Naturally Beautiful Lips

Your lips are one of the first things that people notice when meeting you. They are also one of the most delicate parts of your body. Unlike the skin on the rest of the body which has up to 16 layers, the skin on the lips is much thinner; only three to five layers deep. Here are some tips to keep your lips healthy, smooth and kissable:

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene. When you smile, you show off your gums and teeth as well, so nothing can improve or detract from your smile more than the condition of your pearly whites. Don’t forget to add a little gloss to those lips for a natural youthful glow to your pouty pout (all the while, this vitamin rich gloss will also protect those lips)!

Stay Hydrated! Hydration is the absolute most important factor in keeping your lips plump and healthy. To maintain those plump puckers, make sure you are drinking the recommended 8-10 cups of water each day. If your lips are dry or chapped, avoid licking or biting at them, as this will further reduce moisture and increase irritation. Use a natural and soothing lip balm or conditioner. hydrOtion lip conditioner is equipped with pomegranate and almond oils to provide essential fatty acids and anti-oxidants like vitamin E. Precious rosehip oil also provides massive amounts of vitamin C (which together with vitamin E) provide necessary protection against UV damage.

Stay Protected From the Elements. The common causes of dry, chapped lips are sunny, cold, windy, and/or dry weather conditions. Asides from being thinner, the skin of the lips also contains fewer melanocytes, which produce the pigment melanin and provide the skin with its color. Due to this transparency, the color of blood vessels shows through the lips and gives them the beautiful red glow. Unfortunately melanin also protects the skin against UV damage and lack of it makes lips more vulnerable to these elements. This is why it’s essential to protect your lips from these conditions and keep them luscious and healthy through daily use of moisturizing, alcohol-free lip balms. Try hydrOtion lip conditioner or lip salve to protect your lips or repair existing damage. If you have dry or chapped lips, the organic east African shea butter in our lip salve will heal, soothe and protect against further damage.

Shed the Gunk. Because the skin of the lips is so thin, the idea of exfoliating it has been controversial. We recommend that as part of your nightly beauty routine, you (very gently) wash your lips to remove any products, dirt or dead skin. Apply facial moisturizer or a moisturizing lip balm, such as hydrOtion lip conditioner or lip salve , before bed to help heal lips and maintain moisture while you sleep.

Applying these lip healthy tips to your daily routine will protect your pout and help keep your luscious, smooth lips smiling all day long.


--The hydrOtion team

Mama knows best: keeping your baby's skin soft and healthy

We all smile at the touch of that soft, smooth skin of a tiny baby… and frown when their super-sensitive skin gets dried out, flaky, and sometimes even painful. Well, I’ve scoured the world (okay, maybe just the World Wide Web and a couple of local stores) to find the best lotions available to keep that baby soft skin, without the harsh chemicals found in many lotions. These will also work well to keep Mom’s skin soft and smooth and are highly recommended for anyone with sensitive skin or skin conditions, such as eczema.

The most important thing I found, when searching for a good baby lotion, is to find one that is free from irritants, coloring, and fragrance, although very few products meet all of these factors. I came up with two great choices, both of which are healthy for the skin, pleasant to use, affordable, and safe for the most sensitive skin.

1. Earth Mama Angel Baby Lotion (Approx. $15 for 8 oz.)
Earth Mama Angel Baby Lotion another good choice for baby lotion, especially for those looking for a more organic option. It is all-natural, paraben-free (a highly controversial preservative), made with 95.2% organic ingredients, and certified vegan. It is also free from any artificial fragrances or dyes. Containing aloe, rooibos, and shea butter this lotion is a great choice for extremely sensitive skin or eczema. Angel Baby absorbs quickly, gives off a pleasant, natural scent of oranges and vanilla, and leaves the skin smooth and radiant. On the downside, although I found no claims of irritation regarding this product, the citrus that gives this lotion its wonderful scent, is known as a potential skin irritant. Overall, Earth Mama Angel Baby Lotion is a great, all natural option for maintaining that soft baby skin.

2. Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion (Approx. $8 for 8 oz.)
Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion is a more economical but highly recommended baby lotion I found. It is hypoallergenic, non-irritating, surfactant-free (no detergent cleaning agents), and paraben-free. It is also fragrance-free, while still maintaining a very pleasant smell. Furthermore, it contains natural oatmeal powder, which could provide some healing properties, making it a great choice for irritated or broken skin. Now, on the downside, I did find some reviews claiming that it can have a slightly sticky texture at times, although, most of those reviews found it minor and still highly recommended it, and several other reviews claim a smooth, non-sticky application. Overall, Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion seems to be an excellent choice for any sensitive skin.

We hope this is helpful to mom's who are always looking to care for and protect their little ones. If you have used any of these lotions or have other lotions you recommend please let us know.

--The hydrOtion team

Determining your skin type

Skin is the largest organ and most the visible part of our body. Healthy skin is associated with beauty and youth while acne, discoloration and wrinkled skin are found unattractive. For thousands of years the human race has obsessed over covering and concealing imperfections, particularly in the face, for a coveted young healthy glow. Traditional medicine and modern science alike have spent incredible amounts of time and resources on repairing and restoring damaged skin. The best solution, of course, is not to conceal these flaws, but to prevent them in the first place! Before we get started on how you can improve the health of your skin (and the rest of your body along with it), let’s help you determine what skin type you have. This is very easy.

When you go to bed at night, wash your face with lukewarm water (and a gentle cleanser if you are wearing makeup or lotion). Do not wear a night crème or lotion. In the morning, when you first wake up, grab a clean piece of absorbent tissue (use tissue rather than a towel so you can see how much oil comes off of your skin). Oil generally comes out of the pores on your nose, forehead and cheek areas. Gently blot or wipe these areas separately, observe your skin in the mirror and look at the tissue after each wipe.

If you have Normal skin, the oil is not visible on the tissue and your skin is left feeling elastic and soft.

On the other hand, if you see oil blotches on the tissue from all three areas, you have Oily skin.

You have Combination skin, if the oil comes off of the nose and forehead (areas around the center of your face) compared with the cheeks and outer areas.

If there is no oil residue on the tissue but your skin is left feeling dry, stretched or parched, you have Dry skin.

If your skin becomes easily irritated, red or blotchy, particularly when you apply products to your face, then you have Sensitive skin.

Different types of skin care products are designed to cater to your specific skin type. In fact, using the wrong type of skin care product can do more harm than good. Just like you step on the scale every once in a while, you should perform the above skin test at least once every few months to keep up with how your skin is changing.

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