Foam. Gel. Suds. They always make you feel like you are getting super clean. But did you know that a surfactant/detergent (found in foaming products) is not the only way to clean? It’s actually pretty interesting – you can also cleanse your face with a combination of fats and oils. I know – that doesn’t sound especially clean. Especially if you have oily skin, right? Well guess what, it’s actually an incredibly effective method for ALL skin types – oily, normal, dry, mature, sensitive. It’s all very scientific but basically what happens (as I understand it – and I’m no scientist) is that oils and fats (or triglycerides) naturally function to force water past the surface of your skin and penetrate deeply to draw out dirt,oil and impurities, leaving skin clear, clean and soft.

Over the past few years we have had requests from customers who were seeking a milk cleanser. Milk cleansers have a strong following – for the very reason that they are gentle while deeply cleansing. So we are thrilled to introduce a milk cleanser that we think you will love! And best of all, no matter your skin type, it will work beautifully.

Milk No Cookies is 90% organic, creamy and non-greasy. Highlights include:

• Lactose and organic fruit acids (bilberry, cane sugar, sugar maple, orange, lemon and cranberry) to gently exfoliate and cleanse skin
• Organic aloe and organic coconut oil to moisturize and heal damaged skin
• Organic green tea extract to fight free radical damage and provide other antioxidant properties
• Organic lavender and organic chamomile to calm and soothe skin
• Non-comedogenic
• Paraben-free, sulfate-free, petroleum-free, phthalate-free, fragrance-free, no added colors, 90% organic

Read all about it on our website by clicking here. And once again, it’s so new that we don’t even have the photo yet (it is coming soon!).

This week you can get it for 33% off! Just “like” our Facebook page or join our email list (sign up on our homepage) to find out how you can the big savings!

Here’s my theory – if we have to deal with wrinkles, shouldn’t we be done with pimples? I mean really – isn’t one of those enough? Sadly, however, breakouts are a fact of life at ALL ages.  Like it or not. But we don’t have to sit back and take it, right? Here are the Garden Girl natural skin care tips for keeping skin clear – without using harsh chemicals or expensive “seen on TV”, celebrity-endorsed systems.

The best defense is a good offense. Heard that before? Well it actually applies here pretty nicely – a good daily skincare regimen will do wonders for keeping you clear from breakouts.  Our recommended system includes 3 daily steps plus another you do 1x to 3x per week. We recommend washing morning and evening, but if you can only do it once a day, then definitely pick evening. Why? Because you don’t want to go to bed and leave icky junk on your face for those extra hours. In the morning you can just skip straight to the toner step! (And as always – look for natural skin care products that are paraben-free, sulfate-free, petroleum-free and phthalate-free for best results)

1. Wash using a sulfate-free, paraben-free face wash with either Tea Tree Oil or Glycolic Acid.  This will clear out pores and remove irritating oil, grease and other environmental elements your skin is exposed to each day. Garden Girl picks: You’re Fresh with Tea Tree Oil for normal/combination skin and At Long Last with glycolic acid for oily/acne prone skin.
2. Tone with a revitalizing and cleansing toner that will leave your skin fresh and primed for your moisturizer. For oily skin, you’ll want to look for a toner that acts like an astringent as well – such as one with amazing witch hazel. Toner is an often overlooked step that is vital for keeping skin clear. It not only removes the last traces of makeup but it also clears out pores which helps them to close back up and shrink back down. Clear pores obviously means less of a chance for breakouts. And the toner prepares your skin by balancing its pH so that it will maximize the effects of the moisturizer. After you cleanse your skin, the pH naturally gets altered so if you cleanse and then immediately moisturize your skin won’t take that moisture in as effectively.  Garden Girl pick for normal/oily skin: Even Ste(pH)en with witch hazel, skin-clearing herbal extracts, and skin-firming DMAE.
   • As a side note, toner can make a great “pick me up” on hot summer days. A quick spritz can cool off your face without ruining your make-up. As a matter of fact, it even works great to set mineral make-up. For added “ahhhh” store one in the fridge.
3. Moisturize using a face cream that yes, even has some oils in it. I know, if you have oily skin the word “moisturizer” can make you a little, um, anxious. So you tend to avoid it like the plague, right? Well, fear not, because here’s the thing: if you don’t moisturize your skin properly your skin will actually start to think that it isn’t producing enough oil. Uh oh. Because that means that it will start to overproduce oils. And that is where you can get additional breakouts. So yes – embrace your moisturizer – just find one that doesn’t irritate your skin.
   • Look for one with a high concentration of hyaluronic acid which is a humectant which means it draws moisture in and traps it in the skin. It works best in combination with other emolients so provides balanced moisture and hydration. Another great ingredient to look for is Zinc PCA which can naturally help to keep skin clear.
   • Alternatively, a moisturizer with Alpha Hydroxy Acids can help to get rid of dead skin cells which in turn keeps pores unclogged and skin smooth. And I know this may seem obvious, but choose one for faces. Don’t use a body moisturizer on your face, please.
   • Garden Girl face cream picks: No Worries (for sensitive skin, with Zinc PCA) or Nature Nurture (for normal/oily/combination skin, with AHAs).
4. Exfoliate one to three times each week. If you have sensitive skin, stick to once per week, but if it is normal to oily and not sensitive, then you should be able to handle 2-3 times per week. Exfoliating is a very key step. This is where you can really see a difference. Not only will your skin look smoother, with fewer lines and wrinkles, faded/fewer age spots and acne scars (yea!) but it will keep your pores clearer and your skin less hospitable to pimples and breakouts. Nice, huh? It’s really an amazing tool – but it has to be used correctly.
   • First and foremost – exfoliating exposes “newer” skin so your skin is highly susceptible to sun damage after any exfoliation. Be very diligent about using sunscreen that day and the next day (well really, you should be wearing it every day anyway…). The other is that it can irritate skin if it is overdone or done too harshly.There are 2 types of exfoliators – chemical (by that we mean anything from harsh chemicals to natural “chemicals” like fruit acid) and physical (anything with scrubbing pieces in it – microderm crystals, crushed dried fruit pits or beans, plastic beads  etc.). Clearly Garden Girl recommends natural choices. But they should also be safe for your skin. Crushed fruit pits (think apricot scrubs etc) or similar things can be very rough on skin causing micro-tears that can damage skin. And plastic beads? Just plain bad – especially for the environment as those things go right down your drain and into the water system. Blech.
   • Both physical and chemical systems basically do the same thing – they remove the dead skin cells and smooth skin. But a physical exfoliant is something that you scrub on your face (in a gentle, circular motion), while a chemical product is something that you put on your skin and leave on, as it does the work for you. Both are great choices – it’s just up to you how you’d prefer to do it. And if you are really struggling with breakouts, the chemical peels can be a better option as depending on the product, it can be a bit stronger and more effective.
   • For example, Garden Girl’s Break Free gel and G for Men’s smooth, are both 7.5% fruit acid (glycolic, lactic,  and pyruvic acids) and it is “unbuffered” which means it is faster acting and more effective  than most fruit acid peels you will find for home use – yet it is still safe for non-professional use. Typically you will find “buffered” peels which are somewhat less effective.If you’re interested in the physical exfoliator, then opt for Garden Girl’s Starting Over microderm scrub – which has a creamy base and natural micro crystals (the same ones used by dermatologists for their microdermabrasion treatments).
5. Fight a pimple naturally. Sometimes you just can’t avoid it, no matter how well you stick to a good skin care system, once in awhile a little “spot” pops up. Don’t panic! Here’s what we recommend – and it really works! Tea Tree Oil. But be careful when you use it – it shouldn’t be used at full strength on your skin. What we suggest is to dip a Qtip into the bottle of Tea Tree Oil and dampen the tip with the oil. Then run that Qtip under a trickle of water just enough to dilute it a bit. You’ll be amazed at how strong it still is! Then dab the Qtip on your pimple. Do this after you have washed and toned but before the moisturizer. Do it morning and evening. Usually after the first 1 or 2 treatments the pimple will start to disappear. You can find Tea Tree Oil online or at Trader Joe’s (it’s the cheapest there) if you have one near you. Tea Tree Oil is a great thing to have on hand. I have written about it in the past in a post on this blog.

So that’s it. This system will work incredibly well for most people – even those that have done the whole dermatologist thing. Save yourself some trips to the doctor’s office and try this instead. You just might be amazed at the results!

This is the time of year when everything seems to get dry and flaky. Even people who don’t typically have dry skin issue, suddenly the dry heat, the winter cold and the constant hand washing seem to take their toll. So here are a few of my favorite winter skin tips to keep you looking your best!

Hands

These guys seem to take the brunt of the abuse in the winter. So to keep them looking (and feeling) their best, try these quick tips:

• Keep hand lotion EVERYWHERE! I have it at our sinks, in my purse, the car and at my desk. With all of the handwashing going on, your hands will quickly look like they belong on the Winter Warlock if you don’t keep them happily moisturized. Hand it to You hand cream wins absolute raves from customers. The fresh clean scent from essential oils of lemon, lime and bergamot keep you smelling fresh and bright, while the antioxidants and rich butters and oils moisturize, protect and heal your skin. And it comes in 1 oz travel size (perfect for your purse or the car), as well as 4 oz jars and 8 oz pumps.
• Exfoliate once a week. Use Pucker Up sugar scrub to scrub away dry, dead skin and leave it moisturized and smooth. Follow immediately with hand cream.

Feet

Feet also take a lot of abuse, and let’s face it – even though they aren’t as visible, no one likes to have dry, rough feet.

• Use a quality foot scrubber like our Not So Rough foot smoother once a week after showering to scrub off the dead, thick skin on heels, toes and soles of feet.
• Every evening, refresh and hydrate your tired dogs with a rich layer of Zippity Do Dah peppermint foot cream. The natural peppermint oil rejuvenates feet and legs, tea tree oil fights fungus, and the aloe, shea, jojoba and hyaluronic acid deeply moisturize. Put on a pair of socks or our Tootsie Tamers cotton booties and wear them overnight, revealing soft and smooth feet in the morning. Nice!

Face

Clearly your face gets exposed the most to the wind and cold. That, plus the dry heat can make your skin look and feel dry and flaky in a flash. Check out these quick solutions:

• If your skin is oily but in the winter you find that your skin is flakier than normal, it might be a good time to switch to a gentler cleanser. If you’re using At Long Last, maybe try You’re Fresh for the winter months. Using You’re Fresh? Might be a good time to switch temporarily to Oasis for Faces. Also – definitely steer clear of cleansers with sulfates which can further dry out your skin.
• Exfoliate (ok – sensing a trend?). Check out Break Free (a fantastic all natural “at home peel” made from 3 fruit acids) or Starting Over (a creamy microderm scrub). Both will rid your skin of the dry flakies and keep it smooth and soft all winter long. Use 1 to 3 times per week.
• MOISTURIZE morning and evening – and any time in between that you find your skin is getting tight or dry. Our face creams – we have one for every skin type – come in 2 oz jars as well as .5 oz travel sized jars. Keep one in your purse or at your desk so you can reapply during the day if needed.

Lips

I don’t know about you, but it drives me crazy to have dry, flaky lips. Here’s what I suggest to fight that not-so-cute look:

• Hydrate your lips with a quality lip balm. Check out Garden Girl’s lip balms in fresh Minty Smooth or Berry Silky flavors. Rich jojoba and apricot kernel oils keep lips smooth and soft.
• If your lips start getting flaky and icky, exfoliate them (I know, broken record…) with either a clean face cloth or another trick – sugar! You can even do this when you are out in a restaurant or at the office (seriously – I have been this desperate!). Grab a sugar packet and head for the ladies room. Apply your lip balm and then rub a little sugar over your lips until they are smooth. (If you are in the comfort of your own home, scrubbing with sugar and olive oil works great as well.) Remove the sugar, then reapply lip balm. Voila! Sooo much better.

So face this winter season armed with great tips to keep your skin looking its best. Now, if I could just get my kids to do a couple of these too…

This week’s sale is a big fat 25% discount on all 3 of our face cleansers. Good deal, eh? We have a cleanser to match whatever skin type you have. Not sure? Email us at questions@gardengirlskincare.com and we’ll work with you to figure out the best choice. And don’t forget – Garden Girl products are always free of parabens, sulfates, petroleum products and phthalates.

Normal/Combination – choose You’re Fresh herbal face wash with aloe, tea tree oil, lavender and vitamin e. Packed with pure extracts and essential oils, this face wash is perfect for keeping skin clear and balanced.

Dry/Sensitive/Mature Skin – choose Oasis for Faces with hydrolyzed oats, aloe and silk protein. This is the gentlest cleanser that leaves skin fresh, clean and hydrated – never dry and tight.

Oily/Problematic/Acne-Prone – choose At Long Last with gylcolic acid and seaweed extract. A cleanser packed with glycolic acid that keeps your oily or problematic skin clean and clear without resorting to harsh chemicals. It removes dirt, dead skin and excess oil, leaving your face smoother and brighter.

So go have fun and enjoy the savings. But to take advantage of the offer this week – you need to be on our email list. If you haven’t signed up yet, simply go to www.gardengirlskincare.com and sign up for our list on the home page. Not only will you get a $5 coupon, but you’ll also be emailed the coupon code for this week’s offer.

I’m so excited to say that, based on customer interest, I am pleased to offer a brand new product – Oasis for Faces! Oasis for Faces is a face wash specifically formulated for dry and/or very sensitive skin. It cleanses skin without stripping it of the natural oils. And I want to add that the great name came from one of my product testers, Jen O’Leary!! Thanks Jen for being so clever!

SO – because I am thrilled to announce this new product, I am extending the typical “one day” sale to a whole week – AND even posting it early!

The offer is:

Save $5

Woohoo! NO MINIMUM ORDER. No strings attached except you must redeem it by February 8 (next Friday)

Initially, it was going to be just for Oasis for Faces, but I’m in a giving mood so you can use it for whatever you want!

So how do you take advantage of this little pre-Valentine’s Day bonus? Simply go to

http://www.gardengirlskincare.com/facecare.html

AND use coupon code:

FEB4

So get cracking! Might as well get a head start on the shopping

(oh, and don’t forget to cheer on the Patriots!!)