NATURAL SKIN CARE REMEDIES – WHAT’S UP WITH THAT?

Hello There ,

There are many substances in our kitchen cupboards that can be used to heal and mend our afflictions.  I grew up with a parents who were gun-ho about “L’ natural.”  One was into massive amounts of physical exercise and fresh air on a daily basis and the other was simultaneously stirring the pots in our kitchen making all kinds of homemade skin concoctions which she proudly displayed in decorative bottles on her dressing table.

In my early days of my aesthetic practice I made all my own treatment preparations literally from scratch. I spent the good majority of my free time-sharing my recipes with my clients who delighted in coming back and giving me reports on the efficacy of the formulations they were able to conjure up on their own.  I sometimes combined essential oils into my mixtures which took some in-depth research so that I did not produce a toxic product in my zealous efforts to be highly creative.  I decided to share what I was doing and brought some of my therapeutic remedies into my treatment room to include in my facials.  I also had an herbal bar where I introduced aesthetic herbs to my clients sometimes as a reprieve for them to counterbalance the pre-formulated cosmetic products that I dispensed to them as home care regimens.

I knew in the world of alternative medicine a herbalist is considered a herb doctor.  I visited Chinatown and learned from the herbalists who grew and harvested their own collection of aromatic herbs, which they dried and sold in their much frequented retail shops.  I listen to their explanations as to which ones were considered to have medicinal properties and would be a nice addendum something extraordinary to accompany the commercial skin care formulations I was merchandising.  They made a great accent gesture to the traditional product recommendations that were usually suggested by an aesthetic expert at the end of a skin care session.  Word quickly spread and my clientele grew with this practice.

Recommended Reading –

Spiritual Focused Natural Healing Alternatives

http://www.pathlights.com/nr_encyclopedia/

Herbal Therapy for Boils

http://www.ehow.com/how_4525157_get-rid-boils-naturally.html

Skin Care Recipes and Remedies

http://www.skin-care-recipes-and-remedies.com/home-remedies.html

Michael Delong’s Book on Clean Cures – The Art of Zen Curing

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=Michael+Dejong+Book+on+Clean+Cures+%E2%80%93+The+Art+of+Zen+Curing&cid=2935596637304093004&ei=3ZQ4TJ34DpbcyAW7xe2CDg&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p

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SENSATION, PERCEPTION AND AESTHETIC CARE

Hello There,

No understanding of aesthetics would be complete without a little knowledge of sensation and perception.  The process of sensation starts off when stimulus enliven our nervous system.  Facial clients / patients experience five sensations – two of which are auditory and smell and, three skin senses – touch, temperature and pain.  The general characteristics of sensation are absolute (minimum) thresholds and difference (minimum amount of difference between two stimuli) thresholds.

Perception on the other hand, is defined as a process by which the brain chooses and forms, coordinates and arranges its interpretation of sensations.  Our perceptual abilities are our most important link to the outside world.  Each kind of sense organ is dedicated to receiving a specific type or particular quality of stimulus.  It is through our senses that we take in information about the environment.

Out of all the senses we rely on, it is our sense of vision, more than anything else that we use to survive and comprehend the world.  The physical stimulus that the eye responds to is light.  It is made up of electromagnetic energy. The physical characteristics of light are wavelengths contained in a color spectrum which we interpret through mental vibrations (psychological sensations). It is these neural impulses that relay messages to the brain when light is experienced through the retina of the eye. It is the rods and cones (specialized nerve cells) that react.

Our olfactory system is designed to act in response to chemicals that are in the air. Smell occurs when airborne molecules travel up our nose. It is our way of detecting danger and of experiencing pleasure. Our sense of smell is mainly a warning signal.

The sensation of touch varies over portions of our bodies.  Only one specific receptor (pacinian corpuscle) for touch has been found.  They are called dendrites (branched extension of nerve cells) and they respond to touch.

The skin reacts to heat and cold. The number of regions sensitive to cold far outweigh those sensitive to heat. We experience the sensation of heat when both warm and cold receptors are stimulated simultaneously.  

Pain sensations are caused by a variety of stimuli including extreme pressure and heat. In an aesthetic practice the sensation of pain is usually caused by the force of extracting comedos. A well-known explanation is the “pain gating” theory which suggests that there is an actual neural gate that can be opened or closed by the form a neural message takes.

Understanding the brain and body responses is paramount and the physiology behind sensations and perceptions can make a big difference when applying this information to the practical aspects of aesthetic treatment delivery.  I personally find it all very fascinating and if you do too there is more to read and view on this and other related topics – see below…

Copyright ©2010 All right reserved – Victoria L. Rayner

Videos

http://clipsforclass.com/sandp

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/rdesabal09-222792-sensation-perception-intro-psychology-education-ppt-powerpoint/

Reading Materials

http://www.ask.com/questions-about/Sensation-and-Perception

http://www.le.ac.uk/psychology/amc/lepssens.html

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Simple Holistic Skin Care Approaches & More Exotic Aesthetic Treatments

Good Morning,

Using these holistic applications helps to restore balance to different body systems. As with all holistic applications – it’s all about support rather than disrupting the natural processes. What follows is a natural alternative approach to skin health and wellness.

Acne – the objective is to encourage elimination (with the consumption of fruits and vegetables) which will aid in cleaning out the system. Herbal combinations such as mixtures of Burdock, Nettles, Yellow Dock root and Echinacea are helpful in combating surface bacteria that feed upon skin cells and accompanying discharging fluids.  

Bruising – the idea is to strengthen blood-vessels which may be inherently fragile.  Bruising and swelling can be reduced by gently blotting the area with Witch Hazel.  Arnica disperses the products of blood-leakage.

Boils – the goal is to provide cleansing remedies that support the body’s removal of waste products.

Eczema – the objective is to eliminate any toxins which may irritate already sensitive skin. In addition, the idea is to reduce stress levels and to explore the existence of possible food allergies. For relief from itching and inflammation natural based creams and ointments will help to minimize dryness.

Eye Irritation – the goal is to soothe eyes with anti-infective eyewash to counteract allergies, itchy, watery eyes, smoke and chemical fumes with an eyewash remedy made from herbs Eyebright and Golden Seal.

Sunburn – the goal is to reduce amount of damage to the skin, prevent infection, and reduce dryness, discomfort and inflammation.  Wheatgerm oil and pure vitamin E oil soothe and soften the skin.  

Varicose Veins – the idea is to reduce excess fluid at the ankle by performing gentle massage – away from the foot in the direction of the trunk of the body.  Moreover, Dandelion leaf can be used to stimulate kidney function.  Witch Hazel and Marigold can be applied to the veins to reduce discomfort.

Copyright©2010 All right reserved – Victoria L. Rayner

For Ancient Egyptian Beauty secrets visit:

http://www.egyptmonth.com/mag06012000/mag4.htm

Cleopatra’s Milk and Honey Bath visit:

http://www.evebridge.com/post/513-cleopatras-beauty-secrets-milk-and-honey-bath

Snake Venom Facials

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4856611n

Geisha Facial – Nightingale’s Droppings

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4856611n

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