MULTI-TASKING SKINCARE PRODUCTS

There are some great reasons for going multi-purpose with your natural and organic skin care products. You not only save money, but you save on packaging waste, as well as space in your bathroom cupboards!

We’ve put together some of our favourite men’s and women’s beauty ideas for products from the Little Innoscents range. If you have some multitasking product ideas that we’ve missed, please drop us a line.

The Kaolin Clay in this Mineral Powder is the perfect base for a face mask

KAOLIN CLAY MASK

Kaolin clay comes in a few different colours and varieties; however, white kaolin clay is the most delicate and is one of the best to use for sensitive skin.

Kaolin Clay benefits:

• Calming and soothing for sensitive skin
• Helps to detox and remove impurities
• Good for treating redness and brightening the skin
• Exfoliates and softens the skin
• Suitable for dry or oily skin (has a balancing effect)
• Suitable for acne prone skin

It’s very simple to make your own organic clay mask using the Little Innoscents Mineral Powder.

What you need:

1. 1 tbsp of Little Innoscents Mineral Powder
2. 1 tsp of oil of choice (almond, olive, avocado, macadamia etc)
3. 1 tbsp or cooled chamomile tea or water
4. Small bowl and spoon

Mix ingredients until well combined, adding more tea/water if the mixture needs to be thinned out. Apply to face and leave for up to 10-15 minutes for dry to normal skin or up to 20 minutes for oily skin. Gently rinse off with warm water and finish with a toner and moisturiser of your choice.

The sunflower and jojoba oil in the Little Innoscents Massage Oil makes a great oil cleanser

FACIAL OIL CLEANSE

The oil cleansing method is a concept that has grown rapidly in popularity in recent times. You may wonder how using oil can clean your skin, however, if you remember back to your chemistry classes, you’ll recall that ‘like dissolves like’ and this applies with using oil on your skin by gently dissolving and cleaning away the old oil and impurities that have built up over the course of the day. This means that there is no need to use harsh soaps or chemicals which can strip your skin too much and lead it to over-produce its natural oils.

Jojoba and Sunflower oils are both recommended for use in the oil cleansing method, and both of which are the base for the Little Innoscents Massage Oil, making it the perfect, ready-made oil to use for your face. Both are suitable for all skin types, and Jojoba in particular for those that may be acne prone.

Basic Oil Cleansing Method:

1. Use a wash cloth and wet face with warm water
2. Pour approximately a teaspoon of Little Innoscents Massage Oil into your hands and rub together
3. Massage the oil over your face for around 1 – 2 minutes, then let the oil sit for an extra 30 seconds
4. Soak your washcloth in hot water from the tap, squeeze out the excess and allow it to cool a little so that it’s not hot enough to burn your skin, and apply the warm washcloth to your face and leave it on for 10-15 to soften the oil before wiping it off. Rinse and repeat until the oil is cleaned from your skin.

For a deeper cleanse: Blend Little Innoscents Massage Oil with Cold Pressed Caster Oil. Use a ratio of 2/3 castor oil for oily skin, ½ for normal and 1/3 castor oil for dryer skin.

MORE QUICK TIPS FOR MULTITASKING BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Hand and body cream: Little Innoscents Organic Moisture Rich Body Lotion
No need to have a different product in your bag for you and baby. This moisturiser is perfect for mum too.

Organic Night Cream: Little Innoscents Intensive Soothing Cream
This cream has done wonders for the skin problems of many of our customers, and its not just for their babies. Great for dry, chapped or sunburned skin on the face. Smooth it onto the face after cleansing before bed and then let the soothing Aloe Vera and Calendula extract do their work.

After Shave Lotion: Little Innoscents Intensive Soothing Cream
Works well as a cooling, moisturizing post shave skin lotion.  The soothing ingredients replenish and restore skin’s balance.

Lip Balm/Lip Gloss: Little Innoscents Organic Paw Paw Balm
Try our petroleum free Organic Paw Paw Balm on your lips as a balm for chapped lips or as layer it over a natural lipstick for some extra glossy shine.

Hair Oil: Little Innoscents Massage Oil
Jojoba and Sunflower oils are well-known for use in hair care and together, these are the main ingredients in the Little Innoscents Massage Oil. For a leave-in treatment, apply to the scalp and leave in for 30 minutes before washing. Alternatively, you can apply a little bit to your ends after washing.

About the Author: Antonette Golikidis has studied Natural Health Science at the Australian College of Natural Medicine and is qualified in Remedial Massage Therapy and Aromatherapy. The greatest effort has gone into ensuring the information on this page is valid, however if you have any concerns, please visit your healthcare professional.

Did you know?

Eczema occurs in up to 30% of the Australian population across a range of ages. It often begins in infants between 2 to 6 months and usually improves as they grow older.

What is Eczema?

Eczema (sometimes called dermatitis) is a dry, red and itchy condition that causes the skin to become inflamed or cracked, and in some cases weep. The cause of eczema is still not known, however it can sometimes be linked to allergies, asthma or hay fever. An outbreak can be triggered by various things including: heat (hot baths, dry air, overheating in bed), soap, detergents, medicated and perfumed products, bubble baths, fabric, allergies to food, dust mites, pollens and fur.

Before and after using Little Innoscents Intensive Soothing Cream

Our Tips for Prevention and Treatment of Eczema

Prevention of an eczema outbreak is preferable to treating one. One of the keys to prevention is to avoid chemical based products. Many eczema sufferers also say that using steroid free, organic skin care products in general reduces the frequency and/or the severity of their outbreaks.

1. Avoid Triggers

Avoid the main aggravating factors, such as overheating, air conditioning, exposure to pets, exposure to grasses and pollens and contact with chemical irritants.

2. Bathing and Cleansing

Use gentle, chemical free products such as our Organic Goats Milk Cleansing Bar or Organic Hair and Body Wash that will not dry the skin out.

3. Clothing

Wear loose fitting clothing made from natural fibre such as 100% cotton or bamboo. For babies or young children that scratch the affected areas, mittens can stop them scratching and exacerbating the flare up.

A big improvement in the eczema around the mouth after using our Intensive Soothing Cream

4. Soothe and repair

• Apply a healing cream such as our Intensive Soothing Cream with 100% natural and nutritious Shea Butter as a base, healing Calendula extract and Rosewood essential oil as the therapeutic components. We have many testimonials from customers who have shown amazing results from using our soothing cream.

5. Moisturising

• Keep skin well moisturised, with organic skin care products such as our Moisture Rich Lotion or Paw Paw Balm to avoid unnecessary drying of the skin that can lead to irritation

After 1 month of using Little Innoscents Intensive Soothing Cream

Other Tips

• Avoid the main triggers, such as overheating and contact with chemical irritants.
• Reduce itching by using wet dressings or cool compresses. If scabs develop, remove by bathing in lukewarm water to soften the scabs, and then gently wiping the crusts off with a soft, wet towel.
• The above suggestions are not to be regarded as medical advice.
• For ongoing cases, consult your healthcare practitioner.

May is Eczema Awareness Month in Australia for 2017. Find out more on how to manage and treat eczema at www.eczema.org.au.

We have put together an Eczema Care Pack for a very special price, with products that will help to soothe and treat. Find it here.

About the Author: Antonette Golikidis has studied Natural Health Science at the Australian College of Natural Medicine and is qualified in Remedial Massage Therapy and Aromatherapy.

What’s in your skincare products?

As we become more aware of synthetic chemicals and their links to disease, we also become more concerned with what we consume, and now, with what we put on our skin, especially which products we use on our children.

At its most basic, chemical absorption can irritate, sensitise and destroy skin tissue. Irritation might take the form of eczema or dermatitis. Sensitising skin by frequently using harsh chemicals can make it much more prone to chemical irritation in the future.

Young children are often more sensitive to chemicals for a number of reasons. Their bodies are still developing and they cannot get rid of some chemicals as well as adults. They absorb greater amounts of chemicals such as lead, pesticides and sulphates into their blood than adults, due to the size ratio and developmental stage of organs compared to adults.  Because they are small, they have a high surface area to volume ratio and can have dramatically higher absorption through dermal contact than adults.

The skin is the body’s largest organ and up to 60% of some of the chemicals we put on it may be absorbed into the bloodstream. Did you know that it can sometimes be worse to put toxins on your skin rather than ingest them? When you eat, your liver contains detoxifying enzymes which break down toxic elements. What you apply to your skin can pass through it and go directly into the bloodstream.

Think carefully about what you put on your children’s skin, wash their clothes and clean around the home with.

Did you know that you can prevent so many early childhood skin problems from developing by using all-natural, organic skincare products?

Natural and organic products can prevent the symptoms of a variety of skin problems such as eczema, dermatitis and itchiness by helping to make the skin healthier.

Some skin irritations can be cleared up quite quickly with creams that are riddled with synthetic active ingredients such as cortisone and other steroid type ingredients but unfortunately – the symptoms WILL reappear. More often than not you will find that these symptoms CANNOT be controlled without regular use.

I know you don’t want to apply toxic and synthetic products to your children’s skin regularly. Neither did I, which is why I created my very own product for my baby boy when he started to develop the signs of eczema.

It is this philosophy that drives my range of organic baby skincare products, which treat skin problems naturally.

Sun Protection Facts to keep your skin safe this summer

With our Aussie summer in full swing and temperatures rising around the country over January, we thought we would share some simple sun protection facts to help you take care of your skin and avoid unnecessary damage.

Sun Protection Fact #1

It’s important to remember that sun damage or sunburn to your skin happens even on cloudy days, with up to 80% of UV rays able to penetrate light cloud cover. So always make sure that you cover up and use a good, natural sunscreen and cover up, even if the sun isn’t out.

Sun Protection Fact #2

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It’s all about protecting you from the burn caused by UVB’s (Ultra Violet B Rays). The Cancer Council website specifies that SPF50+ offers only marginally better protection from Ultra Violet B (UVB) radiation than SPF30 or SPF30+. SPF50+ filters out 98% of UVB radiation compared to 96.7% blocked by SPF30. A difference of 1.3%. They recommend that whether using SPF30, SPF30+ or SPF50+, application is the key. Apply sunscreen liberally – at least a teaspoon for each limb, front and back of the body, and half a teaspoon for the face, neck and ears. Most people apply less than half this amount, which means they get far less protection than the SPF as stated on the bottle.  For more info on SPF, please visit http://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/preventing-skin-cancer/spf50sunscreen.html

Sun Protection Fact #3

The ‘Time to Burn’ without sunscreen” is different for each person and is not a universal measure. Sunburn can occur in as little as 15 minutes. There are many factors that come into play, such as skin type, UV rating on the day, wind, clouds, reflections from water, sand and snow that can affect how quickly you can receive a sunburn.

Sun Protection Fact #4

UVA’s are slow assassins. These rays don’t make you burn, but they reach deep into the dermis of skin and can cause long term damage to cells and immune system. Broad spectrum sunscreens contain ingredients that hinder both UVA and UVB rays.

Sun Protection Fact #5

It’s much more important to constantly reapply sunscreen (every 2 hours), rather than buy one with greater SPF. You should use at least a teaspoon for each arm and leg, front and back of the body, and half a teaspoon each for the face, neck and ears.

Sun Protection Fact #6

Ultraviolet radiation is reflected off sand, water and snow, intensifying exposure even if you are protected by an umbrella from above.

Sun Protection Fact #7

Ordinary clothing provides good protection when dry (particularly dark colours with a tight weave), but offers reduced protection when wet or old and stretched. If swimming, look for rash vests, caps and swimwear with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating of 25+ to 50+.

Sun Protection Fact #8

Using a sunscreen with added healing elements such as Vitamin E, Organic Green Tea, Cucumber and Rosehip extract can help hydrate skin affected by sun stress.

Sun Protection Fact #9

Sun exposure in the first 10 years of life partly determines your lifetime potential for skin cancer, while sun exposure in later life determines how much this potential is realised. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world affecting up to 2 in 3 people by the age of 70.

Sun Protection Fact #10

Babies have such delicate skin that is very easily damaged by the sun. Babies under 12 months should not spend time in direct sunlight and sunscreens are not recommended before 6 months of age. Keep babies out of the sun and remember to ‘slip, slop, slap, seek and slide’.

Why not try our newly formulated Natural Mineral Sun Lotion? It is a zinc based sunscreen with soothing Vitamin E, Organic Green Tea, Cucumber and Rosehip extract with no Nano-particles. Our sun lotion contains Zinc Oxide as the only active ingredient and best of all, it has NO PRESERVATIVES and is completely free from chemical UV absorbers, and suitable for sensitive skin from 6 month of age.

Available in single 100ml packs and also discounted multi 2-packs and 4-packs.

Check out our quick guide below for what makes our natural mineral based sunscreen different to those that use chemical UV absorbers and preservatives…

A quick guide to the difference between Natural Mineral Sunscreens vs Sunscreens that use Chemical UV Absorbers.

New Eco Cleaning Products

We all love a sparkling clean home that smells fresh and gives us a sense that our families are kept clean and free of dust build up and bacteria. BUT do we actually realise that many store brought products are dangerous and highly toxic – yet we are still using them in our homes and breathing in the fumes, damaging our bodies by affecting our immune system and causing skin irritations.

The Little Innoscents eco cleaning line offers a better alternative, boasting no nasty chemicals and effective in cleaning, you can rest assured that even those with sensitive skin will benefit from this range. Our mission is to protect our families from chronic diseases by avoiding toxins; you’ll see that it will be worth the effort to avoid the poisons we are readily buying. Our safe and clean plant based range encourages change leading the way in environmental responsibility and performance. Our products are free from phosphate, ammonia, nitrate and chlorine which pose a risk to safety and environmental hazards.

Our ingredients are carefully selected to be gentle for you and your family, we also love our planet and are conscious to produce products that are rapidly degrading without causing harm designed to help protect the environment which we believe has a huge ripple effect on our lives and the world around us helping to build a community of conscious consumers. Little Innoscents is very proud to provide you with healthy and effective products that are made from 100% natural and botanical ingredients that are cruelty free, Australian made and owned. The new eco cleaning range includes Laundry Liquid, Fabric Softener, Botanical Dishwashing Liquid and Multi-Purpose Cleaning Spray.

DID YOU KNOW?

The detergent you’re using may contain a cocktail of potent chemicals, some of which the manufacturer doesn’t even have to list on the label. This reduces the odds that you’ll ever discover what’s really in there.

Not only are these chemicals potentially damaging to your health, but they are also contaminating waterways and harming our beautiful Australian environment!

Shop the new Clean & Green Cleaning Range Here >>>