Active-Beauty.com | A Natural Beauty Product Buying Guide

A shampoo is a mixture of ingredients that work together to cleanse the hair and scalp. The ‘power’ ingredient that shampoos have in common is the base surfactant, a term which is short for ‘surface active agent’. The surfactants are the ingredients that clean the hair and are present in all shampoos.

When shampoo mixes with water it creates lather. The amount of lather however does not reflect the cleaning power of the shampoo. So why do we need lather? Firstly, people just like the feel of lather, it makes using a shampoo more pleasant. Secondly, lather helps you to see if the shampoo has been divided equally over the hair, and thirdly, when the lather has disappeared out of the hair, you know that you’ve rinsed out all the shampoo.

The surfactants loosen, lift and remove the dirt, excessive amounts of sebum (scalp’s natural oils) and styling residues from the hair. When rinsing, these particles are removed together with the lather. For a shampoo to be really mild, it must clean the hair and scalp but not remove the natural oils and grease from the skin.

The major benefit of using a shampoo is well manageable, clean and shiny hair with volume.

Try these: Shampoos with keratin & Nettle, Sea Kelp and pathenol salon style products

Classification of Shampoos
When you look around you notice that people have different hair types and want different results from washing their hair. This means that all these people need their own hair care regime. To fit people’s needs for their hair, different shampoos are required.

Looking back in history the classical shampoo had one purpose only: cleansing hair. Nowadays there is a lot of variety in modern shampoos to fit all types of hair.

Four classifications in modern shampoos can be made to fit the people’s needs:

This information is not meant to replace your physician and is simply provided as a free educational service to our visitors. If you feel that you have a skin problem, please consult with your physician.

The aging process begins when we enter the world and the effects of aging are evident in our bodies through out our lives. Beginning in our 20’s, the signs of aging start to become noticeable. Genetically programmed chronologic aging causes changes in collagen and elastin, the connective tissues that supply firmness and elasticity to the skin. The genetic program of individuals is different, so the loss of skin firmness and elasticity occurs at different rates and different times in one individual as compared to another. As skin becomes less elastic, it also becomes drier and underlying fat padding begins to disappear. With the loss of underlying support by fat padding and connective tissues, the skin begins to sag; it appears less supple and wrinkles form.

Although wrinkles, lines and age spots are formed by the natural effects of getting older, one way to prevent them from appearing early on in life is to avoid direct sunlight and use sunscreens with SPFs 15 or higher. And, although most of us have some form of sun-damaged skin, there are ways to regain healthy, smooth skin. After many years of research, scientists, dermatologists and plastic surgeons have discovered that a variety of natural ingredients and vitamin extracts significantly help slow down and even reverse the signs of aging skin. These ingredients are found in many of our anti-aging skin care products.

Vitamin A (Retinol) - Topical Vitamin A has been suggested to help build collagen fibers within the skin in addition to its more superficial exfoliating property. This is the basis for its use in minimizing the appearance of fine wrinkle lines.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C or ascorbic acid acts as an antioxidant and is considered vital in wound healing because it aids in stabilizing collagen. When applied topically, vitamin C can reduce fine lines and wrinkles and may lessen the severity of sunburns.

Vitamin E - Vitamin E is another antioxidant that shows to have anti-inflammatory effects on the skin. When applied topically, vitamin E has been shown to improve moisturization, softness and smoothness and also provides modest photo protection.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) - AHAs are designed to smooth fine lines and surface wrinkles, to improve skin texture and tone, to unblock and cleanse pores, to improve oily skin or acne, and to improve skin condition in general.

Glycolic Acid - Glycolic acid is the most active and beneficial of the Alpha-Hydroxy-Acids (AHAs) in skin care. Once inside the cells, the acid triggers new formations of collagen to plump cells and the ground substances in the skin to reduce wrinkles on the skin’s surface. Glycolic acid is proven to be very effective in the treatment of acne as well as in cosmetic uses.

Copper Peptides - Copper Peptides are the latest scientific breakthrough in skin rejuvenation. Copper has been found to naturally firm the skin, enhance elasticity, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

Green Tea Extract - Green tea’s anti-inflammatory and anti-growth qualities are found in many skin care products designed to reduce the appearance of puffiness, wrinkles, fine lines and large pores.

Many customers ask which anti-aging product is best and we always respond by saying that there is no “best” product. Since every individual’s skin is different, the results of using anti-aging products will be different as well. We recommend that you consult with a skin care professional prior to use of any new skin care product to determine your skin type, skin condition and possible sensitivities to active ingredients. Your skin care professional may recommend specific products, or you can try a few on your own based on your consultation. If you are not happy with the first product you try, try another one. It’s important that you choose a product and skin care regimen that makes you feel 100% comfortable with the look and feel of your skin.

Customers also inquire about when they should expect to see results from using anti-aging products. Again, we respond by saying that results will be different for each individual, generally due to the condition of one’s skin prior to use. However, across the board, we say not to expect a miracle, as there is no anti-aging product on the market that provides overnight results. Whether you are trying to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness or age spots, the process is gradual and takes anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks depending on the severity of your problem areas. After allowing the products time to take effect as well as following product directions, you can be sure to notice significant improvement in the appearance of your skin.

To see the quickest results, you will have to undergo professional cosmetics procedures. While procedures such as laser treatments, injections and dermabrasion produce the fastest, most noticeable improvements, they are all are somewhat painful or uncomfortable and very costly. In addition, pre and post treatment plans are required to achieve maximum results, which consist of using skin care products, that are also proven to be safe, effective, painless and less expensive alternatives to professional cosmetic procedures.

Please note that with the use of any new skin care product, it is highly possible that your skin will react to the ingredients. You may experience irritation, redness, dryness or a mild breakout, which should only last for the first 3-5 days of use. If you experience any of these reactions for a longer period of time, please discontinue use and consult a skin care professional. It is also recommended that prior to using any new skin care product to consult with a skin care professional.

Clipping toenails
Don’t clip right into the corners so as to avoid painful ingrown nails. Cut them straight across to just above the tip of each toe & file the sharp edges. A good “clipping” moment would be after a shower/bath where nails are much softer. Use a pair of toenail scissors or a clipper. An ingrown toenail results when corners of the nail curves into the skin on the side of the toe.

Alternate shoes
Give the pair worn the previous day a chance to air & breathe. Besides using products such as foot powder/spray to help eliminate smelly & sweaty feet, air your feet as often as you can. Wear fresh pairs of cotton socks, stockings or tights. Wear the size that gives you a comfortable fit. Too tight can lead to foot aches, foot cramps & painful ingrown toenails while too loose could cause blisters. . Foot bath & massage treat your feet to either a warm or cooling bath, massaging & scrubbing at the same time then dry your feet, especially between toes. . Moisturize Use a rich moisturing lotion.

Try these: shea butter exfoliating foot cream renewal & peppermint foot therapy

Stone Rub
Remove rough spots & calluses with a good quality pumice stone. Walking barefoot It is a good form of massage, helping to strengthen foot muscles, energize aching & tired feet. Wriggle your toes too so that they loosen up. . Repair or replace worn-out shoes

Shoes & Foot size
Shoes with worn-out soles & heels should be replaced or when possible repaired. If you have 1 foot bigger than the other (very common), your shoe must always fit the bigger foot. Our foot size changes as we grow older. Shoe fitting is best done late in the afternoon or in the evening when your foot is at it’s largest.

Shoe sizes are Different from manufacturer to manufacturer, so try them on before buying & don’t be tempted to grab that last pair on the shelf that is not your size.

Refrain from buying shoes that are very pointed or narrow at the front, it could force not just the toes but the whole foot to ache terribly.

Wear shoes that fit nicely onto your foot. Make sure there is a gap infront of your toes, wide enough for your toes to wriggle. Your heel must rest securely on the shoe heel. A good pair of shoes must give support & offer comfort to your feet.

High heels make you taller, attractive perhaps but they can be a problem unlike the low heels that are less damaging & safer. Nevertheless, if it’s impossible to separate you from high heels, be sure the shank is strong & stable enough to support your weight.

To avoid getting blisters, rub with a new bar of soap along the edges or areas within the shoes. . Put feet up Lift them up to relieve tiredness.

Leather Still well loved despite competition from rubber & plastic. Leather shoes when worn long enough conforms to every part of your feet even the shape of your toes!

Put on a pair of socks that you would usually wear before trying on any of the shoes:

1. Walking Has to be lightweight, gives good support & provides an adequate space between foot & shoe.

2. Running Must offer good support & cushioning. Walking shoes are not meant for running.

3. Hiking Wear hiking shoes when you are going hiking. Choose light-weight type for non-treacherous route. Athlete’s foot (Tinea pedis) mostly caused by a moisture-loving fungus called trichophyton. This infection occurs on the skin’s surface & is usually accompanied by itch, blisters, red rash or a dry & scaly rash. Some effective anti-fungal treatments include:

1. Add 15-20 drops of tea tree oil in a bowl of warm water & soak feet for 15 minutes 2 to 3 times daily. Let dry.
2. Apply tea tree oil directy onto affected areas 2 times a day.
3. Combine 5 drops of tea tree oil with 115 ml of aloe vera juice in a spray bottle. Shake well.
4. Spray onto affected areas 2 times a day. Let dry.

Aloe vera soothes itchiness. Continue with the treatment even after symptoms improved so as to ensure that the fungus will be completely eliminated.

Maintain these habits to steer clear of fungus - clean your feet & dry them well especially between toes with a hair dryer. Powder feet & shoes with antifungal powder. Wear cotton socks & change them daily. Alternate shoes - give the pair worn the previous day a chance to air & breathe. Put on sandals/slippers while in public shower or locker rooms.

Since I’ve gotten requests from site visitors to do some product reviews, I’ll start with one I use regularly. In this case it’s not a beauty product, but hey it’s helpful information! A few years ago, I was looking for a way to make my websites make money and pay for their expenses, design and programming (instead of coming out of my personal training fees from clients). So I found a site called Linkworth.com .

I found that my website real estate was actually worth enough for me to invest the time and energy into figuring out how to do it. While I’m a good cut-n-paste type person….I’m not a programming geek by any stretch of the imagintion. With Linkworth, it was simple to use, and I could sell ads in ways that wouldn’t annoy my site visitors and clients, AND bring in a little bit of extra cash as well.

I have to say that three years later, my websites pay for themselves solely on renting out my ‘real estate’. I highly reccommend this to anyone looking to make their website real estate make money online .

Grooming

1.Use a shampoo & conditioner that suits your hair type. Choose products that are gentle, preferably without any harsh detergent like the sulfates. For daily washes, use a shampoo that is mild, gentle & moisturising.

2.Using too much conditioner makes hair greasy. For oily hair, apply a light conditioner at the ends of the hair.

3. Ingredients such as coconut oil moisturizes dry hair, makes hair softer & soothes the scalp; tea conditions & softens hair; jojoba moisturizes permed or chemically treated hair & makes hair manageable; silicone makes hair silky; lemon gives hair a natural shine & conditions; honey conditions deeply; henna leaves are natural hair dyes; apple cider vinegar & rosemary oil encourage hair growth & control dandruff.

4. Eggs contain lecithin which helps to moisturize dry hair. Before shampooing, beat an egg & apply it onto dry hair & cover with a plastic bag for about 15 minutes (body heat intensifies conditioning) then rinse off totally with cold water.

5. Olive oil is a good conditioner too. Massage onto hair & leave it for 10 minutes before shampoo.
6. Massaging your scalp with your fingertips helps the blood to circulate to the scalp.

7. The whole idea here about sun protection is avoidance & adequate protection over all exposed areas.

8. On average hair grows about 1.2 to 1.25 cm a month.

9. Hair is most fragile when wet.

10.To make hair soft & shiny after washing, blot hair gently with towel & then separate with a wide-toothed comb.

11.Blow-drying damages hair, causing dryness & split-ends due to the close contact between the heat on the scalp & hair. The next time you blow dry your hair, face the dryer downwards, use a leave-on conditioner for protection & avoid long exposure of both scalp & hair to the strong heat.

12.To avoid hair damage (e.g. green hair) while swimming in chlorinated water, wear a swimming cap or deep condition your hair before entering the pool. Also, wash & condition hair as soon as you have finished swimming.

13.Wear a hat when staying outdoors for a long period & condition more often.

14.The best hair brush to use is one with bristles made of animal hairs.

15.Refrain from giving stress to hair with constant perms, dye, highlighting, blow-drying, curlers or the use of strong hair styling products.

16.Hair turns grey when melanocytes (cells found in the hair bulb) cease to produce color pigments.

17.Split ends are preventable but not repairable. Cutting them off is the only solution.

18.Flaking does not always mean dandruff. It can be caused by overusing conditioners, the build up of compounds from styling products, not washing hair often enough or not rinsing thoroughly.

Nourishment

1.Poor nutrition, hormonal changes, stress & shock play a major part in affecting the condition, appearance or disapperance of hair.

2.Vitamin A - promotes healthy scalp. Food sources: dark green, orange & yellow fruits & vegetables.

3.Vitamin B complex - Regulates the secretion of oil, keeps hair healthy & moisturized. Food sources: cerals, tomatoes, lean meat, liver, kidney, Brewer’s yeast, eggs & green vegetables.

4.A severe lack of biotin (one of the Vitamin Bs) can lead to hair loss. It works best with Vitamin B5, B12 & folic acid. Food sources: cauliflower, yogurt, wholemeal bread, bran & bananas.

5.Minerals such as zinc, iron & copper promote healthy hair. Food sources: zinc - lean red meat, chicken, pumpkin seeds & green vegetables; iron - beef, dried apricots, lean red meat, parsely, eggs, wheatgerm & sunflower seeds; copper - animal organs, seafood, egg yolk & whole grains.

6.A lack of iron is cited to be the cause of hair loss among women who have not reached menpause.

7.Proteins - because hair is made up of 97% protein (keratin), consuming enough of it gives hair a natural shine. Food sources: lean meat, grains & soy.

Skin is the largest organ of the body. It has 2 layers. Outer layer epidermis is water-proof while the inner layer dermis has oil (sebaceous) glands, sweat glands, nerves, blood vessels & hair follicles.

• Considered to be the “third lung” in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

• Helps get rid of toxins.

• Maintains body temperature at 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). When the body is feeling hot, sweat glands release sweat & as sweat evaporates, the body feels cooler. When feeling cold, blood vessels shrink to reduce heat loss & the body might shiver which causes the muscles to release heat.

• A layer of fat below the dermis also helps to regulate heat & cold.

• Light skin has a higher tendency to wrinkle compared to dark skin.

• The color & thickness of skin varies over different parts of the body.

• An ideal position to give rest to the body & a line-free face is to lie on the back with the knees elevated by placing a pillow or cushion beneath.

• To keep skin clear & free of problems, eating right plays a big part. Certain skin problems like acne & eczema can be seen as an attempt by the body to get rid of toxins through the skin. We can help our body do just that by making sure our kidneys & liver function well, not overburdened with the job to eliminate toxins from the body.

• Drink lots of water (filtered if possible) throughout the day, at least 8 glasses or 2 litres & eat large portions of fibre daily. Go easy on sugary foods & drinks. Learn to love fruits & vegetables.

• Drink lots of water (filtered if possible) throughout the day, at least 8 glasses or 2 litres & eat large portions of fibre daily. Go easy on sugary foods & drinks. Learn to love fruits & vegetables.

Shea butter comes from the nut of the Shea tree or Karite Tree. It is found mostly in West African countries like Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso and parts of East Africa. (See our Discount Shea Butter Products)

Unrefined Shea Butter is rich in Vitamins E, A & F. All of which benefit the skin in many ways:

• Vitamin A& E- Aids in keeping the skin clear & gives it a healthy shine. Normalizes and balances the skin tones. Aids in moisturizing dry and sun exposed skin. Also protects the skin against UV rays because of its content rich in cinnamic acid, while the latex contained in shea butter helps prevent certain sun allergies. Also hydrates & soothes the skin while providing collagen to help reduce wrinkles, stretch marks and facial lines. All of these are assets against skin aging which are the primary uses in the cosmetic field.

• Vitamin F- Aids in protecting the skin while revitalizing it , to give it a fresh look. Soothes rough, dry and chapped skin and is also beneficial for dry and damaged hair types, especially over processed & heat-treated hair. As all vegetable fats, the three fatty acids in vitamin F soothes , moisturizes and protects the skin.

Shea Butter is also known for:

• Aiding cell regeneration and capillary circulation. This helps to heal small cuts, scrapes, wounds, dermites, cracks , crevices, and skin ulcers.

• Returns luster to hair

• Absorbs quickly without leaving the greasy residue that petroloeum, beeswax and mineral based products do.

Active-Beauty offers natural skin care products, discount fitness products and discount nutrition products with the athletic person in mind. We offer only the best in our hand picked hair care, skin care, body, bath & beauty products. We’re publishing our beauty info blog to provide you with information about beauty products ingredients, skin care tips, fitness and nutrition information, and anything else related to beauty, fitness or nutrition.

We’re hoping to become your one-stop internet resource for all kinds of beauty and skin care!