IT HAPPENED TO ME

The sins of my youth … are finally catching up with me.


No, not those kinds of sins. I never went through a wild child phase (more like slight mischief at the most), but the “sin” of ignorance. I grew up in a generation that knew little about the dangers of the sun. I was one of those that assumed you “had to burn, before you could tan”. I did nothing to protect my skin in my early years.


Then as a teenager and young adult, I was introduced to the beaches and worked 12 hour days selling suntan lotion to tourists in Daytona Beach. I learned a little bit about sun protection and a little bit more about using aloe at night to help heal the skin. But, I still didn’t know enough.


I really believe my education wasn’t complete until 20 years ago when I started Absolutely Natural. It was through exhaustive research searching for the best, all natural sun protection, tanning products and after sun aloes, that I really learned about how to protect yourself in the sun; how to enjoy the outdoors and still be responsible; how to get and keep a healthy, safe tan.


I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer last week and tomorrow am going in for surgery. Now, the great news is that it was caught early and the surgery is outpatient and the chances of it being life threatening are very slim.


The reason for this blog is twofold. One, I beg you to use proper products in the sun. Of course, our sunscreens offer the best protection and are the safest to use but even if you don’t buy ours, make sure you use a physical sunscreen (titanium and/or zinc) and make sure you steer clear of the very high SPF values that chemical sunscreen companies are promoting.


Second, please, please, please visit a dermatologist and get regular check- ups for skin cancer. Doing a self-check is valuable but the only way to be 100% sure, is to let a professional exam you. A synopsis of the three types of skin cancer follows:


Three Kinds of Cancer:
The two most common forms are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. They are referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer. The most dangerous form is melanoma that tends to metastasize throughout the body and can cause death. There are almost 70,000 new cases of melanoma every year.

Basal cell accounts for 90% of new skin cancers and usually begins as a small dome shaped bump. They can appear very dark and are usually irregular shaped. Squamous begins in the squamous cells which are flat, scale-like cells that form the surface of the skin, the hollow organs of the body and the respiratory and digestive tracts. So, squamous can form in any of these tissues. It most frequently appears on the skin as rough, red bumps on the scalp, face, ears and backs of the hands. It can take 10 years for the cancer to invade deeply into the skin and become fully developed squamous cell carcinoma.

The risks for developing any of these cancers include age, UV exposure in tanning beds, therapeutic radiation and most prominently exposure to the sun.
Skin Cancer claims 12,000 lives a year. Caught early, as mine was, it usually poses little risk. Let it go too long and you can, unfortunately, be one of the statistics.

RELAXATION FOR WELL-BEING

We all have felt the urge to pull our hair out. Whether rushing to meet a deadline, studying for an exam or trying to handle multiple tasks, stress is a part of our everyday lives. Then again, as bad as stress can be, it can help get us moving. The key is to not let stress build up and overtake us.

Have you ever heard that stress can make you fatigued and depressed? It is true! Stress has been linked to many conditions, including weight gain and chronic illnesses. When the nervous system’s “flight or fly” response is constantly on over drive, it causes an imbalance in our system that can weaken immune response. The stress hormone adrenaline increases your heart rate, making your heart work harder, however, in contrast, another stress hormone cortisol increases glucose levels and temporary inhibits your digestive and immune system.

It’s crazy to think that symptoms of chronic stress can trigger irritability, insomnia, lack of concentration and even indigestion. Fortunately, there are many techniques that can help us cope with stress and anxiety. Old relaxation practices such as yoga and meditation are great means to a mind free of worries. These relaxation practices can help us take some time from our busy lives and focus on the present moment. Focusing on deep breathing can help slow down the heart rate, improving blood pressure and cardiovascular function. Physical exercise, massages, aromatherapy and listening to music have all shown to be beneficial in reducing stress.

Managing stress is essential to a happy and balanced life. So pick a relaxation technique that you enjoy and incorporate it into your daily life!

Envy’s Relaxation Day Recipe (once a week treat):

Envy’s Spiced Apple Candle – Light a candle to enhance the mood. Cinnamon has many health benefits, but some of its main benefits in aromatherapy are reducing nervousness and improving concentration.

Soothing Music – To help refocus and calm the mind.

Hot Bath– The warm water will soothe sore muscles and help with falling asleep faster.

Envy’s Sugar Scrub–Our gentle sugar scrub will help remove dead skin and increase blood circulation.

Envy’s Beauty Oil– Warm several drops in your palms and apply right after bath. It will induce relaxation, help remove toxins and keep your skin soft and supple.

Take care!

-Cristiane Kalat

SUMMER NECESSITIES

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer can wreak havoc on our hair and skin.
Greater exposure outdoors means more sweating, more UV exposure, and more dirt. It often means more showers and/or baths and that translates into potential skin problems. If you use a traditional tallow based soap or traditional chemical laden shampoos, conditioners and body washes, you have a great chance of stripping the natural oils out of your hair and skin and sucking dry the moisture from the epidermis and scalp.
The result?Dry, itchy skin.Flaky scalp; brittle hair.Exactly opposite of what you could achieve by making one simple switch to Envy Organics.
First, the other guys. Tallow based soaps use animal renderings as their base and they will leave skin dry and often it feels like there is a film on you after your shower. Traditional shampoos, and body washes are mostly water with very nasty chemicals like parabens, sulfates and phthalates. All of those ingredients have been linked to problems including increased estrogen content, free radical generators and some cancer causing materials. And, they possess few, if any, nutrients.
Now, Envy. No sulfates, parabens or phthalates. Nutrient rich formulas that do a great job cleaning hair and skin.With Envy Shampoos, Conditioners and Body Washes, you can step out of the shower with hydrated skin and hair. Healthy, vibrant and alive.
Envy products boast free radical scavengers and nutrients designed for anti-aging and chock full of anti-oxidants. In addition, all of our products have super moisturizers which are vital for summertime when UV exposure is at its greatest strength.
A quick perusal of “us vs. them” labels proves it all. You really don’t need to go much past the first ingredient … water for them; aloe for us. The rest of the ingredient decks are just as polar opposite … chemicals and cheap fillers for them; vitamins, nutrients and cosmetic grade raw materials for us.
Summer spotlight: Our famous Organic Oil! Excellent for your hair as a deep conditioner (leave in 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing out) or as a leave in for dry ends (wet fingertips with oil and “brush” onto hair).Also excellent as a bath oil and of course, as a massage or body oil.
Enjoy summer’s bounties! Just don’t forget to take a little more time to tend to your hair and skin. Not only will you look better immediately, but with Envy Organics, you are preventing future damage and even repairing skin damage that has already happened.
Best regards,
Charley

HOW TO ACHIEVE BRIGHT, GLOWING EYES

As the ancient proverb says, the eyes are the windows to the soul. There is a lot that can be captured through a person’s eyes as and the last thing that you want to portray is a tired, dull image. Unfortunately, the first signs of aging begin at the eyes, hunting those who suffer from expression lines, dark circles and puffiness.

There are many causes to wrinkles around the eyes. Squinting, sugary diets that break down collagen, stress and lack of hydration are just a few. Along with a nutritious diet and stress management, individuals can prevent wrinkles from forming by using a good SPF and eye serum. With all the technological advances in the beauty industry and the variety of products that are available on the market, dermatologists still come to the conclusion that serums are far more effective in fighting signs of aging. Serums contain a high concentration of ingredients that will bring powerful results to targeted areas.


The Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in Envy Organics Age-Defier Eye Serum is a special ingredient that will help keep your eyes young. HA helps to deliver vital nutrients while helping to remove toxins from skin. Replenishing HA also helps to fill in the appearance of wrinkles and add firmness to the skin. As we age, the amount of HA decreases in our bodies and lack of this vital component leads to swelling, loss of elasticity and moisture in our skin. Hyaluronic acid will also help with eye puffiness resulting from fat that migrates to the lower lid due to weakening of supporting muscles.
Dark Circles under the eyes are another concern for those who want to achieve youthful, bright eyes. Many believe that dark circles under the eyes are caused by skin over pigmentation, when in fact, this is a myth. As we age, the skin under our eyes becomes thinner, causing blood vessels to become more noticeable. This gives the skin under the eyes a dark appearance. Individuals that suffer from dark circles under the eyes should stay away from the sun as dark circles are worsened by sun damaged. Products that thicken the skin are the best to help prevent this condition. The high concentration of Vitamin C Ester in our eye serum will aid in strengthening the blood vessel walls for a brighter complexion.
Stay young with Envy Organics’ powerful recipe for glowing, bright eyes!


Cristiane Kalat, Envy Organics Manager

ENVY ORGANICS FANS SHOWING SOME LOVE

We are extremely proud of all of our Envy Organics products and we are dedicated in providing the best natural and organic skincare and hair care that offer you benefits without the toxins. It is challenging making all natural products and even more challenging trying to put into words how special our products are.
Sometimes our customers say it best!

“The Age Defier Night Serum is really terrific! It softens, moisturizes and leaves my skin feeling great. After using it for about 2 weeks, a stranger said to me “You are glowing”. Thank you Night Serum!” - Joyce Morlin, Rockledge, FL
“I have been using very expensive products purchased from a plastic surgeon for years and would never have switched…until I tried Envy… I truly love these products and was very surprised about the quality – awesome!” - Kim Cassidy, Goldsboro, NC
“I am so excited to find a product line that is organic and free of chemicals. I am tired of being lead astray by other companies that claim to be all natural. I am confident in letting my children use the chemical free sunscreen.” – Stephanie Curtis, Daphne, AL

“I have been using Envy regularly for 1 year. Recently saw an acquaintance I haven’t seen since starting Envy. He commented several times on how much younger and healthier I looked. The only change was Envy and 1 year older.”- Greg Kurdanek – Grand Rapids, MI

“I had got to the point of having my hair colored every 5-6 weeks before I began using the shampoo and conditioner. After about 5 months, my stylist said, at my color appointment, that my color had done so well from the previous time. I just chuckled and told her the claims must be true – that this amazing product helped to prolong my hair color. She had to admit that I could change my appointment to every 7 weeks!” – Sharon Dawson, Pilot Mountain, NC - Sally Cheney, Old Hickory, TN

“I love, love, love the Envy line. Before I apply it I breathe in as much as I can – AH! It smells soooo good! My skin is the best it has ever been in my life since I was 10 years old. Thousands of dermatologists haven’t been as effective as Envy! Thank YOU!”

Thank you for your wonderful feedback. It makes it so much more special to have YOU tell us how Envy Organics have made an impact in your lives!

- Cristiane Kalat, Envy Organics Manager

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO OUR SO INSPIRING DADS

Dads have a very important role in our lives as they often shape the person that we end up to be. Thanks Envy Organics fans for helping us put into words how inspirings our dads can be!

HARD WORK
"My dad grew up knowing the value and necessity of hard work. In the 1980's he came to Canada from the Philippines, met and married my mom, and they had me. For the past 19 years of my existence, I've seen him work himself to the bone to make sure I grew up to be a strong, well-rounded person with a solid education. He's retired now, and enjoys doing what he loves to do: darts, fishing, and working on cars. He has worked hard all his life, and I think he deserves to relax, and look/feel/smell good too!"

WILL POWER
"He is 62 and still goes mountain biking, hiking, camping on beaches, etc... He has beat odds doctors placed on him when he was 10 years old, and continues to defy what they thought was truth. He's an inspiration that whatever you set your mind to is what will become."

LOVE AND DEDICATION
"My dad has inspired me to be the best parent I can be because family is where your home and heart is. My dad worked as a conductor on the railroad and was gone quite a bit but I knew when he was home and away from home nothing mattered more than my sister and myself. He would go on his work trips to the mountains or the beach and always bring us something back from the trip whether it be a little indian made bracelet or sea shell. This let us know our daddy was thinking about us always. When he was home or took a vacation he would never leave us out and sometimes he'd have us visit him on the other side of the road when he was working so he could be with us. Now that I have a little girl of my own I try and show her as much love as my dad showed to us girls and he does the same for my little one as he did for us. I might be a little biased but he's the BEST DAD a girl could ever ask for."

MAN ON FIRE - THE DANGERS OF TRADITIONAL SUNSCREENS

Past readers of my blog know how I feel about chemical sunscreens, especially the very high SPF's and the continuous spray product that has been so popular over the last few years. For those of you reading for the first time, I'll make it simple. I think these products are some of the worst to ever be foiled upon the American (and worldwide) public and in my opinion, are dangerous, ineffective and causing more problems than they solve. Now, a tragic event in Massachusetts recently is proof positive of what I have been preaching. A man was using a continuous spray sunscreen while attempting to enjoy a cookout. Cognizant of the warning on the sunscreen bottle that contents were flammable, he stepped away from the grill to apply his SPF spray. When he stepped back to the grill apparently the "vapor trail" ignited the sunscreen and he was severely burned over his chest, arms and back, basically wherever he had applied the sunscreen.Dan Dillard of the Burn Prevention Network explained it this way, “As he approached the flame, the charcoal simply caught the vapor trail and it follows the vapor trail to where the substance is, which is on the body.” Fortunately these incidents are rare, but these products are very drying for the skin… obviously. And, one of the secrets to getting a good, even tan is to keep the skin hydrated. As for the very high sunscreens? Do we really need SPF 70? SPF 100? Absolutely not and the big problem is to get such a high validation in the lab to be able to make the claim, mass amounts of chemicals are used. Here's a rundown of three of the most predominate sunscreens: OctylMetoxycinnamate - an estrogenic chemical that has been linked to hormonal imbalance and increased rates of cancer Oxybenzone - a chemical that may cause hormonal imbalance. In Europe products that contain more than 0.5% of this chemical have to carry warning labels Avobenzone - a free radical generator that absorbs UV radiation energy and since it cannot destroy it, converts the light energy to chemical energy which is typically released as free radicals in the body. The traditional chemical sunscreen manufacturers have convinced the buying public through extensive and slick marketing that we need mass amounts of these chemicals and the buying public is assuming they are safe for use. Evidence is growing that is not the case. But, why take the chance. Envy Organics offers a safe, natural alternative with our reflective mineral sunscreens. Best regards Charley