Are there cancer-causing chemicals in your facial cleanser cream? California recently sued a number of cosmetic companies, requiring them to change their formulations, pay a fine or include the warning label “this product may cause cancer” on their bottles.

The state named four different companies in the suit. All of which were supposed to be providing all natural and/or organic body and facial cleansers. We often pay more for what we believe are safer, more environmentally friendly products. It seems there may be better ways to spend our money.

California’s suit concerned the chemical Dioxane. It forms when a petrochemical called ethylene oxide is used to make other ingredients water soluble. Companies can easily vacuum strip the Dioxane residue out of their cleaning products. They choose not to, because they are not required to, and because it would cost them a few pennies extra.

They could also use other processes to make the ingredients water soluble. They prefer to use petrochemicals, because they are cheaper. The rising cost of crude oil may encourage them to look at safer alternatives, which will provide us with safer facial cleanser cream.

Right now, you can protect your safety by not buying facial cleansers that list ethylene oxide as an ingredient. If you want the safest facial cleansers, you’ll look for a brand that does not include any petrochemicals, at all.

For daily cleansing, the safest and most effective ingredients are tea tree oil, orange oil and active manuka honey. If you have sensitive skin, orange oil can be irritating, but tea tree oil is very soothing and has antibacterial activity.

The antibacterial agent included in the average facial cleanser cream is triclosan. Environmentalists would prefer that we avoid that one, because it is damaging the ecosystem. It ends up in the water supply and is not biodegradable.

Like tea tree oil, active manuka honey has antibacterial activity. It is also an effective antioxidant that can help prevent free radical damage. Free radical damage is one of the causes of winkle formation, lost firmness and all of the signs of aging.

One of the best facial cleansers on the market is a deep cleansing mask that you use every two weeks. It combines manuka honey with other anti-aging ingredients, along with clay extracts that pull dirt out of the pores and absorb excessive oils.

Unlike the average facial cleanser cream, it does not dry to a hard shell that is difficult to remove. You simply rinse it off after 20 or 30 minutes.

Some of the most popular facial cleansers contain mild acids designed to exfoliate or remove dead skin cells. The idea of exfoliation is kind of silly, in the first place, because regular washing removes dead skin cells. It is also highly irritating, causes redness and inflammation, which is another of the causes of the signs of aging.

My recommendation is this. Use a safe and gentle daily facial cleanser cream and a bi-weekly deep cleansing mask. You’ll look better for it.

Originally posted 2010-01-10 05:15:46. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Tea Tree Oil (a key ingredient in Zap It!) has significant antiseptic properties to fight against the majority of skin infections. It can also impede rashes caused by parasites and insects. It stops the itching and calms the inflammation normally associated with eczema, psoriasis and topical skin flares. But, the very best thing about tea tree oil is that if you have an unidentified area of pimples, patch testing with diluted tea tree or a good quality tea tree cream on a small area will not hurt it and it may well go on to cure it.

Acne — Zap It! Tea Tree Oil


Acne can strike at any age, it can be caused by stress, a hormone imbalance, pollutants, a poor cleansing routine or hereditary. Zap-it!®, with both tea tree oil and Salicylic acid (which is naturally found in several plants, such as willow, birch and wintergreen) is a safe treatment for those skin conditions that need the dead scaly skin removed so that the natural ingredients can penetrate to work more effectively.

Melaleuca oil is specifically mentioned for having antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial and acaricidal actions against skin infections such as acne, herpes and scabies in the following abstract.

-Adverse and beneficial effects of plant extracts on skin and skin disorders. Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev. 2001 Jun;20(2):89-103.

This was the first peer-reviewed paper about the effects of melaleuca oil on acne. It concludes that the treatment of acne with melaleuca oil results in fewer side effects than a treatment of benzoyl peroxide.

-A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne. Med J Aust. 1990 Oct 15;153(8):455-8.


Salicylic acid, which is the main active ingredient in Zap-it!®, is a safe treatment for skin conditions that need the dead scaly skin removed so that the natural ingredients, such as melaleuca oil, can penetrate to work more effectively. It is naturally found in several plants, such as willow, birch trees and wintergreen leaves. Salicylic acid applied on pads reduced the number of acne lesions and was well tolerated.

-Treatment of acne vulgaris with salicylic acid pads. Clin Ther. 1992 Mar-Apr;14(2):247-53.

In this comparison study, salicylic acid was superior to benzoyl peroxide for the treatment of acne. Comparison of a salicylic acid cleanser and a benzoyl peroxide wash in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Clin Ther.1989 Mar-Apr;11(2):264-7.

-Zap It!Melaleuca oil for treatment of skin conditions caused by other organisms.

That is the beauty of such a broad-spectrum antiseptic substance, it does not matter what sort of organism caused the skin infection and associated irritation, melaleuca oil helps to alleviate it:

The way that melaleuca oil can easily penetrate the skin suggests it may be suitable for use in the treatment of fungal mucosal and cutaneous infections.

-In vitro activity of tea tree oil against Candida albicans mycelial conversion and other pathogenic fungi. J Chemother. 2001 Aug;13(4):377-83.

Unlike the normal antibacterial topical medicines, diluted melaleuca oil can maintain the beneficial skin bacteria while getting rid of the nastier strains that cause the problems.

Susceptibility of transient and commensal skin flora to the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil). Am J Infect Control. 1996 Jun;24(3):186-9. And don’t forget the viral skin infections. A 6% tea tree dilution in gel form shows significant results against reoccurring herpes labialis (Cold sores).

Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil gel (6%) for the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2001) 48, 450-451


More serious skin infections: Staphylococcus aureus is a strain of bacteria that lives naturally on the skin. When an over-growth occurs it can cause minor infections, such as pus-filled spots and boils, etc. When it becomes resistant to the strongest antibiotics that we have, it becomes known as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or golden-staph. This can also live on the skin without causing any problem to the host. But, when it is transferred to another less-healthy individual or it infects a wound, it can become life threatening. MRSA/Golden staph, claims tens of thousands of lives every year. Melaleuca oil has been shown to inhibit and even destroy it, both in vitro and in vivo.

-Staphylococcus aureus and wounds: A review of tea tree oil as a promising antimicrobial agent. Am J Infect Control. 2004 Nov;32(7):402-8.

This controlled trial in a hospital found that tea tree preparations used in the

decolonization of MRSA were effective, safe and well tolerated.

-A randomized, controlled trial of tea tree topical preparations versus a standard topical regimen for the clearance of MRSA colonization. J Hosp Infect. 2004 Apr;56(4):283-6.

Originally posted 2009-10-30 05:45:25. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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These oils will seal the pores and hold the natural moisture of the skin and enhance the curing effects of the cream

You can use the cream 2-3 times a day.  It is best to use it after you have cleaned your face in the morning and right before you go to bed.  You can also use it during noontime.

You can use Scotty’s’ cream under your makeup or over your makeup.  It will work either way.  However, it will work better on a clean face.

You will notice that when you apply the cream it will tingle in areas without sores and may sting in areas of open sores.  This will pass and as it does it should reduce the itchiness of any sores.

Scotty’s cream has allantoin, which will help to clear acne sores.  The oils, vitamin A and E, and minerals in Scotty’s will help to feed, rebuild, and rejuvenate your skin.  The minerals also help to neutralize the toxic acids that have contaminated and inflamed pores on your face.

During cleansing and fasting, more acid waste may come out of your pores.  This is why Scotty’s cream will help you to reduce the inflammation and spread your acne.

Tree Tea Oil

To make Scotty’s cream or your own cream even more powerful, you can add 5-10 drops of pure tree tea oil to a two-ounce container.  You can experiment with the amount to add.  You may want to add more drops to provide more tea tree oil for your face.  But, do not use more than 15 drops.

Tree tea oil has been found to be effective in various skin disorders.  It acts as an antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial.  This oil helps to bring oxygen to the skin cell, which kills bacteria and fungus and helps to repair damaged skin caused by acne.

Borage Oil

There is one more thing that you can add to Scotty’s face cream or your favorite acne cream that will boost its acne clearing power.  This is borage oil.  Borage oil contains EPA and DHA, which helps to control excessive hormones that cause the over production of sebum.

It is the adrenal glands that produce streams of androgens during puberty.  These large quantities of androgens help to activate bone growth and assist in bringing forth sexual maturity.

A side effect of these androgens is the release of excess oil from the oil glands near the hair follicle.  This excess gives rise to

“ black heads
“ white heads
“ pimples
“ cysts

So here’s what you can do to make your face cream even more effective,

“ Mix one or two capsules of Borage oil into your cream
“ Do this by cutting the tip off of the Borage oil soft gel and squeeze the oil into the cream

There is a new form of EPA and DHA that is available in a product called Neptune Krill Oil (NKO)

Neptune Krill Oil (NKO)

NKO is the new EPA and DHA product, which maybe better to use than Borage Oil.  NKO has the omega-3, EPA and DHA in the phospholipid form, which is easier for your cells to absorb compared with Borage oil.  Borage oil contains the omega-3, EPA, and DHA in triglyceride form, which is more difficult for cells to absorb.

One other good property of NKO is that is does not have to be refrigerated like Borage.  It can be kept in a cool place in your cabinets.  However, it does cost more than Borage oil.

Word of Caution:  As with all creams and oils, if you get any rash or skin reactions when using them, discontinue their use.

Use a good face cream to help clear your acne.  You can boost the power of this cream by adding tree tea oil and borage or NKO oil.

Originally posted 2009-12-17 05:18:09. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Dioxane is a chemical that is listed as a known human carcinogen in the state of California and as a “probable” human carcinogen on other lists.  It’s detrimental to the environment, because it is not biodegradable and, obviously, it contributes to our cancer risks.

Any facial cleanser cream that contains ethylene oxide may be contaminated with Dioxane, as it can form during the manufacturing process.  A recent examination of a number of different “natural” and “organic” facial cleansers found them all to contain high levels of Dioxane.  California has sued these companies.  They must correct the problem, pay a fine or add the phrase “this product may cause cancer” to their labels.

The scary part is that the findings did not cause a recall of the facial cleansers.  They are still on the market.  One company, so far, has come forth to say that they will correct the problem, now that they have been made “aware” of it.  My question is this.  Why weren’t they aware of it in the first place?

The better manufacturers test their raw ingredients for contaminants and then check the finished product, as well.  If they find unhealthy levels of contaminants, the whole batch is discarded.  So, before you buy a facial cleanser cream, check out the manufacturer and find out about their testing protocols.

Personally, I use all-natural daily facial cleansers that contain ingredients like manuka honey and tea tree oil.  They are soothing.  Yet they have natural anti-bacterial activity and they are completely biodegradable.

On a bi-weekly basis, I use a deep cleansing mask that helps to delay the signs of age and prevents dryness on my face and neck.  The ingredients are natural clay extracts that gently pulls dirt out of my pores and absorbs excessive oils.  I would suggest it to anyone, because I know that the manufacturer guarantees purity and uses only the highest quality ingredients.

The mask is unlike others that are on the market.  Most of them dry to a hard shell that is difficult to remove.  This facial cleanser cream combines the clay extracts with macadamia oil, which is simply luxurious, and Shea butter, so that the mask does not dry out.  It also includes manuka honey, because of its antibacterial and antioxidant activity.

I would have never thought that facial cleansers could make my skin look younger, but this one really works.  The key ingredient, according to the manufacturer, is Functional Keratin. 

Shop carefully for your personal care products and if you want to delay and counter the affects of time, look for a facial cleanser cream mask that contains Functional Keratin.

Originally posted 2010-01-22 05:15:41. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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DDF BP Gel also includes Tea Tree Oil

DDF BP Gel contains 5 percent benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide works well to treat acne, and 5 percent is a mild but effective concentration. This cream also contains tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is generally beneficial for your skin, and it fights acne as well. It has antibacterial properties that help prevent acne breakouts. Most people who use this cream notice that their skin feels better after a week of applying the cream. It is effective to cure acne and it doesn’t dry your skin out.

Acne Solutions Emergency Gel Lotion by Clinique

This product has many positive customer reviews. It really helps to fight acne that keeps reappearing. It unclogs pores filled with bacteria and controls oil production on your skin. You will see reduced redness and inflammation in just a few days. Clinique Acne Solutions is a strong cream with high concentration of benzoyl peroxide. One disadvantage – it is more expensive than other acne control products.

Persa Gel by Johnson and Johnson

Works very effectively to treat present acne spots and to prevent feature breakouts of blackheads and whiteheads. This product also contains benzoyl peroxide; the concentration of it is 10 percent. This is the highest concentration allowed for non prescription acne medicine. Persa Gel is water based, so it works for all skin types. This is a very popular acne cream; you can find it in any chemist shop.

Blemish Double Agent Treatment from Biore

This cream is not benzoyl peroxide based; instead it protects your skin from acne by sealing in salicylic acid. It also keeps out the dirt to prevent farther inflammation. The manufacturer claims that you will see blemishes reduced after one application, most people report seeing results in 3 – 5 days. It is gentle and doesn’t dry your skin.

Oxy 10 Balance Emergency Spot Treatment

This is a very strong acne cream that will cure the worst of acne. However, use it with care; it only should be used to cure existing acne, not as a preventive method. It also might irritate sensitive skin, so if you applied Oxy 10 and your skin feels irritated, this product is not for you.

Clinique Acne Solutions Concealing Cream

This cream belongs to the same line of Acne Solutions by Clinique as the gel mentioned before. This is not a medicine as such, but a make up item. Everybody who has acne knows that finding the right make up to hide it is a problem. Most foundations and concealers only make your acne worse. In contrast Acne Solutions Consealing Cream is specifically formulated for acne affected skin. It heals acne as well as hides it. If you use make up for acne, this cream works very well to conseal blemishes. But like all Clinique products it is not cheap.

Natural hearbal acne creams

You would be surprized but you can make some effective natural acne creams at home. One effective treatment is a mix of banana, avocado and vitamin E ointment. You can buy vitamin E concentrated cream in a chemist or order it online. To make the cream take half a tea spoon of vitamin E ointment, one small avocado and half a banana and blend them in a blender. Apply this acne remedy to your face and keep for several minutes.

Natural acne remedies work very well for some people. The only disadvantage is that you can not store them like you would do with a bought cream. For example banana and avocado cream can stay in your fredge for a day, but not much longer.

A word of caution

Acne creams are effective in getting rid of acne, but most of them have the same drawback. It makes your skin very sensative to sunlight. So when you use an acne control cream, use a good sunblock cream as well.

If you decided to get rid of your acne try some of the acne creams we reviewed. Instead of squeezing and pinching your pimples, apply an acne cream treatment once a day for at least a week. You will see how much better your skin will look.

Originally posted 2009-12-29 05:12:50. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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This wonder oil was only tested scientifically in the early 1920′s by Arthur Penfold and found to be around 12 times more powerful than carbolic acid and yet caused no harm to the skin. It was used extensively by the Australian Defence Force during World War Two but due to the discovery of synthetic drugs did not become popular again until the 1960′s.

Over the years it has proved itself as a natural antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory oil. One great development was that it was found to deep penetrate the skin cleaning it and encouraging the formation of scar tissue.

Some of the medical uses include healing blisters, reducing swelling from insect bites and stings, cleaning and healing abrasions and cuts, cures athletes foot and is very helpful in the healing of acne. It will cure a sore throat, cold sores, coughs and dental abscesses. It will solve most day to day first aid and medical problems.

It also lends to daily beauty care as putting drops in shampoo, body lotion, hand cream and in the bath will keep hair and skin clean and healthy. A couple of drops on toothpaste will prevent gum infections and bad breathe. It helps take the sting out of sunburn and softens corns and calluses.

Tea Tree Oil’s anti-bacterial properties also extend use in the household chores, making the house clean and healthy. Putting drops in the humidifier will clean, disinfect and refresh the air and putting drops in the dishwasher and washing machine will kill all the germs.

Tea Trees only grow in Australia. There are many brands that are from inferior trees and not from the genuine Tea Tree whose Botanical name is Malaeuca. The name Tea Tree was given by Joseph Banks the botanist who traveled with Captain Cook and collected the leaves to make herbal teas.

Your first purchase should be made from a Health Shop until you know how to define whether it is the genuine oil or an inferior oil as the results will obviously not be the same with an inferior product.

There are many excellent websites on the internet and many excellent books which will give you all uses of this wonderful oil. You will be amazed at the excellent results you obtain and will find it is truly a medicine kit in a bottle.

Originally posted 2009-11-23 08:42:18. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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A boil is an inflamed area, usually based in a hair follicle, and can be caused by a physical condition such as acne, or severe dermatitis and can also result from low immunity, irritations, an illness, stress, food allergy, poor diet, shaving, plucking hairs or poor hygiene. A boil usually starts as a tender area, becoming hard and swelling, and eventually softening and forming a head. The head is filled with bacteria and the white blood cells fighting the infection (pus). Staphylococcus is the bacteria that is usually found in the pus of a boil.

The bacteria involved are those usually present on healthy skin, so the boil is an indication of low resistance to infection. It is advised not to lance the boil, because bacteria can spread to nearby skin and create new boils. Apply hot packs for up to 20 minutes at a time, throughout the day, as the heat draws more white blood cells, thereby helping to fight the infection. Do not cover with a bandaid. Wash with tea tree oil soap and apply antiseptic cream containing tea tree oil. A drop or two of tea tree oil may also be applied directly to the boil. Dab it on with a piece of clean cotton, do not rub or otherwise irritate the boil.

Procedure to be followed periodically throughout the day:

Dab some tea tree oil onto the boil with a piece of cotton to help bring it to a head, then cover with a piece of gauze. Cover the gauze with a damp washcloth, followed by a dry towel and then apply a heating pad. Leave on a low temperature for about 15 minutes. Change your dressing and reapply the tea tree oil. The oil helps bring the boil to a head while the warm compress helps pull the infection out of the skin; the tea tree oil then acts as an antiseptic and antibiotic on the bacteria in the pus. Be sure to throw away the gauze each time, and wash your hands with tea tree oil soap each time you handle the gauze or touch the boil.

Sometimes a boil’s bacteria can spread to a lymph node that is nearby. If there is a boil on the neck, check the lymph glands for swelling and tenderness. You should visit a doctor if this occurs, also if there is fever or lethargy. It’s important to learn to listen to your body and recognize when tea tree oil acne and boils treatment will be enough, and when you need the help of a doctor.

Mike Matthews : for more info visit http://www.teatreeoilacne.info.

Originally posted 2009-11-11 08:39:05. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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It has many medicinal uses: antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic just to name a few. As well as treating common household ailments tea tree oil helps skin conditions including stretch marks.

It comes from a large variety of tea tree plants including the Australian tea tree, the lemon scented tea tree and the New Zealand tea tree.

Regular use of tea tree oil helps to prevent stretch marks. Australian tea tree oil in particular is highly recommended for stretch marks as is New Zealand tea tree oil or Manuka honey cream. It is one of the few aromatherapy oils that can be massaged directly onto the skin without dilution.

Stretch marks occur anywhere and everywhere on the body. They occur in young teenagers, in women and also in men. In fact, body building stretch marks in particular are extremely common.

They are the result of what we will can expansion and contraction – demands made on it to adapt, adjust and unfortunately in many instances, to stretch!

Most of us, at some point in our lives will have to deal with stretch marks on our bodies. As we age and our weight fluctuates throughout life, our skin and appearance changes and shifts and our skin becomes the focus of numerous uncomfortable stares and self-conscious glances in the mirror.

Here are just some of the most common responses and action plans people implement to deal with them:

Embarrassment, hiding and concealing, covering, denying, ignoring, wishing away, slapping on topical treatments, invasive, costly, repetitious treatments and interventions to get rid of them!

Here are some of the more generally accepted hormonal or endocrine stretch mark causes, or more accurately stated, contributing factors:

Negative emotion, depression or extreme unhappiness (emotions are neuro-peptides and affect the processes and organs in your body); developmental factors and stages, growth and puberty for adolescents and budding young adults, (both boys and girls); vitamins and nutrient deficiencies in the body; pregnancy; rapid weight gain/loss; sudden change in physical or environmental conditions; medications and steroid use; insufficient skin properties, building blocks and elements, like collagen and elastin (the main ingredients and connective tissue of your skin).

If you are looking for stretch mark tips, techniques and products for saving you money plus urgent help to get rid of them, making them less unsightly, it is possible to optimize your natural processes and defences with 100% natural products like tea tree oil and other alternative stretch mark therapies and approaches to help get rid of them and prevent stretch marks appearing in the first place. For example, Vitamin E is a great home remedy for stretch marks.

In this day and age there are many good, solid choices that you can make that can help you cope and make them less visible in appearance.

Tea tree oil and Vitamin E are just an example how changing some very small habits can have a MAJOR impact on your life, health and ultimately your skin!

While laser treatments and chemical peels are prominent it is possible to use natural alternatives to expensive stretch mark treatments to fight in order to minimize and lessen the appearance of stretch marks and their impact on your day to day life.

Stretch mark prevention and corrective action can now be taken using 100% natural products and not necessarily invasive and costly, extreme procedures.

So the next time you look in the mirror and start to feel embarrassed about your stretch marks remember that Mother Nature has, in fact, handed you many home remedies for stretch marks and natural stretch mark treatments to help prevent and get rid of them.

Originally posted 2009-10-30 09:07:20. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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