NATURAL VITAMINS IN HERBALLY RADIANT PRODUCTS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE SYNTHETIC ONES

A good weight loss program should be accompanied by healthy diet, more fruits, salads and less carb and sugar. Each diet should, of course, be nutritious enough and include vitamins and minerals.

In our experience with beauty formulations at Herbally Radiant, we have seen the effect of vitamins and minerals on skin as well. While the cosmetics and skin care product manufacturers claim presence of vitamins in their formulations, consumers need to keep in mind that majority of vitamins used by cosmetic industries are synthetic, and by “the majority”, we mean almost all of them.

Many cosmetic manufacturers claim to use only natural vitamins so it is important to remember that the word “natural” is an unregulated term and unless formally charged with misrepresentation there is nothing to compel manufacturers to substantiate their “naturalness” claims. Herbally Radiant formulations contain organic ingredients that are USDA certified.

Natural vitamins are often animal derived. Fish oils, beef liver and egg yolks are the most abundant sources of natural vitamins such as A, D, E, K, and B12. Botanically derived vitamins are used almost exclusively within the dietary supplement industry. This makes sense as supplement end-users are prepared to pay a high premium for natural botanically derived vitamins.

Botanically derived vitamins are dramatically more expensive than synthetic alternatives and they are subject to wild and unpredictable fluctuation in price and availability. As example, during the years 2007-12 the price of natural Vitamin E increased over 200%. This is the scenario, more or less, with all other organically derived products.

Despite high cost escalation, most beauty formulations of Herbally Radiant contain Vitamins B and E in right combination with other naturally rich skin nutrients.  Herbally Radiant R&D team also found that Vitamin E derived from vegetable oil has a far more potent antioxidant effect than synthetic Vitamin E. The dramatic difference in quality between natural Vitamin E and synthetic Vitamin E has no parallel with any other vitamin used in cosmetics.

Besides vitamins, Herbally Radiant formulations also contain peptides – small proteins that help stimulate new cells growth; alpha-hydroxy acids coming from sour milk, sugar; glycolic acid to reduce fine lines and wrinkles; resveratrol, a plant compound to prevent age-related disorders; antioxidants which are well absorbed by skin and help fight cell damage from free radicals; retinol – a natural form of Vitamin A, that effectively works to reduce appearance of lines and wrinkles while boosting thickness and elasticity of skin;

But women who are pregnant, or plan to get pregnant, should avoid using any form of vitamin A, because it may increase the risk of birth defects.

DO YOU KNOW SOME NEW COSMETIC CLAIMS?

Being in the natural organic skin care business, Herbally Radiant has been monitoring the development of new formulations and new ingredients worldwide that could be considered for inclusion in its well-known beauty enhancing products.

One such report in BBC attracted our attention last week. The South Korean beauty formula reported to be based on snail extract was examined in the BBC report with a view to examine the truth behind ‘too-good-to-be-true’ claims made by its marketers.

It is known that South Korean women have long been obsessed with skincare, spending twice as much of their income on beauty products than their American counterparts. With a perceived Korean dedication to new skincare products, Korean beauty products in US have recorded popularity and big rise in sales - $ 1 bn in 2012 and $ 1.91 bn in 2014.

The latest Korean product, face cream made of snail extract is “supposed” to stimulate formation of collagen and elastin. This seems to have developed into a ‘cult following’. However, Megan McIntyre, beauty director at lifestyle website refinery29.com, says that most American women who try the 10 steps recommended by the South Korean beauticians can't keep it up. "After a while, many women who tried to keep up realized that it was pretty damn expensive to use ten plus products a day, and there wasn't necessarily a huge, noticeable difference in their skin," she says.

The benefits of snail extract in skin care has also not been backed by any scientific study so far. It’s thus more due to glamorous marketing campaigns targeted at unsuspecting consumers.

Among some other new marketing gimmicks, which consumers might find questionable, are :

1)      Ready to use ‘beauty drink’ claimed to enhance beauty. There is no scientific backing to support that a ‘beauty drink’ could be metabolized by body to improve beauty.

2)      Whitening cream: Malaysian Health Minister last week asked manufacturer of such a whitening cream to withdraw the product within 72 hours due to misleading claims.

3)      “The Telegraph” investigated many such ‘beauty claims’ in such fashion magazines as Vogue, Glamour and Marie Claire, and reported that 4 in 5 beauty claims could not be substantiated; nearly 1 in 4 wrinkle removal lotions were “outright lies”; promises of ‘eternal youth’ and ‘restoration of youthful glow’ simply did not hold water. Summing up, it said out of a total 757 claims in these magazines, 621 did not stack, 18% were found acceptable while only 14% could be “trustworthy”.

4)      The marketers have also been using baffling lexicon of pseudo-science as “clinically proven” or “dermatologically tested” mainly as selling strategies.

5)      Among other common deceptive claims, it referred to “makes hair stronger”, “patented formula”, “proven formula”, “hypoallergenic”  (FDA allows use of ‘hypoallergenic’ expression without much fuss.)

When questioned on less than ethical marketing campaigns, many cosmetic companies responded that without such claims consumers did not respond to their advertisements.

There will always be new claims by cosmetic companies, many with new marketing gimmicks which would have less to do with health of skin and more with their sales targets.  Ultimately, it will be consumers’ awareness which could protect them from deceptive or misleading claims.

By way of clarification, Herbally Radiant uses only USDA certified ingredients to maintain top quality and safety of its natural products – the safe and best option for consumers. As a policy, HerballyRadiant refrains from making misleading claims, or misleading statements.

CONSUMER NEEDS TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN FACED WITH GLAMOROUS MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

The cases of mislabeling beauty products are on the rise. Manufacturers of these products continue indulging in unverifiable claims, and do not feel obliged to state the ingredients, or hint at the potential side effects. Thus, consumers have to bear the consequences of buying products with questionable reliability and efficacy.

In a recent case where lip care and skin care company EOS was taken to court for mislabeling its products, the consumer class action had alleged that its lip balm caused rash on lips and that the labeling of the product was inadequate, and thus misled the consumers.

It is reported now that the company EOS admitted the charge and accordingly agreed to settle the case out of court. At the same time, in public the company still continues to maintain that its lip balms are hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested, and therefore safe.  However, if the company believes so then it need not have admitted  the legal charge that its lip balm caused rash and its product labeling was questionable.

The main point, however, is that the skin care industry is not strictly regulated as is the drug industry. The beauty industry, therefore, feels unrestricted in making unverifiable claims about various products, at times by inadequate labeling of the packages, leading to unethical business practices.

In such lax environment, it is important for the consumers to satisfy themselves about the efficacy and safety of the skin care products they plan to buy.  The basic rule is : if the product claim is too good to be true then exercise more caution. The more glamorous the marketing campaign, the more likelihood of deceptive or questionable marketing practices.  Lastly, consumers need to read the ingredients on the label, and prefer the products that contain certified ingredients. 

As in the case of Herbally Radiant, where only USDA approved natural organic ingredients are used in skin care formulations, consumers need to ensure for their own safety that the ingredients contained in the products they intend to buy, are well known, or certified as such for their reliability and quality.

BEAUTY AND HEALTH GO TOGETHER

Though Herbally Radiant is in the business of natural organic skin care products that are closely linked to the health of the skin and overall healthy appearance, it also monitors how physical fitness also plays important role in beauty regimen. A recent article in Washington Post by Hope Warshaw, registered nutritionist rightly points the need to balance physical work out with diet.  

Obesity gradually leads to several physical and mental disorders. It also adversely impacts on the skin. Regular exercise has been called the best medicine for health and longevity because of its long list of physical and mental health benefits. Yet the sad fact is that just under half of all American adults meet the physical activity.

The latest government physical activity guidelines recommend that adults get at least 2 ½ hrs of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week or an hour and a quarter of vigorous-intensity activity, or a combination of both.  The same guidelines also recommend that adults engage in muscle-strengthening activities at least twice per week.

The multi-billion weight loss industry is constantly churning out new gadgets with powerful marketing messages. There are many choices with those planning to enter into regular physical work out with the purpose of reducing weight and obesity, and enhancing fitness.

At the same time, it must also be borne in mind that a physical work out without backing it with right kind of diet is not likely to bring about desired results. Regular exercise can help compensate for the metabolic slowdown that commonly results from significant weight loss. But as the editorial in a recent BJSM (British Journal of Sports Medicine) summed up: “You cannot outrun a bad diet, and exercise isn’t enough when it comes to losing weight or staying healthy.”

In fact, it’s hard to outrun, or outwalk, even a healthy eating plan if you eat more calories than your body burns. Think about it. Walking a mile burns roughly 100 calories, equivalent to a large piece of fruit or a couple of tablespoons of mixed nuts. Hardly indulgent!

As Jim White, registered nutritionist and exercise physiologist advises, the most effective way to lose weight is to pair a calorie-conscious healthy-eating plan with adequate exercise.  Physical work out with reduced calories is more likely to take off weight, and cranking up the exercise without trimming calories doesn’t typically result in weight loss.  

As for the role of exercise in helping you keep pounds off for good, it’s a must. Regular exercise can help compensate for the metabolic slowdown that commonly results from significant weight loss.

To sum up, exercise isn’t the sole answer to losing weight or keeping pounds off, though it’s an important part of the equation. Equally essential element is to zero in on a healthy eating plan that helps you control the calories you eat most of the time, leaving some wiggle room for less-healthy food choices on occasion. Lastly, you’ve got to be persistent in practicing those healthy lifestyle behaviors.

EASY STEPS SUGGESTED BY BEAUTICIANS TO MAINTAIN YOUTHFUL APPEARANCE

Many beauticians and nutritionists have been offer useful tips on healthy way to maintain youthful skin, as Mary Beth Janssen, writer and associated with Deepak Chopra Center for Well Being, has explained in one of her articles. At Herbally Radiant we recommend a holistic approach to radiant, dewy skin, and would recommend these simple yet helpful tips to our customers.

A beautiful skin is lively with vibrating energy. It's radiant, smooth, supple, elastic, and moist. It also has a slight flush to it from optimal blood circulation, which would show that lymph fluid is removing toxins and boosting immunity. Stress is under control, antioxidants are preventing free radical damage, and hormones are balanced. The oil and sweat glands are bathing the skin with just the right amount of natural oil and moisture, which in turn maintains the skin's natural acid mantle. All the while, the skin is experiencing a constant state of renewal, shedding over a million skin cells every hour - reflecting synergy in motion.

BEAUTY-LICIOUS
This wonderful balance is indeed what your skin needs, and you must constantly avoid any damage to this balance, caused at times by routine activities. The perfectly natural, organic ways to create beautiful skin are to manage stress, eat healthfully, stay hydrated, get a good balance of physical activity and rest, practice sun protection, and avoid smoking. And naturally, follow a healthful skin-care regimen with pure products, where you always use only the gentlest manipulation of the skin. Rough tugging, rubbing, or abrasive handling with your fingers, hands, towels, tissues or machines can damage your skin.

WHY ORGANIC SKIN CARE?
When we're young, our body is programmed to maintain clear, smooth, soft skin, and we t end to ignore our skin, or take it for granted to derail this program. As we age, however, our skin begins to work less efficiently, thinning out, losing elasticity, and sagging. Exposure to stress - environmental, physical, mental - only exacerbates this natural process. Aging of skin does not mean 50-60 years old skin. Aging changes begin at a much younger age, more so if your skin does not receive proper care.

Proper care does not have to mean using lots of expensive and/or complicated products. What it means is organic skin care, a logical and relatively simple approach that holistically nurtures your skin's natural ability to maintain good health, and to treat our skin from the inside out and from the outside in.

Primary goals in organic skin care are to ensure regular sloughing off and turnover of skin cells and to maintain its natural acid mantle - a combination of sebum and perspiration that your body secretes to protect and moisturize  skin's surface. Achieving these goals can help rebuild damaged collagen and elastin (the chief protein in your skin's elastic fibers) in order to maintain skin strength, elasticity, and resiliency. There are many methods for optimizing cellular turnover. Body brushing, cleansing with a facial mitt or buff, using deeply cleansing masks, and using alpha-hydroxy acids or AHA's (natural organic fruit acids), can all help exfoliate dead surface cells and maintain efficient skin cell turnover. Your skin can get AHA's through a wide variety of treatments, from peels to moisturizing lotions. To protect skin's natural acid mantle, which covers your entire body, use gentle acid-balanced cleansers to wash; avoid harsh or strong antibacterial-deodorant soaps containing sulfate.

YOUR SKIN-CARE REGIMEN
Besides skin-care specialists, it’s more helpful to take charge of your skin on your own with following simple steps :

• Cleanse: Wash your skin with a gentle cleansing agent to remove dirt and oil and balance the skin. Be extra-gentle on your face and neck. Use upward and outward strokes. Around the delicate upper-eye area, work from the inner corner out and around the lower eye area, work from the outer corner in. Masks can deeply cleanse pores and reduce their size, with some masks also acting as exfoliants.

• Tone: Apply some form of clarifying liquid to firm skin tissue, reduce pore size, and remove any remaining cleanser residue. Mist it on or apply with an organic cotton pad. Look for toners with organic botanicals, herbs, and essential oils.

• Moisturize: Apply hydrating lotions, creams, butters, and oils that are humectant (draw moisture into the skin), emollient (preserve moisture already in the skin), and lubricating (lay a thin protective lipid layer on the outside of the skin). Apply to damp skin to lock in extra moisture. Avoid heavy, greasy creams and allow your skin breathe. Lightly pat moisturizer around your eye area with the pad of your middle or index finger.

• Exfoliate: Apply exfoliants to remove the top, dead layers of skin cells and debris to ensure better cell turnover and prevent clogged pores. However, moderation is key - exfoliating too often or with products that are too strong can strip away skin's natural acid mantle, throwing your skin into imbalance.

These basic techniques ultimately provide vital protection of our skin, encouraging healthy cell turnover; safeguarding the skin's natural acid mantle; and helping maintain the skin's natural strength, elasticity, and resiliency. Also important is to use high quality, non-toxic sun protection, especially during the mid-day sun. As healthy as sunbathing or exposure in moderation is for our health (especially in the manufacture of vitamin D), unprotected sun exposure is a prime cause of wrinkles and 90 percent of skin cancers.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS
Always choose right beauty products;  lotions and potions, creams and balms, oils and elixirs act as food for the skin as these penetrate into the bloodstream. So ensure that these offer your skin pure organic treatment, devoid of toxins. Many personal care and household cleaning products are rife with potentially carcinogenic, endocrine-disrupting, and allergenic ingredients. Become a mindful label reader, and learn as much as you can about what you put on your body. Many claims for natural (and even organic!) products are less than truthful, using petroleum-based and potentially toxic ingredients.

Herbally Radiant offers its well researched and tested skin care products containing USDA certified organic ingredients. These range from top of the range age defying formulations to treating skin problems like acne, blemishes, spots, premature wrinkles and lines.

Ten Steps to Gorgeous and Glowing Skin
Reduce stress. Stress hormones rob our skin of its nourishing blood supply, create free radicals, and depress the immune system, disturbing the skin's balance and appearance. As you learn to relax, your skin cells will follow suit. Happy thoughts create happy cells in the body. Visualize beautiful skin. Meditate, breathe deeply, dance, or do whatever it takes to relax, renew, and reinvigorate yourself.

Deep healing breath-work is definitely a face-friendly activity - nearly seven percent of oxygen we inhale is used directly by skin. Besides, regular physical activity is equally important.

Right diet. A varied diet with a balance of proteins, complex carbs, good fats, and plenty of natural antioxidants provides the daily requirements to generate healthy skin. High-quality protein helps skin growth and regeneration. Eat veggies and fruits in abundance, along with whole grains, legumes, nuts, a bit of poultry and fish (particularly those rich in omega 3's, like salmon,) and no- or low-fat dairy.

Supplement daily diet with a high quality multi-vitamin with anti-oxidants, and omega 3's in the form of fish, krill, or flaxseed oil, along with at least two 500 mg capsules of borage or evening primrose oil. Your skin and hair will benefit immensely.

Eliminate foods that spike blood sugar levels, especially anything made from white flour and white sugar, both inflammatory for the skin. Your skin will immensely benefit by reducing saturated fats and avoiding artificial ingredients and chemical pollutants. Alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods can decrease barrier function and increase skin reactivity and inflammation.

Wear sun protection. Although limited sun "baths" (early morning or late afternoon) can be valuable for our body's metabolization of vitamin D, sun exposure is the number one cause of premature skin aging and wrinkles. One of the best ways to protect the skin is to wear a moisturizing sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. Choose one that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and preferably contains micronized zinc oxide.

Smoking is a major cause of massive skin damage; one puff of a cigarette creates over a billion free radicals in body – very toxic indeed. So do whatever it takes to get rid of smoking.

Keep skin well moisturized. It's absolutely essential for proper hydration, keeping the skin moist and plumped, supple, soft, and clear. It improves the skin's barrier function and helps the skin resist environmental aggressions. It even plumps out fine lines and prevents age spots. Water happens to be the cheapest and most effective skin moisturizer; drink eight to 10 glasses of purified or filtered water every day.

Physical exercise exerts hormone-balancing effects on our skin. It also benefits the skin by increasing blood circulation, which provides nutrition to the skin cells; helps in expelling toxins, controls stress; and promotes deep revitalizing sleep. 
Get rest. Your body needs adequate amounts of sleep. Sleep time is when your entire body is busy regenerating, renewing, and rebuilding cellular tissue.