Aromatherapy for Age Spots

    By / 30th December, 2019 / Essential Oil Recipes, Healing Techniques, Oils Blends & Body Care Recipes, Regeneration / No Comments

    The discoloration of the skin also known as liver spots or hyperpigmentation, occurs as a result of the aging process.  I am personally experienced in using aromatherapy for age spots, as I spend much of my time in the high desert sun, working outdoors.  Causal factors of this condition include sun exposure, dietary choices, and our personal constitutional profile.  To treat it successfully, one must become aware of certain health habits, and be willing to apply focused attention over time.

    That said, it is a simple process (though not always easy) to achieve great improvement in a short time, without resorting to drastic skin treatments.  

    Hyperpigmentation

    Hyperpigmentation is characterized by flat, round, non-carcinogenic brown or reddish brown spots that develop on the hands, arms, face, shoulders, feet and legs. This usually occurs with increasing age.

    Causes 

    Hyperpigmentation is the result of melanin accumulation in the epidermal or dermal layer of the skin.  Causal factors include advancing age, sun exposure, pregnancy, birth control pills, hormone therapy, injury, chicken pox, shingles, acne scars and hereditary factors.

    Chloasma gravidarum (pregnancy mask) is a brownish pigmentation on the face and neck, due to hormonal shifts and sun sensitivity. 

    Age spots or liver spots (lentigines) are usually caused by accumulated sun damage, and customarily appear after age 30. 

    Sun freckles are hereditary and usually disappear when there is no excessive exposure to the sun.

    Prevention

    To prevent the formation of liver spots, avoid over-exposure to sun, detoxify the liver, and eat foods that promote liver and skin health (including drinking plenty of water).  

    Avoiding the sun:  Our bodies need the sun light to stay healthy!  Vitamin D is deficient in a huge percentage of people in the USA.  So it makes sense to question our heavy reliance on commercial sunscreen as the best route to take.  I am not telling you to throw it away, especially if your doctor has recommended it to you.  However, I am encouraging you to explore other options, do some research, and try other methods, using sunscreen as a last resort.  

    Most sunscreen products on the market contain Oxybenzone (a hormone disruptor) and other known cancer causing ingredients.  A great article that reflects my own opinion about sunscreen is here, on Wellness Mama.  It also offers a simple recipe for home made sunscreen, that contains none of the chemicals in question.  

    Detoxifying the Liver:  I have become very familiar with numerous liver cleanses over my 63 years of living with a constitutionally delicate liver.  I can assure you that dietary and lifestyle changes can make all the difference in your skin, with liver detoxification being the most important one.  

    Before using any kind of cleanse, if you are on medications or have chronic health issues, check with your doctor first.  There are many people who should not cleanse at all in this category—make sure you get your doctor’s approval.  

    If you have never cleansed before, or it has been a long time; or if you believe your body is moderately toxic, begin with this light and easy liver cleanse.  You can use it for just a few days, or the full 10 days to 2 weeks suggested, depending on how you feel as you go through it.  You can repeat it again in a couple of months if needed.  

    After liver cleansing, it is imperative to support the liver in regenerating to a higher level of health.  Consider using a daily tea containing dandelion, milk thistle, bupleurum, schisandra berry, artichoke leaf, and pau d’arco, for 8 to 10 weeks for this purpose.  Following the dietary guidelines for liver health will restore the liver and maintain a greater level of health.  Not only will your skin get clearer, but you will notice other benefits as well.  

    Dietary Guidelines for Evenly Glowing Skin 

    Eat more green salads!  Greens are the liver’s natural medicine.  Lettuces, mustard greens, beet greens, chard, spinach, kale, onions, garlic, watercress, asparagus, cabbage, etc.  Add more vegetables including cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, beets, taro root, water chestnuts, artichokes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, and all kinds of sprouts.  Eat herbs such as turmeric, basil, mint, horseradish, pepper, cardamon, cumin, fennel, dill, parsley, ginger; and fruits such as berries, kumquats, tangerines, lemon, and grapefruit.  Drinks include lemon water, fresh juices (especially carrot and celery), and fruit smoothies.  

    Just as important as what you eat, is what you avoid.  Avoid foods that tax the liver and hinder its ability to heal; such as refined grains and carbohydrates, alcohol, coffee, refined snack foods (replace them with raw nuts or seeds), artificial sweeteners, added sugars, soft drinks, fatty foods such as margarine, mayonnaise, refined oils, bacon, sausages.  Limit red meat, opting for fish or poultry in moderate amounts; and limit dairy food consumption (plain probiotic unpasteurized yogurt is beneficial in moderation).  

    Now that you know how to clear up age spots and prevent them in the future, we can look at some great recipes for fading spots that already exist on the surface.  

    Several mask options are listed here.  Experiment and find which ones work best on your skin!

    Aromatherapy

    Aromatherapy for age spots and uneven complexion, involves a three step process of daily skin maintenance, and a weekly (or more often) extra step. Every day, use this regimen to help restore glowing spot free skin.

    Use this regimen morning and night. If you are applying make-up, use a cotton pad to blot excess oil after allowing it to sit for at least 5 minutes. If you are going to bed afterward, leave the serum on overnight.

    Once or twice each week, apply a mask to fade the spots. Use one of the recipes below, apply the mask to cover spotty or discolored areas, and allow it to set or dry. After 15 minutes or longer, rinse the mask off and apply the serum or facial oil.

    My Favorite Super Easy Age Spot Mask Recipe

    1 Tbsp plain yogurt

    2 tsp grated potato

    4 tsp fresh lemon juice

    Mix all ingredients.  Apply to the spotted areas and allow it to dry.  After 10 to 15 minutes, wash it off and apply a facial serum or oil such as Kalahari melon, jojoba, macadamia, or raspberry seed oil.  Store remainder in the fridge for later.  Apply every other day until you reach desired skin tone.  

    Green Papaya Mask

    Green papaya grated or mashed

    This is used to even out the skin tone and fade brown spots. Apply before retiring for the night.  Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse off.  Apply a serum or oil before bedtime.

    Age Spot Cranberry Mask 

    Apply the juice of crushed fresh cranberries to age spots, and let them dry overnight. Wash off in the morning and note the lighter skin tone.

    I WANT IT GONE NOW Spot Treatment

    I have not tried this one, as it seems a bit harsh to put baking soda on my face. But others tell me that it works great!  Be sure to put it only on the spots directly, unlike a mask that can be spread over the entire area.  

    Mix a little bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) with a 50:50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water, to form a gritty paste. Dab onto age spots, allow to dry, then rinse off and pat skin dry. Be sure to use a moisturizing oil or serum after this treatment.

    Macadamia Facial Serum Recipes

    By / 30th December, 2019 / Essential Oil Recipes, Healing Tips, Oils Blends & Body Care Recipes, Recipes, Regeneration / No Comments

    Macadamia facial serum recipes are made with macadamia nut oil, which has been shown to slow the signs of aging. It contains Palmitoleic acid (Omega 7) which declines in our skin as we grow older. The Omega 7 in macadamia nut oil increases the skin’s youthful appearance, soothing wrinkles and lines. This makes it an excellent oil for maintaining glowing youthful skin!

    It also has been used to improve the appearance of scars, sunburn, and other minor skin irritations. The following recipes are excellent for moisturizing skin, helping to even out skin tone. and fading scars and patches. For more moisturizing facial serum recipes, go here. For hydrating facial serum recipes, go here. To read about the difference between hydration and moisturizing, go here.

    Macadamia Facial Serum for Oily Skin

    Serum for Hyperpigmentation and Age Spots

    Facial Serum for Scarring

    Cilantro for Detoxification

    By / 2nd December, 2019 / Cleanses, Healing Techniques, Healing Tips, Regeneration / No Comments

    Cilantro for detoxification? Yes! This amazing essential oil detoxifier is great for removing heavy metals from the body. It is a natural chelation herb, like chlorella and garlic.  It is known to help the body expel toxins, especially heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and aluminum. Heavy metal toxicity is a hidden cause of depression, allergies, mental and learning issues, and all kinds of immune system issues.

    How to Use Cilantro for Detoxification

    Chelation, removing heavy metals from the body’s tissues, can be a dangerous process. If one cleanses too rigorously, it is possible to draw heavy metals out of the tissues where they are stored, and into the blood stream. If this occurs too quickly, and the toxicity is not eliminated quickly enough, it can cause all kinds of heavy metal toxicity symptoms, and possibly do more damage to organs and tissues.

    The best way to accomplish this may be the slow way, using cilantro essential oil. Here is a really easy and effective way to remove heavy metal toxicity a little at a time from the body.

    • Get ready! You will need a plastic dish pan sized container, Pascalite or Drawing Paste, cilantro essential oil, and a bath towel.
    • Add hot (not boiling–your feet should be pleasantly hot but not burning!) purified water into the plastic container. Add enough to cover your feet when you place them in the water.
    • Add one teaspoon of Drawing Paste into the water and stir it around.
    • Apply several drops of pure cilantro essential oil onto the soles of your feet, spreading it all around.
    • Immediately immerse your feet into the hot water.
    • Let your feet soak until the water becomes luke warm.
    • Remove your feet and dry with the towel.

    You can use this detoxification process several times weekly. It is comfortable, feels great on your feet, is energizing, and will gradually help you release heavy metals from your system.

    If you are using straight Pascalite, you may even see small black specks in the bottom of the tub as you pour out the water. Remember–the water is toxic once you have used it. If you use Drawing Paste, you will not be able to see the specks, because the color is already dark. But the Drawing Paste may draw more toxicity out of the tissues than Pascalite alone.

    What Else Can I Do to Detoxify?

    You can help the detox process by doing a few things, such as getting daily exercise; drinking celery, cilantro, and carrot juices; taking chlorella; avoiding fried foods, excess sugar and artificial sweeteners; and eating a diet rich in whole fruits & vegetables and their juices. Weekly colonics are also extremely helpful if you are detoxifying. We suggest this book, to understand what is possible; and for those who are willing to do their own colon cleanses at home, check out our FDA registered Colenz Colon Cleanse Package.

    These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.  This information is anecdotal, and is provided for educational purposes only.  It is not meant to be taken as medical advice.  See a health care professional for medical advice.