Year: 2016

Blusen.com Staff "Blausen Gallery 2014"

Acne Causes and Remedies

Posted on by Lydia D

What causes acne?

Acne is brought on by a number of causes. These can include an excess of dead skin thata clogs pores, excessive oil production, and trapped bacteria, which leads to infection and inflammation. Genetics may also contribute to the risk for developing acne.

Other factors have been found to make acne worse. An in crease in hormones in the bloodstream tends to create an excess in sebum production. Certain medications such as corticosteroids and lithium have been known to affect acne development. Diet has long been suspected of making acne worse; chocolate, refined carbohydrates and in some cases dairy, have been implicated. Excessive amounts of sugar create system-wide inflammation. Excess sun exposure can make acne worse by increasing the amount of sweat on the skin. Finally, stress can trigger an acne flare-up.

Acne Remedies

Gentle cleansing is effective in removing excess oil and sweat from the skin. You can use cleansing oils, if they are formulated to be light and mildly astrigent, as well.

Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are well-known treatments for acne flareups. Oil-free moisturizers and toners that restore the skin’s acid mantle can help to prevent further breakouts.

Never squeeze blemishes. This can cause any underlying infection to spread, and it can lead to scarring.

Natural Acne Remedies

If you are searching for natural acne remedies, tea tree gels consisting of a 5% concentration of tea tree oil can be as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide solution. Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is distilled from a tree native to Australia. It has antibacterial and antiviral properties and it is astrigent, which can help dry up blemishes. In fact, it should be in everyone’s medicine cabinet. If the essential oil is too drying when applied directly to skin, it can be diluted with a carrier oil like jojoba or grapeseed oil.

Lotions and creams containing alpha hydroxy acids can help the skin shed dead cells, thereby minimizing clogged pores. Azelaic acid, found in whole grain cereals, contains anti-bacterial properties. A 20% solution has been found to be effective. An example is Aziderm cream, available online. Creams containing zinc can help to reduce breakouts, and aloe vera gels (50%) can help soothe inflammation. An example is Ole Henriksen’s Vitamin Plus Mattifying Cream, available at Sephora and online.

Eating more omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, purslane, and fish oil supplements) can contribute to lower levels of inflammation throughout the body. Maintaining recommended levels of Vitamins A and E, as well as eating antioxidant-rich foods like colorful (organic) vegetables and berries, help the skin to heal and reduces oxidative stress to the skin. Vitamin E capsules can be opened and applied directly to skin, as well.

What’s important to remember is that acne is a common ailment, even in adulthood, but there are many things that you can do to help minimize its effects. You may wish to experiment until you find the remedies that work best for you.

References:

  • http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/acne#1
  • http://www.naturalnews.com/027237_acne_dairy.html
  • https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/Acne/
Holiday stress

Three Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress

Posted on by Lydia D

There’s no doubt that the holidays can be a stressful time.

It seems as though once the first week of November rolls around, everyone jumps right into the “Holiday Spirit.” Christmas carols can be heard on the radio, and holiday decorations are everywhere. While this should be a festive time, you might find yourself feeling rather frazzled. We may slowly begin to feel the dreaded “Holiday Stress.”

The holidays are wonderfully exciting for our children, who anticipate stacks of gifts and snowball fights, but as adults it means hosting or attending endless holiday parties and thinking about last minute shopping, all while trying to still juggle your regular responsibilities. While stress is often a normal part of life, holiday stress can leave you feeling drained and even depressed at times.

Why not make this time of year a little different? By doing just three simple things, you can spend more time enjoying the small things that make this time of year so special! So put on your comfiest clothes, whip up a mug of warm cocoa (why not add a candy cane to get in the holiday spirit?), and keep reading to find out a few simple ways you can relieve your holiday stress this year!

Start Early

Most of us are guilty of leaving our Christmas shopping until the last minute, and hey, we aren’t judging! Unfortunately, as the holiday draws near, the malls become jam-packed with frantic shoppers scrambling to purchase gifts for everyone on their list. Holiday shopping can be stressful enough without all the shoving and pushing that takes away from what the holiday is really about.

Why not plan to set a specific day or two aside this month to take care of everyone on your Christmas list, so you can avoid the malls altogether come December. This allows you to spend quality time with friends and family, to travel, or to do whatever you enjoy doing during the holiday season.

Shop Mindfully

Instead of purchasing novelty gifts that may soon be forgotten, why not spoil the special people in your life with loving, thoughtful gifts. Perhaps the skincare maven in your family would appreciate one of our gift boxes that you can feel good about giving them, as they are free from all harmful chemicals. Or why not give your loved one a gift certificate to that spa day you know she would truly appreciate and definitely deserves!

You can shop mindfully online and reduce the stress of shopping at the mall, while feeling good about supporting a business that creates handmade goods with love! And when you know that a business gives back, you can feel even better.

Don’t Forget About Yourself

It’s easy to neglect yourself when rushing around to take care of everything on your holiday list, but by taking time out for yourself you will be able to tackle challenges in a calmer, more relaxed manner.

Start your day with a short meditation, here is a great app to help you get started. Try and squeeze in a quick 20 min cardio workout to rev up your metabolism and keep you burning calories all day. Not only will this help to reduce your stress levels, but it will allow you to enjoy that extra holiday cookie without feeling too much guilt!

End your day with a long soak in the tub or ask that special someone to give you a relaxing massage with our Dry Body Oil; after all, you’ve earned it!

We hope that these three simple yet effective steps can help you have your best holiday season ever. Happy Holidays!

Shop Small for Small Business Saturday

Celebrating Small Business Saturday

Posted on by Lydia D

This year, once again, WEBA is celebrating Small Business Saturday by honoring our retail partners. Without them, we would not be where we are today. Their ongoing support of our business and its products is something that we do not take for granted.

As we gear up to scale up our distribution, we would like to take the time to encourage our customers and visitors to check out the local stores that carry our products:

  • Victoria Gardens
  • The Green Cottage
  • Living Eden
  • River Market Bar & Kitchen

    • By supporting these Hudson valley businesses, you are helping to support individuals who live and work here, women business owners, and you are helping us to continue to make products in the U.S.A. You can visit our Retail Stores list page to stay up-to-date on retailers that sell our products. We hope to have many more locations in the near future!

    If you would like to see our products in your favorite store, please feel free to send us an e-mail or a message on our Facebook page. We will make every attempt to contact them to see if they would like to add us to the items that they currently stock.

    Remember, it is the small, local businesses that generate the majority of new jobs in the U.S. Please help us to remain by supporting us with your dollars. #Buysmall. #Buylocal. Buy on #SmallBusinessSaturday.

    Woman with eczema scratching herself

    Natural treatments for eczema

    Posted on by Lydia D

    Are there natural treatments for eczema?

    What is eczema?

    It is known that approximately 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from eczema, a skin condition characterized by scaly, red, itchy patches on many parts of the body. Our skin is the largest organ in the human body, so it’s safe to say that those who suffer from this condition can be pretty uncomfortable.

    Natural treatments vs drug treatments

    Eczema is thought to result from inflammation, can be triggered by a number of things, such as dry skin, additives in soaps and detergents, lotions and creams, pollen and other allergens, and excessive sweating. Many prefer to seek natural treatments for this troublesome skin condition, as common drug treatments can include powerful steroids and/or antibiotics. These drugs, while effective, have many potentially harmful side effects. Some individuals may find relief from some of the following remedies:
    – Anything that relieves stress; this can include yoga, meditation, deep breathing, aromatherapy, and Ayurveda.
    – Avoiding products containing added perfumes, dyes, harsh detergents or other synthetics. Many of these can cause irritation, especially in persons with sensitive skin.
    – Using products containing healing oils of castor, sunflower, shea, pumpkin seed, lavender, tea tree, neem, and other pure essential oils. Plant-based oils contain beneficial fatty acids that sooth dry skin, and essential oils like lavender and tea tree are naturally antibacterial.
    – Including more Vitamin E in the diet. Vitamin E is found to have antioxidant and immune-enhancing properties, and can be found in foods like nuts and seeds. Vitamin E can also be applied topically if desired.

    Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of this skin condition should, of course, seek the advice of a qualified dermatologist. This post is by no means intended to substitute for medical advice.

    References: https://medlineplus.gov/eczema.html
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/496789-vitamin-e-for-eczema/