One of the primary challenges for maintaining healthy skin as the weather gets cooler is finding ways to keep it healthy, toned and protected – and the truth is, there are many ways to accomplish that. Dry or oily skin, breakouts and changes in your skin’s pH, for example, can all be managed through the use of supplements, making changes to your diet, being healthier in your lifestyle and even alleviating stress. One of the easiest ways to manage minor skin issues, however, is through the use of over-the-counter products – specifically, various creams and lotions. Although most creams are...

 October brings with it some of our favorite fall moments. Who didn’t spend a few minutes outside this last weekend, visiting a pumpkin patch, raking up leaves scattered all over the yard, or putting up last year’s Halloween decorations?Whatever you did this weekend, it’s likely to that you did it with friends, outdoors, and without a care in the world for the chill in the air. But as we start to unconsciously huddle closer together for warmth, we start to spread more germs than we might have in the summer – which means that immune systems start to suffer and...

We know that Halloween is all about over the top costume drama - but that doesn't mean you should sacrifice your skin! Take a look at four makeup ideas below to get a brilliant look that you can pull off with your natural makeup.  Snow White Snow White might be an iconic character, but that doesn't mean you can't pull off her look. Check out the tutorial to see step by step directions.Shop The Look: Disguise System (Light), Creme Blush (Pink), Eyeshadow (White Shimmer, Mocha Brown, Matte Cocoa), Lipstick (Clover Red), Mascara (Black) The Cat Always a staple costume for the last minute planner,...

Halloween is just over a week away, and although some of you have already thought of the costumes you’ll be wearing this year, we thought that a little inspiration never hurts. Click below to see what articles inspired us this season – and what many bloggers recommended avoiding. Warning: Halloween Makeup Contains Dangerous Heavy Metals  By Deborah MitchellAccording to Deborah Mitchell, a freelance health and medical writer, a study from 2011 reported that 100% of Halloween makeup products tested contained detectable levels of one or more dangerous metals, including cadmium, lead and mercury. Yikes! So what do we do if we want...

Recently, Walmart announced that it would be taking new strides towards sustainability. The multinational retail corporation has pledged to make ‘safer products the new normal’ and to reduce the number of toxic chemicals in their products, to use more recycled materials and to improve their energy efficiency (read one of the full stories here at thedailygreen.com). Hearing this kind of news from a company with such a big carbon footprint has advocates from the Breast and Cancer Fund and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics cheering for these changes – and it has everyone on the Real Purity team celebrating as well. For...

Vital, diverse, complex, and extensive; these are adjectives used to describe our skin, which is the body’s largest and thinnest organ. It contains approximately 96 million pores, which is roughly 17 to 20 square feet in average sized adults. It comes as no surprise, then, that keeping this organ healthy is crucial to our overall health.With functions as diverse as temperature regulation and sensations, the skin protects us by preventing bacteria, pathogens and pollutants from entering the blood stream, by taking in nutrients, moisture and oxygen, and by eliminating wastes and toxins.  So, it’s logical to assume that we all...

Quarternary amonium compounds are synthetic derivatives of ammonium chloride an ammonium salt that occurs naturally (1). That it occurs naturally should in no way merit its inclusion in product ingredients that are considered natural. Many components occur in nature and are however not something someone would want to consume or even use topically. An example is a type of vitamin E –D–L Alpha Tocopheral which comes from petroleum and regardless of the hype and propaganda involved should be avoided. Ammonium chloride is colorless and odorless in crystal or powder form. It is used industrially in freezing mixtures, batteries, dyes, safety...

As part of patient education we have recommended discontinuing vegetable oils and using extra virgin organic olive oil, organic virgin coconut oil, organic macadamia nut oil and organic pure butter. There are oils such as sesame, peanut, etc., that people like for cooking. Remember high heat can be dangerous especially when the heat is rapid, high and causes the oil to smoke— not good, so use good sense and moderation and the right oils. The term heart healthy vegetable oil(s) is an oxymoron. The danger to the cardiovascular system is great and when you toss in the implications in macular...

What are free radicals? Technically, free radicals are atoms with one electron as opposed to the normal two electrons in their outer shell. Being reactive and unstable they seek another electron to become stable. A free radical grabs an electron from an adjacent atom, therby meeting its own electron need but damaging the neighboring atom and in turn creating a new free radical. When enough atoms become damaged from this chain reaction, the molecule that contains them becomes damaged. These free radicals attack DNA which in turn can lead to cellular dysfunction, mutation and cancer. When they attack enzymes and...

The common misconception that the medical effect of an herb is similar to a pharmaceutical drug-in that it is due to a single ingredient has led to a dangerous notion that in turn should allow big Pharma to patent and dispense them in a dangerous and toxic manner, not unlike the one already in place for the patent drugs that are their stock and trade in today’s “better living through chemistry” environment. The push toward standardizing herbs to the “so-called” active ingredient making them more like drugs is on. When there is no respect for each herb as found in...