The Moisurizing Power of Shea Butter

If you have ever experienced dry, itchy, tight feeling skin you know how wonderful it is too find relief with a moisturizer. You almost want to sigh in relief once your skin feels hydration. This is where shea butter plays a wonderful role in skin care. Shea butter is extracted from the nut of the African shea tree also know as the Karite tree. Shea butter has been extracted and used for skin care for thousands of years. It is documented that clay jars of shea butter were tansported to ancient egypt and prized for it's moiturizing benefits for skin and hair. Shea butter helped to replenish moisture lost by the dry, hot winds of the African desert and savannah.

Today we have rediscovered the benefits of shea butter. It can be used in soaps, hair conditioners, lip balms, hand cremes, and more. It has excellent emollient (moisturizer) and humectant (attracts and maintains moisture) properties. The skin quickly absorbs shea butter, providing fast relief for dry, itchy skin. This is why many Perfectly Posh products contain shea butter, bringing you this natural wonder for softer, smoother skin.

January Perfectly Posh is putting a spot light on shea butter. They are offering those who join Posh as a consultant an exclusive shea butter hydrating body mask. I know I'd love to get my hands on one to keep my skin hydrated with the dry winter air. It's only available to those who purchase a $99 starter kit which is valued at $248.

A Perfectly Posh kit can be used in one of two ways. You can order it and simply take advantage of the great one time  money saving offer and use the products for yourself or as gifts. Or you can take advantage of the business aspect of the kit and use the materials, free website, and free online traiing to operate your own home based business. No returns, no cancellation fees, no commitment. This is what reeled me in. I get to use a ton of great products and I have the potential to earn a weekly paycheck by sharing products I enjoy using. Win, win! Feel free to use this link to see what comes in the January kit. file:///C:/Users/christene/Downloads/January%20Starter%20Kit%20Flyer%20(1).pdf

I hope this has been informative and if you have any questions about Perfectly Posh reach out to me. You can PM on Facebook Posh Me Christene or email me at christene.makin@gmail.com. View my site and look through our products at www.perfectlyposh.com/47781. Have a wonderful day and happy January!

Treat Yourself and Your Skin with a DIY Home Facial

If you have never had a professional facial treatment from a day spa, but would love to treat yourself to the experience in your own home, here are the steps for a full facial and some suggested products to help you pamper yourself and those you love. A facial from a spa varies in price, but it is often a luxury item that you splurge on or that you receive as a gift. It's not usually something that we do for ourselves on a regular basis. By setting yourself up with the right steps and products you can treat yourself to a facial more than once a year.

At a spa there can be between five and nine steps in the facial process. Depending on price, package and provider. The more extensive treatment would go as follows:
1-cleanse
2-exfoliate
3-steam
4-extraction
5-massage (face and neck)
6-mask
7-massage (hands, arms, calves, feet, while mask is setting)
8-rinse and moisturize (serum applied)
9-lip treatment (exfoliate and moisturize)

Now you can gather the tools to give yourself the full nine step treatment for that lux feel or take it down to simplify it with the following: cleanse, exfoliate, mask, moisturize. This is more or less the basics for that quick refresh you might need on a week night. So now you have the steps, so what products can you treat your skin with? I personally prefer Perfectly Posh products. They are naturally based, they have vegan options. They are made in the USA and cruelty free. There are no harsh perfumes or dyes.Instead these products contain beneficial ingredients that treat the skin with the best that nature has to offer. Sugar scrubs, sugar exfoliates, charcoal masks, pumpkin masks, and gentle cleansers and moisturizers that contain eucalyptus, peppermint oil, and orange essential oil etc.

A basic starter kit that I would suggest is BFF: Best Face Forever exfoliating face wash, cackle spackle detox mask, Night and Day you are the one moisturizer. Wash your face, pat dry, apply cackle spackle charcoal mask and wait till dry. Rinse face well, pat dry, and apply moisturizer.  This is a great facial for keeping skin clean, removing acne and black heads, and an over all treatment for a fresh clean face.

However, you may have specific skin concerns that leave you wanting something different. Perfectly Posh has their look natural (https://www.perfectlyposh.com/christenemakin/products/look-natural) line of products that offer a cleanser or moisturizer for all skin types. Rather your skin is oily, dry, acne prone, or mature, Perfectly Posh has what you need to care for your skin with a daily routine as well as bi weekly masks that can improve your skin and leave it feeling and looking healthy.

The Specialty Face ( https://www.perfectlyposh.com/christenemakin/products/specialty-face ) line has the items you need to hydrate lips with an overnight lip mask, depuff under eyes with Impish eye serum or perk up your skin while hydrating with the caffeinated Moisturize 911. They also have a variety of face mask ( https://www.perfectlyposh.com/christenemakin/products/face-masks ) to help you hydrate, soothe, moisturize, tighten and brighten, or detox your skin. Whatever your skin care goals may be, Perfectly Posh has the tools to get you there. So if you are interested in a DIY facial feel free to talk to a consultant like myself or visit www.perfectlyposh.com and explore the pampering products that we have available. Posh is about taking a little time for yourself and making you feel good. And everyone deserves to feel good! Let me know if I can be of help:

                                                              Christene Makin

                                                               Perfectly Posh

                                                          Independent Consultant

                                                    E: christene.makin@gmail.com

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                                                    W: www.perfectlyposh.com/47781

Don't Bat an Eye : Eyelash Trends

I am sure you can relate, that sometimes when you are on the Internet you just stumble into articles and go well that was interesting. That's what happened to me. I read something about eyelash extensions and was like not for me. Then I dug deeper and found information about the beauty trends of lashes over the ages. I couldn't not read it. It began in ancient Egypt. During this time both men and women styled their lashes using kohl and ointments. Women would use malachite to color their lashes. They thought that this was an aphrodisiac. In ancient Rome they used kohl and burnt cork to darken the lashes. Now while darkened lashes were the thing for many years, we hit the middle ages where the forehead was considered the most beautiful, erotic feature. So women would remove most or all of their eyelash and brow hair to emphasize the forehead. Yikes!

During the reign of queen Elizabeth her reddish golden hair set the trend rolling, so women began to dye their hair and lashes to match. This was toxic and dangerous and could often lead to hair loss. They used a combination of crushed berries and soot. As lash trends evolved, the women of the Victorian Era were privileged to the very first mascara. Eugene Rimmel created the fist ever mascara using coal dust and Vaseline jelly.

As we move forward, during the early 1900's around 1916 fake eyelashes were invented by a film director, David W. Griffith. All my gals who love their falsies can now give him a big thank you. By 1917 a Ms. Mabel Williams created Maybelline lash-brow-ine from petroleum jelly and oil for a brown sheen. The 1920's and 30's brought us the first eye lash curler and the term mascara was created by Maybelline. Lash beauty is becoming more of what we might think of today with ever slight variations. 1940 and 1950 we get waterproof mascara and the cat eye design. In 1958 Revlon creates the mascara tube and spiral tip wand.

The groovy 1960's and 70's women experimented with colored mascara, including mauve and dark green colors. And fans such as myself are happy that in 1971 Maybelline great lash was created. The 1980's and 90's brought a love of fuller fan like lashes, colored mascara, and rainbow brite hues. Many of us can imagine what the 2000's brought to eyelash trends. The bigger is better idea hit. Hair extensions, faux fur falsies, and millions of mascaras to choose from. Mascara wands are now curved, straight, and tapered. You can choose any color imaginable. How you choose to enhance your lashes is up to you.

Personally I am a fan of a nice rich black, waterproof mascara and a Maybelline fan. I cringe at the thought of eye lash extensions and despise false lashes. Glue and my eyeball, equal a bad day. So when I hear about eye lash growth serum, I wanted a closer look. Lash Pop from Perfectly Posh is a lash growing serum that thickens and elongates natural lashes. It's key ingredients are glycerin, myristoyl pentapeptide 17, and panthenol. Glycerin is found naturally in the skin and is readily absorbed. It alos has a powerful humectant that reduces moisture loss. So your lashes are hydrated. Panthenol is a hydrating form ov vitamin B and myristoyl pentapeptide 17 is the powerful punch that makes the magic happen. These ingredients combined stimulate keratin genes and produce longer thicker lashes in as little as two weeks and full results in three months. For just $19 this fragrance free lash serum is well worth the price. Why apply something fake to have the lashes you desire. Grow your own, with Lash Pop. Below is an example of what Lash Pop can do.  Get yours today https://christenemakin.po.sh/lash-pop

You Put What on Your Skin

It is far too often that we simply walk into our local has everything store and buy whatever item is suggested or labeled as being best for our skin condition or ailment. We don't usually think twice about this item other than it's price and size. Most of us don't even read the ingredient list. That's a good habbit that you pick up when using Perfectly Posh products. They encourage you to read their ingredient list. The more I do this the more I compare it to other similar items in my house. Perfectly Posh more or less spells it out for you. You can understand what is going onto your skin. Other products are not the case. When I read these products ingredient list  I often have to Google ingredients that I can't even pronounce. And these items are often a little alarming.

Take Petrolatum for instance. Otherwise known as petroleum jelly. Safety regulation officials will be quick to say that petrolatum, which is a hydrocarbon derrived from the distillation of oil, is strictly tested for cosmetic grade use. They claim that their is little to no traces of PAH's (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which have been found by Columbia University to be present in breast cancer tumors. Scary right? Now rather it is organic hippie hype that petrolatum is bad for you or if it is a scientificly tested safe to use component of oil, I'm choosing to be cautious just in case.

So what got me on the petrolatum worry kick in the first place? I, like many people today love tattoos. I have nine at the moment and will certainly get more. I have been told what to put on a tattoo by each artst and what they prescribe varies. One artist said to use unscented lotion. Another says to use A & D ointment. And yet another swore on the use of Bag Balm. I have used all three of these suggested items and they vary in my opinion of them. All three items have either petroluem, lanolin, or a combination of the two. Now you might be thinking well what's wrong with Lanolin. Lanolin is a fatty substance that is extracted from lambs wool. It is used in oinmtnets, cosmetics, and as a waterproofing agent. Okay so you want me to put lamb skin oil and fat on my skin. Gross. Then I looked further into it and cheaper manufacturers may not be doing all that is necessary to remove all of the dirt and bacteria from lanolin before it is added to ointments, lotions, etc. Super gross. I want to save money on products, but not put myself in harms way.

So when I was told about The Healer Skin Stick from Perfectly Posh I went right to the ingredients list. Here is what I found: no lanolin, no petroleum.  I did find beeswax, orange oil, pink grapefruit oil, vanilla oil, shea butter, and vitamin E. That's it. And none of those ingredients raise a red flag or make me cringe. And I discovered that beeswax is a good source of vitamin A which reduces the itching associated with dry skin. It is also a moisturizer, humectant, and occlusive. So it draws and retains moisture in and on the skin. Beeswax is also antibacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory.  So when I get my next tattoo I will be using the skin stick to provide protection and moisturizing benefits. If you are interested in The Healer use this link to learn more www.perfectlyposh.com/christenemakin/healer-skin-stick

Banish Those Dreaded Eye Bags

Perhaps you were out late the night before at a party and you wake up the next day and Bam! There they are under eye bags making you appear just as tired as you likely are from your night out. Or it may also be that you are starting to show some signs of aging. A few small lines around the eyes and oh look at those lovely eye puffs and maybe some darkening underneath. Dark circles and eye bags are the pits. I know, because in the last few years I have noticed I am much more puffy under the eye than ever before. And that's with a fair nights rest. I also have a blue hue starting to appear. So what causes under eye bags/puffiness and how do you get rid of it?

The tissue under the eyes can retain fluid and become puffy and swollen for a variety of reasons. Allergies, weather changes (humidity), hormone levels, lack of sleep, alcohol and salt consumption, age, and heredity. Allergy medicine, drinking plenty of water, and getting good sleep can help reduce puffiness. However, if it is age related or a hereditary skin condition you may require a bit more assistance. You see as we age the tissue structure under the eye changes. The skin becomes thinner, the muscles that support the eyelids weaken, fat and fluid can begin to accumulate under the eye.
These can cause a puffy, swollen appearance. Quite often this is just a cosmetic concern and can be reduced or eliminated with home and lifestyle treatments.

As mentioned above hydration is important. Dry skin can appear sallow. There may be acne breakouts, under eye bags, wrinkles appearance is more defined, and the skin may look and feel dry. So drinking water can certainly help the skin to appear healthier and more youthful. Moisturizing can also replenish the skin tissue with hydration and reduce puffiness. Apply a moisturizer gently under the eyes moving from nose to outer eye corner using the ring finger. Gently tap and glide over this area. This can help the body to begin removing fluid from this area. A cool compress can also help soothe and reduce puffiness.

There are also wonderful products available today to help banish under eye bags by incorporating beneficial natural ingredients that soothe, hydrate, tighten and brighten skin. One such product is Perfectly Posh Impish Eyes De-puffing eye serum. It contains caffeine, cucumber, CoQ10, and white tea. These ingredients effectively depuff and improve the appearance of dark under eye circles and bags. The serum is applied with a gentle eye roller, which is simply rolled under the eye and applying the beneficial ingredients. The price is reasonable and the product actually works. It's safe and gentle. So say good bye to those eye bags and hello to a fresher, awakened face. https://christenemakin.po.sh/impish-eyes-de-puffing-eye-serum

Aloe Vera: More Than Just a Moisturizer

I am sure most of you have seen the commercials and magazine ads for modern medication. It treats one concern but leads to a variety of unpleasant and sometimes alarming side effects. So you get rid of your heart burn with a little pill, but you get a rash as a side effect. So you treat the rash with an ointment that gives you headaches, so you take a pill for that. This sounds just awful, right? It also concerns me that in some lab somewhere chemicals are being mixed and altered to provide a desired effect, when you could easily be growing a food, herb, or plant that can heal right outside your door.

I am always happy to hear news about natural medicine and research. For centuries people relied on herbs and plants to treat illnesses and injuries. So when I hear that natural ingredients are being studied and used to treat modern day ailments I feel like we are leaning in the right direction. I recently read an article on livestrong.com that spoke of some interesting research using aloe vera. Most of us have used aloe vera gel to sooth a sunburn or perhaps place on a burn from the kitchen. Several institutes are taking a look at aloe vera and how it can help more than just a weekend sunburn.

Studies in how aloe vera juice can be used to heal the oral cavity after dental procedures shows a healing benefit. It is being considered as a treatment for multiple dental and oral issues. Those who drink aloe vera juice are told to swish it around in the mouth before swallowing for this benefit.

Researchers are also studying the effects of aloe vera in treating heart conditions and diabetes. Patients suffering from heart disease or diabetes were given aloe vera juice and psyllium, which resulted in a reduction of serum triglycerides, lipids, and total cholesterol levels, while good cholesterol levels increased. Blood sugar levels also improved and patients were able to decrease the use of medications. Studies are also being done with interest in how aloe vera juice effects psoriasis and other skin ailments, and digestive issues, such as constipation.

Aloe vera is used as a topical treatment using the gel as well as in a juice form that is ingested. It has been used as a laxative and digestive aid. It is used as a multipurpose skin treatments. It is used in traditional herbal medicine around the globe and in Ayurveda medicine. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties that help calm itchy, irritated skin. It provides a cooling, calming benefit. It also has antibacterial properties and antioxidants. It contains vitamins A, C, and E, which are known to improve skin tone and minimize fine lines and wrinkles. It contain minerals, enzymes, sugars, and amino acids that repair lipids in the skin. It moisturizes with no greasy after feel.

These amazing properties and skin benefits are why Perfectly Posh uses aloe vera in so many of their products. A few of these include: big fat yummy hand cremes, body butters, look natural product line (BFF exfoliating face wash, night & day moisturizer, never grow up serum and anti age creme), the strippers, and our many face masks. Perfectly Posh uses the best natural ingredients in their products to ensure you are treating your skin to a nourishing, soothing, hydrating, experience. Simply because they believe that that is what you deserve. This is true. We deserve to treat ourselves with the best. Healthy food, beneficial natural ingredients for our skin and hair. We deserve personal time to relax our mind and refresh our spirit. Taking time for one's self is not selfish. It is necessary. Let aloe vera be a moisturizer and skin soother in your personal care routine.

Detox: Is it Necessary?

Today it seems everyone is talking about detoxing the body.We hear about juice cleanses, drinking apple cider vinegar, detox foot pads, colonic, and many other interesting suggestions on how to remove toxins from the body. So do we need to detox ourselves? It is true that we are exposed to both natural and synthetic chemicals on a daily basis. We breath them in. We eat and drink them. We absorb them through our skin. This is why the human body has natural detoxification systems to keep our bodies safe and healthy.

The body naturally removes toxins through the lungs, the skin, the lymphatic system, the gastrointestinal system, the liver and kidneys. Toxins from both the environment and natural body chemical reactions are removed by expelling gases through the lungs, toxins through sweat, feces, and urine. The liver and kidneys filter the blood of toxins The body will also vomit or expel toxins through diarrhea. Though the body has systems in place to cleanse the body there are times when something in the body goes wrong, one of these systems is not working properly, or the body is poisoned by a toxic substance, such as a child ingesting laundry soap.

You may have heard of activated charcoal. In the event of certain poisons that have been ingested,  medical professionals can use activated charcoal to draw poison from the body. Charcoal is also used in drinking water filtration and air purification. Charcoal absorbs over 1,000 times its weight in dirt, toxins, and other impurities, which is why skin care products such as Perfectly Posh's The Stripper (body mask), Gender Bender (bath bar), Love the Dark (body scrub), Cackle Spackle (face mask), Hunk Chunk (bath bar), and Whole Lava Love (exfoliate) all contain charcoal. These products can help draw out impurities in the skin and cleanse pores in a way that a general cleanser can not. 

Take the Gender Bender chunk bar for example. The charcoal in this bath bar can help remove acne causing bacteria, black heads, and cleanse deep down dirt from the skin. It is wonderful for mechanics, gardeners, artists, and your average Joe or Jill. It can be used as a facial bar, whole body soap, or hand soap. It works wonderfully for cleaning out makeup brushes and has even been known to remove laundry stains such as set in ketchup. It's a versatile little soap with powerful cleansing action. 

So do we have to detox our body? If the body is functioning as it should, we shouldn't have to do anything extra. But eating poorly, not drinking enough water, a sedentary lifestyle, working or living in a polluted environment all add up. Trying to eat clean, get regular exercise, and other healthy lifestyle choices can help. And using charcoal infused products to help cleanse the skin in an effective and safe way can give you cleaner skin and a more clearer complexion.