Radiant Skin - Benefits of a Facial Scrub

As I'm losing weight, and exercising more, I've found a natural tendency to take care of my skin better and even to wear make-up on a regular basis! One thing I've started doing more often is using a facial scrub on my face about 2-3 mornings. I use a scrub that is safe for daily use, so no worries about using it this often.

Every day that I use my scrub, I get compliments on how great my skin looks! I also feel so great! My skin feels soft and smooth and gives off this healthy glow that only those fresh, healthy skin cells give off. The facts are that using a scrub helps to exfoliate all of those dead skin cells off of your face. As I've been reading and researching more information on facial scrubs, men will also benefit from using a facial scrub because it helps to lift the beard and thus enabling a closer shave. It will also loosen ingrown hairs, helping to prevent nasty razor bumps.

One thing to look for in a facial scrub is natural products. Using finely ground nutshells, pumice, apricot kernals, etc. help to exfoliate the skin without digging into the pores of your skin. I use the Arbonne FC5 Exfoliating New Cell Scrub. This uses bamboo, kaolin, and jojoba for exfoliation. Like all Arbonne products, using botanically based ingredients in all of their products makes them pure, safe and beneficial for my skin.

Additional tips for men (these work for women too!):

• Use your scrub daily in the shower.
• In a circular motion gently massage the scrub across your forehead, nose, cheeks and neck.
• For those of you that are bald, or shave your head, feel free to gently use the scrub on top of your head too. Take the time to gently work the face scrub into the skin. Yes, gently!
• When you have the time, leave the scrub on while you soap up your body, as your skin will benefit from the nutrients in the scrub.

Other fantastic scrubs:

• Arbonne NutriMinC RE9 Facial Scrub (use 2 times per week)
• Arbonne NutriMenC RE9 Reveal Exfoliating Wash (daily use)

My first 5K in a LONG time...

I just finished my first 5k race this season. Whew. I made it! It was kind of a tough race…it was ½ downhill, just to turn around and finish the second ½ uphill. I actually finished in 33 minutes, which I don’t think is too bad considering the whole second half was uphill. Thanks to my friend, Cali, who ran with me.

I was running the other night while pushing my son in the stroller. I kept telling myself that if this is tough, I just have to push through it. That’s what I did today. I had a father running with his son in the stroller, so I ran beside them and sang cadences to his son while I pushed up the last part of the hill. The little boy thought it was fun and it really motivated me up that last leg.

I’ve had to push through a couple of things on this journey. I have lost 10 lbs so far. But it hasn’t been easy! I started out by taking a supplement 3 times per day, and I made sure that I ordered more way before I ran out…but now they are on backorder. Why should that matter you ask?

I love, love, love the supplements I’m taking. They give me more energy, they give me a much fuller feeling when I eat, and they really help that weight come off even quicker. Hopefully I will get them this next week; but, I’m just trying to push through it.

My mom was here for a few days last week and I loaded up the Lose It! program on her iPhone. She had the same comments I did - it truly makes a difference when you counts calories. I’m loving this app!

Thank you to those that read my posts and help me with encouragement. I know I can do this!

Healthy Lifestyle 4 Me!

I haven’t blogged in a while and I’m going to change direction a little bit. While I will still include information on skin care and healthy living, I’m going to start including details of my personal journey.

On February 28^th, 2010, I decided that it was time to do something with my weight and my health. I was feeling the pinch of my pants as they were getting tighter and I refused to go up another size. My company, Arbonne, provides us with training podcasts weekly. This particular week, I listened to a podcast on our weight loss program. It was enough to motivate me to really start changing my lifestyle.

The one thing that I learned that is the most important thing: there must be 3 things in place to truly lose weight and change your lifestyle. First, you must commit; without a commitment, there is nothing to hold yourself to. You must truly commit yourself to your program. Second, you must exercise. While I would love to be able to exercise every day, I just cannot work it into my schedule. My goal is to exercise 3 times a week, but I try to get 4 in per week. And last, but certainly not least, you must change your diet.

The commitment was certainly the easiest – I wrote down my goals, sent them to my girlfriend, and made a decision that I was going to do this! Another girlfriend also suggested that I download the Lose It! Free app on my iPhone – thank you so much Kris! It is my favorite thing! It allows me to enter my goals and track calories throughout the day. It even has calorie listing for most restaurants! It’s fantastic!

Exercise, while not super easy, was not too tough. After being in the Army for 10 years, I know how to run. I like to run. BUT, I was still way out of shape. So I found this fantastic podcast: Robert Ulrey’s “Couch to 5k.” It is so great! It is set on a weekly schedule and he actually tells you when to walk and run and plays music for you! So you don’t have to watch the clock, you don’t have to write your intervals down on a 3x5 card and re-write it every week because you left it in your smelly gym bag last week and all of the pen has smeared off. I love it and it worked for me! Plus, it moticated me to do my 3 runs per week. I wanted to get to the next week – and I’m running a 5k April 17^th! Thanks Robert! My next goal is to do a 10k this summer. http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/

Finally, my diet. Whew. This was going to be my hardest feat. I figured that since I’m an Arbonne consultant, I should be able to represent my company by using my products. Here’s a little secret about me – I don’t like to take pills of any kind! So, even vitamins and supplements are hard for me. But I made my decision, so I was sticking to it! I started by following the general guidance and sample meal plan we have on www.gofigure8.com. I do take the Going, Going, Gone! Supplements and I can tell you, I wouldn’t trade them for anything! They truly help with both energy and appetite. I feel fuller faster, I can’t eat nearly as much, even when I occasionally forget to take them, I’ve cut back so much on my portions, that I don’t eat as much anyway. I feel fantastic!

More next week – I’ll go into more details of things I’ve learned about myself and different obstacles I’ve encountered on this journey…

Anti-Aging Secrets of Top Dermatologists: Part 2

· Secret no. 4: "I take vitamin D3 oil," says Kathy Fields, M.D., co-founder of Proactiv and Rodan + Fields Dermatologists. "It's the new E or A." She explains that you can be in the sun all day and not make enough of it (vitamin D has been linked to bone health and cancer risk). According to Fields the American Academy of Dermatologists recommends taking a supplement of 1,000 ius a day. Fields recommends to "get [your vitamin D level] tested to find out where you are," she says, then take a supplement if necessary.

Vitamin D is found in the following Arbonne products: - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids Daily Power Punch for Kids - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids for Men - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids for Teens - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids for Women - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids™ CalciumTablet - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids™ CalciumTablet - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids™ Men's MulitMineral Tablet - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids™ Men's MulitVitamin Tablet - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids™ Women's MultiMineral Tablet - Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids™ Women's MultiVitamin Tablet - Figure 8® Go Easy! Chai Latte Protein Shake with INNER G-PLEX® - Figure 8® Go Easy! Chocolate Protein Shake with INNER G-PLEX® - Figure 8® Go Easy! Vanilla Protein Shake with INNER G-PLEX®

· Secret no. 5: "Brush your teeth after you drink coffee, you want to keep your teeth white," says Rodan, who is a fan of Crest Whitestrips, $34." She claims whiter teeth "enhance the appearance of your skin tone."

· Secret no. 6: Howard Murad, M.D., founder of Murad, believes in what he calls an "inclusive health approach." "People look at anti-aging and limit it to appearance of skin on the face, but in reality the relationship with everything else [your internal health, stress level, etc.] is connected," he says. "As much as possible I try to eat a plant based diet. I still eat hamburgers and steak, but I try to limit it. And I wear sunscreen and exercise. It's not one thing, it's a lot of things," he says in regards to what his secret to anti-aging is.

Wow! Arbonne provides everything you need for this healthy approach. Try the REsist Essential Fatty Acid Dietary Supplement. Nourish your health and infuse your skin inside and out with this dynamic anti-aging essential fatty acid supplement featuring flaxseed oil, CoQ10 and several beneficial RE9 elements. Regular use of this supplement can help leave your skin feeling rejuvenated youthful-looking, inside and out. ( 120 vegetarian capsules )

Arbonne also uses all of the anti-aging formulations in their body care and sunscreen products.

· Secret no. 7: "As we age, cell turn over slows down, so daily exfoliation is key for me," Rodan says.

The perfect daily exfoliant: REgain Illuminating Enzyme Peel. Illuminate your skin with an exotic cocktail of natural fruit enzymes from African papaya and Far East pineapple that gently exfoliate, revealing a more even complexion and noticeably smoother-looking skin. In just 10 minutes the peel purifies and revitalizes the look of tired skin for a more youthful, radiant appearance. 1 fl. oz ( 1 fl. oz. )

Anti-Aging Secrets of Top Dermatologists: Part 1

What a better way to find out about good skin care….ask what the Dermatologists use-- and all have gorgeous skin to back up their claims. A Total Beauty article did just that, they got the scoop on the supplements they take, the skin care products they slather on and more; here are the results:



· Secret no. 1: "I'm a big believer in vitamin C treatments to boost collagen," says Audrey Kunin, M.D., founder of Dermadoctor. She uses SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic, $138 daily and applies it to her face and decollete. "Don't forget your neck, decollete, arms, hands. They really give away your age," she warns.


Ok - $138?? for 1 fl. oz?
Try Arbonne’s NutriMinC® RE9 REactivating Facial Serum, Day & Night with similar ingredients, Vitamins A, C, & E, for $49. Increase moisture retention and cell turnover with this dynamic, pre-moisturizing facial gel. The key ingredients activate healthy cells, increasing translucence, while diminishing the look of fine lines.


For the neck, neck, decollete, arms, hands, use NutriMinC® RE9 REactivating, Body Serum, with vitamins A, C, & E, for $42.

· Secret no. 2: Amy Wechsler, M.D., author of "The Mind-Beauty Connection," protects her skin from free-radical damage by filling up on anti-oxidant rich foods and beverages. "I drink a lot of green tea and eat anti-oxidants in the form of fruits, and a little dark chocolate," she says. "Ingesting anti-oxidants combats the oxidant stress and damage done to cells by aging, stress, smoking and UV rays."

Try Arbonne Smart Nutritional Hybrids™ for Women. A balanced, power-packed combination of multivitamin and Multimineral tablets, calcium for bone support, antioxidants and digestive enzymes that work synergistically to address women’s health concerns, every day.

· Secret no. 3: Getting rid of sun damage and discoloration is important to Katie Rodan, co-founder of Proactiv and Rodan + Fields Dermatologists. "I do all of the lasers, but topicals do a much better job of evening out the skin tone and they're less expensive," she says. She recommends exfoliation and applying topicals containing hydroquinone all over your whole face, "don't spot treat," she says.

Even though this is from a dermatologist, I’ve read other reports on hydroquinone:

Hydroquinone *Warning*

The single most important ingredient you need to watch out for when deciding on a skin bleaching cream is Hydroquinone. This is because Hydroquinone is extremely dangerous and may lead to the development of cancer. It has already been banned in countries like the U.K. and France, and Dr. Jacobs of the F.D.A. has concluded that Hydroquinone is mutagenic, clastogenic, and immunotoxic. After learning of this new research, our team concludes that you should avoid any product which contains Hydroquinone.

Arbonne’s Revelâge™ Age Spot Brightening Day Cream with SPF 30, $55. Lightweight, protective daytime moisturizer ensures bright, comfortable skin with a beautiful luminous finish all day. Shields skin from harmful UV rays with SPF 30 to prevent further signs of premature skin aging, age spots and skin discoloration.

Look for Part 2...secrets 4-7 coming soon!

Borage Seed Oil- The Magic Bullet

Borago officinalis or Borage seed oil obtained from borage seeds is faint yellow in colour. It is a popular carrier oil that is rich in omega 6 gamma-linoleic acid or GLA in comparison to any plant source, known for its ability to delay the skin’s ageing process. The high Linoleic acid content aids in maintaining the cell membrane’s structural integrity. It is helpful in renewal of the skin and appropriate for varying skin types, used in 10% strength along with other oils.

Borage Seed Oil- The Magic BulletA good practice would be to inculcate the regular use of Borage oil in facial mixes for those with mature or damaged skin wherein it assists in cell proliferation. Borage seed oil additionally contains essential vitamins, minerals widely used in well-known cosmetic products to nurture and hydrate the skin.

The essential fatty acids found in borage seed oil work splendidly with L-methione that aid in healthy nails. It also assists in providing relief from several inflammation problems that crop up around the nail area. A healthy practice of massaging some Borage seed oil into one’s nails prior to bedtime will help strengthen and provide deep nourishment to the cuticles. For lustrous, healthy locks apply a mixture of Olive Oil, coconut oil and borage seed oil that is a potent hair oil.

Many women are prone to the monthly torment of PMS while other elderly women face the bane of menopause. Oral intake of Borage seed oil aids in assuaging hot flushes, mood dips and several indicators related to menopause and pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). An effective duo combo of Evening Primrose oil along with Borage seed oil works wonders by toning down the ordeal of PMS.

The slightly heavy texture of the oil is ideal of dry, sullen, ageing and burnt skin as it decreases the formation of age lines and wrinkles due to its restorative property. Combining it with lighter oil such as sweet almond will provide optimal health and beauty results. It is an expensive oil in comparison to several other carrier oils and is bound to show positive results if used one or more times in a week.

Ideally kept refrigerated and even used in food, Borage oil that is available in capsule or liquid form has proven to be effective in the relieving rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, diabetic retinopathy, maintaining pulmonary health and also lowers cholesterol levels.

Original post: http://www.zippy-health.com/borage-seed-oil-the-magic-bullet/

Linoleic Acid is found in the following Arbonne products:
- Revelâge Concentrated Age Spot Minimizer: Highly concentrated formula precisely targets and delivers powerful antioxidant and brightening ingredients to skin to diminish the appearance of stubborn age spots and skin discoloration.$45

- SeaSource Detox Spa 5-in-1 Essential Massage Oil: Essential oil blend contains stimulating, marine-derived ingredients to help remove toxins and deliver nourishing minerals. Its 5-in-1 formula preps skin for further detox treatments and can be used for body and facial massage, as a bath additive, as a purifying facial steam and for relaxing aromatherapy. $45

- SeaSource Detox Spa Foaming Sea Salt Scrub: Detoxifying, foaming body scrub gently exfoliates and cleanses toxins from the skin’s surface, increasing microcirculation and stimulating skin to promote a softer, smoother look. 6.8 fl. oz.$35

Omega 3 and Anti Aging

In today’s diet oriented society many people are careful when in comes to the consumption of fats. While watching you overall intake of fat is beneficial to maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle, many times, essential fatty acids are excluded from a balanced diet. These fatty acids are crucial in order to maintain every cell in your body functioning properly.

Omega 3 is one of these key fatty acids. The effects of it have been studied for several years. One key benefits provided by this fatty acid is that it is helpful to the body’s aging process. However, it is not only a key element in keeping your skin looking healthy and younger, but it also helps boost your brain power as you age, and increases your overall health.

The benefits provided by omega 3 fatty acids are certainly compelling. However, these fatty acids are not naturally occurring throughout the human body. Therefore, these omega 3 fatty acids must be consumed through diet and/or other forms of supplements.

Omega 3’s anti aging benefits come from two primary forms of fatty acids. These are the DHA and EPA. The most common dietary sources for these include:
• Fish & Seafood
• Walnuts
• Roasted or Ground Flax Seeds
• Whole Grains
• Hemp
• Spirolina Algea

Even though the anti aging benefits can be attained from various whole grains only a small percentage of DHA and EPA are converted from these. The body more readily converts fatty acids form seafood and algae. Note that if you plan to incorporate the intake DHA and EPA from fish then you should stick to oily fish. Examples of these include:
• tuna
• halibut
• mackerel
• salmon
• trout
• sardines
• herring
• eel

Incorporating these food into a healthy and balanced diet will certainly help increase the amount of omega 3 in your system. However, supplementing omega 3 is also highly beneficial. There are several supplements that one can consume in order to attain a healthy level of omega 3 fatty acids. Usually they come in little golden capsules and are to be consumed on a daily basis (or as directed by the product).

How Omega 3 Works
The main function of omega 3 fatty acids is that they produce cell membranes with a high degree of fluidity.

A diet consisting of an excess of saturated fats can produce unhealthy cell membranes. Saturated fats become solid at room temperatures. As a result they tend to clog up cell membranes. These membranes will lack fluidity and become hardened and lead to an unhealthy body.

However, omega 3 fatty acids maintain a liquid state at room temperatures. As previously mentioned, this allows for cells to attain a high degree of fluidity. Nutrients are allowed to enter the cells and waste products are permitted to easily be removed. This in turn allows connections with your brain to be stronger and quicker. As a result your brain functions better and consequently makes your whole body healthier.

Studies have revealed that diets with low intake levels of essential omega 3 fatty acids can lead to premature aging, wrinkles, and dryer skin.

The Omega 3 Conclusion
Augmenting ones intake of omega 3 fatty acids has been shown to help the heart, increase ones life line, and help fight the effects of aging. These fatty acids will improve the skins smoothness and give it a radiant contour. Increasing omegas 3’s intake by the foods you eat or by adding supplements, for example Arbonne REsist Essential Fatty Acid Dietary Supplement, to your diet is not only an essential step in the fight against aging, but is indispensable to maintaining a healthy mind, body, and soul.

See original article here:
http://aginggenesis.com/2009/06/omega-3-and-anti-aging/

Certified Vegan Dietary Supplement
Check out Arbonne's REsist Essential Fatty Acid Dietary Supplement:
Nourish your health and infuse your skin inside and out with this dynamic anti-aging essential fatty acid supplement featuring flaxseed oil, CoQ10 and several beneficial RE9 elements. Regular use of this supplement can help leave your skin feeling rejuvenated youthful-looking, inside and out. 120 vegetarian capsules/30-day supply.
http://tr.im/tyOU