Arizona Farmers' Market Beauty Finds: Part III

Absolutely Delightful Arizona Raw Honey

Most of the time when we think of beauty finds we tend to think of actual products – like lotions and potions and such. I love a beautifully crafted elixir as much as the next person, but I also want to emphasize that many beauty secrets are held in the cells of simple whole foods – which are abundant at your local Farmers’ Market. This often overlooked storehouse of the best beauty parlor tricks in the business is what has prompted me to share my third beauty find from my neighborhood Farmers’ Market – Organic Raw Arizona Honey.

Honey has many benefits for our health and can be used both internally and externally for healing and for nurturing good health. For the purposes of this blog I will focus on the benefits of raw honey when applied topically, which include:

1. Honey is a humectant, so therefore draws moisture and nutrients from the deeper layers of the skin or dermis to the outermost, visible layers. This is a great aid for aging skin and for those of us residing in harsher climates. Honey thus gives you the most radiantly glowing complexion.

2. Raw honey contains active enzymes that eat away dead skin cells, therefore can give you all the exfoliation benefits of a chemical alpha-hydroxy mask, over relatively short periods of time, without the harmful potential side-effects. This results in a very smooth look and feel to your skin.

3. Honey can also be used as a hair mask (mixed with olive or grapeseed oil, essential oils and or clay) that can be added to your conditioner or used in place of it. (Of course you would need to thoroughly rinse your hair with very warm water afterwards until all stickiness was thoroughly dissolved, and I would only recommend that those with straight or mildly (loosely) curled hair try that trick. If you have very tight curls or dreadlocks this is not the best idea for obvious reasons.

4. If you have an acne problem that is bacterial or fungal in nature, then raw honey is your friend. Regular honey masks can really help to attack the problem at its root and can yield tangible results in just a few short weeks or even days. This is potentially a great alternative to most of the chemical laden acne products that are on the market today, and is worth trying before resorting to the heavy hitters.

5. Honey has a great quantity of nutrients and enzymes that speed the healing of wounds, and assist in preventing scarring and hyperpigmentation. In fact, honey can actually assist in lightening dark spots thus creating a more even or uniform skin tone.

Eleanor Dzuik of Absolutely Delightful has a beautiful, ethically sourced raw honey available at many of the Farmers’ Markets in the Phoenix area, and for your convenience – you can also shop for her varieties of honey as well as honey, propolis or royal jelly based personal care products from her website.

I love mixing her raw honey with clay and essential oils for a daily face cleanser that both cleans, exfoliates and moisturizes without stripping my face of its delicate and protective pH mantle. These are but a few ways in which raw honey can be enjoyed for more than just its sweetness.

Arizona Farmers' Market Beauty Finds: Part II

Holistic Earth Remedies Organic Face Wash with Arizona Honey

Ordinarily I do not advocate washing the face with soap, because it is frequently too drying and disturbs the delicate and protective pH mantle of the skin, with facial skin being especially delicate. I did recently, however, run into a gentle soap-based cleanser with several redeeming qualities - so much so, that I am happy to recommend it. Here are a few things worth noting that make this Organic Face Wash so exceptional:

1. It is organic and truly all natural. It consists of saponified (made into soap) oils of coconut, olive, hemp and jojoba as well as essential oils of rosemary, lavender and tea tree. It is preserved with citric acid and the essential oils in it also lend a preservative effect.
2. In addition to having made the most perfectly balanced aromatherapeutic blend of the aforementioned essential oils, in generous proportions, that is at once invigorating and soothing to the senses, these E.O.'s are fantastic when used either alone or in combination for clearing acne and regenerating both young and experienced skin.
3. You need just the tiniest drop of this face wash to adequately clean your entire face - so the smaller bottle (4 oz) can easily last for months. If you wanted to, you could enjoy the larger 8 oz size as both a body and face wash, especially if you have body acne or just want a spa-level aromatherapy hit as part of your regular shower experience. So given how just a little bit goes a long way, this is one of the most affordable, nice quality organic soap based face washes around.
4. This face wash contains really raw Arizona honey. This is the genius of this product. Honey is highly emollient for the face and helps to draw moisture from the deeper layers of the dermis to the surface of the skin, thus creating a deliciously dewy and radiant complexion. It is also vigorously anti-bacterial, which makes it an excellent cleanser for bacterially-caused skin issues. This addition alone may be what makes this face wash so much gentler than other soap based cleansers - so you get the grime removal without as much stripping of the "good stuff."
5. This company, Holistic Earth Remedies, is a small operation, owned and run by Maggie Zombro who singlehandedly sells at several Farmers' Markets in the Phoenix area during the week. It is such a wonderful feeling to be able to exchange currency with an artisan directly, who is making high quality, handmade, natural beauty products in small batches, with love and attention to detail.

Maggie also has a host of other products which are worth looking at. Thanks Maggie for bringing this originally and exquisitely crafted product to the Arizona market and beyond.

Arizona Farmers' Market Beauty Finds: Part I

Little Mama Products Happy Face Facial Serum

Farmers Markets are such fun places to stock up on not only your kitchen provisions but on artisanal and natural beauty products as well. A recent visit to my local market yielded some vendors with some amazing products – three of which I would love to share here over the coming week. Thankfully all of them also have an online presence so you won’t be out of luck if you are not in the Phoenix, Arizona area to enjoy the markets in which they regularly participate.

The first product on the list is a lovely facial serum from Sue Harris of Little Mama Products. It is all natural and made with no synthetic colors, fragrances or preservatives. The serum goes on the skin like a dry oil which one could wear as a stand alone moisturizer in more humid climates, or for people who hate any feeling of oiliness on their skin. (Dry oils absorb very fast, giving one instant moisturization and glow without the ‘stickiness’ that most lotion-averse people despise.)

This makes Happy Face Facial Serum ideal for wearing under your regular moisturizer or face cream, or for mixing it in with them if you are pressed for time and need to skip a step. I also love it for times when your face needs a quick moisture boost on the go. Just wipe with a wet towel (preferably a warm one so you can simultaneously open your pores) to remove any grime accumulated during the course of your day and then give yourself a quick dab of this serum to freshen your look.

This face magic comes in the teensiest of bottles that is easy to pop in your purse, pocket or backpack and a little bit goes along way. Best of all it can be added to your existing regimen. You don’t have to stop or change anything you are already doing to incorporate it.

Despite boasting an ingredient list of the highest quality, it only costs $15.00 per bottle.

Here is a list and explanation of what goes into making this exquisite ounce of face magic.

Olive Squalane – A fast and deeply penetrating dry oil that moisturizes and provides anti-oxidants

Moringa Oil – Extremely stable (takes a beating before it goes rancid) and is full of antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids that give you “that glow.”

Virgin Rosehip Seed Oil (Rose Mosqueta) – Pressed from ripe rose hips and a well known and much used ally in the fight against wrinkles and visible skin aging.

Meadowfoam Seed Oil, - Another extremely stable and deeply moisturizing oil that actually lends its stability to all other ingredients with which it is blended. It also helps to create a barrier on the skin which helps to seal in moisture and prevent excessive moisture loss.

Pomegranate Seed Oil – Is chock full of antioxidants, essential fatty acids and phytonutrients. It is incredibly healing and can even be useful for sun and wind burn, as well as revitalizing more experienced skin by smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and restoring tone and radiance to the skin.

Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil - An extremely potent and well known skin oil that is prized for its highly nutritive qualities and ability to regenerate skin cells and heal damaged skin.

Buriti Oil – This glorious orange oil has more beta-carotene than even carrot seed oil and is like liquid gold on the face. It is deliciously moisturizing and anti-aging.

Neroli Essential Oil – Regenerates skin, prevents scar tissue and repairs broken capillaries. Also very relaxing and promotes restful sleep.

Helichrysum Essential Oil – As a serious youthening agent, helichrysum is a profound cell regenerator that heals wounding and firms up the skin.

Tangerine Essential Oil – An uplifting oil that helps to maintain oil and moisture balance in the skin

Vitamin E – A natural preservative that is also very nourishing and healing for the skin.

Thank you Sue for making such a wonderful natural product for our enjoyment and personal beauty regimens.