Category: anti aging

Why the hesitation to use natural/food grade ingredients in cosmetics?

~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

I never really thought of this before. It’s kind of logical to me. In a battle of best cosmetic ingredients between natural and chemical, natural is just better. If I can eat something, like coconut oil, and then also use it on my hair to moisturize, that’s a win win situation…I have always thought that if it is safe to go into our bodies, it is safe to put on our bodies…but I recently found out not everyone thinks this way…There is a point of view that cosmetics should remain a chemical science, and that putting food on ourselves is just well, kinda dirty. Where did I get this idea from? A man working at a hair supply shop told me this, when I mentioned I used a bit of coconut oil for my dry ends. He said the problem with food grade is that it mixes with microbes and such on our bodies and can easily become rancid and/dirty.

Hmm…Dirty? I never realized this point of view before, and while I think the shop guy might be right to some degree, I still think it’s an exaggeration at best. The outsides of our bodies can take a bit of dirt and microbes. Our own bodily oils are teaming with loads of bacteria and such, it’s all over us…adding food grade ingredients does not necessarily add to the microbial community…maybe it would if we never showered…but the average person in North America probably showers at least once a day; not enough time for coconut oil or any food grade oil to become rancid, and thus dangerous to our health. Advocating for chemicals and chemical preservatives to remain the standard for quality hair care, is a bit unfounded. Many of the chemicals in cosmetics are known to be drying, irritating to the skin, cause allergic reactions, and even have traces amounts of carcinogens. Yikes.

The trend to go natural is so strong actually, that many big cosmo companies now say they have squeezed natural ingredients into their formula. I’ve seen so many times the advertising and labeling of big brand products claiming to use honey, botanicals, fruits, natural oils and butters. The ironic thing is the natural inclusions are often very denatured/altered and it’s a very minute amount that’s used. Why moisturize with a vat of silicones and trace amounts of cocoa butter, if cocoa butter is the actual desirable ingredient? I have to toot my own horn when I say I make a solid lotion at Dream E that is a third made of cocoa butter and all natural other ingredients, except for a small amount of fragrances. But 95% natural is better than 1% natural any day in my opinion.

At my local Shoppers Drugmart: look at all these chemical and chemically preserved products! Don’t get me wrong, I still use them sometimes…but if I had a natural alternative, probably not.

I think as a society, the culture is moving away from chemical dependencies as a whole in general. I do feel that people prefer food that hasn’t touched pesticides, and are organically grown without fertilizers…Society seems to want more natural things in bodies, so why not reflect this view when it comes to cosmetics, if possible? Don’t get me wrong I like my chemical stuffs too, I use at least a dozen different chemical make-ups everyday; I wrote an article singing the praises for a superstay lipcolour formula that has the lasting power of car paint enamel! But when I can, I readily choose natural: I remove make-up with coconut oil. I use olive oil to amp up my hair conditioner…Vitamin E capsules used externally for my face at night, sugar face scrub, glycerin setting spray…anything that is food for internal can be also be food for skin or hair…

So here is the food isle at my local drugmart: I have been known to use many food grade items for cosmetic purposes: sugar, honey, yogurt, olive oil, coconut oil, cornstartch…etc. just to name a few…

In the end, I don’t think food grade ingredients at their purest, simplest form can ever be harmful. Think about in the past, before industrialization…people had to resort to what was around them to take care of their skin. Shea butter from the shea nut…is still used for cooking and moisturizing skin in many places of the world, with amazing healthy results…nut shells for exfoliation…cocoa butter, aloe vera…all of these plants derived food ingredients are still widely used on the body externally…and there is no scientific study or test needed to formulate and manufacture then truth that they work well. It just makes sense they do because sometimes Nature knows more about beauty, than chemical Science does.

Anti-aging tips and secrets…and announcing my new store!

~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

Hello readers and followers of my online journal.  Over the years, I have really enjoyed writing articles for this site and talking about fashion, make-up, alternative trends, and having a healthy mind, soul, and body.  One of the top concerns us women have is how to stay youthful; not only the way to do it, but finding a healthy, natural way. Yes, it is possible and I will tell you what works for me.

My kid is 14 years old now, and I had him my third year in Art College.  If you do the math, you can imagine how old I actually am.  I will not give a number, but most people cannot believe I am his mom!  I’ve been asked if he is my cousin, my brother, my nephew.  So many guesses, but mom is not really one of them.  I raised him on my own since he was four, living in a small apartment in the west end of Toronto, and I had my shares of ups and downs, good times, and bad times, great boyfriends, and bad ones.  And I’ll admit one of the first secrets of staying young is attitude.  Always be positive, try not to stress out, and accept yourself, and others for who they are.  Be at peace, find religion and God.  And remember, you get what you give.

Me and my kid. Can you imagine, I raised him since he was a baby? Now at 14, he towers over me!
Me and my kid. Can you imagine, I raised him since he was a baby? Now at 14, he towers over me!

And after the inner work, comes the outer work.  Cosmetics and skin care can only enhance and reflect what you already do have.  So treating your body and skin with the respect it deserves is key.  If your skin is dry, moisturize, if it is oily, tone it.  Listen to what it wants, and always understand that there is no turning point when skin is damaged. So prevention is most important. Stay out of the sun or use sunblock all times.

My 5 step night routine is where all the voodoo happens:

  1. Cleanse your skin.  My skin is very dry, so I use a mild liquid castile soap to do the job.  Castile soap goes back in time to the days when soap was simple.  Just oils and lye mixed together to make soap.  If you wear lots of make-up and have oily skin, you may need something stronger, like a specialty face soap, but for me, I have been loving my castile soap, as it cleanses my skin thoroughly without over drying.
  2.  Coconut oil.  Virgin, cold pressed and smelling like roasted coconuts is the way to go.  After cleaning, I slather a light amount all over my face to soften and prepare it for vitamin E absorption.  Because vitamin E and other antioxidant oils are usually thick, the coconut oil increases the spread-ability of the vitamin E.
  3. Vitamin E oil: the promised land!!! Anti oxidants are naturally ANTI WRINKLE!  I spread a layer of this stuff on problem areas first; such as the corners of your mouth/ smile lines, the corners of your eyes and high cheeks, the forehead and even under the chin.  After years of smiling, crying and just being human, our emotions try to carve out “character” in our faces by leaving lines.  Let emotions do that?  I say, no.
  4.  Use an anti-wrinkle balm/cream: I make an awesome anti aging balm called “Face Tight”, that not only aims to prevent wrinkles, but also aims to prevent the skin sagging that is often the giver away of age.  If your face stays tight, you stay young!  I apply “Face Tight” after the vitamin E application.  (Between each step, I give time for my skin to absorb each oil before slathering on another.  For me about 30 mins is usually good, but feel for yourself how long it takes for your skin to be ready for the next treatment.)
  5. Finish with a night cream–light or heavy, whatever you need.  Just before I go to bed, I like to put a thin layer of night cream to top off all of my treatments for extra protection.  During the night, your skin loses so much moisture, so I find the night cream seals all the goodness in and lets me wake up with benefits only.

    So these are the 5 products I use nightly! it's a lot, but don't knock what works: (left to right) liquid castile soap, virgin coconut oil, vitamin E, anti-age balm, night cream.
    So these are the 5 products I use nightly! it’s a lot, but don’t knock what works: (left to right) liquid castile soap, virgin coconut oil, vitamin E, anti-age balm, night cream.

So that is my nightly skincare routine!  I’ve been doing my face this way for years now, and I find it the way for me to prevent and heal fine lines that want to creep up.  I also find this is how to keep collagen and face elasticity up, during the years when your face becomes tired and wants to sag a bit.  So gear up and fight this!

My anti-aging balm is now available for sale through my newly opened E-store online at dreamecosmetics.com Check it out, and maybe place an order on “Face Tight” or on any of my other natural based cosmetics aimed to give you results you want, and nothing else!  Thanks for all the years of loyal reading! ❤