The PERFECT Facial!

Our amazing esthetician, Leah Peterson, recommends the following steps for a mini-facial at home using Daisy Blue facial products.




1. Cleanse!  Cleansing removes makeup, dirt, toxins and grime from the face.  Use a cleansing cream to remove eye makeup, and follow with the Gentle Face Wash to thoroughly cleanse the face.


2.  Mask!  Apply the Essential Fruit Enzyme Mask and leave on for 5 minutes.  Rinse, and apply the Rejuvenate Mask with Chardonnay for 20 minutes.  Rinse.


3.  Scrub!  Exfoliate the remaining dead skin cells that were created during masking, improve circulation, and reveal a youthful glow!

4.  Tone!  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!  Perhaps the most important step in our mini-facial, and most often overlooked.  Using our toning mist will help your skin balance back to it's normal pH of 4.5-5.5.  This will help with any type of irritation and redness that may occur from detoxing and cleansing the skin.


5.  Moisturize!  Start with the Rejuvenate Cream with Chardonnay in those areas where wrinkles like to hang out - eyes, lips, forehead.  Follow with the specific moisturizer for your skin type on your entire face, neck, and décolleté area.  

Passion Flower Ultimate Collection 

Passion Flower and Oranges

So what does the passion flower and oranges have in common? They are both key ingredients in our facial products. Let’s dive in for a closer look…….

Passion flower (Passiflora incarnate)
Passion flower is a beautiful flower that was primarily grown for its appealing look, and then found to have medicinal qualities. The mystery of the beautiful blossom on the woody vine reminded early travelers of the passion of Christ, which gives us the names origin. Native to the Amazon, the oil of the flower is obtained through cold press extraction. Passion flower oil, also known as passionfruit oil, is a powerful ingredient for skin care! It is high in essential fatty acids which makes this oil amazing for sensitive skin. It is proven to help with the following conditions:

Dry, cracked skin
Aging, mature skin
Rosacea
Inflammation

Sweet 'Valencia' Orange (citrus sinensis)

Oranges are grown throughout the world, but for sake of this article, we are going to concentrate on the specific orange and essential oil used in our skin care products.  Grown primarily in the United States and Australia, the oil of the fruit is obtained from the rind through cold press extraction and steam distillation.

Orange is high in antibacterial qualities, offers an uplifting and appealing scent, and when applied topically to the skin, helps to regenerate cells, aid in dry skin, and balance oil production.  A wonderful oil to use on dermatitis. 

WHY USE MINERALS?

We all know the benefits of a diet rich in minerals, why not take that same mentality to our makeup and skin care products?  

At Daisy Blue Naturals, we believe in our core purpose of 'making a difference in every life we touch,' and for us that means creating products that are safe, 'edible' and truly natural!  After all, what you put ON your body ends up IN your body, why not make a healthier choice?

Types of minerals and ingredients we use:

Zinc Oxide

Titanium Dioxide

Mica

Aloe Vera Powder

Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C) 

As with all of our products, we want YOU to be informed of what else is out there, and the reasons why we choose NOT to use certain ingredients.  So here is our list of 3 commonly used mineral makeup ingredients we mark with a big STAY AWAY!

Bismuth Oxychloride – a chemical compound composed of bismuth, oxygen, and chlorine.  This ingredient is considered irritating to the skin, can cause redness, and because of the heavier element bismuth, it can make the makeup feel and look heavier on the face.

Chalk – I remember a time in elementary school when I was asked to go outside and pound out the chalk from the chalkboard erasers!!  Yes, I may be dating myself a bit as we have moved into white boards and smart boards, but I still love remembering the white, chalky mess that would cover our hands and clothing!  Yep, same type of chalk used in school is in many different mineral makeup formulations today.  Although considered safe to use, chalk can be extremely drying to the skin, which is why it is widely used in gymnastics and weightlifting as it helps absorb excess water and oils, and continues to dry out the skin so those involved in those sports can have a nice, clean grip.

Talc – properly known as hydrated magnesium silicate, this ingredient is found in makeup, body and baby powders.  Recent studies have linked talc to certain health concerns, such as pulmonary issues and some types of cancer.  The FDA regards this ingredient as safe at quantities under 2%; why take a chance when there are alternatives that are safer?

Now you know what to stay away from, let’s look at the ingredients we use and how they benefit you:

Oxides – naturally occurring, renewable minerals from the Earth’s crust, oxides provide many important qualities to mineral makeup.  They are lighter in weight, safe to use, and provide natural UV blocking, giving our foundations a SPF 7-18, depending on how much is used and the color. 

Mica – micas are silicate minerals that are created naturally.  They are used in makeup for color and shimmer.  The most commonly found micas are phlogopite, biotite, and lepidolite.  Micas are safe to use giving you a natural color choice in your makeup.

Aloe Vera Powder – creates an extremely light and silky setting powder.  Replaces talc or chalk used in ‘other’ mineral makeup. 

Vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate) – rich in antioxidants, gives our makeup anti-age benefits.  Vitamin C is also a cofactor used in the synthesis of collagen, which helps our skin remain youthful and glowing!

TIME TO CLEAN!

Clean makeup brushes are essential for flawless application of your mineral makeup.  However, even more important and often overlooked, is the oil and bacteria that can remain on your brushes as a residue. Brushes should be cleaned every other week for daily users; monthly for occasional users.  When brushes are properly cared for, they will last for years!

Cleaning your mineral makeup brushes is as easy as 1-2-3!  

Here is what I do:

First, use a gentle, natural cleanser (Gentle Facial Wash works GREAT!), and place a dollop in your hand.  Wet your hand, and wet the brush you are going to clean under warm water.  Be sure to keep the bristles facing down when you are wetting the brush, as the water can sit in the base of the brush and slowly lessen the effect of the glue over time, which will lead to bristles falling out.  

Second, swirl the bristles of the brush in the cleanser in your hand for roughly 10-15 seconds.  Rinse with warm water, and gently remove the water by squeezing the base of the bristles between your fingers, and push out the excess water - think of a squeegee!  Repeat rinsing until the cleanser is removed from the bristles and the rinse runs clear.

Third, pat dry the bristles gently with a cotton towel, reshape the bristles, and lay the brush sideways to dry.  For best results, allow to air dry for 15 hours.  If, after 12 hours you need to use the brush, here is a little trick I learned. Dry gently with a blow dryer!

Minerals - needed for the BODY and good for the FACE!

We've all heard the buzz about mineral makeup, but what is it and why is it different than other makeup?  Mineral makeup, by definition, is loose powder foundation and eyeshadows that are composed primarily of minerals.  The most commonly used minerals are zinc oxide, iron oxide, titanium dioxide, mica, talc, and bismuth oxychloride.  The minerals are finely ground, and the finished product has limited or no additives, preservatives, or other irritants, such as fragrance, colorants, or other chemicals.  It is because of the gentle, hypoallergenic nature of mineral makeup that it has gained so much popularity over the last few years.