It is viewed by some cultures as a symbol of life and hope. Cactus is an amazingly strong plant that survives under the harshest of conditions. The most commercially valuable use for Opuntia Ficus-Indica today is for the large, sweet fruits, called Tunas. Areas with significant tuna-growing cultivation include Mexico, Malta, Spain, Sicily and the coasts of Southern Italy.
In Sicily, where the Prickly Pear fruit is known as Ficudinnia (the Italian name being Fico d'India, meaning "Indian Fig"), the cactus grows wild and is cultivated to heights of 12–16 feet (4–5 m). If you hear food vendors in a Sicilian market shouting 'bastardoni' - big bastards - don’t be offended. They are just selling their autumn prickly pears.
This plant is incredibly versatile and has many human uses. Its fruit (tuna) and pads (nopales) are edible, nutritious, and tasty. Nopales are the pads and are picked when young, before the spines are hard. Their texture and taste has been compared to string beans. Tuna are the fruit and when eaten fresh they taste like sweet watermelon. It can be made into jams, jellies, syrups, and wine. The dried flowers of the cactus can be brewed into a tea.
The fruit, juice, and pads may have anti-diabetic effects, and contain lots of Vitamin C and antioxidants.
Opuntia Ficus-Indica (as well as other species in Opuntia) is cultivated in nopalries (the pads of the plant) to serve as a host plant for cochineal insects, which produce desirable red and purple dyes. This practice dates from pre-Columbian times. It was even used to dye the British army’s famous red coats.
The fruit of Opuntia Ficus-Indica can cause constipation if consumed with the seeds, without the seeds it is laxative. A University of South Florida engineering professor and a team of researchers have found that mucilage from the Prickly Pear cactus works as a natural, non-toxic dispersant for oil spills.
Our “Mediterranean Aloe” comes from the same plant. The aloe ingredient is extracted from the mucilaginous insides of the pads. This extract is used as a key ingredient in our BOA Cleanser and Mask and comes from prickly pear leaves harvested in Sicily. The internal part of the juicy leaves has traditionally been used on the skin as an emollient and anti-inflammatory remedy as well as in wound healing.
Scientific studies have shown these effects are due to the specific polysaccharides in prickly pear leaves that recently have been found to have similar effects to hyaluronic acid.
In terms of beneficial properties, the polysaccharides, mucilage and pectins mainly consist of arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose and rhamnose as well as other uronic acids that have high molecular weight with amazing antioxidant capacity.
When comparing the performances of these macromolecules with those of hyaluronic acid (HA), during a study regarding the protection/repairing properties, the polysaccharide extract showed higher antioxidant properties compared to HA.
The Indian fig extract and HA had similar performance in being able to speed up the skin recovery processes. These polysaccharides seem to be promising molecules that promote skin defence, fighting oxidative stress (sun burn) and inflammations, as well as keeping the skin healthy and moisturised.
This is why we developed the BOA cleanser and Mask. Leave it on the skin for 5-10 mins or longer and enjoy the beneficial therapeutic properties of this wonderful plant.
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Refusing to despair about despair itself, we can let despair have its own natural life and take a first step onto the foundational ground of human compassion, the ability to see and understand and touch and even speak, the heartfelt grief of another.
]]>Given the current state of the world, I found this essay despite of its title very healing.
DESPAIR...
takes us in when we have nowhere else to go; when we feel the heart cannot break anymore, when our world or our loved ones disappear, when we feel we cannot be loved or do not deserve to be loved, when our God disappoints, or when our body is carrying profound pain in a way that does not seem to go away.
Despair is a haven with its own temporary form of beauty and of self compassion, it is the invitation we accept when we want to remove ourselves from hurt. Despair, is a last protection. To disappear through despair, is to seek a temporary but necessary illusion, a place where we hope nothing can ever find us in the same way again.
Despair is a necessary and seasonal state of repair, a temporary healing absence, an internal physiological and psychological winter when our previous forms of participation in the world take a rest; it is a loss of horizon, it is the place we go when we do not want to be found in the same way anymore. We give up hope when certain particular wishes are no longer able to come true and despair is the time in which we both endure and heal, even when we have not yet found the new form of hope.
Despair is strangely, the last bastion of hope; the wish being, that if we cannot be found in the old way we cannot ever be touched or hurt in that way again. Despair is the sweet but illusory abstraction of leaving the body while still inhabiting it, so we can stop the body from feeling anymore. Despair is the place we go when we no longer want to make a home in the world and where we feel, with a beautifully cruel form of satisfaction, that we may never have deserved that home in the first place. Despair, strangely, has its own sense of achievement, and despair, even more strangely, needs despair to keep it alive.
Despair turns to depression and abstraction when we try to make it stay beyond its appointed season and start to shape our identity around its frozen disappointments. But despair can only stay beyond its appointed time through the forced artificiality of created distance, by abstracting ourselves from bodily feeling, by trapping ourselves in the disappointed mind, by convincing ourselves that the seasons have stopped and can never turn again, and perhaps, most simply and importantly, by refusing to let the body breathe by its self, fully and deeply. Despair is kept alive by freezing our sense of time and the rhythms of time; when we no longer feel imprisoned by time, and when the season is allowed to turn, despair cannot survive.
To keep despair alive we have to abstract and immobilize our bodies, our faculties of hearing, touch and smell, and keep the surrounding springtime of the world at a distance. Despair needs a certain tending, a reinforcing, and isolation, but the body left to itself will breathe, the ears will hear the first birdsong of morning or catch the leaves being touched by the wind in the trees, and the wind will blow away even the grayest cloud; will move even the most immovable season; the heart will continue to beat and the world, we realize, will never stop or go away.
The antidote to despair is not to be found in the brave attempt to cheer ourselves up with happy abstracts, but in paying a profound and courageous attention to the body and the breath, independent of our imprisoning thoughts and stories, even strangely, in paying attention to despair itself, and the way we hold it, and which we realize, was never ours to own and to hold in the first place. To see and experience despair fully in our body is to begin to see it as a necessary, seasonal visitation, and the first step in letting it have its own life, neither holding it nor moving it on before its time.
We take the first steps out of despair by taking on its full weight and coming fully to ground in our wish not to be here. We let our bodies and we let our world breathe again. In that place, strangely, despair cannot do anything but change into something else, into some other season, as it was meant to do, from the beginning. Despair is a difficult, beautiful necessary, a binding understanding between human beings caught in a fierce and difficult world where half of our experience is mediated by loss, but it is a season, a wave form passing through the body, not a prison surrounding us. A season left to itself will always move, however slowly, under its own patience, power and volition.
Refusing to despair about despair itself, we can let despair have its own natural life and take a first step onto the foundational ground of human compassion, the ability to see and understand and touch and even speak, the heartfelt grief of another.
Beautiful essay by David Whyte
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In the area where there has been less sun exposure (extrinsic) you will see the skin condition is significantly better, but this is just small part of a complex picture of why and how our skin ages.
What are some of the characteristic of aged skin?
- presence of wrinkles, sun spots and skin tags
- sagging skin
- dull skin
Aging is a natural phenomena that starts as soon as birth. How fast and how you age is pretty much dictated by your genetic code, but there are other factors that can impact this process. Things like exposure of the skin to environment (sun, wind temperature), life style (sleep, diet, health), and natural movement of skin (frowning, laughing). Managing how we live is truly the only control that we have on how fast we age. The example of chest vs face skin area shows you the impact of sun on your skin. Lack of sleep, bad diet and your overall health also all have a great impact on your skin. It is not possible to seperate the genetic directive for our skin cells from the external factors as they are both happening at the same time.
The key learning here is that well before you see the visible changes to your skin, aging is already happening beneath the skin. At the tissue level (such as the movement of subcutaneous fat deposits) and microscopically, with changes to the biomolecular components of the skin beginning at the most basic level: skin cell DNA.
Here is a diagram again to remind you of our skin structure.
Let's see how our skin changes throughout time. Keep in mind these are broad level changes.
Roaring 20s;
In your 20s your skin is full of life. The epidermis is thick and you are shedding a lot of skin at the cellular level without much help from your skincare routine. This process stimulates new cell production and therefore produces a healthy looking skin. This healthy external skin layer provides fantastic barrier protection and hydration for your skin. Your skin is also producing a healthy level of UV protecting pigments, called melanin, in your epidermis which provides protection for the skin against UV damage.
Deep within your skin the Dermis, which provides skin’s scafolding and nutrition, is operating in an optimal mode. The fibroblast cells, which produce the skin scafolding proteins called collagen and elastin, are present in abundance. They also produce a healthy dose of skin moisturising factors (such as glucosaminoglycans). All this keeps the deep wrinkle formation in check.
This stage in your life is the key turning point where the aging process can be managed to some extent. Someone in their 20s now can proactively maintain a good skincare routine which will determine how their skin will look and behave years later.
Steps that prevent dermal skin cells from oxidative free radical damage are things such as minimising skin tanning, wearing sunscreen, exfoliating on a regular basis, using mild cleansers and using treatments that enhance and boost skin motorisation. Taking all of these steps will help in setting up a good foundation that will serve you years later.
We are now in our 30s;
In our late 20s and early 30s, some facial wrinkles start to form. Expression line wrinkles are very common. Dynamic wrinkles and coarse wrinkles on forehead, crow’s feet around the eyes and laugh lines around the mouth start to appear. Part of this is because the genetic aging which operates on a cellular level is happening in the background. This ultimately results in skin not being able to bounce back after each muscle movement.
Skin starts to thin down. The quality of your scafolding proteins start to change. Sleep, diet and skin maintenance can help these genetic changes. A basic skincare routine at this stage is a must and part of the routine must include exfoliation. Our hormonal changes during our 30s, especially for women during pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives or taking any hormone therapy may contribute to prominent discolouration of the skin such as Melasma. Excessive UV exposure can contribute to uneven skin tone. The cells that produce our UV fighting melanin start to reduce in numbers and each decade of aging can reduce these cells by a factor of 20%.
Moving to our 40s;
At this stage your skin colour and texture has gone through significant changes. A loss of fat layer and a change in muscle tissue brings about a change in your facial shape. Some may experience dropping of the cheeks and jowls. The loss in production of new cells and degradation of the key proteins in the dermis has a serious impact on the skin. As new cells are produced at the base of the epidermis, the outer cells of the stratum corneum slough off and create a fresher outer surface.
The replenishment of the epidermis initiated by new cell production also begins to slow during aging (the cell turnover decreased by 50% between 30s and 80s and new cell transition from the dermis to the epidermis takes longer to get to the top layer.
While the skin is slower to rejuvenate, wounded or damaged skin is even slower to heal. Taking into consideration the reduction of melanin and the decrease in the thickness in older skin, the skin becomes more susceptible to oxidative damage, moisture loss, and broken capillaries.
At this stage it is so important to boost up the cell renewal process by effective and yet controlled exfoliation. Chemical and non-chemical peels, physical scrubs, or dermabrasion and derma planing techniques are all used at this stage to boost the cell renewal process. We think we have the perfect balance with our gentle exfoliator for sensitive skin, our BOA Exfoliant. This exfoliation step should always follow with a healing and soothing treatment. One advantage of the BOA exfoliant is that it is impossible to over-exfoliate with it. Incorporating antioxidants, peptides, healing vitamins, anti-inflammatory masks, and soothing moisturizers into your daily routine is a must.
50+;
On a cellular level the number of fibroblasts (the unique dermal cell responsible for producing the scafolding proteins) reduces. The fibroblasts become less productive, leading to a reduction in the biosynthesis of the various skin collagens and the water-binding glycosaminoglycans. While production of elastin does not decrease, it does become irregular, thickening and losing its snap-back properties. The reduction of collagen leads to a weakening of the key molecular scaffold in the skin as the existing collagen matrix, which naturally oxidises and deteriorates, is not replaced.
As the skin is stretched and contracted, the instantaneous folds that appear in the skin become permanent as the skin is weakened by the loss in collagen rigidity and organisation. The less flexible elastin is unable to quickly relax the skin back to its original position.
Permanent folds, such as deep wrinkles, are enhanced by a decrease in dermal hydration directly resulting from a reduction in glycosaminoglycans. Hyaluronic acid and other glycosaminoglycans bind water and are the molecular component of the extracellular matrix. This is why they are so popular in any skin care routine.
The loss of oestrogen hormone because of the onset of menopause accelerates the aging process in women (more so than men).
The hypodermis (sits beneath the dermis) and is primarily made up of fatty tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. It is integral to cushioning the body, regulating body temperature, and binding the dermis to the underlying organs. Special connective tissue composed of collagen and elastin fibers attach the dermis to the hypodermis.
When this fatty tissue starts to reduce it leads to an increase in wrinkles and skin sagging, as well as less cushioning for the small blood vessels. With less protection, the small blood vessels tend to rupture and cause bruises. The impact of bruising is enhanced as the skin thins, becoming less opaque and more translucent.
The real secret to smoother skin at this stage is to simply use products, or take steps, that improve skin texture, tone and softness. There is no need to make your skincare routine any more complex. You only need 4 steps for an effective skincare routine, however it is key to maintain consistency in your routine rather than jumping around trying too many different products. This consistency will have a major impact on the final result - having beautiful skin.
The 4 key steps you need to take are:
1- Exfoliation:
Exfoliation helps with:
The type of exfoliant is important. We like AHAs and BHAs but we think BOA exfoliant is great on its own or in conjunction with a BHA, like salicylic acid, to help with your blackheads, white heads, some non infectious acne or any other skin bumps which result from clogged pores.
If you are using BOA exfoliant then make sure to do your exfoliation before cleansing (unless you wear heavy make up which means you need to get rid of heavy foundation to allow the BOA exfoliant to do its job). If you are using BHA then apply it after your cleansing and before your treatment. If you are using both, do a BOA exfoliation first, then cleanse and then apply your BHA.
2- Cleansing:
3- Treatment/hydration:
Consistently following these 4 steps can see your skin visibly improve.
Reference: Based on an article by Gul Zone.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
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Thanaka is a paste made from ground bark of several trees (primarily Tanaka, Murraya and also Limonia Acidissima). It is sold in various forms in markets or alongside other beauty products. It can be purchased as a powder and also in its original bark form that you can grind yourself.
Thanaka Trees must be at least 35 years old before they are considered mature enough to yield good quality cuttings. The barks, wood or roots of the tree is ground with a small amount of water (and sometimes flour) on a circular slab called 'Kyauk Pyin'. The slab has a channel around the rim for the water to drain leaving the ground bark behind as a paste.
Women, men and children use the paste primarily as a sunblock and an anti mosquito treatment. Burmese women have also been using it as a form of make up for more than 2,000 years. The paste is applied in attractive designs or just a simple circular patch on cheeks, nose and neck. It imparts a fragrance (similar to Sandlewood) and a cooling sensation which provides some protection from sunburn. It is a natural anti fungal and is believed to help remove acne and promotes smoother skin.
Sources: SBS, BBC & National Geographic
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>I was born in Iran and shortly after the Iranian revolution I escaped the country. The story of my escape and life is like the plot of a movie, but I know mine is not a unique tale. There are thousands and thousands of women out there who have more challenging stories to tell than me.
I was brought up by a mother who was strong, resilient and relatively progressive given the traditional Muslim background she grew up in. She made education the #1 priority for me and my siblings. It was drilled into me that if you want to succeed as a woman, if you want to be in relative control of your own future, the only thing that can help you is education. Don’t get me wrong, she had plenty of other opinions that I did not agree with but, by God, she made me an independent woman in a country and culture where women are still second class citizens.
She instilled in me a “Don’t be a victim” attitude. I was taught that I ultimately have a choice, even if that choice is made within limited parameters.
My first meaningful career opportunity came when I immigrated to the US and started working in a wonderful company which was owned by Unilever. As part of my job as a chemist I had to travel to manufacturing locations in remote parts of the country. We developed unique technologies and solutions to resolve manufacturing problems.
In a manufacturing environment the exposure to sexual innuendos are plenty and as a young woman I had to ignore them all and “get on with it”. As some of you may know, making a big deal about all the inappropriate comments and overtures would have meant an end to my career. Not that my employers would not have supported me but, in my job, being one of the few young women doing what I was doing, would have meant they would end up sending a guy rather than dealing with my complaints as a woman.
I knew what I was going through was not fair and in an ideal world, no-one would be forced to bear all those lewd comments. The surprising fact for some of the people dealing those comments was that “you” as a woman are more than capable of being as smart, or sometimes even smarter, than a guy in your field.
When my daughter was born, I decided I would stay home and raise her. This is a conventional role for a women. Part of it is an absolute desire on our part to experience motherhood but part of it is also conforming to society’s norms.
But, again, as a woman who was ambitious and wanted to put her brain and heart to work, I could not sustain staying at home for long and decided to start my own business. Part of that drive was that I had gained particular expertise and insight into hair and skincare products and had a strong desire to create an authentic skincare line which I believed in.
I had been working at a company that developed technologies for big companies like L’Oreal and Estee Lauder, so I knew the markets, the ingredients and the technologies. With my technical backgrounds I would watch how some products were introduced with outlandish claims and I knew I did not want to play that marketing game.
I also had been exposed to so many 'native' products in various regions of the world and wanted to develop a line of products that could bring some of these beauty rituals to the market. I wanted a brand where every ingredient used was doing what it claimed and was included in a sufficient amount to make that claim truly justifiable. As I said, I could see the marketing games others played and was after something more real.
The other reason for starting my own business was to have control over my schedule. I wanted to be home when my child was sick. To pick her up from school and to support my husband who had a very demanding job. I wanted it all and was working long hours like many of you to have it all.
Starting a business is so hard, especially when you are creating a line in the skincare market; a very competitive industry against companies with far deeper pockets. I had years of hard work, heart aches, failures and struggles. There are so many layers to a successful story. There is a famous saying that the “overnight successes” typically have years of hard work behind them.
Ultimately I have ended up at the top of a company I love, where I get to work with other remarkable women (and a couple of guys) who are juggling multiple priorities every day. We all bring our own element of genius, enthusiasm and hope to work.
I am also blessed to be living in a country where I can read what I want and hold a political view without being persecuted for it. I have control over my body as a woman and have a chance to raise a daughter that knows her worth and won’t be afraid to demand to be respected.
I know we have a long way to go to make women truly equal but we are finding our way down the path and I am hopeful that my daughter will start from a point that is further along the equality trail than where my mother and I started.
Today I feel blessed as a woman whose goal is to be self aware, loving myself and proud of what I have achieved. Going forward our mission for BOA skin care as a brand has always and will continue to be to keep telling our followers to “reveal yourself”. We are hoping to convince everyone who comes into our universe that they are perfect exactly as they are. Nobody defines them but themselves.
This is still BOA’s manifesto:
Beauty is a state of mind.
Beauty is an attitude.
It’s the way we perceive ourselves and others.
It’s being conscious of what connects us to the world.
Beauty is taking care of our body and soul.
Beauty is the spark between your skin and someone else’s,
The way it communicates your love and empathy.
Beauty is not your make up.
Beauty is embracing who you are,
And not hiding under layers of shame.
Beauty is taking the time to connect to yourself;
To connect to the world;
To be mindful
And playful.
Beauty is sitting down when the world around you is going crazy;
It’s savouring a moment’s peace and taking a deep breath,
Before moving on again.
Beauty is being aware that perfection is just an idea, not a reality.
Beauty is not perfection;
Beauty is not the norm;
Beauty is not an opinion;
So don’t hide away.
Reveal yourself;
Reveal your beauty.
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>Exfoliation helps you renew your skin and helps your serums and moisturisers absorb better, giving you a beautiful, radiant glow.
So we all agree it is an essential part of skincare routine but its one that often gets ignored until we reach a crisis point and decide we need a peel, or a micro dermal abrasion. Sometimes these processes are needed as part of acne treatment, but for your beauty and skincare needs, BOA Smart Natural Exfoliant can save you lots of time and money. Plus, BOA is natural and therefore a lot more gentle on your face than some other forms of exfoliation.
So, let’s look at some harsher exfoliation methods...
Micro-dermal abrasion (MDA):
There are various methodologies for micro dermal abrasion. In crystal MDA tiny crystals are sprayed onto the skin to remove the outer layer of your skin. With both the diamond tip method and the crystal method, suction is applied at the same time to remove the dead cells. The severity of the process depends on the length and degree of pressure applied with the tip. There is also a hydra dermal abrasion that uses an infusion of products and crystal-free exfoliation.
The result is a tender and pink looking skin that might take up to 24 hours to go away. Sun exposure must be avoided for a few days immediately after the procedure.
Cost of procedure: typically $200 to $300/session at a skin clinic or spa. A series of regular sessions are often recommended, which can add up quickly.
Chemical Peel:
A chemical peel is a skin resurfacing procedure. It is used to treat wrinkles, acne, skin discoloration or scars, but some people use them as a deep exfoliation method. Peels can impart younger-looking skin until your next layer of dead skin cells covers the face again. They can be done at different depths, but the recovery time varies depending on which peel is used.
Light peels are used to remove the top layer of skin, the epidermis. It can be used to treat wrinkles, acne, uneven skin tone and dryness. This is the one that most people use to get a quick and deep exfoliation. It can be done every 3-5 weeks, but typically costs $150 to $300/session.
Medium peels remove the skin from epidermis as well as part of the dermis. It is used for removing wrinkles, acne scars or uneven skin tone. It can be done every 3- 9 months but can cost around $500/session, often with some downtime.
Deep peels can penetrate into the lower layer of dermis. It can only be done once and is used for removing precancerous growths, deep wrinkles and scars. This peel will have significant downtime and cost upwards of $3,000.
Main drawbacks: Hyperpigmentation (darker skin) or hypopigmentation (lighter skin), redness can last for a few months and in some cases, it can cause heart, kidney and liver damage.
However, both chemical peels and microdermabrasion are non-discriminate in removing healthy as well as dead skin cells.
BOA Smart Natural Exfoliant:
But, should we be removing skin that isn't ready to come off? We think not. Which is why we developed BOA. BOA Smart Natural Exfoliant is highly unique and ONLY removes the dead cells, not your healthy ones.
We also don't think that you need to spend hundreds of dollars to keep your skin radiant and healthy. BOA is great value for money, can last you up to 6-9 months and can reduce the appearance of wrinkles by removing the top dead cells that make them more pronounced - and naturally, without chemicals. Using BOA can make your skin look radiant, help keeps your pores clean and open and therefore helps you prevent some of the skin problems such as Milia, acne, and dry flaky skin.
Rather than taking drastic action like micro dermal abrasion or chemical peels, you can naturally work your way into soft, smooth and radiant skin, with BOA - all from the comfort of your own home.
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>Let’s get started with a bit of background on exfoliation.…
Our skins' natural ability to regenerate largely slows with age. For those of us the 'wrong' side of 30, our regeneration cycle could take a month instead of as little as a week when we were kids. This means fewer of the younger, healthier skin cells are pushing through to the surface, leaving more dead skin cells in place. Sun damage and hormones can extend this cycle even further. Dead skin is scaly, thickened, discolored and rough (think of your heels pre-pedi), contributes to the appearance of lines and wrinkles and can cause clogged pores.
Exfoliation speeds up this natural process getting rid of dead skin cells.
Exfoliation seems pretty simple, right? Unfortunately, it isn't. There are many ways to exfoliate and some are harsh and can lead to sensitive and aggravated skin, while others are gentle but might not be that effective.
One of the most important factors to consider is the harshness of the exfoliating treatment: the more aggressive the treatment the less frequently it should be used.
The following list of facial exfoliators are ranked in order from mildest to harshest. In terms of frequency (please keep in mind this is a general observation and varies based on individual's skin condition and also the concentration of the treatments such as AHAs and BHAs), the rule of thumb looks like this: items 1-2 can be used daily, 3-5 weekly, 6 monthly, and 7-9 should be at the direction of your dermatologist.
The other thing to note is the ability of the exfoliator to discriminate between dead and healthy skin. Indiscriminately removing healthy skin cells can leave your skin aggravated and extra sensitive to any creams and serums you may put on after your exfoliation. Your skin may also be more sensitive to the sun.
For example, the BOA Exfoliant is a unique natural clay exfoliant that has the ability to discriminate between dead and healthy skin, meaning it only takes away the dead skin cells and leaves the healthy skin in place. It is also self-regulating so you can keep exfoliating until all the dead skin has been removed. After that, the product stops working. There is never a risk of removing healthy skin. You can exfoliate every day with BOA if you like – you just might not remove as much one day as the next. So, it is impossible to over-exfoliate with BOA.
The beauty of the product is that it is a customized exfoliator, tailored to your skin. It knows exactly where your dead skin cells are on any chosen day - and it gets rid of them! Almost like magic!
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
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Use a gentle cleanser that does not dry your skin, such as the BOA Detox Cleanser & Mask. If your cleanser is stripping away your natural sebum extensively, this will lead to more production of oil and you can enter a vicious cycle of over production of oil.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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The real secret to smoother skin is to simply use products, or take steps, that improve skin texture, tone and softness. There is no need to make your skincare routine any more complex - you only need 4 steps for an effective skin care routine. However it is key to maintain consistency in your routine rather than jumping around trying too many different products. This consistency will have a major impact on the final result - having beautiful skin.
The 4 key steps you need to take are:
1- Exfoliation
2- Cleansing
3- Treatment/hydration
4- Protection.
Exfoliation:
If you are not exfoliating your skin then you are missing out on a major step toward having healthier looking skin. It won't matter how much you spend on that serum or moisturizer full of amazing wonderful ingredients, because without properly exfoliated skin you are sabotaging the effectiveness of any of your treatment products by not having your skin prepared to receive their benefits.
Exfoliation helps with:
The type of exfoliant is important. We like AHAs and BHAs but we think BOA exfoliant is great on its own or in conjunction with a BHA, like salicylic acid, to help with your blackheads, white heads, some non infectious acne or any other skin bumps which result from clogged pores.
If you are using BOA exfoliant then make sure to do your exfoliation before cleansing (unless you wear heavy make up which means you need to get rid of heavy foundation to allow the BOA exfoliant to do its job). If you are using BHA then apply it after your cleansing and before your treatment. If you are using both, do a BOA exfoliation first, then cleanse and then apply your BHA.
Cleansing
A cleanser needs to be gentle enough to not strip away your natural sebum but effective enough to cleanse away your skin’s excess oil, dirt, impurities, sunscreen, and makeup.
We think we have accomplished this with our BOA Detoxifying Cleanser & Mask. It is gentle enough to be used on super sensitive skin and yet you can also use it as a mask and it will draw out all the impurities in your clogged pores. It leaves your skin feeling super refreshed.
Treatment/ Moisturizer
This is where, depending on your skin type and problems, you could introduce specific treatments into your routine. By targeting very specific skin concerns via certain ingredients, or a blend of a specific category of ingredients, you can tackle particular issues (like acne). But if you are looking for effective moisturisers with a good combination of anti ageing properties and hydration, our BOA Rejuvenating Serum will soothe your dry skin and restore elasticity while providing enhanced protection from nature’s harsh elements. It will also assist in reducing redness and smooths the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and stretch marks.
Protection
This is the step that, if managed from a young age, can really keep you ageless. Use a sun protection factor to stop the harmful sun rays from breaking down your skin’s infrastructure. Sunscreens with antioxidants are essential to protect your skin from UV light exposure, which is the #1 cause of wrinkles, uneven skin tone, loss of firmness, and many other signs of ageing.
Consistently following these 4 steps can see your skin visibly improve.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
Depending on the type of acids chosen they can improve dry skin, fine lines, wrinkles and even blemishes such as acne. There is an art to developing acid formulations. Sophisticated acidic products are delicately formulated to minimise skin irritation and ensure the effectiveness of the product in respect of the claims that are being made.
Types of Acids in skincare:
There are basically four types of acids that are widely used in the global skin care industry
1- the exfoliators
2- the brighteners
3- the hydrators
4- the anti-agers
The Exfoliators
Exfoliating AHAs seep into skin cells and loosen ceramides, the glue-like substance holding cells together. Glycolic, salicylic, lactic and malic acids all fall into this category. These acids help reveal shiny newer skin cells that lie beneath the dead surface skin.
Getting rid of dead skin increases cell turnover, allowing new cells to reflect light for a healthy glow. Glycolic acid is derived from sugar cane and is the most widely used acid, in levels ranging from 1-10%. Glycolic acid rejuvenates skin with minimal irritation. It removes dead cells, smoothes texture, shrinks pores, lightens spots, evens out scars, reduces the appearance of wrinkles and keeps skin bright. Its small molecular size enables it to penetrate cellular walls and actively stimulate cell turnover.
Lactic acid is best for sensitive skin and fights signs of aging. It is derived from milk. It exfoliates and softens lines and wrinkles. It is not as irritating as glycolic acid. It easily penetrates the skin because it is a small molecule. It appears in many skin care products, primarily because it provides skin hydration benefits.
Malic acid is a weaker version of glycolic acid. It is more suited to those with extremely sensitive skin. It loosens the bond that holds dead skin cells together and also provides anti-aging benefits.
Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA). It poses little irritation risk, as it is self-neutralizing. It works as an exfoliator to remove discolored and damaged skin cells. It improves tone, and produces a drying and lifting effect. Salicylic acid treats acne because it dries up blemishes by unclogging packed pores and loosens trapped dirt and oils. It stimulates desquamation, collagen and elastin production, and provides antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory support. It works for most skin types. Salicylic acid, derived from willow bark, is less irritating than AHAs, but may cause an allergic reaction in patients with aspirin sensitivities.
We recommend using BOA exfoliant with AHA or BHA as an optimal way to exfoliate skin. Both AHA and BHA loosen up the ceramics on aged skin while our BOA exfoliant, which acts as a lint roller, can pick up these dead cells and remove them completely from the skin to reveal the beautiful skin underneath, which gives the skin such a glowing and healthy look.
The Brighteners
Kojic, L-ascorbic, azelaic and mandelic acids all work at a deeper skin level to halt melanin production and impart a brightening effect. All of these ingredients work over a period of time.
Another brighter, L-ascorbic acid, is derived from vitamin C in synthetic form. It imparts antioxidant benefits, brightened skin and increased collagen, while providing free-radical protection against photo-damage and elements in the environment, such as pollution, that damages skin.
The Hydrators
These acids work at a deeper level of the skin so that it is more hydrated. Hyaluronic acid provides a hydrating effect. It allows skin to hold on to water and is compatible with every skin type. It is the key ingredient in many moisturizers and injectable fillers. It works differently because it is a moisture magnet. It keeps everything hydrated and together. In the products it provides a softer skin feel because it pulls moisture from the air down into the skin.
In our BOA detoxifying cleanser/Mask, we use Sicilian Cactus Aloe (a natural version of Hyaluronic acid) that gives your skin a boost of antioxidants and calms the skin.
Kojic acid is another hydrating ingredient that provides powerful protection against photo-damage and against pollution that damages skin. It is best for evening out skin colour and lightening discolouration and age spots. It is a fungus derived from Japanese mushrooms. Kojic acid boasts effects similar to hydroquinone. It is suitable for those who want long-term lightening without the risks that come with hydroquinone.
Finally, Kojic acid works to disrupt the production of melanin to make skin look more even in colour.
The Anti-Agers
This acid category includes ferulic acid, azelaic acid, retinoic acid and alpha lipoic acid. Ferulic acid is used for making new collagen in skin and stopping free radical damage. It is derived from the seeds and leaves of certain plants. Ferulic acid is usually combined with another ingredient such as retinol or vitamin C or E to provide supercharged protection from the sun and pollution.
Azelaic acid is best used for controlling redness and acne. Derived from grains, it soothes irritated skin, therefore it is used for calming rosacea-initiated redness, inflammation and bumps while evening out skin tone.
Retinoic acid is used for acne and anti-aging purposes. Derived from vitamin A, it revs up collagen production, keeps pores clean, accelerates skin cell shedding and evens skin tone. It can be harsh and some people can not tolerate the harshness of the treatments.
Retinol is a vitamin A derivative. It converts to retinoic acid and is a DNA regulator. It effectively treats UV-induced aging and discoloration, assists in collagen synthesis and encourages healthy cell formation. Retinol is capable of oxidizing to retinoic acid through enzyme activity, providing the benefits of Retin A without side effects. Most skin types tolerate retinol in topical and acid formulations.
Alpha lipoic acid is best for antioxidant protection and minimizing wrinkles. Derived from plants, alpha lipoic acid is said to possess great penetrability; i.e., it can enter all parts of a skin cell and provide extreme protection against free radicals. This helps prevent damage to the skin and lifts skin’s vitamin levels of E and C back to normal, giving the skin a healthy glow.
Our BOA rejuvenating serum with its unique blend of rich oils and emollients offers a natural alternative to some of the acids. It will penetrate deep into the surface of the skin to instantly nourish and plump your skin. It also reduces redness while smoothing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and stretch marks. It forms a barrier to lock in moisture and protect your skin from environmental irritants, which can cause premature aging and inflammation.
The complete BOA ritual can complement and enhance the functionality of some of these acids to achieve beautiful glowing skin without the side effects of some of these more aggressive acidic ingredients.
Most of the scientific background to this blog is based on the research paper by Navin M. Geria, Senior Technical Advisor and Principal Doctors Skin Prescription
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
Most skincare companies go through the rigours of screening their ingredients to ensure they are of high quality, but it is up to the individual to identify the source of any sensitivity and then avoid all products that include the ingredients that trigger their personal allergic reaction.
This is one of the reasons that at BOA we believe in maintaining a simple skin care ritual. You don't need 10 different steps and products to look after your skin. Keep it simple and you can avoid many of the skin complications that can develop over time.
]]>The skin is our primary barrier to the outside world. It works by preventing things from getting into our body and therefore our bloodstream. Remember that we still use injections to get medication into our body. Having said that, the outer layer of skin does have receptors that can filter outside molecules and allow certain ones into our body - think of the hormonal patches that are used as transdermal medication. Products that contain oestrogen and progesterone can be absorbed by the skin because they look like the hormones that are natural to body and so they do not trigger a systemic immune system response.
The reality is that almost none of your skincare products will make it to dermis layer, which is where you have blood vessels. There have been certain sunscreen factors that may enter the bloodstream through absorption but again they are the rare exceptions and not the norm.
So what about allergic reactions to various nut oils? As mentioned there are skin receptors in the outer layer (dermis) of your skin. The primary function of these receptors is to act like border agents. They check the molecules and decide whether to allow them in or not. Certain chemicals like the hormones mentioned above have particular shapes that are recognised by these receptors, which is how some of the oestrogen in your cream can be absorbed into your bloodstream.
Peanut oil, an ingredient in some skincare products, contains 13 known proteins that have been identified as allergens. These allergens cannot be recognised by the receptors and so will be considered foreign invaders. Once identified, this triggers an immune system response which can develop into a systemic immune system response. This is where the immune system overreacts to the harmless allergens it is encountering. In this instance, people who are severely allergic to tree nuts or a particular nut like peanut can all of a sudden exhibit a local (itchiness, redness, swelling) or systemic (Immune shock, anaphylactic reaction) response.
No matter how much the ingredients are refined for use in the cosmetic industry, not all of these proteins can be removed from the natural source. In most cases a sever reaction is limited to only a few people and the skin typically does a good job of keeping these foreign objects away from the skin's receptors.
In one study, the number of people who experience an allergic reaction to coconut oil was only a handful each year. Coconut is not even a nut. It is a fruit but it does contain allergens. Some of these allergens can cross react and over a period of time people with sever sensitivity to these particular allergens can start to show a reaction to them. Again, the reaction is coming from the skin's receptors which have triggered a systemic immune response. The compound is definitely kept out of the body but if sensitisation has occured over a period of time, it can still trigger the immune response and result in a reaction on the skin.
Most skincare companies go through the rigours of screening their ingredients to ensure they are of high quality, but it is up to the individual to identify the source of any sensitivity and then avoid all products that include the ingredients that trigger their personal allergic reaction.
This is one of the reasons that at BOA we believe in maintaining a simple skin care ritual. You don't need 10 different steps and products to look after your skin. Keep it simple and you can avoid many of the skin complications that can develop over time.
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
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The first step in self-healing is to accept that healing is a natural aspect of the mind just as it is with our body. When we look inside our mind we see restless mental activity driven constantly by the demand of our ego and the call of our insecurities. This is in contrast to our lung or heart cells which are orderly and focused. We exist in the grip of this illusion of the mind that does not allow us to see or experience our true self. The true self that lives beyond our restless mind. Being aware is the powerful tool you need to take you beyond, allow you to rest there and be as we are meant to be.
This is why our meditation practice is so important. It is the path to awareness. Use it and you can find the place inside you where healing is as effortless and natural as the physical healing of our cells. The ones that are sustaining us at this very moment.
]]>Take a look through the window of your childhood to see how you have been conditioned by your past. See how every disagreement with your parents shows up today in an argument with your partner, or friend. Recognise how unconscious feelings of unworthiness can suddenly appear as an aspect in your relationship. This is where we need to turn to the power of awareness. All healings begin through awareness. We can try to watch our words, control our emotions, take signals of approval or disapproval from other people, but this is awareness applied outwards which only gets you so far. These external factors change too fast and shouldn't be trusted as a guide toward true healing.
Only self awareness brings about real mastery of dealing with life challenges. It starts at the cellular level. Our body knows how to self heal. We rely on this to survive. But at the psychological level, we struggle. Our relationships can become more negative or more positive over time. A positive relationship relies on love, peace, compassion, kindness, understanding, tolerance and mutual growth. A negative relationship, on the other hand, suffers from obstacles that are the same as the obstacles to healing.
If we take our body as a guide for self-healing, look at the fearless way that our body manages to survive and even thrive in the face of countless threats. The cells in our body live in the moment. Their response is instinctive and natural.
The first step in self-healing is to accept that healing is a natural aspect of the mind just as it is with our body. When we look inside our mind we see restless mental activity driven constantly by the demand of our ego and the call of our insecurities. This is in contrast to our lung or heart cells which are orderly and focused. We exist in the grip of this illusion of the mind that does not allow us to see or experience our true self. The true self that lives beyond our restless mind. Being aware is the powerful tool you need to take you beyond, allow you to rest there and be as we are meant to be.
This is why our meditation practice is so important. It is the path to awareness. Use it and you can find the place inside you where healing is as effortless and natural as the physical healing of our cells. The ones that are sustaining us at this very moment.
Based on a meditation by Deepak Chopra
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>As we get older we get to feel more of ourselves than ever before in our lives. We start to benefit from all those years of taking and learning life lessons along the path of our journey. As our lives continue to unfold, the depth, wonder and also the difficulties that each year brings allows us to live increasingly fearlessly. Look what you have already overcome and yet you are still here. You have faced and overcome an increasingly long list of challenges. You are timeless. Every experience brings you to the fullness of your life which of course includes disruption and crisis at times. They all offer you the opportunity to explore the life changing question. Is this worth my time?
How do we become more happy? A successful life means that with each season of life we become more conscious and we continue to evolve. The seasons of your life begin with infancy and early childhood where biology dominates. Development is controlled by genes and guided by your parent's influence. Children don't bear the responsibility for major life choices. On reaching adulthood, everyone is engaged in a single project "building a self".
It is a self that is growing based on society's template for each phase of our lives. Going to school, getting a job, raising a family, then retiring. These stages are not a guide for evolution. The only guide is within as measured by your vision of life, personal values, character, self-awareness and fulfilment. You can not quantify any of these. We are the judges of whether our lives are happier, more loving, filled with kindness and consideration, more open to differences and finding new outlets for creativity and self discovery.
Ask yourself about any demand on your attention, is this worth my time? Have a conscious strategy to have contact with people who are most important in your life. Have downtime to mediate and play. Ageing allows you to say 'no' to what takes up your time and 'yes' to more play. The journey of expanded consciousness unites the seasons of life and creates more happiness.
Based on a meditation by Deepak Chopra.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
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The composition of gut microbiota is influenced by the use of antibiotics and by the lifestyle of the host, including exercise, diet and hygiene preferences.
The skin immune system is a composite unit of interacting human and microbial elements. The microbiota is a key factor in homeostatic control of skin immunity.
The biodiversity of skin habitats is also heavily influenced by the biodiversity of the ecosystem in which we reside. Damage and loss of natural environments or things such as air and water pollution can all work to reduce the environmental microbial biodiversity, i.e. reduce the human contact with microbes. This leads to systemic immune dysregulation, which results in a higher risk of inflammatory diseases and an impaired immune system.
We know that gut microbiota and the brain communicate with each other via various routes including the immune system, different microbial metabolites, the Vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system. Any disturbance of this amazing brain-gut axis has been thought to be a primary cause of functional gut disorders.
The overall ecosystem comprising various types of bacteria, which can be different in each of us, are not just limited to the gut and skin but are also present in our bladder and other organs. We are just now starting to understand how they contribute to our health and are linked to disease. We are learning ways that we can restructure these various ecosystems to achieve the results that we need individually for our health. The DNA of these bacterium are being studied and science is leading the way to determine how to use the microbiota as potential cures for for things such as allergies and even insomnia.
We still don’t know exactly what all these varieties of microorganisms, fungi, virus and bacteria do in our body and how they interact. It's hard not to hope that the work currently being undertaken to understand them better will open an entire new way of fine tuning the broad spectrum of our health.
Sources:
Prime Journal October 2020
BBC Welcome Science- Podcast
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>Clay forms from the decomposition of stones and sediments and is found in many regions of the world. It is particularly rich in minerals and has very interesting medicinal and cosmetic applications. Their differing benefits are determined by each clay's original natural source components, being decomposed organic matter from plant life, animals and other minerals found in the vicinity of where it comes from.
Clays' extraordinary benefits and detoxifying abilities are also based on its' crystallised structure which, depending on the type of clay, gives it specific properties.
BOA's smart, natural exfoliant uses a Kaolin clay as one of its' primary ingredient, taking advantage of the natural exfoliating properties as well as its' ability to provide tone and clarity to your skin.
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Clay has a long history of use by medical doctors for treating both internal and external issues. Egyptians used yellow ochre, a sort of clay, to treat wounds, and used to take baths in the Nile alluvium. Clay was also used by the Chinese, Greeks and Romans, and was generally considered as the "magic earth". Hippocrates recommended earth from Lemnos, an Aegean island. Even animals instinctively use clay when they are sick or hurt.
Clays' extraordinary benefits and detoxifying abilities are also based on its' crystallised structure which, depending on the type of clay, gives it specific properties. Let’s look at some of the known types that are used in the personal care industry.
Bentonite clay. Comes from volcanic ash that has been altered in the presence of water. It draws out toxins and has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. It has a strong absorption property.
Kaolin clay. Mostly found in tropical rainforest areas, it is also high in alumina. This fine-grained clay has mild absorption properties. It ranges in various colours such as white, pink or green depending on the mixture of minerals found nearby. Other kaolin clays include Brazilian clay and rose clay. With gentle absorption and exfoliant properties, this clay can enhance the tone and clarity of the skin. Brazilian Indians use the white clay to protect themselves against skin problems, insect bites and snake poison.
Rhassoul clay. A magnesium-rich clay found in a valley in Morocco, sometimes called Moroccan red clay. Being one of the gentler clays, Rhassoul clay is more moisturizing and helps soften the skin. It also helps regulate oil, improve clarity and elasticity.
Green clay. Usually found in France, the green colour comes from decomposed plants and iron oxides. Green clay also has anti-aging properties, stimulates circulation and has great absorbability.
Fullers earth clay. A mineral-rich clay, mostly composed of aluminium and magnesium, it is known to be super absorbent. It helps oily and acne-prone skin to draw out excessive oil and impurities.
BOA's smart, natural exfoliant uses a Kaolin clay as one of its' primary ingredient, taking advantage of the natural exfoliating properties as well as its' ability to provide tone and clarity to your skin.
The BOA product development team is hard at work evaluating other clays and we hope to bring you new products in the near future that will introduce the incredible benefits of these magic earths to your skin care routine.
Source: Technical papers, Skin Inc
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>For example, let's take a look at rose hip seed oil. This oil is extracted from the seeds of the wild rose bush in the southern Andes in South America. There are other variants that are sourced from South Africa, Turkey and elsewhere in Europe. Keep in mind this is different from Rose Petal extract that is used in perfumes.
Rose hip seed oil is high in the essential fatty acids Linolic acid, or omega-6, and Omega 3. It is considered a poly-unsaturated oil and has many double bonds in its structure. Oils with many double bonds react and oxidize. Over 60% of Rose hip oil is linoleic acid (C18- that is the number of C in the chain) and has double bonds. This makes the oil very unstable if it is not processed and stored properly.
Looking at the time it takes from harvest, to processing, to consumer purchase, an oil can be significantly aged by the time it is finally used by the consumer. Another element in the stability factor of the oil is the way it is processed, for example cold pressed oils are a lot more unstable.
In contrast, Jojoba oil (the one we use in our BOA Exfoliant) is considered one of the most stable oils in the industry because it is actually more like a liquid wax and not a typical oil.
Once an oil is produced by a harvester or processor, they must be stabilized with something as quickly as possible otherwise they start to age / oxidize very quickly. Oxidation can even happen if they have been stabilised. It can happen as a result of heat or air exposure, as most often these oils are not packed in a vacuum. Some oils are known as oxidatively very stable whereas other oils can go bad very quickly.
Argon oil (or Moroccan oil), for example, ages very quickly (oxidatively it is very unstable). It has a shelf life of only about 6 months. There is a story in the personal care industry around the rise in use of Moroccan oil. They say that one year a supplier of this oil had a massive surplus and was aware of how quickly it can destabilize, so he decided to spin a story about it. He must have been an impressive storyteller because Argon oil is still considered to be the magic oil with a lot of hype about it across the skin care and hair care markets. There are currently a huge number of brands that have launched products with Argon oil in them.
All oils do eventually go rancid, it is just a matter of when. when oils oxidize it does not negatively impact their performance such as the aesthetic feel, the degree of moisturization or any other benefits associated with different types of oils. The problem is that in a fully oil-based product the smell can be very off putting if one of the fatty acids has been even slightly oxidized. It doesn't take that much of the oil to go rancid before your nose picks up a nasty odor.
Some oils offer a world of wonder if they have been harvested, blended and stored properly. Some of them have been identified through history as having prophylactic and therapeutic effects against the common cold, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, urinary tract diseases, and inflammatory diseases.
Our advise for your face oil product is the following:
Store them properly. Don’t leave them open in a humid or hot place, or exposed to sunlight. Buy small quantities as you will go through them faster and they will stay fresh and effective.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>The lacquered cracks are covered with gold to transform the pot into a special work of art which will be used and preserved for a long time. The restored ceramic becomes a symbol of fragility, strength and beauty.
]]>It follows a belief that all things are created and destined to be broken someday. Being broken or damaged is never a bad thing. All of us develop scars throughout our lives but these scars should never be hidden. Our imperfections can be the birth of something new.
Kintsugi is mainly used in pottery. It is often used on pottery that has been inherited or on people’s favourite pieces, so it’s usually used to restore objects that have sentimental value. The fractured part, where Kingtsugi is applied, becomes a new landscape in itself.
The lacquered cracks are covered with gold to transform the pot into a special work of art which will be used and preserved for a long time. The restored ceramic becomes a symbol of fragility, strength and beauty. Many see Kintsugi as a powerful metaphor for life where nothing is ever truly broken.
Kintsugi is produced from the sap of an indigenous tree. It has been used in Japanese art since the prehistoric Jomon period.
The Japanese lacquer is extremely precious because the tree will be cut down after the sap is extracted (about a cup of sap per tree). The sap is like its' blood and extracting it ends the life of the tree. The practitioners of this art spend a lot of time processing this natural material by hand. It is considered a sustainable way to live with nature. The restoration process can take up to three months. The lacquer must be dry and harden before it can be dusted with gold. The process teaches the student of Kintsugi to cherish things more. We live in a “use and dispose” era. Many believe that Kintsugi teaches us resilience and helps us put together fragments of ourselves.
We should consider this and think about how we can adapt it in our own lives. How can we use such a process to restore our own broken parts, both physical and psychological? Kintsugi teaches us that our broken parts can not only be mended, but indeed made more beautiful, so we should never give up on life.
The celebration of broken objects is an extension of ‘Wabi-Sabi’, an Eastern philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection. Try not to hide what you’ve gone through in your history, even if it was traumatic. Embrace it and you will be reborn because of that trauma and emerge better and more beautiful.
Source: From BBC Reel July 2020
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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]]>Compostable
The ASTM (The American Society of Testing and Measurements) defines compostable as a material capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program. It breaks down such that the plastic is no longer visible as it fully breaks down into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. starch), and leaves no toxic residue. So basically, what they are saying is that the compostable material is like the trunk of a tree that has fallen. Over a period of time it decomposes to raw materials that can then be reabsorbed to generate organic matter.
How long does it take to break down? The standards require 60% (90% in Europe) conversion of the 'plastic' into carbon dioxide within 180 days for resins made from a single polymer and 90% conversion of the item into carbon dioxide for co-polymers or polymer mixes.
Also important is the quality and non-toxicity of the compost produced as the compostable plastic bag breaks down. For a product to be labelled compostable the standard requires that any resulting concentration of heavy metals is below certain limits. They also actively test the rate of plant growth in soil mixed with the composted 'plastic' against plants grown in controlled compost samples.
So you can generally feel pretty good about using bags and other packaging that is marked as being compostable.
Biodegradable
Biodegradable means that a product will degrade from the action of naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, over a period of time. However – unlike compostable products – there is no requirement for products labelled `biodegradable’ to meet any eco-toxicity or break-down timeframe requirements. So this time frame could be thousands of years which obviously does not sit well with where we are heading in our quest to help the environment.
It is also possible that the biodegradable bag will just fall apart and produce micro plastics which then fall into the food chain of various organisms.
So be wary of biodegradable claims as they can do more harm than good and only really give us a false sense of security that we are 'doing the right thing' about minimising our use of plastics.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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]]>
Swimming in the cold ocean and then running to jump into a natural hot tub is really an idealic image. You feel reborn and it seems like you have changed your skin!! Almost like when you use BOA Exfoliant. It is in a beautiful setting right next to ocean and one can be one with the nature.You are free from you image of how you look, your body. The positive effect of seeing "real" bodies in their imperfect flesh turns Icelanders to become a free spirit.
]]>Sitting in a pool, semi-naked, means that all the trappings associated with class or wealth through one's clothing are gone. You are who you are, nothing more and nothing less. You leave your status outside. There is no VIP section. Everybody is the same. The cell phone is also left outside and people actually talk to one another. One can make a lot of friends in the pool. It is a place for socialising and meeting. I guess being naked makes you less inhibited about connecting.
Swimming in the cold ocean and then jumping into a natural hot tub is really an idyllic image. You feel reborn and it feels like you have changed your skin!! It's almost like when you use our BOA Exfoliant! It is done in a beautiful setting right next to ocean and you can't help but feel at one with nature.You escape from worrying about how your body looks as you embrace the positive impact of seeing "real" bodies, perfectly imperfect. This truly turns Icelanders into free spirits.
As Icelanders transitioned from a farming economy to a fishing nation, learning to swim became an essential part of their culture. Swimming is mandatory from the age of 6 until 16 when everyone is tested to prove they can swim 600 meters unassisted.
Iceland is typically a reserved nation. Their long winters and not so warm summers makes people not so chatty but strip them off their clothes in their natural hot tubs and all of a sudden they are making friends left and right. These pools and hot tubs foster health in mind and body as well as a sense of equality which elevates Iceland in spite of their colder weather to one of the happiest countries in the world.
Sourced from a report on BBC.
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]]>
As my mother used to tell me, the magnitude of a problem all depends on where you are on the staircase of life. If you feel unhappy, just go up one more step and look down at the problem again and you will see your perceived problem suddenly smaller than it was. Keep going up and at the top of the stairs you will see that what you thought of as a huge problem is really very small in scheme of all things.
]]>The days that my mood was going down, I would practice my meditation and redirect my thought process back to the present moment and start to look at things from a different perspective. I started practicing my gratitude meditation and would remind myself of the blessings in my life. I started to create a daily routine and looked at that routine as a way of stabilising my life and anchoring it to the current moment rather than letting my head spin, worrying that life is a runaway train that I have no control over. For the record I am not a routine oriented person and typically get bored very quickly, but these were not normal times.
Eventually the restrictions were lifted and I started to hope that things were moving in the right direction. I even hugged my sister-in-law when I was invited to a dinner party at her place. I was gleeful about the return of my freedoms and found myself gloating to my friends back in the US, telling them how wonderfully the State of Victoria had managed the pandemic.
Then the second wave of infections hit and the rising number of cases did make it feel like everything was getting out of control for couple of weeks. Stage 4 lockdown was imposed and unfortunately the death toll started mounting. My freedoms have once again been curbed. I can only walk in a 5 km radius from my home and outdoor exercise is limited to one hour. This time around it felt a lot harder to bring back my mind to the present moment and focus my thoughts, but then I came across an exercise that helped me a lot.
I started asking the question, 'if this was the last day of your life how would you want to spend it?'. I realised I was spending my day exactly as I would want to spend it.
I go out for a walk, rain or shine, smile at the considerate people who stop and allow me to pass. I breathe in the fresh air (even through a mask). I come home to my beautiful family. I paint and work on my various projects. I see my daughter come down the stairs, albeit she is a bit stressed as she is going through her final year of high school during a pandemic via remote learning. My eyes light up when I see her and I tell myself that I am grateful for what I have in that moment. Every day is a gift. You can choose to go through it in an unhappy manner or celebrate what the moment offers and put it in perspective. I do believe the universe is talking to us at each given moment in our lives and all I have to do is listen and go with it.
As my mother used to tell me, the magnitude of a problem all depends on where you are on the staircase of life. If you feel unhappy, just go up one more step and look down at the problem again and you will see your perceived problem suddenly smaller than it was. Keep going up and at the top of the stairs you will see that what you thought of as a huge problem is really very small in scheme of all things.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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]]>Also, breathing for hours with the mask on creates your own personal humid microclimate that can be a breeding ground for acne.
You can prevent this issue by building a healthy skin barrier between the mask and your skin. How can you do that? Our suggestion is to use BOA exfoliant to clean away all the dead skins and impurities as soon as you get home. Follow that with a gentle facial cleanser and a cream with ingredients such as ceramides. Ceramides help hold the skin together by forming a protective layer that limits moisture loss and protects against visible damage from pollution and other environmental stressors. Avoid products that are too drying because they will cause the skin barrier to become more compromised than it already is.
While wearing your mask out in public right now is essential – especially in social settings where physical distancing is difficult to maintain - remember, you can (and should!) take the mask off and give your face a necessary breather when you're away from other people or while driving your car.
References
www.health.com,
www.newbeauty.com
Janet Finnerty (Cosmetic Chemist)
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]]>Here are some possible solutions in order of the severity of treatment.
- The easiest answer is wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. This helps avoid the condition in the first place, but if hyperpigmentation already exists then the horse has already bolted, so read on.
- Use products that contain ingredients like kojic acid, AHAs, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), licorice extract (natural Tyrosinase inhibitor), botanicals including bearberry, blueberry and other berries, tranexamic acid, and Retinol + Retinoids; all of which can reduce hyperpigmentation.
- Use prescription creams. They usually contain hydroquinone (2-6/8%) which lightens and fades darkened skin patches by slowing the production of melanin, allowing those dark spots to gradually fade to match one's normal skin colour. In more resistant cases the percentage of hydroquinone can be increased and/or tretinoin or kojic acid (1-3%) may be compounded into the prescription medication. The downside of hydroquinone and these sorts of medications is that they can be irritating to sensitive skin and usually take three to six months to show improvement.
- IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) produces very shallow wounds in the skin that stimulate skin renewal and removes superficial damage, skin imperfections, and excess skin pigmentation.
- Intense exfoliation such as a chemical peel. This is where a chemical agent is applied on the skin to cause controlled shedding of the entire epidermis. This results in the regeneration of new skin and deeper tissues. Peels are also used for the treatment of melasma. They remove unwanted melanin by causing a controlled chemical burn to the skin. If you are a regular reader of our blogs then you already know how we feel about this type of aggressive treatment! I personally prefer to use BOA exfoliant for a gentler and more sustained result.
- Undergo laser treatment. The new PiQo4 Laser has the ability to target pigment at different levels of the skin. It uses energy aimed at the brown spot, shattering it rather than transforming it into heat. Too much heat can result in more downtime and occasionally worsens hyperpigmentation, especially on darker skin types.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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]]>Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory agent that’s said to be beneficial for both the digestive system and skin health. It can help even out skin tones with hyperpigmentation, help with scarring and reduce the look of breakouts.
Turmeric can also help with skin brightness, which is one of the reasons it’s used in traditional Indian wedding ceremonies. Many of us would not think of putting Tumeric on our face because of a fear of getting a yellow stain on our skin. Yet the Haldi ceremony is a ritual holy bath, also known as the pithi ceremony, which is one of the pre-wedding ceremonies in India. Turmeric (haldi), oil and water are applied to both the bride and groom by married women on the morning of the wedding. The mixture is believed to bless the couple before the wedding. It is known to have properties that leave the skin bright and glowing. The Haldi in some Indian communities is considered auspicious and also signifies protection.
The auspiciousness of this ingredient and its colour brings prosperity to the couple as they start their new life together. Some families mix the turmeric with sandalwood powder and milk, while others prefer to mix it with rose water.
The ceremony includes traditional songs and dances, and sometimes the bride and groom will apply this sacred paste on their unmarried siblings and friends for luck too. It is said that whoever gets touched by this paste will find a good looking partner soon.
Haldi holds an important place in Indian traditions because it also purifies and cleanses the body. After the Haldi ceremony, when the paste is rinsed off, it helps to remove dead cells and detoxify the skin. It is proven to be an effective exfoliating agent. Well, we don't think it is quite as good as our BOA exfoliant, but we celebrate the tradition nonetheless with our Indian friends.
Apart from its beautification property, Haldi is also known to alleviate some of the nervousness that the bride and the groom feel before their wedding. It is known to boost immunity and soothe an upset stomach.
Most people believe that Haldi has the power to ward off evil spirits from affecting the bride and the groom. This is also a reason why they are not allowed to leave their home after the Haldi ceremony, until their wedding mahurat. In some traditions, they also tie a sacred red thread or are presented small amulets for protection against the evil eye.
Just like many other Indian rituals, the Haldi ceremony is typically celebrated with laughter, giggles, pomp and colour!
Excerpts taken from various articles on Haldi
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]]>She gave a humble reply, “The ball doesn’t know how old I am”.
Every birthday is a blessing. Over time, aging allows us to step into fullness of our lives. We should not deny the moment, any of it, there is so much wisdom and beauty to be gained in experience over time. Those who celebrate every moment of their lives as if its a gift full of potential and joy
]]>
She gave a humble reply, “The ball doesn’t know how old I am”.
"You need to stop yourself from stopping yourself. Every game in life is actually played on a 6 inch ground – the space between your two ears. We don't live in bungalows, duplexes or flats. We live in our mind which is an unlimited area. Life is great when things are sorted and uncluttered there.
Keeping the mind messy with hatred growing on the table, regrets piling up in the corner, expectations boiling in the kitchen, secrets stuffed under the carpet and worries littered everywhere ruins this real home. The key factor to performing well in life and in every arena is the ability to control the quality and quantity of your “internal dialogue”. Performance is potential minus internal interference.
Start your day with a clean slate... Everyday is full of infinite possibilities."
I'm not sure who wrote the rest of the quote above but it really made an impact on me and I think it is so wise.
Every birthday is a blessing. Over time, ageing allows us to step into the fullness of our lives. We should not deny the moment, any of them. There is so much wisdom and beauty to be gained from experience over time. Those who celebrate every moment of their lives live as if it is a gift full of potential and joy.
As Deepak says, how can we age if in pure consciousness there is no concept of time? Yet we mark years in the calendar or watch with worry as our bodies begin to change.
By focusing on these external milestones, we're missing the true point of our lives - that we are alive to love and be loved.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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]]>But let's back up and look at this more closely.
What is skin barrier?
The stratum corneum (SC) (the top layer of your skin) consists of corneocytes and intercellular lipids such as ceramides (40%), cholesterol (25%) and free fatty acids (10%). This lipid mixture is essential to maintaining barrier integrity.
The SC is also known as the permeability barrier and moisture barrier and is responsible for making sure that essential water and electrolytes do not evaporate from the skin. Skin barrier failure means that substances like irritants, allergens and bacteria can find their way into the layer, leading to itching, infection, inflammation and the further breakdown of the protective barrier.
How does this happen?
The usual culprits are emotional, environmental and physical stress, smoking, pollution, over-exfoliation (watch out for scrubs that strip or cause abrasion; this is why we love BOA exfoliant!), sensitising ingredients (solvents, harsh surfactants, some foaming cleansers, bubble baths), cosmetic procedures, sun damage, dehydrating beverages and poor nutrition. All these things add to the assault on the skin.
A couple of other causes that might surprise you is our own obsession with being squeaky clean and using product after product after product on your skin.
Combine product overload with the environmental assaults and you have a recipe for skin barrier disaster.
Let me give you a simple example. The acid mantle of a healthy complexion has a pH of 4 to 5.5 and the ability to tolerate more acid depends on both your skin, and how well a product is formulated. This is the reason some people react to Alpha Hydroxy Acids ( Lactic/Mandelic/citric/Tartaric/Malic acids), Beta Hydroxy acids (Salicylic acid) or Poly-Hydroxy-Acids (this one is more gentle because of its large molecules). If you keep using multiple acids in your routine plus retinoids in your moisturisers, most of you are setting yourself up for irritation and breakouts.
Here is another one but from a different angle, the skin grows more alkaline with age, activating enzymes that chew away at collagen. Mildly acidic products can restore pH, protect against droopy skin and the development of wrinkles. So this is a positive argument for using products that carefully consider this issue in their formulations. There are good formulations out that that use these actives in a thoughtful and sophisticated manner. Unfortunately there are also many more products that just throw a bunch of ingredients in with a few well known actives and market it as a miracle product. It is not just the use of actives that makes a good product but also how carefully the product is formulated.
To keep complexions hydrated and supple, I recommend that you gently exfoliate (BOA is perfect for exfoliation) and, yes, use BHA in a measured way. BHAs are great for getting inside the pores and cleaning them out. Use a non-stripping cleanser. Choose moiturizer formulas that contain fatty acids and phytosterols. Most of all, keep your routine simple. Using product after product in your routine only introduces complexities that you shouldn't have to deal with. Don't get over zealous and try to solve that new problem overnight. Most likely your new 'problem' has been developing for a long time before it popped up on your skin!
Skin hydration and barrier function are essential to skin health and appearance. Beautiful, glowing skin is only possible when the barrier is strong and nurtured.
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]]>Fragrant and leafy silver birch branches (Vihta) are sometimes used to gently beat oneself. This is believed to have a relaxing effect on the muscles. When the heat becomes uncomfortable, Finns jump into a lake, a swimming pool or just have a cold shower. This is then followed by a meal of sausage along with beer or a soft drink. It reminds me of the ritual of the Persian hammams where Sephid ab (the inspiration for BOA exfoliant) is the star of the show.
]]>One of the first reports on the concept of sauna was by Nestor in 1112 where he mentioned hot wooden saunas in which naked bathers beat themselves with branches and then poured cold water over themselves.
Bathing was not a high priority among Europeans (in some countries just once a year) but Finns by comparison were clean freaks, cleaning themselves at least once a week.
The first thing they did when they were building their houses was to build a sauna, the idea behind it was multiple. They could live, eat, carry their hygienic rituals but most importantly give birth in a very sterile environment. Given the cold climate and ready availability of wood in the region, saunas became an integral part of life in Finland. One was even found at the depth of 1400 meters (4600 ft) in the Pyhäsalmi Mine. It’s culture as part of the Finnish Military is strictly egalitarian and no titles or hierarchies are used when they enter the sauna.
The ritual of using the sauna begins with having a wash (a shower can do), followed by time spent sitting in the sauna hot room where the temperature is typically 80-110C. Water is thrown on the hot stones to generate wet steam known as Löyly (spirit, breath, soul), so the moisture level and apparent temperature is increased.
Fragrant and leafy silver birch branches (Vihta) are sometimes used to gently beat oneself. This is believed to have a relaxing effect on the muscles. When the heat becomes uncomfortable, Finns jump into a lake, a swimming pool or just have a cold shower. This is then followed by a meal of sausage along with beer or a soft drink. It reminds me of the ritual of the Persian hammams where Sephid ab (the inspiration for BOA exfoliant) is the star of the show.
This cycle of hot-cold can be repeated again and again up to three times so the whole ritual can last anywhere from 30 mins and up to 2 hours. In summer this bathing process lasts into the night as there is virtually no darkness at that time of year.
It is a major no-no to wear clothing in the sauna, but you can sit on a small towel, a piece of cardboard or sheet of paper (pefletti). For a typical Finn the sauna is, with few exceptions, a strictly non-sexual place.
A report published in 2018 suggests that the regular use of saunas can stabilise the nervous system, improve heart health and reduce inflammation. A short 30 minute sauna post-exercise can significantly lower blood pressure. With the latest development in infra-red heat therapy, the technology can target specific areas of the body, heating both the skin and muscles, which leads to the release of tension.
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The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>Our BOA exfoliant is exactly that. It is a natural, non-invasive (meaning it does not react with your skin), gentle exfoliant. The key problem with over-exfoliation is that you are removing skin cells that are not ready to come off. That is what sets BOA apart from all the others. It ONLY removes the dead cells, not your healthy ones. Why would anyone want to force healthy skin cells that are working hard to protect us to be shed?
]]>Some of us can become overly zealous with our skincare routine and overuse some skincare products, mostly because they make a big difference when you first start using them. However, when it comes to exfoliation, over-exfoliating the skin or using the wrong type of exfoliant for your skin type can do much more harm than good.
The key problem with over-exfoliation is that you are removing skin cells that are not ready to come off. Over-exfoliation can occur when you use any product (such as scrubs and peels) that don't discriminate between dead and healthy cells, thereby taking the healthy cells off as well as the dead cells.
Here's what we need to watch out for:
We are not saying you should never use these treatments, but what is important to understand is that with such harsh treatments you must be careful and use them sparingly.
Without getting into the science of the various types of exfoliants (which we have covered in our previous blogs, such as this one and this one) the best advice I can give is to understand your skin type (oily, dry, combination or sensitive) and use that as the basis of choosing the right type of exfoliant and frequency of exfoliation for your skin type. Yet, what if I told you that by using a smart and natural exfoliant, you may not need to worry about any of these complex choices? What if the exfoliant worked with your skin type (whatever it is) and tells you when it is working but more importantly it also tells you when to stop using it?
Well here comes the sales pitch. Our BOA exfoliant is exactly that. It is a natural, non-invasive (meaning it does not react with your skin), gentle exfoliant. The key problem with over-exfoliation is that you are removing skin cells that are not ready to come off. This is what sets BOA apart from all the others. It ONLY removes the dead cells, not your healthy ones. Why would anyone want to force healthy skin cells that are working hard to protect us to be shed?
Cost is another real consideration from my perspective. I don't think you need to spend hundreds of dollars to keep your skin radiant and healthy. BOA is great value for money, can last for 6-8 months.
It reduces the appearance of wrinkles by removing the dead cells in the top layer of the skin that make wrinkles more pronounced - and it does it naturally and without chemicals. Using BOA can make your skin look radiant, helps keep your pores clean and open, and therefore helps you prevent some skin problems such as Milia, acne, and dry flaky skin.
Rather than taking drastic action like micro-dermal abrasion or chemical peels you can naturally work your way into always having soft, smooth, and radiant skin, with BOA - all from the comfort of your own home.
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>Ideally we should all step away from petty moralism and judgement and instead really try to listen to people, try to understand what they are saying. Surely after going through this pandemic, a monumental shared experience, we must go easier on each other? Yet, so many of us are prone to moralism and rapid judgement. Over the last few years we seem to have landed in a polarization vortex that has been amplified by social media.
On a daily basis all of us come across motivated reasoning. Motivated Reasoning is defined as a form of reasoning in which people access, construct, and evaluate arguments in a biased fashion to arrive at, or endorse, a preferred conclusion. Does this sound familiar?
Our quickness and willingness to hate, distrust and question each other’s motives is interfering with our ability to address what is needed in our society. To find the truth and develop a good norm for an open society when everyone’s voice is heard. Where every race, gender & religon is respected. An inclusive society that celebrates diversity of looks as well as thoughts.
So the main lesson here is that if we can learn to be less judgemental of each other, we can live harmoniously together.
Xuanzang, Zen master from 7th century China, said
“The great way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent, everything becomes clear and undisguised. Make the smallest distinction, however, and heaven and earth are set infinitely far apart. If you wish to see the truth, then hold no opinions for or against anything. To set what you like against what you dislike is the disease of the mind”
Of course, we have judgement in our daily life for a host of tasks and decisions, yet we should develop the ability to step out, say during meditation, and see what our mind is doing. This will show us how our mind works, and we will then have the ability to say 'NO! I am not going to go on a crusade and condemn someone or something'.
If we can turn down the volume on our judgement, take the wisdom from ancient sages and meditation, we’ll be much happier as individuals. Only then can we actually bring the type of changes that we need in order to live happier lives together.
Based on an interview with Jonathan Haidt
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
]]>We can group acne into two types: general non-infectious and infectious. Another way of grouping it is mild, medium, or severe acne.
As a general rule mild acne can be treated with over the counter medication and skin treatments. Moderate and severe acne will typically need professional help since there is most likely an underlying medical problem that is causing the severity of the outbreak. So, if you are suffering from moderate and severe acne don’t waste your money on OTC products and instead, go and see a dermatologist.
Acne vulgaris is the medical name for common acne. Blackheads, whiteheads, and other types of pimples on the skin. The most common spots for breakouts are on the face, chest, shoulders, and back.
The main causes of acne:
Let’s dive in and look at the problem structurally:
A comedo, or basic acne lesion, is a hair follicle that has become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Comedones (the plural of comedo) can develop into bumps called whiteheads and blackheads. Products that may trigger comedones are called "comedogenic." Makeup and skincare products that are labeled "noncomedogenic" are less likely to clog pores or contribute to acne.
Here is what a comedo for either white or blackheads looks like:
We have talked about some of them in past blogs but let’s summarize them again.
Blackheads: Comedones that are open at the surface of the skin. They are full of excess oil and dead skins, a haven for bacteria. The oxidation of the oil is causing the black color.
Whiteheads: Comedones that stay closed at the surface of the skin are called whiteheads. This happens when oil and skin cells prevent clogged hair follicle from opening. No oxidation happens so the pimple stays white.
Acne mechanica: is caused by heat, friction, and pressure against the skin, often the result of wearing sports gear such as a helmet or baseball cap. It is sometimes called "sports-induced acne" because it occurs frequently in athletes. Preventive measures include wearing an absorbent material under your sports equipment and showering immediately after activity.
How to treat mild acne:
The good news is that topical therapies like over-the-counter (OTC) treatments applied directly to the skin can in most cases work effectively for mild acne. They may contain ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, or sulfur.
You’d also be amazed at how a good skincare routine can also do wonders in preventing acne in the first place!
Choose ingredients or a skincare routine that can address the underlying causes. For example, effective exfoliation can get rid of the dead cells that fall into the pores and are one of the main culprits in the formation of acne. We think BOA exfoliant along with a Beta Hydroxy Acid (about 2% Salicylic acid) is a perfect combination for addressing clogged pores and oily skin. By removing these two issues you are removing the major causes of acne. BOA works on the outside and Salicylic acid works on the inside of the pores and together they create a very effective treatment without aggravating your skin. They both work as an excellent preventative method as well. We have testimonials from users who have barely had any form of acne since starting to use both on their skin. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (Glycolic, citric and lactic acids) are also effective but they can sensitize the skin so you need to try them and see if they work for you.
Other treatments:
WANT TO TRY BOA? As a thank you for reading our blog, please use code 'BOAACADEMY' for 10% OFF your BOA products.
We are so confident you'll love BOA, all purchases are eligible for our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The BOA Skin Academy Blog hopes to bring you educational, insightful and interesting reading material on the topics of skincare, beauty, rituals, self-care and wellness. All topics are chosen and written by the BOA team, with credits where credit is due. If you have a suggestion for a topic or a question about what we have written, we would love for you to get in touch. Please email us at info@boaskincare.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For all our BOA customers, please leave a review on our website for a discount on your future purchases.
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