Health & Beauty: Is Your Skin Spring-Ready?

Spring is here! The sun is shining. It's getting warmer. And, we're slowly shedding the layers of clothes that have been weighing us down. 

But, has the cold, moisture-sapping Winter weather taken a toll on your skin? Leaving it dry and rough to the touch? Here are some tips to Spring-ready your skin as you begin to shed your Winter layers:

• Take warm, not hot, showers and baths. Exposing your skin to hot water for long durations can strip it of its natural oils, leaving it vulnerable to moisture loss and to impurities that can penetrate into your body. So, take warm-water baths and showers to help maintain skin health.
  

• Moisturize right after you step out of the shower or bath. Pat your skin dry and apply moisturizer when your skin is still slightly damp to better lock in moisture. Use chemical-free and fragrance-free products since artificial ingredients can irritate the skin and inflame skin conditions.  

• Limit your intake of caffeine and alcoholic beverages that can dehydrate your body. Drink plenty of water to help your skin stay healthy and allow your body to function properly.

• Exfoliate once a week to rid pore-clogging, dead skin cells and to allow cells to regenerate. Use a body polish, preferably sugar-based and natural scrubs that are gentler on the skin, to let your skin breathe and keep skin soft and supple.

Remember, if you have skin conditions that are persisting or worsening, please consult your medical practitioner.

Now, let's get ready for Spring! 

~ Susan

Naturally Susan's

Why Buy Handmade?

While many of us enjoy buying beautiful, hand-crafted goods, we don’t always think of the positive impact our purchases have on our lives and community. In support of our Indie-pendence theme this month, I have 5 reasons to buy handmade.

1. Supports Local Economies
Buying from local businesses (crafters and artists) that are buying their supplies locally, you are putting your money back into the local economy, instead of large conglomerates that funnel their money to a headquarters across the country or across the world.

Skirt by BetterThanJam

2. Builds Community
Supporting local artists allows a flourishing artistic community. It’s not just the local artists that benefit. It invites more galleries and boutiques as well as community artists projects, gardens, murals, arts education, and more.

Painting by ArtByIris photographed in front of the Brooklyn Bridge

3. Better Quality Goods
You know exactly what’s gone into each product and can speak with the crafter about the why and how of making each piece. In addition to the detailed craftsmanship, many handmade goods are made from natural or recycled materials. This and making the products to last for generations instead of years lessens our impact on the natural world.

Veggie Garden Soap Bar by NordeaSoaperie

4. More Beauty in Your Life
Many mundane and practical pieces used in everyday life can be enhanced by using instead beautifully crafted handmade goods. Beauty makes the soul rest easier and smiles more prevalent.

Cloth Napkins by Cakehouse

5. Responsible Buying
No sweatshops, less than minimum wage workers, nor corporate outsourcing. It feels good to be connected to where our goods come from, to know that each piece was made with joy and completed by one or maybe a handful of people.

Robot Card by MamaRobot

Supporting handcrafted goods means we can become responsible for where our money goes and what we bring into our lives: beauty, health, and community.