Oily Hair Overload when using Natural Shampoo?

It's normal. Yes! You read it right... it's normal.

If you just started using natural shampoo - meaning shampoo that doesn't have all those nasty chemicals that strip all the good stuff off of you and add toxic things into you - then you may have noticed that your hair seems to have become very oily. Why?

Well, when you use chemical filled commercial products on your hair, you are stripping away the natural oils from your head. So your head is actually used to having to produce even more oils because it is expecting it to be stripped again. When you stop using the "bad" products, your hair (who has been used to making all that oil) will continue making more and more until it realizes that it doesn't need to make that much anymore (since you are now using natural products). Your hair actually returns to a normal state and it is so much more beautiful.

It's just like mom's who breastfeed. The body knows how much milk to generate depending on the babies feeding. If a mom went cold turkey on breastfeeding, the milk will still continue to flow because it is expecting to feed. But once the body realized no more feeding, it slows down the milk production. It's a supply and demand thing and the body just knows what to do.

Now, this oily adjustment period for the hair differs from person to person. I have had people tell me that it took them 2 weeks before their hair adjusted, some only took a few days. There have been those who were lucky and didn't see an adjustment, and those who were unfortunate and had an adjustment period of almost a month. Regardless of where you fall in that category, hang in there. Your hair WILL get through it and will thank you in the end.

Downfall of using natural hair shampoo and conditioner? If you color your hair, which of course is unnatural but some women feel they must do it... well, your hair color won't last very long. There are some herbal hair colorants that are safe for coloring hair, but they also won't last very long and don't really color the hair as well as the permanent hair colors.

So you have a decision to make. Color the hair with a permanent hair color and increase your risk of getting non-Hodgkins lymphoma, leukemia, and/or ovarian cancer. Stay your natural color (even if it's going gray) and live a cleaner and healthier life. The choice is yours.

Where to buy natural shampoo? Local health food stores carry them but read your labels! You want to make sure that they didn't add certain bad ingredients in with their natural ingredients. Target carries Burts Bees and Dr. Bonner's. Of course, Lemongrass carries my favorite botanical scented shampoo and conditioner.

Oh yeah... you could make it yourself also. I'll include recipes in the next post.

Major Health Hazard in my Shower...and it's not mold!

Do you have a plastic shower curtain liner hanging in your bathroom? If so, ever notice that smell when you first open it? Well... that's PHTHALATES!

What is phthalates? It's a chemical used to soften vinyl plastic (or better known as the poison plastic). These chemicals were recently linked to reproductive problems in male infants. It's also toxic to your respiratory system. They have been banned across Europe since 2005 and the US is still in the process of phasing it out...but not fast enough.

WARNING: Phthalates are everywhere!!! Remember in the news about the toy ducks from the dollar store? Phthalates! Love that new car smell? Phthalates! What about the smell in your candles, nail polish or your favorite perfume? Phthalates! It's even in make-up!

OK. Let me back up a minute. Most commercially made candles and perfumes do contain phthalates. But they're slowly trying to get rid of it. However, there are a few smaller natural companies that do sell products that do not contain phthalates. How can you tell? You can't unless they tell you or you ask! You have to ask because fragrances are considered a "trade secret" and so the manufacturer does NOT have to put it on their label that they added phthalates.

FYI: Products from Lemongrass Spa do not contain any Phthalates. We're fresh, handmade, and natural. We use only the highest-grade botanicals and essential oils. So our products are even therapeutic because of the aromatherapy benefits. www.OurLemongrassSpa.com/Peechee

Check us out and don't forget to READ YOUR LABELS.

Peechee

PS. The Doctors TV just aired an episode yesterday about shower liners being a health hazard. If you've been to my website www.NaturalBeautyandSpa.com, then you already knew about this hazard.

BONUS: Check out this site to watch a cute learning video about the POISON PLASTIC: http://www.pvcfree.org/

The pits don't stink anymore!

First I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Mine was wonderful as I have my family with me. That right there makes it perfect.

So on with my post.... You read it right. My pits don't stink anymore!

Let me backtrack a little. About 5-6 months ago, when I noticed that I have lost some hair on top and is looking a little bald-like, I also noticed that the smell from my armpits have gone to the onions. I'm guessing I must be in the pre-menopause stage and my body chemistry is changing, hence the new nasty smell coming from the arms. The smell though was no problem for the chemical-filled deodorants. It stopped me from sweating and from smelling.

But I don't want to get breast cancer just so I can stop sweating and smelling like rain. There had to be another solution that was cleaner and natural. So I tried Lemongrass Spa's Lavender deodorant. It smelled nice. Masked the smell for a short time but then it was back. I must have applied that lavender deodorant about 5-6 times a day. Plus, being that it's natural, there's no anti-persperant... so I sweat. I guess I can deal with the sweat. It's natural for the body to sweat, but the smell. Oh no!

So I researched and researched and learned. I found several natural recipes with positive feedback from others. I decided to pick the one with the most praises from everyone. I ran out and bought all the ingredients that I needed - cornstarch, baking soda, and tea tree oil. I got home and became, what felt like, a chemist. I carefully measured and mixed and then I waited. After letting it sit for a while, I eagerly ran to the bathroom and grabbed a couple of cotton balls. I dipped the cotton balls into the mixture, pouncing it a couple of times, tapped it off a little and then applied it to the armpits. Instantly the smell was gone. But will it last?

So I went on with my day and did some chores. I sweated a few times from all the moving around and wow! My arms, although a little wet, did NOT stink. I was thrilled. You have no idea! The onion smell was gone. I am so happy.

I have discovered, since using my newly created natural deodorant, that it lasts pretty much the whole day. I shower at night, apply it in the morning and I don't smell the whole day. I thought maybe it was me and that my body chemistry has changed again, so I tested it and did not apply it in the morning. OK. That was a mistake. So back with my deodorant and the smell is gone.

I have to tell you though that I am not a fan of the tea trea scent. I can smell it's strong scent when I open my deodorant container but amazingly it doesn't leave a scent at all on me. I guess it's scent is too busy killing my onion smell that they neutralize each other. Who knows? I'm just glad I don't smell like an onion or a tea tree. Now I can raise my hands even if I'm not Sure. ;-)

Unscented Lotion worked for Cancer Patient

I am so proud to say that Lemongrass Spa's Unscented Hand and Body Lotion was loved by my sister-in-law who is currently at war with cancer and is going through her 3rd type of chemo.

Let me tell you that she is very picky right now because everything makes her sick and her skin is so sensitive. I gave her a sample of our unscented lotion to see if it is something she could use. Days later I get a call from my MIL raving that my SIL liked it a lot because 1. it didn't make her sick (since it is unscented) and 2. it actually helped to moisturize her feet AND relieve some swelling from her feet. My MIL wants me to order the full size (which also comes with a travel size).

I am just so happy that the product worked for her. This was one of the reasons I joined this company ... for her benefit, as well as my diabetic daughter's.

In case you all are unaware... all of Lemongrass Spa's Hand and Body Lotion contain

* Vitamin E oil - which is an anitoxidant that promotes wound healing and scarring

* Jojoba Oil- highly penetrating & closely resembles our sebum (natural skin oil)

* Myristic acid - anti-inflammatory (can aid arthritis suffers)

* Sweet Almond Oil - great conditioner for eczema, itchy, dry and inflammed skin

* Aloe Vera - offers excellent healing properties

* 5% shea butter - superb moisturizing and healing benefits

Doesn't that just sound fantastic? It's like good food for your skin!

So, do you know anyone who may be going through cancer or have really bad skin sensitivities? They may want to try this product for it's many healing benefits and it's unscented composition.

Direct them to http://www.naturalbeautyandspa.com/ and click Lemongrass Spa to find their lotion. Get the word out and let's help all those deserving people out there. We all know they need all the help they can get, in any way they can get it.

Thanks for sharing my joy!

Peechee

Healthy Products - do people really care?

Well, I had a vendor/craft show this past weekend. It started at 9 but no traffic came through until 10am. It was a nice run until 11:30 and then nothing! A few stray but overall it was dead. A lot of vendors and crafters packed up early. Too bad because there were some nice items out.

Anyway, during my event, my goal is to not only show and sample Lemongrass Spa's products but to educate the consumers on why using healthy products are better for them and to stay away from all those toxic and harsh ingredients in their normal body products. It baffles me, however, when I try to teach those who really need to know and they just don't care. I guess my biggest "huh" is a young pregnant woman. I was trying to explain to her about how what she puts on her skin is absorbed into her body and into her baby. But I then proceeded to further tell her about the dangers of phthlates even in candles (nothing to do with my products) and she just laughs at me and says good thing I have a girl and walks off. Are you serious? Does she not care about the dangers out there for her and more so for her baby? Why is she having a baby anyway if you won't care about caring for the child? Maybe it was her age...but she had her family with her - I believe her mom, an aunt, and a sister. They, too, just reacted the same way as she did.

So what is it that makes people not be interested in the health of their child or even themselves? Is it the age? Is it the education level? Is it the income level? Is it just plain stupidity? What? I guess I'll never really know. I just feel so bad that I wasn't able to reach out to this person and make them understand about how important it is for their child. Must be the mommy and preschool teacher in me. I love kids. They are so innocent and beautiful and fun. A fantastic gift from God and because of that should be cared for the way a gift from God should be cared for. But I guess maybe they have a completely different view or standard as to how God's gifts should be treated.

Well, the event wasn't a total bust. There were a small handful of people that were interested in the healthy nature of the product....plus after smelling and sampling them, they just fell in love. It's a perfect combination! Delectable scents, feeling of softness and moisture, and good and healthy for your skin... WOW! It's so nice to run into people who are willing to listen and keep an open mind. Even more when I run into people who understand how aromatherapy works and the benefits you get from it. I got a couple of those people too.

So, if any of you are interested in learning more about me or about using more natural and healthy products, go to my website at http://www.naturalbeautyandspa.com/ I'm giving away free e-books just for visiting. I have several to give away - some are beauty recipes, some are craft related, something for pets, and even cooking recipes. Check it out. It's my way of saying thanks for visiting my site.

However, if you think you are ready to order our natural and freshly handmade products then go to my affiliate website at www.OurLemongrassSpa.com/Peechee If you aren't sure which scents you will like, you can never go wrong with Grapefruit Lily. It's one of our most favorite scents by customers. Personally, I love our Coconut Lime Vanilla scent. Let me tell you that I am not a coconut scent lover, but this one takes the cake for me. The mixture in the scents is perfect. I can't really tell it's coconut or lime or vanilla. It's not strong either - I can't stand strong scents...it makes me sick to my stomach literally. It's hard to describe the scent except in one word...perfect!

Welcome Me!

Hello everyone!

I am Peechee and I am a consultant for Lemongrass Spa and a couple of other mineral make-up companies.

I became intrigued with using natural products on my skin after learning that my sister-in-law was diagnosed with uterine cancer which has now spread into her lungs. She is only 37 years old, doesn't drink or smoke or even party at all. Doctor's say that this kind of cancer is rarely seen in someone her age. It's usually in much older people. As I began my search for some kind of possible answers, I stumbled into the theory that possibly it could have been all the harsh chemicals that are put into her body through cosmetics and bath and body products. I searched deeper and came across the Environmental Work Group (http://www.ewg.org/) and the http://www.safecosmetics.org/ campaign. What an eye opener! I see now that a lot of the products she used that contained all the harsh chemicals are likely a contributing factor in her cancer problem. But I also believe that it is also combined with her eating habits and the environment she lives in. All these factors triggered those cancer cells into a fast running start.

So, since discovering the EWG and the Safe Cosmetics Campaign, I have changed my bath and body habits and am now in the process of changing my food intake into a more natural and organic style - thanks with the help from my brother who is a massage therapist and very into the holistic lifestyle. A good thing too, because I have a diabetic daughter (Type 1 since age 6).

I have learned so much about going back to natural and am so passionate about it that I decided to find a company that could help me spread the word. I searched the Safe Cosmetics member board and found Lemongrass Spa. They freshly handmake natural and therapeutic bath and body products. Most of their products contain essential oils which gives the aromatherapy benefits and I love that the bottles they use for packaging their items are phthalate free. How caring is that? Right down to the bottle. This is a company that truly cares about the people and the environment. So now I am a consultant for Lemongrass Spa. They use me to help promote their products and I use them to educate consumers on the toxic chemicals they are putting on their bodies - plus to make some extra $$ in the process ;-)

I spread the word through attending vendor events, craft shows, and holding Spa Pampering Parties. I've held 3 Spa Pampering parties, 1 party-to-go party, and about 8 vendor events since I started at the end of October. So I am trying to work it to get the word out.

Besides Lemongrass Spa, I've also decided to be a consultant for Beautiful Diva and Mineral Divas - both are mineral make-up companies. If you don't already know, mineral make-up is so much better, healthier, and natural for your skin. But be careful... just because it says mineral, doesn't mean they didn't add other things in. As I add to this blog, I will talk about those "other" things. Anyway, I plan on conducting Mineral Make-up Workshops to show women how to apply it (since it is a bit different) and to educate them on why mineral is the way to go. But right now I'm too focused on Lemongrass that all I'm doing is promoting my web order page for people to purchse items.

Feel free to visit my website at http://www.naturalbeautyandspa.com/ to learn more, see pictures, and get direct links to my company websites if you want to order some products.

Thanks for reading!

Peechee

"Green on the Skin is In"