Tag: Beauty

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Stop Using Body Lotion on Your Beautiful Face!

Do you use body lotion on your face? If so, stop!

Body lotions can easily clog your pores and make you feel uncomfortable, especially if you already have oily skin. Trust me on this — you would literally be better off using nothing at all. Fortunately, there are great alternatives that still make you feel sexy, don’t cost an arm and a leg, and don’t take long to apply.

Why Body Lotion Is a Bad Choice for Your Face

Body lotion and facial moisturizers are two very different products with completely different goals. Think about it for a second — Your face has to deal with things during the day that the rest of your skin normally doesn’t, including intense sun rays, makeup, dirt and sweat.

1. Your Face Is More Sensitive Than Your Body

Women have far more sweat-producing glands in the face than any other part of the body. These glands are sensitive to hormone changes and irritation, meaning that you have to treat them with extra care compared to the rest of your skin. Also, your facial skin is thinner than flesh in other areas of the body, so it’s more delicate.

What this means is that products that don’t normally irritate your arms or legs can often irritate your face. This is especially true for those luxurious body butters that smell so good. Irresistible fragrances are amazing when you’re giving your legs some TLC, but they’re often a problem for the sensitive skin of the face.

2. Body Lotion Isn’t Designed To Protect or Nourish Your Face

Body lotions generally focus on minimizing spider veins, reducing the appearance of cellulite, or toning and firming your skin. They contain ingredients designed to add moisture to dry skin and smooth rough areas such as your elbows or toes.

On the other hand, face lotions almost do the opposite. They focus on moisturizing your face while also keeping pores clear. The goal is to minimize wrinkles, dark spots and the appearance of pores.

3. Face Moisturizers Avoid Irritating Your Skin

Even the ingredients on facial moisturizers are better for a gorgeous complexion.  To avoid irritating the delicate skin of the face, these products should have natural extracts that are gentler on you.

Other ingredients may help specifically with wrinkles, such as hyaluronic acid and peptides for collagen production. Many facial moisturizers have sunblock to help protect your face against UV rays during the day.

What You Should Use for Facial Care and Moisturizing Instead

There are many good options for facial care, and they don’t have to be expensive. You can even improvise face moisturizer using natural ingredients. Here are a few favorites:

  • Aloe gel: Great moisturizer that soothes irritated skin.
  • Shea butter: Luxurious butter for your face but also lightweight.
  • Rose essential oil: Gentle oil that softens and hydrates your face.
  • Rose water: Calming liquid that helps with inflammation and redness.
  • Jojoba oil: Anti-inflammatory oil that repairs and firms facial skin.

Don’t get me wrong, I love silky-smooth body lotion just as much as the next girl. It helps me sleep like a baby when I massage it into my tired feet. But I don’t use it on my face.

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The Corruption of the Term Lymphatic Health

The lymphatic system is a legitimate and essential part of the human body. Its primary function is to supply the body with white blood cells to stave off infection and disease and remove toxins from the system. Lymph is the fluid that contains white blood cells and navigates the circulatory system.

Therefore, when speaking generically about lymphatic health, there is no disagreement that it is crucial. However, where the conflict arises is in the definition of lymphatic health and the corruption of the concept by money-hungry entities, like many of the detoxification brands built on shoddy science; even worse, are those companies co-opting legitimate science and twisting the research to meet marketing goals.

Lymphatic Massage and Facial Rollers

Manual lymphatic drainage massage is a therapy that offers significant benefits to people suffering from lymphoedema. However, it is only beneficial for a specific tissue swelling and only provides temporary relief to patient symptoms, not a cure.

For those unfamiliar, lymphoedema is a chronic and often painful condition that causes swelling, primarily in the arms and legs. It is the result of an ineffective or malfunctioning lymphatic system.

Being as the lymphatic system is a source of transportation of white blood cells and a clearinghouse for toxins, skincare and beauty brands latched onto an effective therapy and disseminated the information as overwhelmingly beneficial to all. It was an understood deceit.

Despite there being little to no evidence of lymphatic massage benefits to the general public, brands brandished tools and techniques under the guise of detoxifying massages. These corporate entities and individual celebrities pushed their pseudo-science as actionable and legitimate. They made clever claims that lymphatic massage could reduce the risk of diseases like cancer — clever because most companies never directly stated such claims, only insinuated them. 

Beauty Industry and Lies

It is not surprising that the beauty industry has taken sound science and bastardized it into a profiteering machine. The practice is quite common; for example, despite little evidence to support detoxification claims, the industry has managed to turn it into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. 

Consumers seem hungry for innovation in the health industry. Whether that hunger comes from a recognition of mortality, fear of illness, or a genuine interest in improved health is anyone’s guess. However, it is as clear now as it always has been that dietary trends, like lymphatic massage, are not essential to health for the average person.

Traditional Health and Wellness Advice Remains Constant

For those wishing to be healthier, lose weight, and improve wellness and mobility, the solution is the same as it has been for decades, centuries even: a balanced diet and exercise. The key to a healthy lifestyle is tried and true; momentary fads, temporary trends will not outlive the fact-based rules of nutrition and physiology.

Lymphatic health is a natural result of healthy eating, exercise, and hydration. Unless you are directly affected by a lymphatic disorder or illness, you will likely see little benefit from lymphatic massage or any of the other devices, therapies, or tools trying to piggyback off of the growing interest.

Do you have any thoughts on the beauty industry's habit of distorting science for profit?

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The Unique Advantages of a Humidifier

Humidifiers work by vaporizing liquid to add to the moisture level in your home. While these devices might not be paramount in the warmer, more humid months of the year, they play a critical role in your house and even health during the winter. 

People often undervalue the significance of moisture levels in their homes, often equating moisture with problems, such as mold. Still, despite moisture causing some complications, at adequate levels — no higher than 50% — moisture content can help maintain the house's structure and the people, pets, and plants inside. 

The idea of bringing a tool into your home to add moisture to specific areas can seem a bit strange, but it is beneficial. Before you decide to forego purchasing a humidifier, consider the advantages of using one.

Prevent Dry Skin 

Did you know that it is normal for moisture levels in your home to dip below 30% when using forced air heating? Your skin begins to lose its moisture at such levels, resulting in dry, tight, itchy, and flaky skin. 

Your hands and lips are especially vulnerable to losing moisture and becoming dehydrated. The hands have fewer oil glands than other parts of the body, so they have less protection against dry air. The lips are more sensitive with more tender skin, making it easier for them to become chapped and cracked. 

A humidifier helps return some of the lost moisture in the air, providing relief for your skin. Applying hand lotion and chapstick can also help mitigate damage in the colder, drier months.

Ease Sinus Symptoms 

The winter and drier climates are notorious for drying out sinuses and nasal passages. The excess dryness can lead to sinus pressure, headaches, bloody noses, and discomfort. 

While many people believe that humidity will only worsen stuffiness and sinus issues, the contrary is true. Maintaining optimal humidity levels throughout your home contribute to healthy sinus and mucus function, reducing the risks of sinus-related problems. 

A humidifier permits the ease of breathing because it encourages the free movement of mucus. Additionally, it reduces the risks of a bloody nose and sinus headaches.

Reduce Spread of Germs and Bacteria

The National Academy of Sciences found that dry conditions promote the survival and transmission of the influenza virus. Therefore, using a humidifier to maintain optimal moisture levels can reduce the risk of spreading viruses, germs, and bacteria. 

Humidity does not permit the spread of bacteria through the air as much as dry conditions. Moisture in the air makes it heavier and harder to navigate at a molecular level. With appropriate moisture levels, viruses cannot spread as far and wide, meaning humidifiers can reduce the risk of infection. 

However, do not count on humidifiers to eliminate all risks. You will still need to focus on hygiene — regularly bathing and washing your hands and taking necessary precautions like receiving vaccinations. 

Provide Additional Warmth 

Aside from the health benefits of using a humidifier, the device also provides environmental advantages, such as providing greater warmth. Research suggests that dry air typically feels chillier than moist air. 

HVAC professionals recommend using humidifiers in combination with forced air heat to combat feeling overly cold. Additionally, using a humidifier can help reduce the strain on your HVAC system. 

While the general principle of homeownership is to avoid moisture in the house, it should be changed to the avoidance of excess moisture. Humidifiers add a beneficial amount of moisture to an otherwise dry space, helping to relieve wintertime ailments. 

Do you use a humidifier? Why or why not?