Tag: Skincare Guides

One Thing You Never Thought Of Doing With Oil

Published on by Lee2 Comments

It sounds extra AF, but swishing oil around your mouth might just be the best thing for your health and skin, seriously! The idea comes from ancient Ayurvedic medicine and involves taking a tablespoon of oil and swishing it around your mouth like mouthwash, for twenty minutes. Believe it or not, this detoxifying method actually has a ton of health benefits that improve oral health, and it can even improve acne, whiten your teeth, help with headaches, and detox your entire body.

How To Do Oil Pulling:

On an empty stomach – first thing in the morning is the best time – swish a tablespoon of oil around your mouth for twenty minutes (at least ten minutes if you’re in a hurry). Our preference is coconut oil, because obvs we have a ton lying around and it’s also antibacterial, but you can also use sesame, olive or sunflower oil. Initially, it might feel a little gross, but persist, and like us, you might even end up enjoying the experience! It should always be done on an empty stomach, so wait at least four hours after eating, and an hour after drinking.

Whatever you do, don’t swallow the oil; otherwise, you’ll basically allow all the toxins that have been drawn out to go into your stomach. Once you’ve swished for 15-20 minutes, spit it out in your bin. You can do almost anything (except speak) while you do this, but keep an eye on the time, as if you do it much longer than 20 minutes, it’s possible that the toxins could be reabsorbed into your body. Rinse your mouth with warm water or salt water, and brush your teeth.

How Oil Pulling Works:

how oil pulling works

It’s quite gross to think about, but your mouth is filled with bacteria, fungi, toxins, and plaque. Oil pulling literally cleanses your mouth by drawing out all the toxins from your gums and teeth, before they’re able to spread to the rest of your body.

Why Oil Pulling is Awesome:

Who’d have thought that you can forego a ton of expensive beauty products simply by following this daily ritual? Oil pulling is an amazing way to improve your health and detox your body, skin, and gums. Though there’s yet to be significant research into oil pulling, promising results have been found, and many doctors recommend it – apparently, Gwyneth Paltrow and Shailene Woodley are fans. Here’re just some of the amazing benefits:

Skin-clearing: Catching out nasty toxins before they reach the rest of your body has a huge impact on your skin. The same way washing your skin gets rid of surface bacteria, oil pulling gets rid of bacteria that causes skin problems before they have a chance to take hold. Reports have shown that oil pulling for a month has helped improve acne and eczema.

Teeth whitening and fresh breath: Oil pulling can remove surface stains from your teeth, and because the fats in oil can dissolve plaque, it prevents plaque build-up and reduces the risk of tooth cavities for an extra white smile. The removal of bacteria from your mouth also results in fresher breath throughout the day.

Detoxes your body: The mouth is our gateway to the majority of substances in our body, by removing bacteria from the mouth before it has a chance to reach the rest of your body it majorly impacts on your health.

Increases energy: Our immune system works 24/7 to eliminate toxic waste from the body. By getting rid of these nasty toxins at the source before your body has to, it saves precious energy to be spent on other activities.

Reduces headaches and hangovers: We’ll be honest, anything that promises to cure a hangover is worth trying; the process of oil pulling will remove alcohol toxins still lurking in your body from the night before, helping you and your body feel much better. Headaches and migraines can be a reaction to your body being under toxic stress; so extract the toxins, reduce the stress!

Why Coconut Oil is Our FAVE:

We’ve found that coconut oil, (try to use 100% raw organic cold-pressed coconut oil) is the best oil to use. Not only is it easy to find and inexpensive, but it’s also by far the best tasting of the bunch. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid that has antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, while Vitamin E is rich in antioxidants and it’s antibacterial. If you’re going to have oil in your mouth for twenty minutes, it should at least taste okay!

Oil pulling can easily become part of your morning routine: swish while you shower and tone, or while you get dressed and scroll your Insta feed. If you’re at home, take advantage of the period after lunch before dinner and swish on an empty stomach while you watch TV.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

CBD OIL: AN EFFECTIVE CURE FOR ACNE?

Published on by Lee8 Comments

In the world of natural healing, nothing is trending hotter right now than cannabinoid oil, also known as CBD oil. It’s been claimed to heal depression, anxiety, inflammation, and even cure acne! That’s right- acne. Whenever something claims to cure or even help acne, I’m always a skeptic and insist on trying it myself. I did of course, and saw real eye-opening result. Specifically, when it came to reduction of inflammation, sebum production, and stress levels. Did it work for my acne? Yes CBD oil reduced my acne after a month of use. But, we will dig deeper into that in a little bit. Before we get into how it exactly works to treat acne, let’s examine what exactly CBD oil is, how it works, and what it can be used for.

WHAT IS CBD OIL?

First things first, CBD is not weed, okay?! If you’re thinking, “heck yeah, I’m going to get legally stoned”, sorry, but you’d be wrong. It’s true Cannabinoid oil is extracted from the hemp or marijuana plant, but unlike its controversial counterpart, marijuana, it doesn’t contain any physcoactive properties. CBD oil contains higher levels of CBD and low levels of THC; THC being the only chemical in marijuana that causes the physcadelic effects, also known as the “high” feeling when smoked or consumed.

CBD (also known as cannabidiol) is the non-psychotropic component of marijuana or hemp. CBD oil is a mixture of the CBD isolate (pure CBD) + an oil like olive, hemp, or coconut. CBD oil won’t get you high because it doesn’t have the mind-altering properties of marijuana’s tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content (they are sourced in different ways).

It is also important to know that CBD oil is not the same thing as hemp seed oil. The two are often marketed interchangeably, but CBD oil is richly concentrated in cannabidiol, whereas hemp seed oil only contains trace amounts of cannabidiol, if any.

WHAT DOES CBD OIL TREAT?

CBD oil has been claimed to treat various different diseases. It’s basically considered a cure all, here are some of the diseases or general disorders that have claimed to be cured or significantly helped by CBD oil users:

  • Anxiety
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Appetite
  • Migraines
  • Insomnia
  • Stress
  • Cancer
  • Inflammation
  • Chronic pain
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Epilepsy
  • Acne or other skin conditions

IS CBD GOOD FOR ACNE?

CBD oil is extremely effective when it comes to the treatment of acne in three ways, by inhibiting oil production, decreasing stress, and reducing inflammation.

Regulates Oil Production: Cannabinoid oil, either ingested orally or applied topically, helps to regulate oil production by calming down the sebaceous glands and inhibiting the overall production of sebum. This means that if your face is overly- oily and your pores are easily clogged, CBD may be a good choice for naturally regulating oil production to reduce acne.

Tames Inflammation:A second way CBD helps to reduce acne is through its anti-inflammatory effects. As we are well aware, acne is considered an inflammatory disease in which the pore becomes red, irritated, and highly inflamed. When it comes to systematic inflammation, some people can only find relief with CBD oil, more specifically those with serious joint disorders and continuous muscle pain. It is extremely surprising that in most cases people have reported an almost complete recovery from their chronic inflammation when using CBD oil regularly.

It wouldn’t be so far fetched to think that perhaps because acne is an inflammatory disease where the sufferers naturally have higher levels of inflammation (due to the genetic IGF-1 gene), cannabinoid oil may also help to naturally reduce the inflammation that comes along with it.

Reduces Stress: One of the most celebrated aspects of cannabinoid oil is its ability to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. CBD oil itself has anti-stress properties, it lowers the heart rate and allows stressed individuals the ability to relax. A study published in the international journal of neurophyschopharmacology shows that it has beneficial therapeutic benefits on the health of humans, preventing the development of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS).

This is inspiring news when it comes to the treatment of acne; because undoubtedlyacne causes stress and stress causes acne.It can be a difficult cycle to break.When stressed, the skin and the brain both create a spikein cortisol which leads to higher levels of inflammation, increased sebum production, and in general, the perfect breeding ground for acne.

With stress, inflammation, and oil production all taken out of the picture, it appears that cannabinoid oil tackles acne in a multifaceted approach, which is exactly what is needed when it comes to chronic adult acne that is unresponsive to topicals and medication.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH CBD OIL FOR ACNE

As someone who believes in dealing with acne in a holistic approach by taking all health aspects into consideration, I was beyond ecstatic to give CBD oil a whirl. It actually started couple of years ago at my friend job, when I told her I was experiencing chronic back pain, she whipped out her CBD oil and insisted that I gave it a try- I did. And I never looked back. The very next day I was so eager to try it again that I went to my local store and bought my own bottle.

Oddly enough I realized after going out that night and having a few drinks I didn’t breakout, it seemed strange but I didn’t really think too hard about it. Next few days, I was off the rails so to speak, I completely went off of my insanely strict diet and basically ate anything I wanted. I went out a few nights, drank quite a bit, stayed up all night, but wait what’s this- still no acne?! At this point I had been taking CBD oil orally for about 2 weeks.

I never thought of it as an acne treatment, it initially began with pain and easing a little bit of social anxiety, but as time went on I was surprised to find that not only was I physically feeling better but I was looking better too!

My skin, perhaps besides a spot or two, had 100% gained full clarity. I was bewildered, after so much research, time, and energy put into my diet and trying to live a healthy lifestyle, I couldn’t understand why all of a sudden (as I was completely off my diet) my skin had been the clearest and least irritated it’s been in months.

Then it dawned on me, besides ditching my old diet and ways, I wondered if there was anything new I had begun using. As someone who is very routine, it was easy for me to quickly figure out it was the CBD oil. My back pain subsided, stress was at a lower rate, and my skin was the clearest it’s been in aloongggggg time. Could this really be the miracle solution people claim it is?

I still continue to use CBD oil, it has been about a month now and I can say that I honestly have seen dramatic effects, physically and mentally. I no longer wake up and worry if I’m going to breakout, I sleep better at night, my mind feels clearer, and overall it has just been an overwhelmingly positive experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen results with their current skincare, diet, or exercise regimen and continues to struggle daily with acne. With all symptoms alleviated and no side effects included, I would stretch as far as to say that it is an even more effective treatment for acne than accutane.

How to Use CBD for Acne

If you are interested in using CBD for acne, you might be wondering the best way to start taking it. You might even be wondering if it is safe and legal.

The good news is that CBD is a safe product that millions of people are already using worldwide—and as it does not contain THC, it is legal in all fifty states.

As mentioned before, more research on CBD is underway than ever before, so far studies have been focusing on it being taken orally or transdermally (directly on the skin) when it comes to acne treatment.  For this reason, it is up to you. You might want to start by taking a tincture or edible product, and see if you notice an improvement.

You can also purchase skin care products that contain CBD or purchase a tincture and create your own home treatments (in the long run, this option might save you money and ensure that you know exactly which products are ending up in your skin care products).

Ultimately, the choice is yours— the only thing you have to lose is your pesky acne.

Have you tried CBD oil for acne or the treatment of any other disorder/disease? Let me know in the comments below! Let’s talk all things CBD.

There’s A Skincare Super Ingredient Hiding In Your Kitchen

Published on by Lee5 Comments

There’s literally nothing I love more than discovering ingredients that will solve all your beauty problems, and it turns out, Apple Cider Vinegar is SO much more than an addition to your salad dressing. Yep, apple cider vinegar is one of nature’s most potent creations, full of active ingredients, vitamins, mineral salts and amino acids. Its magical properties as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal, have been used in medicine for thousands of years, and it’s now a staple skincare supplement in my beauty regime.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

Banish acne and fade age spots: The malic acid found in apple cider vinegar makes it a potent antibacterial and antifungal substance that kills bacteria and prevents pimples from popping up. It also removes excess oil from your skin, balances your pH levels, and over time works to draw out toxins from your skin for a glowing complexion. It also works wonders on age spots and acne scars, as the alpha hydroxy acids penetrate deep into the skin, removing dead skin cells. Try washing your skin a few times a week with one part apple cider vinegar and one part distilled water, or create a toner with the same solution. For age spots, apply the vinegar directly, rinsing with warm water after 30 minutes – repeat every day for results within six weeks.

Whiten teeth: Say adios to stains and rub apple cider vinegar directly on your teeth before rinsing with water. Or, try mixing one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of water for a homemade mouthwash, which also kills bacteria that cause bad breath. Avoid doing it daily as it can break down tooth enamel.

Get glossy hair: Get the Pinterest mane of your dreams and use apple cider vinegar to cleanse your hair. It’s awesome clarifying properties remove excess buildup from products and seals the hair cuticle. Dry scalp? With natural antifungal properties, it will restore your skin’s natural pH balance and destroy dandruff by killing fungus and cleaning clogged pores and hair follicles. Try rubbing a solution of equal parts of cider vinegar with water, and a few drops of tea tree oil, onto your scalp for 5 minutes, and let it sit for 15 minutes before rinsing and shampooing as usual.

Say bye bye wrinkles: Apple cider vinegar also hydrates skin and will minimize the appearance of fine lines. Make a mask with equal parts of honey and apple cider vinegar and leave it on your skin for up to 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Or, soak a cotton pad in diluted apple cider vinegar and dab it on your skin. After ten minutes rinse with warm water and pat dry.

Soothe sunburn: When your glow is veering more towards a tomato tint, add two cups of apple cider vinegar to your bath and soak for ten minutes. It will restore your skin’s pH balance, soothe your skin, and get rid of the burning sensation.

Be careful always to dilute apple cider vinegar, as it’s a strong substance that can irritate or dry sensitive skin, and remember, you need to buy organic, raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar – otherwise all the magical enzymes will be lost during the filtering process.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

Everything You Need to Know Before Trying a Cannabis (CBD Oil)-Infused Beauty Product

Published on by Lee1 Comment

Hello Beauties,

I received another interesting email from a blogger who wanted to collaborate with me. I spoke to Kim, the Content Team of Sunday Scaries. They write articles that mainly focus on relieving anxiety and stress through various strategies including the use of CBD. Sunday Scaries also cover various applications of CBD in heart health, skin conditions, diabetes prevention, and among other exciting yet educational topics.

We are living in the marijuanaissance. Thanks to CBD, cannabis is getting its glow-up, trading in the stoner image for a new one as a luxury wellness and beauty ingredient. Loosening of cannabis laws and the enthusiasm around emerging science has legitimized the medicinal claims surrounding CBD, but it’s the boutiquification of cannabis that has made everyone want to be seen with it.

Ask any wellness or beauty aficionado, and they’ll all agree: CBD oil is having a moment. But, unlike other super beauty ingredients making a splash in skin and hair care, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the cannabis-derived ingredient. Nonetheless, its beauty benefits and promising future in beauty are hard to ignore.

I tapped three experts to find out the beauty benefits of CBD oil, plus everything you need to know before trying the popular beauty trend. See what they had to say, below.

What Is CBD Oil and How Does It Work

The cannabis plant boasts a variety of compounds—also known as cannabinoids—believed to contain medicinal benefits. Among these cannabinoids is cannabidiol, or CBD. “Oils that are pulled [from] the plant that contains a high concentration of CBD are known as CBD oils,” says Dr. Alissia Zenhausern, NMD.

In order to understand how CBD oils work, it’s important to know what cannabinoids are and what they do. Cannabinoids are chemical messengers that activate a class of cell membrane receptors located throughout the body. These body receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system, which is involved in a variety of physiological processes including appetite, pain-sensation, sleep, mood and memory. Cannabinoids are either naturally produced by the body (endogenous) or outside the body (exogenous). The cannabinoids found in marijuana and hemp, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD, are considered exogenous, which, when consumed, also interact with cannabinoid receptors in the body and can generate similar physical and psychological effects.

There are currently two known subtypes of cannabinoid receptors in the body, CB1 and CB2. The CB1 receptor is expressed mainly in the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. The CB2receptor is expressed mainly in the immune system and in hematopoietic cells. Before the CBD beauty trend took off, Dr. Zenhausern says CBD-infused drugs were most commonly used for pain management and inflammatory conditions, as “CB2 receptors are most commonly found as part of the immune system [and they can] affect inflammation and pain.

Now, it is important to note that CBD will not produce the same euphoric sensations as THC, which means using CBD won’t make you feel “high.” “The way cannabinoids work is by attaching to CB1 and CB2 body receptors. However, new research has found that CBD doesn’t seem to attach to either receptor directly and [might] help your body use its own cannabinoids,” she adds.

The Beauty Benefits of CBD Oil

Although some CBD enthusiasts experiment with adding the oil into homemade beauty tinctures, the CBD beauty trend mostly refers to products formulated with the cannabinoid. Similar to other natural beauty–benefiting ingredients—such as spirulina, which can be ingested on its own or used topically in a beauty product—the oil is the ingredient, and the beauty product is the delivery system that helps provide the skin with the beauty benefits of CBD.

Speaking of beauty benefits, CBD is chock-full of them. So much so that some dermatologists—including board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Debra Jaliman—recommend the use of CBD oil for hair and skin. “It’s rich in vitamins A, C and E,” says Dr. Jaliman. “Vitamin A stimulates the cells responsible for producing the tissue that keeps skin firm and healthy; vitamin C stimulates collagen production, and it helps to reduce signs of aging; [and] vitamin E blocks free radicals from the body [which] helps slow down the aging process,” she continues.

On top of the benefits of CBD on aging skin, it can also benefit breakout-prone complexions. “Because acne is an inflammatory condition related to overworked sebaceous-gland production, promising new research states that CBD can help reduce the production of sebum, which means CBD could become a future treatment for acne, particularly acne vulgaris, the most common form of acne associated with overproduction of sebum,” says Dr. Zenhausern.

CBD beauty products might also help other inflammatory-related conditions such as skin allergies, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. “The anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties of CBD naturally help improve irritating skin conditions including rosacea, eczema and psoriasis,” Julie Winter, COO and founding partner of CBD For Life, explains.

Skin isn’t the only thing that benefits from CBD—hair can, too! Because it’s rich in fatty and amino acids, it may be beneficial to your hair and nails, too. “CBD and hemp oil stimulate and enhance the growth of hair through the scalp’s absorption of the main fatty acids [found in CBD and hemp], omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9,” says Winter.

Potential Side Effects of CBD Oil

The good news? Unlike THC, initial studies around CBD pose little to no sign of side effects to those who ingest it. “Many small studies have looked at the safety of CBD in adults,” explains Dr. Zenhausern. “Of the studies done, researchers found that most adults well-tolerated CBD even at a wide range of doses. They found no significant side effects on the central nervous system. The most common side effects cited include fatigue, diarrhea and changes in appetite or weight.”

As for skin care, Dr. Jaliman says, “No studies have shown it to cause irritation or to aggravate sensitive skin. Research has shown CBD [beauty products are] safe to use with no unwanted side effects.”

Still, Dr. Zenhausern advises to be cautious when trying the CBD beauty trend—especially if using the straight oil versus a beauty product formulated with it. “Each CBD oil contains a different concentration of CBD, so it is very important to read the label and understand what it means,” she says.

Aside from minding the concentration, it’s also important to be aware of the legal issues surrounding the ingredient. “In the United States, each state has different laws when it comes to the use of CBD as well as medical marijuana,” says Dr. Zenhausern. “Anyone considering CBD oil should speak with their local healthcare provider for more information about the laws in their unique state as well as high-quality sources for safe CBD,” she concludes.

How to Use CBD Oil for Best Results

If the beauty benefits of CBD excite you, there are a few ways you can include the super beauty ingredient into your regimen. One of the first, most important tips for using CBD in beauty is to do your research. “Research the CBD products you are interested in purchasing and make sure the products do not contain THC,” says Winter. “CBD is not FDA-regulated so consumers should be on the lookout for companies that are transparent with their test results,” she adds.

Another important thing to consider is the results. As with all beauty products, the types of results you wish to see should dictate the way you apply or use CBD in your regimen. “Consumers can ingest CBD oil in products like tinctures for fast-acting results since it travels directly into the bloodstream. But, applying CBD topically is the most effective for targeting specific areas of the body like muscle aches and pains,” explains Winter.

As promising as CBD sounds, it’s no secret that this beauty ingredient is still pretty new and highly controversial, so my advice? As with any trendy, expert-approved beauty ingredient, it’s always wise to consult your dermatologist before adding CBD beauty products to your regimen.

Want more info?! Check out CBD Oil Benefits for Skin: What the Beauty Industry Says about It on SundayScaries.com !