Modern Hippie Mag » Shayna Teicher

Acne, Dairy and Soy: The Killer the Culprit and the Cure?

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:30:01 +0000

For those who haven’t heard my story, a huge part of how I ended up opening Butterfly Effect and getting into this business in general was that I had constant skin problems starting from my early teens. From oily skin to hormonal breakouts to funny little patches of eczema, it was always something, and despite spending plenty of my money (starting with my earnings from working at a bead store from ages 14-17) and buying everything from high-end skincare to special makeup that was recommended to me by countless department store ladies/makeup counters/infomercials/health food stores, nothing ever seemed to make an improvement. I was on and off birth control which (while I was on it for the fourth time) did seem to help, but overall it just made me a crazy person- many of my friends will vouch for this, bless them. I also started eating organic and using natural products.

At this point, I realized that you can’t take anything at face value, not what the sales people tell you and certainly not what a product’s packaging says- they want you to buy their product when you read its label. Then I found mineral makeup. When I started wearing i.d. bareMinerals (I now custom blend my own mineral makeup) around my junior year of college, my skin saw a HUGE improvement, and I knew there was something to this whole “natural thing”, that there was benefit in putting less on your skin rather than more, and certainly in putting less chemicals on your skin in general. I hate to say it, but other than my introduction to mineral makeup, the biggest improvements I’ve ever seen in my skin have come from my own research and using deduction to rule out triggers, NOT from salespeople or physicians. That’s why when I recommend skin care products to customers, I always ask lots of questions and encourage them to pay close attention to things like their diet, activity level, chemical/product exposure, and daily lifestyle when trying to determine the cause of a skin issue (very different from the approach of too many MDs: “Treat the symptoms. If they go away, what does it matter what the cause was?” Sorry if it seems harsh, but this has been my experience.) I’ve seen people with breakouts caused by cell phones, shampoo, skin cream, natural extracts, wheat, dairy, soy, chemicals, mineral oil, etc…all who went to the dermatologist, who simply wrote them a prescription. Breakouts aren’t always caused by what you think.

Part of my journey in dealing with breakout prone skin and switching to a more natural, organic diet has been cutting back on dairy, which in turn has resulted in my eating more soy (thank goodness for Purely Decadent soy ice cream- See? All my posts really do go together!). I noticed a significant difference in both the oiliness, and in the amount, size and severity of my breakouts when I cut back my dairy. I went from consuming probably 3-5 servings a day to 1-3. As I started eating more soy, the breakouts seemed to improve even further. When I went online to see if other people had had similar experiences, I was surprised to find lots of people on opposite sides- either switching from dairy to soy made their skin worse, or it improved it. There was little in between and I was having trouble finding a source to bridge the gap.

In his abstract “Pathogenesis of Acne”, Dr. Toyoda M. Morohashi (Japan) explains that “Acne results from hyperkeratinization and obstruction of the pilosebaceous follicles secondary to androgen-stimulated failure of normal desquamation of the follicular epithelium, androgen-stimulated sebum production, subsequent colonization of the follicles by Propionibacterium acnes and other organisms, and variably, inflammation.” Basically androgenic (male) hormones stimulate sebum production (the mix of oils and dead skin cells our skin produces), which prevents the normal process of the natural shedding of the outer layers of the skin and leads to hardening of those cells and blocking of the sebaceous follicles, leaving them prone to acne-causing bacteria and inflammation. This explains why traditional, over the counter acne remedies rely on exfoliation (salicylic acid) and anti-bacterial (benzoyl peroxide) action, or else hampering oil production all together (accutane). The key word in Dr. Morohashi’s explaination is ANDROGENS: a group of “steroid hormones that stimulate or control the development and maintenance of male characteristics”.

If androgens are a culprit behind acne, how are so many women (over 75% of girls age 16-18 experience acne) being exposed to them? It seems highly unlikely that such a substantial portion of the population would all suffer from an overproduction of the same hormone. More and more studies are pointing to milk and dairy.

In a talk at Harvard University, Ganmaa Davaasambee, “a Mongolia-trained medical doctor, a Japan-trained Ph.D in environmental health, a fellow [in 2006] at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and a working scientist in the Harvard School of Public Health,” discussed the link between cancer and dietary hormones, in particular the estrogenic hormones found in milk and dairy. “Among the routes of human exposure to estrogens, we are mostly concerned about cow’s milk, which contains considerable amounts of female sex hormones,” Ganmaa said. She also noted that dairy accounts for 60-80 percent of estrogens consumed. Where do all these hormones come from? In order for commercially bred cows to be most productive (for the nearly 300 days a year that they are milked!), they need to be kept pregnant. Those hormones that the cows produce are also in their milk, so when we drink that milk or eat dairy made from it, we are ingesting those hormones. While the high levels of estrogens in modern dairy may have a connection with cancer rates (the focus of Ganmaa’s study- which you can read about here), the same milk also contains androgens, progesterone (which breaks down into androgens), and androgen precursors. It’s the androgens (testosterone producing hormones) that are a trigger for acne, especially in women who are already biologically sensitive to male hormones.

Photo by Marijn van Braak

The level of hormones present in milk depends on how far along in the pregnancy the cow is. “Milk from the late stage of pregnancy contains up to 33 times more signature estrogen compound (estrone sulfate) than milk from a non-pregnant cow…” making “the milk we drink today quite unlike the milk our ancestors were drinking without apparent harm for 2,000 years.” Ganmaa isn’t declaring dairy itself a bad food, but she is questioning its safety when it’s produced using our modern techniques. “Milk is a food of great complexity, and contains high levels of beneficial nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D.” Even cows not treated with BGHs (bovine growth hormones) contain these hormones, because they’re still kept pregnant.

This would explain why many women experience improvement in their acne with the use of birth control- the estrogen hormones helps counterbalance the excess of testosterone/androgenic hormones. Unfortunately, this isn’t a cure, it’s just a band-aid.

In the experiences that people were sharing online, some people who tried switching from dairy to soy in an effort to improve their breakouts found that they were allergic to soy and that it actually made their breakouts much worse. Others found that switching to soy delivered an improvement- indicating not only that they may have been experiencing a dairy intolerance, but that the estrogenic compounds in the soy itself might be beneficial. Sheesh! The conclusion? While there may not be a definite answer, it’s relatively easy to use trial and error to find out if dairy and/or soy are behind your acne woes.

This would be my recommendation: If you currently consume dairy and soy, try cutting out only dairy for two weeks. You don’t even have to cut it all, just a significant amount; I just don’t want to give up my morning latte, but I’ve cut out all ice cream and yogurt, and most cheese. After two weeks, do you see any improvement? Then add it back and cut out soy for two weeks. What changes have you seen? I think many people will find right away that cutting out one or both of these food groups leads to improvement of acne symptoms. Note: many processed foods contain milk and soy ingredients, so if you eat a lot of those, be sure to check the ingredients labels to see if you’re getting dairy and soy in unexpected places. If you couldn’t see an improvement being either dairy-free or soy-free, then you have to try cutting out both.

For me, the experience of experimenting with my diet was well, WELL worth it. I learned that while I need to avoid dairy in excess, I can have a little, and soy (perhaps it’s the additional estrogenic compounds) seems to help, rather than hurt my situation. It’s also just another example of how where our food comes from and how it’s produced is just important, if not more so, than the food itself.

Have you had any skin revelations? Do you have experience dealing with dairy or soy reactions? Please share!

Resources:

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/12.07/11-dairy.html

http://dermatology.cdlib.org/124/original/acne/danby.html#2

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11479771?dopt=Abstract

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desquamation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgen

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,835434,00.html

Shayna Teicher

After nearly three years managing a bath and beauty boutique, Shayna decided to go out on her own and open Butterfly Effect, a holistic, eco-conscious beauty boutique located in Sarasota, Florida. Our very own “Beauty Chick”, read Shayna’s other intriguing articles and product reviews here.

Acne, Dairy and Soy: The Killer the Culprit and the Cure? is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Brilliant New Website, Very Happy Beauty Chick

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:00:56 +0000

I get a lot of inquiries as to my where I go for info regarding cosmetics ingredients and the answer is usually “well, all over the place”. I go to Skin Deep’s Cosmetics Safety Database to get an overall idea of a product but, although it’s a great resource, their product ratings are only based on known studies so they’re not always entirely accurate. Plus, I’m a big believer in cross-referencing; I never like to take one source’s “word for it”.

When I have concerns about specific ingredients, I usually Google it and end up at the same sites over and over again including: Cosmetics Ingredient Review,Cosmetics Info Org, Truth In Aging, Cosmetics Cop, PubMed.Gov, Essential U and FDA.gov. I usually review at least twenty different articles/websites (often more) before coming to my own conclusions about a product or ingredient and I tell ya, it’s a lot of work!

Well, a couple of talented and brilliant women, each with their own natural product line, joined forces to create the website Personal Care Truth. It’s a hub of just about everything you could possibly want to know about cosmetics ingredients and so much more, all in one place! Take the controversial subject of parabens, for example. In a previous article (after endless hours of research) I noted that, while it would be nice to be able to eliminate all preservatives from our products, they are necessary to prevent bacterial/fungal/mold growth in our products- which is even more dangerous and poses an immediate health risk. More importantly, the more research I read, the more apparent it seems that parabens are not nearly (if at all) as dangerous as much of the general press makes them out to be. Well, Personal Care Truth, with their slew of experts in everything from manufacturing to aromatherapy to chemistry, continuously posts articles based on emerging science, the newest research and knowledge about skincare and the subject of parabens is no exception. And it’s all in one place. Here’s the newest paraben update.

I don’t know how they did it, but they get MAJOR props from me- Thanks, ladies!

Shayna Teicher

Brilliant New Website, Very Happy Beauty Chick is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Ice Cream Insanity…There May Be a Cure

Shayna Teicher — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:00:51 +0000

We’ve all heard this one before- What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. When it comes to ice cream, I am definitely a nutter.

Despite the knowledge that I’m lactose intolerant, that my skin looks a hundred times better when I avoid excess dairy, and that even one cold, creamy, delectable scoop leaves me, well, let’s just say “uncomfortable” for at least two days, if it’s around I can’t NOT have ice cream. It doesn’t help that my roommate (who is also not so good with the dairy products) is a HUGE Ben & Jerry’s fan. She’ll bring home a pint (or two) and we’ll indulge “just this time”, but then we’ll run out…so I have to buy more, since she bought it last time. Before we know it, we’ve each gained two pounds, are grouchy, breaking out, and not feeling so hot, at which point I resolve to go back to being ice cream-free (until the next craving hits).

Additionally, I’m a foodie. I love to cook and bake which, to its merit, has kept me in avoidance of processed foods. My rule has been that I pretty much eat what I want, as long as it’s made fresh, from scratch, with as many organic ingredients as possible. On the flip side, though, I love great cheese and great bread. For me, a spinach salad with seared organic skirt-steak, tomatoes, red onion, orange wedges and homemade balsamic-olive oil-vinaigrette is only truly complete and balanced with a dollop of fresh Chevrie goat cheese on top. And so I continue to compromise- especially on the dairy thing. More especially on the ice cream thing.

Then, I read an article in the May 2010 issue of Psychology Today (sorry the article’s not online-but it’s worth buying the issue which has a ton of great articles) about the Paleolithic diet- the concept that, from an evolutionary perspective, human beings were never really designed to consume dairy and grains (even though the ubiquitous food pyramid would have us think differently)- certainly not in the quantities that we do today. Before the advent of modern agriculture, humans ate lots of plant foods- fruits, nuts, berries, etc- and lots of lean proteins from wild game and fish. But cheese? Milk? bread? The modern staples (practically) of the human diet- these were not part of the our original diet. This food theory goes on to posture that many of our modern diseases and health problems are due, in large part, to our diet. While there are arguments for and against this Paleolithic diet, I think Dr. Andrew Weil has perhaps the best, most intelligently guided advice on this subject. Basically, let’s do our best to go back to eating more like our ancestors, but still incorporate lots of fresh fruits and veggies (which they couldn’t always) and some carbs-but the right ones.

So I resolved that, while I’m just not ready to give up my morning latte (made with lactose-free milk), I would cut back on as much unnecessary dairy as possible so I could enjoy the benefits of feeling and looking better. Wouldn’t you know it, just before the weekend, a fun, spunky, very sweet girl happened to come into the store and we started talking about exactly this. She shared with me the story of her recent nutritional revelation. She cut out her soft drinks and juices, started using only fresh ingredients, and not only did she lose weight (10 lbs in a month!) without even trying, she was feeling better. She found that after a couple of weeks, she couldn’t even eat the processed, high-fat, foods that she used to without feeling ill. Buh-bye Popeye’s.

And then, she blew my mind…

“You have to try this ice cream!” she insisted. “It’s called Purely Decadent- it’s got these chocolate praline things in it and caramel, like, real, caramel! And it’s totally dairy-free.” She could see the skepticism all over my face. After all, being health conscious, lactose-intolerant, and right around the corner from Whole Foods, I had made a few forays into the world of non-dairy frozen treats before and was always disappointed. “Seriously,” she urged me “I was like- there no milk in this? You’ve gotta be kidding me.” The whole rest of the day, all I could think about was this supposedly delicious dairy-free ice cream.

So I went to Whole Foods after work, and bought a pint of the Turtle Tracks (she had been very clear that I was to get the one with the pralines in it). My first bite was cold, sweet and surprisingly creamy (far more than the coconut milk ice cream I had previously tried), with only a barely perceptible taste of the soy. By the time a got to my third bite (it was good enough to keep eating, for sure) the soy flavor was even less apparent.

Later that night when I dug into my second serving (I told you I was an ice cream-crackpot) I couldn’t even taste the soy. She was soooooo right- the pint was packed with tons of gooey caramel and dark chocolate covered pralines (which were my favorite part, too). The whole pint is gone now, and I’m going back to Whole Foods after work to try another flavor. Maybe one with less caramel this time. But seriously, when my only complaint (if you even can call it that) about this SOY ICE CREAM is that there might have been more caramel than was necessary, I think that’s pretty impressive.

Purely Decadent from Turtle Mountain is vegan and dairy-free and the Gluten-free flavors are clearly labeled as such. There’s also a coconut milk-based ice cream, but I haven’t tried it, so be sure you get the soy one. BONUS- click on the “Rewards” tab at the top of the website and you can print a coupon for $1 off- which, at $4 a pint is 25% off!

Epilogue: A Purely Decadent Evening

Naturally, I left my coupon in the car when I went to Whole Foods after work, but that didn’t stop me from getting another pint of Purely Decadent’s soy ice cream (you know, because I have to do my due diligence for you guys!). I finally decided on the Mint Chocolate Chip. Well, I didn’t wait until after dinner to try it- in fact, it didn’t even make it into the freezer! The Mint Chocolate Chip was even better than the Turtle Tracks- the rich, dark chocolate shavings were generously swirled throughout the entire pint (very Ben & Jerry’s style), and they were rich and very, very satisfying. The mint “ice cream” was dreamy, perfectly minty, and so creamy it could easily be mistaken for dairy. Purely Decadent now not only has my approval, but my deepest gratitude.

Shayna Teicher

Ice Cream Insanity…There May Be a Cure is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Tea Tree Oil vs. Ringworm

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:00:48 +0000

My junior year of college I had the great misfortune of getting ringworm. How a twenty-one year old student in a college town with no contact with small children managed to get ringworm while not a single other person I knew or lived with did is a mystery I don’t think the universe ever plans to explain. The thing was, I had never heard of ringworm.

To me, it was this little circular patch of “irritated” skin just below my right ear. Since I had had the distinct unpleasure of suffering eczema on the back of my neck for nearly all of the eighth grade, I figured this was just a flare-up. I tried keeping my little mystery patch of skin clean and dry and putting a prescription steroid cream on it. Apparently (I actually learned this while writing this!), not only does this not work, but the misuse of a topical steroid to treat ringworm (tinea corporis) can actually result in an altered skin condition “tinea incognito…where ringworm fungus will grow without typical features like a distinctive raised border, thus making it more difficult to identify.”

When the steroid cream didn’t work, frustrated and embarrassed at the weird, stubborn rash on my neck, I resorted to wearing turtlenecks. This also alleviated an uncomfortable side-effect of ringworm: people asking, “Dude, what happened to your neck?” This stopgap measure only bought me a month or two before the blacktop-melting Tallahassee summer set in, after which, I just looked like a fool in a turtleneck. Finally, one day during my closing shift at the coffee shop where I worked, a regular customer did a double take at my neck (now with three “mystery patches”). “That looks like ringworm, you know,” she said, gesturing at my neck.

“Ring what?” Ewwwww! How the hell did I get a parasite? I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I didn’t know whether to be horrified at the prospect, or relieved that someone seemed to know what it was. In hindsight, I probably caught ringworm from a tanning bed. (No need to lecture, I shortly thereafter became aware of how bad tanning beds are for you.)

Realizing how freaked out I was thinking I had worms (the look on my face must have been priceless), she explained that ringworm wasn’t actually worms, but rather a skin infection that produces a distinctive “ring”, hence the name. So I went home and looked up ringworm online. Bingo. http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/ringworm-of-the-skin-topic-overview. While her recommended remedy of burning a piece of newspaper in a glass bowl and spreading the sulfur-rich ash/resin left behind over the affected areas of my skin did not work, I did enjoy the excuse to play with fire and I will forever be grateful that she risked potential embarrassment to share with me what she saw.

The Cure

courtesy wikipedia

After that, I did some research and found many sources recommending Tea Tree essential oil, formally known as Meleleuca alternifolia, as a natural remedy for ringworm. Twice daily application of tea tree oil, applied neat, directly to the affected areas (after patch testing for allergic reaction, of course), and less than two weeks later, my little mystery patches had pulled an impressive disappearing act and I was a very happy, relieved and much more confident girl.

My excitement about the Tea Tree oil turned into a fascination with essential oils and natural products, and I went out in search of more information. I spent a day at the local Borders sifting through beauty books until I found Healing Home Spa, by Valerie Cooksley, R.N., an amazing compilation of information, which I enthusiastically recommend to anyone interested in natural healing, essential oils and home remedies.

Tea Tree Benefits

When used topically on the skin, the benefits of Tea Tree essential oil are extensive. Tea Tree oil is best known for its scientifically proven antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties and makes a great component in remedies for acne, skin infections, burns, minor cuts, athlete’s foot, mites, lice, and more. It has even shown strong activity against drug-resistant staph (MRSA).

Safety Precautions

There are a few safety precautions to be aware of when using any essential oil, as there are when using practically any medication or treatment, however they are minor and relate to proper usage rather than actual danger. Essential oils naturally have a low molecular weight, making them easily absorbed through the skin and into the capillaries and blood stream. This is part of what makes them so effective. Basic safety protocol recommends:

Tea Tree oil (along with pretty much all essential oils) is toxic if swallowed. Only use topically or for aromatherapeutic purposes.
Do not use in the ears.
Do not use on animals as the action of licking and self-grooming can lead to ingestion and likely some degree of toxicity.
If you are pregnant (or think you might be), be cautious and seek the advice of a professional before proceeding to any kind of self-treatment.
During the first trimester of pregnancy, use essential oils sparingly and only in consultation with your doctor or midwife.
Adhere to recommended dosages. More is not necessarily better or more effective. Essential oils are metabolized by the body and therefore do not build up when used in appropriate doses. Toxicity is extremely rare, and tends to result from extreme overuse.
Never apply essential oils directly to broken or irritated skin, or in pure or “neat” form. The exceptions to this are Tea Tree and Lavender essential oil and specific preparations made for such usage-like for scrapes and small cuts.

Allergies. Known reactions to certain plants or fruits will generally mean sensitivity to the related essential oils as well. Avoid the essential oils related to your known allergens.

Do A Patch Test. This is the one we all tend to skip over (myself included), however it really is important. Especially if you have any allergies to fruits, plants or medicines, I HIGHLY recommend you take the time to perform this. Put a drop of the oil/oil containing product on a cotton pad and swipe the inside of your arm near the elbow. Leave on 15-20 minutes. If you experience any redness, itching or swelling within this time period, wipe off the oil immediately and avoid products containing it.

Regarding Use with Children: Never use full strength essential oils or products on children. Only use properly diluted preparations or products developed specifically for children.

Medical Concerns

One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine claims a link between products containing tea tree and lavender essential oils with gynecomastia (breast tissue growth) in prepubescent boys. Subsequent testing within the study showed these oils to have very mild estrogenic/anti-androgenic properties. While the study appears to be legitimate in many ways and makes some important observations, it only focuses on three specific cases and fails, as noted by Robert Tisserand in his article at NaturalIngredient.org, to identify specifically which products the boys were using, along with the actual ingredients of each. Many other sources have dismissed this study for “poor methodology”. Additionally, the study notes that only one of the three subjects used products containing Tea Tree while the other two used product(s) containing lavender, but again, the specific products and ingredients do not seem to have been investigated for this study and the cause of the symptoms was not identified with certainty. Either way, these cases are extremely rare, and after ceasing use of the suspected products (whether or not they were actually the cause) the boys’ symptoms resolved within a couple of months.

Sources:

http://roberttisserand.com/, http://www.naturalingredient.org/Articles/Gynecomastia.pdf, http://www.pharmavita.org/eczema/eczema-or-psoriasis.php, http://www.aroma-rn.com/, http://floramedica.com/Aging%20Skin1.pdf, http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ringworm_on_body/article_em.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melaleuca, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_tree_oil, http://www.webmd.com/skin-beauty/tc/tea-tree-oil-melaleuca-alternifolia-topic-overview, http://content.nejm.org/cgi/reprint/356/5/479.pdf, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15140856, http://www.avreskincare.com/teatreeoil/teatreeoil_extracts.html, http://www.enotalone.com/article/9411.html, http://www.askyourpharmacist.ca/lavender_tea_tree_breast_enlargement.html

Shayna Teicher

Tea Tree Oil vs. Ringworm is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

A Million Reasons to Love Jasmine

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:00:09 +0000

courtesy stock.xchng, mishahu

If the gardenia were to represent the essence of girliness, then jasmine would surely represent the essence of Goddesses. It evokes a sense of connectedness to the universe, mystery, joy and well-being. Jasmine has been noted for centuries for its uplifting and stimulating effect as well as its ability to help reduce anxiety and apathy. Although similar in scent to the gardenia, jasmine – a night blooming flower- flaunts its olfactory complexity, inviting you to take another whiff, and another, and another, without ever revealing all its secrets. Even the name, Jasmine, traces back to the Persian (via Arabic) yasmin, which translates as “gift from God.” The jasmine flower, of which there are over 200 species, is revered in cultures all over the world. It is a member of the olive family and is one of my favorite flowers of all time.

A great jasmine fragrance perfectly balances the subtle nuances of the fruitiness of its nectar with the soft, slight muskiness of the flower. When you breathe it in, there’s just enough scent to leave you wanting more, and when you exhale, it disappears again. It’s elusive and captivating and never powdery or overpowering.

So, when Theresa Hellings, one of the co-founders of Healing Seed, e-mailed to let me know she was sending me some samples to try (which included a jasmine-scented body lotion), I tried not to get my hopes up…this only led to my being even more ecstatic when I received my products and discovered that Healing Seed does Jasmine brilliantly. The silky cream, made with only natural and organic ingredients, was much richer than I anticipated given the consistency, which is that of a lotion. After I massaged it onto my arms and legs it sunk in quickly and my skin was moisturized, not sticky. Like perfumes, as scented products dry on the skin their scent can change, so it took about ten minutes for the scent to really open up. It actually took me by surprise as I was doing some apartment tidying and found myself suddenly wondering what that lovely smell was, only to realize it was the lotion! Even better, the scent lasts for hours.

How could this be that an all-natural lotion, one that is only $14 for 8 oz at that, could be so fabulous? After all, jasmine flowers are so delicate, they can’t be made into true essential oils, as the process requires steam distillation, the heat of which would destroy the flowers. Additionally, the heating that occurs during the production of essential oils often denatures the end product, which can result in the final oil having a different scent from the original botanical. The process of extracting jasmine oil is not only delicate, but also expensive; it takes about one thousand pounds of flower (about 3.6 million blossoms) to produce one pound of oil. Many companies opt for less expensive versions made by using chemicals to distill the jasmine essence. Others simply use synthetic fragrances- ick! I checked and this is NOT the case with Healing Seed. No dyes, no synthetic fragrances or chemicals of any kind. They use only pure, natural jasmine oil from France as well as jasmine blossom extract (and a slew of other beneficial natural extracts) in their products. There is also a hint of mandarin oil which serves to enhance the delish factor. Perhaps it’s the minimalistic, fully recyclable packaging or the fact that they invest in their ingredients and employees rather than their advertising, but however they manage to keep their prices so reasonable, I’m not complaining.

So at this point, theoretically, I could stop. I would buy the lotion purely for the scent alone. Even if it was fifty dollars a bottle. Even if it was just an okay moisturizer.

But here’s the thing, the one key ingredient around which all of the Healing Seed products are based, the ingredient they’re named for, in fact, is the amazing and super-nourishing hempseed oil. They grow, harvest and process their hemp sustainably on their own land and treat their employees like family. What’s so great about hempseed oil? I could try to paraphrase but I think their website says it perfectly:

“What makes this remarkable oil exceptionally nutritious is its composition of essential fatty acids (EFAs), protein and other key vitamins and minerals… More than 75% of the EFAs in hempseed oil are poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), known for their excellent emollient, lubricating and healing properties. Hempseed oil contains Omega-3, Omega-6, and Omega-9 fatty acids, as well as gamma linolenic acid (GLA) that combines to provide anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, antioxidant and moisture-balancing properties in what is considered to be the perfect ratio of 3:1. This unique EFA profile is the perfect balance for absorption through the skin and will compensate for the lower ceramide levels that deplete naturally with aging, thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkles.”

In layman’s terms, it’s just about the most perfect oil for hydrating, nourishing, defending and strengthening the skin.

This brings me to my final joyous proclamation: Healing Seed make a whole line of products. They are all under fifteen bucks, all natural and organic, all made with the miraculous hempseed oil and all simply divine. They are not all, however, jasmine scented, which would make me a little sad, except that they all smell wonderful too! The shampoo and conditioner smells like fresh oranges infused with a hint of the jasmine. And, although I would never, ever pick English Daisy as scent of choice, its use in the face wash and moisturizer is perfectly soft, subtle and disappears quickly. The cleanser left my face clean but soft, and the moisturizer was light enough for my oily skin, but felt rich and nourishing. Apparently, English daisy oil is supposed to help relieve nervous tension, stress,and mild anxiety, and it is gentle enough for the most delicate skin. That’s reason enough for me.

NOTE: Nearly every source I looked at in my research on jasmine oil noted that it is best to be avoided during pregnancy until the final four weeks, after which is can actually assist in prepping for delivery both physically and emotionally. It’s easy to forget that not all natural ingredients are necessarily good for us at all times. So, I’m currently working to compile a list of all essential oils that should be avoided during pregnancy along with a counter-list of those that can be beneficial. If you are pregnant you should never hesitate to consult with your doctor regarding product ingredients or supplements.

Healing Seed products are available at:

Healing Seed’s Website

Select Whole Foods

and Coming Soon to Butterfly Effect

Resources:

http://www.organicessentialoils.in/jasmine_absolute.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasmine#Gallery

http://www.anandaapothecary.com/aromatherapy-essential-oils/jasmine-essential-oil.html

http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/aromatherapyduringpregnancy.asp

http://www.northdaysimage.ca/aromatherapy_mothers.html

http://www.ninemonths.com.au/oils-to-avoid/

http://www.ninemonths.com.au/aromatherapy-for-pregnancy-and-labour/

http://www.childbirthsolutions.com/articles/pregnancy/aroma1/index.php

http://store.naturalnirvana.com/fawawiendaoi.html

Shayna Teicher

A Million Reasons to Love Jasmine is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Beauty References for the Rest of Us

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:00:53 +0000

When making a decision about what products and ingredients are safe for you and your family, it’s important to balance your sources. There are lots of people making radical (and serious) claims about ingredients that cause everything from cancer to genetic mutation. Some of these claims are well-founded (like pthalates), and some are just scare tactics, like people who take one snippet of info out of context and run with it, promoting fear and the spread of wrong information (parabens causing breast-cancer is a great example of this). So, when you read an article that claims that ingredient ‘x’ will make your hair fall out (or your bones shrink, or your DNA get scrambled…) consider checking a couple of sources before you go purging everything you own with ingredient x.

The greenies want you to be green. The government/FDA don’t want you to disrupt the status quo. The big cosmetics companies just want to make as much money as possilbe. Everyone has an agenda. Mine is simply to get to the facts so we can make intelligent, educated decisions about our products and our bodies, and live our fullest, healthiest lives. Here are some sources I find useful (and often, surprising) again and again.

fda.gov: You can look up actual studies and read the results for yourself or you can read the FDA’s conclusions on inquiries based on what information they were given. Basically, you get to see how they think, and you can go straight to the source of a claim.

CosmeticsAndToiletries.com: This is a fantastic reference for everything cosmetics related. There are great, educational articles by actual cosmetic chemists. You don’t have to agree with everything they say (I will never love petrolatum. EVER) but they really get into the chemistry of how and why ingredients and products work. You know, if you’re curious.

PubMed.gov: An expansive database of actual scientific studies where you can read specific studies, abstracts, research papers and more.

Dermnetnz.org: Useful information regarding specific skin issues and how skin functions.

MakingCosmetics.com: A comprehensive compilation of cosmetic ingredients and their purpose. Not super detailed, but great place to start.

SkinAndAging.com

Shayna Teicher

Beauty References for the Rest of Us is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Don’t Forget to Moisturize!

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:00:05 +0000

JULIET:
“…What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title…”

- Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, 1600

iStock image

Lotion, butter, crème, oil, balm, salve, serum… These product names may sound like just what your dry, flaky skin is looking for, but ‘tis not the name that matters, but rather what’s in the product that makes the difference between soft, healthy, truly moisturized skin and a temporary fix that seems to work, only to leave your skin feeling even worse later on.

Now, I’m not the first greenie to tout the importance of reading a product’s ingredient label, but it’s a meaningless act if you don’t have a basic knowledge of the different types of moisturizers and how they work with your skin. This way, when you’re label-reading, you know exactly what to look for to gain the most benefit for your skin.

There are three types of moisturizing ingredients: humectants, occlusives, and emollients. It is also possible for an ingredient to serve more than one of these functions.

Humectant ingredients attract moisture (i.e. water) to the skin. Some draw it from the air, and others attract the water that is in our bodies already. The important thing to remember is that your body is designed to maintain its own balance. A humectant may help attract water to your skin, but if you’re dehydrated and the humectant is simply pulling that moisture from other cells in your body, then you’re really just robbing Peter to pay Paul. If you find that products rich in humectants result in dramatic improvement in the appearance of your skin, try increasing your daily water consumption and/or decreasing caffeine intake; betcha that helps too.

Humectants to look for: Aloe Vera, glycerin (not for breakout prone), hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed wheat protein, vitamin E
Humectants to Avoid: urea, PCA, propylene glycol.

Occlusive ingredients form a physical barrier in order to prevent water loss. When the water content in your skin is too low (below 20% it’s called xerosis), its ability to repair and heal itself is impaired. While replenishing hydration itself does not heal skin, it helps restore the balance that allows skin to function properly and heal itself. This type of ingredient can be particularly helpful to people who live in harsher, drier climates or who are regularly exposed to drying elements like frequent temperature changes, airplanes, etc. Occlusives are most effective when applied immediately after bathing so that they can trap remaining moisture in the skin before it evaporates. While occlusives do aid in preventing water loss, they can also trap impurities (found in sweat and sebum) against the skin sometimes leading to plugged pores and hair follicles. Again, healthy skin produces its own natural barrier so the use of occlusives should be fairly limited. Those who find extraordinary benefit from occlusive ingredients may want to examine their soaps and other body products for ingredients that may be stripping your skin of this important layer of lipids.

Occlusives to look for: plant derived oils (the more viscous the oil, the more occlusive), silicones (for extra-dry skin only; should not be the exclusive occlusive), natural waxes
Occlusives to avoid: mineral oil and petrolatum (except in extreme cases), paraffin, basically anything petro-based

Emollient ingredients (the best kind, in my opinion) can provide some occlusivity as well as help soften skin. In skincare products emollients tend to be either lipids or silicones. The barrier our skin produces and maintains naturally is a hydrolipid film which is made up of sebum, water, salts, and metabolic products. When emollient ingredients are chemically and functionally similar to the ones our skin produces-like jojoba oil- they can also increase the rate of barrier repair.

Emollients to look for: plant derived oils and butters (jojoba, coconut, shea, etc.)
Emollients to avoid: animal fats and oils (I’m torn here- I’m ok with a little beeswax, but Lanolin grosses me out. It’s basically the sebum of sheep. ‘Nuff said), silicones in large quantities

You might have noticed that I don’t get into the frequently mentioned ability of many of these ingredients to “fill in” the spaces between skin cells, essentially pasting them back down to promote a smooth, silky look and feel. If that’s the reason you’re picking a moisturizer then it’s not really doing its job, is it? By taking care of your skin – gently exfoliating on a regular basis, using gentle cleansers that don’t strip your skin, using a light moisturizer when necessary and getting plenty of water and good fats in your diet – you can achieve soft, smooth, supple skin without slathering it with a chemical band-aid. Why pick an all-natural moisturizer?

Which would you rather have: a soup of silicones, mineral oils and glycerin with other “beneficial” ingredients added to it, or a combination of natural oils, butters and extracts that are naturally antimicrobial and rich in vitamins and antioxidants?

Next time you’re experiencing a skin conundrum, identify what the symptom is, then read the ingredient labels on your products. You might be surprised to find the culprit right there in front of you.

It’s also important to remember that the FDA requires every product ingredient be listed in descending order of predominance. Any ingredients that comprise 1% or less may be listed in any order, as long as they are listed after the ingredients of greater predominance. The exception to this is proprietary fragrance composition, which can be listed as “fragrance” or “parfum.” A good rule of thumb is this: the top third of ingredients tend to make up over 70% and the middle third around 20% and the bottom third about 10%. Remember, though, certain ingredients don’t need to be present in large quantities to be effective. Essential oils for example often need only a few drops to be effective. Moisturizing ingredients like aloe and natural oils, on the other hand, aren’t going to do you much good if they only make up 10% of your moisturizer!

The FDA also requires that any ingredient classified as a drug/”active” (like retinoic acid, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide) be identified as such and be listed before, and separately from, the rest of the ingredients, including its concentration. For the full list of FDA cosmetic labeling requirements, click here: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/CosmeticLabelingLabelClaims/CosmeticLabelingManual/ucm126444.htm#clgl

The bottom line is, the healthier you live, the healthier your skin will be. The healthier your skin is, the less you need to put on it. And for those of us who aren’t quite perfect (like me), there are great natural products to help us when we need it.

Other Sources:

http://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/research/chemistry/57787362.html

http://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/ingredient/moisturizer/51344297.html

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/default.htm

http://dermnetnz.org/treatments/emollients.html

http://www.dermnetnz.org/doctors/principles/functions.html

http://www.makingcosmetics.com/cosmeticdictionary5-77.html

http://www.skinandaging.com/article/2766

Shayna Teicher

Don’t Forget to Moisturize! is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Faith versus Fear

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:00:20 +0000

The only thing more powerful than Fear is Faith: faith that everything happens for a reason, that you’ll get it right (eventually), that people will understand you (even if it doesn’t come out right), and that when you put effort into a project it will have the desired effects (success, happiness, and Oprah calling me up to invite me to her show). If we approach each life experience or decision from a position of fear, we are far more likely to sacrifice a bit of who we are at our core and err on the side of caution without even realizing that that’s what we’re doing. We think we are being responsible, when actually we’re just trying to keep our psyche out of harm’s way. Faith generates possibility and the inspiration to take action; fear only generates more fear.

Try the purple nail polish. Experiment with your wardrobe. Start writing. Play an open mic night. Share your ideas at work. Set the project you’ve been dreaming about into motion. Do one thing today, even if it’s small, that fear might have prevented you from doing yesterday. Then imagine what you can do tomorrow. You are beautiful.

Shayna Teicher

Faith versus Fear is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Too Dark Foundation Watch Out, the Revolution is Here

Shayna Teicher — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:00:07 +0000

Rev-o-lu-tion: A dramatic and wide-reaching change in the way something works or is organized and in people’s ideas about it.

Or-gan-ic: Produced without the use of chemicals or artificial agents.

Over the past few years I have done numerous makeup applications on women of all different skin types and tones and there is one common makeup misstep that I see over and over again: compensating for what is perceived as looking “pale” or “washed out” with a foundation that’s too dark (although other common offenders include bronzer, lip color, and eye makeup). Everyday makeup is about self-expression and bringing out those features you love most about yourself. How we feel and how we look are undeniably linked to our self-esteem and the energy we share with the people we come into contact with every day.

This brings me to my makeup secret weapon: blush. Now, call me ‘Captain Obvious’ if you want, after all blush is one of the cornerstones of makeup application, but I can’t tell you how many women sit down in my chair who have no idea what they are missing out on…and then a transformation takes place. The right blush and a little, tiny bit of know-how and it’s buh-bye too-dark foundation and tons of bronzer and hello to fresh, natural and glowy. Why? Because when we apply foundation (or whatever your skin tone evening weapon of choice is) we inevitably mute out the natural pinkish tones that come from healthy circulation. Bronzer may deepen the skin tone, but blush restores and highlights your natural “healthy glow”, brightens your complexion and adds a pinch of color that makes you look healthy and vibrant. Whether you want a healthy flush of color or sultry, defined cheekbones, a little blush in the right spot makes all the difference.

Being that I’m a fan of multi-tasking, easy-to-use, finger-friendly products (not everyone want to carry a ton of brushes around), I’ve always been a lover of cream blushes. My problem however has been finding one that’s free of synthetics, preservatives, dyes, and petrochemicals. I also prefer the stick/balm format versus being in a little jar, as it makes for easier application and keeps you from potentially contaminating your product with your fingers (and getting it under your nails!).

Enter Revolution Organics. This Canadian-based cosmetics company was founded by friends and beauty industry veterans Melissa Shabinsky & Alexandra Zanella who created Revolution Organics “out of our own personal desire to simplify our lives and to make healthy, responsible lifestyle choices, beauty products included.” Their goal was “luxurious, beautifully formulated, healthy multi-purpose beauty products that could do more so we could use less.” All I can say is: they hit the nail on the head!

When Alexandra and Melissa set out with the dream of creating Revolution Organics, they knew that avoiding chemicals and using natural and organic ingredients that were beneficial and not harmful would be the key to their line. So they committed it to be free of anything not natural, including: chemicals, synthetics, parabens, sulphates, articifical ingredients, dyes, perfumes, petrochemicals, and animal testing. Additionally, their packaging is printed on FSC certified paper with vegetable-based ink. In case you were wondering, as I was, FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council whose motivation, since its inception in 1994, has been to promote environmentally and socially responsible management of the world’s forests. Their organic ingredients which comprise 85%+ of the products are USDA certified organic and everything is 100% natural.

Alexandra and Melissa’s hard work and dedication to quality resulted in a line that’s as effective and gorgeous as it is natural and beneficial. With ingredients including organic olive, coconut, jojoba, and palm oil, their products keep skin supple and moisturized. Pure mineral pigment provides beautiful, easy-to-wear colors without chemicals. Plus, they’re packed with organic essential oils, natural antioxidants, and plant proteins to protect, strengthen, and nourish skin.

Freedom Gloss

Revolution Organics’ multi-purpose, 6 product line includes an all-over body balm that boasts 22+ different uses, an all-over skin crème, a vitamin-packed pucker protecting lip balm, Freedom Lip Gloss in 6 super-wearable shades, and the inspiration for this article: Freedom Glow Multi-Tasking Beauty Balm. Freedom Glow comes in three colors. Sunkissed is a perfect peachy color with the subtlest hint of golden shimmer, Blushed is bright, rosy pink, and Bronzed is a plummy chocolate. The chubby stick makes application a cinch whether you choose to use your fingers or dab it directly on your skin. Each one doubles as a fantastic lip stain/color (depending on how heavy you apply it) and they last a really, really long time.

Freedom Glow

And wait, it gets better…Revolution Organics is giving away sets of coordinating Freedom Glow Beauty Balm and Freedom Gloss organic lip gloss to three lucky Modern Hippie Mag readers!

To be eligible you must be a Modern Hippie Mag subscriber receiving our updates via email, or RSS, Facebook fan, and/or Twitter follower (tell us your Twitter name in your comment below).

For a chance to receive one of these gift sets, here’s what you have to do:

1. In a comment below tell us why organic/natural beauty is important to you.

2. Follow Revolution Organics, @revolution_girl.

3. Fan Revolution Organics on Facebook.

4. Tweet this Too Dark Foundation Watch Out, the Revolution is Here http://bit.ly/bkqC8I via @modernhippiemag

5. Go to www.LiveButterflyEffect.com and “Contact Us” with your name and e-mail.

More details:

Open to U.S. entrants only.
Recipients chosen at random using random.org.
Won something in the last thirty days? Last month’s winners are ineligible for this giveaway.
Giveaway ends 12 midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 9^th, 2010. Winner will be announced on Wednesday, Feb. 10th, 2010.
Winner will be contacted via email and/or Twitter. You will have 48 hours to respond at which time another winner will be randomly chosen.

Too Dark Foundation Watch Out, the Revolution is Here is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Dear Beauty Chick…I need help with my scalp!

Shayna Teicher — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:00:36 +0000

Dear Beauty Chick,

I’m so frustrated! I have these things, they seem like pimples or clogged pores, on my scalp and along my hairline. Sometimes, they even hurt and they make me feel really self-conscious. What’s worse is I’ve struggled with them for years! I’ve tried all sorts of products for dandruff and oily scalp, including acne products, but nothing ever seems to stick. I’m tired of dealing with this- please help.

Sincerely,

Viv

Dear Viv,

It sounds like you’re struggling with scalp folliculitis, basically, it’s an infection of the hair follicle, which causes inflammation and often pain and/or itching. Folliculitis is most often seen on the scalp but can manifest anywhere on the skin where hair grows. When a follicle or pore becomes plugged up with sebum (a delightful combo of dead skin cells, oils and dirt), those oils can simply become oxidized and form a hard, dark plug- a blackhead. Most of us probably have one or two of those going on at any given time, eventually as we go through our daily cleansing routines, cells blocking the follicle or pore are exfoliated and it becomes cleared of the blockage. In the case of folliculitis however, bacteria, yeast or fungus find their way into the mix so, when the follicle becomes blocked, our white blood cells kick into action to try to kill the infection. This is what leads to the whiteheads or worse. This immune response is also responsible for the redness, swelling that can occur. If left untreated, complications of scalp folliculitis can include hair thinning, hair loss or, in extreme cases, scarring.

If left untreated, complications of scalp folliculitis can include hair thinning, hair loss or, in extreme cases, scarring.

Yikes! My guess is though, that you’re nowhere near that point, otherwise you’d have skipped right over me and straight to the dermatologist.

Right off the bat, if you are taking any prescription medications that are hormone related or if you suffer from any medical conditions that effect your hormones or immune system, go ahead and make an appointment with your dermatologist first, and then finish reading. Additionally, if at any point you have a fever over 101 degrees or the affected area becomes red, enflamed or painful, you should see a physician immediately. Now that we’re past all the ‘just in cases’…

You say you have been struggling with this for years, so it’s possible that if there is a bacterial component to your folliculitis, you’ll need to see a physician for a round of antibiotics to completely eliminate it. Before we simply slap a scipt on it, though, I do have some recommendations for you to implement. Ideally, we want to fight the microbial component, eliminate any possibilities for re-infection, and help rebalance your skin so that it’s ready to protect itself again.

Something that is often overlooked in Western medicine when it comes to treatment of skin-related ailments is pH. The acidity or alkalinity of a substance is measured on the pH scale, which goes from 1-14. From 1-7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and from 7 up to 14 is alkaline (basic). Although our bodies tend to be slightly alkaline, with a pH of around 7.5, our skin has what’s called an acid mantle, which is a protective, oily layer on the surface. The acid mantle is (you guessed it) acidic, with a pH of between 4 and 5.5. This acidity creates an environment that discourages the proliferation of bacteria, fungi and yeasts on the skin. If this naturally occurring barrier is supposed to serve the purpose of preventing microbial growth on the skin, then it stands to reason that a presence of microbial growth might indicate a problem with the acid mantle, namely a shift in pH. The higher (less acidic) the pH of the skin becomes, the more susceptible it is to infection and a slew of other skin problems including eczema and psoriasis. Restore your skin’s natural acidity, however, and you’re restoring an imbalance that the folliculitis is thriving on. Soaps, which can have a pH as high as 11 (very alkaline), can strip away our acid mantle leaving our skin vulnerable. Also, Chlorine in our water (a known carcinogen) is not only vaporized in the hot water allowing us to breath in very small quantities of it, but it dries out our skin, hair and nails as well, leaving them vulnerable while your skin rebuilds its acid mantle (which can take hours!).

So here are my recommendations, along with my reasons:

Invest in a shower water filter. It doesn’t have to be the top of the line, it just has to filter out chlorine and basic minerals like calcium and iron, which contribute to water hardness and also make soap harder to rinse away. The one I’ve been using for a few years is JONATHAN Beauty Water (www.jonathanproduct.com), shower purification system. Read here for a full list of benefits. The unit costs $95 and contains our first filter and a pretty nice shower head. I’ve found mproved water pressure, but the flow rate is only 2.5 gallons per minute! Replacement filters are $55 and they last about 6 months for one person.
Clean, Clean, Clean! Although many of us have heard a zillion time not to wash your hair too often, in your case, you really do want to wash it every day to keep the microbial component at bay. Only shampoo your roots and then rinse it through. Additionally, if you put your hair in a towel when it’s wet, use a clean towel each time and don’t use that towel for anything else. Also, especially if you wash your hair in the morning rather than at night, change your pillowcase out at least 1-2 times a week. You’ll also want to sanitize your brushes, combs and hair accessories. Avoid hats, headbands and scarves as well.
Don’t Fear Oil! Oil is your friend. I know we hear all over the place to avoid oils, but natural oils are some of the best healers and have properties from antioxidant, to anti-inflammatory to anti-microbial. Unlike mineral oil and petroleum derived ingredients, natural oils are synergistic with your skin and can actually help prevent breakouts. Some great oils are jojoba, hazelnut and coconut.
Check Your Products. Make sure your shampoo is free of sulfates or soaps, and avoid any hair products that have silicones. I’m not always opposed to them in small amounts in certain products, however in your case, steer clear. Because you’ll be washing every day, you’ll want to condition your ends so they don’t get dried out. I recommend Rare Elements Essential Conditioner, it’s super concentrated so you only need a little bit and it’s packed with healing and nourishing essential oils.
Treat. Unless you have an allergy (always do a patch test on your arm first to check), incorporating organic tea tree essential oil into your products can be hugely beneficial. Just a few drops (maybe 5), added to your shampoo, and tea tree’s natural anti-microbial properties will help combat bacteria, yeast or fungus without introducing antibiotics or sensitizing your scalp.

Between, eliminating excess chlorine and minerals, using a mild shampoo and conditioner everyday, sanitizing the items your scalp comes into contact with regularly and treating the infection, you should be well on your way to a healthy scalp within four to five days. If you don’t see improvements in this time frame, it’s time to see a physician who may take a sample from an affected follicle to determine what kind of infection it is and determine a more intensive course of treatment which can include antibiotics, anti-fungal meds or topical steroids.

Fun little extras: For a great explanation on how soap works, see this link to the SDA’s (Soap and Detergent Association-yeah, there really is one) website http://www.sdahq.org/sdalatest/html/soapchemistry1.htm.

Photo courtesy stock.xchng.

Photo courtesy www.zeolitesupport.com.

Shayna Teicher

Dear Beauty Chick…I need help with my scalp! is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.