Few people really recognise the health importance of getting regular sunshine. We talk about food/diet, lifestyle factors like exercise, clean water, organic food but how many times do you hear someone say – i must get out in the sunshine and get my Vitamin D levels up? hardly ever but hopefully it will become more common soon.

Vitamin D deficiency is widely recognised as being a problem for bone health but what about nerve function, skin health, hormonal balance, Cancer prevention and even treatment. I was absolutely stunned when my recent research led me to find that studies had been done to prove that lung cancer patients had a better chance of survival during months of increased sunshine ( ie summer). This is not the information that is being given out by oncologists to their patients. There is even evidence that Vitamin D at optimal levels will help in the treatment, not just prevention , of many types of cancer.

We in Australia are a nation of people who are becoming sun shy……no sun scared and it is ceasing to make any sense. We are the world’s highest consumers of sunscreen and now get less sunshine on average than we did 20years ago thanks to “slip slap slop” and yet there are no significant decreases in skin cancers in this part of the world. Lack of Vitamin D is actually more of a factor in skin cancer than sunshine exposure. This vital nutrient is present in food such as fish oil and some dairy but by no means do we get enough just from diet alone.

Vitamin D deficiency has been predicted by some to reach potentially epidemic proportions in some nations in the next five years – bigger than swine flu… speaking of which Vitamin D will help the immune system to ward off colds and flu.
Most professionals with intelligence and knowledge in this field recommend between 20-30 mins of sunshine exposure on 40% or more of the body per day. With our increasingly busy indoor lives sitting at desks behind computers ( ahemm…….hmmm) we may still see the sun filtering through even receive some of the more cancer causing UVA rays but what we are missing is that UVB without which we will not start Vitamin D synthesis – it is important to note that Vitamin D is made by a process in the body due to sun exposure rather than the body receiving it directly from the sun.

For those who are interested in knowing more detail please visit this web page http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/16/my-one-hour-vitamin-d-lecture-to-clear-up-all-your-confusion-on-this-vital-nutrient.aspx for a fantastic lecture on the subject.

Of course believing in skin nutrition I would never suggest allowing the sun to ravage or damage the skin but it may take a considerable turn around in belief system to realise that the two main reasons for damage to the skin from the sun are one dehydration which ages the skin ( and which can be made worse by conventional sun screens) and allowing the skin to BURN – which is a big No No. However the production of melanin by the skin is a natural function of the skin and does not necessarily represent skin damage if it appears slowly and naturally from normal ( not currently that normal) exposure to the sun on a daily basis.

As conventional sunscreens actually absorb the suns rays and “disperse” them through the skin I do not recommend this as a method for treating the skin in the sun – rather use a natural oil to hydrate the skin and give natural protection by way of nutrition – sesame oil is the best, hazelnut is also good as is avocado and potentially Jojoba.At Jasmin Skincare we do Hydrating suncare oil containing these oils for this reason. By applying this to the skin daily you will notice a slow and natural build up of melanin in the skin after sun exposure ( yes i do mean a tan !!) and you will notice that your skin becomes more resistant to the sun in the sense that you may be able to spend more time in the sun before you see the occurence of erythema (pink or slight redness to the skin that is temporary and not at all painful) – this is the sign that you have had enough sun exposure and Vitamin D synthesis is occurring – do not now go home and have a shower – the UVB rays need to combine with cholesterol in the skin and washing with soap may prevent this from occurring. If you need further protection from the sun for any reason ( ie you work outside all day long) then you will need to use a zinc oxide sun block preferably with only natural ingredients as well as any kind of suncare oil.

happy sunning!!

Something we get asked about constantly is organic certification – what it means? who really has it? how can you tell? what do the different levels of certification mean? And in an industry awash with “greenwashing” how do I know what is really green and organic??

There is a lot of confusion out there and one of the main reasons for this is the lack of industry standards and regulations that apply consistently to everyone. For example in Australia we have SEVEN organic certifying bodies, including our certifier OFC ( Organic Food Chain) - SEVEN!!!!! I mean come on how hard is that to regulate ! let alone all the other countries different regulations and standards.

AQIS ( Australian Quarantine and Inspection services) govern all the certifying bodies to keep them all in line with overall regulations governing food, agriculture, importation and exportation. But we have never had an Australian standard for certified organic for either food or cosmetics/skincare. If you want to know more about certified organic standards and how to spot a real organic product then please sign up for our free report.

So now things are changing and an Australian Draft standard has been drawn up over the last year, co-authored by many of the larger players in the industry. Many companies such as ours, who were already doing everything Organically, were asked to contribute to the draft to ensure that a standard was accessible across the board and truly defined the terms that go with acheiving certified organic status. The Standard is expected to be published towards the end of the year and will effectively be policed by the ACCC , in as much as consumers will be able to report companies that seem to be greenwashing or using the term “organic” without reason.

Many companies have been caught out in the past year greenwashing their products and this has caused quite a stir in the industry check out these articleshttp://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Products-Markets/Australian-authorities-take-action-over-organic-mislabelling and http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Products-Markets/Cosmetics-awash-with-greenwashing-says-report

Which brings us to what is happening overseas with all the press caused by Dr Bronner ( a certified organic soap company with very high ethics) suing a number of companies using the term organic either in marketing or branding without following through on this claim in their products. The whole point being that Dr Bronner felt that a company that has put the hard yards into going organic should be able to use that claim without the fear that someone else is using it fraudulently. Read more here http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Products-Markets/Cosmetics-awash-with-greenwashing-says-report

This led to a huge shake up which many claimed had been long overdue to the US Organic industry in which the NSF created a National Standard which was adopted late last year in conjunction with NOP ( the US National Organic program) which covered standards for those products that are claiming to be “made with certified organic ingredients” where there must be a minimum of 70% overall certified organic ingredients which has certainly paved the way for more industry regulation. The USDA in the US is still the main certifying body for products claiming 95-100% certified organic ingredients and is becoming a widely recognised logo globally for this.

Watch this space for more education and information on organics and organic skincare. Please feel free to email us with your questions and comments.

Facts about Clay Masks

1) Clay is drawing but not necessarily drying. It is true that clays have a drawing action drawing impurities and some moisture to the surface of the skin and holding those toxins in the clay so they can be washed off the skin however the fact that the right blend of the clays also puts essential minerals back into the skin means that a more balanced water retention of the skin’s epidermal layer can be maintained

2) Clay is exfoliating. There are many optimal combinations of clay that will assist with maintaining the keratinous layer of the skin which is the outer layer where dead skin cells rest until they are removed either by friction ( ie rubbing the face) or by mechanical exfoliators such as the grains in a scrub or by the natural abrasiveness and detoxifying action of mineral clays.

3) Clay is soothing. Once again those fabulous minerals in clay serve another purpose which is to soothe and rebalance the skin, which is why eczema, dermatitis and acne sufferers report great effects from using clays regularly.

4) Clay increases blood circulation. How many times have you put on a clay mask to find that your skin is flushed and rosy and tingling afterwards and thought maybe you were having some kind of reaction, only to find that by the time you washed and moisturised your skin it started to look less flushed and more healthy ? Well the drawing action of the clay also draws more healthy blood to the surface of the skin and so it is quite normal to experience these effects. The great part about it is the various layers of the skin get flushed with fresh blood which is essential for healing all skin conditions and for having healthy young looking skin.

It is often considered to be more effective to add the water to the clay powder as you need it – the reason for this is clear. Once you add water the clay starts to draw in toxins – so fresh is really best and it doesn’t take long to do. Make sure you add clay to water for best results with mixing and use a facn brush to apply.

Check out our revitalising clay mask.http://www.jasminskincare.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=19

What is an Oil ?

When we speak in Aromatherapy and skincare of an “Oil” we mean a “lipid” or “fat”.

Also known commonly as Vegetable, Nut or Seed Oil, or carrier oil or base oil – these oils are by nature “oily” or “fatty” and they form a slippy layer on the skin for massage as well as providing nutrition and moisture to the skin in skincare. They are perfect for blending essential oils so that they may be used on the skin and they are part of the emulsification process in skincare that leads to the formation of a cream.

All oils of this description are chains of fatty acids. Fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated. They are the major component of fat in the human body and are important for energy as well as repair and maintenance of healthy cells. Of the essential fatty acids Omega 3 and 6 are the most important in nutrition and cell maintenance and repair as they are not produced by the body itself and so must be acquired through diet and/or skincare depending on the requirement.

All oils will have a different consistency and function on the skin. Some such as Jojoba ( which actually comes from a bean similar to a coffee bean) are very similar to the skin’s own composition and so are widely used in skincare. Others such as Avocado are very thick and viscous and green in colour and so is used more specifically where really dry skin needs the extra nourishment. There are even oils such as sesame which give a sun protective quality to the skin by naturally filtering out UV rays whilst moisturising. Evening primrose is often taken internally to assist with skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema and can also be used in skincare for this purpose.

In Organic skincare it is the Cold-pressed (or mechanically- pressed ) oils that are used as they retain the most nutritional value. Once an oil has been refined or hydrogenated and heated or chemically treated much of the true value of the oil has been lost.

Below is a List of some Oils used in Aromatherapy :

Almond Avocado Apricot Kernel

Jojoba Sesame Rosehip

Evening Primrose Avocado Olive

Camellia Macadamia Neem

Hazelnut Safflower Sunflower

Wheatgerm Canola Soybean

What is an Essential Oil?

An essential oil is not really an “oil” in the sense that we have been discussing above at all.

An essential oil is “the fragrant principle of the plant” ( Lavabre). An essential oil is a chemical component occurring naturally in the plant/flower/root/bark and it is contained within special secretory oil glands and must be extracted through steam distillation, mechanical processing or solvent or CO2 extraction. The more oil glands present in the plant the higher the essential oil yield of the plant which explains to a certain degree why some plants such as the Rose have a much higher market value than for example Lemon or Lavender.

The secretory cells of a plant have tapped the photo-electro-magnetic energy of the sun together with enzymes create highly diversified aromatic molecules which are the essential oils.

For the purposes of the plant itself essential oils are used to attract pollinating insects or deter bugs and insects that may attack the plant.

The main difference between oils and essential oils are that oils are lipids “fats” and essential oils are not. Essential oils are hydrophobic and lipophilic which means they are water-hating and fat-loving molecules. Essential oils will never dissolve in water alone but they can be blended with oils or fats of any kind to be solubilised.

Essential oils are organic compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon. Much more work is available today on essential oil chemistry than 20 years ago however we still have much to learn about some of the constituents and their processes and functions. Essential oils are a wonder of nature and we need to treat them with respect as their power is greater than we yet know. This being said essential oils can be used very safely to enhance the quality of life, improve functioning of the body and mind and also to treat ailments and symptoms.

Some of the properties of essential oils are :-

Anti-microbial, Anti-bacterial, Anti-viral, Antiseptic, Anti-spasmodic,Analgesic purifying, Anti-inflammatory, Sedating, Uplifting, Cephalic, Anti-fungal and much much more.

Essential Oils work on the body in three different ways:-

1) Through inhalation – There is powerful evidence that the essential oils work through affecting the limbic system which is the controller of the body’s emotional and mental response to smell as well as actually changing the physiology of the body for e.g. Studies have shown reduction in stress and blood pressure from inhalation of Lavender. The body will retain up to 5% of the oils inhaled.

2) Via topical application – this when essential oils are applied topically to the skin usually diluted at various levels in a carrier or base which can be oil, cream, lotion, gel, bath oil etc. The dilution will vary depending on the purpose for e.g in skincare dilutions will be low because very little essential oil is required to stimulate a response in the skin. Alternatively higher dilutions maybe used for treating ailments and symptoms for e.g sore throat and fever. In france a common practice is ‘aromatic perfusions’ which involves the blending of pure essential oils for a specific purpose which are then applied undiluted directly to the skin which is usually warmed first – this is only ever recommended under the guidance of a qualified practitioner and is to treat acute symptoms. Dependent on the dose and the method of application and whether the skin is covered or not the body will use between 20-70% of the oil applied to the skin.

3) Oral ingestion – Many essential oils are used in the food industry and more commonly in Europe medical practitioners are trained in the ingestion of essential oils to treat physical diseases. Again there is no formal training currently in Australia covering oral ingestion. Oral ingestion is not recommended except under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Depending on the method the body may use up to 90% of the oil ingested.

Essential Oils are volatile substances, which means when they come into contact with air they will evaporate, this is why we can smell them. They are tiny molecules that travel through the skin and into the blood stream whenever they are applied topically which is why they are so efficient for repair and maintenance effects. They are metabolised (like food) and are excreted by the body through the lungs, the kidneys and the liver.

Essential Oils are extremely useful in skincare and aromatherapy and so little is needed for a great effect. The body knows how to use them and therefore used correctly they are not toxic. As with any food or plant substance there are cases when an essential oil from a plant should not be used at all or cases when a certain person may present with an allergy and this should not be taken lightly. However on the whole essential oils can be used widely and safely by everyone.