REACT DEFENSE SYSTEMS- Life changing

The country is changing.  Life is changing.  The world you grew up in no longer looks like it used to.  Warm summer nights playing outside till after dark, walking to school, riding your bike to your friend’s house.  It has been said that after the events of 9/11, America lost its innocence.  Since then people have opened fire in movie theaters and schools, ending innocent lives.  Much has been lost.  The feeling of safety and security is fading.  In the face of this new reality, you decide you need to take your safety and the safety of your family into your own hands.  You make a choice to learn self defense.  The choice Krav Maga, the place React Defense Systems. 

Krav Maga is a hand to hand military combat system.  It is specifically designed for the Israeli Defense Forces (commonly referred to as the IDF).  Every Israeli citizen must serve two years in the IDF and learns Krav Maga, which literally translated, means Hand to Hand combat.  The system was designed by Imi Lichtenfield and is based off of primal, easy combatives and natural instinct.  It has to be learned quickly, by everyone and be able to fly out of you under intense stress and adrenaline.  Basically, it is street fighting and combat.   It is somewhat under the martial arts umbrella but it is a far cry from any actual martial arts and as the instructors will tell you, “it is all martial, no art”.  Being that is is a military system, some things were changed to be taught to civilians, but not much.  The system as taught by Krav Maga World Wide and React Defense systems is pure. 

React Defense Systems (referred to as RDS) offers an array of items from Krav Maga, their fitness program A.L.E.E.T. (Advanced Level Explosive Endurance Training), Tactical Black (weapons, weapon retention, fighting and sparring) and yoga!  They cater to all levels, ages and body types.  They make the training for everyone, that is the point, their mission and their passion.

Walking in to RDS you are greeted by a friendly instructor at the desk or walking around chatting with members.  It is a very friendly atmosphere.   People are all talking to one another and welcoming you there.  Your first class is called your trial class, you  fill out a scary looking health history with a few legal waivers making what you are about to do a little bit scarier.  You are told to relax, go at your own pace and if you feel faint to sit down, and best yet, if you need to throw up, try and get to the bathroom or a trash can.  What did you get yourself in for?

Everyone shuffles into the room where you all line up in front of the instructors they tell you again, take it at your own pace and where the bathrooms and trash cans are.  Then it starts.  You move through a battery of physical exercises, jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, squats.  You struggle to make it, and it seems like everyone else is just breezing through!  You push through too. Then the instructors do a quick demonstration of a combative and then teach you and the whole class how to do it.

Kicking a pad while wrists are bound, simulating a hostage situation

Then you get to go at it!  Throwing combatives as hard as you can, running around the room hitting pads.  The instructors wander around the room yelling different instructions, like to keep your hands up, make some noise, hit harder etc.  They are there to encourage and motivate you, and make you want to fight for your life.   After you learn the combatives and a self defense, they do what they call a drill at the end of the class.   You have to do the self defense you learned that day and the different combatives.   You are working in a group, so you are hitting one and are getting choked or bear hugged by another, you have to defend that, all the while having to keep in mind the other people around you. 

Kicking attacher while wrists are being held

It is as real as you can get without out actually knocking people out.  It is all safe and with pads, but the adrenaline in your body is intense.  They have you do all this at the end because they say this is when it works best, when you are exhausted.  It flies right out of you.   Once you are a member you will learn all the different combatives and self defenses around the body, being choked, bear hugged, ground fighting, weapons etc.  The classes are intense.  Probably more intense then anything you had ever done, however, the feeling you have is amazing.  You learn how to be aggressive, and you pushed through when your body wanted to give out.  RDS trains you in a unique way, unlike other disciplines, you train hard to the end of your perceived self set limits, but you blast through them and keep going.  The instructors were very attentive to the students and genuinely care about them learning.  Not just that they learn to physically defend themselves, but  also how they carry themselves.  Also, the students themselves were very helpful with each other and really worked hard to build each other up and encourage each other to get through the class.   

Defending against being choked from the side.
RDS have been in the valley for 13 years, they are the only authorized Krav Maga World Wide in Arizona.  They have three different locations, and you can train at any of them once you are a member.  The prices for the gym were competitive with the other Krav Maga studios (ranging from $99 a month to $161 depending on program and length of contract).   However, there really is no comparison between RDS and other places offering what they call Krav Maga, most of them have only been in business a few years (mostly less then a year) and their lineage was pretty scuffed up and mostly not even connected to the creator of the system.  RDS boasts a very tight lineage from Imi Lichtenfield (who developed the system), he taught Darren Levine who taught Jay Ackerman, and Jay is who brought it to Arizona and all the instructors are under him.  RDS is a regional training center and train and certify other instructors around the county.  The training is legitimate.  You can ask any student there, and they will go on and on about how much they love the training and how it has changed their life.  Twenty percent or more of their membership is law enforcement ranging from patrol officers to SWAT and vice officers, many boarder patrol agents and DPS officers.  

Anyone can walk in and train there, in any given class you will see all ages and shapes.  It is truly unique, where else can you go and train like that and with all ranges of people from all different walks in life, from grandmothers and grandfathers to young kids in high school, stay at home moms to the head of the drug and gang unit in the phoenix police department.

RDS is truly set apart, you can go there and learn life skills.  You cannot just trust your life and training to anyone.  What you learn is what you will do.  When your life, or someone else’s life is in your hands, you better be sure that what you know will work and will safe a life, possibly your own.

REFERENCES

No author, n.d. Entire website reviewed, photographs used from Rape Prevention Seminars. Retrieved from:

http://www.reactdefense.com/

No author, n.d. Entire website reviewed for general, Retrieved from:

http://www.kravmaga.com/

No author, n.d. Entire website reviewed for general, Reviews- just for the sake of review, Retrieved from:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/react-defense-systems-chandler

No author, n.d. Entire website reviewed for general, Retrieved from:

http://www.eastvalleykravmaga.com/

Family trips to the beach!!!

Trips to the beach....

The smell of sun tan lotion, zinc, and barbecue all conjure up wonderful memories I have of growing up and going on my family's annual vacations to the beach.  Growing up in San Diego, the beach was very much a part of my life.  However, as a family we would go to San Elijo beach and spend at least a week out there together.  My parents had a big group of friends that would camp with us as well, and much of the time my extended family would come out and spend time. 

This is me and my cousins.  My cousin Brian on the left (the shorter boy), I am in the center and my cousin Karen on the right.  With our families boards.

We spent the day surfing, playing in the water and the sand, laying out, cooking, reading, and playing games.  We always had stocks of water balloons on hand ready for a water balloon fight.  There were spickets all around the camp ground that were perfect for filling up water balloons.   Everyone always got really into it.  We would all run around and hide, waiting for that perfect opportunity to slam someone with a balloon.  The great thing about it was that all age groups were represented there, all the kids there, parents, my brother, my aunts and uncles, and my grandparents would even stop by, though they often did not camp there with us.  Through the years new members of the family would be there, my baby cousins and nieces.  We also always brought other types of games to play, like paddle ball, board and card games.  There was never a dull moment.  

We were singing Sixties song with the radio.  I am in the center and on the outsides were family friends.  The daughters of my parents best friends.

My dad and his friends were surfers, they would get up early in the morning to catch the swell and be out for hours!  My mom would get up and cook bacon and eggs almost every morning.  She would cook the bacon first on our camping stove then cook the eggs up in the bacon fat.  This is still a favorite of mine to this day even after after all these years.  When I eat it, it takes me back to those carefree days at the beach.   

I learned how to swim and surf in the ocean at a very early age.  Of course, like most children I had to learn how to body surf, then boogie board then I was on that surf board.  My dad would wade out there with me and help me grab those waves, which at the time seemed like enormous tidal waves, but as I look back at pictures, they were actually only a few feet.   With all my might and short little limbs, I would paddle out on my dad’s enormous longboard surfboard and try to catch those waves.  In the beginning, just riding the waves in on my stomach, then after a while I began to try and stand up!  Most of the time I would wipe out but luckily always having that board attached to my ankle kept the board from going too far.  Getting back on and paddling out again, only to do this over and over again.  Such is life I guess. Those times on my board, even at a young age, out far off the shore, alone, sitting there, were some of my most quiet times, times to just think and ponder, a time of so much peace.

Me and my first surf board!!!  I was so proud!

The camp sites themselves were actually on a cliff, you had to take a huge flight of stairs to get down to the beach itself.   It was a rough beach, it had a lot of big rocks, in fact, much of the shore was rock, then sand.  So finding a place to lay out wasn’t always the easiest, though I wasn’t interested in that till I was older.  We played in the sand that was there, building huge sand castles and whole villages.  We had special pails with the castle top built into them and little shovels.  We would spend hours on them and find ways to make it so when the waves came up, we would have a mote and built in drainage.  Of course when high tide came, no matter what invention we came up with, they washed down smaller and smaller till they were ant hills, and we would walk back to our camp sites defeated for the hours we spent.  Of course, the next day, we would be back at it again. 

Amidst the games, surfing, and sand, there would be food, naps and lots of little sunburns.  Almost every picture I have of myself on these trips show me with a little red nose and zinc all over it.  We had quarts of aloe vera gel on hand.

In the evenings we would spend time playing board games, eating, and sitting around the camp fire.  Each family would take turns cooking the dinners for everyone, so we always had something different.  We did a lot of veggies and sausage in foil over the camp fire, each pit had a small side grill that we could put them on.  We had Smores every night.  We would sit at the camp fire and talk and sing and just spend time enjoying life and one another.  There were all different type of small local businesses around, so sometimes we would go out to eat.  San Elijo is in a small town of Encinitas, California.  Not a tourist town like other parts of San Diego.  It was only about 35 minutes or so from our home, but still seemed like we were really getting away.  

On the camp ground was a little convenience store where they sold groceries and things like that, but it also had fun trinkets.  You could rent surf boards and boogie boards there too.  On the outside of the store was a little food stand.  They had the best food there especially, when you have been running around all day in the sun.

There was always a delightful scent in the air there, like sand, sun tan lotion, flowers (from all the flower bushes everywhere and that divided each camp site) and salty sea water.   In the spring there would be blooming star of jasmine that filled the air, in the summer there would always be the smell of watermelon, strawberries and oranges. I have tried in my years here in Arizona to find candles, perfumes etc to replicate that smell, but alas,  no such thing is available. Part of that smell encompasses so much more then just scents mingled in the air, it is all memories and feelings.  Feelings of being young and playing, enjoying life.  Still when I smell certain things, sun tan lotion or salt water and sand, those feelings surround me and remind me of those days.   I have bought sound machines to replicate falling asleep to the waves, however, no sound machine can duplicate the intricacies of that sound.  There is so much going on in nature.  The hard crash of the water and sometimes aggressive pull back of the wave, but sometimes it was softer and more delicate.  Those sounds and smells surround and embrace you while you are there.  Unfortunately, when you leave, they just become a memory that you cannot re-create.  

I don't think I have one solid memory that was my favorite in all the years we had this trip.  My memory is of more of a collection of moments.  The time with my family and the time we spent together playing games and laughing. We laughed a lot.   In my immediate family of my parents, my brother and I, we would play a game called "make me laugh".  I am not sure where this game originated, but my brother and dad were champions at it, they could always make my mom and I laugh, by barely doing anything at all.  Generally it would be faces or poses that they would do.  I was blessed to grow up in a family were humor is a part of life.  When we would play anything at all, or just sit around at our camp tables, we would just talk and laugh.  Those memories fill my heart.  My spirit and soul are filled with memories and philosophical lessons learned at the beach.  I don't know how the tradition started.  My parents were both raised in Southern California and my dad was a surfer for most of his life.  I think the beach just permeated their lives.  The trips probably just sounded like a good idea one year then it became ongoing.  

It was there that I believe I developed my love for the ocean.  Sitting and just being present in my own mind was something I learned there. When you are looking at the ocean, it is hard not to be in a state of awe and that would typically take me inward, even at a young age.

These were some of the best times in my life.  No matter what was going on before or after our beach trip, our week at the beach was special.  I look back so fondly.  I intend on repeating those trips with my family someday.  I want my children (if I ever have any), to have those experiences, those totally carefree days.  I want them to understand the power and beauty of the vast ocean.  These were good days.  It has been many years since I have been back to those camp sites, but long for the days to take my own family there and continue the tradition.  While I can not relive my childhood, I look forward to bringing new people into it, just as it was when I was young.  I want my children to have these same experiences and I want my dad to teach them how to surf.   I want their childhood to be brimming with fun, laughter, learning and just being children, just like I had. The beach and our trips their embodies this, these were my best times and live strongly in my mind and heart.

My family

Natural, organic LIES

I am sickened by the knowledge I have been gaining through my research on the cosmetic industry.  The willingness to overlook toxic chemicals that are causing or adding to all of our health issues is shocking.  I found, on several different sites a list of toxic ingredients, what they are used for and what they can potentially do to you.  


You should care about this, you don't because for generations we have literally been putting this crap on our skin, slathering it on our bodies and faces feeling like we are doing a great thing for ourselves, our skin and our bodies.  We think because no doctor ever said to us that we or our loved one is sick or has this or that due to your body lotion then all that research we have heard isn't real or true.  But the facts must be faced, these ingredients are adding to how sick we are as a people.   We put on our babies, our pets, not just ourselves.  We allow the cosmetic industry to keep making money while making us sick.   Everytime we make a purchase from these companies, we are casting our vote!  We are telling them that its okay to continue to use these ingredients at the risk of our health, WE DON'T  CARE!!!!  But we do have a voice!!!  Without our money, they have no business!!  We can take a stand on corporate greed and LIES!!  If they came out and said the risks on the packaging, like cigarettes then that would be one thing, we are knowingly agreeing to what we are buying, but they don't disclose and they lie about it!!!  Why hasn't the government stepped in yet???  Because we are not making them, cast your vote!  We all have a choice, we all have a voice.  Your credit card swipe is your vote.  Educate yourself, but beyond all the political garb, care about yourself more.   Just a thought to ponder....if you had the ability to treat your internal organs yourself, like you could go right in and put a treatment directly on them when your own hands.... or you could inject treatments directly into your bloodstream...would you not put extreme care, thought and research into whatever you use?? Our skin is our largest organ, and whatever we put on our skin soaks directly into your blood stream!!!


Here is a brief list of some of the ingredients that are toxic.  These are the most common, guaranteed if you flip over any skin, body care or cosmetic products that you will see, most of these ingredients listed!!!  This information is listed later, but I want to make sure there is NO way you will miss this fact!!!  I had to say it out loud to myself to believe it!   
Researchers found a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumors tested.

"You may assume that products with the word "organic" on them are safe to use, but they may still contain synthetic chemicals...["Many companies continue to mislead and confuse consumers by labeling personal care products as 'natural' or 'organic' when they contain just one or two highly processed botanical extracts and the rest is synthetic chemicals.] 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has certain requirements for an "organic" label. In order for a food to be labeled "100% Organic" it must contain only organically produced ingredients. To be simply "organic" it must consist of 95 percent organically produced ingredients; and to be labeled "containing organic ingredients" it must have 70 to 95 percent organically produced ingredients. The FDA has no such requirements when it comes to skin care products."

http://www.livestrong.com/article/183108-toxins-in-skin-care/#ixzz1ySaLQMiO

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)

-makes it foam

Sls is one of the most common chemicals found in human hygiene products. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a foaming agent used for scrubbing garage floors and cleaning drains.   Steam from sls has been known to cause lung damage and and throat cancer. It is easily absorbed by the skin. Sls is found in hand soaps, facial cleansers, moisturizers, shampoos, toothpaste, and anti-aging cream, bubble bath.  Can cause severe skin irritation.  SLS and ALS may also cause cataracts, and prevent children's eyes from developing properly.

Often described as being "derived from coconut" to disguise their toxic nature

http://voices.yahoo.com/six-deadly-toxins-common-skin-care-products-2019360.html

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/5119/1/Toxic-Ingredients-in-Cosmetics-and-Skin-Care-Products.html

Synthetic Fragrances

The Organic Consumers Association says synthetic fragrances used in skin care products can contain as many as 200 ingredients and there is no way to know exactly what makes up the fragrance ingredient since labels only state "fragrance." Synthetic fragrances contain chemicals that can cause skin irritation, rash, dizziness, vomiting, coughing and hyperpigmentation in some people. Listed on labels as:GERANIUM MACULATUM OIL PARFAM; FRAGRANCE; PERFUME OIL; PARFUM; FRAGRANCE FLORAL-SPICE.   

If its not listed as an essential oil, its SYNTHETIC!!!

http://www.natural-skincare-authority.com/FRAGRANCE.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/75153-list-toxic-ingredients-found-skin/#ixzz1ySbNsKwT

Propylene glycol 

Used as a skin sensitizer and to help  ingredients to skin further into the skins layers

It causes scaling, hives, burning, itching and blistering. It allows other chemicals to get further into the skin increasing the level of toxins found in the blood. Propylene glycol can be found in bodywashes, shampoos, hair sprays, toothpastes, baby lotions, colognes, shaving creams, and liquid hand soaps. It is toxic to the immune system.

http://voices.yahoo.com/six-deadly-toxins-common-skin-care-products-2019360.html

Parabens 

Used to stop microbial growth and to extend the shelf life of the product

 They will cause skin rashes, and other allergic reactions. They are extremely toxic and an immune system destroyer. Parabens are found in deodorants, perspirants and moisturizers. Paraben is known as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben.

Paraben Preservatives Parabens are widely used in cosmetics, deodorants, skin care and baby products to prolong their shelf life. They are known to be highly toxic and have caused rashes and allergic reactions. Recent scientific studies in the UK found a strong link between the use of parabens and the increasing rate of breast cancer in women. Researchers found a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumors tested.

http://voices.yahoo.com/six-deadly-toxins-common-skin-care-products-2019360.html

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/5119/1/Toxic-Ingredients-in-Cosmetics-and-Skin-Care-Products.html

Glycerin 

Found in numerous skin products, especially soaps. It is considered toxic orally in large doses. It can cause hemolysis, hemoglobinuria and renal failure. Glycerin is found in facial cleansers, conditioners, body soaps, hand soaps, bubble baths, bath oils, and after shaves.

http://voices.yahoo.com/six-deadly-toxins-common-skin-care-products-2019360.html

Mineral oil 

Mineral Oil Derived from petroleum (crude oil), mineral oil is commonly found as a main ingredient of face and body creams and lip gloss, concealers, foundations and facial cleansers. Baby oil is 100% mineral oil! It coats the skin like a plastic film, clogging pores and stopping the skin from eliminating toxins, which can lead to acne, premature aging and other skin disorders. Other petroleum based ingredients include paraffin wax, paraffin oil and petrolatum.
http://voices.yahoo.com/six-deadly-toxins-common-skin-care-products-2019360.html

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/5119/1/Toxic-Ingredients-in-Cosmetics-and-Skin-Care-Products.html

                       Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 

Used as a thickener in skin care products and cosmetics 

PEGs interfere with the skin's natural moisture balance, causing an increase in ageing and leaving the skin vulnerable to bacteria.

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/5119/1/Toxic-Ingredients-in-Cosmetics-and-Skin-Care-Products.html

Isopropyl Alcohol 

Used as a solvent 

Used in many skin care products. It causes skin irritation and strips the skin of its natural acid mantle, promoting the growth of bacteria, moulds and viruses. It may also cause premature ageing of skin.

http://voices.yahoo.com/six-deadly-toxins-common-skin-care-products-2019360.html

DEA (Diethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine) and MEA (Monoethanolamine) 

Used as an emollient

These substances are harsh solvents and detergents that are used in cosmetics and face and body creams as an emollient. They can cause allergic reactions, and long term use of DEA-based products (such as Cocamide DEA) have been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/5119/1/Toxic-Ingredients-in-Cosmetics-and-Skin-Care-Products.html

Talc 

Talc is a soft mineral used in talcum powders and cosmetic powders. Scientific studies have shown that routine application of talcum powder to the genital area is linked with a three-to-fourfold increase in the development of ovarian cancer. Inhaling cosmetic powders containing talc may also be harmful to long term health.

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/5119/1/Toxic-Ingredients-in-Cosmetics-and-Skin-Care-Products.html

Arsenic

Arsenic is an impurity of some ingredients used in skin care products, says the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. The ingredients aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, hydrogenated cotton seed oil, polyvinyl acetate and hydrogenated cottonseed glyceride may contain arsenic as an impurity. Arsenic is a known carcinogen that causes cancer, immunotoxicity, organ system toxicity and endocrine disruption.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/75153-list-toxic-ingredients-found-skin/#ixzz1ySbLRGsL

Check out this website!!! You can enter your skin care or cosmetic brands or products to see how toxic the ingredients.  There is a lot of other really cool info on this site!!!  

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Newest addition to my raw beauty routine

So I enjoy researching natural skin care on the internet a few weeks back I stumbled across someone saying that they cleanse with powered milk!!!  I thought, thats dumb, and disregarded.  Then I kept seeing it so I googled it specifically and found that there are some SERIOUS benefits to doing this!  First of, Cleopatra used to bathe in milk, and so did the very wealthy and still do!!!  Milk has many many vitamins and nutrients, milk also contacts lactic acid which is a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid, which has both exfoliating and hydrating!   Think about all the beauty products that contain milk and milk proteins, just think about it!  Clearly there is a reason here!!!


So here is what I found...first, powdered milk is CHEAP!!!  You don't need much!  If your skin is dry then you want more fat in the milk, if your skin is more oily then you can stick to a non or low fat milk.  Seems to me that the more fat in the milk, the better, unless you have really oily skin!  I found mostly all non-fat milk when I went to Whole Foods, and didn't want that, so I opted for Goats milk, full fat....PLUS a goat is unable to separate his milk and urinary track, thereby there is urea in their milk....hence that bit of a sour taste....i know.....EEEWWW...however, check the back of your lotion bottles, urea ...thats right...its pee and its amazing for your skin :)  Anyway, I found a few ways to use it, the most common was to put some power in your hand (cupped) and add some warm water to make a paste, put it all over your skin, it will form a mask.  Go make your coffee, pick your outfit or whatever, leave it on just for a few minutes if you can then rinse off!!  Radiant skin!!!  I found a few other recipes that said to mix rosewater with the powdered milk instead of the water.  Rosewater also has amazing benefits!  Reduces redness and inflammation, leaves your skin soft and silky and smells so good!!!


So this week I have been doing this in the AM and my oil cleansing in the evening.  My skin feels so good, soft, like silk, looks smoother and hydrated!!  


And lastly I read over and over and over about carrot seed essential oil which is an unparalleled source of antioxidants.  This is different then carrot oil.   I ordered some, will let you know how it goes!!  I am going to add it to jojoba oil for my daytime moisturizer.  For essential oils, for the most part, you want to mix with carrier oils ( jojoba, apricot, avocado, olive, primrose, coconut oil, and kukui nut etc).  Carrier oils also all have amazing and different benefits for your skin.  My current favorite for face and body is kukui nut oil, its wonderful!  Its light and soaks in quickly, also has crazy benefits for your skin!  You can make up a cocktail of different essential and carrier oils and use it!  My evening moisturizer is a butter I made with mango butter, kukum butter, illipe butter, coconut oil and kukui nut oil. Its so wonderful!
I ordered all these butters and kukui nut oil from a wonderful, reputable seller.
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/butter/butter.html


Here is the link to the carrot seed oil that I ordered:
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Carrot-Undiluted-pressed-Unrefined/dp/B0066SJ254/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340167724&sr=8-1&keywords=carrot+seed+oil


I haven't used any commercial beauty products in MONTHS and my skin never looked or felt better!  I am looking for the natural fountain of youth and I feel like the combination of all these different things is it!!!  


Be careful what you buy!!!  Get educated on the source and actual item you are purchasing, the first "rosewater" I found was actually just water with rose oil added, didn't know that wasn't real rosewater!  Returned and bought real rosewater.  I learned this from reading people's reviews on Amazon, a great source!!!


Here is the rosewater I purchased, its amazing and smells so good!!
http://www.amazon.com/Shea-Terra-Organics-Moroccan-Water/dp/B000P6I3WG/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1340168851&sr=1-2&keywords=rose+water


Stay tuned for more!!!

Wonderful DIY beauty...my tried and now true routine!!!

Aren't we all fighting the fight to keep our skin nice and smooth, young looking and supple?  Trying product after product, brand after brand, they work for a minute then it's right back to the same issues.  Not to mention the lies we are being fed... when you breakout from the new line "oh well thats just your skin purging" this is an industry lie!  Skin doesn't work like this!  Do any amount of research and you will learn about this.  


Since high school I have worried about my skin.  I have pretty average skin, nothing too bad or too great.  I have always taken good care of it, used good quality products that I researched like crazy before investing in anything!  Long ago, I read a book called "Don't Go to the Cosmetic Counter without Me" by Paula Begoun and that was where the obsession and hysteria started!  I didn't go to a counter without researching that brand, the sales people hated me, because I was educated beyond their sales pitch and how they have been educated by their company!  I became weary of everything!  She pointed out so many things that I didn't know.  She had a lot of education in her book and I loved it.  One thing she pointed out was that any item that is truly all natural would have an expiration date, and would have a natural smell to them and definitely not a perfumey smell!.  All these cosmetic companies are putting "natural" or "organic" on the label, this is not regulated so many people are deceived, trusting the companies, but its false.  Not to mention, many of these items have fragrance in them, which we have all come to know and love, but this is one of the worse things we can put on our skin!!!!  So I started to feel like I was just putting a bunch of fragranced crap on my skin.  So much research and now I didn't trust anyone.  


All I wanted was something that worked!  Even if it was expensive, I wanted good skincare that actually helped my skin long term.  I felt like anything truly natural wouldn't really do anything, luckily I was wrong!  If you buy ACTUAL natural things, they do work, better then anything else!  Everyone is trying to stabilize vitamin E and fatty acids etc, why don't you just use an orange, or an oil with the fatty acids in it!  Duh!!


Ok so enough of my lecture....my new skin care routine is this:  wash nightly with the OCM (Oil Cleansing Method); my mix of 75% sunflower oil and 25% castor oil.  I use organic, virgin coconut oil on my face and lips as a moisturizer in the AM and PM.  There are two different types of coconut oil; vigil unrefined and refined.  The unrefined virgin is the best, its unmessed with (scientific term :) It offers the most health benefits; however, if you don't like the smell of coconut, you can get the refined oil, it has no smell or taste at all and its still good!!


Once a week I the below facial/peel, a bit like an acid peel.  Its awesome!!!


http://www.drozfans.com/dr-ozs-advice/dr-oz-aspirin-lemon-juice-face-mask-beauty-secret-home-remedies/


I had to fiddle around with it a bit to get the right mixture.  So I use 9 aspirin (uncoated); I use the back of a spoon to crush then put that in a bowl and squeeze fresh lemon in the aspirin powder till I get a nice paste.   Spread the paste on clean skin, rub it in LIGHTLY LIGHTLY LIGHTLY!!!!

Please note, I have a velcro towel on in these pics!!! :)

You can see its a light white paste, doesn't get really thick.


Then wait 10 minutes and use a moistened cotton ball dipped into baking soda to wipe off.  You will feel a little tingle here, much like an acid peel.  This is all the elements reacting to each other.  I use a few to get most of it off.

 Then I splash warm water on my face and wipe dry.  And viola!  Nice, soft, beautifully exfoliated skin....deeper then a regular exfoliation.  I wouldn't do this more then twice a week, just start out once a week maybe even just twice a MONTH.  It's strong so be careful!


Then I use just a little coconut oil as a moisturizer on my skin after, its natural and soothing!  

The result from  changing my skin care routine from the department store brand is my skin is pretty nice now, it's soft and smooth.  I don't have the issues I had before.  It's by no means perfect.  Our skin is complicated and skin care is relativly superficial.  I enjoy knowing exactly what's going on my skin, not to mention why spend hundreds of dollars on expensive or not expensive skin care that doesn't really benefit your skin long term.  You can spend WAAAYYY less and be getting actual, lasting benefits!  That just makes both sense and CENTS!  HAHA!  Not to mention everything you put on your skin goes into your blood stream also and thats even more important then superficial beauty!!!  

Take your beauty back and own it.

As for my body, I made this wonderful body butter, from a recipe I found on Pinterest!!  Use the exact recipe as in the link below.  It is pure oil till it hardens up, then as long as you keep your house at a decent temp (meaning not super hot) it will harden to a softened butter consistency.   When you put it on is melts right away with your body heat into an oil.  Rub it in very well and it will not leave your skin oily.  At night I use a little more then during the day.  It smells like pure chocolate, you are going to want to eat it, but don't :)

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!  All natural and works soooooooooo well for beautiful skin!

(http://simplehomemade.net/go-green-save-green-my-beauty-routine-and-a-diy-body-butter-recipe/)

Homemade Body Butter

NOTE: Because I love you, I have made each ingredient a link to amazon to the item I used with the best price; just to make it easier :)  Accept the last one, which you can read my note to find out why.

1/2 cup cocoa butter

1/2 cup coconut oil (unrefined)

1/4 cup apricot or almond Oil (I used apricot kernel oil)


2 tsp grated beeswax

10,000 IU of Vitamin E oil (from capsules)
NOTE: I omitted this because I couldn't find exactly what the recipe calls for and I have to go by the book :) 

Stir over low heat until mixed and pour into jars.  This is PURE oil.  I poured into old plastic lotion and scrub containers, then put in the fridge, but when I took it out it was too solid, could barely get any to use.  So I set it in the bathroom and it eventually changed to a softened butter consistency.    An important note; when you buy cocoa butter make sure its pure, it will be a hard solid substance, if it looks like lotion, its not pure.  


You could also add herbs or essential oils if you want, but the cocoa butter makes it smell like chocolate...YUMMY!