What is Lifestyle Ageing?

  Wrinkles can be caused in a number of different ways. Twin studies verify that lifestyle choices can cause a significant difference in the appearance and wrinkling of the skin. In fact the argument can be made that while we cannot control our chronological age – we can control lifestyle aging to a significant degree. In other words LIFESTYLE AGING is the area in which we can make most impact in regard to our skin's appearance, particularly when it comes to premature aging.

How does aging effect your skin?  There are two basic types of skin aging.

Intrinsic and extrinsic, or in simpler language .....  chronological and lifestyle/environmental. 

Intrinsic aging  is how the skin ages chronologically or biologically in relation to age. Biological aging includes processes like, the slowing of collagen production, enzymes which attack collagen and elastin and the loosening over time of the dermal/epidermal junction. Most creams target this type of aging, largely ignoring extrinsic aging factors.

Extrinsic aging  is caused by environmental and lifestyle factors – and exactly what Kasia Organics Skin Care addresses. Lifestyle Aging can happen as a result of stress, diet, excess sugar, UV damage, smoking, pollution and so on. It is important to be aware and devoted to lifestyle aging and the environmental factors which cause us to age, targeting the cause as well as the symptom.

With a holistic approach to anti-aging at Kasia, we focus on each person and the significance of everyone ages differently for different reasons.

 

Learn more about our Kasia Beautiful Health Skin Care and Medical Facial Program!

Get NO STRESS Facial approach with Doctor Office Results!

             Kasia Beautiful Health Skin Care Void of Parabens, Synthetics....

Stop the Split End Manifesto!

  Whether you are growing your locks out or maintaining your recent professional cut from Kasia, there's no hair enemy as fierce as the dreaded split end!

The Kasia Hair Team can agree that the number one complaint of clients when coming in for a cut are their frazzled ends.  Old or young, chemically treated strands or your savaged natural hue, you stand at risk of experiencing this science.

"Split ends occur when the outer protective layer of the hair cuticle wears away because of external stressors such as heat styling, excessive pony tails, environmental stressors and chemically derived products that break the hair down over time,” explains Kassie, owner and stylist at Kasia Organic Salon.

There is no return back once the internal structure of the hair is exposed, it becomes weak, thirsty and damaged, resulting in split ends,” says Kassie.

The Way

While there is one road to ridding your luscious locks beaten up ends in having them snipped off, there are several ways to nurture your noggin’  between salon appointments to improve the look of damage and prevent more splits from occurring.

Condition and spread: Apply Kasia Weighless Conditioner or Restore Hair Oil Treatment in the shower, slowly run a wide-tooth comb through hair until all the tangles are out. This prevents the harsh pressure and breakage that results from trying to brush out hair that is roughed up from a towel-dry.

Mind your heat tools: The cheap blow-dryer or half off flat iron that barely heats up may be a tempting snatch, but inexpensive tools tend to dangerously overheat over time and burn ends into splits.  Do your homework and  use a brand recommended by a pro.

Be gentle: Treat your hair as a well-worth asset!  Just like the new suite you purchased, it will last longer and look better as you present yourself to the world

Use as natural and non-chemcially derived products as possible to achieve a long term health and shine to your locks.

Get your Omega’s, Protein, folic acid and biotin:  Nutrients literally build the proteins that make up your hair strands. B vitamins folic acid and biotin of  in particular,  have been shown to supplement hair health, length and thickness.

Folic acid helps the production of red blood cells, which powers the growth of hair. Foods rich in folic acid include green leafy veggies, oranges, soybeans and wheat. Biotin strengthens both hair and nails through its metabolism of fats, carbs and proteins. Brown rice, lentils, peas, sunflower seeds, walnuts and soybeans are all rich in biotin.

Antioxidants give you the anti aging protection against the diseases and help slow down the aging process of your skin, cells, tissues and organs. The main antioxidants found in food include vitamins A, C and E, the minerals selenium and zinc and all of the phytonutrient carotenoids.  Antioxidants keep free radicals from ravaging your body and stealing the life from your cells.

Critics used to claim there was no evidence that topically based products affected skin aging. Over the years, a remarkable number of published studies have proven these skeptics wrong! Science clearly substantiates the role that free radicals play in causing skin aging and the fact that topically applied antioxidants confer significant protection and can even partially reverse some aspects of skin aging. Indeed, various animal and human studies have proven that low molecular weight antioxidants, especially vitamins C and E, as well as alpha-lipoic acid exert protective effects against free radical damage (oxidative stress) (Podda et al. 2001).

Essential Fatty Acids offer anti aging benefits to dry skin, hair, and nails.   EFA’s will give your body the nutrients it needs for smooth, glowing skin and healthy hair and is even known to help balance hormones.

Fatty Acid (Omega 3) anti-aging benefits and reduction may be directly linked to cell inflammation. They help to keep the cells healthy and reduce the inflammation that may occur in the cell when omega 6 levels are too high.

Use leave-in conditioner or treatment oil: A leave-in conditioner will add extra protection that stays on strands as you heat and style your hair. Consider Kasia Restore Hair Oil Treatment, which you apply after every wash on towel-dried hair for best results.

Sunflower oil (comprised in Kasia Restore Hair Oil) contains fatty acids and are essential to hair health and effective in preventing hair loss from male and female pattern baldness and alopecia areata.

Lastly, get regular cuts: As stated, a good cut is the only way to fully get rid of split ends, regular trims provides the best protection against them. The longer you wait, the greater your split ends will make way up the shaft. It might sound oxy-moronic, but hair that remains the healthiest are those that receive frequent trims.  Especially if you're trying to grow longer, healthier hair.  The Kasia Organic Salon Hair Team suggests  getting a cut or trim at least every six to eight weeks.

Essential Nutrients for your hair and skin with antioxidants, cold pressed oils and fatty acids 

Kasia Organic Salon provides beautifying services with a side of environmental awareness. Put your eco-conscience and its cranial encasement at ease during your services at Kasia.

The former nurtures noggins with customized blends of essential oils, repairing damaged follicles while helping to prevent dandruff, some hair loss, and scalp irritation.

With the health of your head restored, a skilled scissor shaman will get to work on the style.  We are devoted to designing looks that let each client's personality shine through, so whether you are fun and flirty, serious and sophisticated, or enraged and enamored, you'll leave the salon with a 'do' to match your personality.

Do you have weight-loss resistance?

I absolutely LOVE Women to Women resources.  In alignment with Marcel and the foundation of Functional Medicine, there are reasons that in the pursuit of weightloss, it is not achieved.

Enjoy the posted article and starting checklist of possibly causes in your personal journey to a HEALTHY WEIGHT!

As a culture, we believe that if you simply stop eating so much and just get more exercise, you can always lose weight. Personal trainers, nutritionists, and even well-intentioned healthcare practitioners relay this message to women every day. Yet there are still women out there who can’t lose weight. Are they lying about what they eat and about how much they exercise? I don’t think so — because I was one of these women.

In my 20’s I joined Weight Watchers and drove myself crazy weighing and measuring every morsel of food I put in my body. I never missed a workout, never cheated with food, and every time I got on the scale, I’d find I only lost a mere half-pound or even gained. I know that Weight Watchers works well for some people, but it didn’t work for me. And now I know it was because I had something called weight-loss resistance.

I talk to women every day who spend hours at the gym, who starve themselves regularly, and just can’t figure out why they aren’t losing weight. Weight-loss resistance is extremely frustrating, and often isolating. If this sounds like you, the first thing I want to say is I believe that you are not a closet eater and that you are doing everything you can. The reality is, there may be a metabolic imbalance blocking you from weight loss, and once you resolve it, the weight will melt away, stay away, and allow you to maintain a healthy weight.

What is weight-loss resistance?

Weight-loss resistance arises when a woman develops or has a preexisting metabolic imbalance that makes losing weight and maintaining healthy weight extremely challenging, despite her best efforts to eat less and exercise more.

Here are the six core systemic imbalances that greatly contribute to weight-loss resistance in women:

• Hormonal imbalance (including thyroid dysfunction)
• Adrenal imbalance (chronic stress)
• Neurotransmitter imbalance
• Digestive imbalance
• Systemic inflammation
• Impaired detoxification

Six ways to address weight-loss resistance

We often see a combination of the above imbalances in stubborn weight-loss resistance, but as we begin to work with a woman, we see one that generally predominates. Here are six fundamental measures you can begin to apply today. We have found each of these beneficial to a woman’s efforts — no matter how entrenched her weight-loss resistance.

1) Understand your unique physiology. Work with a functional medicine practitioner or join a program like our Personal Program for Healthy Weight to identify any metabolic imbalances keeping you from weight loss. Once you find out what your imbalance is, you can tailor your nutritional plan and lifestyle changes to re-balance your system.

2) Get the best raw materials. I suggest eating three well-balanced meals and two snacks each day. Organic fruits and vegetables are always good choices, but also be sure each meal and snack includes some high-quality protein like legumes, nuts, fish, or lean organic meats. If you are often on the go, a snack shake made of whey protein and almond milk or water is also a great choice.

Along with regular meals and snacks, successful weight loss is facilitated by including certain vitamins, minerals, and cofactors in your diet. In particular, chromium, zinc, vitamin C, D3, and the B vitamins are essential for healthy metabolism. So be sure to include a high-quality multivitamin–mineral complex like the one we offer in our Personal Programs to support your weight-loss efforts.

3) Move your body. Even if you’ve felt discouraged by your fruitless workouts of the past, regular exercise is integral to a woman’s health — especially to shake off extra pounds and maintain that healthy weight. Overcoming weight-loss resistance and resetting your metabolism will generally require a little sweat — but for those short on time, bursting or interval training is a super-efficient option.

4) Address stress and emotional health. For some, rebalancing your body may be as easy as ending a troubling relationship! I had one patient whose weight-loss resistance was rooted in stress. Her husband was cheating on her and embezzling money from her. Dumping him helped her to lose 40 pounds without doing anything else! So take the time to explore what’s working and not working in your life, because these things truly do influence your make changes and sustain healthy habits.

5) Find time to restore and SLEEP. Quality sleep is something we all compromise when we’re overscheduled. But if you’re serious about losing weight, sleep has to become a top priority. Not only does a good night’s sleep allow our body time to restore itself, sleep plays an integral role in how hungry we feel. Studies show that getting too little sleep causes us to consume more calories. Eight hours of sleep between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM is ideal when you want to overcome weight-loss resistance.

6) Gain the benefit of a supportive social network. Research shows that people who join together in their weight-loss efforts are more successful. Whether you find a partner to start your new weight-loss plan with, join a larger group, or simply take advantage of our Member Advocates and Wellness Coaches, gaining connection with others can really help you lose.

Could weight-gain be in your genes?

New research in genetics is helping us to understand that genes cause some to metabolize fat differently than others. This means that certain kinds of food and exercise may be better for some than others.

While some women may lose weight on a lower-fat diet, others may benefit from a more Mediterranean-style diet.2 While some women lose more weight with endurance-style exercise, others may do better with strength training. In other words, we’re all different!

I’m not sure why our culture is always trying to put us in a box, one where the same solutions work for every person. Mother Nature proves to us again and again that we are all unique. What works for you may not work for your girlfriend or your sister. Our differences in shape, size, color, genetics, and personality are all worthy of embrace and celebration. You deserve to find out what’s lying at the core of your weight-loss puzzle and we can help you get there.

Reference: womentowomen.com

7 surprising things you're not supposed to know about sunscreen

  Almost nothing you hear about sunscreen from traditional media channels is accurate. So here's a quick guide to the 7 most important things you need to know about sunscreen, sunlight and vitamin D:

#1) The FDA refuses to allow natural sunscreen ingredients to be used in sunblock / sunscreen products

It's true: If you create a truly natural sunscreen product using exotic botanicals with powerful sunscreen properties, you will never be able to market it as a "sunscreen" product. That's because the FDA decides what can be used as sunscreen and what can't, regardless of what really works in the real world. And there are really only two natural ingredients the FDA has allowed to be sold as sunscreen: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Any other non-chemical sunscreen ingredients, if sold as "sunscreen," would be considered mislabeled by the FDA and result in your products being confiscated... even if they offer fantastic sunscreen protection!

Not surprisingly, this whole monopoly over sunscreen chemicals is designed to protect the profits of the chemical companies while marginalizing the natural product companies which could easily formulate far better solutions. I have personally spoken to the founders of several health product companies who have figured out amazing sunscreen formulations using nothing but natural botanicals, but the FDA won't let them market their products as sunscreen products!

It's just another example of the FDA standing in the way of health innovation.

#2) Nearly all conventional sunscreen products contain cancer-causing chemicals

Read the ingredients list of any sunscreen product sold at Wal-Mart, or Walgreens, or any other mainstream store. I dare ya!

You will not be able to pronounce most of the chemicals found in the ingredients list. That's because most sunscreen products are formulated with cancer-causing fragrance chemicals, parabens, harsh alcohols, toxic chemical solvents and petroleum oils. A typical sunscreen product is actually a chemical assault on your body. That's why research shows that using sunscreen actually causes more cancer than it prevents (http://www.naturalnews.com/023317_s...).

#3) In a nation where over 70% of the population is vitamin D deficiency, sunscreen actually blocks vitamin D production

Vitamin D deficiency is perhaps the most widespread vitamin deficiency in North America. According to the research, 70 percent of whites are deficient in vitamin D, and up to 97 percent of blacks are deficient (http://www.naturalnews.com/030598_v...).

Chronic vitamin D deficiency promotes cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/031560_v...), winter flu and infections, depression, osteoporosis and hormonal imbalances. Depending on whom you believe, vitamin D alone can prevent anywhere from 50% to nearly 80% of all cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/021892.html).

By blocking vitamin D production in the skin, sunscreen products actually contribute to cancer-promoting nutritional deficiencies.

This doesn't mean you should never wear a sunscreen product, of course. If your skin is really pale and you're planning a day on the beach in Hawaii, you will obviously benefit from some level of sun protection using a truly natural sunscreen product. But an informed health-conscious person would try to allow their skin to achieve a natural, healthy tan (yes, a tan truly is healthy if it's combined with good nutrition, see below) through sensible exposure levels that activate vitamin D production in the skin.

#4) You can boost your internal sun resistance by changing what you eat

Here's the real secret about sun exposure that no one in conventional medicine is talking about (because, as usual, they are woefully ignorant about nutrition): You can boost your internal sunscreen by eating antioxidant-rich foods and superfoods.

The supplement astaxanthin, for example, is very well known for boosting your skin's natural resistance to sunburn. Its fat-soluble carotenoids are actually transported to skin cells where they protect those cells from UV exposure.

The more natural antioxidants you have in your diet, the more sunlight your skin will be able to handle without burning. Nearly everyone mistakenly believes that a person's sunlight burn response is purely a genetic factor. They're wrong. You can radically improve your resistance to UV exposure through radical dietary changes.

I'm a great example of this, actually, as I used to burn in just 20 - 30 minutes of sunlight when I was on a junk food diet years ago. But now, as someone who eats superfoods and high-end nutritional supplements every day, I can spend hours in the sun and will only turn slightly red (which fades a few hours later and does not result in a burn or skin peeling).

Except for one time on an all-day visit to a water park, I have not worn sunscreen in over 8 years. I spend a large amount of time in the sun, and I have absolutely no concerns whatsoever about skin cancer. My skin, most people tell me, looks significantly younger than my biological age. That's not from sunscreen; it's from nutrition. Sun exposure does not make your skin "age" if you follow a high-nutritional density diet.

#5) UV exposure alone does not cause skin cancer

It is a complete medical myth that "UV exposure causes skin cancer." This false idea is a total fabrication by the ignorant medical community (dermatologists) and the profit-driven sunscreen companies.

The truth is actually more complicated: Skin cancer can only be caused when UV exposure is combined with chronic nutritional deficiencies that create skin vulnerabilities.

To create skin cancer, in other words, you have to eat a junk food diet, avoid protective antioxidants, and then also experience excessive UV exposure. All three of those elements are required. Conventional medicine completely ignores the dietary influences and focuses entirely on just one factor: Sunscreen vs. no sunscreen. This is a one-dimensional approach to the issue that's grossly oversimplified to the point of being misleading.

The medical industry, it seems, does not want people to figure out they can literally eat their way to healthier skin. It's amazing, actually: Your skin is made entirely out of the food you eat, so how could your diet not affect your skin health? Yet no one in conventional medicine -- not the dermatologists, not the doctors and not the health regulators -- has the intellectual honesty to admit that what you eat largely determines how your skin reacts to UV exposure.

#6) Not all "natural" sunscreen products are really natural

Be careful when shopping for so-called "natural" sunscreen products. While there are some good ones out there, many are just examples of greenwashing, where they use terms like "natural" or "organic" but still contain loads of synthetic chemicals anyway.

A good guide for checking on sunscreen products is the Environmental Working Group guide (EWG) at: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ Read the ingredients labels to see for yourself. Don't use any sunscreen product containing ingredients that sound like chemicals:

• Methyl... • Propyl... • Butyl... • Ethyl... • Trieth... • Dieth... etc.

Always buy unscented sunscreen unless for some reason you just enjoy coating your skin with artificial perfume chemicals. A typical sunscreen product is made with over a dozen cancer-causing fragrance chemicals, and they're absorbed right through your skin. Most sunscreens, when applied as directed, are really just toxic chemical baths that heavily burden your liver and can give you cancer.

#7) Many "chemical free" sunscreens are loaded with chemicals

Search Amazon.com for "chemical free natural sunscreen" and you'll see a listing for:

Jason Natural Cosmetics - Earth's Best Sun Block Chemical Free, 4 oz cream

Click on the product and you'll find a listing of its ingredients which includes: C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Calcium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Stearalkonium Hectorite

So how are those not chemicals? Ethylhexyl Palmitate is NOT a chemical? Who are these people kidding? The Amazon.com description (title) of this product is false and misleading. In all fairness, however, this product title looks like it was added into the Amazon.com system by the vendor and not the Jason company itself. But it's an example of how the information you see from online vendors can often be misleading.

Always read the ingredients of any sunscreen product before using it. Don't poison yourself with sunscreen!

Beware the  surrounding sunscreen products

Perhaps more with sunscreen than any other personal care product, the "official" information distributed through the mainstream media is hopelessly misleading (if not downright false). Remarkably, no one in the media or the government is even willing to admit that fragrance chemicals are bad for your health. Similarly, no one is willing to admit that the chemicals you put on your skin get ABSORBED by your skin.

Without those two truths being acknowledged right up front, the rest of whatever they say about sunscreen is worthless babble. Any honest talk about sunscreen must acknowledge the simple truth that the chemicals you put on your skin get absorbed into your skin, and that most sunscreen products are made out of a chemical cocktail of cancer-causing substances.

This is the truth about sunscreen that both the sunscreen industry and the cancer industry doesn't want you to hear. It's the dirty little secret of sunscreen: The more you use, the more you CAUSE cancer in your body! (And the more money the cancer centers make "treating" your cancer with yet more deadly chemicals known as chemotherapy.)

So buyer beware. Sunscreen products are a minefield of lies, fraud and disinformation designed to keep you ignorant of the importance of sun exposure as well as the health risks associated with using cancer-causing chemicals on your skin.

Stick with truly natural sunscreen products (when needed) and try to build up a healthy tan while consuming large quantities of superfoods and antioxidants in your diet. Consider taking astaxanthin or other fat-soluble nutrients on a regular basis. Engage in daily juicing of fresh fruits and vegetables which are loaded with living nutrients. Time your sun exposure to build up a healthy tan so that you don't need sunscreen at all. Contrary to all the misinformation we've all been fed, a healthy tan is actually a good sign that you're achieving adequate vitamin D synthesis in your own skin.

Kasia Good Day Sunshine Sunblock

Why is Kasia SUNSHIELD is part of only 8% of Sunscreens on the market, considered SAFE?

FACT: There are few active sunscreen ingredients that effectively block both  UVA and UVB rays.  Kasia uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are the only ones that are both safe and effective for UVA and UVB protection and  do not penetrate the skin but block or reflect the sun.

Hit List to AVOID!

Sure, avoid Parabens, but take extreme caution in avoiding sunscreens with Oxtinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone or Homosalate. These chemicals are toxic and have high absorption rates through the skin.  They act as either irritants, allergens, hormone disruptors or carcinogens.

Learn more about Kasia Sunshield HERE!

Reference -Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/032815_sunscreen_chemicals.html#ixzz1SL1D8ZYz

Detox daily with these summer foods!

Do you know that what you eat now in these warm summer months can protect you from colds and flus in the fall and winter? If you want to avoid a bad week of coughing and a stuffy nose in the near future, there are 3 main foods,  eat more of this summer that will help you feel more energized, lean and clear.

Eating more of these foods will also help your skin look radiant and you will have less cravings for foods that don't make you feel good.

Top 3 Summer Detox Foods

1. Eat dark leafy green vegetables every day, such as salads, micro greens, sprouts or steamed kale.  Pile greens into your wraps and sandwiches, your tacos and burritos and even in your fruit smoothies (try spinach or romaine).
2. Enjoy decadent amounts of berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.  They make great desserts, toppings and even taste delicious in salad.
3. Drink copious amounts of plain water to stay hydrated.  Aim for 1/2 your ideal body weight in ounces every day (if you weigh 120 pounds, drink 60 ounces of water per day).

When you eat light, juicy seasonal summer foods, the intestinal mucosa in your digestive system will stay clear and healthy.  Remember, in nature it is not about avoiding certain foods.  It is about eating more of the good ones.

Learn more about this article from John Douillard!   Summer Grocery List : By John Douillard, DC, PhD

Healing Aromatherapy and your Shower.

A nice long shower after a active summer's day  with a hint of aromatherapy oils work beautifully together to bring deep relaxation and healing benefits to your mind and body. Enjoying a hot bath or steamy  shower is a soothing part of hydrotherapy that has been used for centuries in healing the body. By taking a steam bath or shower with selective essential oils, you can increase circulation bringing blood from deeper parts of the body to the skins surface thereby bringing toxins closer to the skin for sweating out impurities.

Improved circulation and sweating help to eliminate fatty deposits such as cellulite and middle skin layer fat cells. Circulation increases, the pores open and cleaned through perspiration with the combination of the steam that is infused with Kasia Apothecary  Essential oils.

Hydrated and refreshed skin makes our  face and body look younger and revitalized with a dewy glow.  All you need are your favorite essential oil blend of your choice and a clean washcloth.

Experience maximum benefits of essential oils while in the shower:

1) Before you get into the shower, think about the therapeutic properties and positive effects of the essential oil that you are going to use.

2) Put 3 to 5 drops of the essential oil on the washcloth.

3) While showering, place the washcloth on your chest and allow the heat of the shower to release the vapors of the essential oil. Breathe deeply, relax your mind and visualize the wonderful changes that the essential oils are bringing about in your mind and body.

4) Once you turn the shower off, use the same washcloth to rub your body, specially arms and legs, with movements pointing towards the heart. This helps stimulate circulation, lymph movement and your immune system.

Healing Therapeutic Oils

Eucalyptus Medicinal, fresh, earthy and woodyAnti-inflammatory, coughs, colds, asthma, relieve muscle tension

Geranium Floral, fruity, sweet and fresh Relaxing, uplifting, balancing the skin, astringent, antiseptic and diuretic

Lavender Fresh, floral, slightly fruity and herbaceous Aids sleep, tired muscles, relaxing, boosts immune system, antiseptic, soothe minor cuts and burns, soothe headaches, antifungal Peppermint Mint fragranceAntiviral, headaches, muscle aches and digestive problems Tea Tree Medicinal, fresh, woody and earthyAntiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, antispasmotic, boost immune system

Lemon Uplifting and relaxingTreating wounds and infections, including flu and colds, anti-depressing, relaxing Rosemary Fresh, herbaceous, sweet and slightly medicinalAntibacterial, stimulating, uplifting, muscle aches, dull skin, gout, poor circulation, arthritis

Ylang Ylang Fresh, floral, sweet and slightly fruityRelaxation, anxiety, hypertension, depression, stress, aphrodisiac

Learn more about Kasia Apothecary Essential Oils HERE!

Reference Aroma Blog

F.D.A. Finally Sets New Rules About Sunscreen Claims

Sunscreen rules to help take the guesswork out of protecting against most dangerous sun rays

Help is on the way to consumers confused by the jumble of sun protection numbers, symbols and other claims on sunscreens. Starting next summer, consumers can start looking for SPF 15 bottles with the label "broad spectrum" and feel confident they're being protected from an increased risk of cancer.

Currently, standards of protection apply only to one part of the sun's spectrum, ultraviolet B rays, which cause sunburn. Under new rules published Tuesday, they will also have to protect against the more penetrating ultraviolet A rays associated with skin cancer.

The guidelines, which spent more than 30 years in bureaucratic limbo, are designed to enhance the effectiveness of sunscreens and make them easier to use.

The key takeaway for consumers: Look for a sun protection factor, or SPF, of 15 and above that also says "broad spectrum." That's the new buzzword from the Food and Drug Administration to describe a product that does an acceptable job blocking both types of damaging rays.

Starting next summer, sunscreens with less than an SPF of 15 or that aren't "broad spectrum" will have to carry a warning label: "This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging."

Read the full news article HERE

Kasia Good Day Sunshine Sunscreen rated TOP SUNSCREEN on EWG!

Natural and Free from Harmful Chemicals

Good Day Sunshine Sunscreen, developed by local natural health and beauty care leader Kassie Kuehl, is a chemical-free sunscreen optimal for sensitive or traumatized skin and safe for children.

“Losing my 24 year old brother to skin cancer, I have grown well aware of the many underlying potential causes,” Kuehl said. “Unlike chemical sunscreens, I love that nature can provide remarkable ingredients that reflect and scatter away both UVA and UVB rays from your body by forming a physical barrier, without irritating or clogging your pores.”

Numerous studies now show that green tea is a powerful antioxidant, especially used on the skin.  When applied topically,   green tea is highly capable of   assisting in skin damage reduction and sun radiation.  In short, green tea helps protect your skin’s cells by providing antioxidant protection.

• FREE of chemical laden fragrances…NON-zero….zilch.
• FREE of parabens (harsh chemical or any harsh preservatives)..
• FREE of Xenoestrogens!

  Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 5% & Zinc Oxide 5%

• Inactive Ingredients: Triple Purified Water/Aqua, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Leaf) Gel, Vegetable Glycerine, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Hydroxysuccinimide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide- 3, Persea Gratissima (Avocado Seed) Oil, Simmondsia Chinesis (Jojoba Seed) Oil, Vittis Vinefera (Grape Seed) Oil, Vegetable Glycerine, Capric/Capryllic Triglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Monostearate, Cyclomethicone, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E), Cetyl Alcohol, Mica

  EWG Website Rates Good Day Sunshine a level 1.  Superb Formulation.   Link HERE!

Be there on June 16th. The Toxies are Coming to Town!

Hey Informed Beaute's ....this one's for you!

You've heard of the Oscars, the Emmys and the Grammys, but now there's a new, up-and-coming awards ceremony: The Toxies.

Join for this free event on Thursday, June 16th at Intermedia Arts (map) from 5:15-7:30 pm. From 5:15-6:00 there will be a reception with light appetizers and drinks. The awards show will begin following the reception. RSVP now!

The Toxies is a satirical awards show that recognizes “bad actor chemicals," referred to as such by researchers due to their harmful effects and prevalence in our lives. Formaldehyde, Bisphenol A (BPA), Lead and others will be in attendance. These chemicals—portayed at the show by actual, good actors—are known to contribute to certain types of cancer, development disorders, infertility and other health problems. They are in our homes, workplaces and schools, and it’s time they are recognized for their harmful effects.

Help raise awareness around the important issue of toxic chemicals in our every day products. RSVP now to this limited-seating event for free!

And don't forget to vote below for Minnesota's People's Choice Award for Worst Performance of the Year by a toxic chemical. The winning toxic chemical will receive a Minnesota Toxie Award live at the event.

Learn more here.   Don't miss a chance to win a raffle/donation from Kasia Organic Salon!

http://iatp.typepad.com/healthy_legacy/2011/06/toxie-awards-join-us.html

The Toxie Diaries: Formaldehyde

Hey Formalde-fans!! Been awhile since I’ve written, so I decided to update all my followers on what I’m up to.

So, where have I been? Well, if you keep up with the news you’d know I’ve been pretty much everywhere. (Remember when I showed up in those FEMA trailers for the Hurricane Katrina victims, causing respiratory complaints among inhabitants? Oops!!) Even though the EPA tells people I’m known to cause cancer, they can’t do anything about it! I’m still pretty much all around, partying, you know, havin’ a good time. Don’t tell my publicist :).

Anyway, went to the nail salon the other day. I feel like I’m there all the time! Remember when people only knew me as that reeking chemical in high school science class? I’ve come such a long way since then: carpeting, particleboard, personal care products – I’m even showing up in cribs and changing tables, leaching out into the air to be breathed in by little babies. I’m so well known, I can’t wait to show up at my high school reunion and surprise everyone with my overwhelming success and stench! Ugh...do I smell!

Is there a more versatile toxic chemical than me? I’ve made so many lists, it’s hard to keep track.

Oh, news item! I was just put on the Minnesota Priority Chemicals List! “Priority Chemical” – not bad, huh? I guess it has something to do with how I’m a toxic chemical or whatever. Not sure if I get a certificate or trophy or anything for it, but it’s cool to be recognized. And I just want to thank all my victims and the shameless drive for profit over health that’s gotten me to where I am!