Help for dry skin

So, I read an article 2 years ago that has changed with way I use lotions and skin products. It was in "The Old Schoolhouse Magazine", Winter 2008 edition. Nancy Carter, the author, talks about suffering from dry skin, and how it is related to the products you use on your skin. She says, "Mineral oil and petroleum are the main ingredients in many skin care and cosmetic products. When you used products that contain these ingredients, you are exposing your largest organ, your skin to products that can actually be making your dry skin worse. Ninety-eight percent of cosmetic companies use some kind of petroleum derivatives in their products. They are listed as Mineral oil, petrolatum or propylene glycol. While many of us grew up thinking that these ingredients help moisturize our skin, science is showing they can cause more harm than good. A study by Johns Hopkins University lists mineral oil and the second leading cause of skin aging after the sun! Take a look at all of the products you have taken into your home and think of all the years you have been using them.

Your skin needs to be clean and healthy in order to expel toxins and take in nutrients. Petroleum- based products actually form a barrier that prevents the release of toxins and the absorption of nutrients through the skin. Modern research at the Herb Research Foundation (www.herbs.org) shows that the skin absorbs up to 60% of the chemicals that it comes in cotnact with and sends those chemicals directly into the bloodstream. Scientists extimate that it takes twenty-six seconds for a substance to go from the skin to every major organ in the body! Knowing that, you've got to take time to read the labels!

As an alternative to using products that are full of harmful chemicals, look for soaps, moisturizers and cosmetics that use natural oils, such as sunflower, coconut, avocado, and rosehips, or shea, cocoa and jojoba butters. If you hunt, you can find some cosmetic companies that have wonderful botanically based products, and you can locate individuals who make natural soaps, lotions and lip balms.

An item that I have been very impressed with is coconut oil. While coconut oil has wonderful dietary benefits, I (Mrs. Carter speaking here) have found it also to be a wonderful moisturizer with tremendous antiviral properties. Approx. 50 percent of the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are made from lauric acid, which is converted to monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin is adept at fighting viral pathogens and is also present is large quantities in breast milk, where it protects infants from viral, bacterial and parasitic infections. The presence of a higher concentration of lauric acid in your skin will help your body fight off the bacteria that cause pimples and acne.

So spend some time looking at your soap, moisturizers and cosmetics labels. If you can't pronounce the words on the labels, you probably shouldn't be putting them into your skin. Try to find a natural soap (without all the harsh chemicals), a plant-based moisturizer, and natural cosmetics. You may feel like you are searching for a needle in a haystack, but the results will be worth it." (end of article)

I've found several shea butter soaps that I like, as well as shea butter that I bought and love. I always liked the shea and body butters from The Body Shop, and now I know why! They are great for my skin! Other great products are from Burt's Bees among others. I have used coconut oil and I really like it. I also took a class last fall about making lotions. I have been loving the lotions I made! Think about changing-- you won't be sorry!