The Altru Wellness Hub: Our Top Picks for Your Best Self

mineral vs chemical sunscreens

Are you looking for the perfect sunscreen to keep your skin looking youthful and radiant? Look no further than mineral sunscreens! Mineral sunscreens are the best choice for those who want to protect their skin from the harmful effects of the sun while still looking their best.

But why choose mineral sunscreen over chemical sunscreen? For starters, mineral sunscreens are gentle and non-irritating, making them perfect for those with sensitive skin. They provide immediate protection against UVA and UVB rays, which can cause premature aging and skin damage.

Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, can be harmful to your health and the environment. Recent studies have shown that some chemical sunscreen ingredients can be absorbed into the bloodstream at levels higher than the FDA's safety threshold, leading to concerns about potential risks. Additionally, chemical sunscreens can harm marine life when washed off in the ocean or other bodies of water.

Mineral sunscreens are also great for those with oily or acne-prone skin. The active ingredients in chemical sunscreens can cause inflammation, redness, and breakouts. This can be a problem for those who are already dealing with excess oil production and clogged pores.

So, what should you look for when choosing a mineral sunscreen? Look for products that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, two physical blockers that create a barrier to reflect UV rays. They're also non-comedogenic, so they won't clog your pores or cause breakouts.

Looking for a mineral sunscreen recommendation? Comment below 👇

benefits of retin-a

Retin-A, also known as tretinoin, is a vitamin A derivative that has been used for decades to treat a variety of skin conditions. This powerful ingredient is a popular choice for treating acne, but it also has many other benefits for the skin.

The first t is its ability to improve skin texture. It does this by stimulating collagen production, which helps to make skin appear smoother and firmer. Retin-A can also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, making it an excellent choice for those looking to combat signs of aging. It works by increasing cell turnover, which helps to slough off the top layer of skin, revealing fresher, younger-looking skin underneath. Some improvements you may see are lightened dark spots caused by sun damage, hyperpigmentation, or acne scars.

Retin-A is also effective at reducing acne breakouts. It works by unclogging pores and preventing the formation of new pimples. It also helps to reduce inflammation, which can make acne look and feel less severe and can be used to treat both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne. It also helps to regulate the production of sebum, which can further reduce the occurrence of whiteheads and blackheads.

Some side effects of Retin-A may include peeling of the epidermis, and purging of the skin in which it can become more acneic before seeing improvements. While using Retin-A it is important to apply an SPF daily to prevent any further sun damage.

Any questions? Ask below 👇

how to find your colour season

Finding your colour season for makeup is a great way to enhance your natural features and ensure you're choosing the right colours and tones for your skin. Whether you're just starting out with makeup or you're looking to update your routine, knowing which colours work best for you can make a big difference in how you look and feel.

What is a Colour Season?

A colour season is a term used to describe the range of colours that look best on you based on your natural colouring. This includes your skin tone, eye colour, and natural hair colour. The four main colour seasons are Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

How to Determine Your Color Season for Makeup:

To determine your colour season for makeup, there are a few key factors you should consider:

Skin Tone:
Your skin tone is one of the most important factors to consider when determining your colour season for makeup. To find out what your skin tone is, look at the veins on the inside of your wrist. If they appear blue, you have a cool skin tone, and if they appear green, you have a warm skin tone.

Eye Colour:
Your eye colour is another important factor to consider. Blue, green, or grey eyes are considered cool, while brown, hazel, or amber eyes are considered warm.

Natural Hair Colour:
Your natural hair colour can also help determine your colour season for makeup. Cool hair colours include blonde, silver, and black, while warm hair colours include red, brown, and golden blonde.

Choosing Your Colour Season for Makeup:

Once you've determined your skin tone, eye colour, and natural hair colour, you can choose your colour season for makeup. Here's a breakdown of the four main colour seasons and the colours that work best for each:

Spring:
Spring is characterized by warm, bright colours. If you have a warm skin tone, light hair, and light-coloured eyes, you may be a Spring. Colours that work best for Springs include coral, peach, golden yellow, and light green. For makeup, consider using warm shades of pink, peach, and gold.

Summer:
Summer is characterized by cool, muted colours. If you have a cool skin tone, light eyes, and light or medium hair, you may be a Summer. Colours that work best for Summers include lavender, dusty pink, and light blue. For makeup, consider using cool shades of pink, purple, and blue.

Autumn:
Autumn is characterized by warm, rich colours. If you have a warm skin tone, dark hair, and dark eyes, you may be an Autumn. Colours that work best for Autumns include rust, olive green, and burnt orange. For makeup, consider using warm shades of brown, gold, and copper.

Winter:
Winter is characterized by cool, bold colours. If you have a cool skin tone, dark hair, and light-coloured eyes, you may be a Winter. Colours that work best for Winters include royal blue, emerald green, and bright red. For makeup, consider using cool shades of blue, purple, and red.

Final Thoughts:
While it's important to choose colours that work well with your natural colouring, it's also important to choose colours that you love and feel confident in. Don't be afraid to experiment with different colours and see what works best for you. And remember, these are just general guidelines, so if you find a colour that you love that doesn't fall within your colour season, go ahead and wear it! The most important thing is to feel good in what you're wearing and how you're expressing yourself.

what's your skin type?

Our skin is the largest organ of our body and plays a crucial role in protecting us from external factors like pollution, UV rays, and bacteria. Therefore, it is essential to take good care of our skin and use the right products for our skin type. However, before you can do that, you must first identify your skin type. In this blog post, we will discuss how to identify your skin type so that you can take the necessary steps to keep your skin healthy and glowing.

1) Oily Skin
If your skin appears shiny and greasy a few hours after washing your face, you may have oily skin. People with oily skin have enlarged pores, and their skin is prone to acne, blackheads, and other skin blemishes.

2) Dry Skin
If your skin feels tight and itchy after washing your face, you may have dry skin. People with dry skin often have flaky skin and may experience redness, itchiness, and cracking.

3) Combination Skin
If your skin is oily in some areas like the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and dry in other areas, you may have combination skin. People with combination skin often have oily skin in the T-zone and dry skin in the cheeks.

4) Sensitive Skin
If your skin is easily irritated by skincare products, sun exposure, or environmental factors, you may have sensitive skin. People with sensitive skin often experience redness, itchiness, and dryness.

5) Normal Skin
If your skin appears smooth and balanced without any oily or dry areas, you may have normal skin. People with normal skin have small pores, and their skin is generally clear and healthy.

In conclusion, identifying your skin type is essential to choose the right skincare products and develop a skincare routine that works for you.

is it time to makeover your makeup bag?

The average woman applies 515 synthetic chemicals on her body every day… do you?

In 2016, the Huffington Post published a shocking study about how the beauty product ingredients that most women use daily are scientifically linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and neurotoxicity. At Alter, our goal is to create awareness around our daily routines and the associated risks of uneducated product use. The average amount of synthetic chemicals people, particularly women, apply to their skin is frightening to say the least. Studies suggest that the average woman applies hundreds on synthetic chemicals onto her skin every single day.

Our goal is to share the risks of many of these legal, popular products, and provide holistic alternatives to skin health and overall wellbeing. We believe that self-regulation through education is the most powerful way to protect your body and your skin. Read on for our list of common ingredients to avoid in your beauty and wellness products and insights into alternative solutions that are safe and effective.

INGREDIENTS TO AVOID:
Parabens: Found in acne products, aftershave, and almost all cosmetic products, this estrogen like preservative has been found in all Americans bodies and is linked to reproductive and developmental disorders, increased risk of breast cancer, as well as disruptions in the endocrine system.

Fragrance: Found in face cream, body wash, laundry detergent, hair products, deodorant and beyond, fragrance often includes hormone disruptors and allergens that may impact the reproductive system.

Phthalates: Found in perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, nail products and colognes, this chemical has been linked to increased risk of breast cancer and male and female reproductive birth defects.

Triclosan/Triclocarban: Found in soap, toothpaste, acne products, and shaving cream, this chemical harms thyroid functionality and disturbs reproductive hormones.

Retinyl Palmitate/Retinyl Acetate/Retinoic Acid: Found in skin and lip products, sunscreen, and makeup, these compounds are often celebrated on labels as Vitamin A. However, they are not meant to be applied directly to the skin and will increase skin sensitivity.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate: Found in over 90% of beauty and cleaning products, from body wash to mascara, SLS’s are at risk of developing carcinogens when interacting with other products. Moreover, these popular foaming agents are known to cause irritation to the skin, lungs, kidneys and eyes.

Formaldehyde: Found in nail products, hair products, and makeup, this preservative is a known human carcinogen, asthmagen, neurotoxicant, and developmental toxicant.

Oxybenzone: Found in after shave and sunscreen, this chemical agent is linked to irritation, sensitization, and allergies. One study found that pregnant women with a high rate of oxybenzone birthed low-weight baby girls and high-weight baby boys.

Sunscreen: Avoid SPF over 50 and sunscreens that include retinal palmitate, aerosol spray and poweder sunscreen, oxybenzone and added insect repellent. [2]

NOW WHAT?
The use of toxic chemicals in mainstream beauty products is widespread despite being highly contested in the past few years. Keeping up with safe ingredients and finding alternatives that work can be a daunting task, but thankfully there are ample resources out there to help.

The Environmental Working Group, based out of Toronto, Ontario, is a powerful database where users can search most personal care products and present a safety rating, potential health hazards including cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity and other concerns.. Companies can also apply to be EWG VERIFIED, which is a trademark applied to products that meet their criteria and do not include toxic ingredients, poor manufacturing processes and beyond.

Today, in Canada, the Food and Drug Act and the Cosmetics Regulations Law requires that all cosmetic products include comprehensive labels that list all ingredients and additional compounds. Moreover, the Government of Canada has a publicly available “Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist” that regularly prohibits new ingredients that have proven problematic to human health. For example, in 2018, the use of more than 3% concentration of Pigment Red 4 was banned in all cosmetics and triclosan was added to the list of toxic substances.

ALTERNATIVE SKIN AND BODY CARE PRODUCTS
The high risks associated with many skin, body and beauty care products have inspired a movement towards natural, healing and healthful alternatives. Here at Alter, we celebrate beauty by using all-natural, safe and pure essential oil blends that are ethically sourced and effectively tested. Stay tuned to our website for next months blog on how to use essential oils to cure everything from cold and flu symptoms to anxiety to skin irritation.

Are you interested in learning more about what’s in your makeup bag? Are you ready to give your makeup bag a makeover? Contact us now to book your free consultation with Brittany Wielgosz, our inspirational leader and skin expert.

led light therapy and your skin

LED (Light Emitting Diode) Light Therapy sends infrared light waves of varying wavelengths (colours) into the skin, causing heat and triggering intracellular activity that can treat a variety of skin conditions. An LED is actually an electrical device with two electrodes through which electricity flows, transmitting a current, that emits visible light. The particular wavelength, intensity, duration and timing are all important and generate various reactions in the application of skincare modalities.

Green Light - Targets dark circles, pigmentation, broken capillaries and sun spots. It also works to calm irritated and over-stimulated skin.
Blue Light - Eliminates acne vulgaris (the bacteria responsible for causing spots), while leaving the good, healthy bacteria intact.
Red Light - Triggers collagen production, which is responsible for elasticity and the firmness of the skin. It also increases blood circulation and decreases inflammation. Red light has been found to jump-start the repair mechanisms and cellular growth commonly associated with aging skin problems thus promoting skin rejuvenation.

rmd technology: a behind the scenes look at the technology behind our signature facial

Designed to support the treatment of skin texture, the smoothing of age-related expression lines, the tightening of pores and the toning of facial and neck muscles, the advanced technology of the Silhouet-Tone RMD delivers energy to the dermis and muscle tissue, where it safely elicits toning and skin rejuvenation responses.[1]

Calling upon 5 unique technologies, our Signature Facial prevents and reverses the signs of aging by applying:

Ultrasound Technology: Sound wave technology, free of radiation, that with the use of a small transducer (probe) and ultrasound gel emits sound waves that enter the body and react in various ways. Ultrasound is absorbed by muscles, tendons and bones, elevating the temperature of surrounding tissues and increasing oxygen levels in the cells.

High Voltage Pulsed Currents (HVPC): Pulsed currents of high voltage are delivered to the skin, and most frequently used to accelerate wound healing and assist with pain management. Muscle fibres are renewed and repaired which positively affects tone and suppleness.

High Voltage Short Pulsed Currents (HVSPC): Pulsed currents, shorter and slightly less intense in nature are delivered to the skin, impacting the permeability of the cellular membrane and eliciting synergistic effects when combined with HVPC.

Galvanic Current: A type of electric energy, direct and constant in nature, that mixes positive and negative ions to pass through the skin, catalyzing a number of therapeutic effects as well as enhancing the pe*******on of active ingredients into deeper layers of the skin.

Pulsed Micro-Currents: A form of technology that has been around for centuries and used to treat damaged muscles and tissues, applied in skincare treatments employs very low voltage electrical currents to lift sagging muscles and increase the production of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that energizes the cells and facilitates repair and renewal.

aromatouch massage

‘AromaTouch’ Massage Technique is a clinical approach to applying essential oils. Unlike traditional Aromatherapy Massage, the AromaTouch Massage Technique utilizes eight specific essential oils and blends to promote relaxation and stress relief, offer immune support, decrease pain and inflammation and elevate mood.

Essential oils are applied along energy lines and on reflexology points to stimulate homeostasis and balance in the body.

AromaTouch Massage Technique will maximize the benefits of the essential oils used, stimulate the body and energy centres and balance body systems and their optimal function.

Developed by Dr. David K. Hill, D.C. especially for DoTerra.