Protect That Fabulous Face

Winter is upon us - at least in a good portion of the country. Today there's a wonderfully fluffy snow storm going on. Looks so pretty, feels so icy when heading out to shovel or play. We all know the drill - bundle up, dress in layers, keep your hands and feet dry. If we're smart, we remember the lip balm to protect our delicate lips from moisture loss. Do we remember, though, to change up our face and skin moisturizers?


Here's a few tips to keep your skin safe and glowing throughout the winter:

• Keep it dry. Freezing temperatures will ice up moisture on your face, damaging and drying your skin. 
• But keep it moist...urized. Wear a moisturizer that's slightly heavier than you might normally, especially if you're going to be outside for any extended period of time. This will provide a buffer against the wind and cold. Our lotion bars are perfect for this kind of weather. They might be too heavy for your face, though. Try the Jazzy Lavender Body Butter. Thick, but whippy and refreshing. Whatever your choice, cover up before you go out. Then clean and remoisturize when you come in,
• When you wash your skin, use warm water, not hot. Hot water will actually dry your skin. I know, hot sounds lovely, but it will really damage more than help.
• Remember to exfoliate. You can use our sugar scrubs for your body, and our Honey Pumpkin Face Mask is wonderful for your face. It removes dead skin cells and opens up your skin to accepting good moisture.

Don't be afraid to get out there and ski, play or just walk the dog. But do it right and it will be easy to slip right into spring.

From Apples to Wine - It's All Divine! It's National Vinegar Month!

For something that was created by accident (about 3,000 years ago no less), vinegar is the most versatile ingredient to have in the kitchen. May is National Vinegar Month and is the perfect time to discover the innocuous, inexpensive, indispensable wonder that is vinegar.

There are many types of vinegar - apple cider, distilled white, wine (which can be made from any wine including champagne) and a variety of specialty vinegars like malt, balsamic, honey and fruits. Cooking, health, gardening and cleaning - vinegar can be used anywhere. It has long been used to boost health and medicinally.* Plus it's tasty!

Sour wine (which is what the word vinegar means) is the stuff of legend, poem, song, as well as dissertations and scientific research. Rather than just regurgitate (which a little vinegar in water can help you from doing), I'll share some of my favorite uses with you.

• Long before we started Celtic Chairde Creations, I used an infusion of herbs in apple cider vinegar as a face toner. It felt so refreshing and kept my skin from over drying as some toners and skin cleaners can. It was only natural to include it as one of our first products with our new company. Face Toner is one of my absolute favorite uses for vinegar.

• Baking soda and vinegar, besides making cool volcanoes, is a good way to clear mildly clogged or slow running drains. Pour as much baking soda as you can into the drain. Add vinegar a 1/2 cup or so at a time. Quickly cover (I use a wash cloth) the drain and hold it down tightly. When the fizzing stops, add a little more vinegar and cover again. Do this until you don't hear any fizzing when you pour the vinegar in. All natural, inexpensive and easy.

• Barbeque sauce, salad dressing, marinade, cole slaw, pickles ... what's not to love! Infusing your vinegars with herbs and fruits adds a lovely interesting twist to any recipe.

• I make a lot of my own vinegars. It's relatively easy to do. It just requires patience. I've made it with leftover wine (yes, we occasionally have left over wine in our house)and apples. I've also made it with pomegranate juice, with limited success. Here's a great resource for making your own apple cider vinegar.

• 
  Although I'm more of a shower girl, vinegar is great to use in your bath. It's so nice and balancing for your skin. We make two types of bath vinegars - with maybe more on the way!

• Vinegar is a wonderful treatment for bug bites and sunburn. We've got that covered too with our Do Greine Spray. But in a pinch, just wet a cloth with vinegar and put it on the burn. It helps take out the sting and reduce swelling.

• Blend a nice flavored vinegar with an infused honey and water and you have an oxymel. I like to add a splash of club soda for fizz. It's wonderfully refreshing and good for you, too.

• Take some lemon or orange peels, some thyme or rosemary and put it into a jar. Cover with white distilled vinegar. Seal the jar and let it set for 2 weeks or longer. Strain and put into a spray bottle. Best cleaner you'll ever have! use it on sinks, counters, tubs, windows and more. Smells great and disinfects and no chemicals.

Try vinegar in a new way during National Vinegar Month. Or share your favorite way to use vinegar with us. Viva le vinegar!


* Please keep in mind that any information is shared for educational purposes. If you have any questions, check with your doctor or health care professional. And do your own research, too.

You've got Fruit on Your Face

Fresh fruit is fabulous. It's one of the reasons I can't wait for spring and summer. Strawberries, peaches, apples, cherries, watermelon, bananas - I'm starting to drool a little. Most of these fruits are available year round now, but local and fresh if at all possible, is the best.

Not only is fruit yummy and good for your insides, many fruits are good for your skin on the outside as well. Here of some of my favorite face fruits.

Whenever I'm cutting these up, I don't wash the juice off my hands - I just rub it on my face. Instant facial! Not only do they make your face feel fabulous, you smell fantastic too.

Pineapple - We don't grow pineapples here in NJ, but I still love them and will pick them up occasionally from the market. Pineapples contain bromelain and alpha-hydroxy acid. These help reduce wrinkles and remove dead skin cells, helping to give skin a smoother and gentle glow. They are also high in Vitamin C and A which are anti-oxidant free radical fighters. I like to just rub the juice on my face, let it dry a bit, and then rinse with cool water. Makes my skin feel all tingly and just a little tighter. And I love the way it smells!

Great face fruits.

Strawberry - Strawberries can help reduce acne and oily skin, reduce puffiness under your eyes, and remove dead skin cells. They also contain alpha-hydroxy acid and Vitamin C. They also contain ellagic acid, which help protect the skin from UV rays.  Use in the same way as pineapple, or just cut a berry in half and rub it on your face. Just divine. But do be cautious if you have allergies.

Banana - Banana's have lots of Vitamin C and soothing properties for worn skin. They reduce skin inflammation. Mash up a nicely ripe banana and put into your face. Let sit a bit and then wipe off gently and rinse. Sometimes I'll just rub the inside of the banana peel on spots on my arms or skin that are really dry. I'll also use it to rub on my teeth to help clean and whiten them. 

Watermelon - Have you ever gotten cool, refreshing watermelon all over your face when you're eating it on a hot summer day? Then you rinse it off and your face feels wonderful! That's because watermelon is another antioxidant moisturizer that is a fruity fabulous face treatment. It contains Vitamins C, A and B6. It will help tighten up your pores and refresh your skin.

Next time you're looking for a quick skin pick me up, just look to your fridge and get some fruit on your face.