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.

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Organic Skin Care is Good for You

Establishing a good skin routine is all about choosing the right product. Your skin will absorb anything that is put onto it. This means that if your bath and beauty products contain harmful chemicals and toxins, your skin will absorb them. So you want to choose your bath and beauty product carefully.

Many common skin bath and beauty products use artificial colorants, fragrances and preservatives that strip the skin of natural oils leaving it dry and damaged. By a rule of thumb you should avoid buying any bath and beauty products that contain following ingredients:

a)      Parabens

• Methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben

b)      Artificial fragrances

• Fragrance oils

c)      Artificial detergents

• SLS, SLES, ASL and ASEL

d)      Formaldehyde releasing preservatives

• Quarternium 15,imidazolidinyl urea,2-bomo-2nitropropane-1,3-diol

e)      phthalates

• Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP)

Organic bath and beauty products are a safe alternative that gives great results without compromising your health. Organic bath and beauty products use natural plant derived mild foaming agents, organic essential and carrier oils to give scent and preserve the stability and organic waxes to ease application. Ingredients are purposely grown without use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers and additives and they do not contain carcinogens, trace pesticides and other harmful chemicals found in many common products. Organic ingredients also have higher levels of nutrients than non-organic ingredients so organic ingredients better nourish your skin. What this comes down to us that organic bath and beauty products are safe, do not have harmful chemicals, do not damage your skin and are give better results faster.

When it comes down to your skin, healthier is better. For great selection of organic products visit Nina Bella Organic Collection.

Industrial vs. Organic Bath Products

Anyone who has used industrial bath products knows they often leave skin dry, flaky and itchy.  This is caused by combined action of heavy industrial foaming agents, fragrance oils, industrial preservatives and industrial surfactants. Harsh industrial foaming agents such as SLS, SLES, ASL and ASEL, make nice bubbles but they also overstrip the skin of natural oils necessary to maintain healthy skin’ balance. Heavy fragrance oils enhance product scent but cause skin irritation, chapping and leave heavy artificial fragrance on skin. Industrial preservatives such as parabens, prolong product shelf life but can interfere with organ and reproductive functions. Industrial surfactants that wetting agents that help products spread over skin, are known eye, skin, nose, and throat irritants.

In contrast, organic bath products use natural and organic foaming, scent, preservative and surfactant alternatives that are mild and skin and body friendly. Organic bath products use natural foaming agents sourced from plants. They are mild, low foaming, effectively clean skin and maintain skin’s balance and pH without risking your health. For scent organic bath products often use organic essential oils which are proven beneficial to skin care and which leave behind a natural, clean plant scent. In terms of preservatives, organic bath products rely on combination of essential and carrier oils that have natural anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties, such are rosemary and grapefruit. In terms of surfactants, organic bath products use natural and wild-crafted alternatives derived from organic certified carrier oils and butters that are mild and non-irritating.  The end result is safe, consumer ready product that will deliver peak care, minus the harmful side –effects.

For consumer the best advice is – research the product, check ingredients and ask your manufacturer for assurance that what they are using is indeed organic and natural. For manufacturer, when creating a high end product you will need to invest in quality ingredients and research – the pay off is – a great, consumer safe product that you can display on your shelf with pride and confidence and that your consumer will enjoy using.

Happy shopping from Nina Bella Collection, your local organic bath and beauty manufacturer.

Aloe Vera in Organic Beauty Care

Aloe Vera is one of the oldest medicinal plants, going as far back as 3500 years ago in Egypt and Sumatra. It is curiously made of 96% water and 4% compounds that give it its renowned medical, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, healing and immune boosting properties.  Due to unique compositions and high water content Aloe Vera absorbs into skin four times faster than water, which make this little plant great natural bath and beauty product ingredient and carrier medium. Used alone of combined with other ingredients Aloe Vera is known to increase collagen production, rejuvenate skin, combat pimples, heal eczema and slow down skin ageing process.

Fairly easy to handle Aloe Vera can be used in variety of organic bath and beauty applications such as creams, shower gels, lip balms and yes even anti ageing products.

Try this simple Aloe Vera balm receipt to soothe chapped, irritated lips:

2 tablespoons organic or natural Aloe Vera gel

3 drops organic lavender essential oil

½ teaspoon organic almond oil

½ teaspoon organic glycerin

Heat almond oil, lavender essential oil and glycerin until warm and mix well. Add Aloe Vera and mix well until fully blended. Let cool off then transfer into clean glass container. Use ready lip balm on chapped lips as needed. Store remaining mix into fridge for up to four weeks.

For more great recipes, visit Nina Bella Collection weekly.

Nina Bella Collection Organic Body Butter

Looking for a healthy 100% organic way to keep your skin glowing and moisturized? Nina Bella Collection Organic Body Butter is 100% organic, made from 100% certified organic ingredients, paraben, phthalate-free and petrolatum free. Made from organic certified cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut butter, palm oil and coconut oil, Nina Bella Collection Organic Body Butter addresses all your skin care needs.

Ingredients: *Organic Cocoa Butter, *Organic Shea Butter, *Organic Coconut Butter, *Organic Palm Oil,*Organic Jojoba Oil,*Organic Rosemary Oil,*Organic Essential Oils,  *Organic Glycerine.

*= Certified Organic Ingredients

Unique combination of antioxidant-rich, vitamin rich, organic certified ingredients, nourish, protect and moisturize skin, preventing and minimizing environmental damage. A single use will leave your skin supple, smooth, toned, moisturized and touchable.

Cocoa butter moisturizers and deodorizes skin with natural chocolate scent, organic coconut butter and palm oil create protective barrier over skin to prevent moisture loss, organic jojoba oil nourishes and prevents dryness, while organic essential oils deliver targeted care when and where needed. Preserved organically by anti-oxidizing and anti-bacterial properties of organic rosemary and grapefruit oils, Nina Bella Organic Body Butter is long lasting and 100% free of common industrial preservatives.

You can choose from two delectable flavors: chocolate and chocolate orange. For us chocolate lovers, Chocolate Body Butter is the obvious choice. It does not have organic essential oils and feels decadent and chocolaty when rubbed into skin. Chocolate Orange Body Butter has organic essential sweet orange oil to smooth wrinkles and stimulate collagen production keeping your skin toned and fresh. Combination of chocolate and freshly squeeze orange, will make you ready to take your day energize and head on.

Nina Bella Collection Organic Body Butters – 100% organic, 100% real and 100% the best care for your skin. Try them today!!

Nina Bella Collection Softkiss Organic Lip Balm

If you’re looking for a healthy organic way to keep your lips healthy and smooth look no further than the Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm! Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm is 100% organic, made from 100% certified organic ingredients, paraben, phthalate-free and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich, vitamin rich, soothing cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut butter and jojoba oil, Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm keeps your lips moist, soft, and kissably smooth.

Ingredients: *Organic Cocoa Butter, *Organic Shea Butter, *Organic Coconut Butter, *Organic Palm Oil,*Organic Jojoba Oil,*Organic Rosemary Oil,*Organic Essential Oils.

*= Certified Organic Ingredients

Organic cocoa butter moisturizers and deodorizes with natural chocolate scent, organic coconut butter adds shine, organic jojoba oil nourishes your lips, organic palm oil prevents chapping,  while organic essential oils refresh and soothe. Preserved naturally by anti-oxidizing and anti-bacterial properties of organic rosemary oil, Nina Bella Organic Lip Balm is durable, long lasting, stable and 100% free of common industrial preservatives.

Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm comes in two delectable flavors: chocolate and chocolate orange. Created for our most sensitive customers, Chocolate Lip Balm does not have organic essential oils and moisturizers your lips by gentle action 100% organic butters and oils. Rich in natural scent of organic cocoa butter it feels like nibbling on a succulent piece of chocolate every time you use it. Chocolate Orange Lip Balm has organic essential sweet orange oils added to stimulate collage production that naturally plumps your lips. Deliciously decadent with natural scents of chocolate and freshly squeeze orange, it will make you feel like you are eating desert while taking care of your lips.

Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balms – 100% organic, 100% real and 100% the best care for your lips. Try it today!!

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.

Palm Oil in Organic Skin Care

Palm oil, a popular cooking medium has been working the scene for centuries making slow but sure breakthrough in organic skin care. In equal parts affordable and beneficial, palm oil is more often than not one of the most common organic bath and beauty products ingredients.

Hailing from West Africa, palm oil has been transported to Europe and reminder of the world in 19^th century. As the name indicates, palm oil is derived from the fruits of palm trees. It is a great source of beta carotene which gives it its naturally dark orange to reddish color. Chemically, palm oil is composed of saturated and unsaturated fats in the forms of glyceryl laurate (0.1%, saturated), myristate (1%, saturated), palmitate (44%, saturated), stearate (5%, saturated), oleate (39%, monounsaturated), linoleate (10%, polyunsaturated), and alpha-linolenate (0.3%, polyunsaturated), vitamins and antioxidants. Because of high saturated fat content, palm oil is quite stable, slow to oxidize and semi-solid at room temperature.

This means that palm oil is an ideal ingredient to work with in organic skin care. From soap making, to shampoo crafting, to shower gels and bubble baths, to moisturizing lotions to body butters, palm oil seems to have almost limitless number of applications. Its ability to clarify, remove excess sebrum and dirt from hair and skin mean it is great for organic bath products. Palm oil is very easy saponify and is a great organic soap starter. Its ability to moisturize and nourish, mean making a nice moisturizer, cream of a lotion is as easy as adding good quality palm oil to your formula.

As always in organic skin care you want to make sure you use quality palm oil. So stay away from chemically extracted, perfumed and bleached oil- it has a cheaper price tag but it also has significantly lower quality. When it comes to your skin it is worth it to pay a bit more to get cold pressed hand processed palm oil. Make sure your label backups up the promise. Organic. Pure. Green. Nutritious. Honest. This is what makes organic bath and beauty manufacturing different.

For more on products that use only certified organic ingredient visit Nina Bella Organic Collection.

Organic Oils for Colored Hair

Coloring hair is a quick and great way to change your image and have fun doing it. What you will not have fun with is dryness, split ends and color fading that comes with territory. The natural inclination is to turn to more hair dying, highlights and more chemical treatments in order to cover up instead of solving the problem. Bottom line is once you color your hair you will have to follow a simple rule to keep it healthy and that is: nourish, moisturize and trim. A good trim every four weeks will keep dry and split ends at bay while maintaining your style. Use organic shampoos with gentle foaming agents will clean and hydrate colored hair, and not strip it of moisture like regular shampoos will. And finally take time to nourish your hair using simple but powerful organic ingredients – organic oils. Educated mix of organic oils will nourish the hair follicle and all three layers of your hair shaft- the top layer, called cuticle, the middle layer, called cortex and the innermost layer, called medulla. This will make your hair stronger and more resistant everyday damage.

Here is a starter organic oil nourishing treatment for colored hair:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons organic olive oil
2 tablespoons organic pomegranate seed oil
1 teaspoon organic wheat germ oil

Mix olive oil, pomegranate seed oil and wheat germ oil together. Heat the oils mix in double boiler until warm and mix for 5 minutes. Let cool off. Use general portion of ready mix to hair and let stand one hour. Rinse well, shampoo as needed and follow up with your regular hair care routing. For best results repeat every two weeks. Transfer unused mix in sterilized bottle and cap tightly. Keep refrigerated for up to four weeks.

And visit Nina Bella Collection for your organic shampoo that will help you round off your colored hair treatment. Enjoy!!