Vitamins for Your Skin

When picking the right skin product it is a good idea to check the ingredients to see if it has the right skin nourishing combination. Good product should contain most if not all of following vitamins to keep skin supple and healthy:

a) Vitamin A

Vitamin A is in charge of maintenance and repair of vital skin tissue, and is the key to healthy skin. Lack of vitamin A can cause skin dryness and wrinkles.

b) Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B complex contains the nutrient, biotin, which forms the basis of nails, skin, and hair cells. It is anti-inflammatory, it hydrates the skin cells and gives a healthy glow to skin.

c) Vitamin C

In skin, vitamin C can help collagen production. This in turn reduces wrinkles, improves skin texture, and reduces photo damage.

d) Vitamin E

The trick to getting soft touchable skin is vitamin E. It regenerates skin and can improve appearance of acne scars.

e) Vitamin K

Vitamin K is your secret weapon to fighting dark circles and bruises. This vitamin helps fade discolorations on the skin, reducing puffiness and dark circles that so many of us suffer from.

While off the shelf cosmetic product can come packed with artificially synthesized vitamin groups, you really want to go as organic as possible. Organically sourced vitamins absorb into skin better and are more potent bringing better overall skin benefits.  Whenever possible choose the facial products that source vitamins from organic ingredients.

When it comes down to your skin, healthier is better. Please check out our  great selection of organic products at Nina Bella Organic Collection.

Advertisement

Paraben and Cancer

Paraben is a preserving agent commonly used in most cosmetics and personal hygiene products in order to prevent growth of harmful bacteria and fungi, to extend products’ shelf life and to decrease production cost.

While allowing affordable fast tracking in cosmetic manufacturing, Paraben is a harmful substance that can adversely affect your health. Studies report paraben found in high quantities in breast cancer patient’s tumor samples. Paraben is also reported to increase the hormonal reactions in human body especially affecting estrogen in a way that is found to cause breast cancer. Experts from oncology department in Edinburgh University found paraben in 20 different tumors in cancer research. And that is just the tip of the iceberg…

Paraben in yet another clear example of what is good for mainstream cosmetic industry is not necessarily good for your health.

Tune in to more ways in how common cosmetic chemicals can harm your health on our blog.

Aroma Mist – Healthy Home and Body Scent

You do not have to use industrial air fresheners to keep your home smelling nice. Organic aroma misters are healthy and affordable alternative. Instead of heavy chemicals, aroma misters contain only organic alcohol, water and organic essential oils balanced in a way that is not harmful to your health. Water is a perfect way to make your aroma mist light and pure. What you want to be using is distilled water that does not have heavy minerals. Organic alcohol is necessary to eliminate odor causing germs. Any clear organic alcohol will do. Organic essential oils will add a nice crisp scent that will not irritate respiratory system. Any organic essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, spearmint, rose, tangerine, sweet orange, chamomile will work. You can use them alone or create your own blend to spice things up.

Ingredients:

½ cup distilled water

½ cup clear organic alcohol

20 drops organic essential oil

Mix water and organic alcohol well. Add organic essential oil and mix well. Pour into amber or cobalt blue misting bottle and cap well. Shake well before using. To use spray on the bathroom, in the linen close, in the car, in the living room and wherever you want a nice natural scent. Avoid direct contact with sensitive and colored fabrics as alcohol may fade the colors. Avoid getting any spray in your eyes and this goes without saying – do not spray directly on skin, children or pets. Keep aroma mist in cool dark place between uses.

For more great ideas, check out new Nina Bella Collection organic aroma mists and body sprays upcoming in May 2012.

Why You Need to Avoid Industrial Air Fresheners

We all want a nice smelling house and we all have different strategies to keep it that way. Most common impulse is to reach for common industrial air fresheners. They are a cheap choice– but they are definitely not a healthy choice. Have you ever wondered – what is the price you really pay for using common industrial air-fresher?

Neither the FDA nor the EPA conducts any safety testing for toxic chemicals in air freshener products. Due to lack of FDA regulation 9 out of 10 air- fresheners, including green air fresheners, contain toxic chemicals harmful for health that can cause caner, respiratory diseases, asthma, organ and skin disease. These chemicals are phthalates, fragrance oils, acetaldehydes, acetone, ethanol, benzaldehyde, isopropyl alcohol, alpha-Pinene, Benzyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate (1-butanol- 3-methyl-, acetate), O, M, OR P-cymene, limonene and Linalool.

Phthalates, the most common ingredient found in virtually all air freshener are known to cause reproductive problems and hormone disruptions. Perfume oils, the next favorite are know respiratory, skin an organ irritants. Acetaldehyde and acetone are both cardiovascular/blood toxicants, gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicants, neurotoxicants, respiratory toxicants, skin and sensory organ toxicants. Ethanol is carcinogen, cardiovascular/ blood toxicant, developmental toxicant, endocrine toxicant, gastrointestinal/liver toxicant, neurotoxicant, reproductive toxicant, respiratory toxicant and skin/sensory organ toxicant. Benzaldehyde, is gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant, skin or sensory organ toxicant. Isopropyl alcohol, common rubbing alcohol, turns mean when vaporized in air freshener and has been classified as cardiovascular/blood toxicant, developmental toxicant, gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant and skin/sensory organ toxicant. Alpha-Pinene, a cute name for nasty chemical is suspected neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant, and skin/sensory organ toxicant. Benzyl acetate is a suspected gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant. Ethyl Acetate is a suspected neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant, skin and sensory organ toxicant. The name will not tell you much but the side –effects will – isoamyl acetate (1-butanol- 3-methyl-, acetate) is suspected neurotoxicant. O, M, OR P-cymene, has an exotic name but will not treat you kindly- it its suspected cardiovascular/blood toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant. Limonene and linalool complete the picture as respiratory and skin toxicant.

So you definitely want to think twice before being exposed to that. Or you can avoid risk at all and go for organic aroma misters instead. Instead of harmful chemicals, aroma misters contain organic alcohol, water and organic essential oils balanced in a way that is not harmful to you. They are organic product manufacturer response to responsible product crafting. For more on organic aroma misters, check back with Nina Bella Collection Blog.

Fragrance Oils – Bad for Your Skin!

Fragrance oils. They smell nice and they are cheap. And they are also very bad for your health and for your skin.

Our skin is our body’s largest organ. It covers and protects everything inside our body. It holds our tissues, organs, bones and muscles together and keeps us alive by protecting us from damage, chemicals and pathogens. Skin also absorbs compounds from anything that touches it, air, water and body care products. When we use products with fragrance oils, harmful chemicals are absorbed through our skin and transported to various parts of our body where they can cause damage. And therein lies the danger.

No matter how good fragrance oil smells,  it is an artificial product made in a laboratory from petrochemicals to mimic scents of plants, flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables. National Academy of Sciences reports that as many as 95% of chemicals used in fragrance oil production are derived from petroleum and contain benzene derivatives, aldehydes and similar known toxins and synthetic compounds capable of causing:

• Cancer
• Birth defects
• Central nervous system disorders
• Allergic reactions

Being volatile, fragrance oils evaporate and settle on surface of hair, clothes, furniture and food. When they touch our skin, fragrance oils alter the skin’s surface tension and increase absorption of chemicals that lead to conditions such as:

• Skin allergies
• Skin irritations
• Increased photosensitivity
• Contact dermatitis
• Affect the brain and nervous system in temporary and permanent fashion
• Modify brain blood flow
• Alter blood pressure
• Alter pulse
• Affect mood
• Trigger migraine headaches
• Induce or worsen respiratory problems.
• Act as respiratory irritants
• Act as respiratory sensitizers
• Disrupt estrogen and testosterone hormones

The reason manufacturers like using fragrance oils is that it is  a very cheap way to scent the products.  And with over 99% of the bath and beauty products containing fragrance oils, they are hard to avoid.

There are choices though. Products with natural and organic essential oils, are a safe alternative that make skin beautiful and keep consumer safe through following benefits:

• Sourced naturally from plants, fruits, vegetables and herbs
• Safe
• 100% Natural
• Great natural scent
• Superior skin care
• NON toxic
• Soothe inflammation
• Act as an antiseptic
• Help dull pain
• Stimulate digestion
• Promote relaxation
• Provide natural skin care
• Many more!

You can have beautiful and fragrant skin without compromising your health. Bath and beauty products with organic essential oils have a great scent and offer a safe and affordable skin care alternative.