Part 2 of the skin type talk.
See the blog post here:
http://battysbath.blogspot.com/2011/05/skin-care-factors-influencing-your-skin.html
June 28, 2011
Skin Care: Factors Influencing Your Skin Type (the Video version)
June 28, 2011
Skin Care: Your Skin Type (the Video version)
Batty’s intro thoughts about skin types
See the blog post here:
http://battysbath.blogspot.com/2011/05/skin-care-your-skin-type.html
See the blog post here:
http://battysbath.blogspot.com/2011/05/skin-care-your-skin-type.html
June 22, 2011
How To: Natural DIY Hair Gel
I recently got asked on the Batty’s Bath Facebook Fan Page about natural hair styling products. I wont be adding any to the Batty’s Bath line any time soon because they are super easy for you to make at home! This natural hair gel is so easy to make I almost didn’t think it was worth a whole blog post lol! But, since it’s not common knowledge and makes a great gift for those hard to buy for boyfriends, husbands, brothers, and dads, I couldn’t help but share it here! Bookmark this post so when you get stuck for what to get those dudes for their birthdays or Christmas you’ll have a quick and easy solution! 
It’s interesting to note that this recipe is versatile and rich in omega 3s – omega 3s encourage hair growth! Another interesting point is that the flaxseeds you’ll use in this recipe are the same thing that many companies use in their products and it’s what flappers used in the 20s to create that pin-curl look!
Enough with introductions though, let’s get to the recipe…
NATURAL DIY HAIR GELL
What you’ll need:
- Ground Flaxseeds
- Water
What to do:
- Boil 1 cup of water
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseeds
- Mix
Tada! You’re done! I told you it was super easy! You just created a frothy gel-like consistency that makes for a nice, strong hold (plus sexy shine) hair gel!
June 19, 2011
Natural Bug Repellent – a special summer release
This has been a big hit so far this year!!
June 13, 2011
Parabens – How to spot them on labels
In the past I’ve talked about what parabens are and explained why all of my products are paraben free but I feel it’s worth repeating. The point of this post isn’t to just repeat a post I’ve written previously, but instead, I’m going elaborate on my previous post by including how you can spot parabens by reading the labels on your favorite beauty products.
First, let’s do a quick review….
Parabens are preservatives used in over 70% of all beauty products. This is why you NEED to know how to spot them because you can bet that if you’ve bought something from the drug store, mall or department store lately, there’s a good chance it has parabens in it.
Why you should avoid them
- one study showed that they can age the skin with exposed to UV light
- another study showed that they mimic estrogen
- they have been found in breast tumor tissue
- contrary to what was previously thought, they can penetrate the skin and migrate into body tissue
Now let’s learn how to spot them!
If you have never read an ingredients label on a beauty product before, now is the time to start. When you do – don’t freak out! If it’s a commercially made product, the ingredients list is going to be HUGE with super long unpronounceable words, but I’m here to help you out! There’s lots of things to look for on ingredients list, but we’re going to start with baby steps and ease into things. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my university years, it’s don’t try to learn EVERYTHING all at once. Instead, start with something that’s manageable and build your knowledge bank from there. Today we’re going to start with parabens.
The great thing about starting with parabens is that they are pretty easy to spot on a label because the name of the ingredient generally ends with “paraben”! Parabens aren’t awesome but it’s awesome that some of the most common ones include the word “paraben”! There are a few that are a bit tricker to spot but thankfully the list of incognito parabens is short
Here’s the most common parabens you’ll find on ingredient lists:
- methylparaben
- ethylparaben
- isobutylparaben
- propylparaben
- … (other variations ending in paraben can be spotted as well)
- hydroxybenzoic acid
- hydroxybenzoate
There you have it! Go grab the products you use everyday and check out those labels! You’ll be glad you used your new label reading skill to protect you and your family!
Stay tuned to the blog or join the mailing list for more “ingredient spotting baby steps” you can take!
June 7, 2011
What You Need to Know About Sunscreen
The signs of summer have certainly shown themselves lately. Over the past few weeks I’ve been asked more times than I can count about natural sunscreen; mainly, “Do you make natural sunscreen or know where I can get a good natural sunscreen that isn’t gross?”
After a lot of consideration, a discussion the fan page, and mulling it over with a close friend, I’ve decided NOT to make natural sunscreen, at least not for sale. I’ll be making it for myself and my fiance, but I decided not to offer it for sale mostly because of the regulations AND my fear that with a natural sunscreen in hand some people will throw everything they know about being “sun safe” out the window. That scares me more than anything!
So if you can’t get a natural sunscreen from Batty’s Bath, what should you look for? Well, I’m going to answer that question by informing you on what to look for in a natural sunscreen and what to watch for (i.e. run away from)! There’s a few ingredients in “chemical” sunscreen, and sunscreens claiming to be “pure” or “natural” that you need to learn so you can steer clear of them! Let’s get started…
First up, the good guys…
When looking for a natural sunscreen look for ingredients that protect you from the sun by physically blocking & deflecting the sun’s UVA and UBA rays. These include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. One thing to note though when looking for sunscreen with either of these two natural ingredients is making sure that they are not used in nano form. What does nano form mean? Well Nanoparticles are very controversial right now. It refers to the size of the actual minerals and at the smallest size, they can penetrate the skin easily. Because of this, some experts are concerned about particles entering the body and accumulating in body tissue or getting into place they shouldn’t be (for example, your cells). So what do you need to now to avoid purchasing a product that could have nanoparticles? First you need to know that you want the particles to be larger than 100 nanoparticles. If the packaging or description doesn’t say, ask!
Next up, the bad guys…..
This is not one of those times when going after the “bad boy” isn’t as exciting as it was when you were teenager! In fact, playing around with these “bad boys” can have much more serious effects than a good cry over a tub of ice cream! This group of ingredients are found in chemical sunscreens and protect you from the sun by absorbing UV rays before they have a chance to damage your skin. When looking for this list of bad boys, check out any products with “SPF” on the label, especially if they don’t mention that it is a mineral or physical blocker that’s protecting you. So who are the bad boys? Without further ado, here’s how you’ll find them on an ingredients list: padimate-O (PABA), benzophenone (oxybenzone), homosalate, and octylmethoxycinnamate (octinoxate).
So what makes these ingredients so bad?
First, padimate-O (PABA) is a physical blocker (not a bad thing) but it is also a suspected carcinogen. Second, Oxybenzone (benzophenone) has shown endocrine disruption in animals, although the relevancy of this finding is debated as some experts claim that it doesn’t enter the human bloodstream in any meaningful way. Third, the remaining ingredients are suspected of messing with hormones. Yikes!
So why care about the effects of the sun in the first place?
According the Canadian Cancer Society, “Natural sunlight is important for good health. But too much exposure to the sun’s rays can cause skin cancer and eye problems. Being safe in the sun can go a long way in protecting yourself and your family. There is no safe way to get a tan. Tanning beds and sun lamps are not a safe alternative. The more you use tanning beds and sun lamps, the greater your risk of getting skin cancer.” – Canadian Cancer Society Website.
According the Canadian Cancer Society, “Natural sunlight is important for good health. But too much exposure to the sun’s rays can cause skin cancer and eye problems. Being safe in the sun can go a long way in protecting yourself and your family. There is no safe way to get a tan. Tanning beds and sun lamps are not a safe alternative. The more you use tanning beds and sun lamps, the greater your risk of getting skin cancer.” – Canadian Cancer Society Website.
So we’re not talking about the difference between being pretty in pale, and being tremendously tanned, … we’re talking about keeping you safe from too much sun exposure that causes skin cancer! If you haven’t taken this seriously in the past, this is the year to start!
Hoping to see all you lovelies the same shade this summer as you were this winter 
June 3, 2011
Friday Favs
Here are my favs from around the web this week!
Click the pictures for more info & credits.
June 2, 2011
My Week So Far: It’s a Batty Life
Is it Thursday already?? Wow! It’s weeks like these that make me realize how whole month can go by so fast without feeling like you’ve got much done! This is how my week has planned out so far….on Monday a fatigue flare up had me sleeping.. for over 24 hours! Because I didn’t get up once in that time period, I didn’t take my medication which put me into withdrawal (think flu like symptoms). Sigh. I didn’t recover until late… very late Tuesday. Actually, so late that it was almost Wednesday. Wednesday was spent at the hospital having a test done – still looking for answers with my eye – and recovering from that… and now here we are at Thursday! I’ve got a lot to catch up on including filling orders and trying to get my inbox under control so understandably this is going to be a short update. Besides, there’s never much to report if my health conditions have had me “down and out” for the majority of the week….BUT!!! THE GOOD NEWS….. Amanda at Kind Over Matter featured a video I made for her blog yesterday! It’s about my story and how I overcome 2 chronic illnesses while building a business! Check it out here
- NEW RELEASE: Bath Salts
- NEW RETAIL LOCATION: Tabby’s Treasures, St.Thomas (beside Animal Aide)
- NEW RETAIL LOCATION: Red Bird Design, London (will have goodies soon!)
- SALE: Bath teas are on sale as well as a few season items
- POLL: Pick what will be released next! Click here to vote.
