A repost worth reading!...
A week or so ago I was sooo mentally tired and wanted some form of quick entertainment that was light and easy that did not involve "The Game Of Thrones". So I came across "Charlie's Angels," not the movie versions just the wonderful 1970's series! I sat there with a glass of wine and found myself taking in deep breaths realizing how fast we are all going in today's world. Anyway, back to the "Charlie's Angels" show and specifically Jaclyn Smith, you know the brunette angel with the long dark hair? I remember when I was in high school and thinking how beautiful she was. Then, one day on a TV talk show she told the world one of her beauty secrets, I swear all the women in my house spun around with eyes glued to the TV, it was so quiet you could actually hear a pin drop!
Tell me the big secret you say?!
I'm sure some of you are shouting out the answer right now while you are reading this newsletter. The secret is Albolene cream! WHAT! Are you kidding me! Yes, I can hear you from here and I agree with your response! So you can imagine how my mom and grandmother became very vocal as they stood and watched this beautiful woman say the best thing in the world for her skin was a mineral oil, petroleum by product! I didn't understand at first why they were so shocked, but I soon learned the hard way.
You guessed it, I ran out and bought a tub, I mean a jar of the stuff...
The container was so unusually large, I asked the sales lady if this was the only size they had and that I think I was getting the giant economy size. She then proceeded to tell me there is just one size of the Albolene cream. That was actually just fine with me, who doesn't like economy size when it comes to something so wonderful as a jar of cream that will make me look like a Charlie's Angel? So off I went! I was so willing to leave behind everything the women in my life taught me and so happy I just found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or in my mind the beauty secret that unlocked Cleopatra's tomb!
I walk in the house...
Mom and my grandmother looked at the tub in my hand, looked at each other, looked back at me and said almost at the same time, "You are not going to put that stuff on your face...are you?!" I said yes, I need to find out why this "Angel" is so beautiful and what this amazing secret is, spoken by a true 16 year old.
Into the bathroom I go!..
I locked the door so the two of them could not barge into the bathroom and watch me with their mouths open applying this wonder cream. First the wash cloth came out of the cupboard, then I opened the magical Pandora's box! Much to my dismay it looked like Vaseline... yes Vaseline! Now, I think I know why mom and grandma were so upset. I cleansed my face first with this stuff then reapplied, jumped into the shower like Jaclyn said she did, to let the Albolene and steam work their "magic" together, wiped it all off after a few minutes and out I came so excited to see the new me and secretly hoping I looked like Jaclyn when I looked in the mirror. Yep, no Jaclyn but my skin looked good, it seemed happy, soft and clean! I opened the door to show mom and gma and they agreed my skin looked fresh...for now. A couple days past and I was very strict with my new found beauty routine, but one day I noticed a few red dots forming on my cheek, "I screamed, I HAVE PIMPLES FORMING!" Long story short, mom and gma were right and now they have to jump in to help me balance my skin again and of course they did.
What is the moral to this crazy little story?
Taking care of your skin should be quite simple, relaxing and fun! Falling for the latest and the greatest can not only be disappointing, but in the long run not very healthy for your face, let alone not necessarily safe for your whole body.
Make sure the products you are putting on your skin are organic and natural like the Dr. Lucy products, I'm sure you haven't heard that from me before. :) The combination of the natural and organic ingredients in your skin care products have to not only be fresh and nourishing for your skin, but be completely copacetic with your skin and your chemistry so that it will thrive and be healthy. Remember healthy skin is youthful skin.
Using products with chemicals, like mineral oil, will not only clog your pores, but will sit on top or your skin, dry it out, and literally suffocate it causing all sorts of skin issues and imbalances. Plus, I'm sorry to say, they are carcinogenic and hormonal disruptors for women and men!
I have a million funny stories about natural products and not so natural products that I will share with you from these amazing and crazy women and men in my life that have helped me along this natural skin care journey.
Maybe the next story will be about the time I steamed my face over a steel bowl of boiling hot water and herbs...the imperative words here are boiling-hot!
Until the next story, keep your skin care organic and natural like Dr. Lucy's and watch old school shows no matter what your age to keep things light and happy!
With Love and Blessings!
Rebecca
P.S.
Not always fun to read but important information to know from the Daily Health Post!
Cancer-Causing Ingredient
What these moisturizing creams all have in common is mineral oil. While that sounds all healthy because of the “mineral” part, mineral oil is a petroleum product, as is gasoline. The skin is incredibly absorbent, and while it does block most harmful substance, ingredients in skincare are made to penetrate these barriers and get all the way through.
Mineral oil was identified as a carcinogen in the nineteenth century.
Mineral oil also clogs pores, suffocating skin and leading to pimples and blackheads.
An Austrian study found traces of toxic mineral oil in the milk of breastfeeding mothers who had applied breast salves that contained the harmful ingredient. A small percentage mineral paraffins were also passed to the nursing babies. An earlier study of mineral oil found in breastmilk also considered infants directly ingesting the oil while suckling.
Moisturizing cream is not the only product that can contain mineral oil; many suntan and sunscreen products, lip balms, baby oil and rash treatments, cosmetics, shampoos, perfumes, and body cleansers contain it as well.
Mineral oil is known by several names so look for these on the labels of your personal care products too:
Adepsine oil
Albolene
Baby oil
Drakeol
Lignite oil
Liquid paraffin
Mineral seed oil
Paraffin oil
Petrolatum
White oil