VitaBlog The Vitacost Blog: Views and News on Vitamins, Supplements and Herbs

Beat the Acne Blues

The alarm rings, you grudgingly roll out of bed, look in the mirror, and spot the largest zit on your forehead you have ever seen. Acne is not just a teenage plight; it is a problem that affects many of us sooner or later. So what do you do? There are hundreds of expensive treatments available through the internet and TV infomercials, but I wonder, is there a natural (an inexpensive) way to cure to the acne blues?

Sulfur, a natural mineral found near hot springs and volcanic regions, has been used for acne treatment since the 1950s. Sulfur acts as a natural exfoliating agent that cleans out pores, and breaks down the dreaded blackheads. Using sulfur treatments on a daily basis helps to minimize breakouts and exfoliate the skin.

 Many expensive acne treatments contain sulfur, but there are many affordable alternatives available. Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment Soap with Sulfur is vegetable based and can be used on a daily basis to treat and prevent acne breakouts. CSI SkinBlem Acne Drying Lotion contains all-natural ingredients and works overnight to dry up blemishes and clear pores. Finally there are affordable acne treatments available that won’t break the bank!

No More Grey Hair- Naturally!

I have been coloring my dark hair since I was in my mid-twenties. My grandmother’s hair turned white when she was twenty years old, so this is a genetic predisposition. Unfortunately, I have severely damaged my hair from repeated coloring over the past years. So what’s a girl to do? I t may sound vain, but I am not quite ready to look like Mrs. (Santa) Claus…

I am happy to say that I have found a natural solution to my hair dilemma. I have recently discovered a hair coloring product, called Naturtint, which permanently colors even the most resistant grey hairs. Naturtint contains no ammonia, no resorcinol and lasts for at least 5 weeks.

Naturtint contains a natural vegetable ingredient called Nutrideep which helps to regenerate hair fibers, adding 3 times more strength and volume. Naturtint also helps to improve the overall condition of your hair by forming a protective shield that neutralizes the effects of damaging UV rays. It contains all-natural ingredients, including oats, wheat, soy and coconut which enhance the overall health of hair. Say goodbye to weak, brittle, over-colored hair…try Naturtint!

All-Natural Soaps: Good for Your Body and the Environment!

Did you know that one of the main ingredients used in many body soaps is lye? Lye (sodium hydroxide- a corrosive alkaline substance) can be dangerous and cause burns in high concentrations. Other common ingredients found in soaps include perfumes, dyes, fats and acids. Doesn’t sound too healthy, does it?

There are many plants, roots and herbs that can help to clean our skin in natural, gentle ways. These natural ingredients are rich in vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and proteins which promote overall skin health and vitality. Sounds pretty good, you may be thinking, but how much do all-natural organic soaps cost?

The answer is not as much as you may think. In fact, many products’ prices are comparable to their chemically laden counterparts. Jason Shower Body Washes are low in cost and all organic. They include all-natural ingredients such as chamomile, lavender, avocado, apricot and vitamin E. Jason soaps and body washes smell and feel great, and are not harmful to the environment (they are biodegradable and no animal testing). So go all natural…your skin will glow with pleasure!

Masada Dead Sea

For those of you who don’t know about the Dead Sea, it’s a big salt lake located between Israel and the West Bank (to the west) and Israel and Jordan (to the east). It’s full of some really kick-butt salt credited with anti-aging qualities and the healing of skin. Then of course there are balms for mummification (not too handy here in the U.S.) and potash for fertilizers extracted from this biblical body of water; the place where King David spent his vacations.

Looking to get life from the Dead Sea? Try Masada Dead Sea Mineral Foot Cream and believe me when I tell you it works like a charm on cracked heels and other dry areas of the feet – I’m constantly walking around barefoot. To go one better, soak your feet first in Masada mineral salts. It’s so relaxing you’ll practically fall asleep.

Makeup Goes Green

My interest was piqued when my neighbor told me that she used ground beet powder as a base for her makeup. At first I found it unusual, but flashing back to grade school art class, I suddenly remembered learning that most dyes were vegetable-based anyway.

This quickly prompted a cyber exploration of makeup products that, of course, weren’t tested on animals, contained no animal products and weren’t bedazzled with artificial colors and perfumes. As usual, I started with Vitacost.com.

Shazam! Alba Botanica Hawaiian Clear Coconut Cream Lip Gloss. A 100% vegetarian and 70% certified organic. “Oh how I wish I were a woman!” This stuff reads like a menu…coconut…soybean…seed oil…the list goes on. I got it for my wife. She loves it! And she’s using a lot, because she keeps licking it off.

Lamas is the New Kid on the Block

Out of the thousands of hair products and hair product companies, how does someone decide on using Lamas? Lamas shampoos and conditioners contain all-natural botanicals and phytonutrients, no animal ingredients and a modicum of parabens. As far price, Lamas cost about the same as other brands that get the same job done.

The majority of Lamas hair products at Vitacost.com receive at least four stars from reviewers. Users say that Lamas Chinese Herb Stimulating Shampoo does fine in dissolving oil and debris and that Lamas Soy Balancing Conditioner smoothes, revitalizes and protects hair, leaving it soft and silky.  As much as I hate babbling on about hair products, somebody has to do it. And why not talk about Lamas? It's as good as any shampoo and conditioner for about $10 a bottle.

Kiss My Face is About Price

If anything, Kiss My Face is about price. Sure, Kiss My Face soaps and shampoos are all natural and delightful, but they're no big splash. I'll say this: Kiss My Face Obsessively Organic Tighten Up Moisturizer is definitely worth the a buck an ounce it sells for at Vitacost.com.

The tiny little one-ounce bottle full of firming botanicals, lime and chamomile not only smells sweet; it does wonders for dry, aged-looking skin. Using Ayurvedic botanical centella asiatica (Gotu Kola), this gem of a facial wonder actually makes wrinkles go away (for the time being) and nourishes skin with wheat extracts and natural protein.

In fact, my wife noticed the difference. And for her to say something - surely says good things in return about the effectiveness of Kiss My Face Tighten Up. "What'd you do to your face?" she asked, "Its baby smooth and you look…younger?"

Jason for a Healthy Mouth

I use all-natural toothpaste - sometimes Jason all-natural toothpaste and sometimes Tom's. They're both reliable brands and deliver outstanding results and value.

I'll have to admit to a strange experience my first time using all natural toothpaste. I was in my thirties and didn't know what to expect. I figured if it was all natural it probably wouldn't work as well as Crest or Colgate in fighting cavities and gingivitis. Wrong!

In hindsight, having used Jason all-natural toothpaste going on five years now, I find it blocks cavities just as good as any commercial brand. I haven't had a cavity in years and my gums are full and firm, the result of powerful anti-bacterial grapefruit and perilla seed extracts, certified organic Aloe Vera and essential oil of mint working to keep my mouth healthy and smelling clean. Are you convinced yet?

Incense Paradox

It brings to mind hippies and love-ins during the Sixties. It promotes peace and well being, smells nice, reminds me of church and makes everything around it smell like it. Survey says: Incense!

Incense paradox occurs when you're inspired to burn incense but with no knowledge of which brand or make of incense to buy. Hmmm. What makes up a good stick of incense? Do some burn cleaner than others? Is there such a thing as all natural incense? What about pollutants?

The answer to all four questions is the same: "Forgettaboutit!" Just fire up a stick of Auroshika from Vitacost.com for about seven cents, or transport yourself to the realms of inspiration with the Blue Pearl sampler pack. Exotic scents such as saffron sandalwood, Tahitian vanilla and yellow jasmine goad you into leaving this plain for another and to look at life in a whole new light.  Let the journey begin.

Giovanni Hair Products Cheaper Online

I gotta tell ya. When I was in the whole food store the other day I almost dropped dead when I saw what they were charging for Giovanni Tea Tree shampoo and conditioner - almost twice what I pay at Vitacost.com.

Naturally, I expect to pay more in a well marketed store where comfort and prestige is built into the cost of products, but I certainly didn't expect a 100% markup. Anyway, my point is; I use Giovanni hair products and I like the fact that they're all natural. 

No animal by-products, no laurel/laureth sulfates. No chemicals hard on the scalp and no phlalates, nasty chemicals that cosmetic companies use in fragrance and aren't required to report on the label.

My experience so far using Giovanni Tea Tree shampoo and conditioner has been nothing but pleasant. All the therapeutic benefits of tea tree oil on my scalp, my follicles and hair. Alright, I'm a little metrosexual, but the wife loves it. And by the way, Giovanni Tea Tree Shampoo sells at Vitacost.com for less than $5.