Tips on Growing Younger

This just in from client Ellen Wood. It delighted us, we hope it will delight you, as well.

Scalp Stimulation, Anyone?

by Ellen Wood (www.growyoungguide.com) Keynote Speaker, Author, Columnist and Grow Young Guide

Oooooh. Aaaah.  That feels soooooooo good.

            Ever have someone wash your hair and massage your scalp?  It feels so good, you’re glad your head is leaning back over the sink so you won’t drool on your chin.

            It's a time for allowing your consciousness to go to scalp and just feel the pleasure.  This is not a left-brain thinking/talking experience; it’s one of those right-brain feeling experiences.

            Scalp massage has been used by many cultures throughout history to stimulate hair growth. I can’t vouch for that, but it does increase blood circulation, which is needed to bring oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicles.  Of course, the top of your head is one of the most difficult places to get blood flowing since we usually just keep our head upright and let it sit there all day.  Scalp massage is the best way to get blood circulating at the top of your head and help prevent hair loss (or perhaps even stimulate new hair growth, as some folks claim.)

            Scalp massage has other benefits, too.  When you massage your scalp (or better yet, have someone else do it for you), you activate neural pathways to the brain and stimulate dormant brain cells. Yes!  We can increase our brain power without even struggling with Sudoku.

            Here’s one way to massage your scalp: put some Stimulating Scalp Massage Oil on your scalp, then use the balls of your fingertips of both hands and rub in gentle, circular motions over one small area of your scalp while you count to five.  Then, with your fingertips in the same place, rub in circular motions without moving your fingertips, allowing only your scalp to move while you count to five. Then move on to the next place on your scalp and continue until you’ve massaged your entire scalp.

            Another method to use for stimulating your scalp is pulling your hair, usually before your shower and after dry brushing your skin. It takes just 15 to 20 seconds total, so try this (but get your doctor’s permission first):  Bend at the waist and let your head fall forward.  Keep your legs straight, feet hip-width apart.  With each hand take a small bunch of your hair at the roots and gently yank 3 to 5 times rapidly.  Then move to the next clusters of hair and continue that process until you’ve covered your whole head.

            WARNING:  The first time I did this was several years ago when I was in my late 60s.  I was naked and when I bent over at the waist, I was unprepared for the shock of what my eyeballs were staring at.  Not a pretty sight!  I just hadn’t looked at myself naked in an upside-down position in a long time so I was caught by surprise.  If my breasts were larger, they might have covered my belly, but I’m not sure I was ready for that picture either.

            I am a proponent of loving yourself exactly as you are, so if you don’t like what you see when you bend at the waist and pull your hair, tell your belly and boobs you love them as they are and thank them for doing their job (and still being there) – or wear clothes.

Face Masks Part 2

The most basic mask:

Cleanse your face using your favorite method.

In a small cup or bowl, pour approximately one tablespoon (1/2 ounce) of your chosen clay. Gradually stir in (1/2 teaspoonful, or 2 mls at a time) your chosen Hydrosol. Stir well, continue to add liquid until a smooth fairly liquid "mud" is formed.

Apply in a smooth layer to face and neck, avoiding eyes and lips.

Relax for 10 to 20 minutes until the clay has totally dried. Rinse well with warm water. If desired, follow with your favorite moisturizing facial oil.

Additions:
For any skin type:
Use 1 teaspoon of barely warmed honey as part of the liquid. (Warming the honey makes it more liquid.)

For Acnied Skin:
To the warmed honey, described above, stir in one drop of Tea Tree, German Chamomile, or Manuka essential oil. The tea tree and manuka are powerful antibacterials, while the german chamomile is a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Especially for oily skin or acne it helps to remove the mask with steaming washclothes. Add a drop or two of one of the above essential oils to a bowl of hot water, wet the washcloth and gently wring out excess moisture.

For Oily Skin:
You might add a pinch or two (up to a teaspoon) of very finely powdered oatmeal to the clay. Stir in well before adding hydrosols.

A large fresh strawberry, very finely pureed is a wonderful addition to an oily skin mask.

For Dry Skin:
Instead of, or in addition to the hydrosol, and perhaps honey, add 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of your favorite facial oil to the clay. My personal choice is either Squalane or Argan oil, but Avocado oil is a wonderful addition as well. Please note, the addition of a fixed oil will prevent the clay from drying as hard as in a mask composed of just hydrosols and/or honey. Leave the mask on for 15 to 20 minutes and remove with tepid water. You skin will be moist and glowing.

A bit of finely mashed avocado is a traditional ingredient for a mask for dry skin.

Adding 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to part of the liquid portion of the mask will help draw moisture to dry skin.

For Sensitive or Inflamed Skin:
Consider using Aloe Vera Gel as part of the liquid in your mask.

Please note, these are not hard and fast rules. Have fun with them!

Coming next: Which Hydrosols for your skin?

Face masks (or Face Masques) Part I

To start with... which type of clay to use?

The most basic face mask, and probably the easiest to make is a blend of which ever type of clay is suited to your skin type, moistened with an appropriate hydrosol, to make a smooth "mud." Spread the moistened clay over your face, avoid the eye area, let dry, and rinse well with tepid water.
A mask will always help with exfoliation, may dry excess oil, and can help your skin detoxify. There are those who say that the minerals contained in various clays can also be beneficial to your cells.

The "Fun" part of creating a face mask lies in selecting ingredients that are suited to your skin type.

First - Clays:
Commonly available clays helpful for various skin types.
GLACIAL CLAY
Glacial Clay is composed of particles that are small enough to create a powerful absorption factor for the skin and due to it’s chemical properties it has the ability to remove toxins and bacteria and dead skin cells to leave the skin healthy, purified, and smooth.
It stimulates the circulation, detoxifies, exfoliates dead skin cells while and smothes down wrinkles, leaving the skin soft, smooth and invigorated. It produces erythema (local skin warming), accelerates physiological processes and increases cell regeneration in surrounding tissues, improving skin elasticity and overall complexion. Because of the warming effect, I would avoid using Glacial Clay on very sensitive skin.
Because of its strongly detoxifying effect, Glacial Clay is highly recommended for skin plagued by acne, blackheads, pimples, etc.

SEA CLAY
Wonderful for oily skin Sea clay draws impurities like a magnet! It provides deep cleansing, tighten pores, revitalize the complexion and help clear problem skin. Sea clay is the best for oily skin due to its high mineral content. Due to its high content of minerals, sea clay draws oils from the skin, and is rich in algaes, macro- and micro-minerals, as well as sodium and sulphur. Sea plants, seawater, sea salt and oceanic clay have long been popular physical-therapy ingredients in Europe. Recommended as medical therapeutic agents as early as 1578, seawater and sea derivatives were administered for rheumatism and general rehabilitation. Sea clay is an important ingredient in body wraps to lose inches and cellulite.

WHITE KAOLIN

One of the mildest of all clays, French White Kaolin is suitable for the most sensitive skin. It will help stimulate circulation while gently exfoliating and cleansing. It does not draw oil from the skin so is a good choice for dry skin. It is also high in minerals known to be beneficial for oily or blemished skin. It can help heal blemishes and inflammation, while preventing more problems from forming. White kaolin clay soothes and softens the skin and is suitable for all skin types.
PINK KAOLIN

Pink Kaolin is the cosmetic clay for normal, sensitive and mature skin. It is the mildest clay and most widely used in cosmetics.
Pink clay is particularly useful for toning dull, tired, or devitalized skin. It also has excellent cleansing properties.

Enough typing for one evening. I'll post suggested hydrosols another day, or you may read the whole article online on our new "information about face masks page"

Early Mother's Day Sale

Mother's Day comes early, and we are afraid by the time our Early May newsletter gets written, it will be too late to shop for Mother's Day. Or, at the very least, too late to drop the appropriate hints if you are the Mom being shopped for.

So, from Now until May 1st we are offering a very special Mother's Day promotion.

Save 10% on our favorite "women's products"... items found on:

• Aromatic Baths (including Bliss Baths, Spa Products, the whole page!)
• Aromatherapy Skincare
• The full range of Cleopatra's Secret products
• Pregnancy and Childbirth, for the Mom to be
• Blends for "women's special needs"
• And - our Aromatherapy Jewelry

Save 10% on all of these favorites, by entering the promotional code Mother at checkout, and pressing "apply". You'll see the discount reflected on your screen, please don't submit the order if the discount hasn't been applied. We really can't apply it retroactively.

I'll be sending out a newsletter to everyone announcing the sale later this week, but I thought my blog readers deserved a head start!

Dry skin body oil

Karie Kinney emailed this last evening - it sounds so yummy I had to share it!

"I just wanted you to know I recently ordered Sea Buckthorn Berry CO2 Extract; Pomegranate Seed Oil; White Camellia Oil; Argan Oil; Jojoba Oil. I'm using them combined on my whole body - from head to toe! My skin has never looked better! I have combination skin and tend to break-out with blemishes frequently. I have not had one blemish since I started using these products! It's pretty amazing! My skin looks younger and more vibrant. My pores seem smaller too! My skin feels so silky soft it's incredible!"

That sounds like a wonderful blend, Karie. I use the Pomengranate and Argan on my face daily...more than daily. Hadn't thought of using it as a full body oil. But my friend Jean Flinchum raved about the effect of the pomengranate CO2 (straight up, no other oils) on really badly sundamaged arms. She mentioned "chicken skin"...well Jean, because I'm a lot older than you MY chicken skin is scalier than your chicken skin! Another use for Pomegranate.

All of the carrier oils and the Pomegranate CO2 are available onour carrier oils page. The Seabuckthorn Berry CO2 is available with our essential oils.

I'm thinking I might add just a tad of Rose Hip oil to the above combination. It is, after all, said to be one of the best oils for aging skin...and I think I've rather blown my cover here.

A nice after shower oil maybe?