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Glycerin
Have you ever seen glycerin, glycerine or glycerol listed in the ingredients of any of your skin care products? Ever wondered what it was doing there? A Little Background: First, glycerin, glycerine, and glycerol are used interchangeably, and they all are the same when it comes to skincare. It is colorless, odorless and sweet-tasting. In fact, it is derived from the Greek word glyko which means “sweet”. Glycerin was discovered by a Swedish chemist named Carl Wilhelm Scheele in the late 1700’s and Proctor and Gamble started producing it around…
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Is Your Cup Half-Empty or Half-Awesome?
Ever wonder if there was an investment you could make that would always pay out? Just one investment that will continue to pay out over and over? Intrigued? The answer is investing in yourself, and I believe it’s the smartest investment you can make. It’s not always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes, it seems like it’s the hardest, most selfish thing to do. I completely understand. I’m the last person on my list to take care of. By the very nature of my nursing job, I take care of others…
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Put Some Clothes On
I absolutely love spending time outside. I love breathing in the fresh, crisp air and in the Pacific Northwest we are blessed with majestic evergreen trees all around. It really is pretty magical. There’s also research to suggest that spending time outside boosts mood and lowers blood pressure, so bonus! But wait, I need to do something very important before I get too excited and rush out the door. Sun Safe I need to sport some form of sun protection before exposing myself to that burning beacon in the sky…
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How to Wear a Hat
Do you wear hats? I never thought I was a hat person. I wanted to be one. I watched the Kentucky Derby and wished I could pull off one those gorgeous, elaborate hats. I would try on different styles just to be disappointed. It didn’t help that I was doing this when I was a teenager, the only people I knew who wore hats were men and they wore baseball caps. Although baseball caps can be cute, they’re not really the best choice for every occasion. As teenagers we…
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Barefootin’
My feet depend so much on the ground to walk. I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts the other day, Freakonomics, and it got me thinking about feet (of course it did, the episode is called “These Shoes Are Killing Me!”). I have seen a lot of feet throughout the years and let me tell you, people don’t take care of their feet! We seriously under-appreciate our tootsies. They’re a pretty important piece of anatomy and are the foundation for your entire body. If you didn’t have your…
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The Skin Benefits of Algae-What You Need to Know
The ocean is wild and calm, dangerous and beautiful. It holds miraculous treasures; powerful, healing treasures. Life flourishes here. Algae are one of those life forces with abundant potential for our skin. What are Algae? Algae are nonflowering, mainly aquatic plants. They can be classified as macro (large enough to see with the naked eye) or micro (small enough to need a microscope to see it). Some algae live in the salty sea and others live in fresh water. They both hold promise, but for now, I want to focus…
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Hair! (Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair)
When you think about protection from the sun’s rays you think of your skin. Your skin is very important, and deserves thorough daily sunscreen application. There is another part of your body that is exposed to the sun every day, and yet you probably don’t even think about protecting it… your hair. Can the Sun Damage Your Hair? You may not think much about protecting your hair from sun damage because it’s not living and therefore, can’t get sunburned or develop life-threatening diseases like cancer. Also, if your hair becomes…
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Probiotics
You’ve most likely heard of probiotics for good gut health. It’s a hot topic with a lot of buzz right now. There has been some promising research to suggest that if we keep our digestive tract happy, the rest of our bodies will follow suit. Yes, even including our skin. What are Probiotics? So what are probiotics anyway? Simply put, probiotics are live microorganisms like bacteria and yeasts that have health benefits. Your body hosts large numbers of microorganisms on the inside and out. These tiny “bugs” help keep you…
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I Wear My Sunglasses at Night
Every part of your body that sees the sun’s rays is susceptible to premature ageing and skin cancer. The best defense, aside from staying inside all the time which is not recommended, is to apply sunscreen. There happens to be one place that we cannot and should not apply sunscreen, our eyes. Eyes and the Sun Just like your skin, your eyes can get sunburned. Your eyelids are designed to protect your delicate eyes but the skin is so thin that light passes through, including sunlight. Over exposure to the…
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Patience Pays
You were born with your very own personal body suit, your skin. It is the largest organ that you possess. It grows and changes as you grow and change. It has a very important job to do, and that is to protect your inside from infection and germs. Your skin is constantly exposed to injury, whether from UV exposure, pollution, or physical injuries like scratches, scrapes, and other wounds. It is perpetually making new skin cells to repair itself. It’s always on the defensive, just waiting to mobilize the troops…
