BLOG
Beautycounter, Sally B’s Skin Yummies, and 10 others were the first to be EWG VERIFIED
Sally B’s Skin Yummies, Beautycounter and others are so committed to making sure consumers trust the ingredients, they paid for EWG to test and monitor their products.
Recycling: Let’s get serious
At Sally B’s Skin Yummies, we care about you, your family, and the planet. We have always strived to keep those things front and center. When it comes to our packaging, we have always sought to find items that are easy to recycle.
Enter to Win the Sally B’s Summer Must-Haves Collection PLUS a $25 Gift Card!
Congratulations, Sarah Rhoads! You have been randomly selected to win our Summer Must-Haves Collection PLUS a Sally B’s Skin Yummies $25 Gift Card!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
How to Create the Perfect All Natural Skin Care Routine
In your quest to find the perfect all-natural skincare routine, it is essential to consider the different aspects of your current daily routine. We recommend a makeup detox, which can be broken down into several different categories of products.
Common Skin Care Myths Debunked
Over the years we have collected a treasure trove of old wives tales disguised as beauty secrets. From toothpaste on pimples to mouthwash on feet to not sleeping on your side, these stories make us smile as we imagine the women throughout our ancestry who actually subscribed to these practices.
Sally B’s Summer Must-Haves Collection
Summer is officially here, and it's that time of year when we let loose, unwind and take that vacation we've been dreaming of! It's also a time to transition our skincare routine to meet the demands of the Summer season. Let us help you with our Sally B’s Skin Yummies’ Summer Must-Haves Collection.
Read More >>
Summer is officially here, and it's that time of year when we let loose, unwind and take that vacation we've been dreaming of! It's also a time to transition our skincare routine to meet the demands of the Summer season. Let us help you with our Sally B’s Skin Yummies’ The Importance of Reducing Your Toxic Load
We all have a general idea that toxins are bad for our health and that it is a good idea to stay away from them whenever possible. But do you know the prevalence of toxins in our lives and what they are actually doing to our bodies?
Travel Tips To Keep Your Skin Healthy and Looking Its Best
For years when I would go on vacation I would find that my skin would change. Sometimes it would become super dry, sometimes it would breakout, and other times it would be lack luster. I always chalked it up to the different water or a different environment. Sure, that had something to do with it, but the true culprit came down to routine. Not only was I casting aside my usual routine, but I was also not tweaking my routine to gel with my new locale. I naively thought that a couple days away meant I could use hotel provided products and skip a step here or there and my skin would bounce back to its usual self when I got home.
Make-Up Free, But Not Skincare Free
From celebrities to everyday women, going without makeup is becoming more commonplace. We even see it with our customers since our skincare products have shown to improve skin tone and texture. Why not show off that beautiful skin with a makeup-free day. While inspiration behind the makeup-free look varies from woman to woman, we applaud the confidence to create your own personal look and display your natural beauty.
The Importance of Honey Bees
Summer is here and the bees are out! After hibernating over the winter, bees awaken in time to collect pollen and nectar from flowering plants. While bees can sometimes seem like a backyard nuisance, the unassuming Honey Bee is one of the most important elements in our life cycle.
Read More >>
Skin Care Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin C has made a name for itself as a powerful and important antioxidant, essential for optimum skin health. L-ascorbic acid is one of the most common forms of Vitamin C, which we use in our Antioxidant Skin Boost, and is among the most effective. Research shows that L-ascorbic acid can:
Repair Free-Radical Damage
Free radicals are unstable cells, meaning they are short an electron caused by external factors like oxidation, pollution, cigarette smoke, and various health conditions. While Vitamin E is the primary defender against oxidation, Vitamin C is particularly potent against the free radicals caused by pollution. When Vitamin C is added to the skin, it neutralizes free radicals by donating one of its electrons to an unstable free radical, making it whole and happy. Contrary to how free radicals are formed, antioxidants like Vitamin C remain stable, even with the loss of their donated electron.
Promote Collagen Production
Collagen is the key to firm, soft, and supple skin. Without it, our skin loses its elasticity, which in turn leads to wrinkles and fine lines. Our bodies naturally create it, but as we age, our bodies break down the collagen and our ability to produce more diminishes. Luckily, when topically applied, Vitamin C has been proven to stimulate the synthesis of collagen.
Reduce Inflammation
Research shows that Vitamin C protects against harmful substances that contribute to disease. Because of this, studies suggest that it has some anti-inflammatory benefits.
Strengthen Skin and Hair
While it is promoting collagen production, Vitamin C is also working to strengthen blood vessels underneath the skin. It also plays a significant role in absorbing iron, which helps to keep hair healthy and strong.
Your body naturally produces some antioxidants, but Vitamin C is not one of them. So, it is important that you introduce the nutrient to your body through diet (think broccoli, citrus fruit, strawberries, and tomatoes) and skin care every day. Why every day? Vitamin C is not stored in the body. It is water-soluble, and the excess is expelled with urine.
While Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, it is more beneficial when formulated with other antioxidant and cell-communicating ingredients. This is why we created our Antioxidant Skin Boost. The powder mix combines L-ascorbic acid with Organic Pomegranate Extract, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, and Resveratrol for a product that repairs and protects. Using our Antioxidant Skin Boost every night can give your complexion a healthy glow while slowing down the aging process.
Browse our Sally B's Skin Yummies pure nontoxic skin care products made using only the highest quality organic, natural, and wild-crafted ingredients!
DIY Organic Foot Spa
We often say it’s a good thing that our feet are hidden away in socks and shoes during the winter. The dry and cracked skin that we inevitably endure can be tough on the eyes. But armed with the right arsenal of products and some DIY know how, you can keep your feet feeling and looking great as you jump into Summer!
"Winter feet" at times are unavoidable but ashy, flaky feet can be transformed. Our solution: an at-home spa day. Here is how you can transform your bathroom into a tired foot's dream:
- First, exfoliate skin with Sally B’s Skin Yummies’ Moisturizing Body Buff. On dry skin, massage a quarter-size amount of Body Buff on to each foot. The natural abrasiveness of organic sugar inside will slough off dead skin cells, while the organic shea butter and jojoba oil will add moisture to the skin. And you're not just pampering your feet! Your hands will benefit from massaging the Body Buff onto feet!
- Rinse off Body Buff and soak feet in warm water for about 10 minutes. When you’re finished you can do additional exfoliation with a pumice stone if necessary.
- Have rough or dry spots? Rub our Tamanu Neem Healing Bar generously over the problem areas. The two named ingredients – Tamanu Oil and Neem Oil – will help moisturize, promote the regeneration of new skin cells, and soothe dry, itchy skin.
- Add moisture. Our Healing Hand Butter is not just for hands! This product is an excellent source of moisture and can help replenish moisture to hard-working feet just as well as it can hands. Generously apply Healing Hand Butter to both feet and then put on a pair of cotton socks to lock in the moisture (and ensure you don’t slip slide around the bathroom floor). For best results moisturize before bed and leave socks on overnight.
- Moisturize regularly. Using lotion after a bath or shower is always great, but employing the Healing Hand Butter and sock combo a couple nights a week will give you super soft results.
This DIY foot spa is also a good idea during seasonal transitions. Summer can leave feet tired and worn, just like Winter can, so it's always a great idea to pamper feet and start the season with fresh, happy skin!
5 Skin Care Benefits of Organic Black Cumin Seed Oil (and why you will love it, too)
Skin can become dry for various reasons, and when this happens, it's time to start thinking about how you will tweak your skin care routine. One simple solution is adding a serum to your mix of products. Typically a serum is lightweight and fast absorbing and adds a big punch of moisture to the skin. At Sally B's, however, our products always work double duty, and our Antioxidant Serums are no exception. They add moisture and a whole lot more thanks to the hero ingredient, Organic Black Cumin Seed Oil (aka Black Seed Oil).
A powerhouse ingredient, Black Cumin Seed Oil has built quite a reputation for itself. Since the beginning of Middle Eastern civilization, the oil derived from the seed of the Nigella Sativa flower has been a coveted beauty and health staple. Cleopatra was said to have never gone a day without applying it, and others explain it to be a "remedy for all disease except for death." While studies show that its benefits include reducing tumor size, promoting the production of healthy bone marrow, stimulating the immune system, and easing digestive issues, we love it for its skin beautifying benefits, too.
5 skin care benefits of Black Cumin Seed Oil:
- It is extremely moisturizing. Black Cumin Seed Oil is an excellent source of Vitamin B, which helps to retain moisture in the skin.
- It helps to fight acne. Skin that overproduces oil is more susceptible to acne breakouts since excess oil collects in pores. The essential fatty acids in Black Cumin Seed Oil help to flush out this oil. They do this by creating healthy skin cells that work to dissolve fat deposits in pores.
- It minimizes the signs of aging. With its moisture-retaining qualities and antioxidant properties, Black Cumin Seed Oil keeps skin elastic and fights damaging free radicals that cause wrinkles and fine lines.
- It tames redness and soothes irritation. Black Cumin Seed Oil has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. This is especially helpful for those experiencing irritation from psoriasis or eczema as Black Cumin Seed Oil reduces inflammation and boosts healthy immune function. It also is a strong astringent that can fight topical infections.
- It fades dark spots. Together, Vitamin A, amino acids, and fatty acids found in Black Cumin Seed Oil work together to regenerate skin cells. Over time, Black Cumin Seed Oil will fade age spots and even some scars.
While Black Cumin Seed Oil makes our serums so unique, it also shines in another one of our products, Intensive Eye Repair, with the oil’s ability to fade dark spots and calm inflammation.
It might be surprising to some that we recommend using an oil to fight acne and repair skin, but oils can be skin-benefiting powerhouses. Don't believe us? Just try our Daytime Antioxidant Serum and our Nighttime Antioxidant Serum.
To learn more about Black Cumin Seed Oil, click here. To learn more about nontoxic skin care tips, ingredients and products, sign up for the Sally B’s Skin Yummies newsletter.
The Advice I Would Give to a Younger Me
How To Turn Your Bathroom Into A Luxurious Spa
There is a saying that you have to love yourself first before you can love others. We know its a cliché, but it's true: If you carve the time into your busy schedule to practice good self-care, you will love yourself more and consequently love others more too. If you want to cultivate more self-care or if you are just stressed and don't have the time to go to a spa, why not create a spa at home?
Give yourself permission to have some downtime. After all, as we like to say, we are human beings and not human doings. In this blog, we suggest some calming and nourishing things you can do for a luxurious spa moment in the comfort of your own bathroom. By the way, you don't need to practice it by yourself. Light up some candles, pour a glass of wine, and this can easily become romantic spa time.
PREPARATION
Step 1: Heat up your bathroom.
Most of what we are about to suggest, you will perform naked and you won't feel comfortable if you are cold. So either turn the heater up or use one of those portable heaters.
Step 2: Make yourself comfortable.
Take a blanket, towels, and/or a comfortable chair to sit on, put on your favorite music, light up some candles, pour some wine or a cozy tea, whatever it takes to set the mood to a relaxing atmosphere.
Step 3: Pull the products you are going to need.
- An exfoliating face mask and mixing ingredients (for example honey or yogurt if you are mixing your mask with something other than water)
- A body buff
- Bath salt or a relaxing essential oil
- A body and a face moisturizer.
EXECUTION
First, let's exfoliate.
We don't want to sound like a broken record, but exfoliation is important because it removes dead skin and promotes cell re-growth and renewal. Apply an exfoliating mask on your face, like our B Green Mud Mask, and while the mask is working, use the body buff, like our Moisturizing Body Buff, to exfoliate your body. We recommend exfoliating before getting into the water to give the product some time to work on your skin. Once you get into warm water, the steam will open up your pores even more. When you are almost done, turn on the water in the tub or the shower, so you step right into your warm bath when you are finished exfoliating. That's also a good time to sprinkle bath salts or essential oils into the water.
Second, let’s enjoy the warm water.
Remove your mask and body buff with warm water. Splashing water on your face triggers the mammalian diving reflex. This reflex will make your body believe that you are going for a swim underwater, so your heart rate will drop, and you will feel calmer. After you have cleaned your body, take the time to be fully present by focusing on your breath. Notice your breath for a minute and then start controlling your breath by breathing in for five seconds, holding for five seconds, and then very slowly breathing out again. Control your breathing for a couple of minutes and then start noticing your body. Start at your toes and then all the way up to your head. Notice where you might be holding tension, where you might be experiencing some pain and let the warm water do its work! When you’re finished, step out of the shower or bathtub and dry your body.
Third, let’s get hydrated and moisturized.
Once you have stepped out of your bath, your skin will be the perfect clean slate to fully absorb the lotions you will use next. Your skin will not only be clean, but your pores will be open, and your blood circulation will also be better. Pick a body and a face lotion that will both hydrate and moisturize your skin. Hydration is important to improve the amount of water in the skin, and a moisturizer will create a barrier, so you don't lose moisture afterward. Consider the use of creams and lotions also rich in antioxidants like our Carrot Facial Dream Cream, our Luxe Body Butter and our Eco Body Lotion.
Now that you have completed your home spa and you are feeling nourished, calmer and happier, give yourself a pat on the back for being so kind to yourself. If you try this routine, we would love to know how it worked out for you. Please leave us a comment on our social media platforms or send us an e-mail to info@sallybskinyummies.com.
Making Skin Care Safer with the Beauty Made Better Campaign
As one of the first skin care companies to have its products earn the Nationally renowned EWG VERIFIED™ status, Sally B's Skin Yummies is proud to join Kourtney Kardashian and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to take a stand for cosmetics reform through their #BeautyMadeBetter Campaign.
Did you know that US cosmetics laws have remained largely unchanged since the Great Depression? What’s even more depressing is that Congress has left it up to consumers to find out about harmful chemicals, like formaldehyde, asbestos and lead acetate in their personal care products. Watch this video to find out more and join us in telling Congress we need a makeover with cosmetics legislation.
Sally B's Skin Yummies is committed to upholding the requirements of the stringent EWG VERIFIED™ program, which include:
-
Avoiding ingredients that authoritative health bodies have flagged for potential health concerns
-
Providing labeling that fully discloses its ingredients
-
Using adequate preservatives
-
Being free of contaminants, and
-
Following good manufacturing practices.
Find all of our Sally B’s Skin Yummies EWG Verified products HERE
To bring about awareness to this incredible program, the Environmental Working Group traveled around the country organizing after-hours pop-ups which spotlight #EWGVerified scientists, partners, and products. We were excited to be included in their event in West Hollywood and are actively working with EWG to earn their seal on the entire collection of Skin Yummies, including new products being developed! To learn more, check out our blog post on The Importance of the EWG Verified Program and the EWG Verified: For Your Health website and join us to bring about positive change to cosmetics legislation!
Do You Know Why Hyaluronic Acid is Considered a Miracle Anti-Aging Ingredient?
Do you know why HYALURONIC ACID (HA) is considered a miracle anti-aging compound? HA is an extremely effective humectant whose job it is to attract water to skin cells. The unique makeup of this ingredient allows it to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, adjusting its moisture rate based on the given humidity. This keeps skin balanced and ensures that your skin is not holding an excess of moisture. When applied topically, Hyaluronic acid creates a layer over the skin that allows it to breathe, absorb, and retain moisture.
But why is moisture in your skin so important in the first place? Good question! Proper hydration keeps cells functioning at their most optimum. Well-moisturized skin enables cells to repair themselves and produce new, healthy cells. When there is a break down of cells - whether from free radicals or age-related deteriorations – wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots start to appear.
When browsing through the Sally B’s Skin Yummies’ collection, you will find that we use HA (lab created, vegan approved) in many of our daily-wear facial products, including our Carrot Facial Dream Cream, Intensive Eye Repair, Tinted Moisturizer, Daytime Antioxidant Serum, Nighttime Antioxidant Serum, and let us not forget our new star product, the Peptide Booster Serum.
If you have any questions, please send us a message on our social media pages or an e-mail to info@sallybskinyummies.com. We love to receive messages from our customers, even if it is just to update us on your progress!
Can My Skin Benefit From Vitamin C?
One of our wonderful customers sent us a message the other day saying that she had acne when she was a teenager and that she is still recovering from it in her adult life. Therefore, she wanted to know what we recommend for brown spots (also known as pigmentation), acne scars and uneven skin. This question made us realize that this is a good time to talk about vitamin C and why our Antioxidant Skin Boost (which is loaded with vitamin C) comes in a powder format and not in a serum as you will find from many companies.
First of all, Ascorbic Acid, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is the most popular form of vitamin C because it has the most skin-related research. There are other types of vitamin C, which we will discuss in a separate blog but for now, Ascorbic Acid is the type of vitamin C we will feature in this post because research shows that it can:
Brighten up the skin. The brightening effects can be attributed to the fact that vitamin C inhibits tyrosinase, which is a key enzyme in producing pigment in our skin. By inhibiting this enzyme, vitamin C helps to lighten any discoloration from sun spots, age spots, or acne scars.
Repair free-radical damage from external factors such as pollution, cigarette smoke, oxidation, etc. Just as many potent antioxidants, vitamin C donates an electron, neutralizing the free radical and by doing so it remains stable even with the loss of an electron.
Promotes collagen production. Collagen is key to firm, soft, and supple skin. Without collagen, our skin loses its elasticity, which in turn leads to wrinkles and fine lines. Our bodies naturally create it, but as we age, our bodies break down the collagen and our ability to produce more diminishes. Luckily, when topically applied, Vitamin C has been proven to stimulate the synthesis of collagen.
Reduces inflammation. Research shows that Vitamin C protects against harmful substances that contribute to disease. Because of this, studies suggest that it has some anti-inflammatory benefits.
But does any Vitamin C, especially Ascorbic Acid, do the trick?
The answer is NO with capital letters. Chances are that many of the vitamin C serums and lotions you see out there no longer have an effective vitamin C in them. Vitamin C is a very finicky ingredient, and it is prone to breaking down, starting from the moment that it is dissolved in water. To avoid that and make sure the vitamin C stays effective, we made our Antioxidant Skin Boost in a powder format.
Another important factor to consider is that, while Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, it is more beneficial when formulated with other antioxidant and cell-communicating ingredients. This is why we combine in our Antioxidant Skin Boost L-ascorbic acid with Organic Pomegranate Extract, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, and Resveratrol for a product that repairs and protects.
Going back to our customer's question: Who can benefit from vitamin C and how do you properly use it?
Well, since vitamin C promotes collagen production, repairs free-radical damage, brightens up the skin, and has anti-inflammatory properties, it's hard to find any skin, at any age, that wouldn't benefit from vitamin C. If you are recovering from acne scars or pigmentation, you can benefit from it. If you are stressed and exposed to many free-radicals, you can benefit from it. If your skin is showing signs of aging, you can benefit from it. This is why so many people rave about vitamin C. It is, in fact, a very versatile and beneficial ingredient.
Now, if you chose our Antioxidant Skin Boost as your vitamin C product, this is how we recommend that you use it. Every night put your favorite serum or moisturizer in the palm of your hand, mix it with a scoop of the Antioxidant Skin Boost (by the way, this product comes with a little spoon) and apply it on your face. You can also use this product with your favorite mask. No matter how you mix it, if you use it every day for a couple of weeks, it will give your complexion a healthy glow, while slowing down the aging process!
If vitamin C is already part of your routine or if you try our Antioxidant Skin Boost after reading this blog, we would love to know how it is working out for you. Leave us a comment on our social media platforms or send us an e-mail to info@sallybskinyummies.com.
How to Choose a Non-Toxic Lipstick
Why are we advocates of nontoxic lipstick at Sally B's Skin Yummies? One reason is that our lips have skin that is much thinner than other types of skin on the body and lacks the hair and sweat glands to protect them leaving lips vulnerable to toxicity and damage from the elements. Another reason is that many maintain that we actually ingest what we wear on our lips. To be on the safe side, we like to think that what we put on our lips is safe enough to eat!
Lead and other toxic substances are unintended contaminants or impurities that can be present at low levels in some color additives and other common ingredients, like water, that are used to produce cosmetics, including lipstick. Here are some tips to use when shopping for nontoxic lipstick:
- The FDA’s position is to limit lead and other impurities to a certain level in cosmetics, so look for companies that avoid heavy metals at all levels.
- Avoid products that use color additives like Yellow No. 5 or Red No. 30, and choose products that achieve color naturally with micas.
- Look for products that use organic oils and butters instead of water.
- Seek out companies that go beyond what the FDA approves and add an extra level of scrutiny to ensure purity of their ingredients.
Since we are passionate about nontoxic skin care products, we use only the highest quality organic, natural, and wildcrafted ingredients for our B Glossy Lip Gloss, Lip Yummies and Lip Skinnies so you can feel good knowing that our lipstick is:
- Made with 98% organic ingredients
- Colored naturally with micas & do not contain Carmine or artificial colors
- Free of gluten, mineral oil & other petroleum-based ingredients
- Contains no artificial flavoring
Find out more about the guidelines we follow HERE.
Golden Rules to Win the Skin Care Super Bowl
With the Super Bowl just around the corner, it turns out there are lessons to be learned from professional sports that apply to our skincare routines ~ whether you are a sports fan or not! Check out our play-by-play guide to help tackle unhealthy habits by comparing football to some of our Golden Rules in Skin Care and create a strategy to make a touchdown with healthy, glowing skin!
RULE #1 - Attend practice daily
Few players are so talented that they could skip practice and then play a winning game. To be successful, players practice every day to stay fit and perfect their game. If you neglect your skin every day and go straight to facials and plastic surgery, you will be left scrambling to treat symptoms without addressing the cause of your skin issues. Healthy and glowing skin is a result of healthy habits. For best results, find a skincare routine that works for you, even if it's just a 5-minute routine, and stick to it every day.
RULE #2 - It takes a team to win the game
Yes, Tom Brady is awesome and good looking just like Superman, but even a super talented quarterback needs the help of his teammates to win the game. When it comes to skincare, unless you are a dermatologist or an esthetician, you need to surround yourself with people you trust and whom you can ask questions when needed. Seeing a dermatologist once a year, having an occasional facial, and following a company you trust that is serious about educating consumers are great habits to have. Don't drop the ball by trying to do everything on your own. You can go it alone only so far, and it’s super beneficial to have a support system.
RULE #3 - Wear the right gear
Ask a football player how important it is to use a helmet while playing football. To avoid injury during the game, all players need to use safe and quality gear. The same is true for skincare products. Being conscious of the products you use is essential. Our skin is our body’s largest organ and acts as a tissue, absorbing most everything that you slather on it. The ingredients in your products will enter into your body and your bloodstream. Pass on using products with toxic components and instead, seek out skin care products that are made with organic, natural, and good-for-you ingredients. And don’t just stop with skin care products. The laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, candles, and air fresheners in your home can come in contact with your skin and lungs affecting your health as well.
RULE #4 - What you do outside the field is just as important
If you want to be a professional player, you need to sleep and rest properly, or you’ll end up fumbling the game. Having good health is part of a successful skincare routine and a happy life. Your lifestyle choices play a critical role in your skin health so don't minimize the importance of good sleep and regular exercise, including yoga. Both of these activities will increase oxygen flow to your skin to help keep it clear and free of toxins. Since unhealthy levels of stress can affect the appearance of your skin, use diet, exercise, yoga, and meditation to keep your stress levels low and balanced.
RULE #5 - Drink plenty of water
If you observe football players during a break in the game, you will see that they stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Kick off good health by carrying around water in a glass or nontoxic container at all times. Keeping yourself hydrated is vital because it allows your body’s systems and cells to function at their very best by absorbing and digesting all nutrients found in your food and skincare products while your blood circulates efficiently ridding the body of nasty toxins.
Okay, you are now ready to win the Skin Care Super Bowl! We know it takes time to incorporate new habits and it’s not always easy, so if you ever have questions or have any skin concerns, please leave us a comment on social media or send us an email to info@sallybskinyummies.com. We are always happy to hear from you!
Hand Detox: How to maintain clean and hydrated hands this winter
Our hands can get extra dry in the winter time, especially as we work our way down our to-do lists! Not to mention that we are in the middle of flu season and cleaning our hands with harsh soap or sanitizers multiple times during the day can accentuate dryness and the appearance of wrinkles.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), studies have shown that using soaps containing antibacterial ingredients is not more effective than regular soap. This is also true when you wash your hands properly using clean running water to wet, lather, scrub, and rinse. Try to dry hands with clean towels or air dry. According to the CDC, there is no difference between using cold or hot water, and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds is ideal. Keep in mind that this is not true for those who work in a healthcare setting who are still required to use sanitizers and antibacterial soaps.
If hand sanitizers, antibacterial products or hot water can't be avoided or you need to wash hands multiple times during the day, the best next thing that you can do to prevent discomfort is to use safe and effective hand soap and hand moisturizer. This is something we keep this in mind when creating our Foaming Hand Soap and Healing Hand Butter.
Sally B’s Skin Yummies Foaming Hand Soap is ideal to help prevent excessive hand dryness because it is gentle enough to clean and leaves your hands silky and moisturized. The fact that this soap is already foamed helps to make it gentle and effective in cleaning your hands. We use oils such as coconut, jojoba, and olive oil that will keep your hands soft and moisturized by creating an occlusive, protective barrier on the surface. Additionally, our soap is EWG Verified which means that it is made with certified organic ingredients and is free of artificial-fragrances.
However, using a good soap might not be enough to moisturize your hands so consider adding a nice hand moisturizer to your routine, like our Healing Hand Butter. This is an excellent product because it is full of oils, rich butters, and natural botanicals to not only moisturize, but also create a protective barrier on the surface. A bonus is that our Hand Butter’s luscious oils and butters are easily absorbed into the skin and can reverse the effects of dryness, heal the skin, and reverse the effects of aging. Plus, it’s EWG verified!
In summary, to protect your hands, we recommend a gentle soap and a rich hand moisturizer. What you should look for in a soap is:
- Effectiveness and gentleness of the surfactant that is used in the product
- Good-for-you emollients to help your hands retain moisture and reverse the effects of free radicals
- Non-toxicity of the ingredients used
In addition to a good-for-you soap, use (at least twice per day) a rich plant-based moisturizer that will protect, heal, and soothe your hands.
The Foaming Hand Soap comes in 5 refreshing scents: Lemongrass (original scent), Lavender, Sweet Lemon Ginger, Peppermint, and Unscented.
The Healing Hand Butter comes in 4 indulging scents: Sweet Lemon Ginger, Citrus Vanilla, Lavender, and Unscented.
Sunday Soul with Sally
Today’s Soul Sunday features Sally Larsen, Owner/Creator of Sally B’s Skin Yummies, sharing some inspirational thoughts to wrap up your week on a positive note!
I was asked over the holidays about how the biz was going. I answered as I usually do.
“It was a great year. More people are looking for clean, non-toxic and organic products that actually work and that’s what we provide.”
Often, these discussions lead to my role in the company and how it feels to be the owner of a cosmetic company. My usual reply is that it’s challenging. Many people working in this industry are gorgeous and photogenic. They are styled. To me, many look manicured and flawless in front of the camera. That is just not me. I don't go to extremes to look good. I dress more for comfort than for anything else, and I don't think that my “smile lines," also known as wrinkles, are necessarily a bad thing. Hey, as my Dad used to say: It beats the alternative.
I am not fishing for an argument when these discussions come up. Many times I end up regretting that I replied in that way because sure enough, the comeback is something about my looks like, “Oh but you’re beautiful!” or they express how great it is that I’m real and that I’m inspiring. And back to looks is usually where it goes...I kick myself often that I even brought it up.
I know all too well that looks have nothing to do with how “beautiful” we are or how much we want to take care of ourselves. Really, over the past few years, doing what I feel is my call to do, I have met many women from very different walks of life, sizes, colors, and beliefs, and all of them were beautiful. I've said more than once that working in this healthy space attracts wonderful, beautiful people. There is a special type that cares deeply about not only what they expose themselves and their families to but also seeks to improve the world by eliminating toxins from their daily lives and our planet. Beauty emanates from all of them.
Even so, one of my resolutions is to focus on feeling beautiful, whatever this means ~ beauty from the inside out if you will. First of all, beauty is a broad term that goes way beyond appearance. We all have our own look and our own quest to be healthy in whatever way we deem most effective. I do have an additional goal which is to help women on their holistic journeys and to do it in a safe, non-toxic manner. Still, I will strive to pay more attention to my own interpretation of beauty and how I can make a difference in doing so.
Lastly, I just want to say that I do think you are beautiful and that I feel very privileged to work for you every day. Look in that mirror and believe it!
Sally B
MAKE CLEAN BEAUTY PART OF YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION
If your goal is to get healthy in 2019, we applaud and support you every step of the way. We also encourage you to add a non-toxic skincare routine to your resolution list!
With that said, it's important to know that when adding new products, you should do it gradually, even with non-toxic products. Anything new, including plant-based ingredients, can be a shock to your system if introduced all at once, especially when your body is busy adapting to this change and releasing accumulated toxins from your "old" lifestyle.
When people consider making a transition to non-toxic skincare products, questions often arise like:
Is it too expensive? Where do I start? Which products should I use?
We realize it can become overwhelming investing in new products and even figuring out where to start. The good news is that you don’t have to break the bank to go clean! And as far as accomplishing your goal for a healthy new year, let us offer some suggestions to guide you on your journey to a clean skincare routine.
Here are some tips to help with your transition to healthier products:
-
Take Inventory. Make a list of all the personal care products you use and research their toxicity on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.
-
Rank your products. You’ll notice that some of your products will rank higher than others. Rank them going from most toxic to the less toxic and consider swapping out the most toxic first.
-
Research the replacements. Look for companies that verify their products for non-toxicity and use mostly organic and non-toxic ingredients.
-
Try samples/travel sizes, to make sure you have selected the right products for you.
-
Swap out your products as you run out of them. When you are out of moisturizer, replace it with a healthy option. This will give you time to get used to new products while implementing a gradual change in your daily routine.
-
Clean your brushes. Something often overlooked, but very important, is to always remember to switch out or clean your brushes when you transition to a new makeup product. Bacteria and chemical residue from a previous product can accumulate in brushes, and we wouldn’t want anything interfering with your new, healthy products.
Lastly, give yourself a pat on the back for making this incredible decision to switch to clean products! Changing to a healthier lifestyle is one of the best long-term solutions you can make to your overall well being and for the sake of our planet. Stay tuned next week when we will talk about detox routines and products to use to keep you on the path to a healthier lifestyle.
If you have any questions, please send us a message on our social media pages or an e-mail to info@sallybskinyummies.com. We love to receive messages from our customers, even if it is just to update us on your progress!
How To Combat Excessive Dryness In The Winter Time
When you hear Christmas carols in the northern hemisphere, most likely it is getting cold outside. During the cold months, the air gets drier and starts sucking moisture from your skin. This is the time of the year that you are more likely to experience dryness and flakiness. But don´t worry, we have your back! One of our goals in the colder months to come is to give you tips on how you can maintain your beautiful winter glow. In this blog, we talk about products you can use on your face, lips, and body to combat excessive dryness.
In addition to these products, another great suggestion is to consider a home humidifier. If you cannot have one in every room, have one at least in your bedroom during the night. A humidifier will create a moist environment for your skin to "drink" during the night.
YOUR FACE
- Wash Your Face With A Gentle Cleanser – a good example is our TAMANU LUXURY FACIAL CLEANSER. The cleansing agent in this super-popular cleanser is saponified from oils of organic coconut, olive, and jojoba. Also it contains such wonderful moisturizing ingredients as organic camellia oil and tamanu oil. The great benefit of having oils in a cleanser is that they bind to impurities, and pull out dirt without clogging pores or stripping away beneficial oils. The oils in the Tamanu Facial Cleanser are also rich in antioxidants to combat free radicals.
- Add An Extra Layer of Moisture – one of our favorite moisturizing products is our B QUENCHED FACIAL OIL. If your regular moisturizer is not enough (and you will know), B Quenched Facial Oil can be just what you need. It is lightweight and can be used any time of the day to help skin retain moisture. Plus, the oils in B Quenched are rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants to give your face a much needed healthy glow during the cold months.
YOUR LIPS
- Use A Lip Balm Without Mineral Oil - be extra careful in the winter to not use a lip balm with mineral oil, a petroleum byproduct and a known carcinogen. Mineral oil creates an impermeable barrier that traps your body´s current moisture in, yet does not let additional moisture in. That´s why we created LIP YUMMIES, LIP SKINNIES, and LIP ASSIST CONDITIONING TREATMENT with rich moisturizing, good-for-you oils. If you need some color, LIP SKINNIES are a great option. If you just want to soothe your lips, LIP YUMMIES can help. If your lips are getting very dry and chapped, the LIP ASSIST can be your BFF (please note that you can wear the LIP ASSIST alone or over another product and/or even around your lips).
YOUR BODY
- Use Extra Rich Moisturizers – a good example is our ECO BODY LOTION (soon in a new scent, Warm + Woodsy + Floral to compliment the season). Our lotion is free from artificial fragrances and full of organic oils and butters to moisturize your skin. Another great advantage of using a lotion such as ECO BODY is its ingredients have anti-inflammatory and skin calming properties.
- Address Excessive Dryness As Soon As Possible - if your regular moisturizing routine still leaves your skin in need, consider our ANYWHERE BODY BALM. This silky balm is versatile in use and works hard to heal skin by stimulating new cell growth. Plus, it's super soothing.
- Page 1 of 8
- Next