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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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.

Dry Skin Formula

Dry skin comes with its own unique set of challenges. Flakiness, dry patches, wrinkles and irritation are just tip of the iceberg, and dermatitis, itchy rashes and eczema are real issues. The fact is dry skin care requires advanced moisturizing care. There are plenty of choices out there. There are also plenty of chemicals you will be exposed to when using industrial moisturizing creams. In the long run that may bring more damage then good. This is why more and more people turn to natural dry skin care.

Once again, by a rule of thumb, turn to natural plant and essential oils. Plant oils are a perfect mix of antioxidants that protect skin, vitamins and minerals that nourish skin and natural moisturizers that keep skin well hydrated. And you do not have to worry about chemicals or harmful additives. Plus creating your own dry skin formula can be fun and will not break the bank.

When coming up with your own dry skin formula, do your research. You want to select oils based on benefits suited to your particular dry skin issue, that being patchiness, flakiness or – yes – eczema. This way you can customize your formula by aroma, consistency and particular concern you might have. Sweet orange oil, a powerful moisturizing agent is the best place to start. Add a mix of two or more plant oils and some essential oils and voila – you are there. It is that easy.

Here is an easy starter dry skin formula to try:

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup grape seed oil

¼ cup jojoba oil

1 tablespoon sweet orange essential oil

Mix olive, grape seed and jojoba oil together. Add sweet orange essential oil and mi well. Apply a small quantity of ready formula over dry skin and massage in until absorbed. Repeat three to four times a week or best results. Store formula in dry place, away from sun.

Compliments of Nina Bella Collection – your Canadian organic bath and beauty care manufacturer.

Sweet Orange Beautiful

Originating from mythological “golden apples”, sweet organic essential oil has been used from middle ages for its healing properties. Divinely energizing, it is known for its uplifting, stimulating, sensual, deodorizing, toning, cardiovascular, circulatory and refreshing properties. Fun, youthful and summery, sweet orange essential oil is one of the most effective natural ways to energize, motivate and purify body and soul.

Produced by cells inside the rind of an orange fruit, sweet orange oil is traditionally extracted by cold pressing orange peels. Its main chemical components are a-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, d-limonene, linalool, citronellal, neral and geranial. In appearance, it is thin and water like to touch, with color ranging from pale yellow to deep orange.

Because of great natural scent sweet orange oils is an ideal additive to natural massage oils, creams and lotions. Top note oil, it nurtures and uplifts at the same time. This is why orange essential oil is often used in aromatherapy products designed to relieve tension and anxiety.

Great antioxidant, detoxifying and analgesic agent, sweet orange essential oil is a favorite additive to massage oils and natural bath and beauty products. Known to relieve cold and flu symptoms, eliminate toxins, boost the lymphatic and immune system and ease tension, sweet orange essential oil is often found in natural bath salts, shower gels, bubble baths, shampoos and conditioners. Known collagen booster and moisturizer, sweet orange essential oils makes for a  great skin tonic, does wonders for older mature skin, smoothes wrinkles, helps with dermatitis and soothes dry irritated skin. You will find that most great natural an organic creams, lotions, body butters and scrubs, have sweet orange essential oil.

Although most essential oils blend well with one another, orange oil blends particularly well with black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, frankincense, sandalwood and vetiver. Same with basil, bergamot, clary sage, clove, coriander, eucalyptus, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, litsea cubeba, marjoram, myrrh, neroli, nutmeg, patchouli, petitgrain, rose, vetiver and ylang ylang.

Little chameleon of essential oil world, this magical oils blends well with most natural an organic plant butters, waxes and carrier oils adding unique aroma depth. However you choose to use sweet orange essential oil in your products stick to a golden rule – keep it in concentration of 1% or less and you everyone will get along just fine.

For more on sweet orange essential products, visit Nina Bella Collection website.

Beauty with Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender is a perennial aromatic evergreen shrub with violet-blue spike-like flowers. It is often found and therefore believed to have been adapted to dry climate. It is commonly found in western half of Mediterranean. Historically there is evidence that its existence is recorded as far back as Roman times and that Roman and Benedictine monks might have introduced it to the rest of the Europe. Its name is derived from Latin Lavare, which means “to wash”, due to its aroma and natural cleansing properties. Lavender essential oils scent is floral, fresh, sweet, herbaceous and sometimes slightly fruity.

There are several varieties of Lavender which can cause confusion over the names of the various species. The favorite and most widely used is Lavandula officinalis, also called Lavandula angustifolia, or Lavandula vera. Lavender essential oil potency varies with terrain altitude and dryness. Higher altitudes produce sharper and fresher oil while lower produce sweeter and softer oils. The finest quality lavender oils are grown in dry conditions at altitude between 700 and 1400 meters.

Lavender essential oil is obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Two forms are distinguished, lavender flower oil, colorless oil, insoluble in water, and lavender spike oil, a distillate from the herb Lavandula latifolia, each with its distinct benefits and applications. Each is a variable mix of linalool (51%), linalyl acetate (35%), α-pinene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, cis- and trans-ocimene, 3-octanone, camphor, caryophyllene, terpinen-4-ol and lavendulyl acetate, which give lavender its natural benefits and heady scent.

The benefits of lavender essential oil include its ability to relieve nervous tension, pain, disinfect scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems, which is why it is used in the production of perfumes and in aromatherapy. As strong antiseptic and antifungal agent lavender essential oil is also used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammations. It heals wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns, reduces scar tissue formation and is very effective in treating eczema. All this is the reason why lavender essential oil has followed its natural evolution to favorite bath and beauty product additive.

As with many other essential oils, moderation is the key and pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using lavender essential oil. It may also cause allergic reactions to people having sensitive skin.

And did you know that lavender essential also repels mosquitoes? It does! Next time you feel like taking a nice leisurely walk, dab on some lavender scented product, relax and enjoy your walk and forget heavy expensive chemical based insect repellents.

To hear more about beneficial properties of natural essential oils, read Nina Bella Collection weekly updates and try our very own lavender products, today.