The Skin and its Functions

The skin, or the integumentary system, is the largest organ of the body. It performs 6 main functions: protection, absorption, secretion, excretion, regulation, and sensation. Here is a quick summary of each of the functions:

Protection
-shields internal tissues and organs from pollutants, smoke, UV rays, chemicals and other harmful substances
-barrier to infection from bacteria and viruses and to extreme temperatures
-the skin contains immune cells that provide the body with its first line of defense

Absorption
-vitamins and acids, water and oxygen are all absorbed through pores in the skin
-provides moisture, nourishment, protection

Secretion
-sebum, or oil, keeps the skin soft and pliable
-this layer of sebum makes up the acid mantle (pH of 4.5-5.5), which acts as a barrier to prevent bacteria from entering the body

Excretion
-the skin is the body's largest waste removal system
-release of toxins such as carbon dioxide, are release through sweat glands
-release of urea, salt, and other chemicals (ever eat garlic and it seeps out your pores so that others can smell the garlic??)

Regulation
-temperature is regulated by the skin
-goose bumps and shivering warm the body
-sweating cools the body
-the skin also changes blood flow to regulate body temperature

Sensation
-millions of nerve fibers transport information to the brain from the skin
-receptors detect pain, heat, cold, pressure, touch

By no means is this inclusive, but it is the basic example of what the skin does. It is important that you care for your skin. It doesn't have anything to do with vanity, it has to do with better health. Take care of your skin and what you put on it, so it can perform its duties well and keep you healthy.

6 steps to a healthier you

Life is full of things that drain us and affect our health. Some of those things, we can't do anything about. We just have to deal with events the best we can.
There are things that we can control, and those things have the greatest impact on how healthy we are. Here, we review 6 things that are vital for good health and mental well being.
1. Rest & Relaxation
Most people neglect their rest and don't give sleep enough importance. There are well documented effects of sleep including renewed vigor, reduced tension, and time for the body to repair and regenerate. Although each person is different, generally a person needs 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Keeping a regular sleep schedule is just as beneficial for your body. If you can find your pillow the same time each night, your body will find your sleep much more restful.
2. Exercise
I know, the dreaded word, but it doesn't have to be agonizing. Simply finding the activity that works for you is the key. There are a myriad of options you can choose from for picking the right activity for you. Most importantly is to balance your workout so you include cardiorespiratory fitness with strength training and flexibility. Even simple things go a long way toward keeping you fit, like parking at the farthest distance from the entrance to work or shopping, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Believe it or not, these little things help keep you fit in the long run.
3. Stress Management
Did you know that there is good stress and bad stress? Stress that compels us to action is considered good stress. Feelings of stress, anger, helplessness and depression are bad stress. Learning to manage the bad stress and deal with life's blows is vital to good emotional and physical health. Often times, just having a good shoulder to lean on and listen to you vent is all you need to make it through tough times.
4. Nutrition
Nutrition is the process of turning raw materials such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins, into energy. The energy is then used to regulate body temperature, build and re-build structures of the body, and move and think. Adult men and women have different needs and different body types have different needs, but basic nutrition is vital to us all. Common sense dictates raw fruits and vegetables are good for you, but what about sweets and fats? You can easily include these items in moderation into your diet without guilt. Don't deprive yourself, or you will more than likely binge. A little bit once in a while helps keep urges under control.
5. Hygiene
Simply put, keeping your body and environment clean and healthy. Both in your work and your home, there are basic things that keep you healthy. For example, use products that don't contain any harsh chemicals or toxins, and maintain a regular cleaning and bathing routine. This includes reading labels to see what you are putting on and in your body, as well as asking questions about what options you have when making a purchase. Seek the advice of qualified professionals to help you make these decisions.
6. Ergonomics
Most of the above topics are pretty basic. What most people don't think of, though, is the workplace. How you sit at your desk, how you stand while working, how you lift a box, and many more instances are vital to your health. You can easily sprain a muscle or permanently damage yourself by simply twisting or moving the wrong way. Seek proper technique for your particular workplace to make it as safe and ergonomically friendly as possible.

Why you should moisturize

People with oily skin tend to think that they don't need a moisturizer since his or her skin is already 'greasy.' In actuality, once you wash your face, you should apply a moisturizer of some kind no matter what your skin type.
Normal skin can sense when it is low on moisture. Once the face has been washed, there is no oil left. The skin senses this and starts to produce excess oil to recover from this oil loss. If you moisturize your face after washing it, the skin doesn't overproduce oil since it is already well hydrated. Overproduction of oil can result in more breakouts and shine.
You don't have to apply a heavy moisturizer if you tend to get oily later in the day, but some light cream should do the trick. If you tend to be dry all day, lean toward a richer cream that contains more oils. In any case, make sure you use a moisturizer after you wash your face to keep a healthy balance.
Know your skin type to best choose products that suit you best. Seek the advice of a qualified esthetician or dermatologist.

Earth Day

Being Earth Day, I thought I would share with you one of my most requested items and most requested recipe. Laundry Detergent: If you can make a cake, you can do this and it is much easier. I used to make this on a large scale and sell it in the store, but now I just make it by request since I carry Laundry Berries, which I also love.

First some exciting money facts:

Cost to make your own: Around $2 per batch. This is about 5.7 cents per load (using 2 tablespoons for each load, you get about 35 loads). Arm & Hammer laundry detergent about 12.4 cents per load. Tide detergent is 30 cents and more per load. Wouldn't you love to make laundry cost less!! This can revolutionize your budget, since we also provide you with a fabric softener that will cost pennies on the dollar compared to some of the costly and harmful fabric softeners you may be or may have used.

Fels Naptha Laundry Powder

1. 1 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated (comes out to about 2 cups) - You can find this in the grocery store laundry aisle, probably on the bottom shelf. It is only about $1

2. 1 c Borax - Found in the grocery store laundry aisle and some hardware stores. It is a wonderful multi-purpose cleaning agent that used to be a household name. There are plenty of uses listed on the box and more can be found online.


3. 1 c Washing Soda - Also found in the grocery store laundry aisle. I use Arm & Hammer brand since that is all I have ever found. It is one of those little know useful items, so it may be on the bottom shelf, also.

4. 1/4 c OxyClean (optional, though I don't use it)

Mix it all together into a bumpy, granular mix. Don’t worry about stuff getting correctly dispersed, even if it doesn’t quite look like it does. Use 1T for a light load. Use 2T for a large or dirty load (It’s true! Only 2 Tablespoons per load!)

Fels Naptha Laundry Detergent

This is basically the same formula as above, but in a liquid form.

Simply melt the Fels Naptha gratings in 2 cups water on the stove. Stir gently, but constantly, not letting it boil or suds over, until it is all melted, looking much like orange juice. Once melted, pour the water slurry into a 5 gallon pail and add 1 gallon hottest tap water.

Add the remaining powders and stir gently. Once fully stirred, add hottest tap water to about 3 gallons, or 2/3 to 3/4 full in the bucket. Let sit overnight. This WILL GEL. Stir in the morning, and it is ready to use. It makes kind of a gelatinous sludge, but it works GREAT!!!!

Use 1 -2 cups per load, depending on soil and load levels.

Laundry Rinse (instead of fabric softener which is so bad for you and the environment, you don’t even want to know)

1 gal white or apple cider vinegar

25-30 drops essential oil - optional (Straight vinegar works just fine though.)

Use 1/4 c in the rinse cycle. NO, your clothes won’t smell like vinegar. The vinegar clears the last bit of soap remaining on all your clothes and reduces static while softening the clothes and neutralizing foul odors. Towels that are washed with fabric softener will absorb less water, but when you use vinegar, the towels will actually absorb more water. Fantastic!!

And now you’re on your way to a cheaper, greener and healthier cleaning strategy. Don’t you feel good?

Esthetician in the making

Hello everyone. This is a happy post for me since I am embarking on a new endeavor that will help me make better products, serve my clients better, and expand my skin care knowledge.
I have enrolled in a six month Esthetician's training course from a certified cosmetology school in Appleton. The school is The Salon Professional Academy (TSPA) located in the College Center Plaze just off Hwy 41.
While I am a student there, I am learning about skin care, waxing, and makeup. Once I complete the course and pass the state board examination, I will be certified to do facials, waxing, and makeup application.
Thankfully, I have a fair amount of knowledge on the subjects already, given my Bachelor's Degree in Microbiology/Chemistry, but I am learning a lot about more specific conditions and treatments that are available. It is very exciting for me and I am enjoying it thoroughly.
Starting in mid-May, I will be taking clients at the TSPA at greatly reduced prices.
I have coupons at the store that entitle you to $5 off your first service with me. If you refer more clients to me, you receive $5 off for each referral. Simply fill out the back of a coupon (get more from me at the store) and send your friend in for a service. Once the friend books a service and redeems her coupon, you will have credit at the Academy toward future services. There is no limit to the number of friends you can refer and get discounts for.

These services are great for your skin, and will help you learn how to better care for and maintain your skin at home. Once licensed, I plan to perform these services in Oshkosh, but the prices will be higher. Now is your chance to get in on the good deals (only until October 1, 2009)!

From the experience of the instructors at the school, space is limited and will fill up fast, so call me(420-2450) or the Academy(968-0433) right away to schedule your service (Facials are a relaxing 1½ to 2 hours).

Services starting at:

Corrective Facial $22

Spa Package- 4 Facials $66

Corrective Facial Add-on's $5 each:
- Detoxifying Mask - Eye Mask - Lip Buff - Acne
- Clarifying Mask - Glycolic - Light Plex

Back Facial $20

Lip wax $8

Brow wax $8

Chin wax $8

Arm wax $12

Underarm $12

Bikini $16

Full leg $25

Half leg $15

Full Back $20

Partial Back $12

Makeup Application $10

Available times & dates for full facials: (subject to change)

Saturdays 9AM 10:30 AM 12:30PM 2PM

May 23 June 13, 27 July 11, 25 Aug 8, 22 Sept 5, 19

Thursdays 5PM 7PM

May 21, 28 June 4, 11, 18, 25 July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 Sept 3, 10, 17, 24 Oct 1

Tuesdays 5PM 7PM

Aug 4, 18 Sept 1, 15, 29

The Growing Concern of Parabens

The Growing Concern of Parabens
by Jeremy Likness

Parabens are a group of chemicals used as preservatives in both food and cosmetic products. Some are found in very low levels in nature. This class of chemical is also known as esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Some common names include benzylparaben, isobutylparaben, butylparaben, n-propylparaben, ethylparaben, and methylparaben.

A recent study linked parabens with breast cancer: "Concentration of Parabens in Human Breast Tumors." Darbre, PD. et al. J. Appl. Toxicol. 24, 5-13 (2004).

Parabens have been used as preservatives since the 1920s. They are used to prevent the growth of bacteria. By far the most prevalent use has been in cosmetics, skin care products, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens, deodorants, and soaps. A report that was published in 1984 - Elder, RL. "Final report on the safety assessment of methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben." Journal of the American College of Toxicology, vol. 3, pp. 147-209, 1984 - estimated that parabens were used in over 13,200 different cosmetic products.

Recent evidence from over a dozen scientific studies has indicated that several types of parabens can bind to the estrogen receptor and cause estrogen-like responses when tested in laboratory animals or in a variety of tissue cultures. In studies using animals, the estrogenic effects were not found when fed, only when applied to or injected into the skin. There is no comprehensive research regarding the long-term effects of low-dose paraben use.

In these studies, the researchers looked at twenty (20) human breast tumours and found synthetic chemicals known as parabens in eighteen (18) of them. The level of parabens in four of the tumours so high that it could have had a damaging biological effect on cells. It is the first time parabens (para-hydroxybenzoic acids) have been detected within tumours, suggesting that the man-made chemicals accumulated in the breast tissue after being absorbed through the skin.

According to The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, "the chemicals in any one consumer product alone are unlikely to cause harm. But unfortunately, we are repeatedly exposed to industrial chemicals from many different sources on a daily basis, including cosmetics and personal care products."

The FDA proclaims that "FDA is only able to regulate cosmetics after products are released to the marketplace. Neither cosmetic products nor cosmetic ingredients are reviewed or approved by FDA before they are sold to the public. FDA cannot require companies to do safety testing of their cosmetic products before marketing. If, however, the safety of a cosmetic product has not been substantiated, the product's label must read WARNING: The safety of this product has not been determined."

This means, essentially, that cosmetics are not tightly regulated by the FDA. In fact, like supplements, most of the regulation happens only in response to consumer complaints. This is a reactive, rather than proactive, approach that occurs when perhaps the damage has already been inflicted. Even more highly regulated products like Vioxx, which were originally approved by the FDA, have been pulled from the market after widespread use by millions. In the case of Vioxx, concerns were that it raised the risk of heart attack and stroke - Arthritis Drug Vioxx Being Pulled.

Skin is the body's largest organ and it can absorb healthy and unhealthy substances that are applied to it. Be an informed consumer and learn exactly what is placed into the products you use on a daily basis. While concerns are raised each day regarding the use of synthetic chemicals and preservatives, very rarely do you hear of a recall for products that are organic or all-natural. Your company should readily disclose their full ingredients list with explanations for each ingredient - including why it was used and the rationale behind the dose.

Waste Removal

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Although every cell of the body assists in waste removal, certain organs specialize in waste management. The liver can be viewed as the recycling center of the body, where one of its responsibilities includes sorting out toxins and directing them to the appropriate organ for elimination. If the liver is inflamed or damaged, toxins remain to circulate throughout the body. When functioning optimally, the skin can actually help or hinder the liver's detoxification process. The skin and liver detoxification relationship has two facets:

1. the skin can absorb poisonous chemicals, increasing the liver's detoxification load
2. the skin can expel toxins, relieving the liver's detoxification load

Unfortunately, people regularly slather their skin with a coating that prevents toxin elimination through the pores – a surefire way to contain poisons earmarked for elimination. With this exit blocked, more toxins remain in the body's circulation to fan the flames of hepatic inflammation.

The skin is the elimination organ with the largest surface area. In addition to regulating temperature and body moisture content, the skin also functions as a backup or waste removal. If the liver is unable to process toxins, the skin provides an alternate escape route. However, the pores must be open and clear for this process to occur without event. Skin rashes, acne or other skin disorders are often indicators of a toxic build-up beneath the skin's surface caused by clogged pores.

Common Clogging Culprit
Also known in the fossil fuel industry as crude oil, most of us come into contact with petroleum every day. Products containing petroleum include gasoline, Styrofoam, lubricating oils and many cosmetics. Claiming to moisturize our hair, skin and lips, mineral oil and petroleum are the primary ingredients in many beauty products. By covering the skin to form a protective barrier, petroleum and mineral oil effectively lock moisture against the skin.

Unfortunately, this supposedly beneficial barrier blocks more than is desired. Because it prevents the skin from breathing and expelling toxins, petroleum-based products can obstruct the skin from eliminating waste, thus increasing the liver's detoxification load. Check the ingredients on your skin care products to see if any of these petroleum derivatives are present:

· Mineral Oil
· Petroleum or Petrolatum
· Propylene Glycol
· Isopropyl Alcohol
· Ceresin
· Toluene
· Benzene