Finding the Beauty in Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, we wanted to discuss the importance of recycling old beauty products. We spend lots of money on these items, and usually the containers are just too awesome to toss. Other times, there is just no use for them, and they need to be tossed. Make sure to check out Earth991 to find out which materials are hazardous and how to dispose of them.


Nail Polish: Most of us have tons of old nail polishes sitting in our bathroom drawer. They are almost empty, dried up, or screams the 80’s and you will never wear them again. Did you know that throwing them away in the trash is harmful to the environment? The Environmental Protection Agency says that nail polish is considered a Household Hazardous Waste Material, and should be disposed of properly. Find a recycling center near you, or, if you are crafty, here’s a couple of fun ways to reuse your old nail polish bottles:
- Get artsy and mix a couple of old colors together
- Use for arts and crafts projects with the kids
- Decorate the bottle and use it as a ring holder

Make Up and Perfume Bottles: Women tend to collect make up and perfume like crazy. Every season, we try to stay up with new trends, colors and scents and end up with a huge collection barely used products. When you are done with your make up (either because you used it all, or the color is soo last season), check with your make up company, as many of them will collect your empty make up containers and recycle them. Some will even give you a product or sample in return! If you are looking to toss old perfume bottles, we suggest checking with your local Hazardous Waste Facility before placing them in the recycling bin. The empty bottles still contain toxins from the perfume that should not be placed with other recyclables. Since some packaging is pretty stylish, you may want to keep the empty containers. Here are a couple of suggestions:
- Use lipstick containers to hold things like pills, Q-Tips, bobby pins, or mini sewing kits.
- Place loose change, jewelry or pills in empty loose powder pots
- Take off the top of a perfume bottle, and use it as a single stem vase
- Fill old bottles with water, and use to mist indoor plants
- Place an essential oil in perfume bottle and add tall wooden skewers to create a room diffuser


Other Lotions and Potions: Both men and women seem to rack up huge collections of bottles and containers. Shampoo bottles, hair gel, face wash, moisturizers (even Antiox™ Daily)….the list goes on and on. When we are done with these products, we usually pour them down the drain or toss them in the trash. If the container is completely empty of any product, it is okay to recycle them. If there is still product in it, you will want to make sure to take to a hazardous waste location. Bottles with product inside are considered flammable and can pollute the landfill.


If you are looking for earth-friendly products, all HydraFacial™ take home products are completely recyclable! Whatever you choose to do with your old beauty products, just make sure you are doing something that Mother Earth would be proud of this Earth Day!

Healthy Foods for Healthy Skin

Wash your face. Exfoliate. Moisturize. Use Sunscreen. We see the commercials, we read the ads, and we buy the product. We get it- there are many things we can do to our skin topically that greatly contribute to the maintenance and overall health of our skin. But, did you know that there is something else you can be doing to compliment your daily skin care regimen? We have learned that there are many foods you can eat that can positively affect the overall look and feel of your skin. The best part? These foods are seriously delicious, and super easy to incorporate into your meals. Here is what we found out:

Vitamin A- Vitamin A is crucial to your skin’s maintenance and repair. There are several delicious ways to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin A. Orange veggies like pumpkin, yams, and carrots are loaded with Vitamin A. Foods like cantaloupe, watermelon, and tomatoes are also very high in Vitamin A. Our suggestions? Create a delicious side dish of Orange Glazed Carrots. All you need to do is simmer 1 pound of cooked carrots in orange juice for five minutes, add 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons of butter and a pinch of salt. Heat until everything melts together. Enjoy!

Vitamin C- Mom always told us to drink orange juice when we were feeling under the weather. Little did she know that in addition to boosting your immune system, it also has wondrous effects on your skin. Studies show that Vitamin C helps with the appearance of wrinkles and dry, rough skin. Many citrus fruits, peppers, and tomato juice are an excellent source of Vitamin C. While there are several ways to increase your daily intake, here is what we found to be the easiest: add green and red peppers to your chicken tacos, throw together a fruit salad to bring to an afternoon BBQ, or simply listen to Mom and drink a good old fashioned glass of O.J. each morning.

Vitamin E- Eating foods rich in Vitamin E will help prevent pigmentation and improve the overall appearance of the skin. These foods include avocados, spinach, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, almonds and olive oil. A great way to enjoy these foods? Throw together a spinach salad with sliced avocado. Create a dressing by mixing extra virgin olive oil with balsamic vinaigrette and a splash of lemon juice. Also, keep a baggie of mixed nuts in your car or at your desk, which will give you a healthy option when afternoon hunger hits.

Water- It should come as no surprise that water is an important part of keeping your skin healthy. Not only does water keep your skin cells hydrated, it also helps move toxins out of the body. Drinking eight glasses a day can give your skin amazing results and also help your overall health. Having a hard time drinking eight glasses a day? Do as the most fabulous spas do: cut up your favorite fruits and add them to a pitcher or water bottle. Our favorite fruits to add? Grapefruits, limes, lemons, strawberries, watermelon and oranges. Make sure to change up the combination each day, which will give you a refreshing new taste and ensure your taste buds don’t get bored!

Antioxidants- Fruits like blackberries, blueberries and strawberries are high in antioxidants and can help protect your skin from free radicals that can lead to premature aging. Our favorite way to load up on these colorful berries? Create a delicious dessert by adding a heaping pile of these juicy fruits to a slice of angel food cake and Cool Whip! Enjoy knowing that you are doing your skin a favor.

So you see, what you are eating can have a huge affect on the apperance and health of your skin. So get in the kitchen, channel your inner chef, and whip up some delicious skin-friendly creations.

Make sure to share your ideas with us! For a quick burst of vitamins and antioxidants for your skin, receive a HydraFacial which will give you immediate results and leave your skin feeling healthy and hydrated.