Tag Archives: Essentially Lili products

What’s In Your Fridge?

What's in Your Fridge

What’s In Your Fridge?

Contains many All-Natural Goodies
which benefit & assist your body & skin!

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Have you ever thought of opening your fridge to have fun with what’s in there?
We often just associate the fridge with foods and drinks for consumption, but not for the other benefits they may contain.

When my sister and I were in our teens, we used to wait for our parents to leave the house for a few hours before raiding the fridge! Out came the yoghurt, eggs, lemons and more as we experimented with hair treatments, colouring, face masks and girly things. We had some hilarious incidents during these sessions, though often the clean-up was more challenging than the task we were trying to reach.

During my Holistic Skincare Product making Diploma course, we learned about the kinds of ingredients that are contained in Commercial products compared to what we put in our Naturally made products. I have chosen to only use Naturally sourced ingredients as it goes with our Brand, Integrity and stays true to the About Me Story.

A while ago I wrote to my Facebook friends what they could do for a quick remedial way of treating their skin.  I shared this because often we think that we should spend loads of money on expensive Masks and Treatments, which often contain a combination of synthetic chemically made nasties that do more damage than good.  I often say to my customers, if you can read the ingredients without needing a Dictionary, then you’re on the right track!

Typical ingredients found in Commercially bought Masks include: Aqua (Water), Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerin, Kaolin, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Rosa damascena flower water, Cera alba (Beeswax), Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan stearate, Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Xanthan gum, Pelargoneum graveolens (Geranium) oil, Parfum (Fragrance), Allantoin, Tocopheryl acetate, Benzoic acid, Althaea officinalis root extract, Dehydroacetic acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Mannan, Salix alba (White willow) bark extract, Citric acid, Polyaminopropyl biguanide, Potassium sorbate, Sodium benzoate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Butylphenyl methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Dipropylene glycol.

To be safe, just check the ingredients of the products you’re using, especially if you have sensitive skin and are prone to breaking out in red blotches or spots.

To end the year with something fun, here are some tips on taking care of your skin with what’s in your fridge.  Remember to wash your face with warm water before and after applying a face mask as this will help keep your skin clean and allows valuable nutrients to penetrate!

Let’s start with these:

Apple, Grapefruit, Honey, Lemon are all great for adding to your Mask.
Apricot – Fresh or dried is rich in Vitamin A.
Avocado – flesh of the fruit has high oil content, as well as lecithin, Vitamins A and B.
Avocado butter has Vitamins A, B, G and E.
Banana – Rich in Vitamin A, great to mash and put on your face.
Blackberry – use the fruit to make a mask, the leaves in a toner can help refine the pores.
Carrot – Rich in Vitamin A, use the juice with your face mask.
Cucumber – very similar pH to the skin, is soothing, cooling and healing. Use the juice in your face mask and slices on your eyes whilst relaxing;
Eggs – Use the Yolk to make a mask for dry skin and the whites to make it set!
Mayonnaise – the vinegar helps restore the acid balance of the skin whilst the oil is softening and moisturising.  I have found for me, products with Vinegar irritates my sensitive skin, so be careful if yours is the same.
Melon – added to face mask for cooling effect.
Oatmeal – is great added to masks!
Peach – the whole fruit can be used in a face mask.
Strawberries & Tomatoes both have astringent action on the skin, which is great for face mask.
Wheatgerm – Rich in Vitamin A, B and E, used dried for masks.
Yoghurt – Good for removing blackheads, great on your face.

Some other great ingredients for using in masks are: Green Clay, Kaolin Clay, Kelp, Pink Clay and Rhassoul Mud. The benefits of these ingredients is that they draw the impurities from the skin, they are rich in minerals, and are able to deep cleanse the face, body and hair during the mask cleansing process.

We will begin supplying Pink Clay in 2018 as part of our Essentially Lili Range.

Gallery: Fresh Ingredients, Bananas & Oats, Strawberries, Cucumber & Yoghurt, Avocados, Aloe Vera & Pink Clay.

How to Make Your Own Face Mask:

FIRST ONE:
1. Avocado Mask – is an excellent choice for making homemade face masks for dry skin, as it contains a has Vitamins A, B, G and E.  You only need half of the avocado, you can eat the other half and give your skin a boost from the inside as well!
2. Ingredients:½ very ripe, soft avocado &¼ cup honey
3. Directions: Mash the avocado in a bowl, then stir in honey. Apply to skin and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse face with a cool washcloth.

SECOND ONE:
1. Oat Bran Mask – is great added to masks!
2. Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Oat Bran or Oatmeal, 1 Tbsp Yogurt, 1 Tbsp Honey, 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil, 1/8 Teaspoon Bee Pollen (optional).
3. Directions: Combine all ingredients in a small dish, apply to you skin and leave it for 10 minutes or until it is dry. Rinse.Moisturize your skin with a good serum or argon oil.  Store any leftover homemade facial mask in the fridge in a sealed container. It should stay fresh for about one week.

THIRD ONE:
1. Banana, Honey and Oatmeal -For a deep moisturising Facial Treatment!
2. Ingredients:1/2 banana, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 Tbsp honey & Water
3. Directions: Cut the banana in half & mash it with a fork.Mix in the oatmeal, add honey & mix well. Then add water & mix until the mask’s consistency is creamy. Apply evenly to clean skin, leave it on for 15, then rinse with warm water and pat your face dry.

FOURTH ONE:
1. Cucumber & Yoghurt Mask – Cucumber has very similar pH to the skin, is soothing, cooling and healing, whilst Natural Yoghurt is good for removing blackheads, great on your face!
2. Remember to put 2 slices of cucumber on your eyes whilst relaxing.
3. Suitable for both oily & dry skin, depending on how you manipulate this versatile fruit!
4. Ingredients: 4 Tbsp of cucumbers mashed & 2 Tbsp Yoghurt.
5. Directions: Combine the mixture. Apply the mixture to your clean skin. Leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse and dry.

LAST ONE:
1. Papaya and Strawberry Mask – Many commercial masks use fruit ingredients.Here you will find a lovely fruity recipe to make for your dry skin, if you can stop yourself from eating it!
2. Get yourself some extra strawberries, and you can make a fruit salad with the other half of the papaya.
3. Ingredients: 2 large fresh strawberries & 1 cooked peach, 1/2 ripe mashed papaya,1 Teaspoon organic honey & 1 Tbsp oatmeal
4. Directions: Place strawberries, peach, papaya, honey in a mixing bowl, and mix until the fruits are blended.Stir in oatmeal a bit at a time until a paste is formed.
5. Apply the mask to the face and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and finish by applying a good moisturizer.

BLOG PARTICIPATION:

  • What has been your favourite fridge raid ingredients for your face, body or hair?
  • What benefits did you find using them or was it a total disaster?
  • I look forward to hearing your stories and what you’d share that’s not on the list. You can read more About Lili here, see the range of Products on offer at Shop Categories or refer to our Blog Library for more topics covered.Kind Regards Lili @ Essentially Lili 

Pick Your Ingredients

Pick Ingredients Sample Pots

Pick Your Ingredients

We attended the Health & Safety information event
at Volkhaus in Weidikon, Zurich,
on Saturday 11th March 2017.

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For Essentially Lili, the Event was about being present, away from home and the comfort of helping others from my computer. I loved meeting people, engaging with them and hearing their personal stories whilst sharing my own in return.

There is comfort shared in having compassion and understanding for each other’s journey, the frustrations and resolutions whilst being able to give reassurance that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

At our table, we had a ‘Pick Your Ingredients’ exercise which allowed visitors to look at our jars filled with coloured beads and think about what is included in the everyday products bought.

Did you know that the Cosmetics Industry only has to include between 15 and 18% of Natural and Organic ingredients in order to state on the label that their product is ‘All Natural and Organic’?That means the rest of the 82-85% of ingredients can be whatever they want it to be.

Whilst there are many that claim to be making all Natural products, they can actually include alcohols, parfums, artificial fragrances, synthetic and petroleum-based ingredients to complete the process of making their products.

So a product with pictures of Lavender, Olive Oil, Rosehip Seeds or Geranium flowers doesn’t necessarily mean it will be filled with those ingredients.It could merely be the parfum or fragrance of these ingredients, which is misleading to say the least.

Whilst I was studying for my Diploma in Holistic Skincare Products, one of the lessons was about the ingredients contained in mass-produced products.These ingredients are in baby products,shampoos, conditioners, makeup, talc, sunscreens, hand and body lotions.

I felt quite ill after doing this subject and it only reinforced my promise not to make products that will compromise on the integrity of All Natural Ingredients contained in the Essentially Lili Range.

The Industry has been catering for people who can put all sorts of products on their skin without really worrying about what the ingredients do to their skin.But for those of us who have super sensitive skin, this is not the case.The reactions to these ingredients are often so sudden, causing redness, itching, burning sensations and nothing can seem to calm this down.

The Pick Your Ingredients Activity became an eye-opener for those that came to check out and try the challenge.What did the Coloured Beads Represent?

Blue – Represents Water/ Aqua.This can cause your skin to dry out as moisture is drawn from your skin by the environment, heat, sun and cold weather.

Red – Represents Detergents called P-phenylenediamine, 4-MMPD Sulphate, Diaminobenzene, Ammoniated Mercury and Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS/SLES) & foaming agents which should be avoided. The main source of absorption is via the mucous membranes of the mouth. Found in soaps, detergents, shampoos, mouthwash, hand cream, cleansers, hair dyes (Permanent & Semi-Permanent) as well as toothpaste. It can be stored in the liver, heart, lungs and brain.It can damage the eyes, particularly of children. It can cause skin irritations, mutagenic effects, may cause hair loss, prolonged exposure can cause skin damage, moderately toxic by ingestion.

Pink – Represents Binding Agents like gum, waxes and fats.

Purple – Represents Nanoparticles are ultra-fine particles which possess certain properties due to their tiny size.This allows them to accumulated in the body, possibly by topical use. They may trigger potentially harmful chemical reactions. Nanoparticles include titanium dioxide & zinc oxide for sunscreen products.

Chemical blocks may be absorbed by the skin and work by absorbing the UV light. This causes a chemical reaction in the molecule of block, which may release free radicals. The skin damage can cause photosensitivity and blockers known to do this include: octocrylene, octyl-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate), benzophenone-3, (oxybenzone) and benzophenone-4 (sulisobenzone).If these penetrate the skin before it absorbs the UV photon, then these free radicals are released into the skin. It can increase the risk of cancer and contributes to skin ageing.

White – Represents Synthetics like fragrances & colours, Talc & Toluene.Phthalates listed as Perfumes/Fragrances preserves synthetic scents. There are Over 200 Synthetic Fragrances used in Cosmetics.The label only has to state ‘Fragrance’ so you have no way of knowing which of the 200 are in your product. The fragrance can mask the product going off, provide no benefits, so best avoided.These are often not listed on the ingredients but are contained in health & beauty products. These can be found in Nail polish, lacquers and soft plastics such as pet and infant chew toys. These can adversely affect male sperm, increases testosterone and oestrogen, has been found in Breast Cancer.

Talcum powder – Is chemically similar to Asbestos. It is found in many baby products, including powders, feminine powders, condom lubricants and cosmetics. As a feminine powder or spray it can cause ovarian cancer.

Tolune – Found in most perfumes, nail polish and cosmetics. Acts as an endocrine disruptor, potential carcinogen, may cause birth defects.

Black – Represents Solvents derived from Petroleum found in brake & hydraulic fluid like anti-freeze. Includes Propylene, Butylene & Glycol, Mineral oils & petrolatum. These are without odour or colour, it’s cheap and works well at combining ingredients.The solvent derived from used in brake and hydraulic fluids like antifreeze.

It can penetrate the outer layers of the skin and used as a humectant.It leaves a film that traps the moisture along with toxins & waste that would normally be eliminated through the skin.It can be found in deodorant, shaving gel, conditioner, shampoo, toothpaste, face creams, baby wipes and cosmetic, baby lotions, foundation creams, mascara, deodorants, lipsticks & suntan lotion.

It may cause respiratory & throat irritations, central nervous system depression, blood & kidney disorders.It could cause nystagmus (involuntary movement of the eyes, usually side to side but can be up and down or circular, lymphocytosis; it can irritate the skin and may cause dermatitis & conjunctivitis. Ingestion may cause pulmonary oedema, brain damage, hypoglycaemia, intravascular haemolysis.In extreme cases, it may cause death. Possible carcinogen.

Brown – Represents Preservatives, Q15, Antiseptic, includes Parabens Includes Parabens (methyl-, propyl-, butyl- ethyl-) Proyply-Alcohol.Parabens are added to stop microbial growth and extend the shelf life of the products. Many Skincare Products contain Parabens, those with citrus seed may have been sprayed with parabens. They can be harmful if inhaled or swallowed, they can cause irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. It can cause allergic reactions on the skin, of which symptoms include itching, redness and pain.And it can affect hormones and have been found in Breast tumours . These have also been found in carbonated drinks.

Proyply-Alcohol – is an antiseptic used in cosmetics, shampoos, shaving products, waterless hand cleansers, mouthwash (25-30%) and in the preparation of bottled water, carbonated drinks and decaffeinated coffee. In the mouthwash, it has been linked to mouth and throat cancers.

Q15 – This is a preservative found in many cosmetics. It is a water-soluble anti-microbial agent that has proven active against bacteria, but less active against yeast. It was found to be responsible for over 12% of allergic reactions in an American study. Not known if Q-15 can be absorbed through the skin for the carcinogen producing action to occur. It can react in the body with other chemicals to produce nitrosamines (known carcinogens.) Known formaldehyde releaser, maybe a major cause of dermatitis , people who may be allergic to formaldehyde can potentially have problems with this ingredient.</p

Gallery: Our Jars full of Coloured beads, Essentially Lili Table & Products, Talking to my Visitors.

Orange – Add a little bit of body Acidity regulators like Ethanloamines used with preservatives like Diazolidinyl Urea. It prevents bacterial growth, though it’s not effective against fungi. These are acidity regulators and used normally with other Ingredients like DEA Cocamide. Amines react with nitrosating agents to form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. These are found in soaps, shampoos, bubble bath, lotions, cosmetics, laundry detergents.It can severely irritate body tissues, can cause dermatitis and may be corrosive to the eyes.

Green – Essential Oils like Lavender, Frankincense, Cypress, Sweet Orange, Myrrh, Rose, Palmarosa, Tea Tree, Sandalwood & Jasmine are just a few of the many wonderful natural fragrances available.

Yellow – Butters & Vegetable Oils, like Cocoa & Shea Butter, Avocado, Jojoba, Wheatgerm, Baobab, Tamanu, Neem Oils. Also included are Herbs, clay, mud, flowers, leaves, roots, nuts, seeds, beeswax, milk, honey, yoghurt & fats.

If the Green and Yellow ingredients have been organically sourced, free from pesticides and haven’t been doctored during the bottling stages, they can have some amazing effects on the mind, body and spirit. Their natural scents are liberating, refreshing, calming, soothing, relaxing and uplifting.

The vegetable oils are rich in vitamins, often with natural UV protection, with antioxidants as they enrich your skin with goodness and benefits.

The butters are creamy and literally melt in your hands once in contact with your body’s temperature.
And making All Natural products that contain only these ingredients is definitely a more luxurious way to treat and rejuvenate your skin on a daily basis, without fear of what damage is happening to your body.

BLOG PARTICIPATION:

  • What were your reactions to the list of Ingredients?
  • Did you know what these were?
  • Can you send in pictures of your favourite product’s list of ingredients so we can have a look at what’s contained?

We look forward to hearing your feedback especially on this topic of Ingredients.

Should you wish to contact us for more information about our All-Natural Products, please send me an email info@essentiallylili.com

You can read more About Lili here, see the range of Products on offer at Shop Categories or refer to our Blog Library for more topics covered.

Kind Regards Lili @ Essentially Lili

Pedicures Super Dry Feet

Tango Lime & Peppermint Feet Products

Pedicures Super Dry Feet

Have you ever thought
‘OMG My Feet!’ are an embarrassing
sight for sore eyes!
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Have you ever thought ‘OMG My Feet’ are an embarrassing sight for sore eyes, whilst looking at the yukky dry skin?  Do you scratch it off whilst watching TV, making a horrible mess on the floor, hoping that no-one notices whilst you get the vacuum cleaner to remove the evidence? 

If you have said ‘Yes’ to these questions, then don’t feel bad – I was the same but probably worse.

I went for a pampering session to get my feet pedicured. I was embarrassed to be honest, thinking that the Beautician was going to see my awful, concrete feet as I referred to them.  They were really dry with cracked skin on my heels.

The gasp I was given when she sat down to start my feet was confirmation that they were pretty bad.   She said, ‘Liil, what happened to your feet?  In all my years doing pedicures, I have never seen such dry feet!

She took photographic evidence, which has conveniently disappeared…. to be honest, you wouldn’t want that kind of information flying around if you were running for the Presidency, right?  Ironically, I wish I had kept the picture to show you the before and after photos instead!

My Beautician puts on the face mask, takes out her electric foot filer, and begins sanding my feet. I felt like I was in a ‘Mr. Bean Movie’. It was so embarrassing to say the least, needing so much work to find new skin underneath.

My pedicure always took longer than normal as the Beautician needed more time to finish and paint my toenails. Crazy huh?

A few months later, in making my Essentially Lili Products for people to try, I thought I would make something to help keep my feet nourished.  I experimented with a few different blends, trying always to keep it natural and easy to apply.The one that I loved the most was had Peppermint and was so delish to smell and felt even better on the skin.  My feet were hydrated, fresh, soft and smooth as they enjoyed the butter, oils and Essential Oils being applied every morning and night!

Peppermint Feet soon became a favourite product.  The home-spa treatment process was easy. The trick with this home pedicure was to gently remove any dry skin from the heels using a foot filer, not the ‘cheese grater’ type apparatus. Rinse off and pat dry both feet.  Using the back of my thumbnail to take approximately half a 1/2 a thumbnail of Peppermint Feet apply the product to the heels, soles, toes, and tops of the feet, gently massaging in the process.   If a little bit of product was used, I was able to put my shoes on without needing to wear socks.   Too much product would just take longer to absorb into the skin in which case, socks would be needed and perhaps a lie down for maximum chillax!

It’s been over a year since I needed to have this long embarrassing pedicure take place.Now I can have a home-spa treatment every day!!

At Essentially Lili, I have often changed a blend to suit others that would otherwise be excluded from using a product.  In the case of the Peppermint Feet which is a favourite, I wanted to make something which included Pregnant & Expecting women so we named it Tango Twinkle Toes.  I think it’s lovely being pampered and included whilst expecting the arrival of your little one(s)!

For those that have stubborn dry feet, I made Lime Foot Repair which contains beeswax and helped heal the cracks, repair the damaged heels, and make that skin new again! The Beeswax works like a barrier, keeping the moisture locked in under the surface!!

This means that everyone can enjoy their home-spa treatment and as there is a product suitable for all.

BLOG PARTICIPATION:

Essentially Lili wants to give you the chance to pamper yourself every day, by giving away some Peppermint Feet & Tango Twinkle Toes to the best stories shared.

I want to hear about your hilarious feet stories, pampering sessions, or anything else that made you feel awkward! Sharing is Caring!

Simply fill in the rest of the following comment with your story in the comments below:
“I never forget the day I took my Super Dry Feet out to…” We will pick a winner by 26th January 2017 and notify the winner via email. Don’t forget to put your details below!

Should you wish to Contact us for more information, email info@essentiallylili.com

You can read more About Lili here, see the range of Products on offer at Shop Categories or refer to our Blog Library for more topics covered.

Kind Regards Lili @ Essentially Lili