Real Beauty 101

Summer Soup - Melon Melange

Saw this recipe in Redbook and it looked so yummy, I had to pass this along.  Ever try a cold summer soup?  They can be sooo refreshing.  I'm dying to give this one a try.

This recipe is from  Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico.

1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup lime juice
1 (14-oz) can light coconut milk
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 medium seedless cucumber, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup additional melon (honeydew or cantaloupe), cut into small cubes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
1 Tbsp agave syrup or honey, to taste

1. In a blender, puree chopped cantaloupe, lime juice, and coconut milk. Pour into a large bowl through a sieve. Discard pulp.

2. Whisk chili powder and cinnamon into cantaloupe puree. Stir in cucumber, melon cubes, and mint. Season to taste with syrup; chill for one hour.

Makes 6 (1-cup) servings.

Let me know how it tastes!

Hot New Ingredient - Cotton Thistle

As most of you readers know by now, a huge part of my skin care mission is to educate women about the ingredients present in skin care formulations.  This month, we will focus on Cotton Thistle.

Cotton thistle is a hot new skin care ingredient.  Cotton thistle is a flowering plant native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa.  The plant was introduced to North America early in the 19th century and is generally regarded as a weed.  According to published sources "a single Cotton Thistle is imposing enough, but an entire colony can ruin a pasture or destroy a park or campsite, sometimes forming tall, dense, impenetrable stands."

Soooo, why the heck would we want to put this stuff on our face?  Well, according to recent studies cotton thistle has been shown to promote cell regeneration within the epidermis, especially on dry or dehydrated skin.  As a result, it stimulates cell repair thus regulating skin hydration.  This means that cotton thistle helps heal dry, cracked skin and promotes softer, more hydrated, more flexible skin. 

Experts recommend the ingredient particularly for those with mature skin or for post-operative treatments.  It may also be used in post-sunburn treatments.  The recommended level of active ingredient is 2%.

The ingredient has been approved in Europe, United States, Japan, and Australia.  Gatefosse, a french skin care ingredients supplier, has launched cotton thistle under the name Gatuline Skin-Repair Bio.  In addition, Gatuline Skin-Repair Bio is Ecocert certified organic.  Look for it to appear in skin care products within the next year.

Natural vs. Organic Products

Nature-based products are a HOT trend in beauty right now.  As consumers are exploring for more ways to "go green" and protect their family from harmful toxins, the beauty industry is cashing in on the trend.  Over the past five years, the store shelves have become inundated with products claiming to be "natural" or "organic".  Most claim that typical beauty products contain harmful or even, toxic ingredients (which is true to some extent; however the jury is still out on most ingredients).  The new products claim to have removed these ingredients which results in a safer product that is still effective.

When evaluating these products, here are some things to consider:

• "Natural" means that the ingredient has been derived from nature.  However, even ingredients originally derived from nature, can still be created within a laboratory. 
• "Organic" means that the ingredient comes from living material.  These ingredients can be anything that comes from plants or animals.  It is also implied that organic ingredients are farmed without the use of pesticides.

According to organicconsumers.org, during the 12 months through Sept. 9, Americans spent $150 million on the top three mass-market natural personal care brands, including Burt's Bees, Jason Natural Cosmetics and Tom's of Maine, an increase of $51 million over the year before, according to Information Resources Inc., a market research firm. Meanwhile, sales of organic personal care items reached $350 million last year, an increase of $68 million over 2005, according to manufacturer's data compiled by the Organic Trade Association, an industry group.

So what's the real deal? 

Any manufacturer can place the label "natural" on their product.  This does not guarantee that the product is safer for the consumer.

The story is a bit different for "organic", or more specifically "certified organic" products.  Here are the requirements:

• Products labeled "100% organic" must have all-organic ingredients.
• Those made with 95% or more organic ingredients may call themselves "organic."
• And a product containing 70% organic, or more, components may use the label “made with organic ingredients.”

The jury is still out as to whether these products have the same efficacy as non-natural/organic products but choosing these products may give you peace of mind.

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Copyright 2007.  All Rights Reserved.

Monique Eddleton, "The Great Skin Guru", has nearly 10 years of experience in the beauty and wellness industry. Monique is a Licensed Esthetician and make-up artist, wellness coach, and sought-after expert of all things beauty related.  If you want to know the estheticians’ secrets to great, glowing skin - get your free skin care tips are www.realbeauty101.com.