Do Natural Ingredients Really Work?
I'm not a doctor, nor am I a scientist. I have always had a logical mind that needed things to be proven in a scientific way. Perhaps why I researched all the ingredients that I knew worked, to be backed by science. But do natural ingredients really work?
I can only speak from my experience and the experiences reported by my customers. In recent years, I have tried many solutions on myself. Here are a few stories.
My first experience with natural solutions began several years ago. I was healthy but stressed out and my hectic life was beginning to show on my skin. I was 40 and the wrinkles began to appear. Not at all ready for them, I bought more and more expensive skincare thinking that would help. Then I made the Elixir. Tried many different variations. The difference was so dramatic on my face that it surprised me. Results were also almost instantaneous. I was sold.
I inherited extreme dry skin from my dad. I have alligator skin on my legs, especially during the winter. Not making it up; it is scaly and so dry you can pick at it. Gross, I know. My feet are also very dry and not being one to go for mani-pedis all the time, it was embarrassing to wear sandals sometimes, so I just wore shoes. I had enough lotions and heel salves and balms to run my own store. None of it worked as well as I wanted. Soon after I made the Elixir, I decided to experiment with Salt Scrubs. Within one or two uses, my skin was healthy, soft and not at all like the sandpaper skin I had before. And I noticed I always felt a calm after using it. (Salt is a great energetic cleanser as well) I was recently reminded of the efficiency of some of these products when a friend visited and was itching away at dry skin. The Salt Scrub worked again, instantly.
Recently, I had a bout with Eczema thanks to my auto-immune disorder. Where? Right on my face. Not having experienced it before, at first I thought it was just dry skin. Then it got worse and along with the dry skin, deep grooves became almost permanent. Made me look so much older with these grooves that looked like deep wrinkles on my face. I have to admit I freaked a bit. Went to the doctor and got prescriptions. I had shows coming on and I could not look like that. Put it on the first time, seemed like it got a bit better. Then it started to look worse. But I continued on, it was medication after all, it had to work. But it didn't. I considered going back to the doctor to ask for something stronger. I had seen ads, even thought they came with all kinds of warnings about blood clots, TB etc. It would also take about 3 months. Then I had a thought. My Body Butter, according to science was supposed to help with eczema. Obviously never had a chance to test this on myself before, so I decided to give it a try. The first day, I wasn't quite sure. Skin was less dry but since I was using body butter, I was skeptical. But I kept applying it through the day. The second morning, it seemed to be at about 50-60% less. In 3 days, it was about 70% less. The deepness of the grooves were not as deep and the skin was not as dry. I got on the road again that day and during my travels I was not as disciplined in my use of the butter. That's when I knew it was working. When my skin didn't revert to the dry patches and deep grooves, I knew it was not just a cover up.
I was on a LOT of medication for my urticaria. And I mean A LOT. I think the doctors threw every medicine they knew of because they didn't know how to deal with the severity of my symptoms. At the height of it, I started experimenting with natural remedies. My aim was just to find some relief from the itching. I would wake up at night because the itching was so bad. The worst of it was under my feet. I remember getting up at night and rubbing onions on my feet. Thank goodness I lived alone, but at that point, I was willing to try anything! Not sure what properties onions have, but it was the only thing that helped at that time. Later on I discovered a less smelly alternative, olive oil. It made the hives less visible and more tolerable. Didn't make my urticarial go away, but it reduced the misery a bit!
I love doing my markets, where I get to talk to my customers. I love hearing their stories. People come back on how they love the Elixir but the most interesting stories have to do with the Detox mask. So many mothers have bought it for their teenage children. They are always apprehensive at first; shelves of anti-acne products and medication, nothing works. Then they try the Detox and time and time again they stop by to thank me. Nature provided the solution that actually worked. The Detox mask also helps even the skin tone on my multi-toned face and tightens my skin.
I've also used Colloidal Silver for many issues, latest being a nasty burn. It worked instantly on my skin in taking away the pain and super fast healing. A lady just this weekend also related a story where the hospital had given her colloidal silver for a burn. Colloidal Silver is the anti-biotic of the old and known to work on bacteria, viruses as well as fungal infections. There are opposing camps on the use of Colloidal Silver, you can decide for yourself.
There are so many more stories. In my experience, natural solutions have usually worked better and faster than other conventional solutions. That is not to say we don't go to the doctor and get medical help. We absolutely must. And not all natural ingredients are safe and there is much to know before using some of these ingredients. But when it comes to skincare, my observation is that our skin reacts favorably to pure, natural ingredients. In this regard, I emphatically believe in less is more. If there is a huge list of ingredients to anything, I do not buy.There are so many toxic ingredients in even the seemingly natural brands, it's scary. More and more, I hear stories of adults suddenly becoming allergic to some of the most common additives in our food and cosmetics. Just like me, for them, it begins a journey of discovery and understanding of just how toxic our cosmetics are.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to be a general resource only and is not intended to be nor does it constitute medical advice. Any recommendations are based on personal, not professional, opinion only. Individual results may vary. Please see your doctor before trying any home remedy.
