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!

Thank You!

Here at Raw Essentials, we are celebrating Thanksgiving by being thankful for you, our loyal customers! Whether you are a new customer or you’ve been using Raw Essentials for years, we are grateful that you chose us from the sea of skin care products.

To show our appreciation, we’re giving away one free product* to one lucky winner! To enter this thankfulness giveaway, simply comment on this post and tell us what you’re thankful for. Be sure to include your email address so we can notify you if you win! Winners will be chosen by a random generator and notified by email.

In addition to our giveaway, we’re also spreading the love by offering an extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale! Shop now through midnight December 2nd to take advantage of our great Black Friday Deals. Here’s a quick rundown:

This sale is the perfect way to stock up on your favorite skin care products, or cross a few loved ones off your holiday shopping list.

Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts, for choosing Raw Essentials! Happy holidays!

*The winner of the giveaway will get to choose any one single product from the website. Giveaway does not include bundles or gift sets; only single products are eligible. Winner will be chosen at random.

How to Keep Skin Care Products Fresh

Source: flickr.com user JEM

Most skin care products are formulated with ingredients designed to keep them pure and fresh. However, even with these precautions, there are times when one’s products begin to have issues, from harmful bacteria to texture separation. If you’re looking to prolong the life and purity of your products, follow these simple steps for how to keep skin care products fresh.

 

1) Use a cosmetic spatula. It may seem weird to use a cosmetic spatula or cotton swab to apply your own skin care products, but it will hugely reduce the amount of bacteria in your bottles and jars. Removing product with a small plastic spatula, or even a small spoon, will ensure that your products stay fresh.

If it’s unrealistic for you to have the extra step of a scooping implement, at least wash your hands before dipping into your creams and lotions! This will reduce the risk of transferring harmful bacteria to your product, helping to prolong its life.

2) Store your products properly. Most beauty products will recommend a cool, dry storage space, though very few require refrigeration or other special accommodations. This is not for the manufacturer’s entertainment! Your products will last much longer – and maintain their textures better – when stored properly.

3) Don’t share! Beauty products are one area in which sharing is not caring. Especially eye products! Swapping everything from face cream to eye cosmetics is one of the main ways you can “infect” your product and lead to its demise. If you care about the health of your skin, eyes, and products, tell your friend to bring her own products!

4) Use your products within a respectable timeframe. This may seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes people assume that skin care products don’t expire. That’s not the case! Even if your products don’t have an expiration date (most don’t), that doesn’t mean they can sit on a shelf for a year and have the same texture and efficacy as a new product. They may even irritate the skin after sitting for so long. So, don’t get precious about savoring your products; use them as they’re intended to achieve the results you bought them for!

These four little steps will go a long way toward keeping skin care products fresh and pure.

Raw Essentials: Your One Stop Regimen Stop

Source: flickr.com user marzk

If you’re like most women, your skin care regimen consists of a buffet of products from different lines. You may even have products designed for all different skin types — a cleanser for oily skin, a moisturizer for normal skin, a spot treatment for acne skin. 

While picking and choosing your favorite products from all different brands may seem like the best way to achieve great skin, you may actually be harming your skin or interfering with each product’s beneficial ingredients.

First off, you should always use skin care products formulated for your skin type. It’s not just the active ingredients that matter; the entire formulation matters. That’s why using an acne spot treatment on dry skin breakouts may cause an issue. While the ingredients may dry the blemish, they’ll also suck the moisture out of already dry skin, leaving it red, flaky, and irritated.

Similarly, a cleanser for oily skin won’t balance out just the t-zone of normal skin; it will upset the balance of the skin, leading to overactive oil production and breakouts, thereby ruining your normal skin type!

There are some brands, including Raw Essentials, which are formulated to be used by all skin types. This means that the brand’s focus is on nourishing and supporting healthy skin functions, which is why it’s beneficial no matter what your skin type. Think of it like eating produce; regardless of your dietary restrictions, everybody needs fresh fruits and veggies!

Aside from using skin care designed for your specific skin type, there are other dangers to mixing and matching different skin care brands and products. Active ingredients may compete with each other or interact in an unknown way, causing damage that may or may not be seen on the surface. Similarly, ingredients may compete for absorbency, canceling each other out and making your regimen moot.

By using a complete skin care regimen from one skin care line, you’re ensuring that each product will work synergistically without causing potentially dangerous ingredient interactions. When you use only one skin care line, every product blends effortlessly and supports one another, leading to maximized benefits with reduced risk of irritation.

Lastly, building a regimen from one line is much easier than mixing and matching, as it’s simple to see what’s missing from your collection. You may even find that you need fewer products, as an entire line is designed to provide everything your skin needs, whereas products from separate brands may have gaps that you’re unaware of.

Do you have a favorite skin care line that you stick to, or do you mix and match your products? Tell us your regimen in the comments below!

Raw Essentials by Carol Alt

Photo: Brian Killian/Getty Images for Joanna Mastroianni

You may have heard the name Carol Alt recently, thanks to her new TV show, A Healthy You & Carol Alt. Once a very successful and well-known model, Carol Alt is now known for her work in the skin care industry, and her support for leading a healthy, organic, and raw lifestyle.

Though she campaigned as “The Face” of many cosmetics and skin care lines in the 1980s, Carol found that she was unhappy with the chemical ingredients used in mainstream skin care products. She hoped to find a suitable line formulated with natural ingredients, but couldn’t find one that felt up to her standards. She decided to take matters into her own hands and, along with two business partners, launched Raw Essentials in 2008.

Carol’s goal with Raw Essentials was to provide consumers with products that they could trust. Using 100% raw active ingredients, as well as supporting ingredients sourced from natural and other healthful ingredients, Raw Essentials promises to support healthy function and beauty without causing damage with harsh, harmful chemical ingredients.

On her show, A Healthy You & Carol Alt, Carol works to tackle skin care myths, suggest safe products, review trendy skin care procedures, and talk about overall wellness and longevity. She sheds light on what works, what doesn’t, and what may be harmful to your health. She also features a segment called Ask Carol, where she answers questions that viewers have asked on Twitter and Facebook.

For a sneak peek of Carol’s new show, check out this clip on YouTube about skin care ingredients, or simply watch the clip below. In it, Carol asks an expert for his top 10 skin care ingredients to avoid, and they discuss healthful skin care product alternatives to mainstream brands. Watch the clip to learn more about Raw Essentials and Carol Alt, and be sure to tune in to Carol’s show A Healthy You & Carol Alt on Saturdays at 4pm ET on the Fox News channel.

Raw Essentials: Free of Yucky Stuff

Source: flickr.com user Doug Wheller

At Raw Essentials, we are dedicated to formulating skin care products that only do good for your skin. We aim for products that are free of harmful ingredients or chemical additives that do nothing beneficial for your skin’s health. That’s why we ensure that each and every product contains 100% raw active ingredients, and will never contain (said simply) any “yucky stuff.”

What counts as yucky stuff? To us, it’s anything that mainstream skin care companies use as fillers or cheap substitutes for healthful ingredients, as well as ingredients that may harm the skin. Many common skin care ingredients used in mainstream products are known as GRAS to the FDA – generally recognized as safe. However, this does not mean that those ingredients are healthful, and it doesn’t even mean that they’re guaranteed to work without damaging the skin. More on that in a minute.

To give you an idea of the so-called yucky stuff that we never, ever use, here’s a quick rundown of commonly used skin care ingredients and why we don’t think they belong in skin care products.

Petroleum
Petroleum, also known as petroleum jelly, petrolatum, or soft paraffin, is often used in skin care to prevent moisture loss. Because of its texture, it can make dry skin feel like it’s being heavily moisturized, when in reality the petroleum is just acting as an extra layer on top of the skin.

In addition, petroleum actually repels water, which means it will keep environmental hydration from reaching and benefitting the skin, which may actually worsen dehydrated skin types. It also locks in bacteria, which can worsen acne and other bacterial skin conditions.

Finally, there has been some concern over whether or not petroleum can be carcinogenic. Unrefined petrolatum (from which petroleum is derived) has been known to be carcinogenic. Most experts state that petroleum taken from a safe source and properly purified will not contain carcinogenic properties; however, this is never a sure thing, and those wishing to err on the side of caution should stay far away from petroleum products.

Sulfates
Most mainstream cleansers contain sulfates or another form of detergent. Sulfates are cleansing agents, typically listed as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate, or just SLS for short. From facial cleansers to shampoos to toothpaste, most products on the beauty aisle contain a sulfate or two.

But, did you know of the dangers that sulfates post? First off, SLS is known to cause damage to the protein formation of eye tissue. In animal studies, SLS penetration is much higher in neonatal and young animals, and shows penetration into the eyes as well as the systemic tissues! It was also discovered that SLS was still present in tissues up to five days after a single drop was administered.

On top of that, SLS is also known to react with other beauty ingredients to form NDELA, a potent carcinogen. As seen above, SLS is already known to be highly absorbed by the body. In its carcinogenic form, it’s just that much more dangerous when absorbed. 

Lastly, SLS is a known skin irritant. In fact, SLS is the laboratory standard used to induce contact dermatitis (sensitivity caused by an external aggressor) in order to test products designed to soothe and heal this skin condition. It has been shown to damage skin barrier function, enhance allergic responses, damage and alter skin cells, cause skin roughness, and more.

These reasons and more have led a complete ban of SLS in Europe. In the U.S., though, it’s still generally recognized as safe. But, as far as Raw Essentials in concerned, it’s not safe enough for use in our products.

Artificial Colors and Fragrances
Humans like things that look and smell nice. The natural scent of flowers, the vibrant color of a sunset; these are almost universally loved! That’s why beauty products are so often created to appeal on a sight and scent level before almost anything else.

Unfortunately, many companies rely on artificial colors and fragrances to achieve this goal. It may seem innocent enough, but the fact is that just one artificial fragrance may contain hundreds of chemicals in order to achieve that “fresh” cucumber scent that you love so much.

Fragrances are considered a trade secret, so beauty brands don’t have to spill the beans on which chemical compounds they use to scent their products. Similarly, color combinations do not have to be displayed on the ingredients lists. And that unscented product you use? It may contain masking fragrances to cover up the scent of other chemicals used in the product!

All these chemicals pile up together to form a mess that doesn’t benefit your skin at all, and may even cause a reaction, especially in sensitive skin types. Here’s a quick rundown of just some of the side effects caused by artificial fragrance and/or color:

• Immune system damage, leading to a person becoming sensitized and experiencing allergic reaction to the offending ingredient with further use
• Hormone disruption, including fertility issues, caused by phthalates. Phthalates are found in many fragrances, specifically spray perfumes
• Brain damage caused by neurotoxins, chemicals which are toxic to the brain and are known to be found in some fragrance chemicals
• Non-phthalate hormone disruption caused by synthetic musks, which are also highly absorbed and even found in the umbilical cord blood of some newborn U.S. infants
• Skin rashes and swelling caused by artificial dyes
• Hyperactivity, headaches, mood disorders and more caused by artificial dye absorption

As you can see, these very common ingredients have a very sinister dark side. Just because they’re used by many does not mean that they should be used at all. With Raw Essentials, you can rest assured knowing that your skin care products will never contain these harmful ingredients.

Featured Product: Moisturizing Face Serum

Raw Essentials is the perfect skin care line for all skin types and conditions. Because of its raw formulation, it is extremely nourishing while maintaining a gentleness rarely seen in such an active skin care regimen. For those concerned with visible signs of aging, Raw is able to tackle fine lines and wrinkles with precision, and without causing damage or discomfort.

Our Moisturizing Face Serum is one such product. Formulated with our proprietary blend of cold-pressed tamanu nut and monoi oils, Moisturizing Face Serum expertly works to soften and illuminate skin, restoring a youthful and healthy radiance.

In addition to these rich, non-comedogenic oils, Moisturizing Face Serum features the Party Foam POM Complex, a dynamic duo of pomegranate and orange blossom extracts. These ingredients are able to help you achieve firmer skin while also working to smooth lines and wrinkles. The result is skin that looks, feels, and acts younger.

Finally, aloe soothes and comforts irritation, hibiscus exfoliates to smooth away fine lines and dead skin cells, and essential vitamin E neutralizes free radicals with skin care antioxidants. These antioxidants also work by preventing future free radicals, helping to stop the occurrence of premature signs of aging.

As with all of the products from Raw Essentials, the active ingredients found in Moisturizing Face Serum are never heated above 115 degrees to ensure that all of the ingredients retain their nourishing vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. This means that your skin is able to fully recognize and absorb the benefits of each raw ingredient, allowing for maximum results.

As you can see, this comprehensive skin care serum is your one-stop-shop for moisture, nourishment, and anti-aging actions. Whether you’ve already begun to see visible signs of aging on your face, or you’re simply looking to prevent their onset, Moisturizing Face Serum will work to give you a youthfully glowing complexion.