Do you feel in constant battle with acne or wrinkles? Always working to diminish their appearance or prevent them from recurring? You may be missing the message. Face mapping can tell you a lot about your inner health.

We sometimes forget that skin is more than just a pretty cover that we try to keep looking its best. The skin is an organ, the only one we can see when we look in the mirror, and tells us a lot about our inner health. We just have to slow down and notice the subtle cues.

Ayurveda has always been about reading facial cues to uncover health disturbances. No, not a smirk or grimace. More like those pimples or wrinkles we spend so much time fretting over.

Before you go about banishing imperfections, find out how your breakouts and lines correspond to physical and emotional health. Do you tend to get pimples on your forehead? Have more prominent lines around your eyes? Redness on the chin? These all point to imbalances you cannot so easily see.

Why even worry about it when we can simply make a doctor appointment for blood tests or scans? Paying attention to early signs can help to get your system back on track before real disease sets in. Ayurveda acknowledges six phases for disease to become established in the body. Taking note of issues and altering your lifestyle before they are a big deal can prevent worsening health in the future.

So, you are ready to take action now. How do you know what your zits and wrinkles are saying?

The three doshas correspond to different regions of the face – forehead = Vata, chin and jawline = Kapha, the middle = Pitta. First step, notice which dosha your issues are in. Imbalanced vata skin tends to see clogged pores, dry skin, and wrinkles. Pitta imbalance shows up as redness or inflammation. Kapha usually looks like cystic acne or excessive oiliness.

Balancing the dosha that seems to be troubled is the first step toward healthier skin and system. But face mapping goes much deeper than this. Each region has specific spots that connect to internal organs and emotional states.

Face Mapping Basics

Above Brows: Blemishes above the brows relate to gallbladder and liver, suggesting the system needs a detox. Wrinkles on the forehead are called worry lines but can also tell of a diet too high in unhealthy fats and sugar. A diet void of processed foods and destressing with meditation will help these issues.

Between Brows: Blemishes between the brows signifies insufficient sleep or a diet too high in unhealthy fats. Creases in this area are connected to liver (right side) and spleen (left side). It may also mean repressed anger.

Dark Undereye Circles: Racoon eyes relate to poor circulation, while puffiness can mean impaired kidney function. Be sure you are getting enough water, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. Crow’s feet come from squinting and smiling, plain and simple. Wear sunglasses when outdoors to protect this delicate area. It is also important to note that dark circles can coincide with allergies, either seasonal or food related.

Nose: Connected to the lungs and heart, breakouts and redness in this area may mean internal inflammation. A diet rich in essential fatty acids and keeping caffeine and spicy foods to a minimum should help. Vitamin B can help to prevent breakouts and it may be a good idea to have your blood pressure checked if you experience pimples or broken blood vessels of the nose regularly.

Cheeks: Breakouts and irritation here could mean liver (left cheek) or lung (right cheek) issues. Chinese medicine suggests too much sugar is related to right cheek issues, while spicy foods and being overworked correspond to the left cheek. Problems on either side may also mean slow metabolism. Of course, we can’t forget that cheeks come into contact with grease and dirt from our hands, phones, and pillow cases too. Remember how Mom always told you to keep your hands off your face? Mom really does know best. Keeping this area clean will help to prevent blemishes.

Mouth: Blemishes around the mouth and on chin are usually related to hormones. Overly processed foods and lots of sugar can also cause zits here. Organs linked to this area are intestines and colon. If this seems to be your problem area, cut back on the junk and sweets in favor of a healthy, whole food diet rich in fiber. And, of course, reduced stress is beneficial too. Deep lines on the sides of the mouth can mean reproductive or pancreatic issues. Problems in this region can also be related to a closed mind or outdated opinions.

This is a lot to take in and you certainly should not try to diagnose any serious health issues yourself. If you are having persistent breakouts or are wondering why you have wrinkles one place and not another, these tips can set you in the right direction.

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Image of woman looking in mirror via Shutterstock

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According to the Daily Mail, “tech neck” –phone induced neck wrinkles–is latest complaint among smartphone addicts.

Disrupted sleep, interrupted sex, lack of focus–these are some of the downsides of your smartphone addiction. They’re with us all day long, constantly beckoning us. The moment we don’t have anything do, we text or check Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and our emails. We’ve forgotten how to be uncomfortable in social situations because we’re so used to turning to our smartphones for camaraderie. But what if these little gadgets gave us neck wrinkles?

All that gazing down at our smartphones, tablets or laptops is giving us “tech neck”. I’ll be honest, I just took a look in the mirror to see whether I was plagued with new wrinkles circling my neck, the result of looking downward for far too long each day.

“Tech neck,” neck wrinkles caused by our compulsion to stare at our favorite gadgets, is the modern version of laugh lines, except it’s manmade. There’s even a treatment called the Microlift to combat the new wrinkle phenomenon. Dean Nathanson, Managing Director of CACI international, experts in non-surgical facelifts,  commented on The Daily Mail:

We’re a hard working nation and our hectic everyday lives mean that keeping one’s head down, be it buried in work emails or in an e-reader, is completely the norm. Recently we noticed a surge in enquiries for our product, specifically to combat lines around the neck area.

Our bodies are just not designed to be in the same position for such long periods of time. This isn’t the first result of our gadget addiction. Digital eye strain is another issue. In all, 70 percent of adults report digital eye strain, a set of symptoms that can include dry eyes, blurry vision, fatigue, and neck and shoulder cramping–all the result of staring at computer screens all day. And then there’s the other smartphone health hazard: texting while walking. A 2013 Ohio State University study found that more than 1,500 people were treated in emergency rooms for cell phone related injuries. (We won’t even mention the hazards of texting while driving.)

Yikes! It’s all the more reason to give your gadgets (and your body) a break. Friends, step away from your smartphones.

Related on EcoSalon

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 Image: Kamyar Adl

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Aging.  As inevitable as death and taxes, right?  Some of us age more gracefully than others, and when it comes to our skin care, there are a whole host of factors that play into how well our routine can hold up over time. 

From diet to pollution, sleep deprivation to stress, there’s one culprit that does the most damage to our skin. Remember when your mom would force you to sit on the towel under the umbrella at the beach and smother you with thick, white sunscreen while warning you not to get a sunburn?  We hate to say it, but your mom was right. While we wish we could reveal some amazing new find about what really causes skin aging and how to prevent it to let you sun lovers off the hook, UV rays are in fact the biggest offender. As little as a few minutes a day of sunlight without protection over time can lead to dark spots, wrinkles, sagging skin and even skin cancer.

According to Cancer.org there are three main types of UV rays:

– UVA rays age skin cells and can damage their DNA. These rays are linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but they are also thought to play a role in some skin cancers. Most tanning beds give off large amounts of UVA, which has been found to increase skin cancer risks.

– UVB rays can directly damage skin cells’ DNA, and are the main rays that cause sunburns. They are also thought to cause most skin cancers.

– UVC rays don’t get through our atmosphere and are not in sunlight. They are not normally a cause of skin cancer.

The amount of UV rays in our atmosphere is affected by a number of factors including the time of day, time of year, elevation and cloud coverage. (To learn more about the current level of UV Rays in your area, click here.)

Similar to repeatedly stretching out a rubber band, over time, your skin loses its ability to repair itself and the damage becomes irreversible.  Cumulative UV exposure breaks down collagen, which is the main protein connective tissue in our body, and the process of creating new tissue becomes harder and harder. The same is true for elasticity. The greater the damage, the harder it is for skin to repair itself, and signs of aging start to accumulate.

One of the determining factors for how the sun will affect your skin is color complexion. Do you have fair skin and burn easily? If that’s the case, you are more likely to see signs of aging than someone with darker skin who tans well. Genetics are capable of telling us a lot about our bodies. Do your parents or grandparents have sun damage? Did they take preventative measures? Your skin may be comparable to theirs.

Now that you’re sighing in resignation that laying out is a bad idea, or perhaps you’re beating yourself up for those reckless teenage years of baby oil and tin foil, the first step in addressing sun damage is to prevent any more. Here’s how:
1.  Neutralize UV rays, protect skin from additional assault and help reverse existing damage.

RawSkinCeutical’s RegenceC Serum is an oil based serum for easy absorption, rich in naturally occurring vitamin C from their unique herbals complex, which includes chrysanthemum, helichrysum flowers, orange peel, rosehips, eyebright, acerola cherry, cleavers, and l-ascorbic acid.  Studies  have shown vitamin C applied topically can limit UV damage due to it’s high antioxidant activity, reducing UV induced DNA damage and inflammation and increases cell survival following UV exposure.

Blissoma’s Amend Solar Repair Anti-Aging Serum is a lovely, low scent, easily absorbed, non-oily serum that includes a unique type of potent pomegranate extract that has been clinically verified to reduce UV ray related cell death and free radicals generated in exposed skin.

In addition to protecting skin from further damage, both products will also go to work to help repair the damage that’s already been done. For the best protection, wear your vitamin C and/or pomegranate products under your sunscreen during the day.
 
2.  Shield skin from damaging UV rays with a healthy, natural sunscreen, every day, all year long.

For those seeking a higher SPF but who don’t want to know they’re wearing sunscreen or tend toward oily skin, COOLA Suncare makes an incredibly lightweight, matte finish mineral sunscreen, tinted or untinted.

Those with normal to dry skin seeking SPF 30 along with sheer, tinted coverage, added moisture and a multi-tasking formula should try Suntegrity’s Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen SPF 30, which can also be called a BB cream. This luxurious formula leaves skin well hydrated with a dewy finish and features a variety of healing and protective antioxidants, including green tea and pomegranate extracts, among others. Available in five shades to work with any skin tone, it’s also available in a clear, untinted formula.

Both formulas do double duty, providing chemical free, non-nano, mineral UV protection via zinc and/or titanium dioxide, they all run in well when used appropriately without leaving a tell-tale white film (or you looking like a mime).

Don’t forget the body! Perfect for sensitive skin and those prone to breakouts, Devita’s Solar Body Moisturizer SPF 30  hits the sweet spot between body lotion and sunscreen. The light formula acts as a moisturizer and provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection without leaving you feeling oily or greasy. Perfect for daily use to protect skin during sporadic exposure (think about that arm hanging out your window while driving) when you don’t plan to spend hours and hours in direct sunlight sweating or playing in the water.

For those who live an active lifestyle (or have kids that do) All Terrain’s TerraSport SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray is the end to your excuse not to wear sunscreen. This highly rated, very water resistant formula is proven effective after 80 minutes in water and it’s easy to apply, non-whitening, non-greasy, non eye stinging, fragrance-free finish leaves you with no excuse not to use it. Also available in an uber water proof formula called AquaSport.

Just remember, in all cases, for face and for body, no matter how water resistant the formula: reapply, reapply, reapply.

3.  Protect from the inside out

Studies indicate that ingesting green tea can help protect skin from UV damage because of its powerful antioxidant, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a potent type of catechin. EGCG neutralizes free radicals, which reduces their ability to wreck the type of havoc that causes inflammation and wrinkles. A study out of Cambridge in 2013 found that oral green tea metabolites are incorporated into human skin and offer protection against UV related inflammation. The Journal of Nutrition reported in 2011 that women who consumed a drink with green tea polyphenols for 12 weeks saw improvements in skin elasticity, roughness, scaling and moisture content.

Not a fan of drinking endless mugs of green tea to get a sufficient dose? Sneak some edible green tea into your daily smoothie or pop some Green Tea Extract in capsule form for a concentrated dose.

Our last word?  Take your mother’s advice and don’t skip the sunscreen. Tune in as we address a variety of other skin agers and what you can to do help prevent them and turn back the hands of time. #stopskinaging

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top image: monimix, product images via brands

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Can you achieve fewer wrinkles without injecting toxins into your face?

Expression lines. Even though they’re really a reflection of a life rich with laughter, it sort of sucks that after a while, they tend to stick around even when we’re not smiling. Caused by repeated muscle contractions, over time, skin loses its ability to rebound and starts to crease more permanently where the contractions occur, giving us those dreaded lines between the eyebrows, forehead rows and marionette lines around the mouth. The most common, and yes, we must admit, effective way to reduce these types of wrinkles is via Botox injections (or similar products) into the muscle causing the contraction to basically paralyze, which halts the cause, allowing skin to bounce back and the line to smooth out.

While many regard Botox injections as a safe, relatively low risk procedure to soften these lines and prevent new ones from forming, many of us aren’t too excited about the notion of going under the needle for a little dose of potent poison. Side effects can include swelling or bruising where injected, headache and flu-like symptoms. If not injected into the right places, the toxin can spread into surrounding areas, causing eyelids to droop or become crooked or cocked, dry eyes or excessive tearing. These issues are temporary and will usually resolve within a few months, but scarier side effects where excess toxin that can’t be absorbed by the muscles spills into the blood stream and cause botulism-like effects include all over muscle weakness, vision problems, trouble speaking or swallowing, breathing difficulty and loss of bladder control.  Good times…not to mention the pain and the expense. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather opt for one of these needle-free options to minimize expression lines.

1.  Patch them up:  Made from a polyethylene film with a non-toxic adhesive, Furlesse patches are hypoallergenic, latex-free, PVC free, BPA free and have been through extensive testing to ensure they don’t cause harm to the skin.  Designed to help minimize 11s, forehead rows, crow’s feet, vertical lip lines and smile lines, they work by holding skin taut and flat, thereby reducing the depth of the wrinkle. Honest to god (or whoever you  might pray to), they help achieve smoother skin within hours.

2.  Pick your poison:  There’s another natural poison creating a buzz in beauty – been venom. While the plight of the world’s honey bees may cause some to steer clear, studies suggest that purified bee venom applied topically can relax wrinkle-causing facial muscles while also increasing blood flow and stimulating collagen and elastic. It goes without saying that if you’re allergic to bees, or vegan, steer clear. Before you shove your face into the hive, opt for a less painful (and far safer) application via a facial mask. Wedderspoon’s Queen of the Hive Face Contour Mask uses ethically sourced bee venom, certified organic ingredients and is cleanly formulated.

3.  Interrupt communication: Peptide based muscle relaxing ingredients are not included in many wrinkle targeting cosmetics.  The growing list of peptides used to reduce wrinkles includes Argireline, Snap 8, SYN-AKE, and Leuphasyl, and I’m sure I’m missing a few here. These peptides work by targeting the neurotransmitters in cells that tell muscles to do things like contract, and instead tells them to relax. The theory goes that this minute reduction in facial muscle contraction will reduce expression line wrinkles. To boot, these peptides also stimulate the production of collagen for a one-two punch to reduce wrinkle depth and help prevent the formation of new ones.  Check out No-Tox by MyChelle, a cleanly formulated option featuring peptides to reduce wrinkles.

4.  Relax them:  Also known as the tooth ache plant, Acmella Oleracea is the source of an active ingredient called Gatuline Expression, another ‘Botox in a jar’ cosmetic ingredient shown to relax facial muscles. Long used to alleviate tooth and gum pain, this plant extract  has pain reducing  qualities when applied topically. Applied to the face,  it is readily absorbed and has been shown to relax facial muscles and thereby reduce wrinkle depth. Look at Camocare’s Youth Elixir Serum as one option for a natural serum using Gatuline Expression.

Looking to try brands like these?  Check out Goodebox, a healthy beauty & natural wellness sample service.

Have any interesting home remedies to reduce wrinkles?  Tried another clean beauty product that’s worked for you to reduce wrinkles?  Let us know!

Top image: Andres Rueda

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Vampires are hot. So hot, that if I have to hear about another vampire/book/movie/TV show, I’m going to have to find a way to make myself explode in sunlight. Luckily, this latest news about vampires doesn’t involve sparkly teen hunks. Apparently, there’s a new cosmetics procedure making its way through the needles of dermatologists and plastic surgeons. It involves injecting your own blood into you face to plump it up. And it’s charmingly known as “the vampire facial.”

How does this blood-sucking beauty bit work? You get injected with a mixture of your own blood to plump up wrinkles. (Or you could just choose to stay out of the sun like an actual vampire. Oh wait, vampires aren’t real?). It’s called Selphyl, and as ABC News reports, it’s “prepared by drawing a patient’s blood, separating the platelets from the red blood cells, blending the platelets with a fibrin mixture and injecting it to the area a patient wants to augment.”

Further, this bloody facial lasts about 15 months as the “fibrin” mixture builds up. Fibrin is a fibrous protein that helps clot blood. So in other words, blood clots are plumping up your face.

Nonetheless, it seems that this bloody treatment is catching on with wrinkle-worried women. In fact, it seems that some are seeing this vampire facelift as a sort of natural beauty product. As one devotee claims, it is better to use something from your own body to treat your body.

There are some side effects. Apparently, blood causes an itchy after-effect and possible discoloration. Dr. Malcolm Roth is a director of plastic surgery at Maimonides Medical Center. As he told ABC News, “One of the problems with your own blood is that some people pass out from having their blood taken. Also”¦you’re injecting blood into a place where blood doesn’t normally reside.”

Freaky and weird beauty option? Perhaps, but the quest for eternal youth has long made wacky and wild inroads. From rose quartz facials to full body exfoliation by fish nibbling, beauty comes at a cost. The question is – are we willing to pay for it in our own blood? For some enthusiastic seekers of youth, apparently so.

For further reading:
Vampire Facelift uses blood to get rid of wrinkles.

Image: photoshopeando

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And while I have the floor, might I send out a message to all the absolutely gorgeous women out there who feel the need to put themselves before the needle. Don’t. Do. It. Sure, there’s a billion dollar industry and several friends of mine who would disagree with me. But here’s why I’m anti-Botox. We don’t know the long term health effects of the product. And we always know when you do it anyway. Here is the case-in-point, right? It’s not like I don’t understand the urge to look young. I am 38-years-old (sing it loud, sing it proud) and while I haven’t experienced the serious effects of aging, I do know what it’s like to look in a mirror and see things that just weren’t there a year ago. I get it. But there are ways to bring out the best in your skin without poisoning it.

Naturally, here they are.

First, scrub and tone your skin. Invest in a daily toner – here are some suggestions and tips on how to do just that. You also want to use an organic and/or natural scrub to keep your skin cells moving along – although be careful about doing this every day, as excessive scrubbing can over-stimulate oil in your skins cells. Want a recipe for an excellent homemade sugar scrub? I have used this one from Care2 and love it.

Second, make hydration a priority. The moisture in your skin will help keep it plumped up and will reduce the look of fine lines. Here are some excellent organic and/or natural moisturizers to consider.

Also consider making a homemade honey cleanser. Honey attracts and retains moisture while containing essential antioxidants to help skin stay healthy. Plus, it has been used for centuries (which is always a bonus in my opinion.) Try this: Combine two tablespoons of honey with two tablespoons of yogurt. Apply it to your face for ten minutes and remove with warm water.

Finally, consider your diet. Spices have long been recognized as rich in antioxidants and anti-aging properties. Oregano is the perfect example. Cayenne is a warm spice that can bring blood back to your skin (hello, rosy cheeks!) And don’t forget to use as much organic olive oil in your diet as possible. This will keep your skin moisturized inside and out.

Image: ericmcgregor

The post Fight Fine Lines Without Needles, Fillers, or Chemicals appeared first on EcoSalon.

So you think beauty is only skin deep? It actually goes much deeper; beauty has a lot to do with your diet, too. Although topical creams and oils can help your skin and hair look more radiant, the best way to glow is from within – and that means eating right. So think twice about filling up that beauty drawer with ever more cosmetics and spend the money on these delicious foods instead.

Requirements for Radiant Skin

Antioxidants. These protect your skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation and may help prevent skin cancer. Foods high in antioxidants include green tea, citrus fruits, cacao, blueberries, prunes and leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach.

Hydration. If you’re thirsty, so is your skin! It’s essential to drink plenty of water (filtered or spring water) every day, but juicy fruits and vegetables (like apples, strawberries, watermelons and celery) help with your hydration needs.

Selenium. This mineral is used by your body to create a protein with antioxidant properties. The absolute best source for selenium is a handful of brazil nuts. If you can’t find those, other nuts will do. Fish, turkey, whole wheat pasta and brown rice will also help, but nothing compares to nuts!

Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Omega-3’s maintain healthy cell membranes to keep your cells hydrated and free of toxins. Hemp, flax and chia seeds are excellent sources of Omega-3’s. Wild salmon, walnuts and sardines can also give your skin cells a boost.

Handbook for Healthy Hair

Vitamins A and C. These vitamins help your body produce sebum, the oil secreted by hair follicles that serves as a natural conditioner. (Beware shampoos that strip away too much oil and leave your hair dry!) Spinach, broccoli, kale and Swiss chard are great sources for both of these vitamins.

Protein. Your hair needs plenty of protein to grow. Beans, lentils and other legumes are great sources of protein, iron and zinc.

Snacks for a Super Smile

Avoid Processed and Refined Carbs. Chewy carbohydrates like bread and crackers tend to get stuck under the gums and promote bacterial growth. Drink plenty of water with meals and snacks to wash all those little food particles away.

Polyphenols. Found in black and green teas, polyphenols prevent plaque and reduce the chance of developing cavities.

Cranberries. These tart berries have a compound that prevents bacteria from sticking to teeth and gums, but make sure your cranberry juice isn’t loaded with extra sugar or else, what’s the point?

It makes sense that balance in your body shows up as beauty on the outside, and whole, healthy foods will keep you looking and feeling fantastic. The emphasis here is on whole foods, not supplements. Although supplements can be good for people who have a particular deficiency, it’s always better to get your nutrition from the best foods you can find. Eat well and be beautiful!

Read more at the State.

SEE ALSO:

20 Foods to Give You Energy

20 Foods To Supercharge Your Brain

20 Foods for Increased Energy and Better Sex Drive

20 Foods To Boost Your Metabolism

20 Foods To Help You Sleep Better

20 Foods To Banish Belly Fat

Image: lanuiop

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