New Year, New You with Raw Essentials

The new year is always thought of as a clean slate. Many people resolve to lose weight or quit smoking; others, to find peace and happiness. This year, everyone at Raw Essentials is resolving to truly take care of ourselves, inside and out, and it’s all starting with our skin care regimens!

If you want to join in on Raw Essentials’ New Year, New You plan, make sure to stay tuned to our email newsletters and this blog. Each week in January, we’ll be featuring a different aspect of skin care and how you can steadily build the perfect regimen for your skin.

If you’re not yet signed up for our newsletter, simply enter your email address at the bottom of the Raw Essentials home page. Our newsletter features everything from skin care tips to Raw Essentials sales and deals, so you definitely don’t want to miss out!

You can learn even more about skin care, beauty, sales, and more by following our blog. Simply sign up by entering your email address to the right, under Follow Blog via Email. This is just another way to stay up-to-date with us and never miss a sale or must-have skin care tip!

Celebrate the new year by resolving to care for yourself like never before, and let Raw Essentials help by taking all of the guesswork out of your skin care regimen and product choices. We’ll see you in 2014 with the launch of our New Year, New You series!

Carol Alt’s Top Five Worst Skin Care Ingredients

Source: flickr.com user Christian Guthier

When Carol Alt and Phil Masiello first designed Raw Essentials, their goal was to create skin care products that were truly and genuinely natural. In this A Healthy You & Carol Alt segment, Carol and Phil explain how many “natural” skin care lines may be tricking consumers by formulating their products with harmful chemicals in addition to more natural ingredients. In addition, some certified organic skin care lines may simply be paying for their certification, all the while using harsh chemicals ingredients!

In the clip, Phil and Carol list five of the worst skin care ingredients. These ingredients should be avoided whenever possible, and if you think they’re necessary evils, take note of the natural skin care ingredients that can easily replace the chemicals!

Without further ado, here are Carol Alt’s Top Five Worst Skin Care Ingredients:

Urea – used as a preservative, urea is extremely toxic and has been shown to cause skin irritation and rashes. These side effects can range of mild to extreme depending on the amount used and a person’s sensitivity level. Urea can be easily replaced with a blend of tea tree oil, honeysuckle, salt, and other naturally sourced ingredients.

Parabens – also used as preservatives, skin care parabens are very cheap for skin care manufacturers, and are therefore widely used. However, like urea, parabens are toxic and have been linked to various diseases and ailments, including cancer. Parabens are also easily replaced with the same blend of natural preservatives mentioned above, but are still used due to cost effectiveness.

 

Propylene glycol – derived from petroleum, propylene glycol is a humectant that is known for drying out the skin. It does so by attracting water, both from the air and from the deeper layers of the skin. This results in a complexion that is very dehydrated by the very thing (skin care cream) that is supposed to be hydrating it!

Copolymers – popular in anti-aging skin care, copolymers are whiteners that are supposed to lighten and brighten the skin, including age and sun spots. However, they are very drying and work similarly to propylene glycol, resulting in dehydrated skin. This is especially troublesome for those using anti-aging products, as dehydrated skin is much more likely to show defined lines and wrinkles.

 

Sulfates – sodium laurel sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and sodium lauryl sulfate. No matter how you spell it, these ingredients are some of the worst in skin care. Originally used as an antifreeze, sulfates are excessively stripping to the skin and are known skin and eye irritants. In studies, sulfates were even shown to cause the sort of damage that could lead to partial or full blindness. Sulfates are used only for sudsing action, a superfluous norm in the skin care industry that could be easily achieved with a blend of sugars and coconut fat.

If you’re confused about how some skin care lines can get away with using these products and still advertise as being natural or organic, be sure to watch the skin care ingredient segment featuring Phil and Carol! Phil thoroughly explains the processes of the skin care industry, and what you can do to protect yourself from false advertising.

Merry Christmas from Raw Essentials!

Source: flickr.com user Alice Harold

Christmas is only two weeks away; it’s officially crunch time! If you’re still shopping for the ones you love best, we want to make things a little easier on you. From now until December 25, save 20% on all orders! Simply use code “HOLIDAY” at checkout to claim your savings and ensure a gift your friends and family will love!

If you’re not sure which products would suit your loved ones best, here’s a mini Christmas shopping guide, designed to take the guesswork out of your experience. Remember, this is just a sampling of the skin care products we have to offer, so make sure to check out the main Raw Essentials site to complete your shopping!

Our All Day Revitalizing Face Moisturizer is the perfect basic moisturizer for most skin types. It’s lightweight yet deeply moisturizing, providing long-lasting hydration to keep skin radiant and comfortable.

If your loved one needs a little extra moisture or anti-aging skin care benefits, consider the Moisturizing Face Serum, which can be used alone or layered with the All Day Revitalizing Face Moisturizer for maximum hydration! The serum will smooth fine lines and wrinkles while hydrating and nourishing for gorgeous skin.

One of our most popular products is the Body Oil, a lightweight blend of nourishing oils while deeply moisturize the skin and provide an unparalleled glow. Using a Body Oil instead of a traditional cream moisturizer may seem intimidating to some; however, the truth is that a our body oil is non-greasy and absorbs quickly to supply incredible hydration, leading to soft, smooth, and radiant skin.

While these products are our personal picks for great Christmas gift suggestions, they’re only a glimpse at our full line, so check out the rest of our products before you order. And don’t forget to use your code “HOLIDAY” to receive 20% off your order through December 25th! Happy holidays and thanks for shopping with Raw Essentials!

How to Treat Chapped Skin

Source: flickr.com user Doug Wheller

Chapped skin is a skin condition caused by excessive dryness. Symptoms of chapped skin are stinging, a constant dry feeling, topical fissures, and cracks which may be minor or may even bleed. Chapped skin is an extremely uncomfortable condition, but it is very easy to comfort and treat chapped skin.

Skin is most likely to become chapped during winter when frequent hand washings, dry air, central heating, and harsh weather conditions are prevalent. If you feel that your skin is becoming chapped, your regular hand lotion may not cut it. Here’s a few skin care tips and tricks for how to treat chapped skin.

• Layer your skin care moisturizers. As soon as you get out of the shower, apply our Body Oil from the neck down, paying close attention to problem areas like the hands and feet. After the oil sinks in, apply a body moisturizer to the entire body, or apply a heavy cream just to the hands and feet.
• Always carry hand lotion. Re-apply your lotion after every hand washing, whether it feels like you need it or not! Your dry skin will come back unless you reapply faithfully.
• Wash in tepid water. When it’s chilly out, it’s very tempting to bathe or wash hands in very hot water. This is the worst thing you can do for chapped skin! Use tepid water only, and always follow with moisturizer.
• Until skin begins to heal and go back to normal, use soaps and cleansers only once per day, even on your face. Wash in the morning with water only, and end your day with a tepid shower to remove makeup and purify skin.
• Use a night cream, and extend application to include your lips. For example, if you’re using our Night Time Firming and Nourishing Face Moisturizer, apply it to the entire face and neck area, saving only the eye area. (You should always use a dedicated eye cream for the eye area.) If lips are especially chapped, “seal” in the moisturizer with your lip balm of choice.

By following these simple tips for chapped skin, your skin will be back to normal in no time. Be sure to maintain your newly repaired skin by continuing an extra moisturizing regimen until winter weather begins to defrost!