As I told you in my
previous post: Effective ways to treat cellulite, I don't like the smell of coffee. As a matter of fact, I
never drank a sip of coffee in my life! Conversely, I do love teas; I try
to drink 3 to 4 cups a day. But which teas or tisanes you might ask - there are so
many to choose from.
True teas come from the
Camellia sinensis plant, while a herbal
infusion, or tisane is any plant-derived drink other than
true tea. From berry blends to green tea to Earl Grey,
the many versions of chai, black, breakfast, and whatever else. There are so many options.
Healthy teas are
nothing new to the world, but culturally, many of us have forgotten how to use
them. Irrespective of how we feel about holistic
medicine, the power of tea is undeniable.
These are the 6 teas I always have in
my pantry and a little information about their benefits…
Green
Let me start with one of the most
well-known teas. Essentially, green tea
provides an overall health boost,
which is what makes it so popular. Full
of powerful antioxidants, it strengthens our immune system, preventing
and inhibiting health problems. Green tea has a range of possible health
benefits. It can help us feel better,
lose weight, and lower our risk of
chronic diseases! You may want to
consider making green tea a regular part of your life.
Peppermint
Again, this tea is
nothing unusual for tea drinkers. While the refreshing taste is a worthy enough
reason, peppermint tea offers other benefits worth noting, such as fresher breath,
better digestion, and reduced pain
from headaches. It can also calmnausea. Peppermint tea also has antibacterial properties.
Rooibos
Rooibos tea is also known as red tea or red
bush tea. Rooibos is a herbal tea and is
not related to green or black tea. Because
rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free, it's an excellent alternative to black
or green tea. Rooibos also has lower
tannin levels than regular black or green tea.
It is full
of powerful antioxidants, which may offer health benefits. It’s praised for general immune boosting but has also gathered particular attention
for its anti-ageing properties.
When applied topically, it can help with skin concerns such as
acne and eczema. Due to high levels of
the antioxidant glutathione, rooibos is also great for body detoxification.This is my favourite tea!
Chamomile
Chamomile is another very popular herbal tea. It’s the perfect night-time beverage; it has
been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years to calm anxiety and settle stomachs. Chamomile
contains amino acids that relax the body and relieve stress. Several studies have also linked chamomile tea
to reduced severity of menstrual cramps.
Fennel
Originally native to the Mediterranean, it
grows all over the world and has been used for centuries as a
medicinal plant. According to herbalists, the fennel seed is an effective aid to digestion. It can help the smooth muscles of the
gastrointestinal system relax and reduce gas, bloating, and stomach cramps. The anti-inflammatory
properties in fennel can
help relax the muscles in the uterus relieving cramps and
discomfort during menstruation. Since
fennel can relax your muscles you may feel more ready for bed after drinking
it. Ancient remedies called for the use
of fennel to treat insomnia.It
increases the antioxidants in the body and may also act as a diuretic.
Ginger
A spicy beverage, ginger
tea is a warming, invigorating, caffeine-free alternative, which
has numerous health benefits. To be honest, I don’t like the taste of ginger
but my mum loves it! Research has suggested that ginger consumption can be protective
against heart disease. Ginger
tea may also help alleviate headaches,
menstrual cramps, sore muscles, and other types of pain. It’s believed that
the antioxidants in ginger can help
strengthen your immunity and reduce stress.
These teas and infusions have many
more health benefits, but it is impossible for me to list all of them in one blog
post. Stock up your kitchen pantry with these teas and tisanes to experience the health benefits behind simple, herbal remedies that have
been used for centuries.
Are you a tea or herbal tea drinker? What are your favourite infusions?
Lots of people all over the world are concerned
with cellulite. Anti-cellulite creams can be costly and/or full of chemicals.
Fortunately, there are safer and cheaper DIY recipes, which can be just
as effective!In
today’s post, I’m going to show you how to make my favourite, effective
homemade anti-cellulite cream. Before you spend your money on expensive
products, you should try this DIY recipe first.
Grapefruit anti-cellulite cream recipe
Ingredients:
30 drops grapefruit
essential oil
1 cup of coconut oil
Method:
Mix grapefruit
essential oil and coconut oil together
Store in a glass
container - Citrus essential oils are
highly concentrated and are full of healthy acidic properties. Because of this, you should always use glass
containers when storing them.
Rub into affected areas for 5 minutes daily
Coconut oil will help hydrate the skin
while grapefruit essential oil
contains large amounts of the anti-inflammatory enzyme bromelain, which helps break down cellulite.
Note: Coconut oil melts in warm temperatures.The
melting point of coconut oil is generally quoted as being 24 °C (76 °F).
If the temperature is above 24 degrees,
the oil will be liquid. If the temperature
is below 24 °C, it will become solid.
If you want a creamier consistency, you can
add grapefruit oil to an unscented body lotion. However, I recommend mixing the essential oil
and the lotion directly in the palm of your hand.Just add a few drops to your lotion before
you apply it to the affected areas.Do not add the grapefruit oil straight into
the body lotion bottle!
This is not my first
blog post on this topic; I shared a recipe for an anti-cellulite coffee scrub, a few years back.Here’s the link: DIY: Anti-cellulite scrub.I
prefer the grapefruit anti-cellulite
cream recipe over this one, simply because I’m not particularly fond of the
smell of coffee.But other than that, the
scrub is also a very effective anti-cellulite!
In another post, I
also shared a list of tips that you can use to improve the appearance of
cellulite.You can find all the tips
here: Fighting cellulite!
If you have any additional tips to treat cellulite, feel free to leave a comment below.
Do you pay attention to the symbols on your beauty products? I certainly do! It is vital to know the signs used in cosmetic packaging when choosing a product. Those symbols are meant to inform the customer.
Keep reading to find out more about the 12 most common symbols...
PAO (Period after opening)
The little container with a number is the recommended use-by time after opening the product. Most of them will be 6 or 12 "m" (months).
Estimated symbol
This symbol is used to specify that the product is packed using "average fill system". This only means you will get "X" amount of product, shown in grams or millilitres.
UVA symbol
The UVA symbol means that the product contains the minimum recommended level of ultraviolet protection.
Leaping Bunny
The jumping bunny signifies a product that is cruelty-free. Both the product and the ingredients will not have been tested on animals. So always look out for this if you only shop for vegan products.
Hands with booklet
This icon means there is a leaflet attached to the product, that will tell you more in-depth about the product warnings and conditions of use.
Green Dot
It signifies that the business pays to recover and recycle the product.
PETA bunny
Another icon to show that the product is cruelty-free and not tested on an animal at any stage.
Certified vegan
The item contains no animal products.
Flammable
The item should not be used close to an open fire nor should it be exposed to high temperature.
Certified organic (Bio)
The product contains only organically produced ingredients.
Folded arrows
It is, of course, the universal sign for recycling. If the symbol is stand alone, it means the packaging is recyclable. But if it has a percentage next to it, this indicates how much of the packaging is made from recycled content.
Eco-cert
The eco-friendly stamp means that the formula will be at least 95% made from natural ingredients and if accompanied by the phrase ‘Organic Cosmetic’, it means that 95% of the plant-based ingredients come from organic farming. If it says ‘Natural Cosmetic’, this means that only 50% of its plant-based ingredients come from organic farming.
I shop for vegan, cruelty-free products, preferably organic! What symbols do you look for in your beauty products?
Is your bathroom cabinet stuffed with toxins? Is your
make-up or toiletry bag a blend of chemicals that could harm you? YES is
probably the answer to both questions. The skin is the body’s largest
organ and up to 60% of some of the chemicals we put on it may be absorbed into
our bloodstream.
It is actually worse to put toxins on your skin then it is
to eat them. Your liver contains detoxifying enzymes which break down
toxic elements. What you apply to your skin can go directly into your bloodstream.
Check out the infographic below to find out which dangerous ingredients you should try to avoid and why.
Always check the ingredients list on your bottles and jars: the higher up the list these dangerous ingredients come, the greater the concentration. Read the labels and the ingredients list very
carefully before purchasing!
My previous post was all about SPF
and misconceptions about sunscreen. Read it here. Today's post is about sunscreen
ingredients you should avoid!
So, what’s wrong with our sunscreens?
Research has found that many sunscreens contain chemicals
that mess with our hormones and can play a significant role in cancer
development. You should avoid these chemicals and find a safer alternative.
Active ingredients in sunscreens come in two forms, mineral and
non-mineral/chemical filters. Each ingredient has different
uses for protecting the skin and keeping its stability under sunlight.
Yet each may be hazardous to human health.
The most
common sunscreens on the market contain chemical filters. These products
typically include a combination of two or more of these active
ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate, octinoxate, retinyl
palmitate and paraben preservatives.
Mineral
sunscreens use zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.
Also, a small amount of sunscreens combine zinc oxide with
chemical filters.
Read
the infographic below and learn why you need to skip sunscreen products that
contain these chemicals.
Looking for a safer alternative? Why not try
to make your own sunscreen using the ingredients below?
You can find the recipe, here! Does your favourite sunscreen contain any of the above mentioned hazardous ingredients? Will you be making your own sunscreen this summer? Do you want more DIY sunscreen recipes? Do let me know in the comments below!
Hello
everyone! On
Wednesday, October 1st, I blogged about carcinogenic ingredients found
inP&Gbeauty products in a posed titled, Tell P&G to remove cancer-causing chemicals from
cosmetics! If you have not yet signed the petition,
please do so now! If you want to test
your knowledge of toxic chemicals in make-up and personal care products you can take theSafe
Cosmetics Quizcreated by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
If I had to ask how many of you pay attention to the ingredients list when choosing a beauty product, the answer would probably be very few. The main reason for this is that the majority of us (the consumers) have no idea what the scientific names of the ingredients mean. Nonetheless, I do think that is it crucial to understand the importance of ingredients, especially for those with sensitive and/or acne-prone skin.
But what does Comedogenic mean? This means that the product may contribute to the production of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), and therefore may cause or aggravate acne. When ingredients are tested for their comedogenic or irritating level, they are ranked on a scale of 0-5. 0 means that the ingredient is non-comedogenic and non-irritating, while an ingredient that receives a 5 is the worst in terms of comedogenic/irritating levels.
Remember that all ingredient lists are in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts. So if you find a product, and you see it has a potentially irritating ingredient towards the end, it is less likely to cause skin problems.
However, the actual comedogenicity of a product cannot be predicted from its contents; rather the finished product itself needs to be tested. Reactions are more likely to occur if the applied cosmetics are left to sit on the skin (e.g. make-up and moisturisers) and are not removed after use (e.g. cleansers)
Tip:
Look for the terms “non-comedogenic” or “non-acnegenic”, and for products that are labelled “oil-free” or “water-based”. Still, it’s important to test products for yourself rather than to believe statements made on the labels.
Below you can find a list of the most common ingredients found in make-up and skincare products. For more details, I advise you to check my source Dermaxime, where you can find everything you need to know about the subject.
Hello everyone! One of the more uncomfortable, yet frequent challenge faced by most women in the summertime is the issue of inner thi...
About Cosette's Beauty Pantry
In September 2010, I started this blog to share my experience with skincare products, treatments and home remedies. I also write about other things that interest me, such as hair, makeup and fashion trends. Lately, I'm including more health and wellness articles, as well. →Keep reading!