Fabulous Shea Butter

Shea butter is commonly used in skin care and bath and body products. It is renowned for its moisturizing and healing properties. Shea butter contains large amounts of Vitamin A and E and other beneficial vitamins such as D and F. As we all know Vitamin A rebuilds skin cells and Vitamin E is full of antioxidants that protect the skin against free radicals.

Shea butter has such wonderful moisturizing properties that it is idea for those that suffer from dry skin, eczema, psoriasis and skin dermatitis. Shea butter does not clog pores and is gentle enough to use on babies. It absorbs easily into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.

Short list - benefits of shea butter:

Anti-aging properties - due its high content of Vitamin A it is a wonderful product to include in your skin care program. Daily uses of shea butter will reactivate collagen synthesis, improve skin texture and brighten a dull or grayish complexion. Additionally, it adds elasticity to skin and firms up aging skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Healing properties - its moisturizing quality will improve skin cracks and smooth out rough heels. Additionally it provides healing properties for insect bites, sunburns, eczema, dermatitis, blemishes, scars, burns, stretch marks, and poison ivy or oak. Shea butter will drain toxins from sore muscles and provide relief from arthritic pain.

Prevention - Shear butter will also provide prevention against stretch marks, ward of fine lines and wrinkles, and reduce or eliminate skin peeling after sunburn. Use after shaving to prevent irritation and restore skins natural luster.

Shea butter is a bath and body and skin care product that does it all. It protects the skin against free radicals and the high levels of moisture and healing properties will leave your skin so smooth, soft and supple that you will wonder how you ever got along without it!

Check out these great products! For some great skin care recipes, informative skin care articles, visit Complete Skin Care Therapy


Tree Hut Shea Body Butter, Original, 7-Ounce Jars (Pack of 3)

East African Shea Butter

Aging Skin - Age Defying Treatments

I don't know why but it seems to happen overnight, you look in the mirror and notice a brown or black spot, the fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth and eyes suddenly seem more apparent, the skin doesn't seem to have the elasticity it once had and your overall complexion seems blotchy and uneven. These are common examples of aging skin and there are remedies to slow down and/or reverse the signs of aging.

Fine lines and Wrinkles: the cause of fine lines and wrinkles are due to dry skin. They usually appear around the eyes first (crows feet), and then the lips. Additionally, they can appear on the cleavage and neck area. To reduce the appearance of winkles, and to ward off further fine lines and wrinkles, a rich moisturizer is needed. There are various products on the market to combat fine lines and wrinkles and finding one that works for your specific skin type can be trial and error. However, when shopping for your moisturizer look for products rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and natural moisturizing oils such as almond or jojoba oil.

Discoloration and age spots - black and brown spots are usually the result of sun damage. An uneven skin tone can also be the result of sun damage and other factors too, such as diet, hormones, genetics, etc. These age spots and an uneven skin tone can be lightened naturally with homemade ingredients and there are several skin lightening products on the market. However, if any spot appears to change color, shape, etc., it is recommended that you see a dermatologist. Below are a couple of homemade remedies for skin lightening.

Lemon juice - a bleaching agent that will lighten sunspots. Dab a cotton ball of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the brown spots in the morning and evening. Note - lemon juice is photo-sensitive so protect your skin with sunscreen.

Apply the fleshy side of a green papaya, right out of the fridge to reduce the appearance of age spots. Just apply the papaya to the spots for 15-20 minutes daily and repeat until you attain the desire lightness.

Loss of elasticity - as we age the gravity takes it toll on our body and our skin. Additionally, oil glands become less productive and the skin cells do not rejuvenate as fast as when we were young. When selecting a product that will plump up the skin, select products that are rich with Vitamin A, Vitamin C and alpha or beta hydroxy. Products that promote circulation and increase collagen will improve skin elasticity.

Above are just a few of the signs of aging, and knowing and following a good skin care program which we all know is cleansing, toning, and moisturizing will do wonders at keeping the signs of aging at bay. Additionally add a facial mask, facial peel or exfoliate in your skin care program and your skin will reward you with a beautiful complexion.

There are several homemade skin care recipes that will combat aging skin and there are also products on the market that will improve and combat the signs of aging. Learn more about skin care at Complete Skin Care Therapy


There are informative skin care articles, easy homemade skin care recipes such as: making your own essential oils, rosewater toner, Vitamin C serum, and homemade soaps, just to name a few.

Check out this great ebook! Skinsational Ebook





The Naturally Skinsational recipe ebook provides a wonderful selection of homemade natural skin care recipes for facial treatments.

Gotta have the moisturizer

Starting my day without my Olay moisturizer is almost painful. My face will feel neglected, dry, and unprotected all day long. My moisturizer prevents and relieves my dry skin condition, which in most cases is the most common cause of fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, my daily application of moisturizer will protect my skin from free radicals, mask imperfections, and improve skin tone and texture. Another great feature of moisturizer is that it will make the application of my foundation blend that much easier.

The most basic ingredients in moisturizers are a combination of humectants, emollients, fragrances and preservatives. Humectants, such as urea, glycerin, and alpha hydroxy acids, just to name a few, are substances that absorb water from the air and hold the moisture in the skin. For humectants to be effective they need high levels of humidity.

Emollients such as lanolin, mineral oil, and petrolatum are ingredients that fill in the spaces between the cells in the skin thus providing a smoothing effect. There are basically two types of emollients; they are either water based or oil based. My daytime facial moisturizer is water based but my night time facial moisturizer and body lotion is oil based. A good example of an oil based lotion would be Eucerin. I use Eucerin for my body moisturizer and it feels wonderful after shaving my legs. Eucerin seems to lavish my legs with much needed moisture.

There is an array of moisturizers on the market and finding the right moisturizer can be trial and error. However, when you find the right one, your skin will reward you with a beautiful complexion and smooth finish.

For more skin care articles and skin care recipes, visit Complete Skin Care Therapy

Here is my "can't live without" product! Olay Daily Hydrating Lotion

What is your "cant live without" skin care product?

Beauty on a Budget

What used to be considered an everyday necessity, such as skin care products, are now somewhat of a luxury item. The dollars you spent freely trying various skin care and beauty products seems a little extravagant now. Times are tough for a lot of people, the stock market is down and people are losing their savings, and losing their jobs. Prices keep going up but increases in pay are minimal. However, there is hope, and there are inexpensive alternatives than expensive store bought skin care and beauty products.

Easy exfoliation: Add a little sugar to your existing cleansing cream. A sugar scrub is ideal for sensitive skin. Another exfoliate is Epsom salts, mix some Epsom salts with your cleansing cream for a microdermabrasion treatment.

Under eye bags and circles - skip the expensive cream and try a tea bag. The main ingredient in a tea bag is tannin and it works naturally to reduce puffiness and dark circles. All tannins act as astringents, shrinking tissues and contracting structural proteins in the skin and mucus. So while sipping your tea, save that tea bag. Cool it in the refrigerator and apply the cooled tea bags to your eyes for about 10 minutes.

Customize your own lip tint - how fun! This lip tint will last longer than many lipsticks and so much fun to experiment with the colors. Select your favorite gelatin color then dampen a foam tipped applicator with water and dip into the gelatin powder. Apply the color directly to the lips. Add more than one coat to deepen the tone, if desired. For shine, add a touch of glycerin or lip balm on top.

Easy Skin Toner - a toner is used after cleansing to remove leftover residue and restore pH balance.
Anti-Aging Toner
1/2 cup pure spring water or distilled water
2 teaspoons green tea leaves (or 1 green tea bag)
Bring water to a boil. Place the tea leaves or tea bag in a glass or bowl. Pour the boiling water over the leaves or bag and steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the green tea into a bottle, and let it cool. Apply to skin with cotton balls. Do not rinse. Apply moisturizer.

Green tea provides antioxidants and protects against free radicals here is a simple skin care recipe:
Moisturizing Mask for Hydration
2 Tbls plain yogurt
1 Tbls oatmeal, cooked and cooled
1 Tbl Honey
Mix all ingredients together, then let cool. Apply to face for 15 minutes. Yogurt gently exfoliates and cleanses while oatmeal and honey have moisturizer and hydrating properties.

Stretch your foundation:
Mix your foundation with your moisturizing cream. You will find the foundation is easier to apply and blend, and your foundation will last a lot longer. Usually it is 2 parts moisturizer to one part foundation but you can adjust as needed. The best part is you are sure not to neglect your moisturizer treatment, a very important step in a good skin care program.

Finally simple steps to finish off a beautiful you are:

Shape those eyebrows: Well shaped eyebrows accent the eyes and frame the face. If you can afford any beauty treatment, the eyebrows should be at the top of the list.

Hair shine - There are so many hair shine products on the market these days I get tired of reading all the labels. An easy hair shine recipe is to apply olive oil or glycerin onto freshly washed or dry hair. Also a milk or vinegar rinse will add vibrancy and shine.

Above are just a few skin care recipes and beauty tips to keep you looking beautiful even when budgets are tight. Also they are eco-friendly and require no animal testing or cruelty! For more skin care recipes and articles visit Complete Skin Care Therapy

Carol Belanger author of 300+ Skin Care Recipes