You Shouldn't Be Having Dry, Tight Skin After Your Shower.

We've all experienced that dry, tight feeling on our skin after a shower and we've come to associate it with being clean. Your skin is NOT clean, its dry. Skin feeling dry after a shower probably means your shower gel contains parabens and sulphates. These have been known to dehydrate skin. Parabens are a variety of commonly used preservatives in personal care products and sulphates help make cleaning agents frothy. While the jury is still out on whether they are harmful to health, there is little doubt they can be harsh on skin.

Parabens and sulphates often strip skin of oils. While this may seem like a good idea, that oily layer (good oils) is necessary for skin hydration and health. Within that thin oily layer resides many good bacteria. They protect skin against external bacteria and forms part of its protective layer.

Due to this protective layer being removed (resulting in that dry, tight feeling after a shower) many of us apply moisturiser to rehydrate skin. That stops skin from temporarily feeling dry but that protective layer is missing and skin's pH becomes imbalanced. All this serves to weaken skin over time, making it more susceptible to wrinkles, age spots, scarring and ineffective healing.

The alternative is to shower in botanical formulas made without parabens, sulphates or fragrances. There are a few on the market and they are excellent choices for sustainable skin health. The shift towards these much better cleansing options have been slow for two reasons. Firstly, they seem more expensive at first glance. However, many organic formulas have low water content. This means you will need less shower gel to have a shower. This is also better for the environment as fewer plastic bottles are used. We've estimated that organic shower gels are only about 8% more expensive per shower and reduce carbon footprint by 30%.

d'Organica's™ research department recently (Jan, 2016) conducted an experiment with 82 participants (mainly women) who use moisturiser after a shower. They found that 68% of participants, after using a chemical-free shower gel (d'Organica™ Revitalising Shower Gel), said that they no longer felt they needed to moisturise after their shower. 18% said they would moisturise anyway out of habit and only 15% said their skin still needed moisturising.

We conclude from this experiment that many commonly used bath gels, overly dry skin and the subsequent use of moisturiser is often unnecessary. It's a cycle of over consumption that we don't need. This can be seen with hair care products too - the amount of conditioner used can be severely reduced if shampoos were less harsh on hair.

Let's review the purpose of using shower gel to begin with  - It is to clean. So, does organic, paraben, sulphate-free shower gels clean skin throughly. Yes! It does. Instead of using abrasion to strip skin of dirt, grime and odour, chemical-free shower gels use ionisation technology. The compounds in the gels attract dirt and odour. It sticks to the shower gel compounds  and it gets washed away when you rinse. It's micro smart chemistry.
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Read our previous blog on our "over consumption of personal care". Become aware that organic formulas are not just a luxury item or a passing phase. With growing numbers of people with skin sensitivities and diseases, knowing what you put on your skin and what you cleanse with is vital for sustainable skin health.

brought to you by www.dorganica.net

You're addicted to your personal care products. Wanna know why? Marketing companies' tricks to get you stuck in the cycle of consumption.

You really don't need that many personal care products. Yet, we seem to have so many. Find out from this quick read diagram on why you're probably trapped in a product consumption cycle.

Shop d'Organica

We need a personal care revolution : The shampoo example

d'Organica™

It's shocking how many ingredients in shampoo and shower gels are chemical compounds which, can be toxic to skin. Let's use the example of a shampoo found in a pharmacy or supermarket. They will cost between SGD$8 - $15 for 250ml - 500ml. The big players being Loreal, Dove, Pantene, Herbal Essences, just to name a few. I completely agree, they are affordable. They have been manufactured to be cost effective, but not necessarily good for long term beauty care.

Lets use Pantene to illustrate this example. Remember their famous ads which demonstrate that after using their shampoo, it will create immediately silky hair. There's a reason for this. One of it's top 5 ingredients is silicone. Silicone is a fantastic ingredient to use in conditioner - on the surface anyway.

When a conditioner with high levels of silicone is applied to hair, it coats hairs with thin layers of silicone, sealing down damaged hair. This reduces the appearance of fly-away hairs and makes hair appear shiny for about a day.

Here's the catch - because it has sealed down the hair with the sticky silicone substance, it also prevents the hair from repairing itself and rehydrating. Any leave-on conditioners and hair oils don't have a chance to penetrate the hair to repair it. This means that over time, your hair will get more and more dry. Brittle hair and split ends will most likely follow.

That's not all it does. Silicone coated hair also reduce the amount of hair colouring that gets absorbed into your hair. Colourist either have to increase peroxide percentage to force the hair colour to take, or you're left with colouring that's not quite as vibrant as it should be.  

Here's the best part - because your hair is now dry, you have started on the cycle of consumption. You need to buy product to hydrate hair, you need to buy product to make it appear shiny and in a further burst of irony, you need to buy product to detox your hair of chemical residue.

There is a solution, but it may not be the one you want to hear - there is no instant fix. The reality is that your hair is now dependent on silicone based conditioner and it's not been in a natural state for some time. When you do shift to a silicone-free hair care system, your hair will either appear oily or dry and for a weak or two. Yes! We're here to tell you the truth.

If you push on after those two weeks, your hair will start becoming naturally hydrated and shiny - believe it because it's true! The hair shaft will secrete the right amount of oil for your hair and your natural hair quality will start reemerging. It's absolutely inspiring how nature works. The reality is, you're designed to be beautiful. Give nature a chance to prove it! Use 100% natural. Use 100% organic.

by Dianne Little
thelittleessentials@gmail.com

d'Organica™ is the new skin doctor

d'Organica™ is the new skin doctor

We're created a range which rebalances sensitive and damaged skin so normal cell generation can take place. We know you are naturally beautiful and this range will show it.

About Hair Loss & Natural Hair Growth Solutions

WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR COWN FROM BEING FAR FROM LUSHES? WHAT IF WE TOLD YOU WE CAN REVERSE THE SIGNS OF HAIR LOSS? WOULDN'T YOU TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE?

LAVENDER OIL PROMOTES HAIR GROWTH. Ylang Ylang Oil REDUCES HAIR LOSS. 

Hair Facts

Add 2-3 drops of The Little Essentials
100% Pure French Lavender to your
shampoo to promote healthy hair growth.
It makesyour hair smell great too.

Hair is a string of dead cells

An adult looses about 100 stands a day. Buts its ok, we have about 120,000 strands.

Hair grows about 6 inches a year

There is hair on every part of your body except our palms and the soles of our feet. Some are so fine, they are practically invisible to the naked eye. 

Hair Growth

Hair is made of a protein called keratin that is produced in hair follicles. As follicles produce new hair cells, old cells are being pushed out through the surface of the skin. 

At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing. Each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:

Anagen - active hair growth that lasts between two to six years

Catagen - transitional hair growth that lasts two to three weeks

Telogen - resting phase that lasts about two to three months. The hair strand falls out at the end of the resting phase but a new strand begins to grow.

Reasons For Hair Loss 

As people age, their rate of hair growth slows.

There are many types of hair loss (alopecia) :

Involutional alopecia - hair gradually thins with age. More hair follicles go into the resting phase, and the remaining hairs become shorter and fewer in number.

Androgenic alopecia - a genetic condition that can affect both men and women. Men with this condition, called male pattern baldness, can begin suffering hair loss as early as their teens or early 20s. It's characterized by a receding hairline and gradual disappearance of hair from the crown and frontal scalp. Women with this condition, called female pattern baldness, don't experience noticeable thinning until their 40s or later. Women experience a general thinning over the entire scalp, with the most extensive hair loss at the crown.

Alopecia areata - causes patchy hair loss in children and young adults. This condition may result in complete baldness (alopecia totalis). In about 90% of people with the condition, the hair returns within a few years.

Alopecia universalis - all body hair to fall out, including the eyebrows, eyelashes, and pubic hair.

Trichotillomania - is a psychological disorder in which a person pulls out their own hair.

Telogen effluvium - is temporary hair thinning over the scalp that occurs because of changes in the growth cycle of hair. A large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time, causing hair shedding and subsequent thinning.

Causes Of Hair Loss

Doctors don't know why certain hair follicles are programmed to have a shorter growth period than others. However, several factors may influence hair loss:

• Hormones, such as abnormal levels of androgens (male hormones normally produced by both men and women)
• Genes, from both male and female parents, may influence a person's predisposition to male or female pattern baldness.
• Stress, illness, and childbirth can cause temporary hair loss. 
• Ringworm caused by a fungal infection can also cause hair loss.
• Drugs, including chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment, blood thinners, beta-adrenergic blockers used to control blood pressure, and birth control pills, can cause temporary hair loss.
• Burns, injuries, and X-rays can cause temporary hair loss. In such cases, normal hair growth usually returns once the injury heals.
• Autoimmune disease may cause alopecia areata. In alopecia areata, the immune system revs up for unknown reasons and affects the hair follicles. In most people with alopecia areata, the hair grows back, although it may temporarily be very fine and possibly a lighter color before normal coloration and thickness return.
• Cosmetic procedures, such as shampooing too often, perms, bleaching, and dyeing hair can contribute to overall hair thinning by making hair weak and brittle. Tight braiding, using rollers or hot curlers, and running hair picks through tight curls can also damage and break hair. However, these procedures don't cause baldness. In most instances hair grows back normally if the source of the problem is removed. Still, severe damage to the hair or scalp sometimes causes permanent bald patches. 
• Medical conditions. Thyroid disease, lupus, diabetes, iron deficiency, and anemia can cause hair loss, but when the underlying condition is treated the hair will return.
• Diet. A low-protein diet or severely calorie-restricted diet can also cause temporary hair loss.

How Essential Oils Are Extracted From Flowers, Bark & Leaves.

ALL OUR ESSENTIAL OILS ARE EITHER
 COLD-PRESSED OR STEAM-DISTILLED TO
MAINTAIN THERAPEUTIC GRADE AND
ORGANIC STATUS

I'm fascinated by how amazing it is that a flower, stem or leaves of a plant can be reduced to it pure essence (essential oils) and enjoyed as a raw concentrate. The time, effort and sheer amount of plant material required to do this has led me to compile some of the more time-tested methods of essential oil extraction methods. This may lead you to understand that essential oil quality DOES matter. 

Cold-Pressed

Cold-pressed oils are oils made by first grinding nuts, seeds, fruits or vegetables (depending on the oil being made) into a paste. Then an oil stone or other tool is used to press the paste which forces the oil to separate out.

Effleurage

Effleurage is an archaic method of extracting essential oils. It is rarely used nowadays because it’s a costly and time-consuming method of extraction. It involves placing the flower petals onto a layer of glass that is has been layered with fat called “chassis”. The oil from the petals diffuses into the fat. The fat is then collected and the oil is extracted from the fat using alcohol. Once the alcohol evaporates what is left behind is pure essence.

Expression

When oils are taken from the rind of fruits they are called “expressed oils”. This method is cold and does not involve any solvents or heat. Most of the citrus oils are extracted in this manner including mandarin, lime, orange and lemon essential oils.

Since citrus fruits are constantly sprayed with pesticides and cold methods do not adulterate the essence, pesticides can be present in high quantities in the oils. For this reason, our mandarin oil is organic, pesticide and chemical free.

Steam Distilling

Steam distillation has been used for hundreds of years and today remains one of the most common methods of extracting essential oils.

There are three different steam processes but in all of the methods, steam is used to rupture the oil membranes in the plant and release the essential oil. The steam lifts the essential oil into a condenser and as it re-liquefies the lighter essential oil floats to the top. The water is more commonly known as floral water and the oil is known as essential oil.

The distilling equipment including the distillation temperature and pressure will all have an impact on the quality of the oil. Essential oil distillers must have the knowledge and expertise to know how to produce therapeutic grade essential oils

Solvent Extraction

Solvent extraction is a method dominated by the perfume industry. Technically it does not produce therapeutic grade oils because chemicals such as hexane, acetone, di-methylene-chloride and others are used in the process. Plant material is immersed into the solvents to become a thick substance called ‘concrete’.

The oil particles are released when the ‘concrete’ is mixed with alcohol. When the alcohol and the ‘concrete’ are separated the chemicals still remain in the oil. These are perfume or aromatherapy grade oils. As they have chemicals in the oils, they are unsafe for direct application onto skin or hair.

Solvent extraction is faster and cheaper because the oil is cut with solvents and can increase production volume significantly. This grade of oil is often used in bath oils and gels, candles, shampoos, toothpaste, fly spray, and air fresheners.

Perfume or aromatherapy grade oils make up 98% of the oils sold in health food stores, retail outlets and aromatherapy suppliers. What you get at The Little Essentials is even rarer than the remaining 2% because, our products are also certified organic. You get nothing but premium,therapeutic grade oils here.

Percolation and Fractional Distillation

Fractional distillation separates the volatile oil in different portions at various boiling points. This method is used in oil refineries for distillation of petroleum products and is not suited for therapeutic grade essential oils.

Percolation is one of the newer methods of extraction essential oils. It is similar to normal distillation but the equipment is literally upside down! It has been used successfully in France; however sometimes an emulsion is produced that can’t be separated out, so until it can be further developed you will not see it in large scales.

Super Critical Fluid Extraction or Carbon Dioxide Extraction

Super critical fluid extraction or carbon dioxide extraction is also a fairly new solvent extraction process that uses carbon dioxide at very high pressures. The carbon dioxide is injected into the tank where the plant material is contained and acts as a solvent to extract the oil.

Carbon dioxide is colourless and odourless and can be completely removed. However, there is no research at this point to verify if there are any toxic effects of using this procedure. Additionally, the distilling equipment is extremely expensive. Until more is known about this process, it is advised using steam distilled and expressed oils is still safer.

Phytonic Process

The phytonic process is a one of the newest methods of extracting essential oils using non-CFCs (non-chlorofluorocarbons). It is also called florasol extraction and the oils are referred to as phytols. The oils are very natural. However, it does use fluoro-hydrocarbons which can be harmful to the environment!

Are parabens in skincare really so bad?

What’s The Big Deal About Parabens? 

Parabens are only necessary due
to the commercial nature of skin
today. However, if you use fresh
organic skin care, they may not
be necessary.

By Dianne Little

I set up an organic skin care company not too long ago. I started an organic range because all the rage was about going natural and how preservatives like parabens and sulphates are bad for your health and/or skin. Would you believe I never stopped to question this ‘wisdom’? Nope! Not once.

I started reading up about it when I needed ammo in my marketing campaigns as to why exactly parabens are harmful. Like everything else on the internet – you have the proponents for and against parabens. All equally gung ho. Sigh! Isn’t anything straightforward anymore?

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of the situation, let me first explain what paraben’s are. Simply put they are an umbrella term for a range of chemicals that function as preservatives. They either prevent the growth of bacteria or kill existing bacteria. More often than not, a cream, serum or gel will contain parabens.

Preservatives are necessary. In fact, they can be your friends. If a skin care product has moisture in it, it will need a preservative. If it didn’t, your toiletries would go bad and your creams would actually cause skin irritation.

Having said that, preservatives are only used in the extent they are now because of international trade, population boom and the need to increase per unit profit. To help you understand the extent to which they are used – 99% of everything you buy from a pharmacy, cosmetic counter, supermarket or boutique toiletry stores will have it. They will be found in shampoos, toothpastes, soaps, moisturisers and almost everything else.

All three reasons filter down to one single factor – preserving shelf life. Because we are now involved in global trade, we are used to using items from countries all over the world. So, from the time it leaves the factory to the time it ends up on your supermarket shelf, it may have taken as long as 5-6 months.

Similarly, an increasing demand for goods due to the urban explosion means that consumers now demand more and consume more of what they demand. To manufacture goods in this kind of volume, synthetic ingredients are required, so is machinery and the production process also gets complicated. Preservatives are needed as this juncture to prevent contamination during the manufacturing stage.

Manufacturing processes must be automated to keep up with this demand and factories are not cheap to build. But the bulk of the cost of most items, especially non-staples, is marketing, advertising and packaging.

END OF Part 1 (Apologies for dividing this up into parts; this is a lengthy topic)

Looking for an organic, natural skin care alternative? 

Try essential oils for skin. The right essential oil can solve almost any skin problem. 

Click here to find out how essential oils can work for your skin. 

International Women's Day 2014 - HER FABULOUSNESS

International Women's Day 2014 Theme: HER FABULOUSNESS

Women's equality has made positive gains but the world is still unequal. International Women's Day celebrates the social, political and economic achievements of women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further action.

HER FABULOUSNESS is the 2014 theme for International Womens' Day in Singapore. The United Nations declares an annual theme (see below) but in Singapore we have opted to select our own theme "Her Fabulousness" to celebrate the fact that women are not only strong, empowered and multi taskers but are beautiful, sexy and soft too. All aspects of a woman should be celebrated. Not just women's contributions in the public sphere.

In line with this, my company THE LITTLE ESSENTIALS will be sponsoring an event to celebrate International Women's Day in Singapore on March 7th (actual IWD is March 8th). Please see link below for details. If you are in the country, please stop by and receive free drinks, an enticing goodie bag, a fashion show and lots of entertainment ... See links below for event details. Hope to see you there.

https://www.facebook.com/events/213123522216168/?notif_t=plan_user_joined

https://www.facebook.com/TheLittleEssentials

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Each year International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. The first International Women's Day was held in 1911. Thousands of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Organisations, governments, charities, educational institutions, women's groups, corporations and the media celebrate the day.

Some groups select their own International Women's Day theme, specific to their local context. For example, the European Parliament's 2013 theme was "Women's response to the crisis" and their 2012 theme "Equal pay for work of equal value".

The United Nations declares an annual theme:

- 2013: A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women
- 2012: Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty
- 2011: Equal access to education, training and science and technology
- 2010: Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all
- 2009: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls
- 2008: Investing in Women and Girls
- 2007: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls
- 2006: Women in decision-making
- 2005: Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future
- 2004: Women and HIV/AIDS
- 2003: Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals
- 2002: Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities
- 2001: Women and Peace: Women Managing Conflicts
- 2000: Women Uniting for Peace
- 1999: World Free of Violence against Women
- 1998: Women and Human Rights
- 1997: Women at the Peace Table
- 1996: Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future
- 1975: United Nations recognizes International Women's Day