The ABCDE of moles vs cancer
A – Asymmetry
B – Border
C – Colour
D – Diameter
E – Elevation, Evolving

Basically, any mole or growth that is CHANGING needs to be checked by a physician. There is a lot more to this, but seeing this, I am sure you will do your own research.

LINK TO : ORGANIC SUNSCREEN

First, UV = ultra violet light.
White light is a combination of different colours. Amongst them, violet. The ultra- violet rays (invisible) are the ones that damage your furniture, fades your curtains and…damages your skin the most. UV rays are split into three types, depending on their wavelength. UVA have the longest wavelength and penetrates the skin the deepest, causing aging, dark spots etc. UVB are shorter and don’t penetrate as deep, but, damage the skin surface, which could cause skin cancers. UVC, the shortest wavelength of the three, is usually filtered off by the ozone layer. But in places like Australia, where there is a huge gap in the ozone layer, the UVC rays do get through. These are the most damaging to the skin, causing skin cancer too. In Singapore, and most places, we just need protection from UVA & UVB.

Remember, your sunblock MUST say Broad Spectrum

Link to : Sunscreens

We like to buy the best. But is it necessary? Is an SPF rating of 65 necessary?
Look at the graph.

SPF 15 filters about 93% of UV-B rays;
SPF 30 filters about 97% of UV-B rays; and
SPF 50 filters about 98% of UV-B rays.
The difference between SPF 30 and SPF 50 is only a 1% filtering improvement

SPF is a rating of protection against UVB rays!
Yes, UVB is the one that causes skin cancers etc. But UVA causes deep damage (aging, spots etc)
What one MUST look out for is the words BROAD SPECTRUM protection. This protest from both UVA and UVB.
So, an SPF rating of 30 is really, quite good, for a broad spectrum sun block.

Types of Sunscreen

There are 2 ways of protecting from the sun. Use a mechanical mechanism like reflecting the UV rays away, or chemically, where the chemicals absorb the UV rays and convert them to heat energy. Skip the chemical version, go for the ones that use the reflective mechanism.

Here again, we have to look out for the use of nano-particles. We do not want nano -particles.

Nano particles can penetrate the skin and get into the body.
TiO2 (titanium dioxide) penetration is considerably more problematic than ZnO (Zinc Oxide) because ZnO breaks down into zinc and oxygen, which the body can handle. We do not have the same ability to break down titanium dioxide. One disturbing study linking titanium dioxide nano-particles with brain damage in fish is perhaps the first of more to come that will shed new light on the various toxic effects of titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide is toxic.

So, we have actively prevent harm when evidence indicates that something may be harmful. It would be wise to assume that non-nano zinc oxide is safer than nano zinc oxide, and that any form of zinc oxide is safer than titanium dioxide.

Until more studies fill in the information gaps, it is safest to conclude that sunscreens made with non-nano zinc oxide are the best alternative. There are still many manufacturers out there who will say that there is not enough scientific evidence to prove that the above ingredients are toxic. I agree with them! I am simply not willing to jeopardize my health or the health of my family with exposure to ingredients that are toxic or even potentially toxic — especially when better alternatives exist.

In Summary – for a good sun screen
SPF 30 to 35 is good enough
Broad spectrum.
Zinc Oxide based
No nano-particles
No titanium dioxide
No unnecessary chemicals.

Link to : Sunscreens 

Uses of black soap:

• Acne control
• Reduce blemishes
•  Best for oily skin
• Shampoo for oily scalp

Is black soap worth all the hype?  Yes. While the recipe varies, ABS is handmade from the ashes of cocoa pods, shea tree bark and plantain leaves and mixed with various soothing and healing oils such as shea butter, cocoa butter, palm oil and coconut oil, creating its deliciously distinct aroma and amazing properties.  And don’t let it’s appearance fool you — although dark brown and crumbly in texture, this soap will become a staple in your cleansing routine. And remember, African Black Soap is NOT BLACK. It looks like fruit cake. SHEA has a special liquid version with Tea Tree essential oil for that added anti-bacterial benefit.

Here’s why ABS is so amazing: It’s suitable for all skin types, especially oily skin. (if you have dry skin, lightly moisturise after using ABS for cleansing) If  you have oily skin, regular use will help remove additional oils from the skin thus preventing the formation of pimples. Absolutely brilliant for teens. It is a super cleanser.  The charcoal in ABS can help absorb body odours, and it great for makeup removal.

Link to : African Black Soap

Soap is formed from a chemical reaction between oils and lye. The reaction is called saponification. (This is how our soaps are made anyway). It’s then left to set for about a few weeks. Our soaps are made such that the lye mostly exhausted. This is good.

HOWEVER…Commercial soap is usually produced from tallow (beef fat) and other fats (waste fat), waste cooking oil etc plus a variety of synthetic chemicals which are added to produce the desired lather, texture and hardness of the finished bar. The mixture is boiled at high temperatures with the caustic solution until the process of saponification takes place. The soap base is then extruded into noodles. Colour and synthetic smells are then added to the soap noodles, mixed and then compressed into a nice shiny bar that looks so nice and uniform in a nice wrapper. Of course, in the squishing process, more additives are needed to prevent the soap from sticking to the rollers of the milling machine. And VOILA! Your have nice cheap rubbish soap. Of course, this soap costs next to nothing to make but, with all the marketing and beautiful models to brainwash you into thinking it’s the best of the best, the cost goes up.

A side product of the saponification process is glycerine. During the manufacture of commercial soaps, glycerine is either washed away with the other waste products, or it is separated out(by a process called salting) and sold on to the cosmetics, food or explosives industries. This is an enormous loss to the user of the soap – glycerine is a natural moisturiser for the skin, and the removal of glycerine during the commercial production of soap is one of the reasons why commercial soaps can often be so drying to the skin… besides the fact that it’s loaded with chemicals you DO NOT want on your skin.

In our cold-process soap making method, (a painfully slow but, the right way to do it) the basic mixture of vegetable butters, oils, milk, lye, water, natural nutrients, essential or phthalate free certified fragrance oils are used. Only gentle warming is used to melt the butters and oils at the start of the process and glycerine is left in the soap as the saponification reaction takes place. This means that our handmade soaps retain all the glycerine, making for a superior and gentle bar of soap.

Guys are lucky, sort of. When we shave, we exfoliate. For those who only have to shave their moustache (not everyone has a fully beard) do also “shave” and clean the cheeks and sides as if you did have a beard. There we go. Easy no? This removal of old dead cells gives your face a glow, and cleans at the same time.

It is important to soften your facial hair before shaving. Thus, it is most beneficial to shower before shaving. And it is very beneficial to use a facial scrub to clean your whole face AND NECK. Don’t forget the neck.  Why do we need to use a scrub if we are going to shave? There are parts of the face that will not be shaved, like your forehead, but this needs to be exfoliated too. Using a scrub also softens the facial hair, making shaving easier.

Always use a lubricant like a good soap, and a badger hair brush to foam up to ensure the lubricant gets deep down. This creates a protective film to protect the skin and to allow for a smooth glide. It is best to shave WITH the grain. Shaving against the grain does give a closer shave, but, you will experience more razor burn. What is razor burn? It’s those little bumps and pimples that pop up after shaving when you forget to apply some form of soothing balm or oil.

Now that your face is nice and clean after shaving, don’t let this opportunity go to waste. After shaving, the skin is much more receptive to anything you put on it. My system (was) is to apply a serum and a thin film of moisturizer. I NEVER use any alcohol based aftershave. It severely dehydrates your skin.

About a year ago, I started using Saadia Organics 100% Pure Argan Oil after shaving. Holy sh**! This stuff was brilliant! I did not have to use a serum and moisturizer. I only needed this. It left my face feeling really nice with absolutely no oiliness. Hand-squeezed Argan Oil is nutrient rich, very fine, and remains liquid at body temperature. It is absorbed by the skin very fast and does not block your pores, allowing your skin to breathe naturally.

So, for me, I exfoliate my face with a scrub (I experimented with various brands and finally settled on the one we offer) at least once a day in the shower, and ALWAYS apply the Argan Oil after shaving. 

Please do note that there is a big difference between Pure Argan Oil and the blended rubbish being sold out there. Don’t get cheated. You get what you pay for. There is NO substitute for the real thing.

There is a difference between hand-squeezed argan oil and machine pressed argan oil. Sadia Organics Argan Oil is HAND SQUEEZED by Madam Saadia and her team in Morocco. No heat is applied, and all the precious nutrients remain intact. Machine pressing applies heat (damages nutrients) and crushes the pulp so much that even stuff you don’t want comes out of the pulp.

When you buy something, look for the value it brings to you, not the price (by the way, our hand squeezed Argan Oil costs the same as the big name brand, but you get a much higher quality and effective Argan Oil from ours, as we don’t have to pay the long supply chain. We get ours direct).  Always look for the EFFECTIVE VALUE you get from what you buy.

Link to : Argan Oil

Link to : Face Scrub

Link to : African Black Soap

Link to : Goats Milk Soap

Let’s start with the most overlooked factor, contact time. Most shampoos and treatments are in contact with your scalp for 2 to 5 minutes. There are two commercial approached taken. Using a mild shampoo daily, or using a very strong treatment for a period of time. In the case of the mild approach, you are usually advised to wash often (daily) and to wash twice each session. What this does is to get you to use more of a product, and, a more serious issue is that the bacteria or yeast becomes immune to the treatment. The strong approach usually causes skin to peel and is expensive. Do you really want something that strong on your scalp?

So, it is very important that the product used to help treat the scalp is gentle, safe and stays on the scalp for sufficient time to get its job done, and, solves the problem after a reasonable period of time (time varies depending on the severity of the issue).

The other important issue is the application method. We are treating a scalp issue. The product should go on and into the scalp. Not the hair. We find that massaging the treatment into the scalp with your finger tips to be of great help. The massage should not be too aggressive, or too gentle. If your scalp feels good, you are doing it right. The massage stimulates blood circulation to the scalp, and this is always good. Your follicles get nourished, the treatment goes into the scalp and your scalp feels great. What more could you ask for?

And finally, the ingredients. If your scalp treatment contains alcohol, or SLS, or parabens, or any other stuff that you can’t pronounce easily, you don’t want it. This usually aggravates the problem. There are many traditional herbs and wood oils that have been used for hundreds of years for hair fall, dandruff and other scalp issues. And they work without side effects. We at SHEA have been strong proponents of natural treatments. We have seen traditional remedies work. A good friend of ours in INDIA introduced a very special hair oil to us that helped with hair fall and dandruff control. [ Feedback from customers is that this product has helped stimulate hair growth. However, this is a very subjective benefit that depends on many factors, thus, we decided not to market this benefit. If you do observe new hair growth, we would be very happy for you.

Some of the ingredients found in our Ayurvedic Hair Oil for hair fall and dandruff control are essential oils of Patchouli (anti-bacterial), Lavender (anti-fungal), Tea Tree (anti-fungal and anti-bacterial), Rosemary (anti-dandruff) and Neem (anti-bacterial).  Other ingredients include extracts of Brahmi (repair of hair follicles), Shikakai (vitamin C&D), Mahabhrungaraj (promotes hair growth) and Tulsi (dandruff control). There are so many ingredients in this oil that it’ll blow your mind, and, best of all, the ingredients are natural, gentle and safe. This allows one to apply and leave it on for two hours or more, thus, letting the ingredients do their job. This is definitely a product for those with scalp issues, and, for those who just want to maintain a healthy scalp and head of hair.  Share this info with friends. You would be helping someone.

Usage

Drip about 5 drops into your cupped palm. Then, dip your fingertips into the oil pool in your cupped palm and apply the oil evenly onto your scalp. Then, use your fingertips and massage thoroughly into your scalp. You should enjoy the massage. Your scalp should feel good.

Leave it on your scalp for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you wish. When you wash it off, use a gentle shampoo like our Seaweed Bath Co shampoo.

For dandruff control, apply daily for 2 weeks, and then gradually taper off to 3 times a week for 4 weeks. If the problem clears up, then, great. Else continue till the problem clears up.

Hair fall control take s a bit longer. Use 3 times a week for 4 weeks, then, 2 time a week for 3 months. Observe the results. Remember. And deep, comforting scalp massage with the oil are key. There are some cases where hair fall cannot be stopped, like, hair fall cause by medication.

Remember, use the correct shampoo, one that does not contain nasty chemicals. Try our solid bar shampoos and our Seaweed Bath Co Shampoos.

Link to : Ayurvedic Hair Oil

Link to  : Shampoo for Oily Scalp

Link to : Argan Shampoo

Link to : Argan Conditioner

The skin on your face is far more sensitive than the rest of your body, so choosing the correct products for the job are essential. Regular soap is usually too harsh for your face, especially if its detergent based (contains sulphates), can harm the skin as they contain nasty chemicals. A mud mask twice a week would help.

Step 2 – Exfoliation
Exfoliating (removing dead skin) is an important step for proper skin care. Use a proper facial scrub, because body exfoliators are often too rough for use on your face. We probably have one of the best Argan face scrubs every made.

To apply, wet your face with water, dab the scrub on the face and use your finger tips to massage the entire surface of your face in small circles. Do not massage your eyelids, or under your eyes as this skin is far more sensitive. Exfoliation twice a week should suffice but if you work in dirty environments, more often. We do recommend exfoliating before shaving.

Step 3 – Moisturising
Toners are aftershaves without alcohol. Nothing beats our pure hand-pressed argan oil from Saadia Organics. Alcohol dries out the skin, so applying an alcohol based product after a shave will merely damage your skin more. A toner will usually contain helpful nutrients such as vitamin E, and should be applied after shaving to help with the damage caused by the razor. Moisturising is an extremely important daily process that will help keep your skin young and glowing.

There. 3 simple steps. That’s it!

Link to : Argan Oil

Link to : Face Scrub

Link to : African Black Soap

Link to : Goats Milk Soap

It happens in 5 steps.

• Fat metabolism is disturbed
• Fat cells increase in size
• Fat cells squeeze capillaries and disrupt micro circulation
• Skins collagen & elastin support structure breaks down
• Fluid retention increases

The image explains this quite clearly

Simple enough, the formation of cellulite is known. But, getting rid of it is a whole other story. So, to decrease cellulite, choose products with ingredients that can concentrate cellular energy to help do the following

• Break down fat
• Reduce fat storage
• Increase circulation to remove toxins
• Increase the firmness of the skin
• Even out affected areas

This is best done by eating correctly, exercise and massaging the affected areas with the right topical creams & related products

Our Seaweed Bath Anti-Cellulite products do just this. The soap helps massage the affected areas and the cream penetrates the skin and helps drain the retained fluids.

Link to : Cellulite Control Products

Emotional stress tends to modify hormonal levels, triggering the production of a sticky substance (sebum) which, clogs the pores. Unfortunately, try telling a hormone raging teenager to stay calm. But, it is a good approach to acne control. Recent findings have affirmed that a diet high in refined sugar increase a person’s chance of developing acne.

Treating acne is a slow-ish process. It takes about 6 to 8 weeks to see results. So, no immediate results. Benzol Peroxide is a common treatment. It doesn’t usually have serious side effects. Some people may develop a reaction against it. So, start off using it sparingly at first. Better safe than sorry. Both oral and topical antibiotics work. Topical antibiotics have fewer side effects but oral ones work better usually. Your doctor will decide the best form of treatment. There is a third treatment which uses vitamin A derivatives. These carry significant health risks if used improperly and will not discuss here. Only qualified dermatologists and specialists would prescribe these in special circumstances

So, the main thing here is to keep the skin clean. An effective deep cleansing soap and a good quality gentle scrub that does not contain harsh chemicals will help. The less “bad stuff” you put on your skin, the better.

So, our project began. SHEA has lots of soap which are gentle and safe to use, but we needed a special soap. There are plenty of soap out there that claim to do magic. But, the elusive special soap eluded us. Then, by chance, our shea butter supplier mentioned Black Soap used in Ghana. Black Soap? They told us that Black Soap was especially good for oily scalps and skin. AHAH! So I asked her to send some black soap to us. When SHEA received it… it WAS NOT BLACK! It looked like fruit cake? It was not black like the other stuff we had seen on the market. Many a time, the “black soap” in the market was just soap that had a black dye.

So, what so special about this fruit cake soap? Firstly, it’s made by hand over a coal fire, in a village. So, super traditional. Secondly, it was made with simple, true to nature ingredients like shea butter and cocoa butter. What blew us away was that the soap was saponified using the ashes of cocoa pod shells and plantain skins. So, no Lye. This was really pure soap. and traditional. with no “modern” ingredients. You may find pieces of ash in your soap. So, you know this is the real thing.

I tried it. Oh WOW! Absolutely brilliant on my super oily skin. I now only use this for my face and scalp. My two teenage daughters also use this for their face and i must say, their acne is well under control. Only an occasional “popper” once in a while.

Now, we understood that the dirt in the air definitely causes a problem, and the air in Singapore is oily due to all the petrochemical industries surrounding us. Just check out the blades on your fats, the dust is not “dusty”, it’s oily. We also needed a gentle scrub to clean the face. Now, my teen daughter became a source of help. Her Turkish friend living in the UK uses an American face scrub (talk of an international mix) that she said was the “best in the world”. She had a massive problem with acne and this scrub did not have a negative effect. So, good teen daughter sends her some black soap and, to make a short story longer, my daughters friend saw some positive results after a few weeks of use. She in turn sent a really nice scrub to daughter. I must say, it was good. Very very good. So, this happy story ends with SHEA being able to offer this combo to those suffering with acne. We liked the scrub so much that we also decided to bring in their argan face wash. You can read about it in the website under the ARGAN menu.

So, it short (sort of…) The soap should be able to remove all the built-up gunk to help unclog pores without damaging the skin. The scrub should not be sugar/salt/oil based as these have sharp edges that might scratch your already sensitive skin, causing more inflammation, causing more problems.

Remember that all particulate matter, such as foundation and powder add to the problem as these fine particles mix with the thick sticky sebum to block pores. Pregnant women, ladies during their periods and teens all have wild hormonal fluctuations. Skip the make up. It aggravates the problem. Just keep your skin clean, eat healthy and lay off the sugary stuff (by the way, laying off sugary stuff is important for everyone, our biggest problem nowadays is sugar, not oil, but that’s another story) and keep calm.

Be nice. Share this info with your family and friends who need acne help. It won’t cost you a thing but you will definitely make someone’s life better.

Link to : African Black Soap

Link to : Argan Oil

Link to : Face Scrub