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Today's Episode hard waters effects on your skin
Question: Have you ever gone on vacation, and noticed that your skin seems almost mysteriously healthier while you're away?
...Only to go back to "normal" when you get home?
just got back from a trip to visit her friend in Rhode Island, and she just couldn't get over how much better her skin looked the whole time she was there.
But she felt a little let down when she came back to LA and lost that some of the "glow" she had while she was away.
If this has happened to you, you might assume it's due to the change in climate... and you're partly right.
But the main cause is something you might not have guessed...
The water.
You see, there are two different kinds of tap water: hard and soft.
Perhaps you've heard these terms before... but what you might not know is how they affect your skin's health.
You see, soft water is water that contains very few mineral deposits - good news for your skin.
But hard water contains a lot of minerals - specifically calcium and magnesium.
This is where the bad news starts.
Dry places like Texas, the Southwest, and right here in Southern California have some of the hardest water in the country...
Followed by the Great Lakes region, the Midwest, Tennessee, and parts of the Pacific Northwest.
In fact, about 85% of the U.S. has at least moderately hard water.
My skin was extra soft and smooth in Rhode Island was that New England is one of the few places in the country with soft water...
Whereas in "hard water areas," people tend to notice skin irritation, dehydration, flaking, and even breakouts.
And it makes perfect sense - when you wash with hard water, you’re essentially also “washing” with tiny, microscopic rocks from the ground.
One more piece of bad news about hard water...
When you wash your face, do you get that “squeaky clean” feeling after you're done?
Well unfortunately, that means your skin ISN'T as clean as you think...
It actually means you have a layer of minerals caked onto your face that will only get worse by washing with the same water over and over.
If this sounds like something you're experiencing, you can find out how hard YOUR water is by doing a few easy tests right at home:
-
See how much your products lather. The less it lathers, the harder your water is.
-
Check for a crusty ring around your bathtub. This is the “residue” hard water leaves behind - the same stuff that’s sitting on your skin.
- Leave a glass filled with about a tablespoon of water until it evaporates. If a grainy white film is left behind, it's a clear sign of hard water.
If you do have hard water like most people, there are a few things you can do to stop its damaging effects on your skin:
-
Use bottled water. Many of my clients like to wash
their face with bottled water, because of how much softer and purer it
is than LA faucet water. This can get a little pricey when done daily,
but I encourage anyone with hard water to do it at least once a week to
keep skin radiant and film-free.
-
Wash your face with filtered water. If you'd rather not
keep a stockpile of bottled water in your house, you can used filtered
water instead. This can either be from a faucet filter or a filtered
pitcher. This will only clean away some of the minerals, but it will still help to give you a more purified wash than hard tap water.
- Do a water less wash. This has always been one of my favorite tips, especially for people with dry skin. Instead of rinsing cleanser away, just wipe it off with a soft cloth or tissue. Use this technique 3 times a week, and wash normally with water all other times to get the best results.
There IS a fourth option: buying a water softener. But this is very expensive, so I encourage all of my clients to only invest in a softening system as a last resort. Most people don't need it if they use one of the techniques I mentioned above.
I know using these tips will help you beat the effects of hard water - and get back to the glowing, healthy skin you deserve.
Your Beverly Hills MD,
MAKE-UP ERASER REVIEWS:
1. used it for the first time, it works amazingly well! Don't even mention how much money I could save on make up remover!!! Give it a try, you will love it
2. was skeptical but this thing WORKS!!! Takes off my daily makeup (I do a full face every day) and also takes off my daughter's dance/stage makeup (which is put on with a trowel and includes lashes and three coats of waterproof mascara)! It's the only thing that will remove mascara effectively for me and NOT end up like raccoon eyes in the morning! I simply use it per instructions then do my regular skin care routine. I have washed it multiple times and it looks brand new.
3. This little cloth is pretty great. There's some difficulty removing waterproof mascara, bit there's a trick to it. I apply some remover to eyelashes first, and let soak for a minute or two, and then it comes right off with the cloth. Everything comes off and then it washes clean when laundered. Love it
4.Overall, I love the Makeup Eraser. It does get ALL of my makeup off but requires some pulling/scrubbing around the eye area to remove it all. I am 26, consumers in their mid-30s and older, may not wish to pull at their skin. Also, in my experience this does NOT replace cleanser or moisturizer, however, it is, in my opinion, a great replacement for your standard makeup remover! 1000 washes for 19.95 (.60/month) or cotton balls & makeup remover for 2.74 years (32.74 months) approximately $328.74. Even washing the Makeup Eraser, you save about $300!
5.I used this for a week before throwing it out. It removes makeup, but it tugs at the skin terribly. I wear fairly heavy eye makeup- liquid eyeliner, waterproof mascara, and eye shadow primer with two or three colours, and to remove this I have to press quite hard and drag the eraser across my eyes. It pulls the skin a great deal, and the skin around the eyes is already very delicate, so using this for a long period would definitely cause wrinkles or lines. Mature skin need to use with cleanser.
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COCONUT OIL AS A TOOTH WHITENER
By Dr. Mercola
In a study to test coconut oil's biocidal properties against the bacteria responsible for tooth decay, the oil proved to be quite effective.
The action of coconut oil was tested in its natural state and after being treated with enzymes, in a process similar to digestion. The oils were tested against strains of Streptococcus bacteria, which are common inhabitants of your mouth.
They found that enzyme-modified coconut oil strongly inhibits the growth of most strains of Streptococcus bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium that is a major cause of tooth decay.1 It is thought that the breaking down of the fatty coconut oil by the enzymes turns it into acids, which are toxic to certain bacteria.2 Chief researcher Dr. Damien Brady said:
"Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations. Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection."
6 Reasons to Use Coconut Oil as Toothpaste
A case could be made that coconut oil has a near-perfect makeup to act as an effective toothpaste. Six top reasons, as reported by MindBodyGreen, include
1.
No Harmful Chemicals
Conventional toothpaste such as Colgate Total contains an antibacterial chemical called triclosan, which has been linked to concerns over antibiotic resistance and endocrine disruption.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are a serious concern, as they can promote a wide variety of health problems, including: breast, ovarian, prostate, and testicular cancer, preterm and low birth weight babies, precocious puberty in girls, and undescended testicles in boys.
Some animal studies showed that triclosan caused fetal bone malformations in mice and rats, which may hint at hormonal effects.
Fluoride is another common chemical in conventional toothpaste. Fluoride is a toxic industrial waste product that is a poison to your body even in trace amounts…
2. Effective Against Cavity-Causing Bacteria
Research even shows that massaging coconut oil into your gums for about 10 minutes daily (continued for three weeks) significantly reduces decay-causing Streptococcus mutans as well as plaque.4
3. No Foaming Agents
Many toothpastes also contain surfactants like sodium laurel sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES). Surfactants are chemicals responsible for the foaming action of the toothpaste, but they also interfere with the functioning of your taste buds by breaking up the phospholipids on your tongue.
This enhances bitter tastes and is thought to be the reason why everything tastes so bad right after you've brushed your teeth. This may also be part of why coconut oil works so well for oral hygiene, as it helps maintain a more natural balance of lipids on your tongue, while still having potent antibacterial properties.
Not to mention, SLS has even been linked to painful canker sores, with research suggesting an SLS-free toothpaste should be used for people with recurring sores.
4. Inexpensive
It takes only a small amount of coconut oil to keep your teeth clean, and one jar can easily last you months, making it a very inexpensive toothpaste.
5. You Can Use It on Your Dog's Teeth Too
While you wouldn't want to brush your pets' teeth with ordinary "human" toothpaste, coconut oil is effective and safe for dogs and humans alike. Applying it with a toothbrush would be best, but your pet may even get some oral health benefits just from licking a small amount of oil. The recipe below is not recommended for dogs. As noted, some ingredients that are fine for human consumption can be toxic for pets.
6. Simple to Make
Coconut oil toothpaste is simple to make with just a few ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of coconut oil mixed with 1teaspoon of turmeric brush teeth for a least one minute. That's all so easy! Get more great health and beauty advise sign up for the monthly news letter:
Conventional toothpaste such as Colgate Total contains an antibacterial chemical called triclosan, which has been linked to concerns over antibiotic resistance and endocrine disruption.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are a serious concern, as they can promote a wide variety of health problems, including: breast, ovarian, prostate, and testicular cancer, preterm and low birth weight babies, precocious puberty in girls, and undescended testicles in boys.
Some animal studies showed that triclosan caused fetal bone malformations in mice and rats, which may hint at hormonal effects.
Fluoride is another common chemical in conventional toothpaste. Fluoride is a toxic industrial waste product that is a poison to your body even in trace amounts…
2. Effective Against Cavity-Causing Bacteria
Research even shows that massaging coconut oil into your gums for about 10 minutes daily (continued for three weeks) significantly reduces decay-causing Streptococcus mutans as well as plaque.4
3. No Foaming Agents
Many toothpastes also contain surfactants like sodium laurel sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES). Surfactants are chemicals responsible for the foaming action of the toothpaste, but they also interfere with the functioning of your taste buds by breaking up the phospholipids on your tongue.
This enhances bitter tastes and is thought to be the reason why everything tastes so bad right after you've brushed your teeth. This may also be part of why coconut oil works so well for oral hygiene, as it helps maintain a more natural balance of lipids on your tongue, while still having potent antibacterial properties.
Not to mention, SLS has even been linked to painful canker sores, with research suggesting an SLS-free toothpaste should be used for people with recurring sores.
4. Inexpensive
It takes only a small amount of coconut oil to keep your teeth clean, and one jar can easily last you months, making it a very inexpensive toothpaste.
5. You Can Use It on Your Dog's Teeth Too
While you wouldn't want to brush your pets' teeth with ordinary "human" toothpaste, coconut oil is effective and safe for dogs and humans alike. Applying it with a toothbrush would be best, but your pet may even get some oral health benefits just from licking a small amount of oil. The recipe below is not recommended for dogs. As noted, some ingredients that are fine for human consumption can be toxic for pets.
6. Simple to Make
Coconut oil toothpaste is simple to make with just a few ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of coconut oil mixed with 1teaspoon of turmeric brush teeth for a least one minute. That's all so easy! Get more great health and beauty advise sign up for the monthly news letter:
This is cool! I didn't know there's a podcast to answer these beauty questions.
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