If you have been reading this site for awhile you know that I am a major advocate of plenty of safe sun exposure and all the healthy vitamin D that it will generate for you.
Unfortunately, there is a dark side to sun exposure that you need to know about.
If you overdo your sun exposure it can increase photoaging of your skin, unless you proactively take steps to address it.
Fortunately, there's an incredibly simple solution to prevent this.
My team and I have formulated one of the world's safest, healthiest, and most deeply penetrating moisturizers and deliver them to you in a USDA-certified organic cream that will keep your skin looking beautiful.
In fact, your skin can look beautiful if you're willing to give your skin especially the delicate area around your eyes and lips the attention it deserves, and still get all the natural vitamin D you need without worrying about the toll it might take on your face.
The most relevant question of the day is
Why Do so Many Skin Care Products
Use these Potentially Hazardous Ingredients?
Simple answer: because they're cheap, readily available, and easy to dilute.
Are they in the products you currently use? It's time to check. Go grab your containers of skin care products and check them against the following
| Ingredient | Use | Dangers |
|---|---|---|
| Parabens | Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products. | Have hormone-disrupting qualities that mimic estrogen and could disrupt your body's endocrine system. |
| Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum | These petroleum products coat the skin like plastic clogging pores and creating a build-up of toxins. They can disrupt hormonal activity. When you think about black oil pumped from deep underground, ask yourself why you'd want to put that kind of stuff on your skin | |
| Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) | Found in over 90% of personal care products! They break down your skin's moisture barrier, potentially leading to dry skin. And because they easily penetrate your skin, they can allow other chemicals easy access. | SLS combined with other chemicals may become a "nitrosamine" a potent carcinogen. |
| Acrylamide | Found in many facial creams. | A potential carcinogen. |
| Propylene glycol | Common cosmetic moisturizer and carrier for fragrance oils. | May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. |
| Dioxane | Hidden in ingredients such as PEG, polysorbates, laureth, and ethoxylated alcohols. Very common in personal care products. | These chemicals are often contaminated with high concentrations of highly volatile 1,4-dioxane that's easily absorbed through the skin. Its carcinogenicity was first reported in 1965, and later confirmed in other studies in 1978. Nasal passages are considered extremely vulnerable, making it, in my opinion, a really bad idea to use these things on your face. |
You see, your skin is not only your largest organ it's also the thinnest. Only 1/10th of an inch separates you from all sorts of toxins. Your skin is highly permeable, allowing what you apply to your skin access to your bloodstream (and thereby to the rest of your body)
Which is why I remind you not to put anything on your skin that you wouldn't be willing to eat.
As you've heard before, beauty is more than skin deep. Pampering your skin with "beauty" products laced with toxins is playing Russian roulette with your health. More on that in a minute.
But first
Four Tips to Make You Quit Singing the "Dry-Skin Blues"
Is smooth skin a hopeless goal for you?
Not really. These four strategies can help
- Hydrate your entire system with lots of water. During winter there's a tendency not to drink as much due to cool temperatures. You may want to bring your water to room temperature to encourage drinking more. Or enjoy more warm green tea, like the Royal Matcha Green Tea sold elsewhere on this website.
- Eat a healthy diet of mostly raw foods, foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, which produce a hydrating effect from the inside out. Winter might be a good time to increase your intake of krill oil also, for its omega-3s and antioxidants such as Purple Defense and Curcumin.
- Take a revitalizing bath in warm water, not hot! Himalayan salt baths are rejuvenating, and help dry skin to slough off. Hot water is damaging to your skin, so stick with warm water.
- Moisturize daily with non-clogging organic moisturizers such as coconut oil or body butter. These nourish your skin instead of clogging it, as many toxin-impaired moisturizers do.
It's especially important to cleanse and moisturize before you go to bed at night, to remove impurities from your skin before your revitalizing sleep time. Just be sure your moisturizer isn't tainted with toxins.
Why do I stress organic so much?
Because what you don't know or even what's intentionally hidden from you really can hurt you.
Continue reading to discover just how dangerous many moisturizer ingredients can be even some very high-end (expensive) "spa" products.
Be sure to check your products against the list of dangerous ingredients that follows.
Who's Watching Out for You?
When it comes to the beauty industry, anything goes
And money reigns supreme. Which means that it's caveat emptor "buyer beware." You need to be the captain of your own ship and know what's in the products you use.
If you thought the FDA was watching out for you
Well, let's just let that idea blow off right now. They let the cosmetic industry, including skin care products, police itself (your tax dollars notwithstanding). The list of people trying to help you out is surprisingly small almost non-existent.
Currently, there are estimated to be more than 10,500 cosmetic and personal care products on the North American market. Of those products, the Environmental Working Group estimates that 99% of the products contain one or more ingredients that have never been evaluated for safety.
Who's Responsible for this Mess?
The cosmetic industry and their love of loopholes. Some of the biggies are:
- "For Professional Use Only" This phrase allows cosmetic companies to remove harmful chemicals from their labels.
- "Hypoallergenic" No actual testing is necessary to claim that a product is "hypoallergenic," "allergy-free," or "safe for sensitive skin." Neither the FDA nor any other regulating body even requires the companies to prove these claims.
- Harmful Chemicals Unless they are intentionally placed in the product, harmful chemicals are not required to be listed. It's no shocker that you never see these.
What Can You Do?
The cosmetics industry is a $50 billion a year business (in the US alone). It spends a remarkable $2 billion a year on advertising.
Even more appalling than that is the amount of chemicals you place on your skin every year. Women who use makeup daily absorb, on average, 5 pounds each year.
As with the Vioxx debacle, the FDA cannot actively act on a product until after it has already severely injured or killed many people. And because the cosmetic companies are motivated by their profits, they won't be pointing out the dangers of their products to you any time soon. Your only solution is to rely on your own skills of investigation.
Always Avoid Applying Potential Toxins to Your Skin
Many people even those who carefully select organic or gourmet foods to eat choose skin care products that can do serious damage to their skin.
Now, realize that I'm not suggesting you'd intentionally apply toxins to your skin. You simply may not realize the extent to which many common skin care products contain suspect ingredients with unrecognizable or unpronounceable names.
Do you ever put things onto your skin that you wouldn't think of eating? I hope not
You see, I believe that what you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream and integrated into your body's tissues. A number of these potential toxins have estrogen-mimicking effects that can wreak havoc on all your good health intentions.
Besides avoiding these hazards, there are some other steps you can take to create that young-looking skin you really want
What Can You Do to Keep Your Skin Looking Healthy?
Eating plenty of fresh raw organic foods, and getting enough omega-3 fats are ways to improve the appearance of your skin
And need I mention exercise? Through exercise, your skin detoxifies impurities from your system what you know as perspiration.
But beyond that, here's a critically important issue you need to be aware of
Just 5 Minutes Per Day Gets You on the Road
to a More Youthful-Looking, Vibrant Face
Every day of your life, pollution, grime, and dust attach themselves to the surface of your skin.
If you don't take a couple minutes daily to cleanse your face and unclog your pores, your skin may look sluggish instead of at its bright and shining best.
Cleaning your skin is important, just like keeping your internal organs clean and healthy is.
But here's a caveat
Take Your Own Hippocratic Oath for Skin Care ("First, Do No Harm")
It may seem like a cliché, but there are things you can do to prevent damaging your skin. Many of the visible signs of aging are caused by external factors that you can at least partially control.
These actions may be the easiest and least expensive things you can do to prevent damage to your skin, gain a more youthful appearance, and build a strong foundation for your pro-active natural skin care. Not to mention, creating a buzz about your new looks.
Please be aware that skin damage doesn't always involve pain or immediate visible change, and can often go unnoticed for some time. But the cumulative actions you begin taking today can also improve the appearance of your skin slowly over time. So get started today doing these simple things:
- Avoid or minimize damage from hot water and chlorine. Although taking baths and showers may seem like it's health-promoting and relaxing, your skin may disagree especially if you have chlorinated water, which is almost certainly the case (unless your water comes from a well).
- Use gentle and safe skin care products organic whenever possible. Your skin absorbs it all. Don't compromise your health and the health of your skin by using potential poisons.
- Be very sure to remove your makeup each evening. It's a really bad idea to flop into bed, leaving makeup not to mention environmental grime on your face while you sleep. Take a couple minutes to remove it.
- Sleep on your back. Gravity creates a downward drag on your skin all day. Give your skin a break at night. By sleeping on your back, you reduce gravitational pull on your face. If you press your face to your pillow, you will likely experience increased puffiness in the morning.
- Don't smoke for your general health's sake, and for your skin
- If you will be in the sun for extended periods of time, use sunscreen with safe and effective ingredients, such as Mercola Broad Spectrum Sunscreen.
- Limit exfoliation to twice per week and use a gentle exfoliator. Exfoliation refreshes your skin's surfaces and brightens your appearance as it removes dead cells from the surface of your skin. But if you exfoliate too often or too aggressively, you risk damaging living cells.
- Apply your skin care products to warm skin in order to help your skin appear healthier. This maximizes absorption. If your skin is cold, use a warm towel to warm your skin.
- Never pull or rub your skin. Apply your skin care products gently, and lightly tap for a few moments to help your skin absorb them. Rubbing stretches your skin and can promote sagging and wrinkles. (Note: This principle includes leaning your face on your hand while sitting at a desk, which also stretches your skin.)
- Don't expect overnight changes. Even if you start doing everything right today, don't be discouraged with seeming lack of progress tomorrow.
Chlorine causes oxidative damage. The hotter the water, the more potential for damage because the rate of chemical reactions increases with temperature.
So what can you do? Adjust your water temperature to be a bit cooler, limit your showers to one per day, and decrease your soak time in the bath.
It may take a month or even two to three months to notice changes. Plus, it's quite possible that others will notice changes in your skin's appearance before you do.
Remember: it took years to get where you are today, so show patience when expecting changes and improvements.
Now that you're taking these practical steps as well as choosing not to use dangerous and damaging products on your skin, let's explore your skin care alternatives organic food products from nature's storehouse.
Nourishing Botanicals for Your Skin's Healthy Appearance
Whenever you apply skin care products, it is ideal to use products from nature that nourish your skin the same way you nourish your body. Look for products that encourage rejuvenation and work with your own skin to support its efforts toward a healthy appearance.
The potentially dangerous ingredients listed above concern me greatly. And you know me to be passionate about changing the existing health paradigm. So it should be no surprise that I considered it imperative to locate a wholesome source of skin care products for you.
Nature's Skin Care For Outer Beauty that Looks and Feels Healthy
How to Apply Your Organic Skin Care
It's hardly a secret that plant foods nourish your body. For years, I've heartily encouraged you to eat plenty of raw, uncooked foods directly from nature for your best health and wellbeing.
Applying skin care products that are derived from these foods is a smart and natural way to make your skin appear both healthy and beautiful to make your face feel and look as vibrant, radiant and flawless as your healthy body does.
My USDA-Certified Organic Skin Care line uses organic ingredients straight from nature's storehouse to promote both your natural beauty and a healthy appearance. After all, why strive to make large health improvements in your life, only to compromise them when you cleanse and moisturize your skin?
Now you have a smart alternative available that does everything you want it to promote young- and healthy-looking skin with vital phytonutrients and top quality ingredients.
Top quality ingredients from around the world like acai juice, green tea, sea buckthorn oil, cupuacu butter, and more
First, let me introduce my USDA-Certified Organic Skin Care line-up just six quick daily steps for your more youthful appearance and healthy living
- Daily Step 1. USDA-Certified Organic Citrus Cleanser Revitalizing twice daily
- Daily Step 2. USDA-Certified Organic Chamomile Toner Purifying twice daily
- Daily Step 3. USDA-Certified Organic Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum once daily
- Daily Step 4. Morning. USDA-Certified Organic Cupuacu Day Moisturizer Antioxidant mornings
- Daily Step 4. Evening. USDA-Certified Organic Acai Night Moisturizer Rejuvenating evenings
- Daily Step 5. USDA-Certified Organic Eye and Lines Treatment twice daily
- Twice weekly after cleansing. USDA-Certified Organic Sugar Exfoliator Refining Face Scrub twice weekly
As you might imagine, there are a large number of ingredients in these seven different products.
However, it is important to understand that, they're all organic, so they skip the additional (petroleum-based, suspect) chemicals that are in the vast majority of skin care products.
Multiply Your Skin Care Benefits
My USDA Certified Skin Care line will provide you with incredibly comprehensive benefits when you apply it as a total package to supply the wide spectrum of nutrients to your skin. Each product complements the rest to maximize your skin's healthy appearance.
As mentioned above, you'll want to demonstrate a degree of patience just as you would when improving your diet. Consider this your skin's diet for nutrition.
But over the next couple of months you may be surprised by what others are saying about your amazing good looks. Some who notice might not mention anything, but they will likely think about it.
And now you can be prepared with your new more beautiful face for all your upcoming holiday parties and family get-togethers.
Why 'Organic' Ingredients?
It's important to use only ingredients that promote your healthy appearance without doing any potential harm whenever possible.
You eat organic foods to avoid many of the chemicals in commercial foods. Now you can do the same for your skin. This is important because what you apply to your skin invariably winds up in your blood.
"Certified organic" means agricultural products are grown and processed per the USDA's national organic standards then certified by USDA-accredited state and private certification organizations.
There is a specific process and a price tag to becoming certified.
Set standards must be met and extensive paperwork filed to verify that those standards are met. Certifying agents then review applications for certification eligibility.
Qualified inspectors conduct annual onsite inspections of organic operations, observing their production and processing practices to see if they're in compliance with organic standards
But in general, your product ingredients are the pre-eminent issue. Do they qualify as food? Are they organic, and free of potentially harmful pesticides?
We use ingredients that the USDA permits in its certified organic food using the same standards for these items as for those items that are intended specifically for human consumption. And we proudly list every ingredient in our products hiding nothing so you can examine them for yourself.
All to give you another option to stay healthy.
In My Opinion, Plant Oils are Far Superior to Petroleum Oil
No petroleum products allowed because I want you to look and feel at your greatest each and every day of your life, to fulfill your purpose and to enjoy all the people and events of your life. And you can do that by using true nutrients that help keep your skin looking its best.
Let's look at a couple of these special, exotic oils here more details will follow on each individual product page.
Discover Today How the Many Marvelous Qualities of
Sea Buckthorn Oil Promote Your Beautiful Skin
Sea buckthorn seed oil is an absolute powerhouse of nutrition. It provides protein, plus over 100 nutrients, such as linolenic acid, vitamins E and A, carotene, polyphenols, flavonoids, and trace elements including iron, copper, manganese, and selenium.
Moreover, scientists are always on the hunt for antioxidants. They found a real gem in sea buckthorn oil.
Its rich content of flavonoids, glucosides, phenols, terpenes, vitamins E, A, and C, beta-carotene, and trace elements (iron, zinc, selenium, manganese) are all antioxidants with very low molecular weight that neutralize free radicals.
Comparing Sea Buckthorn to Other Skin Creams
Free fatty acids are easily absorbed by the skin. Linoleic acid promotes tissue rejuvenation. Hydrocarbon preserves your skin's moisture, softens and lubricates your skin, keeping it smooth and fair.
Sea buckthorn oil is also an antioxidant.
Sea buckthorn oil is used in Mercola Organic Skin Care Organic Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum and Organic Acai Night Moisturizer.
Cupuacu Butter The 'New Kid on the Block' in Skin Care
Cupuacu butter is rapidly gaining attention as an exceptional moisturizer, with remarkable water absorption, rich content of sterols, and overall nutritive benefits.
Cupuacu is a small tree from the chocolate family that's native to the northern Amazon in South America. The fruit is about the size of a cantaloupe, and is prized for its creamy, exotic-tasting pulp.
The fruit, which ripens in the rainy months of January through April, is used to make jam, fresh juice, ice cream, and tarts. It is by far the most popular fruit in the Amazon.
Like chocolate, the fruit has a large center seed pod, loaded with "beans". Unlike cocoa, however, cupuacu does not contain caffeine.
Cupuacu's seed pod looks like chocolate, but without the caffeine. Check it out in Organic Cupuacu Day Moisturizer and Organic Acai Night Moisturizer.
Cupuacu butter is softer and creamier than cocoa butter and has a mild aroma. It absorbs water more effectively than lanolin (used in many skin care products).
I believe it provides protective benefits against UV-A and UV-B over-exposure. It also offers high levels of essential fatty acids. These fatty acids, plus its rich phytosterols, give it the ability to promote skin elasticity and improve skin moisture.
Its incredible creaminess promotes a special softness and smoothness to your skin, and boosts its natural moisture and elasticity.
More Secrets from the Amazon Rain Forest
Another exotic rain forest berry, the acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry, was proclaimed the "World's #1 Superfood" on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
The Yanomami Indians harvested and revered the acai for centuries as a food that "holds unique power" (as reported by NBC Today on 5/13/2003). By that, they referred to the energizing properties of both its fruit and oil.
Acai berries were announced as the "World's #1 Super food". Shouldn't it be part of your skin's care?
During the past three to five years, the acai was discovered by the Brazilian elite and then North Americans, who ate the fruit as a frozen slush.
These small purple berries each with one large seed dangle in clusters from the 25 foot high acai palm tree in its native Brazil, and other parts of Central and South America.
Acai oil is cold-pressed from the seeds of the acai berry, and is deep golden to light brown with a mild yet pleasant fruity aroma. When the berries are picked, they're processed under cold and air-free conditions to yield the freshest, purest oil possible.
Acai possesses an amazing nutrient profile an impressive combination of omega-3, omega-6 and omega 9 essential fatty acids, phytosterols, vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, E, and C, minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, and potassium, and essential amino acids.
What's more, acai oil is rich in anthocyanins, phytosterols, and phenols, which are also antioxidants.
In fact, its content of anthocyanins is reported to be an astounding 10-30 times higher than the anthocyanin content of red wine grapes.
Acai oil's rich array of nutrients and other benefits make it a remarkable ingredient for use in anti-aging personal care products. Studies indicate that the phenols in acai oil act as antioxidants.
Acai is an excellent emollient and an effective moisturizer to treat dry skin. It also absorbs into your skin quickly.
You can enjoy the superior nutritional benefits of acai oil in Mercola Skin Care Organic Cupuacu Day Moisturizer and Organic Acai Night Moisturizer. Use them both for your personal beautification benefit.
Container Gives You the Absolute Freshest Quality Possible
Organic Cupuacu Day Moisturizer and Organic Acai Night Moisturizer are available in an airless pump dispenser.
Just a soft touch of your fingertip releases the perfect amount of rich, creamy moisturizer. No more wasted product. No more mess.
Why was this change made?
The moisturizer at the bottom of the jar stays just as fresh as the first time you use it. Air stays out of the jar along with potential bacteria or any other contaminants from the air or your fingertips, so it stays pure and lasts longer.
As an added benefit, this natural way to extend the shelf life of the product makes it so that preservatives aren't needed.
So, now you can enjoy your USDA Certified Organic Cupuacu Day Moisturizer and USDA Certified Organic Acai Night Moisturizer down to their last drop. Guaranteed to be cleaner and fresher to the very end!
But there's so much more to discover in this nutrient-filled skin care line
Premium Skin Care Package
Your Premium Skin Care Package includes seven products in our USDA-Certified Organic Skin Care Line designed to give your skin an astounding boost in its appearance.
This package includes your daily cleanser, twice-weekly exfoliator, daily toner, serum, two daily moisturizers, and eye and lines treatment.
These products utilize organic botanicals from around the world to provide support for your skin's most beautiful appearance.
What's more
They do all that without any potentially damaging petrochemicals and estrogen-mimicking ingredients.
Just check out these seven fine products and what they can do for you
- Organic Citrus Cleanser is a pure and mild cleanser that protects and nourishes your skin just as a new parent protects and nourishes a newborn baby. And gently too.
- Organic Sugar Exfoliator softly removes the outer layer of dry or flaking skin, leaving your face smooth and radiant and using all organic ingredients that you already know and trust. Ingredients include organic sugar, olive oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, cucumber extract, and the pleasant invigorating scent of sweet orange oil.
- Organic Chamomile Toner gently removes extra "stuff" from your skin with the help of subtle aromatherapy oils to leave your face feeling slightly tingly and totally refreshed. Toning is essential for removing dirt, make-up, and oil that your cleanser might miss. It's a critical step in caring for your skin.
- Organic Cupuacu Day Moisturizer provides you with nature's best botanicals from around the world, ready to help you wake up, get you energized, and promote a grand start to your new day. This deep moisturizing day cream uses true food-based ingredients for your skin plant foods used effectively for centuries.
- Organic Acai Night Moisturizer contains food ingredients from the world over to bring you a deeply satisfying moisturizer with profound benefits for your skin
- Organic Sea Buckthorn Anti-Aging Serum offers a critical application of deeply nourishing botanicals for your most youthful appearance. It's brimming with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and much more to help your skin appear stronger. Regular use will help improve your skin's texture as it nourishes your cells
- Organic Eye and Lines Treatment is designed specifically for delicate tissues around your eyes and lips (and any other problem areas needing extra attention), Eye and Lines Treatment provides the daily nourishment needed to help moisturize the delicate skin around your eyes and lips. Luxuriously rich and non-greasy, Eye and Lines Treatment pampers those delicate areas of your face, while not irritating eyes. You'll feel and see the difference.
What People Have Said
Since using this whole system for the last couple weeks, I see a real difference in the softness of lines and the elasticity of my skin. I have been applying the products on warmed skin and find that really makes a difference. This is a great product and thank you Dr. Mercola. - Kathie
I am very happy with this package. It has improved my skin in a very short time, so I can just imagine how great it will look in a couple of months. Thank you. - Gloria Gold
I don't think I will ever use another skin care product ever again! This is the best I have ever used. It keeps my skin well hydrated, and goes on so nicely! Love it. - Julie
I love this skin care line. I have not purchased the serum or the sugar scrub, but the cleanser, toner, day and night cream are wonderful. They all have a nice scent as well. My skin looks 100% better. - Michelle
Dr. Joseph Mercolas USDA certified organic skin care products help you maintain and restore healthy skin and youthful appearance.
Skin Care - Personal Care - By Category - Mercola.com
Skin care products recommended by Dr. Mercola to help you maintain and restore healthy skin and youthful appearance.
Organic Skin Care - Mercola Healthy Skin
Ingredient Use Dangers; Parabens: Heavily used preservatives in the cosmetic industry; used in an estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products. Studies implicate
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