Whiteheads!

Blackheads, whitehead, they are all the same thing – right? The answer to that is NO.

Whiteheads develop deep within the skin where skin cells become clogged and the follicle close. Whiteheads are small and appear on the outer layer of the skin like a white raised bump. Medical terms categorize them as a closed comedones. Whiteheads can be just as ugly and annoying as blackheads, but whiteheads can destroy the skin. They typically appear on the sides of the nose, cheekbones and forehead where the skin is thinner and the chin.

Here are a few ways to avoid getting whiteheads:

* Drink plenty of water. This helps in removing toxins from the skin.

* Try washing your face with mild cleansers and exfoliate once weekly with a mild facial scrub. Once you are done cleansing and exfoliating, try steam. This will help soften the skin and opens up the pores. This can be an important step. You want to open the pores to help remove the toxins from the skin, then close the pores using a mild toner to avoid both black & white heads.

* Apply a facial clay with fruit. Honey, strawberries and papaya are great for acne prone skin, while lemons work well to reduce whiteheads and black spots.

* Always rinse with lukewarm water. Hot water can be damaging to the skin.

Acne can also be due to:
* poor diet, lack of exercise, environmental or hormonal changes, harsh soaps
* hair/products you use on your hair
* dirty pillowcases
* products containing mineral oil

Subtle Essence products will never contain pore clogging mineral oil. We offer gentle facial cleansers, clay masks, toners, and a light facial butter. Stay tuned for our Honey Tropics Mask and a moisturizing facial serum specifically designed for acne prone skin.

When all else fails, you may need to seek out a dermatologist.

Dry Chapped Lips

Chapped lips are quite common. Your lips can become painfully dry, red and chapped in colder climates and they can also get sunburned. When your skin becomes dry you use a moisturizer, but when lips are dry you need a extra protection. You can coat the lips for protection against sunburn or the cold by using petroleum jelly, but if you want to moisturize them you’ve got to go a step further and use a moisturizing lip balm.
Aside from environmental reason for chapped lips your lips can become dry due to a lack of water, medication, poor diet, and a vitamin deficiency.
You can avoid dry, chapped lips by:
· Avoid licking your lips excessively. By doing so, your lips can become darker and loose their moistness.
· Ladies, before applying your favorite lipstick apply lip balm. This helps the lips remain soft and moist.
· Get into the habit of using a lip balm to keep lips soft, smooth and kissable.
· Before going out into the cold, protect your lips with petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is one of the few occasions which I recommend the use of the product. Because petroleum jelly coats the skin rather then moisturizing it, it works well on the lip and on a baby’s bottom when diaper rash is present. Otherwise, use caution as it may clog the pores.
· Keeping the body hydrated by drinking lots of water.
· Avoid peeling the dead dry skin from the lips.
· I’ve never tried this, but I’ve heard a few people say it works. Here goes! Soak rose petals in raw milk for few hours. Then make it a paste and apply on the lips to keep them pink and smooth. This helps the lips to retain their lost color.

I hope I’ve been able to give you some insight on treating your dry cracked lips.

Subtle Essence offers a lip balm with Shea & Kokum butter called Sweet Lypz. Its leaves lips feeling soft, smooth and kissable. Try it today!

www.subtle-essence.com
contact@subtle-essence.com

Blackheads

At some point in life, we have all had black heads. You might be asking yourself, where do they come from? Blackheads develop when sebum clogs the pores of our skin and collects the dirt, which hardens the pores. People with oily skin tend to develop more black heads due to excess sebum and open pores. The end result - blackheads. People who have blackheads do so because of infrequent cleansing of the face and the back – yes the back.
Oil typically develops on the T-Zone of the face – that is on the nose, forehead, and chin. Black heads can be hideous and difficult to remove because they lie deeply in the skin. The one misconception many people have is that you should squeeze the blackhead to remove them. Nevertheless, the reality is that you actually worsen them and develop scars, and possibly infection.
The problem is not just external you need to keep the skin toxins free by drinking lots of water to prevent the skin from getting black heads and cutting away your tea or coffee intake. You can reduce your chances of developing blackheads by
· Washing your face regularly with lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser or African Black Soap twice a day.
· After washing, use a mild toner to remove excess oil, dirt and make up from the skin,
· Facial scrubs and clay masks will reduce your chances of blackhead because it act as an exfoliant.
· Apply oil free moisturizer such as Perfection Facial Butter.
· Drinking plenty of water helps to hydrate the skin, flushing way toxins from the body and making the skin soft, smooth & supple.
· Citrus will help remove excess grease and build up from the skin
· Steaming the face prior to applying a facial mask or scrub helps in removing the black heads.

We can all reduce our chances of developing blackheads and other forms of acne by proper cleansing, eating a well balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and daily cleansing.

Subtle Essence has a full line of skin care products that can help you treat blackhead. We offer:

Facial Cleansing Gel
Green Tea Cleanser
African Black Soap
Rose Toner
Grapefruit Toner
Cucumber & Lemon Hydrosol
Acne Reducer
Bentonite Facial Clay
Kaolin Clay
Fullers Earth Clay
French Green Clay
Rooibos Cleansing Scrub
Perfection Facial Butter

What about my hair?

FACT: Your hair is dead and is not capable of repairing itself. Damaged hair must be cut.

Anyone that knows me knows I love to talk about the HAIR and coming up with all kinds of recipes to treat anything from hair loss, to shine, to covering up that stubborn grey hair! I use Beer as a conditioner, Apple Cider Vinegar to treat dandruff and remove build up, mayo and avocado for moisturizing and protein and more!!! I received my license in cosmetology in 1989. I initially picked up on maintenance verses styling. It was more important to me to have healthy hair first, then a cute style. I’ve always tried to educate my clients on maintaining their healthy hair before venturing into various styles. With that said, today, I’d like to focus on treating dry, splitting ends.

There are countless products on the market designed to moisturize the hair. Some deliver results and some don’t. Many commercial products contain some type of silicone, which is designed to reduce the appearance of damaged, split ends. To some - this is a dream come true, but the fact of the matter is split ends, when left untreated, can significantly damage the hair. Split ends cannot be repaired. Split ends typically come from heat styling agents and chemical applied to the hair. In to avoid further splitting, the damaged portion of your hair must be cut.

Dry brittle hair and split ends can come from:
* harsh shampoos
* excessive heat styling
* chemicals (perms/relaxers, coloring, etc..)
* excessive use of gels & hairspray
* teasing the hair
* poor hair maintenance
* tangled hair
* hair weaves & braids
* poor eating habits and lack of water.

When choosing your products, avoid those containing mineral oil, alcohol, silicones, and other synthetic ingredients and excessive fragrance.

Here are a few hair tips:

* When hair is wet, use a wide tooth comb to comb thru the hair.
* Avoid excessive heat
* Use a satin scarf, cap or pillow case when sleeping
* Use a microfiber towel when drying hair. Avoid excessive wringing of the hair. This can cause damages.
* Massaging the scalp stimulates circulation, thus promoting growth.
* Eat a healthy balanced meal and drink lots of water.
* Hair vitamins WORK! Try them today. If you are taking Biotin, please note it can cause excessive hair growth all over the body. Drink Mint Tea to combat excessive body hair.

Subtle Essence offers an excellent Silk Hair Butter made with Shea, Murumuru, Tucuma and Aloe Butter. It’s highly moisturizing and great for maintaining a healthy appearance. Its works best when used on damp hair, but can be used ANYTIME!

Our Coconut Shea Pomade is great for the hair & scalp. We use Virgin Coconut Oil & Shea Butter for moisturizing, Beeswax for manageability, Meadowfoam Seed Oil for shine and Emu Oil for the scalp, which promotes growth.

Renaissance Hair Oil is absolutely fantastic for shinier, healthier hair, stronger hair! It’s packed with great nutrients for the hair. There’s Rosemary, Thyme, Sweet Orange Essential Oil; Broccoli Seed Oil, Camellia & Passion Fruit Oils combined to shine & strengthen the hair.

Order your products online by visiting our website. www.subtle-essence.com or e-mail us at contact@subtle-essence.com . We also have a table set up at 4193 Minnesota Ave, NE, Washington, DC where you can purchase products and/or sample every Saturday.

You can also host your own Subtle Party where you may receive product demonstrations and learn more about health skin and hair. E-mail us at contact@subtle-essence.com for more information.