Can essential oils help relieve stress and feelings of anxiety?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, occasional anxiety is normal. Don't we all feel anxious around the holidays, for example? Children often feel anxious at the beginning of the new school year or the night before a big test. It's normal. I think any one of us can relate to that feeling.
But, then there are times when anxiety is more than a fleeting feeling. We're friends here. I've been sharing with you here on the Seed blog for several years. I've talked about everything from acne break outs to thoughts on skin aging. I think sometimes that it is therapeutic to write things down. If anything, I hope that sharing can help others.
How to get a good night's sleep naturally
Do you struggle with getting a good night's sleep? You may need to improve your sleep hygiene.
Sleep hygiene? Is that even real? Yes, it's a real thing! The National Sleep Foundation defines sleep hygiene as "a variety of different practices and habits that are necessary to have good nighttime sleep quality and full daytime alertness."
So, just what are some of these better practices and habits?
Do you really need a facial toner?
It's an often asked question of skin care professionals: "Is toner really necessary?"
In a word, yes.
I think that some people are skeptical of trying toners because they associate toner with the old SD alcohol-based astringents that used to strip skin and leave it feeling tight and dry. Many toners out there still have some less than stellar ingredients, but that's not what we're talking about.
How Vitamin E Benefits the Skin
Vitamin E is one of the most well-known antioxidants used in skin care. While it is common knowledge that Vitamin E is useful for the skin, many people are unaware of why it is beneficial. On the Seed blog today, we are sharing the clinical science behind Vitamin E and skin care, as well as ways it will help improve the appearance of your skin.
What is Vitamin E?
Vitamin E is a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant that can help repair damaged cells. Naturally occurring Vitamin E includes eight different isoforms. These include alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta- tocopherol and alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta- tocotienol.
Vitamin E is one of the most studied skin vitamins because it was discovered so long ago. In fact, it was back in the early 1920s when Berkeley biologists Dr. Herbert Evans and Dr. Katherine Bishop made the discovery.
In the field of skin care, Vitamin E has been used for more than half a century -- and with good reason.
Natural Skin Care Tips for Fall from Seed
The leaves are changing and it's getting darker earlier and earlier. Fall is officially here. With the changing seasons comes a need to adjust your skin care routine a bit.
Autumn is a time of transition and it is the ideal time to repair and renew your skin. The recent summer temperatures -- and extra sun exposure -- likely did a bit of damage to your skin, so now is your opportunity to do a bit of repair and prep your complexion for the upcoming winter.
1. Exfoliate your skin.
Lift dead skin cells, which make your skin look ashy and dry, with a gentle exfoliant. Exfoliation is one of the most important steps in any skin care routine, yet it continues to be one of the most overlooked. Everyone needs to exfoliate.
Why? When dead skin cells are sitting on top of your skin, pores become clogged. You will likely either experience acne or your skin will just look dull and flaky (or both). Helping your skin slough off dead skin cells is essential because those clear pores will more readily absorb your other facial care products, helping them to work more effectively.
Use a gentle facial scrub or facial brush to manually exfoliate, or choose a chemical exfoliant such as AHA (alpha hydroxy acids). If you are oily or prone to blackheads, look for an exfoliant with salicylic acid (BHA).
What does non-comedogenic really mean?
We've talked about common beauty buzzwords before. Terms like hypoallergenic, natural, and chemical-free are thrown around without having much meaning at all. In fact, there is no regulation of these terms and they can be used to make the product more enticing without any repercussions.
One of the most commonly used buzzwords in beauty and skin care is "Non-Comedogenic".
The medical definition of comedogenic is tending to clog pores especially by the formation of blackheads. Non-comedogenic, in skin care speak, implies that a product will not block pores, leading to acne breakouts. It's a term slapped on product bottles with wild abandon in the beauty industry.