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Natural & Organic Oral Care

  • October 25, 2009 at 6:13 am



Importance of good oral care

We all want to have healthy, attractive teeth and pleasant smelling breath. This is nothing new; throughout history people have used everything from honey and oil through to charcoal, plain baking powder and salt to clean their teeth.

Tooth decay and bad breath are very common human conditions, and we are told that it is very important that we brush our teeth at least twice a day. But why? Brushing is important as it removes food and bacteria from our mouths.

Tooth decay begins when we eat. Food gets stuck in our mouth, and between our teeth. If that food is not removed properly, it rots and bacteria thrives. Bacteria begins to weaken the enamel layer of the tooth and eventually causes cavities. Acidic foods like refined sugar, alcohol, carbonated drinks and peanuts create an environment that makes it even easier for cavity causing bacteria to thrive. Bacteria can also be a cause of bad breath.

So most oral health experts advise us to brush our teeth twice a day, floss and rinse with mouthwash. This helps to remove food deposits which gather around the gums and between the teeth. Brushing also stimulates blood flow in the gums and oral tissues, which helps to heal wounds.

Toothpaste & Mouthwash from Nature

Over the last century we have seen the industrial age come to Oral Care. These days most toothpaste and mouthwash is produced with the proverbial “cocktail of chemicals”. Have a look at the ingredients list of any conventional toothpaste or mouthwash brand and you’ll see a long list of chemicals.

Thankfully there are some natural and organic toothpaste and mouthwash products out there that work effectively without chemicals.

Ingredients in toothpaste

We use toothpaste to give our mouth a fresh clean feeling, to strengthen our teeth, and of course to help remove plaque from tooth enamel. But how does our toothpaste achieve this and what ingredients does it use?

Conventional toothpastes are generally made with a polishing agent, to help your toothbrush to remove gunk from your teeth, a surfactant which produces foam, a humectant for moisturising and preserving, a thickener, flavour, fluoride, sweetener, & artificial colouring. Most of these ingredients are straight from a refinery, laboratory or factory.

Naturally Safe Cosmetics have sourced toothpastes that still have the same oral care properties, but their ingredients are natural rather than chemical origin. For example, organic aloe vera leaf juice is used as a humectant and thickener rather than glycerine or sorbitol; and peppermint, fennel or lemon myrtle essential oils are used instead of manufactured artificial flavour.

Natural toothpastes use sodium bicarbonate as a main ingredient to help neutralise acids. High acid levels in our mouth provides an excellent environment for cavity causing bacteria to grow. Sodium bicarbonate is also a natural way to whiten your teeth. It can even be used as a cheap alternative mouthwash; just rinse a mouthful of water and a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate after eating.

Many natural tooth care products do not contain any sugar or artificial flavours. Their tastes are little sharper than ordinary toothpaste, but they won’t contribute to raising the acid level in your mouth.

Some of the natural ingredients that are used to replace the chemical cocktail include:

Aloe Vera’s healing properties help to prevent and heal cold sores, gingivitis and blisters. So its high usage in natural toothpaste helps to improve gum conditions and therefore prevents bad breath associated with oral bacteria. Peppermint is added to toothpaste for more than its fresh taste. It inhibits growth of some bacteria and is high in vitamin C and A, and has trace amounts of nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium and omega 3. Parsley is rich in the green pigment chlorophyll, which is powerful breath freshener. Thyme is a natural antiseptic and antifungal. Therefore mouthwash’s such as Riddells creek is also good for preventing oral thrush Sodium bicarbonate neutralised acids and assists in whiten teeth Calcium Carbonate not only polishes teeth and removes plaque, it also strengthens teeth by providing calcium
Fluoride in Toothpaste & Mouthwash

Although fluoride does strengthen teeth, it is a cumulative poison. This means that in large doses it causes harm and it can accumulate in the body and health experts recommend only trace amounts of fluoride should be consumed. Over the last couple of decades this has prompted significant debate about the Fluoride being added to dinking water and oral care products.

If fluoride is being added to our water supply, do we really need it in our toothpaste and mouthwash as well? Fluoride is not used in any of the natural toothpastes that Naturally Safe Cosmetics sell.

Preventing bad breath

To prevent bad breath, the following steps could be taken:

Floss your teeth daily, to remove food between your teeth where foul smelling bacteria flourishes Drink water which helps to produce saliva; a natural mouth cleaner. Wash your mouth out with a mouthwash that contains parsley, fennel or peppermint, which are natural breath fresheners. Avoid acidic foods, especially at night, like garlic, carbonated drinks and something else

Paraben Free Face Care – Why Are Parabens in Your Skin Care Products Dangerous?

  • October 24, 2009 at 4:45 pm



How many times have you seen “paraben free” on bottles of skin care products, anti aging products, cosmetics, beauty and body care products? What are parabens, and why should you buy paraben free skin care products? Why is paraben free face care so important?

Parabens are a class of chemicals. There are many Parabens, and they are used in many products as preservatives. And they are found in many of the big brand skin care and anti aging products you might be using now, including cosmetics. That’s unless you’re using Paraben free products like paraben free face care products.

Unfortunately Parabens have been linked to various health problems, like breast cancer. And more. And of course like all of these things it’s difficult to actually prove these health related effects, and the skincare and anti aging and cosmetics industries deny it all.

But if there are studies out there that link Parabens to breast cancer, for example, wouldn’t it be better to stop using Parabens until they are proven to be safe to use, rather than keep using them until they are proven unsafe?

Well yes, and so we ought to be banning Parabens in our skincare products until they are proven to be safe. But currently there are no restrictions on the use of Parabens in skin care and anti-aging products like our face creams, moisturizers and night creams that you use every day?

In fact in the US there are really no restrictions on chemicals that can be used in cosmetics and skin care and personal body care products, and so for this reason there are ingredients that are currently known to be dangerous used in the products that we (well not I actually) use every day.

Like a recent study that showed lead in over 50% of our big brand name lipsticks.

These types of ingredients are regulated in many places, like in Europe, but in the US? No.

So what can you do? Easy, use Paraben free skin care products like Paraben free face care products, and Paraben free cosmetics.

And there’s more. There are small niche skin care companies and cosmetics companies that dedicate themselves to making extremely high quality and totally safe skin care products and cosmetics. These aren’t the big brand names. They still use Parabens. Why? Because they’re cheap.

But small niche skin care companies and cosmetics companies must compete with the big brands. They can’t compete on marketing, because the big brands can outspend them on TV advertising every day. So they compete on quality of product.

And they compete extremely well. They make skin care products and cosmetics that work very well, and are totally safe to use, unlike the big brands.

One small niche skin care and anti aging company makes the worlds best range of skincare products like paraben free lotions and creams that work extremely well. Not only are they safe to use but they work better than any of the big brand name skincare products. And as they can’t compete on TV advertising they compete on product quality and so can offer a money back guarantee on their products to encourage customers to try them risk free, and see for themselves how well they work.

So if you’re worried about parabens in your skin care products and are looking to find paraben free lotions and creams and cosmetics, then there is an answer. Not only are there excellent paraben free face care products and cosmetics available, they work better than the big brands. And they’re safe to use too.

So when you’re looking for safe skin care products that work well you do have solutions. High quality paraben free face care products, risk free, in more ways than one.

Lip Sores

  • October 21, 2009 at 10:45 am



There can be many reasons for having a lip sore, but perhaps the most common reason behind lip sores is because the person that is suffering has contracted HSV 1 which basically is Herpes Simplex Virus 1 or more commonly known as a cold sore. Now the reason this is type 1 is because there is also a type 2 and this is more commonly known as genital herpes, but truth of the matter is that they both belong to the same family.

Cold sores generally tend to last at least fourteen days and it is when they first start to appear that they tend to be at there most uncomfortable. What you will normally find is that at first there will be a tingling sensation in the lip area and what follows is a small fluid filled blister that is not only painful, but for some can be embarrassing to, especially if you get an outbreak when there is special event coming up, and you cannot get rid of it in time.

As suggested by the name, it is in fact a virus that causes this blister, and it is an incredibly common virus – although for a lot of people that have the virus it can lie dormant in their system and they will never ever know that they have it. However, for those that it does not lie dormant in – they certainly know that hey suffer from lip sores. Now despite the many different names for it, cold sore being the most common, these blisters do not actually appear just if you have a cold. Normally what happens is that the virus will lie dormant in the nervous system until their is a dip in the immune system for whatever reason, perhaps illness, stress, bad diet or just plain tiredness and it is under these circumstances that they tend to occur.

When you have an outbreak, it is now when you have to be really careful and considerate of those around you, because this virus is really really contagious. Some precautions you will need to take will be along the lines of the following, no kissing, no sharing of cups or cutlery, no sharing of a towel that has been on your mouth for any reason – in fact no sharing anything that touches your mouth with anyone else. Also, something else to take into consideration is that if you have been touching your lip sore, make sure you wash you hands before you touch anywhere else on your body, or touch the skin of another person.

So, are there any cures for a cold sore? Well unfortunately no. In a nutshell once you have this condition you have it for life, the only thing you can really do is try and keep it under control the best that you can, and there are many ways that you can do this it just now depend on your own point of view as to whether you want to go down the prescription route or try some of Mother Natures treatments, both of which have their own merits, in the fact that some work better than others. So in a nutshell that is lip sores explained, and hopefully you will now be aware that if you do suffer an outbreak, one of the most important things you can do is be considerate towards others and try to stop the virus spreading.

Floral Perfumes – Most Popular Women’s Perfumes

  • October 18, 2009 at 4:32 am

Floral perfumes are fragrances that are dominated by one or several types of flower notes. These types of perfume are predominately feminine and made for women although many of them can also be classified as unisex. Floral fragrances can be split into many smaller groups such as Single florals, Florientals, Heady florals, Floral bouquet, Fruity florals, Soft florals, Aldehydic florals, Green florals and Woody florals. Depending on the distinctive accompanying scent notes in the perfume.

The floral fragrance category is one the oldest style of perfumes that were created by most of the oldest and most prestigious perfume houses. In eras past, especially during the regency period, floral perfumes were the trend of the day and used in making status statements among the very rich. Both men and women regularly doused themselves in floral perfumes made with intensely aromatic oils. Rose, Jasmine, Orange blossom, Carnation, Frangipani, Lotus, Champaka, Tuberose and other expensive natural flower oils were the most common perfume ingredients used in the blends of the day.

Floral perfumes remain the most popular fragrance group to this day, they are numerous and extensive in their scents and characteristics, appealing to people right across the generations. Vast numbers of floral perfumes are created every year by the perfume industry to meet this demand. The availability of such an amazing variety of perfumes within the floral family is truly fascinating, from vibrant and intoxicatingly complex fragrances like Beautiful and Pleasures from Estee Lauder, to single florals that only contain the fragrance note of a single flower such as Stella by Stella McCartney, which as a beautiful rose scent.

In the early days of perfumery, French perfume houses were renowned for making perfume in the traditional style using the industry staples of natural perfume ingredients like essential oils and botanical compounds, sometimes accentuated with other ingredients like musk and ambergris derived from animal by products.

However, in modern times and in recent years, perfumers have moved away from classic perfume making style. With easy access to thousands of aromatic raw materials, modern perfume makers are no longer under the constraints that were placed on their predecessors from earlier eras by having limited aromatic ingredients to work with.

The composition process of perfumes is now much more exciting; and the combination of creativity, quality perfume supplies and technological advancement has really turned things on its head, making the creation of beautiful perfumes quite common place. Perfume makers are now constantly composing great floral scents with perfume notes that do not exist in nature. Headspace technology and aroma chemicals are extensively used to produce fresh and fruity floral notes that are sweeter and more vibrant than those used in classics floral perfumes.

These days, it’s not uncommon to find vibrant floral perfumes that contain notes of bluebells, raspberries, ozone, melon, apples, and other such notes used to add substance and character to a blend. Light Blue for women by Dolce and Gabbana and Island Kiss by Escada are popular examples of such blends.

Nevertheless, although modern floral perfumes are by far the most popular perfumes sold these days, the more traditional old faithful heady floral perfumes made with rich and heavy floral notes still command a good part of the market. As does soft floral perfumes bygone days that are made with airy notes of Lily of the valley, Gardenia, Freesias, Aldehydes and other white flowers. They too continue to stand their ground and retain their dedicated following.

Clear Braces Help You Retain Your Smile Even During Treatment

  • October 15, 2009 at 5:43 am



Who does not want to look good? And a beautiful smile definitely helps to add to your charms. But in spite of our best efforts to maintain regular oral care and hygiene we can end up suffering from dental problems like toothaches, bleeding gums, misaligned teeth, chipped tooth, discoloration and so on. At times these problems arise due to our negligence through substance abuse such as nicotine and caffeine, consuming extreme temperature edibles like an ice-cream or hot soup and lack of a regular oral care routine. However at times dental problems arise due to a result of accidents or disease or some in-born deficiency. Competent dentists help us treat and cure many of these problems effectively and the modern day advancements have made this task even easier. Application of braces has been one such common method of treatment to rectify the alignment of teeth and clear braces are the latest addition to this form of treatment.

Many of the children and adolescents are seen wearing regular metal braces and are relieved when they can finally remove them once the treatment is over. The level of embarrassment increases by manifolds in case an adult needs to wear braces to rectify the alignment and structure of their teeth. Clear braces offer a great relief from this embarrassment and have become very popular with especially the adults who are required to wear braces. Clear braces or invisible braces are made of clear aligners that are custom molded to fit you and being created out of transparent composite material they are almost invisible. It is difficult to spot people wearing clear braces and hence this raises the level of confidence of the wearer by leaps and bounds. Clear braces offer the double advantage of improving your smile due to the braces supporting your teeth and positioning them in the right place and being invisible and difficult to spot.

Clear braces, however, require a higher level of maintenance than the regular wired metal braces. The clear braces need to be removed every time the user wants to eat any kind of food. The invisible aligners may need to be changed at regular intervals and the frequent removal makes the process of teeth rectification even more time consuming. A regular check up with your dentist becomes an essential criterion for the treatment to be successful. The bands used in clear braces are made of a softer quality than the regular metal braces and this offers a more comfortable feeling by doing away with the irritation caused by the metal bands. This is another reason why customers are getting more and more inclined towards Invisalign clear braces. The clear braces also offer other advantages like easier cleaning of the braces than the regular ones as there are no metal wires and bands to trap the food.

Clear braces with its many advantages and some added preventive measures have managed to reduce the fear and hesitant approach that most people have towards orthodontist. Adding a regular routine of oral health care to your daily schedule and the advancements in the field of dentistry with innovations like clear braces will go a long way in preserving that perfect smile.

Anti Aging Eye Cream Is a Must

  • October 15, 2009 at 1:16 am



The area around our eyes is void of oil glands, fat and the skin is of a more delicate type that offers very little protection. While some areas of our face and bodies can fend of the advances of aging using the store of fat under the skin, which gives it a supply youthful appearance, the eye area is entirely different.

The sensitive eye area should be maintained with a daily anti aging eye cream. The skin is highly vulnerable to both environmental and physical damage and a potent product will certainly be of considerable benefit. A good quality anti aging eye cream will at the very least provide an improvement in hydration, texture and firmness.

Most dermatologists suggest a regime that includes an alpha hydroxy acid type product and it is further suggest that any eye wrinkle cream be applied first before any other face product for maximum benefit. Caution must be used with these alpha hydroxyl acid treatments, however as their function is to strip away the top dead layer of skin exposing a fresh new layer underneath. Not all skin types may be able to handle this type of skin care treatment.

Our eyes are the place to show the signs of change that comes with age and people generally look to our eyes first when greeting us. While some are not, most people are uncomfortable meeting the world with crow’s feet, under-eye puffiness and creases around the eye area. For this reason, men and women both are vigorously searching for a quality anti aging eye cream.

The harsh glare of the sun and the effects of its radiation play a major role in the aging of the eye area. Therefore, it is wise to look for a cream that includes an SPF agent to help prevent further damage from the sun. Vitamins A and D are also depleted due to sun damage and an eye wrinkle cream with these products mixed with a combination of a soothing E vitamin can be very beneficial.

An important factor for people searching for an eye cream is that it absorb quickly and not leave a greasy texture. By absorbing quickly into the skin there is less waste of the beneficial ingredients. If a product leaves the eye area greasy it would prove difficult to properly apply further layers of foundation and make-up. A greasy build up could also even lead to pore infections, especially in younger users.

In the world of eye creams there is even a line of all natural products derived from a wide variety of earth-produced materials. Some of these products contain sunflower oil, almond oil, nutmeg oil and even a form of seaweed extract.

It is important to realize that there is no wonder cream that will magically transform us back to our youth. There are however numerous proven anti aging eye cream products on the market that will repair damage to the eye area, prevent further damage and help to maintain the current condition of the eye area.