What are the top uses for Neem?

How do you use Neem?

Neem-Top-uses-plant-oil

My latest pursuit in all things natural and skin related is Neem oil. The Neem tree is native to India and is a major ingredient used in Ayurvedic treatments. It touts a history of thousands of years in maintaining health and well-being. The plant itself is versatile and can be utilized from root to leaf for both internal and external applications.

It seemed like all at once everything pointed to Neem. I have been nursing a sick plant back to health and first got some for this ailing friend. About a week later, my naturopath recommended trying Neem tablets to help with skin issues. As usually happens at this time, I end up delving head first into my own research. I see all sorts of applications for topical treatments that look promising as well. With its’ antibacterial properties and inhibition of the growth of acne-causing bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), it seems like something that could become an integral part of my formulations.

Among the common uses, I see it as a treatment for dryness and itching in hair, healing wounds, suppressing acne, and combating bacterial infections like boils and ulcers, as well as a prevention treatment for blemishes and eczema.

My questions for YOU:

  • How are you using Neem?
  • What are your favorite topical recipes?
  • With what oils do you use it in conjunction?
  • Do you have favorite brands, sources, forms?

I’d love to hear your experiences and recommendations. Please share in the comments below. I’ll follow up with my thoughts and hopefully have some good recipes to post!

What’s In The Goodie Box?

Tour The Goodie Box!

Whew! What a month! I’m so excited to have celebrated this month with all of you. Thanks to each and everyone one of you who subscribed to the blog and liked our facebook page. And now for the good stuff! Let’s take a look at what is in the goodie box!

The-Cure-Natural-Aqua-Gel

Cure Natural Aqua Gel

This is a really interesting exfoliator. On clean, dry skin, you apply a dime sized amount all over face and wait about 30 seconds. The gel starts to thicken and turns white. Massage in a circular motion for a minute or so. Then rinse off gel and skin.

 

beautycounter-routine-clean-cream-shellandshine

Beautycounter Routine Clean

Beautycounter has recently updated this product (along with several others) to now be known as “Nourishing Cream Cleanser” but it is still an oldie but goodie. This is one of my favorite everyday cleansers that cleans well but doesn’t dry your skin.

 

beauty-counter-charcoal-mask-shell-and-shine

Purifying Charcoal Mask

Quickly becoming one of my favorite face masks, this charcoal mask rocks! It is a mineral-rich mix of clay and charcoal that pulls out impurities and soothes your skin. A little goes a long way and this is now a weekly routine around my house.

 

ursa-major-face-wash

Ursa Major Face Wash

I had originally found this product through some samples with another purchase. I did some background checking on the ingredients before giving it a shot and I’m glad I did. It is a great cleanser that feels soothing and tingly and does a great job of removing stubborn makeup. For the non-fussy peeps that are still looking for a great product, this one is worth checking out and could easily be a cleanser for all family members.

 

DIY Antibacterial Balm

Well this stuff is just amazing. A friend sent me a link to this recipe thinking it looked like something I would make. You know I had to try it and am glad I did! It was very easy to put together and is one of the more versatile products I have concocted. Aside from healing cuts and scrapes, I have found it works great for a cuticle cream. It is really thick and due to the beeswax, creates a great moisturizing barrier with staying power. Love, love, love this stuff.

naturulz-foot-repair-best-product-for-feet

Naturulz Foot Repair

This product was a drugstore find that I picked up rather skeptically. The packaging does scream natural product but reading the ingredients was reassuring. I’ve been using this for the past few months and love it’s moisturizing ability. It is pretty oily and melts in your hand so a little goes a long way and you are definitely going to want to put on some socks after applying it and walking around the house.

Moksha-body-oil-burning-leaves

Moksha Body Oil

Those who know me, can attest to my favorite fall/winter fragrances being woodsy and deep. I’ve long worn a CB I hate perfume scent for years called ‘Burning Leaves’ but was super excited to find this body oil that smelled nearly the same! Since it is in an oil form it is long wearing and blends nicely into the skin.

thievesoilThieves Oil in Jojoba

This little gem is also a good health hack for the winter months. The history of the ‘thieves oil’ blend dates back to the Bubonic Plague where robbers would cover their hands and selves with a blend of oils to ward off germs while they robbed plague suffers and not get sick themselves. Now I don’t advocate using this for nefarious purposes, it will help you fight off germs while keeping you smelling deliciously like Christmas. You can wear it like a fragrance or spread it more widely on your body like an oil.

dried-rose-tea-leaves

Rose Tea

Good for tea time and good for your skin! I love this tea. It is probably one of my favorites. Daily use of the Siberian Rose tea is said to give you a healthy complexion, promote skin hydration, and act as a gentle sleep aid. It is helpful in clearing toxins and restoring balance to the intestines. Rose teas are very high in vitamin C, which is an important component in maintaining healthy and radiant skin.

dr-bronners-lip-balm-shell-and-shine-favorite

Dr. Bronners Lip Balm

I’m sure to a lot of you Dr. B’s needs no introduction. Their main soap line can be used for everything from self care to home cleaning. I use their products for a lot of things around my house. I didn’t have any idea that they made lip balm! On a trip to my local herbal supply store, I found the orange ginger balm and tried it out. Love it. Great moisturizer, not too waxy. It is just what you are looking for in a basic lip balm.

 

Collagen-Firming-Facial-Mask

My Scheming Q10 and Collagen Firming Facial Mask

On to the masks! I’ve picked up a couple of these boxes at our local asian supermarket and these are some of my favorites. Now I am giving away my last one and they are temporarily out of stock! Keep your eyes peeled for more. They are firming and toning and like other Korean sheet masks, are a nice little spa day right in your own home.

snail-bee-sheet-mask

Snail Bee Mask

While hydrating, this mask seemed to have the most benefit as a skin brightener. I felt like my skin was glowing after using it. This was amplified if I used the masks a few days in a row. It seemed to take a few years off and melt the look of stress away.

 

Whew! That about covers it! I hope you enjoy the package Sheryl. Included in the box is this handy-dandy little legend showing what product matches what sample (With Stickers!! Yep- I’m a dork  ;)). Feel free to message me in the comment section with any questions! xoxo ~Shell&Shine

Shell-and-Shine-gift-box-legend

Shell-and-Shine-Goodie-Box

 

 

 

 

Shell & Shine! One Year Old!

One Year Old!

Holy Cow Time Flies! We are just about to celebrate our one year anniversary here at Shell & Shine! I’m so exstatic! I am also very grateful to all of you who have been reading, commenting, and reaching out.
I have been busy making some skin-care packages for a few besties (eeehum… like people who live on remote Alaskan islands! You know how you are!). But I haven’t forgotten you!

Shell-and-Shine-Sweepstakes-Win-Giveaway-Gift

Goodie Goodie!

In honor of how completely kick-ass you all are, I have a skin-care goodie bag for one lucky winner, to be picked at random on October 3rd (2016). It is jam-packed with samples of all of my favorite products and some things I’ve made myself.

How To Enter?

How do you enter? Great question! Go to my website (shellandshine.com) OR my Facebook page and subscribe or follow and you will be entered for the drawing. Do both? And you get entered twice! Whaaaaat?!? Two chances to win!! That’s right 🙂 That’s how much I love you.
So subscribe on the site and follow me on facebook. I want to give this goody bag to you!
 I am so sincerely thankful to have shared my online journey with you thus far. Here is to another year 🙂

Korean Sheet Mask Trial

The verdict is in! I have found the top two Korean Sheet Masks after many, many, agonizing trials ;).

Korean-Sheet-Masks-Shell-and-Shine

Korean Sheet Masks have started to see a rise in popularity over the past few years in the US. I am lucky enough to live in Seattle and have access to a lot of Asian stores that sell these individually. Over the past two months, I’ve done the hard work for you and tried a few- Twenty to be exact. Without further ado, here are my top two:

 

  1. Snail Bee High Content Mask Pack from Benton

While hydrating, this mask seemed to have the most benefit as a skin brightener. I felt like my skin was glowing after using it. This was amplified if I used the masks a few days in a row. It seemed to take a few years off and melt the look of stress away.

Benton-Snail-Bee-Mask-Shell-and-Shine

Editor’s Note:

This face mask is fully immersed in a highly concentrated essence infused with snail slime filtrate and bee venom. This premium blend of natural ingredients makes the skin’s immune system stronger to be able to stand against daily exposure that often leads to  skin damage. This mask helps recover damaged skin to enhance elasticity, softness, and radiance. This mask is free from parabens, synthetic colorants, artificial fragrance, and formaldehyde. It’s suitable for all skin types, even hypersensitive skin.

 

  1. Q10 Collagen Firming Mask by My Scheming

This mask left my face feeling so soft. I was really impressed with the texture of my skin after using it. Also to note, my skin felt firmed up but still very hydrated, not tight.

Collagen-Sheet-Mask-Shell-and-Shine

Editor’s Note:

Made with Collagen and Q10, ingredients known for their ability to tighten and renew skin, this face mask is further packed with seaweed essence to give skin a superb level of moisturization. Skin looks brighter and smoother right after using the mask, while regular use rejuvenates skin leading to a healthy and radiant glow. Massage essence into skin after removing mask. Do not rinse off.

Korean-Sheet-Mask-Trial-Shell-and-Shine

Sheet mask thoughts in general-

Pros: There is such a variety and are great for firming and hydration. The packaging makes it great for travel and the application makes it really easy to apply the mask at night and just take off with no fuss, no muss.

Cons: On the flip side, the packaging. I did take issue with how much waste these created. Besides the tissue of the mask itself, some also had a backing and all are individually wrapped. This adds up and I’d much prefer to have a reusable jar when done with my mask products instead of a ton of packaging waste. Additionally, some of these masks (even ones that I liked) have a few ingredients that aren’t great and I tend to avoid.

Sheet-Mask-Shell-and-Shine

Tattoo Gone In A Week

Tattoo No More!

Painless tattoo removal from a cream in a week? This concept is apparently leaving the realm of the future and may soon be a viable option for those looking to erase their regrets like they never existed. A PhD student in pathology at Dalhousie University, Alec Falkenham, was working on a chemical compound intended to heal heart tissue and realized this may have an application for tattoo removal. To understand how this would work, let’s look a little at the science of how a tattoo becomes permanent in the first place. It is actually quite fascinating.

tattoo-skin-shell-and-shine

“Needles filled with ink pierce your skin many thousands of times, injecting the pigment into your skin. Your body instantly reacts to this assault, and sends out its repair agents to heal your wound. Ironically, it’s actually this immune response that allows the tattoo to become permanent.

Special white blood cells, called macrophages, come into the area to clean up the debris. After gobbling up the pigment, some of these cells make it back to your lymph nodes, where the junk is processed and expelled. But some of these cells get stuck, still full of ink, in the gel-like matrix under the top layer of skin. Because the pigment has been consumed by your cells, your body no longer considers it a foreign object and stops fighting to get rid of it. So it just hangs out there, visibly flooding your inner skin with color.”

 

How?

Falkenham developed this cream that penetrates the skin and selectively targets macrophages. When these specific macrophages die, others come along to clean up the cells eventually eliminating all cells containing the ink. Brilliant! What is most interesting and exciting to me here is how this may be adapted for other skin conditions. Since this process centers on an autoimmune response, how could it be applied to autoimmune conditions of the skin? Fascinating and perhaps the beginning of a whole new skin care approach for things like psoriasis and eczema?

tattoo-old-timed-shell-and-shine

What Next?

This treatment is supposed to be relatively inexpensive too (treating a small patch of skin should cost under 5 dollars!). Cipher Pharmaceuticals purchased the formula so it will be up to them to run the clinical trials and get it out to market. With about 25% of the American adult population adorned with tattoos, I’m sure there will be more than a few eager customers. I have always wanted one but just couldn’t decide what! So that aside, I am still eager for this product to make its’ way down the pipeline just for its’ potential for other applications. Viva la Future! Gotta love science 🙂

tattoo-beauty-shell-shine

Snail to Prevail?

On the Snail Trail

I’ve been diving head-first into the trend and depths of Korean Skincare products. Holy Moley, there is some impressive and crazy stuff! The ingredients (🐌extract anyone?) are not super common to the US beauty industry, however, they do have pretty high health standards and regulations, so although uncommon, some may be pretty beneficial. I have a handful of products on the way and can’t wait to play around. Stay tuned to hear the favorites and where to get them. I’m anticipating the slug juice won’t turn my body parts into an actual snail, but you never know…

snailtooth-snail-shell-and-shine

Masks :: Korean Sheet Mask Haul

Korean Sheet Masks

Lately, Korean sheet masks have been all the rage. I had to see for myself and took a quick trip to the local Asian market here and picked up a few. If you’ve been following my Instagram of Facebook page, you know I’ve been trying them every day! I’ll let you know which ones are the best and which ones to take a pass on. More to come! Check back soon for a full review 🙂

Korean-Sheet-Masks-Shell-and-Shine

Full details to follow on which ones are the best, where to buy them, and how much they cost.

Trina Felber – Primal Life Organics

Trina Felber of Primal Life Organics skin-food talks to the Bulletproof folks. 

 

This was a pretty interesting podcast. I am curious to hear if any of you have tried the Primal Life line of products. There are a few recipes in here I will be recreating; Namely the tooth powder and the capsaicin pimple treatment. I will keep you all posted! Updates to come 🙂

The Body Deli – Palm Desert

Order’s Up! The Body Deli Haul

You Guys! This Place! I was recently in Palm Desert and had some time to myself. After a quick solo lunch date, I stumbled upon The Body Deli store. Wow. This place is amazing. Their philosophy from the website:

THE BODY DELI is the pioneer in fresh, organic, raw superfood enhanced personal care products. Two Cosmetic Chefs, Margaret Skarin Clark and David Anton Parker, created the brand in the resort towns of Palm Desert and Palm Springs, California in 2001. Two “foodies” with an extensive background in nutrition, raw food, wellness and beauty, envisioned a personal care brand so different, fresh and unique that they started making their own healthy skin care products. Their special method is a process similar to crafting fresh juices and smoothies in a high-end Organic Juice Bar. “Fresh Food for the Skin” was their concept, and since then they have evolved a global brand committed and dedicated to providing the absolute purest alternative for nourishing the face, body and hair. Celebrities, fashion designers, Fortune 500 leaders and health conscious people have fallen in love with The Body Deli’s unique, effective and wonderful creations.

the-body-deli-palm-desert

What to get?

I went in and drifted off into an aromatic wonderland. I made it out of the store with just two small jars of body cream and a catalog. That evening I covered one arm in Tahitian Vanilla and the other in Jasmine Tuberose. Typically, I don’t buy Jasmine scented products because although I’ve been the recipient of about every Jasmine scented soap under the sun, they tend to smell like an old lady’s bathroom. This cream used the real essential oil, which is, if you have smelled it, much, much, different.

After my pale Seattle skin was properly hydrated, I started flipping through their look book. Needless to say, there were a few other things I saw worth trying and convinced my friend to hit up the store one last time before leaving Palm Desert.

body-deli-look-book-shell-and-shine

Other purchases:

Crème de la Rose. The Body Deli’s most popular product, a luxurious, rich and nourishing anti-aging facial moisturizer that is formulated to help accelerate cellular turnover, feed epidermal cells, restore elasticity, and diminish the depth and intensity of wrinkles. BULGARIAN ROSE, COQ10 and VITAMIN-A is used for its cell regenerating properties and exquisite healing aroma. GOJI BERRY extract is used for its amino acids and Vitamin C content. It is for normal to dry skin types that are experiencing the effects of aging.

And the piece de resistance: Sea Cucumber Gelee. They say “it is like getting a fresh juiced green drink for your skin. Organic Aloe Vera is combined with skin toning algae and nature’s most potent moisturizer, Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic Acid has the ability to bind more than ten times its weight in moisture. This highly effective combination gives you the finest all natural moisturizer to impart a dewy glow while it cools, soothes and hydrates the skin.” For Real! And yes, it does require refrigeration so I did pack up my checked back with some ice packs and sent it flying! Those who know me will tell you I am definitely a no-nonsense traveler and like to keep things as minimal and easy as possible. This, however, was worth the extra effort to cart home. Let me also tell you how good it feels going on your face straight out of the refrigerator. Cool and soothing.

shell-and-shine-body-deli-haul

Where to get Body Deli products?

“Ok, Great!” You say. “But when am I ever in Palm Desert?” They do have a pretty great looking website and free shipping on orders over $75. Don’t worry, this stuff is on the spendy side so it is easy to rack up that sort of tab. I did have a long conversation with the woman in the store about how the refrigerated products are shipped and she assured they are pros at keeping it all on ice.

If you do find yourself in their neighborhood, be sure to check out the brick and mortar. I found them at their El Paseo flagship store. Enjoy!

raw-living-shell-and-shine-body-deli

 

Research! Mango Butter and Date Oil

I’m researching two new oils and interested in how they will work in skincare products.

First-

Mango Butter

Mango butter is made from the kernels of the mango tree. It is similar to cocoa butter in that it has a high stearic acid content. Mango butter has good emollience and is said to prevent drying of the skin and formation of wrinkles. Mango butter also reduces degeneration of skin cells and restores elasticity. It is solid at room temperature making it good for lip balm and lotion bars. I’ve read it is good at soothing eczema and psoriasis as well.

Second-

Date Oil

Even though it’s been used for thousands of years, I’ve had a harder time finding more information on Date Oil. High in fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, thiamine, and vitamin E, it is thought to have skin regenerating properties that naturally tighten and rejuvenate the structure.

I would love to hear from you and if you have used either of these two oils. What are you thoughts and experiences? Any suggestions on what to make?