Thursday, October 9, 2008

I Put Tea on My Face



My good friends over at Mama Manifesto posted a great post today encouraging us all to really take a look at the products we are using and the content in them. We consume a ridiculous amount of carcinogens and hazardous chemicals each day. Some, we can not control, like the amount of pollution in the air. (Okay, we can do our green part, but on a day to day basis, can we just decide not to breathe? No.) So, if we make changes in our diets and the products we use, we can lower our risks significantly. I know this seems so very green of me, but being faced with the reality after marriage that my life is no longer affecting just me, but a husband, and someday children, then these little steps make the biggest difference.

I know I have ranted and raved about the benefits of tea, but let's me honest, I do it because I love you.

So today, it's not another rant, but a helpful tool to help us all live just a bit healthier.

I can not go one morning without washing my face. In fact, I have yet to do it this morning and I am dying. I just hate the feeling of things on my skin. It grosses me out, and I'll admit I'm borderline OCD when it comes to having a clean face. In fact, I will wash my face mid day if it feels dirty. Our skin is an organ, and just like any healthy organ in our bodies we must treat it as such. You would not give your heart anything but blood, right? Then why give your skin anything but that which is healthy for it? So our question is: do we believe that it matters what we use to wash our faces? If so, what is good for it?

Studies show that up to 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed and ends up in your blood stream. Because our skin is the first defense system that our bodies have, then we better be pretty careful about what we wash it with, what we put on it, and and how we take care of it.

So I have found a facial cleaner that is not only safe for my skin, but, actually helps it as well:

Kiehl's Yerba Mate Facial Line

Kiehl's Yerba Mate is made from the Yerba Mate Tea Leaf from South America. In it's native habitat, Yerba Mate leaf is used for all kinds of healing remedies both outside and inside. In the form of facial cleanser and lotion, it holds the same properties. All three of the Yerba Mate line (cleanser, toner and lotion) contains 15 amino acids, 11 antioxidants and 24 vitamins and minerals! Let's take a trip back to middle school bio class for a minute. Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein, so when we put this on our skin we are not only using something safe that can be absorbed, but we are also making our skin much stronger. Antioxidants have powerful detox abilities. Not only does this make for a super clean face, but over time, when complimented by an antioxidant healthy diet as well as healthy cooking, cleaning, and clothing products, will make for a clean blood stream. 24 Vitamins and minerals? Need I say more? In addition, Kiehl's Yerba Mate line contains lemon extract, the fruit with the highest percentage of vitamin C, as well as Kombutchka Tea another tea leaf that is supremely rich in anti-oxidants. The toner is alchohol free, but does not feel like you have done nothing to clean your skin. The lemon extract is also a natural astringent with an antiseptic quality found in the lemon peel, giving you that deep clean feeling without using chemicals. Finally, the Yerba Mate lotion is oil free and the tea extracts help reduce the size of pores.

I know, I sound like I work for Kiehls. The truth is, I used to.

But how easy to clean your skin and, prevent harmful chemicals absorbed into your blood just by washing your face?

Go to Kiehls.com to find a store near you.
Cleanser: $20.50
Toner: $24.50
Lotion: $35.00

Too expensive? Not only are the health benefits worth it, but with Kiehls a little goes a long way. In fact, when used the correct quarter size amount, your products will last you a good 4 months. But because all three of these products are infused with the same ingredients (15 amino acids, 11 antioxidants and 24 vitamins and minerals!!!!) then just buy one, and start putting it in your regime one product at a time.

One cup, or two?



Test your skin care products here: Cosmeticsinfo.org

6 comments:

Heather of the EO said...

You should totally get paid for this post.
Seriously, good stuff though. I'm with you. Go green, or Go Tea! Or Go Green Tea!
:)

Kristina P. said...

I have very oily skin and tend to break out, so I always use the acne fighting stuff. I haven't really tried anything else.

Anonymous said...

I quite enjoyed this post. I've struggled with my skin my whole life and have, like the commenter above, always gone for the harsh acne chemical stuff because I feel like if I use anything less, my face will explode into an awesome cluster of zits.

Well I recently visited an old friend who used to have the same issues with her skin that I did, and her skin now looks fabulous. I asked her what she was using and she shrugged and said "I just started using all organic, natural skin products." I've been considering going that route ever since, but haven't had the guts to. (Like you, I'm totally OCD about my skin and my twice a day, thorough, no-wiggle-room rituals, and it's way hard for me to envision doing anything else).

This post may have pushed me over that fear hump, though. Plus, there's Kiehl's stores all over NYC.

Bonnie Lewis said...

I too have really oily skin. I learned working at Kiehls that the acne medicine does not help reduce oily skin, it contributes to it. Mostly becaue the chemicals are so harsh that they are good for acne, but can dry out the face (you know that tight feeling you get when you are done washing?) and thus cause your skin to overproduce oil. PLUS if you are near a Kiehls store, then go and get a sample, they give them out like candy canes at Christmas. AND if you buy the product and don't like it, you can take it back at anytime

Anonymous said...

All right girl, I'm sold.

Oh I know all about the overdrying - I use prescription Retin A and my skin is pretty much always peeling. The dry skin clogs pores, leads to more zits, cycle repeats. It's just a hot mess.

I've also resisted places like Kiehl's because I'm way cheap, but for all the time and energy I spend freaking out about my skin and how much it bothers me, at this point it's totally worth it to splurge. It's your skin, for Pete's sake!

Thanks for the awesome advice!

Anonymous said...

you work at kiehl's? k wait, do i have this right? you are still at fuller, you write for a magazine (is that freelance?), and you work at kiehl's?