok?!

I still struggle with this everyday. You know how you know that you need to do something, but you just don't do it? Well, that's my life everyday. How can I be so adamant about only putting "healthy" products or ingredients on my hair when I'm planning a fried chicken, corn and rice dinner? I have got to get it together!

I'll share something with you. I'm 29, will be 30 in June, and I've had high blood pressure since I was about 27 years old. No, I'm not obese. If you saw me and I told you my weight (now 141) you would call me a lie (not because I'm bigger than that, but because I look smaller. Just wanted to clear that up). I hate salty food, and my only pork infatuation is a couple of pieces of bacon every once in awhile. So how did I develop HBP? Lord only knows. I was prescribed a slew of medications to tackle it. I've been to the emergency room 3 times in a hypertensive episode. I've lost a job because of the amount of days I missed due to HBP. Have I changed my diet? No. Have I significantly increased my intake of potassium-rich foods such as sweet potatoes and bananas widely known to help lower blood pressure? No. Have I eliminated all cured and luncheon meats from my diet? No. Do I exercise daily? No. Have I thrown away every hair care product I owned that contained sodium lauryl sulfate? Yes. Have I completely eliminated the use of mineral oil on my skin in any form? You better believe it! 

Do you see the irony here? What is wrong with me? Can't I see that this goes hand-in-hand? Do I want to have the prettiest hair and skin in the city morgue? NO! So that means, I have to Get It Together! 

If I'm going to "be healthy" then I have to be healthy. No more half stepping. I refuse to buy anymore clothes to cover this fat. I WILL NOT buy another flowing top. And I will stop my search for wide-calf boots! I've given myself until August 1, 2011 to lose 20 lbs and I will do it. Point blank.

So today I affirm: I WILL NOT TREAT MY HAIR BETTER THAN I TREAT MY BODY, FOR HAIR HAS THE ABILITY TO GROW BACK.

Won't you join me?