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These five oils can be a great lover for your skin to help bring back its vitality #skincare #facialoils #skinrepair #collagen Oils can be your friend you just have to know which ones These 5 oils I find to be extremely lovely for helping worn out, skin that needs a pick me up. #Camellia Oil (#Green #Tea) This oil provides extreme beneficial nourishment to your skin, leaving it looking and feeling soft as a baby's behind. Because tea seed oil mimics your skin’s natural oil, your skin absorbs it quickly. It also penetrates deep through the #epidermis. Another plus with this oil, is it helps to decrease over production of melanin which causes #hyperpigmentation. With vitamins A and B it improves #elasticity of the skin and it is light enough to use both day and night. #MeadowFoam Oil I discovered this oil when looking for oils that I could make some of my son's baby skin care products with. And because it works like #jojoba oil in a similar way to the #sebum the skin produces naturally, it made for the perfect choice for facial skin products. With its effectiveness at #sealing in #moisture, I found many dermatologists love this oil as well because it fights aging and with high antioxidant levels it is great defense against free radicals. It #penetrates deep within the #dermis giving lasting hold on hydration for your skin. Buriti Oil This oil is the most natural known source of beta carotene, which means it is a pre cursor or what is called provitamin A. This in tell turns into a #retinol, that helps store your collagen and stimulate new collagen to help in a sense speed up the process of skin cell reproduction bringing about new #youthful skin. But be careful you don't want to over use because of its orange reddish huh you can use too much and if you have lighter skin, it may turn your skin a bit on the carrot side. I love this oil best combined with one or more of these other oils in low doses. Dermatologists do not recommend use because of its retinol properties, if you have eczema or rosacea, if you are nursing or pregnant. #Rosehips Oil This little number is big on benefits. Anytime you add rosehips to your face or drink it in a tea, unless you are allergic to this wonderful bud you will not be disappointed of its lasting effects on the body. For the face, it is not only like #buriti oil, it boost #collagen formation, it exfoliates as an oil to brighten skin, it aids in hydration to lock in and as it helps to protect against sun damage and hyperpigmentation. I love using this oil and you can make your own infusion with dried rose hips buds. You will definitely notice a suppleness to your skin when infused in any low comedogenic oil (apricot, peach, safflower, olive, grapeseed, jojoba, oils). #Hibiscus Oil Whew! What can I say, this oil's reputation precedes it and it does not disappoint. Have you heard of oil cleansing, well this little diddy, does just that. You can use this oil as a cleansing agent to help cleanse pores while offering leveling up your skin's chances of retaining moisture better. Being rich in #vitamin A and #antioxidants, this flower infused oil renews #skin cells, repairs damaged tissues and brings about glowing complexion and keeping skin moisturized longer. Adding this ingredient to infuse in your oil is a winning combination for a facial oil. Don't Be Afraid To Experiment Once you know what your skin type is, if you have not tried any of these oils. Put in a cream or a serum, in a hand butter, or body balm you should definitely check one or two out. These are just my top 5 favorites, let us know if you have some favorite oils that have helped restore your skin's vitality or oils you would like to try. We want to hear from you. These oils are typically for all skin types, but as always do a patch test to see how your skin will react. And as always I want to hear from you to let me know your thoughts. - C Dawn www.facebook.com/theafteraffects www.Instagram.Com/theafteraffects www.theafteraffects.com

Ahhh I bet you thought I was going to say get rid of using shea! Well nope, I wanted to let you know shea is not the only game in town when it comes to beneficial natural butters. #Shea Isn't Alone I want to talk to you about some of the observations I have made within some of the natural and not so natural communities. Seems to be a consensus in my opinion that there is little information about other butters and oils, passed on, outside of Shea Butter, Olive and Jojoba Oil and some of the other common oils we have come to know. It got me to thinking why not be that one to introduce you to some of the more ‘exotic’ butters and oils that get little spot light or rotation in the these different circles. Don’t get me wrong I love the properties that Shea and some of the more common oils give our skin. When I first started out making body butters and going to farmer's markets and other vending events I met a woman who spoke with me at length about her frustration for finding the right combinations for combating her skin afflictions, she was tired of these ‘Shea-heads’ making claims that that is the miracle butter and it is all you need to satisfy what ails your skin. For so long Shea Butter was the only player in town and the only butter that naturalist would promote. I could hear in her voice the anger of the misguidedness she felt because that is all she has been told. She would tell me how many in the community would boast of how Shea Butter, avocado oil and jojoba oil were great recipe ingredients for making a very moisturizing butter for her dermatitis issues. I felt really bad for her and wanted to say I had something to help her but truth was I hadn’t come across anyone who had this affliction. Even back then, the information wasn't that readily available the information on other butters and oils that were from other parts of the globe. You really had to dig deep to find other options and then find companies that sold those. Let's face it, even today, many of the other butters, are not readily available in your grocery store isle or at the convent health food store like shea butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, and even grapeseed oil. As I listened to her further concerns I was convinced that she was right there are a lot of ‘Shea-Heads’, we tend to put Shea in everything, and think if we add an oil that is all we need; even those with normal skin conditions- dry or itchy. What we tend to forget just like our inner bodies need the right balance of vitamins and minerals so does the outside of our bodies. We cant just think we can get away with a few vitamins and then neglect adding others to our diet. Eventhough I had agreed in my head with her, I also understood why shea was promoted so heavily in the natural black community. For so long we have been sold on the big company brands of moisturizers, even those that were not for our skin. These brands had more money to promote to us and we just fell in line with purchasing them because the commercials told us it would help our dry skin issues. The funny thing is all the moisturizers I remember were lotions, not really anything comparable to a body butter and Vaseline was the closest thing back then. That was until stores like the Body Shop came to town and they were the closest thing to getting natural products that I knew about. As the rise of more skin care naturalists began to take hold the boom of shea butter and shea butter products was all people needed to read and they were sold that their skin was saved. Shea became the IT moisturizer and that seemed to be where it stopped, even cocoa butter seemed to take a back seat to the ever healing effects of shea butter, lol. When I first began creating skin care products and researching the many butters and oils that were out there –believe me there are so many- I wanted to create a formula that included moisture, elemental protection(sun and wind) and cell regeneration. Those three components are what propelled me to formulating the best moisturizing products I could. But I was naïve to think that most thought like I did. Shea, for all its wonderful qualities is not enough and you do need to find the right balance of butters and oils to create a body butter that will not only moisturize and lock in hydration but revitalize your skin as it helps protect its integrity. I will devote the next several articles discussing some of these butters and oils that you may not have heard of or have heard of but didn’t really know what wonderful properties they possess. I found in meeting new people and introducing them to my products some have mentioned they have an allergic reaction to Shea, because it is from the nut family and many times does more harm than good to their skin. I mean don't get me wrong I love promoting great skincare habits but the way the mass commercial companies promote Shea as if it IS the only natural butter around so they just add it in their ingredient list or say that it is added to a product and that will make it better. What about those who cannot use shea butter on their skin, how about an alternative? Let's not leave them out because their skin causes them to reject an ingredient based solely on the fact of an allergic reaction. I liked using Shea Butter in most of my butter and scrub formulas because it gives the finished product a more fluid consistency. I have found alternative butters like #Mango, and #Capuacu that offer the same fluidity when combinded with right oils. These butters not only gave a combination of vitamins and minerals needed for skin health it gives my butters a lighter feel that tends to melt very easily into the skin. No we cannot please everyone all the time and sometimes we don't have the funds to expand our product lines to benefit those with 'special' needs, but this is why I do encourage those who make products to have some that are nut free. Shea is from a nut and according to the FARRP (Food Allergy Research Resource Program) https://farrp.unl.edu/shea-nut-buttert through extensive searching, there have been known reported case of those with #nut #allergies having reactions to shea butter products. And even if you do not want to take that chance that you could be that one in 1 million to have a bad reaction to shea butter here are some alternative ingredients when looking for skincare products without shea. Here are a list of some raw ingredients that are nut-free and I will cover in future blog posts. Mango Butter Cupuacu Butter Avocado Butter Kokum Butter Cocoa Butter Olive Oil Avocado Oil Peach Kernel Oil Apricot Oil Here is a simple butter recipe to try using #mango #butter WHIPPED MANGO BODY BUTTER RECIPE Ingredients: 6 oz Mango Butter 4 oz Sunflower Oil, Apricot Oil or Peach Kernel Oil 40 drops of essential oil of choice Take a glass container using a double boiler to melt mango butter Let butter cool. Add the oil of your choice. Stir butter and oil with spoon or spatula until blended well Let set in refrigerator or freezer until top layer is semi solid Take out and use hand mixer to mix ingredients until a nice light consistency Add essential and stir with spoon or spatula folding in scent Grab your container and scoop butter in and seal with a tight lid Since there are no preservatives to protect the butter keep away from water to prevent bacteria growth. If it melts due to high temperatures place in fridge until solid again. www.facebook.com/theafteraffects www.theafteraffects.com

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAND-CRAFTED SMALL BATCH ELDERBERRY SYRUP AND COMMERCIAL BRANDS? Ever since the pandemic the explosion of elderberry syrup in grocery stores has taken to being the front runner where natural remedies is concerned. Yes there is still controversy of how well it does fighting colds, flu and other major viral heavy hitters. With a multitude of health benefits and anti- viral properties that have been scientifically attributed to these special berries, you may be inclined to go to your nearest grocer and pick you up a bottle or two. But just how potent is the commercial brand of elderberry syrup, and how well do you think it helps in protecting your family's health? INGREDIENTS OF COMMERCIAL ELDERBERRY SYRUP BRANDS Many of the commercial brands are manufactured using a number of low-quality sweeteners, like fructose, which is genetically engineered corn. Many commercially manufactured syrups often include ingredients like vegetable glycerin to add extra sweet flavor to the product. Which does nothing but aid in tooth decay not to mention spiked increases of blood sugar levels which does nothing for boosting immunity levels. Seeing how these days in the age of information, we are constantly being bombarded with articles, stories and videos on how food's are not as healthy as they claim to be. Or we are learning the many ways we have been tricked into believing how safe some products are by masking ingredients with alias names to make them seem safer. Many times I think companies expect that many people will not do their research with ingredients, or just follow blindly because it says on the label "made with raw honey" and dont read the labels. I can say I have been guilty of this as well, forgetting that just because it says "Natural Ingredients" on the label doesn't mean ALL the ingredients are natural. In general when companies that make elderberry syrup have "made with raw honey" on the front label, and it is in the ingredient list, understand that it may have started out that way, but because honey ends up being pasteurized to aid in it having a longer shelf life, the honey has now been processed into pure sugar. Even adding ingredients like palm sugar, which is another low-grade sweetener, and these processes help to make the price for manufacturing these syrups a lot less expensive. And at what cost, the cost of giving you false hope that your health is being protected. THE PASTEURIZING PROCESS When products are pasteurized (orange juice, milk, wine, etc) they go through process of being heated at extremely high temperatures to kill off any bacteria and allowing for longer shelf life. So when this is done to honey, it is in fact killing off the very enzymes that make honey a high contributor to protecting your health. And this in fact lowers the quality of the elderberry syrup even further. Traditional elderberry syrup recipes use a half cup of berries to every 16 ounces of water, but compared to commercial brands, it is not sure of the amount used in their elderberry syrups, however I can deem it safe to say, that isnt the case with these large companies. Even Elderberry gummies have more sugars than berries as the primary ingredients, so really you are just eating candy. Pasteurization is a standard manufacturing practice, but in this case you are not getting the aided benefits that true elderberry syrups are supposed to give you. Instead, you are ingesting honey that has had its anti-viral properties killed off due to the high levels of heat (pasteurizing) that goes along with manufacturing commercial grade elderberry syrups, that is if honey is used at all. Included in these ingredients are more low- grade sweeteners and low amounts of actual elderberries including more cheap additives like food dyes and flavors. In essence, this is why many times you may not get the results of relief you are looking for when ill, because many of these brands are just giving you in a form of a sugar pill. SMALL BATCH HAND-CRAFTED ELDERBERRY SYRUP Small batched elderberry syrups are much more potent and actually give your body the needed immune boosting properties that elderberry syrups should. Our elderberry syrup includes more anti viral and antioxidant ingredients like rosehips, cloves, and aronia berries. When we add raw honey to our batches, we wait for the syrup to cool first, so that you benefit from those properties as well. Small batched elderberry syrups are not pasteurized, their shelf life is shorter, (6 months if properly stored) why you need to refrigerate. READ YOUR INGREDIENTS I know we wish we could put the rose colored glasses back on and assume ignorance when it comes to, well, everything we ingest, but these days if we are fighting for the quality of life for ourselves and our families, we need to do our due diligence and know ingredients, know their properties and know their aliases. Gone are the days of believing everything written on the label as gospel and it is sad that this what we need to do with the long laundry list of other things to just live. Be your own advocate, and research, it may save your life. If you are looking for some quality elderberry syrup you can get some here. Buy Now or Subscribe and be apart of the health movement.

Being aware of the power of natural ingredients and protecting our quality of life Not to sound trite, but the war on nature is real and it is a continued struggle between the natural community and the pharmaceutical world. Discussions even heated debates regarding which is better, have gone on for decades. Since the early 20th century been a tug of war between BIG PHARMA and the natural world. This was mainly due to the involvement John D Rockefeller and through a contractor he hired, Abraham Flexner, and pushing his agenda through Congress, he singlehandedly changed the trajectory of how we view natural medicines. Due to the indoctrination of medical professionals involving how much more important pharmaceutical drugs were than their natural counterparts and nutrition. The fact that pharmaceutical companies and government officials have been in bed with each other for generations is not by accident. To brainwash and reprogram people to thinking lab created "medicines" is better for them and their health is truly a feat that is unmeasurable. We have been through generations brainwashed into thinking traditional remedies are bunk, or they don't hold as much weight or validity as medicines from pharmaceutical companies. Rockefeller made a point, with Flexner's help to get Congress to change many laws that would promote the use of pharmaceutical medicines and start a smear campaign that natural medicine practices and teachings in the universities need to be removed. Well as you can see it has been very successful and continues. This is in part why many times when you see natural remedies suggestions, it is most always backed up with, "there isn't enough research to validate if this remedy works". This putting doubt in our minds of whether we should just use the "remedies" our doctors prescribe. Rockerfeller even went as far as to try to spread this "virus" of misinformation to China, to try to irradiate the use of Traditional Chinese medicines! https://meridianhealthclinic.com/how-rockefeller-created-the-business-of-western-medicine/ It was not as successful over there, but to see how far this diabolical man's pursuit to dominate and crush any grassroots homeopathic companies is just plain evil. I am guilty of this as well, because this knowledge was passed down from my parents. I don't fault them, they were only following what the doctors suggested. Where my parents' generation believed if you had papers or letters behind your name you were an expert and should be listened to. Now don't get me wrong, there are many scholars and medical professionals that have valid information that are helpful in many instances. My issues is more where the medical profession as a whole does not advocate for prevention. I don't see or hear enough about nutritionists walking the halls of general practitioners facilities or hospitals and if there are it is very limited information. Teaching proper eating habits and the benefits of what foods offer for the blood, and organs of our bodies. Instead we are told if we even mention a natural remedy, that they don't recommend we mix the prescribed medicine with some "unknown" natural herb. Or many times I would read about a natural remedy and even some that were tested, but then the disclaimer, "there isn't enough testing done..." I ask this, why not? The amount of time, energy and money it has taken a company to do human trials using some lab created pill could just as easily be done with an herb, or a root to test. But that would not be prudent on the side of the pharmaceutical companies and why government doesn't promote pushing natural remedies, this cuts into their bottom line. If more people daily learned how there are many comparable natural remedies to the pharmaceutical bandages, this would leave many companies and individuals who have money in stocks and other vested interests a bit short changed. "Natural and herbal medicines were very popular in America during the early 1900s. Almost one half the medical colleges and doctors in America were practicing holistic medicine, using extensive knowledge from Europe and Native American traditions." Rockefeller knew this would be detrimental to his plans of seeing how lucrative by purchasing a German pharmaceutical company and thus smearing the good name of traditional medicine. https://meridianhealthclinic.com/how-rockefeller-created-the-business-of-western-medicine/ Notice the amount of commercials and ads pushed daily about a new drug or an old one that is new and improved that can "help ease" your pain. Compared to the lack of information shared about using herbs, roots, berries as preventative medicines to protect your body, to heal your body and to strengthen your body. Now I do not say there aren't natural, and I use that term loosely, remedies on grocery stores and online to order. But we must be diligent with our research and understanding that not all products that say "natural" have all natural ingredients. I mean many times if a product has one natural ingredients even two or three, big box companies, then to slap "natural" on the front. I learned this the hard way some years ago, but that's another blog post. Case in point, the elderberry craze. The power of the elderberry has been hidden gem in the natural world. When we were in the thick of COVID it surfaced main stream but not without controversy. But soon after more and more brands of elderberry syrup were popping up over night. I will say this, READ INGREDIENTS. All natural products are created equal and many times when big companies create them they are lacking the potency needed to actually make a difference. I have been making elderberry syrup for the last 7 years for my family mostly around cold and flu season and when COVID hit I discovered how truly magical this berry was. Elderberry is definitely a viral inhibitor and in my home it was a great protector during COVID. Western medicine certainly has its place in the grand design, but we have gotten so dependent and complacent on their "remedies" we take the good with the bad and play Russian Roulette with your health. I think if more of us educated ourselves and shared pertinent information on just how powerful natural remedies are, we could take back our power. Big Pharma would begin to lose its grip on us as a whole. We have believed for so long that need to wait until we are ill then find a remedy instead of being proactive and taking precautions through natural solutions. To drink the herbal teas as part of our regimen, and take our daily dose of elderberry syrup to ward off viral attacks to our systems. When you hear the phrase "build up your immune system", it's not just a slogan, it is truly something we should take to heart. That is the key to alleviating many health issues. Simply put, think of each of your cells as a balloon, when they are fully inflated they have all the vitamins and minerals needed to float effortlessly, but when they begin to deflate they are losing those vital ingredients to keep the body strong and healthy against attacks from invaders. When we don't replenish those balloons daily with vitamin, mineral intake we leave our bodies vulnerable to invaders who are like monsters waiting for a crack in the foundation to slip in and take over. Nature should never be seen as an "alternative" medicine, it is and always was the the original medicine. If we start thinking that way being more proactive in our health journey I believe we could reverse many of these ailments that have been continuously plaguing us. Below is my elderberry syrup recipe Before COVID, I was making this for my family when cold and flu season was near. I even found it helpful for my son's and mom's sinus issues during the Spring weather. Elderberry has anti-inflammatory properties that allow the body to fight off respiratory irritations including coughs and congestion. The key is to take consistently. When you feel illiness setting in take the syrup more than once a day. When you are not ill take as a supplement daily to help build immune system and preventative measures. Elderberry Syrup Recipe Ingredient List 4 cups distilled water 1 cup dried elderberries 2 cinnamon sticks 12 whole cloves (optional) 1/2 cup rosehips (optional) 1/4 cup fresh ginger root 2 cups raw honey Directions should always be short and to the point. Pour water, Elderberries, Ginger, Cinnamon in large pot Heat on medium heat until the mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover with a lid Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is reduced by about half. Add rosehips and cloves if you have them. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pour the syrup through a colander into a glass or ceramic bowl. Use the back of a spoon to press any remaining juices out of the berries. Discard the berries, ginger, cinnamon, rosehips and cloves. Allow syrup to cool completely before adding honey. Stir in until completely dissolved in syrup. Pour the completed elderberry syrup into a jar, or bottle add a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. For longer storage, freeze syrup in ice cube trays and thaw whenever you need them. How to Take It Suggested Use: children over 1 year of age can take 1/2—1 teaspoon a day (do not give to children under 1 because the recipe contains honey). Adults can take 1 tablespoon per day as a preventative, and increase to every 1-2 hours if you feel an illness coming on. These are the amounts that we personally use. Let us know if you have tried our recipe and if it helps keep your family healthy.

I have been talking with people asking about their health routines and really it wasn't a shock to me that many people only talked about their eating habits and what they did to correct it or make it better. Making the connections with eating better and making better skin care #product decisions have a direct link to creating an environment for cancer cells to develop becoming a detriment to your life. We all have pre cancerous cells, but how we live our lives through the products we put in and on our bodies is what can help determine how healthy we are living. So many of us get complacent, myself included, listening to the companies we grew up who sold skin care products our grannys and mom's used on our skin and swore by them. Even today some companies who's platform is "natural", if you do further, digging into the ingredients you will find about 1/4 of them are natural and the rest are lab created. Even companies who add the word Shea on their bottle think that slapping a Natural ingredient on their product constitutes natural or having natural tendencies when in truth with all the toxic ingredients the Shea has to fight through to even provide your body with an ounce of skincare nutrition your skin still wouldn't be safe. I remember using this particular brand on my youngest child and finding that it wasnt keeping his skin moisturized. I would apply the lotion after a bath and 10 minutes later you would look at his legs and think I hadn't put any type of moisturizer on him. After really looking at the ingredients and researching each one I found that it had drying alcohol (avoid these alcohols: ethanol, ethyl alcohol, denatured alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and SD alcohol) also petroleum. The few natural ingredients that it did have were at the bottom of the list (usually meaning the further down the list there is very little of that ingredient in the product) . This is what prompted me to be more aggressive in using products that actually said what they offered. And in turn pushing me to start creating my own products. I know I know that is alot to ask for when people are leading busy lives, so let me help with some of that by supplying you with some of the ingredients you should shy away from and those you should feel comfortable putting on you and your family's skin. Such ingredients as #Sulfates, #Petroleum, #Mineral Oil, #Isopropyl Alcohol, and #Parabens. The list of toxic ingredients is over 82,000 where companies use such ingredients as carcinogens, hormone disruptors and reproductive toxins. Here is an extensive list https://www.nontoxicalternatives.com/harmful-ingredients-list.html Adults absorb up 60% of what we put on our skin and children's bodies absorb 40-50% more. They are more prone to contracting diseases later in life when exposed to toxins. In essence being exposed to these toxins as children in the long run can have long term harmful health problems from learning disabilities, skin allergies, reproductive problems to contracting different forms of Cancer. These are ingredients are found in everything from cleansing body care products to deodorants to skin care creams. And we wonder why we end up at the doctor's or the dermatologist more times then we would like. Why doctors tend to prescribe more pills and antihistamines anti inflammatory pills and steroid cremes that only mask the affliction and keep you coming back for more hoping eventually it will fix the problem. We need to make doctors more accountable, better yet don't just take what doctors are "selling", many times there is a natural alternative to issues we are having with our skin. Think about it, we are from nature, we are natural, so wouldn't seem the logical thing to look towards natural solutions in nature instead of a lab with synthetic choices that most times leave you with side effects worst than the affliction you are dealing with. #Sodium #lauryl #sulfate (SLS)-an additive that allows cleansing products to foam.The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines.In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. SLS may also be listed as sodium dodecyl sulfate, sulfuric acid, monododecyl ester, sodium salt, sodium salt sulfuric acid, sodium dodecyl sulfate, aquarex me or aquarex methyl according to the EWG. Why may you ask is this cleansing ingredient used in both our skincare products like soaps, body washes and shampoos, simple- it's cheap. In the age of information it makes it much easier to learn about what seemed to be a well kept secret by these big box skin care companies. Our skin cells are the gateway to our internal organs receiving good and bad products. It is up to us to make an effort to seeing that more good than bad is received. I am sure some of you are thinking,"It hasn't affected my skin so why do I need to start looking at natural alternatives". You may not be seeing the affects on your skin right now but what is it doing to your insides? This is not about pushing a new product to people, this is about pushing an idea of not making the use of natural products an option but a way of life. Because in the long run isn't you and your family's quality of life worth the fight? - C Farrow Like us on Facebook TheAfterAffects Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @theafteraffects Check out our products http://www.theafteraffects.com

#skincare #skintypes #normalskin #dryskin #oilyskin #combinationskin #sensitiveskin Our skin is only as good as what we put on it and in it. Your skin IS what you eat. Skin types are as unique as a finger print. One product doesn't fit all and we need to pay particular attention to help it flourish. Just as we learn what products help our hair thrive so should we take the time to learn our skin types. Remember- whatever your skin type (normal, oily, dry, sensitive, combination) you want to keep the three most important things in finding the perfect products to keep your skin healthy; a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer that locks in hydration and a protector high in anti-oxidants. There are 6 main skin types and they sometimes depending on your genetic make up can cross. This can make for a difficult find especially if you are dealing with sensitive skin but you suffer from acne. Most conventional acne products tend to be a bit rough on the skin with the ingredients used to battle acne which makes for aggravated skin that can tend to be overly dried out. Here are some skin types and the characteristics behind them: Normal Skin “Normal” skin means that there are no extreme issues to be dealt with. The sebum, or the oil naturally produced by the skin’s sebaceous glands, is on regulated production. This means your skin is neither very dry nor very oily. The goal here is to find products to maintain that balance. Changes in the skin may be subtle. Don't assume that just because you have normal type skin that you can pretty much use any type of skin product. Be careful about keeping the balance of your skin's sebum production. If you use say a facial product formulated for oily skin you may actually be doing more harm than good. Because you would be dry your skin out or if using a product specifically for dry skin you may over - moisturized and clog your pores. Even in the natural world, pay attention to how your skin reacts to products. Even with there being natural ingredients some natural oils may leave your skin feeling oily or tight or itchy and dry. Oily Skin Often seen as problem skin, this skin type actually has the benefit of staying soft and resilient much longer than others – and taking much longer to show wrinkles. But the over-active sebaceous glands can cause unwanted shine, and in some cases, acne. Because of this, people with "oily" skin tend to do a-lot of over-cleaning, which damages the skin, drying it out and causing it to produce more oil. Be gentle, stop treating your skin like the enemy. Look out for ingredients that remove oil without drying out your face. Natural ingredients like Willow Bark can help remove excess oils and even fight acne, as well, Tea Tree Oil, and Aloe Vera. Green clay is also a great friend to oily skin, giving the skin a chance to help restore balance of it's. pH levels. Facial masks are a good friend to have in your skin care arsenal. Green French clay is a great one for oily skin and Bentonite helps when you have oily and are prone to acne. Clays help to absorb excessive sebum that those with oily skin produce, and help prevent forms of acne like blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples. You might want to check the label to see if the product is ‘non-comedogenic’ (doesn’t clog pores). An exfoliating facial bar would help to open the pores to help alleviate excessive oils. Dry Skin When dealing with dry skin the battle of spot and blackheads is not seen as often as with other skin types. However, itchiness and tightness are common problems since the skin doesn’t produce enough of its own softening sebum. This means it’s very important to make sure the products you want for your dry skin won’t strip your skin’s oils even further. Natural bars enriched with olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, kokum butter, shea butter, and aloe vera , can cleanse your skin without stripping it of the natural oils it does try to hold on to. Then follow it up with a non - comedogenic face serum like with rose-hips oil, hemp seed oil, apricot oil to name a few. The myth that oils on the skin can clog your pores isn't true. Yes there are some oils, yes even some natural oils that have hire comedogenic ratings than others which can cause breakouts. But the ones I recommended have low numbers between 0-2 and they absorb into the skin rather quickly without leaving your skin with a greasy residue. Combination Skin This skin type can be kind of tricky. With the need of dual products to help balance that t-zone (forehead, nose, chin) area it can be difficult finding the best product and most times you need to get two types. One for the oily and one for the dry areas. But err on the side of mild when looking for products. You want ingredients that will gently remove dirt and extra oil in the areas that have them while keeping the rest of your skin calm. Of course you may need to purchase multiple products to get this desired effect. Jojoba, Olive Squalene, Rosehip oils are great moisturizers for combination skin. You do get the best of both worlds when using them. For cleansers Bars with milk in them are great for this skin type, it gently exfoliates while cleansing the extra oils but never striping the skin and moisturizing the dry patches. Sensitive Skin If you suffer from sensitive skin, your priority is to be as gentle with it as possible. Look for soaps without perfumes, colorants, sulfates, alcohol, or preservatives. In fact, the fewer ingredients listed on a label, the more likely you will be to have success with the product. Natural ingredients can be your friends, but some natural substances can still be quite harsh on the skin. Gentle ingredients milk, oatmeal, carrot, honey, Chamomile, and Calendula put in soap can be a great find. Some people have also found the Sea Buckthorn and Neem to help keep skin care as gentle as possible. Exfoliating soaps can be a risk, depending on how sensitive your skin is. If you do exfoliate, make sure the ‘abrading’ ingredient is not too hard or sharp; say no to crushed pits and walnut powder, these can be very damaging to any skin type. Those should only be used on harder extremities like knees elbows and heels. If you are unsure of your skin type and can't get to a dermatologist, a simple way to get an idea of what products you should be looking for is- cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser let dry and wait 15-20 minutes then document symptoms if you have any. This will definitely give you a feel or an idea of what you should and should not put on your skin. Be an advocate for your skin. You want to keep it as healthy for as long as possible. Remember, 1 gentle cleanser, 2 moisture that locks hydration and 3 products that protect from the elements. This recipe makes for a meal your skin will love you for. And even if it is still difficult for you to find the perfect product combination check with your dermatologist they may be able to help steer you to natural products that will be the best fit.

#Tips for helping you transition your #skincare regimen to #fall Yes it's time of year again. The leaves are changing the weather is cooling. Time to test out the old furnace make sure its blowing that dry heat through the vents to keep the family warm. But it is also that time of year where the humidity levels are lower and the air is getting dryer and so is our skin. For many of us, myself included, dry skin can make you have a love hate relationship with your skin during fall and winter months. I am here to tell you all is not lost, below are some tips that can help keep you loving your skin and your skin loving you back. Tip #1 - A gentle cleanser gives you a head start Once you know your skin type if you don't know it already get a cleansing agent that is gentle for the skin (both body and face) if you don't use one already. Your gentle cleanser should never strip your skin of all its natural oils and never agitate nor irritate after you wash. They should not have sulfates, petroleum oils or parabans. Look for ingredients that include low or no comedogenic ratings in the butters and oils in them like mango, kokum butter, castor, sunflower, and olive oils. Tip #2 - Gentle Exfoliate Exfoliating is definitely something that should not be exclusive to spring and summer when you are going to be showing more skin. Doing it year round will keep your skin fresh, keep acne down and slough off dead skin to reveal youthful glowing skin while circulating blood flow throughout the body. Regular exfoliation with a mild abrasive additive, sugar, salts, fruit fibers, even seeds are great to use to help remove dead skin cells. Exfoliating is key to keeping your skin and complexion clear throughout the fall and winter seasons. Exfoliation should be done about twice a week in order to help prevent breakouts and to keep the skin clean and fresh. But find what exfoliate works for you. Some exfoliates like bamboo powder or jojoba beads offer a more gentle approach to sensitive and transitioning (pregnant or post pregnant) skin types than sugar or salt scrubs. Tip #3 - Thicker Moisturizer I am sure there are some folks out there who believe a lighter skin complexion means you must not have dry skin. It is furthest from the truth. Just because you cannot see your name written on your skin does not mean you don't need daily moisture and thicker cream like. a body butter is a must. The other myth, all body butters are too thick and greasy. There are brands, like After Affects Skin Care, that offer butters that are creamy, rich, moisturizing but they also melt into the skin on contact and don't leave greasy residue. The key is you need that thicker moisturizer to protect from the dry air both outside and inside. Sensitive skin is very important to continue to coat your skin with a good moisturizer, because your skin is so delicate and prone so many types of irritants and adding dry heat to the mix can exacerbate issues you can most assuredly try to avoid. Now if you have oily skin, you may be able to keep up with your lotions you used for the summer months, but pick a facial cream according to your skin type to keep skin from developing dry patches. Tip #4 - Continue to Protect with Antioxidants and SPF Don't be fooled, just because you may be experiencing more cloudy days doesn't mean the sun has gone away. Your skin is still susceptible to UVA and UVB rays. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, M.D., board-certified NYC dermatologist, clinical instructor at NYU Langone and.Mount Sinai states, “Free radicals are molecules that can cause damage to different components in cells, such as the DNA, proteins, outer barrier, and the matrix. Antioxidants are basically free radical fighters." When our cells are exposed to these free radicals, they can do everything from speed up the aging process, hyperpigmentation, acne, to even cause skin cancer. So using products that have SPF and antioxidants it an armor for the skin. Tip #5 - Don't forget the humidifier If you don't have one get one or two or one for every room in your home. A humidifier is a necessity no self respecting skin lover should be without. Keeping up with these 5 tips should help make your skincare regimen transition a little less traumatic for you and your skin. Always remember, first know your skin type then; 1 gentle cleanser, 2 thicker moisturizer, 3 a protector against free radicals. Transition is the key Fall and winter months don't have to be your skin's enemy, with the right tools you can have skin that will continue to thrive even in the driest of situations. Tell us what you thought of this post, did it help you and what skin care regimen do you do to transition to fall and winter months? Also, don't forget if you haven't, sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on new posts, exclusive deals and offers to try products before they go up on the site. As always: "Be Good To Your Skin It will Be Good To You"

You read the word alcohol in your skin care ingredients or even your hair care products and automatically you decide need to put that back on the shelf. Many times we have been told alcohols are drying, stay away from alcohols they are damaging to your skin and hair. Yes, alcohols definitely have a bad rep. but we have to separate them, because even with there being a list of #drying #alcohols that can most assuredly damage skin and hair there are just as many #moisturizing #alcohol that offer wonderful benefits that aid in the body's integrity. Alcohol Ingredients that aren't your skin's best friend: 1. Ethanol Alcohol: Can cause burning sensations on the skin 2. Ethyl Alcohol: Found in astringents and if you have dry or sensitive skin you definitely want to avoid 3. Isopropyl alcohol: Dehydrating effects on skin and hair often found in toners and gel moisturizers 4. SD alcohol: Used as an anti-foaming agent in some skin care and cosmetics products and like Isopropyl alcohol dries the skin out. Now thats But here are alcohols that offer some helpful benefits to skin and hair that can help in the overall integrity of them both. Beneficial Alcohols that offer moisture 1. Cetyl Alcohol Extracted from coconut oil, it is an emollient that is included in skin care products to stabilize the formulations. It is a prime ingredient in moisturizers because it helps the moisturizer lock the in moisture to create a protective barrier for skin. 2. Stearyl Alcohol Also derived from coconut oil. Because it is an emollient as well as an emulsifier, it can be substituted for cetyl alcohol to firm skin care formulations. It is mostly found in creams, lubricants, depilatories and conditioners. 3. Cetearyl Alcohol Derived from natural oils and fats, it imparts an emollient feel to the skin. Cetearyl alcohol is widely used in cleansers, permanent hair color, face creams, eye make-up and sunblocks. 4. Behenyl Alcohol As an emulsifier, it holds the water and oils together in cosmetics. It is typically made from the fats of vegetable oils. 5. Oleyl alcohol Derived from olive oil, beef fat or fish There are more alcohols out there, both drying and moisturizing. Even the most natural of ingredients can cause an irritation or full on allergic reaction. These are just some that are used generally in some of the skincare, haircare and cosmetic brand ingredients. As always I implore you please read those ingredient labels and use Google to search names you are unsure of. - C Farrow FB @theafteraffects IG @theafteraffects Pinterest @theafteraffects www.theafteraffects.com

#Shea, #Mango, #Cocoa they are "Destiny's Child" of the butter world. Cupuacu Butter is an unsung hero that needs to get its flowers now. IF you have not heard of this decadent butter then let me put you on game. Cupuacu Butter in products is a game changer for sure! Don't sleep on this Rainforest Rebel, it truly gives you your skin the TLC it is missing. CAPUACU BUTTER Now this is a butter that has rapidly become one of my favorite butters to work with. The butter grows in the Amazon Rain Forest of South America. It is the cousin of the Cacao, from which chocolate is made. It has many of the composites of Cocoa Butter yet it is creamier and smoother in texture and rich vitamins A and C with Omega 6 and 9. It enhances elasticity, helps skin absorb water better, and gives deep long-lasting hydration to dry and damaged skin. Just like the mango butter, Capuacu butter safely protects the skin from the harmful UV-A and UV-B rays. This broad spectrum protection allows damaged skin to heal itself better, restores elasticity and suppleness to the skin. Another reason I fell in love with this creamy butter is for its cellular restoration properties especially for mature skin that has lost its elasticity this butter better hydrates than Cocoa Butter. Wow how's that for is exceptional! It is said to help #Eczema and #Dermatitis to heal and soothe these skin irritations. #Sensitive #Skin types this one will love on your skin in both soap and butter formation. Along with its high water retention abilities, this creamy butter leaves a lovely sheen to your skin giving it a glow but not leaving the greasy mess that petroleum and mineral oils do as well some natural butters. All in all you just cant go wrong with a butter like this in my opinion. This butter has become my all time favorite to date. It is so wonderful and easy to incorporate into formulas. I tend to use it for those products that give skin like hands and feet that need a little something extra. Especially for those in the professions that are on their feet a lot and wash their hands constantly on a daily basis. 1. RICH IN #ANTIOXIDANTS Cupuacu butter benefits are rich in antioxidants, which help repair damage to the skin caused by free radicals. Free radicals can induce skin aging, dark patches, and dull skin. Protecting your skin from damage is a must if you want to keep your skin looking healthy and young. 2. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES The anti-inflammatory properties of cupuacu butter protect your skin against the signs of aging. By soothing the infection that causes acne, it leaves your skin healthy and ready to start the process of repairing skin cells. . 3. #MOISTURIZING THE BODY The emollient properties of cupuacu butter make this an excellent ingredient to include in moisturizers, soaps, and creams. And cupuacu butter is specifically beneficial at deeply moisturizing dry, itchy skin. It is solid at room temperature and melts when it’s applied to the skin. This gives cupuacu butter an advantage as a cream or lotion to disperse evenly while locking in moisture of hydrated skin. 4. #ANTI-#AGING Cupuacu butter benefits are so valuable is its high concentration of antioxidant compounds, that include fatty acids: oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. These fatty acids are beneficial for the body and aid in neutralizing free radicals in the skin. The antioxidant benefits of cupuacu butter protect the skin from environmental and external pressures that can lead to irritation or damage to the skin. Cupuacu butter can help to reduce the signs of aging, especially wrinkles and dark patches. 5. #MOISTURIZING LIPS Dry lips can come from a number of reasons. Winter months those harsh winds, and dry heat. Summer months, exposure to the sun's brutal rays. Another cause of dry lips is the consistent licking of them. These culprits can really wreak havoc on that delicate skin, because like other parts of the body, lips don't contain oil glands. Cupuacu butter benefits on dry and chapped lips provides instant relief and is a great natural substitute for conventional made chap sticks that may contain harmful ingredients that prevent the body from naturally rehydrating itself. 6. #ENHANCES ELASTICITY Compared to more mature skin, youthful skin is more taut and supple. This is because of the large supply of collagen and elastin. Collagen gives skin its structure, and elastin allows your skin to stretch. Over time' you produce less and less and this is why the skin loses its smoothness and elasticity. Cupuacu butter’s high stearic and oleic acid levels make it a strong emollient which helps improve skins elasticity and prevents premature skin aging. Regular application of the butter after a shower enhances the skin’s collagen production and makes it look younger also. Be cautious using on your face using on the face, because for all it's wonderful benefits, cupuacu does have a comedogenic rating of 4, which means there is a possibility it will cause pore clogging resulting in acne. So use sparingly on the face in a lighter formula like a facial lotion. 7. SPF SPF protects us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays: UVA and UVB. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn. UVA rays, on the other hand, penetrate deeper into the skin. These rays can lead to long-term effects like wrinkling, premature aging and other skin damage. Cupuacu butter’s high Vitamin E content protects the skin from the sun’s deadly UV rays. With the high levels of antioxidants of this fabulous butter you can create creams and lotions that offer wonderful sun protection products. Cupuacu butter has a smoother texture than cocoa butter and it is softer and more moisturizing than Shea butter. It has a mild chocolate taste and a slight aroma. It does not have any known allergic reactions. Sensitive skin this butter is a best friend, because of its characteristics it allows for a wonderful barrier from harsh drying weather. I simply love this little Brazilian Beauty and I love how it holds moisture. Muy Hermosa! Que Bella! Author : C. Farrow Like us on Facebook TheAfterAffects Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @theafteraffects Check out our products http://www.theafteraffects.com

#babassuoil #naturalskincare We know coconut oil, do you know it's cousin, babassu oil? Well if you haven't been aquatinted, here is your chance to meet this little wonder from the south. Ya'll let's me introduce to my go to for base oils. Babassu oil is practically in all my formulations, from my body bars to my deodorants, it is like an AMX card I don't formulate with out it. She's just a small town oil and a South American native. I want to tell you about how it is all about the Babassu Baby. This is another oil I have fallen in love with. It has so many of the same characteristics as Coconut Oil yet you can only use a certain percentage of Coconut Oil before it begins to dry the skin out. Coconut oil has a comedogenic rating of of 4, which is pretty high on the scale for clogging pores and causing acne. Where as Babassu oil's rating falls between 1-2 on the comedogenic rating, which gives you a far better chance of improving skin's texture and reducing bacteria that causes acne. Babassu oil is considered to be a superior emollient that is rather beneficial for either dry or oily complexions (this is why I include it in my handmade soaps and a base in many of my moisture formulas). It gently moisturizes the skin without leaving an oily sheen. This reason being is due to the Oleic Fatty Acid (Sunflower Oil, Primrose,Avocado) it holds twice as much as coconut oil so us soap makers aren’t as restricted with the percentage used when creating our soap formulas and like the oils mentioned in the above sentence we can use babassu oil to super-fat our soap to give you added moisture without leaving your skin with an oily residue. I love this oil and use in lip balms and hand creams as well as creating my own hair cream using babassu oil. Babassu is high in #Vitamin E and has #anti-inflammatory properties that aid in its ability when being applied as a solid directly on the skin how it melts on contact giving your skin a cooling sensation. Another reason I love formulating with this oil in butters and creams rather than coconut oil is because it absorbs into the skin faster and doesn't leave an oily residue. This is why I love what I do, even if you cant try or experiment with different butters and oils because it can get become rather costly you should venture out of your comfort oils and butters and give some of these wonderfully exotic butters and oils a try-especially if you find what you are using isn’t giving much help. Read your labels and if you see some of these butters or oils I spoke of by all means give them a try they are worth it. Also try asking your natural body care professional to see what they recommend and by all means do research on your own-after all it is your skin and you want the best there is to help keep its integrity. So you see no one butter or oil can work alone and this includes Shea or Olive Oil-where one is lacking in vitamins and minerals another makes up for it. Don’t be fooled your body needs most if not all the vitamins both inside and out and when you deny it there tends to be an issue that you will have to address later. Your skin needs A,B’s,C,D,E,and F. Your skin needs Panthenol, Beta Carotene, and the Omegas(3,6,9). Your skin needs added Sulfur and Anti-Oxidants because it is all connected. So don’t deny your body these nutrients because all you may know is Shea believe me it will thank you for it and you will notice a difference. I love using this butter as a substitute to coconut oil and in my healing and lip balms because it cuts down on the greasy feel that I found coconut oil to have and melts so easily into skin upon skin contact. This is a beautiful butter that I hope becomes more readily used and learned about because it really a needed addition in both skincare and hair care products. Remember this: Keeping one’s head in the sand because you want to follow the pack doesn’t make living less dangerous it just makes you unprepared. You Grow as you Know www.facebook.com/theafteraffects.com www.theafteraffects.com

Don't believe the hype that natural deodorants don't work. The right blend of natural ingredients can get you right all day and night. Who is still using anti-perspirant? If it is you then this post is for you. No shade to you but when you know better you do better. Here is a bit of information for you to take with you on your next trip down the deodorant aisle. #Deodorant is intended to inhibit bacterial growth with the use of an antiseptic (the bacteria is what causes the odor). Deodorants do not reduce perspiration, though, so they are simply considered a cosmetic, rather than a drug like antiperspirants (interfere with an essential function of the body (perspiration) #Antiperspirants rely on aluminum based compounds like to block the pores from producing sweat. Most antiperspirants include a deodorant of some kind, too, to mask any odors that might slip through after it begins to lose its effectiveness. We are learning more and more each day about the dangers of many of these commercial brand body care products and the #toxic #ingredients like parabens (absorbed through the skin, mimic estrogen) that have been found to be linked to breast cancer. I have found that alot of customers are asking what alternatives are there to their over the counter deodorant. Here are some alternatives to keeping your pits healthy and your body a little safer from those cancer causing antiperspirants. I have been talking with people asking about their health routines and really it wasn't a shock to me that many people only talked about their eating habits and what they did to correct it or make it better. These days people have become dually concerned about their health and even an increasing interest in finding natural skincare products that will correct the damage instead of trying to conceal with makeup. Skincare routines is not exclusive to what cleansers or moisturizers we put on our skin but what goes on in our pits. You know those two shallow caverns under each of our arms. Recognizing that what goes on our skin eventually makes its way into our organs and this includes to type of protection you use to coat your underarms. So many of us get complacent, myself included, listening to the companies we grew up who sold skin care products our granny's and mom's used on our skin and swore by them. Even today some companies who's platform is "natural," if you do further digging into their ingredients, you will find about 1/4 of them are natural and the rest are lab created. Even companies who add the word Shea on their bottles think that slapping a Natural ingredient on their product constitutes natural or having natural tendencies when in truth with all the toxic ingredients the Shea has to fight through to even provide your body with an ounce of skincare nutrition your skin still isn't be safe. A lot of conventional brands tend to market to consumers as it being a deodorant but in their selling they state it as an anti-perspirant. Of course no one likes having wet underarms as you are working out, working in the garden, going for a job or just playing with your children. The key is knowing what is a deodorant and what is an anti-perspirant. Your body is supposed to excrete sweat, that is how it removes waste from your body and is a cooling mechanism that gives your body natural tools to not overheat. So you have to be aware that most anti-perspirants are not doing your body a favor by trapping that sweat and blocking your pores from detoxifying itself naturally. When your pits aren't allowed to do these things you are essentially keeping trash in your system and these can lead to damaging health issues including cancers, due to the ingredients used to block your pores from doing what nature designed them to do. Now don't get me wrong there are some deodorant brands that have natural ingredients and do what they are supposed to do, but they can be lacking in the odor fighting department. This is why I do understand when people find out I make natural deodorant and dont ask further about them, and I am sure it is because they have tried other brands before and found them not living up to the claims. I implore you not to give up but to keep looking for that natural deodorant that works for you. When looking for a successful natural deodorant make sure they include some of if not all of these ingredients: #Kaolin Clay: Absorbs sweat , eliminates odor #Bentonite Clay: Detoxifying properties #Baking Soda (Aluminum Free) :Effective in absorbing sweat Zinc Oxide: Antimicrobial properties to kill bad bacteria Arrowroot powder: Absorbs moisture trapped on skin These are key ingredients that will give your pits the same protection an anti-perspirant gives without the side effects from toxic ingredients. Anti-perspirants main job is to stop sweat or wetness before it ever has a chance to release from your pores. You do want sweat to be released from your pores, allowing wastes and toxins to "exit the building." That is what deodorants are designed to do. What you do want are ingredients like those I listed above, that can naturally absorb the wetness once released. Don't be fooled when the container reads "Anti-perspirant Deodorant" on the label. If you see this, turn that container or bottle over and read all those ingredients for any of those toxins listed. Basic Deodorant Recipe Making your own deodorant is a simple process that allows you to customize your deodorant to your needs and preferences. Here is a simple recipe that can get you started. 1/4 cup baking soda 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 tbs of Coconut oil 10-20 drops of essential oil, tea tree & peppermint work very well Mix baking soda & cornstarch and add enough coconut oil to get a good paste consistency. Add about 10-20 drops EO and mix well. Store in air tight container. In summer months store in refrigerator. Or check our selection of deodorants to try. Here is one of our popular ones. -Author : C. Farrow Like us on Facebook TheAfterAffects Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @theafteraffects Check out our products http://www.theafteraffects.com