What comes to mind when you hear the words self care? For me, it was always bubble baths, mani/pedi's, and general girl time. It wasn't until I found myself being a part time caregiver for my mom that I really came to understand the true value of self care. Not to mention, now in my 30's I no longer feel like wonder woman! Things have started to ache! Something I NEVER thought would happen! Although my time as a care giver was brief (about 6-7 months) I learned that in order to pour from my cup, I had to keep refilling it, and I feel this is a message that everyone needs to hear, even if they already know, they need to be reminded. 

    Newly minted with my Life Coach Certification, I got really out of my comfort zone last week and decided to lead a workshop about self care at Strictly Salt. A dear friend of mine who is a mental health professional and also a life coach lead a class here last year when we started wellness Wednesday. She really helped to expand on my knowledge of self care, and I have since picked up a few tricks, some of which I would love to share with you today. 

The Science of Self Care: Why it's more than just pampering.

Let's talk about stress, after all, its the reason for all this self care talk! Stress now a days has such a bad reputation, as chronic stress can lead to things like depression, anxiety, weakening of your  immune system and even heart disease. It wasn't always that way. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors relied on the chemical in our bodies, (epinephrine) to fuel a fire to run away from predators! Stress, kept our ancestors alive (of course, average life spans were already much shorter 10,000 years ago than they are today!). When the body becomes stressed, it releases a rush of adrenaline to make our body work faster! That same rush of adrenaline can happen in modern day due to a disagreement with your boss, or an argument with your spouse, driving around this crazy city and getting cut off in your car! Emotional stress is bad because it can linger in your system for days or even months in some cases. 

The best way to combat the symptoms of stress in your life is to practice regular self care. A long hot bath with a glass of wine (or bottle, depending on how you roll) is definitely top of most self care lists. but there are many ways of relieving stress. 

The Self Care Wheel

I want to share with you guys a document that my friend shared with me at my first self care class, the Self Care Wheel, inspired by a workbook by Saakvitne, Pearlman and Staff of the TSI/CAPP. Recreated by Olga Phoenix for her website. This little wheel is AWESOME! Take a look!

The wheel has 6 categories, Physical, Psychological, Emotional, Spiritual, Personal and Professional. Unlike with goals, this self care wheel is more focused on what you need to be nurtured in order to be in the right mindset to achieve your goals. It helps to build the foundation for success in achieving your goals. There is nothing harder than making a list of your goals and not having the energy to go after them, something I struggle with daily as a new business owner. At this point in my career, we are finally stable enough in the day to day running of our facility that I feel much more confident to really take time to nurture my needs to grow my business and a self care wheel like this has been an amazing tool to help in the process.

Physical

Your physical needs are the things that you need to feel physically safe. I, for one, jump into my shower every morning before work and thank god for modern day plumbing. Having spent some time in third world countries as a child, I really value a flushing toilet and hot running water more than most of you could ever understand! Practicing gratitude will totally be another topic for a blog, but modern plumbing is DEFINITELY on my list of physical needs for mental health! Others may put going to bed early, or sleeping in, some need some nurturing from their significant others, I know I'm constantly asking mine for neck rubs! Others get stress relief from walking in nature or taking vacations! Think about what activities you need in your routine that make your physical body feel whole, and write them down in that section of the wheel. 

Psychological

Psychological self care is probably in my opinion the most important on the wheel. Surrounding yourself with positive people, journaling, meditation and self awareness are things that may fall into this category. What do you like to do after you have had a long hard day to process what has happened? Just take the time to be nice to yourself. Step back and appreciate the marvel that is you! 

Emotional

Emotional self care is all about paying attention to your emotional needs and figuring out what you need to balance them out. If you are feeling sad from a loss of a family member, sometimes you just need to get together with loved ones to talk it out, or spend some time telling funny stories about that family who was lost or just lock yourself in your bathroom and have a really good ugly cry. Not all emotional self care is about sadness, sometimes you just need to give yourself a reminder that you are beautiful inside and out, or you need to find peace by practicing forgiveness. Holding a grudge can be very stressful! It's very healthy to just let go and forgive!

Spiritual 

As a student of history, I often struggle with this part of the wheel. When I think of spirituality, I think of religion, and as a trained anthropologist, well, I just love religion! I find beauty in almost every religion! So many religions have such beautiful practices like meditation, prayer, music... But not all spiritual activities have to do with worship. Sometimes just singing can make you feel more spiritual, enjoying a day out of doors, or even volunteering for a cause can fulfill that spiritual need. 

Personal

"Know thy self" The ancient greeks knew a thing or two about personal self care. There are ancient volumes written about it! The power of knowing yourself means understanding your needs and meeting them. In our western culture, a lot of us don't have the luxury to follow a dream. One thing leads to another and we end up stuck in a routine, living paycheck to paycheck living unfulfilled lives. This can sometimes lead to the stress of unhappiness. What tools do you need to make your personal dreams a reality? Tools such as vision boards, or bullet journaling can be useful for many. Making a list of your long term goals and short term goals, or just figuring out what you want in life in general!

Professional

I feel like professional goals often go by the wayside in the U.S. This particular aspect of self care isn't about where you want to be professionally, its about finding balance in the work place. Taking long lunches, taking your days off, leaving work at work and learning to say no. Some of find balance by planning the next step in our career paths. These are all great tools to incorporate into our routines! 

My challenge to you is to take the time to fill out a blank copy of this wheel below and try to do at least one thing on that wheel every day for yourself, even if its only 20 minutes of your day. 

Keep an eye on our calendar for more workshops at Strictly Salt like this one! I will cover a few more aspects of self care on some upcoming blogs! Until then! Stay Salty my friends!

Eastern Europe has been benefiting from halotherapy for many years. Known in Europe as Spelotherapy, it is the practice of spending several hours in an underground environment devoid of allergens. The facilities are usually from previously excavated salt mines.   In Hungary, the treatment is recommended by doctors and is even covered by health insurance.  The most well known center was set up 150 years ago, by a Polish physician who noted that salt miners didn’t generally suffer from lung diseases. They carved a natural grotto within the Wieliczka salt mines and the facility became popular among those suffering from respiratory diseases.  This mine is still in use today, as is another salt mine in Bochnia, Poland, which has been active since 1248.  People suffering from allergies, neurological and rheumatoid problems as well as locomotor system dysfunctions are recommended to spend significant time in the mine.​ 

In the last few decades, we have all gotten familiar with the bad reputation that salt has gotten in mainstream health perspectives. The truth is that real salt is important for many biological processes in the body including regulating your blood pressure, carrying nutrients to your cells and improving brain function.
Standard iodized table salt has been chemically treated to such a degree that it no longer has any value for your body.  You can find a number of natural salts, such as Celtic salt, at your natural food store, while Himalayan salt is considered to be the most nutrient-dense salt of all. Just be sure to go with a high-quality product that is not refined and processed with chemicals.  The vibrant pink color of the Himalayan salt indicates that it is high in minerals and iron. In fact, this specific salt contains 84 different trace minerals that help to regulate different functions in your body. 

However, in our salt cave, we use pharmaceutical grade salt, which is salt that has been manufactured to be completely pure of any impurities or additives so that it is just pure Sodium Chloride Crystals. 

It is no small feat to disconnect from the world in this day and age, but at Strictly Salt of Metairie, thats exactly what you do. At first, we get clients and new members who are a bit aprehensive about leaving their lives in a locker, but after a few sessions we such a significant shift. Our clients are so ready for their break in lives they look forward to their 45 minutes of just unplugging and relaxing. This has done wonders for many of our clients helping to reduce stress levels, anxiety attacks and even in some cases symptoms of depression. Something we would have never even imagined was possible when planning on bringing salt therapy to the community. It has been so wonderful to see some of our members become brighter right before our very eyes, as the little salty oasis has become a special practice in their week. 

One of the things I laugh about when new clients walk in the door is how taken aback they are with the smell in our facility.  I laugh because, thats exactly the same reaction I had my very first time in a salt cave. I remember speaking to the owner of a salt room in Orlando, and mentioning how fresh it smelled in her facility, and she explained to me that it was due to the concentration of salt in the air. She said "Salt is a natural deodorant.... the 'smell' you are noticing is in fact the absence of smell!" I enjoy walking through the door here at Strictly Salt of Metairie every single day because that blast of clean air hits me and transports me to a calming peace of mind. 

I'm sure that you have heard the old remedy that you should go to the beach when you are having respiratory or skin issues. How many times have you gone to the beach and realized all those problems just went away? It's that clean ocean air! The less allergens and toxins your body is exposed to the better it performs, spending 45 minutes in a halotherapy session is equivalent to a 3 day weekend at the beach! 

Here at Strictly Salt of Metairie we have two rooms, an adult room and a children's room. The children's room is designed to maximize fun during their therapy. The kids are encouraged to walk around on the floor filled with a 6 inch layer of Pink Himalayan salt. The resistance of the salt promotes heavier breathing needed to get the salt to penetrate deep in their lungs and sinuses. The adults aren't left out of the fun, however, I've had several clients tell me they prefer the children's room to the adult room!

Those who are fans of the adult room are hard core fans. They just love the ability to unplug for a whole and relax in the soft glow of our stunning Himalayan Salt wall.

This year, we are starting a new tradition. We have met so many amazing people in the few months we have been open that we would love to showcase some of the amazing people who are in our community. This month, we have asked Ann Marix to be our very first Salty of the month. Ann has been an annual member since September of 2018. She has volunteered her services to teach us all about how to maximize our halotherapy sessions by applying pressure to key trigger points on our faces. We all may have looked like silly moose but we definitely left the sessions breathing better. This has been a game changer for a lot of the members, and we are so grateful to have an expert guiding us! Ann has also taken up teaching a very successful monthly salt and stretch class. Her soothing voice, and guided stretch has left all all relaxing and laughing as I will sometimes crack a joke from behind the desk about some questionable stretch. It's been a big hit, and you should definitely check it out. Ann is a massage therapist, fitness instructor, life organizer extraordinaire. I'm confident that when she's not massaging, working out or organizing, she will somehow heal the world and solve all of life's biggest mysteries. 

Here is a little Q and A with our Salty of the Month.

Q1. What is your background, and how did you get into Massage Therapy?
I’ve had a variety of careers but have always been drawn to Health and Fitness. The short story on my career...I needed a massage and ended up going to school!!!

Q2. From the many conversations we've had, you remind me of the do it all Hello Dolly. Why don't you tell me about all of your exciting side projects and maybe the ones you love working on best.
Lol! How much space do you have in this column?!? Yes I do love all my jobs...I’m a licensed massage therapist, Certified Personal Trainer, Jazzercise Instructor, Pop Up Fitness Event Coordinator, Professional Organizationalist (presently doing two major organizing jobs for two offices!), and I work at Jazz Fest as an Exchequer. I can only pick one I love...? I can’t, I love them all!

Q3. You have a unique lung condition, can you tell me about it for the interview? How did it happen, what kind of symptoms were you experiencing pre and post halotherapy.
I had a serious situation with pneumonia/pleurisy. I had it for 3 weeks before it was diagnosed because I thought i just had a pulled muscle. It was so bad, I had one lung completely full of fluid and only 1/3 of air space in my other lung. The aftermath I deal with now is what I call ‘Sticky Lung’...the lower lobe is weak and it feels like it sticks. Halotherapy has been a godsend! I’m not big on having to take meds because of side effects. Halotherapy provers me the relief I need with no bad effects, only great results!

Q4. What is the plural form of moose?
as much as I would love to say it is Meese, I was taught at a very young age that it always had been and always will be, Moose!

    We all know the symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat. The common cold is caused by a tiny little living thing called a virus. There are more than 200 types of cold causing viruses, but the most common is called the Rhinovirus (see photo to the left!). The Rhinovirus is responsible for about 50% of cold suffering out there. You can catch viruses from other people who have been infected with the virus by direct contact or by touching something that has been contaminated by the virus like door knobs and then touching your nose or mouth. You can also catch it from infected droplets in the air that are expelled when you cough or sneeze. 

    The cold begins when the virus attaches itself to the lining of your throat and nose. Your body then sends out white blood cells to attack the virus. Unless you have had this particular virus before, the first line of defense usually fails, leaving your body to send more troops into battle causing you to feel exhausted and miserable. A cold is usually not associated with fever, if you have a high fever with a cold, it's probably a more serious virus like influenza. ​

Tale of two infections: Viral vs. Bacterial  

   Viruses can't actually do any damage themselves, they need a host, another living organism that gives them everything they need to work. Once inside your body, the virus takes over a cell and begins to reproduce itself inside of that cell, it will reproduce until it causes the cell to burst. The new viruses will move into neighboring cells infecting them. Unfortunately once a virus takes hold, there isn't much you can do other than rest and drink plenty of fluids and let your body battle it out! Antibiotics wont offer any relief on the virus because the virus has different mechanics that it uses to replicate. Antibiotics target the growing mechanism that are in bacteria, whereas viruses don't have those same components. 

    Examples of illnesses that are caused by viruses:

• Most sore throats
• Most coughs, colds and runny noses
• Acute sinusitis
• Acute bronchitis
• Some eye or ear infections
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Flu (influenza)

So, how does a virus work? 

Once the virus infiltrates the mucosal lining in your body, your brain will send out antibodies to seek out and kill the cold viruses. It will also attempt to contain the virus by creating a quarantined environment. Your body does this by stepping up mucus production and blocking you from expelling the virus through your nose, causing congestion and blockages in your nasal passages and sinuses. You will then eventually expel these trapped virus cells by blowing your nose or swallowing the mucus and allowing the strong acids in your stomach kill the virus. During this process, trapped bacteria in your sinuses and air ways can become an issue. You can develop a bacterial infection from the symptoms caused by a virus.

     Halotherapy is a great way to relieve some of those cold symptoms, As long as you are not running a fever, it is safe to have a halotherapy session to treat cold symptoms, The micro crystallized dry salt aerosol will help to decrease inflammation in your sinuses and it will kill any bacteria trapped by the effects of fighting the cold virus. 

    How exactly does salt kill bacteria though? Salt kills bacterias through osmosis. Bacteria needs a specific balance of hydration within itself to survive. When the salt gets into your respiratory system, it dries up the bacteria causing them to shrivel and die. 

Prevention is key!

    We recommend a few sessions of halotherapy in a row over a couple of days. It is very important to detox from all of the environmental toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis, including pollen. if you have just traveled through a hectic airport during cold and flu season remember that our body is most vulnerable when its under stress (like with traveling), so a great way to prevent letting those germs take over is by finding a salt cave at whatever destination you are traveling to and having a session. Halotherapy is also reported to assist with jet lag (bonus!). Post holiday shopping is also a good time for halotherapy. So many people go out shopping with active colds and leave their germs everywhere! 

    There is still a lack of research out there as to whether or not salt will kill viruses, many supporters of halotherapy will tell you that viruses can also be eliminated with halotherapy, but the research is not yet clear on that front since viruses are much harder to study because they are so small and so complex! One thing is clear, halotherapy will certainly help with symptoms and maybe even help you recover much faster!

It also helps to keep your hands clean, don't rub your face if you have been out in public, and maybe avoid busy public spaces!!!! Stay away from germs this wintery season!

Incase you missed the event, do not dispair! The oil sisters will be uniting here again soon. Until then, you can easily make these recipes at home! 

Salt Scrub

1. Add 1/4 cup Mineral Salt
(Fine grain Mineral Himalayan salt can be purchased here at Strictly Salt!)
2. 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
3. 3 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
4. Mix all ingredients, store in airtight jar.

Remember when using high grade essential oils like Young Living Essential Oils, you NEVER want to use low grade plastic! A glass Ball jar for storage works best, ceramic bowls for mixing and silicone spatulas work best!


Bath Salts

1. Add 1/4 cup Bath Salt
(We like regular grain Pink Himalayan Salt!)
2. 1 1/2 tablespoons Mineral Salt
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda
4. 3 drops of essential oil
(We used stress away in our project today)
5. Mix all ingredients, store in an air tight jar

Essential Oil Room Spray

1. Add 1/4 teaspoon of Mineral Pink Himalayan Salt (fine grain)
2. Fill your bottle near top with distilled water
3. Add 5-8 drops of your favorite essential oil! 
We made Young Living Christmas spirit blend with peppermint! 

    We're all familiar with those pesky red splotches on our faces. The dreaded acne. So many of us fall victim to its effects in our teens. Along with it, we also fall victim of marketing traps as we try product after product to try and fix the issue. We, as a culture, are familiar with the idea of acne but few of us really understand the mechanics of why our faces under go this transformation, and even fewer of us understand the chemicals we are using on our skin to try and cure it. So let's jump right into it.

What is Acne?

    Acne can be caused by several different things: hormone changes (including puberty and starting or stopping hormonal birth control), stress, bad eating habits, bad hygiene... All of these things will ultimately trigger the mechanism that is the actual physical cause of the acne. 

The sebaceous gland 

The center of your acne problems!

Whatever the reason for your acne, it all comes down to those little glands and the amount of sebum they're putting out. Sebum is the secretion that the gland creates to help naturally moisturize your skin. Before the invention of modern soaps, creams, and ointments for our skin and for that matter before the invention of taking baths, your sebaceous glands were responsible for protecting your skin from the elements. The sebum secreted out of your pores and helps to keep out bacteria by pushing the bacteria away from the opening of your pores.  This creates a barrier of sebum on your skin. This layer helps to lock in moisture and protects your skin from sun damage, allergens and toxins in the air. Without an even coating of sebum, your face can dry out breaking down your top layer of skin and leaving the skin prone to irritation.

Soap: The Double Edged Sword

So, then maybe we should just let nature do the work and not wash our faces ever again? Although the idea is tempting, we still have to deal with loads of other issues that the modern world presents. There is more pollution, dust and germs in the air around us than before. Not cleaning off our skin can leave it open to the possibility of infection in the event of a small scratch or something more serious. 

So how do we deal with the bacteria on our skin? 

Just like our intestines, our skin is one big bacterial colony. Using anti-bacterial soaps like Dial on our bodies achieves similar effects to taking an oral antibiotic does inside of your gut. Both oral antibiotics and anti-bacterial soaps completely wipe out our natural bacterial ecosystems.  Every time you take a bath with anti-bacterial soap, you are stripping away all of the bad bacteria, but also some of the good bacteria that protects your skin! Extremely hot water can also kill the bacterial colonies on your body, and further irritate your skin so make sure the water isn't too hot! 

So, now that you know how our skin works, lets talk about why we get acne. 

Your pores all over your body are actually tiny little hair follicles. And each one of these hair follicles has a sebaceous gland attached to them. As mentioned earlier, these glands excrete a substance called sebum that helps to push out any bacterias or allergens that may have found their way into the pores. 

Sometimes, when we are not keeping our faces clean, these pores can become blocked by dead skin cells that are not being cleaned away with soap and water. 

It is important to note that when dealing with acne, not all soaps are created equal. The less sudsy the soap you are using, the better. The best acne soap is one that will create a rich milky lather with very small bubbles. The problem with large bubbles of soap is that they have relatively high tension along their edges. This forces the soap into the top layers of the skin, and that is a bad thing. When soap gets into pores, it does help to dissolve oily sebum, but also narrows pores by drying out and tightening the skin around them. The soap bubbles, along with any dead skin cells and bacterias they picked up may get stuck below the skin's surface, triggering another clog and infection. A desirable acne cleanser makes a creamy lather of very small bubbles. Small bubbles do not force soap into pores, and make the cleanser easier to rinse off the skin.

When the pore gets clogged, sebum starts to accumulate below the skin, this will eventually result in a white head. If the blockage manages to break out of the pore, it will oxidize and be visible above the skin as a black head. A pimple is a result of bacteria growing underneath the blockage otherwise known as an infection. At this stage, inflammation will begin. If the infection is not treated the follicle will rupture and out will come the fluid associated with the bacterial infection. Often times, this will leave the pore enlarged and can lead to acne scarring. 

 Acne Medication

Most acne medications use the same chemicals to help you deal with the outbreaks. Here is a list of the 4 most common effective chemicals used in Acne products today, and their pros and cons. 

Benzoyl peroxide 
THE PROS 
Clears acne fast 
The main advantage of benzoyl peroxide is that it clears blemishes fast by killing the acne-causing bacteria. "Initially it was used just on affected areas because it would dry up the pimples very quickly," says Oakland, CA, dermatologist Katie Rodan, MD. Over time, new formulations and concentrations have been introduced, and today, products that contain lower concentrations are thought to be just as effective as those with higher concentrations. "This means you can get the same results without the dryness," she says. 

Acts as an anti-inflammatory agent 
According to a study published in Cosmetic Dermatology, benzoyl peroxide acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by reducing oxygen in the skin. Because it reduces bacteria in the pore, it also works to reduce inflammation within the blemish. 

THE CONS 
Causes dehydration and could cause premature aging 
Benzoyl peroxide has been associated with premature aging and dehydrated skin since it causes irritation to occur-anything irritating is usually dehydrating. The dryer the skin, the older it appears. "Although the skin may look prematurely aged, we don't know if the effects are long-term. Once moisturizer is consistently used, the skin bounces back to normal," says Washington D.C., dermatologist

Can lead to hyperpigmentation 
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a characteristic of acne, and benzoyl peroxide does little to help it. "It can create significantly more hyperpigmentation, especially in medium to darker skin because of the irritation that it can cause," says Venice, CA, celebrity aesthetician Nacole Raphalian. 

Induces sun damage 
Benzoyl peroxide cleans the pore, but some say as it does this, it thins and decreases its ability to protect itself from the sun. "Benzoyl peroxide can cancel out the effects of your SPF and make the skin more sensitive to the sun," says Beverly Hills, CA, dermatologist Debra Luftman, MD. The less protection, the quicker photoaging can set in. 



Salicylic acid. 
​THE PROS - Salicylic acid helps kill the bacteria that create acne, and also helps encourage exfoliation, which opens up clogged pores and kills the bacteria inside. It can also constrict the pore diameter, helping to reduce the risk of future clogging.
THE CONS - To continue to see results, however, you must continue to use salicylic acid on a regular basis. This is not a cure for acne, but rather a tool to use in the daily battle.
The main concern with this ingredient is that it is drying and somewhat irritating, especially for sensitive skin types. Since many people with acne have reactive or sensitive skin, the use of salicylic acid may provide temporary relief, but then may backfire in the long run.As skin becomes dryer, it may react by producing more oil, which then will create acne once again, requiring the use of more salicylic acid, which then creates more dryness, setting you up for a vicious cycle that only causes the condition of your skin to deteriorate.


Alpha hydroxy acids. 
THE PROS
Two types of alpha hydroxy acids that are used in nonprescription acne products are glycolic acid and lactic acid. Alpha hydroxy acids are synthetic versions of acids derived from sugar-containing fruits. They treat acne by helping to remove dead skin cells and reduce inflammation. Alpha hydroxy acids also stimulate the growth of new, smoother skin. This helps improve the appearance of acne scars and gives the impression of smaller pores.

THE CONS
Irritation, burning, peeling, itching and photosensitivity can all occur when using Alpha hydroxy acids. Everyones skin is different and will react differently to varying levels.


Sulfur
THE PROS
Sulfer is a milk exfoliator, helping to remove dead skin cells which is essential to keeping the pored unclogged. It treats acne the most gently, Helps to treat skin wrinkles caused by acne.

THE CONS
Sulphur causes Skin Irritation after treating acne, skin Discoloration may be visible after acne sheds
 and few have complained the use of sulphur causes headaches. 

So how can halotherapy help to keep this under control?

So, lets review. We know that in the formation of acne two things are key, trapped bacteria and the resulting inflammation. Inflammation is triggered by infection. When your cells perceive danger, there is a protein that is released and the nearby cells around the danger site begin to swell. This is usually a good thing. Inflammation protects the cells from invading bacterias, viruses and injuries. Your body then sends out white blood cells to begin healing the affected area. Once the area is healed, in theory the inflammation is supposed to go back down, but sometimes our bodies can get a little out of whack and it can lead to chronic low levels of inflammation. 

When you go into a halotherapy room, and the crystals start to float in the air and fall on your skin, two things will happen. The dry salt crystal will act as a tiny little microscopic sponge, soaking up all the excess fluid that is causing the inflammation. The salt will draw out the water and the inflammation will decrease. The salt will also help to kill off some of that bacteria that was causing the inflammation in the first place.  

THE PROS
It's all natural. No chemicals, salt wont hurt your skin. With acne fighting chemicals there is a chance of getting rid of the acne but exposing yourself to new problems like dry or irritated skin from the chemicals. You wont have to remember 6 steps twice a day! I mean, who has time for that? Halotherapy also has tons of other benefits that acne medicines won't give you like respiratory benefits, and stress relief!

THE CONS
It is an ongoing thing, just like acne medicine, you're going to have to keep up with it. The good news is though, 2-3 times a week in a Halotherapy room should help the issue. 


To complement the halotherapy, you should be washing your face every day with some natural products that wont irritate your skin. Skin care products that are salt based are a great complement to halotherapy. Check out my blog entry about Mindful Minerals to complete your salty skin care regimen!


I hope you guys learned something from this blog entry! I know I certainly learned a whole lot about acne that I didn't know! Please leave me some comments!

Here at Strictly Salt of Metairie, it's pretty obvious what were excited about.... SALT, of course!

I spent months researching and carefully selecting products we wanted to bring to the community, being mindful of what our clients need. Mindful Minerals is by far my pride and joy at Strictly Salt. We are so happy to be part of the Mindful Minerals family. Let's dive right into mindful minerals!
​

Mindful Minerals is a skin care company based out of Miami, FL. Their main mission is to provide
toxin-free, affordable, all natural skin care products. These products are mindful of the environment, vegan (with the exception of one product), and cruelty free. Every product from Mindful Minerals is packed with the highest concentration of Dead Sea water that each product can sustain.

Water from the dead sea is so special because it contains a wide variety of important minerals that our bodies need to function optimally. Humans have become so mineral deficient because of the lack of minerals in our diets. Even those of us who try to eat healthy may find that they are not receiving the same nutritional and mineral benefits that we were getting before modern farming practices started to drain the soil of all of its nutrients. These practices are making the food we eat deficient in nutrients too.  

Besides the food we eat, we also receive nutrients through our skin, which is why it is so important to be mindful of what we are putting on our bodies as well as in our bodies! Our skin is capable of absorbing up to 35 minerals from Dead Sea water which is great news for our bodies! These minerals penetrate our skin and travel to our joints and our blood stream giving our bodies the minerals it needs to promote self healing and self regulation. 

A few examples of these 35 Dead Sea water minerals and their benefits:
Bicarbonate - Balances PH
Boron - Builds Muscle Tissue
Bromide - A natural antibiotic that helps to heal and relieve skin disorders
Calcium- Strengthens cell membranes and cleanses pores
Chromium - Promotes healthy skin and a healthy circulatory system
Manganese - reduces cholesterol, assists in blood clotting, and increases antioxidant production
Silica- Promotes the formation of collagen, improves skin elasticity to inhibit the aging process. 
Zinc - Antioxidant to fight viruses and to aid in tissue repair and curb acne breakouts. 

JUST TO NAME A FEW!

DID YOU KNOW IT ONLY TAKES 26 SECONDS FOR CHEMICALS TO ENTER THE BLOOD STREAM?

11,000 chemicals are found in the products that we use here in the U.S.'s beauty industry in everything from nail polish to hair spray. including cosmetics specifically for topical application. Only 11% of those chemicals have been properly tested and approved for safety by the FDA and from those 11% that passed approval, a whopping 200 of those chemicals are banned overseas in the European Union! 

Our bodies are capable of absorbing up to 5 pounds of cosmetics through our skin each year! That equates to about 60% of the actual product getting absorbed, and in children that number can be even higher. Some health issues that have been associated to those toxic chemicals found in cosmetics are; fertility issues, learning disabilities, hormone disruption, birth defects, and skin allergies!

But the good news is, you can SIGNIFICANTLY reduce your toxic load by switching to safe non-toxic products. In as little as three days, endocrine disrupting chemicals can drop as much as 40% after making the switch! There are several smart phone apps available that can guide you away from choosing toxic products. Always be on the lookout for promotional products that try to support such causes as Breast Cancer Awareness. Many of those products contain known cancer causing agents!

Now that we know a little bit more about other products lets talk a bit more about Mindful Minerals!
Not only is it non-toxic, but Mindful Minerals is sensitive skin friendly. I, personally, have extremely sensitive skin! I have been restricted to a select few products that have the least amount of chemicals in them as possible. The change in the beauty industry that has occurred in the last 10 years has really taken a toll on my skin. I had to stop using Aveeno, which was my cosmetic of choice from a young age. The company switched the main ingredients in their oat based formula to a cheaper and more readily available soy based formula which was making my face suddenly break out in enormous liquid filled blisters in my late teens! It took several months before I decided to try out the natural based Neutrogena Naturals skin care line and I've been using that ever since. It is one of the very few products out there that does not contain soy, does not make my eyes water, and does not irritate my skin. Neutrogena has been working well with my skin over the last 10 years that I have been using them until I turned 30 last year and I started noticing my skin changing. No longer young and vibrant and I started to see the first appearances of fine lines along my mouth and eyes. My skin started to look aged, but all of the products available to me for anti aging contained ingredients that were allergens for me. After having tried Mindful Minerals for a few days, I just felt like a whole new person. My skin's moisture was restored, and over the next three months I saw an improvement in those lines around my mouth and eyes! WHEW! SO, I decided... this is the skin care line I want to feature at Strictly Salt of Metairie!

Mindful Minerals likes their dealers to host trunk shows every now and again to draw in some new clients interested in trying out the products without actually having to purchase first! What a great way to introduce a product into a community so i scheduled a trunk show for our store. The coffee was made, the cookies and brownies were purchased, and the retail area was set up for an evening of pampering. Hind sight being 20/20, maybe I should have chosen healthier treats than cookies, brownies and coffee! Maybe next time!

Everyone had such a fun evening trying out the products which, I'm going to tell you a little about.

We tried out 6 products 
Mud Face wash - Featuring water and mud from the dead sea. Such a gentle and light cleanser, leaves your skin feeling so fresh and smooth!

Get Even - Exfoliating Cleanser - This cleanser is such a great exfoliator and its especially formulated to combat hyper pigmentation that happens as a result of the aging process. This product is a little difficult to spread. The paste likes to clump together and you really need to work it into your face. ​

Get Dirty Mud Mask - This is by far my favorite. Made of Dead Sea water and Dead Sea Mud. We had a participant who has been to the dead sea on holiday exclaim "Look! this is exactly the color the mud at the dead sea actually was!". As we all donned our mud masks looking utterly ridiculous looking like swamp creatures, we could all feel the tingling sensations of the mud working its magic, or rather its minerals! 

Get - Clear Cranberry Toner - Proven to significantly reduce redness and helps to reduce pore size!

Get Carded - This wonderful moisturizer has a very effective anti aging peptide!

BBCC Cream - This was a crowd favorite! We only have the cream in one color (medium) which miraculously matched 11 out of 12 participants!!!! The BBCC cream does it all. It's takes the place of your foundation, your daily SPF, concealer your anti aging and more, it smells great too!

Last was a product we were selling as part of the bundle but not trying out tonight. It is an overnight Face and Lip Balm called "rescue me". I absolutely love this product for when I'm feeling dullness and dryness in my skin. Its also excellent to help recover your face from sunburn or harsh winter winds.

Everyone was pleased with their experience with Mindful Minerals. We all left Strictly Salt last night feeling pampered! Every one's skin looked radiant! The most dramatic though was noticed by my aunt who decided she would do her facial a few hours before the crowd arrived to save me time! She has chronic issues with rosacea and the results were nothing short of amazing. Check it out.

Her skin showed drastic improvement after only one day using the exfoliating cleanser, mud mask, toner, and mineral peptide! Needless to say she went home with a few products!

We had someone try the Rescue me balm on their sunburnt back after they went home with the product. They had excellent results! 

I was pretty impressed with how quickly it soothed the sun burn. I have only tried it for face dryness and general dehydration! 


Really looking forward to our next Mindful Minerals Trunk show!!!!
Thank you all for reading and please feel free to leave a few questions of comments below!