Taking care of an unhappy skin

Your skin should be cleansed both in the morning and in the evening. After a long day in the polluted city air or stuffy office, you should cleanse it even twice. Use a cleanser with no harsh ingredients or perfumes. Afterwards apply a gentle tonic lotion to remove any remaining limescale from the water. If you are prone to spots or have a break-out, you should use a toner with additional disinfectant ingredients. It is not recommended to use peeling or harsh exfoliators if your skin is disturbed or suffering. It will only irritate it more. In that case, a mask with healing oils (like shea butter and jojoba oil) may be very helpful. A light cream with tea tree oil and/or zinc should also help to calm the affected areas.

Products by Dr. Baumann

Make sure you keep all your cosmetic brushes, sponges, towels and all other things that come into contact with your face clean. Wash them often and thoroughly with detergent.

Visit your beauty therapist regularly to get a deep cleansing. You should also be adviced on what products are good for your skin type. More on this next week:)

Nevertheless, remember that there are also other factors causing skin problems. Hormones, stress and diet can have a direct influence as well.

In your diet, you should avoid sugars, animal proteins and milk. They can contribute to the bad condition of the skin because of the hormones added to the products.

Keep your skin smiling,

by Isabel Kammermeier

The organic pharmacy

Herbathek on Kollwitzplatz is my new favourite shop in town. This is the only exclusively organic pharmacy in Germany.

If you are searching for a professional advice from practitioners of alternative medicine, this is the place to go. You will find there all  medicinal herbs, natural remedies and organic products.

Herbathek – Natural remedy

Health Professional Centre

Kollwitzstrasse 76

10435 Berlin

www.herbathek.com

by Isabel Kammermeier

How safe are your cosmetics?

A quick guide to what should and what should not be on your cosmetics & beauty shelf.

I imagine most people aren’t aware of what exactly is in the products they are using on a daily basis.  It is important to find that out and avoid ingredients that may cause irritation and allergies. Even after using a product for many years your skin can react to it without you realizing that the ingredients could be the problem. Some ‚natural‘ products can also cause an allergic reaction.

Here are some of the ingredients that you should avoid:

Preservatives: Benzoic acid, Methylparaben, Ethylbaraben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben and many more.

Mineral oils: Mineral oil, Petrolatum (vaseline), Paraffinum-liquidum, Paraffinum Subliquidum, Cera Mocrocristallina, Microcrystaline wax, Ozokerit, Ceresin

Ingredients derived from dead animals.

Perfumes, fragrances and ethereal oils.

If in doubt stop using the product and find an alternative. Here are some suggestions

Dr. Baumann SkinIdent

Keep your skin smiling,

  Isabel Kammermeier

Smiling skin

When summer comes to an end, your skin needs a lot of care and attention.  It might feel dry, uneven or suffer from impurities and spots. Sunscreen and the heat/sweat can cause many of these problems.

Firstly, (which should already be part of your everyday routine), you should cleanse your face thoroughly using a cleansing milk or gel. Afterwards put on a gentle exfoliation.  If you find your skin too sensitive, use a mild cleansing mask with Kaolin and special oils to replenish the lost moisture.  Finally use a moisturizing mask which can be left on the skin for the day.

If your skin is very dry, use an ampoule of Hyaluron for a few days underneath your daily moisturizer.  If you are unsure of which products to use and when, now is the time to find a recommended beauty therapist who will take you through all the details, which you can then apply at home by yourself.

Keep your skin smiling,

  Isabel Kammermeier