Rosacea Skin Care

ZENMED Skin Care Product Reviews (Used on Rosacea-Prone Skin)

Zenmed Skin Care Products for Rosacea - Rosy JulieBC
~ Julie B Campbell ~ Leave a comment

Zenmed Skin Care Products for Rosacea - Rosy JulieBCHi Rosy Friends! Over the last few months, I’ve had the privilege of trying a huuuuge number of ZENMED products.  In fact, I’ve tried so many that I started this blog post in March 2018 and now it’s already halfway through June, and I’m just getting it finished (including rewriting this introduction, of course, because the original was completely out of date).

I’m going to do my best to keep this concise because the products are fascinating, so I’ll be tempted to go on and on.  I’ve already done quite a few YouTube videos on my channel, but I thought it might be nice to have all the info here in one place. Here goes!

What is ZENMED?

I could do an entire blog post just on what this company stands for, but here are the points I found the most fascinating about them.  These are the reasons I find the brand appealing and that explain why I was happy to give so many ZENMED products a try.

  • Since getting started in 1999, all ZENMED products have been 100% doctor-formulated.
  • Each product is based on meticulously selected, pharmaceutical-grade natural ingredients combined with essential oils, vitamins and minerals.
  • This company focuses on gentle, realistic, and practical skin care for troubled skin (rosacea, acne, scarring, spider veins, stretch marks, delicate, sensitive and even sensitive baby skin).
  • They have a keep-it-simple attitude that recommends the use of fewer products, not more, when possible.
  • All products are 100% sulfate-free, paraben-free, synthetic fragrance-free, irritant-free, dye-free,  and steroid-free.
  • They produce their products in the smallest possible batches to ensure the maximum freshness and shelf-life.
  • They have a rewards program when you shop directly from their website but they do not auto-ship, which is awesome because some of those programs are notoriously difficult to stop.
  • All products are cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, and vegetarian-friendly. Packaging is minimal (no outer box with a tube inside, it’s just the tube) and 100% recyclable. The company is on both PETA’s and Leaping Bunny’s Approved Sellers list.
  • They don’t just sell products but also provide useful information about certain skin conditions, including helpful care tips.

On to the products I tried!

ZENMED Gentle Cleansing Cream Review

The first thing I’d like to say about the Gentle Cleansing Cream is that it lasts a shockingly long time.  I used my bottle of it for at least 3 months, if not more, and I am a regular face-washer. I am not a slacker when it comes to my facial skin care routine.

I love the pump bottle.  One pump dispensed the perfect amount. It made the cleanser easy to use both next to my sink and in my shower. The cream cleanser itself was very gentle and non-irritating.  I felt like my skin was getting clean without being stripped of its healthy natural oil base. It didn’t do much to remove makeup, but most cleansers aren’t so that isn’t a failing in my opinion.  I enjoyed this gentle cleanser.

ZENMED Nutrient Boost Spray Review

I wasn’t sure what to think of this product.  It was a nice cooling mist for my skin, but I didn’t notice any difference after using it. I’m not sure what results I was supposed to experience.  It was meant to cool things down during flushes, flare-ups, hot flashes and after sun exposure.  Initially, I didn’t notice much from it.  I completed the product without really experiencing any difference from it.  It was nice and cooling when my skin was hot, but I didn’t notice much of a difference between misting with this product or just misting with water.

Oil Free Moisturizer with SPF 30 Review

This is the ZENMED sun protection moisturizer meant for people who have oily or acne-prone skin.  My skin is desert-dry and rosacea-prone, so it wasn’t exactly meant for my skin type.  Still, I was happy to try it out.  I noticed that my cheeks were more pink while I used this product.  Don’t think this was  because this moisturizer irritated my skin.  Instead, think it just wasn’t moisturizing enough for me.

That said, after giving it a try, I handed it over to my best friend, who has adult acne and oily skin.  She absolutely loves it.  It’s her go-to sunscreen for her face and since a little bit goes a long way, she’s still using it (and the expiry date hasn’t passed yet).  It works perfectly for her, doesn’t cause break-outs, and doesn’t make her skin any oilier than it would naturally be.  It may not have been right for my skin type, but it looks like a fantastic product for the people it was designed for!

Skin Protecting Lotion with SPF 30 Review

This moisturizer was far more appropriate for my skin type.  I love that it is mineral-based and not chemical-based.  It works fantastically for sensitive and reactive skin.  It was ideal for my skin, and it even sat well under makeup.  I used it every day for about two months.  Unfortunately, the expiry date for the product was only about two months after I received it so, despite the fact that only a little bit is needed, and a bottle lasts a long time, it passed its expiry before I’d used it up.
Still, during the whole time I used it, I was a huge fan of it.  I love the way it looked and felt.  It didn’t smell bad.  It left my skin hydrated and protected.  I didn’t get any sunburns, and it didn’t cause any rosacea flare-ups or adverse reactions. Great sunscreen!

ZENMED Organic Cream Exfoliator Review

I am very picky about the type of exfoliators I will use.  People with rosacea are typically discouraged from using exfoliating products because, by their very nature, exfoliators irritate the skin.  Even the gentle ones work as a type of abrasive to essentially scratch off dead skin cells and other unwanted surface-level nonsense.

That said, I love exfoliating. I don’t do it much anymore because of the aforementioned reasons.  However, I do like to have an exfoliating product so that I can use it once a month (it used to be once per week, so I’ve improved), suuuper gently. So far, I’ve come across 2 exfoliating products that have passed all my tests for use, including everything from the right ingredients, to being plastic micro-bead-free (this one contains jojoba micro-spheres) and just reacting well with my skin.  ZENMED’s Organic Cream Exfoliator is one of those products.  I love it.  I still use this product.

There are just enough little natural beads to do the trick, and the more gently I use it, the better the job it does without irritating at the same time.  Really, no pressure is needed.  It leaves my skin feeling fully hydrated.  While I don’t recommend exfoliating if you have rosacea, if you’re like me and you go against that good advice, this is a nice product to use.

ZENMED Anti-Redness Mask Review

This is a FANTASTIC mask. I absolutely love it.  I save it for days when I really want to treat myself.  It feels wonderful when it’s on, and my skin feels terrific once I wash it off.
When this gel mask is on the skin, it is cooling, calming, and perfect.  It’s ideal for summer days when the heat is far too much for my skin. It’s lovely for winters when my face has been whipped by cold and wind . I think of this as a perfect step in my home spa sessions.  I even find that it helps to keep my face cooler if I take a bath (especially if I combine it with one of those cooling eye mask thingies that you put in the freezer first).
If you ever do try it, I will caution you that it is quite fluid.  I thought it would be much thicker because it is in a tube package.  All the other ZENMED products I’d received in tubes were pretty thick, like creams.  This one will come rushing out the dispensing hole if you hold it upside down, and a whole lot of it will spill down the sink if you don’t have your hand ready…not that this happened to me…nooooo.  Please be aware that it is a liquid product even though it’s sold in a tube.  That will save you the heartbreak of wasting this gorgeous, fantastic, lovely face mask!

ZENMED B5 Hyaluronic Plumping Serum Review

Anti-aging products and my rosacea-prone skin don’t usually get along.  That said, this serum didn’t seem to cause any adverse effects.  I used this hyaluronic serum without any struggles at all.  No redness or irritation .
That said, even after patting it into my skin and neck for several days and nights, I didn’t really notice an observable difference.  I’m not sure what I was supposed to be able to see.  Maybe it’s that I don’t really pay that much attention to things like wrinkles on my skin (yet!!!).  I’m so focused on my rosacea symptoms that I’m not obsessing over fine lines quite yet. As a result, it could have been having a beautiful effect that I didn’t even notice.
Still, I liked using this product. It seemed to be very gentle and hydrating.  It certainly didn’t cause any unpleasantness and, since hyaluronic acid is such a hyped ingredient right now, it felt really cool to test it out.

ZENMED Support Serum Review

The Support Serum came in a neat little pump bottle. I really like the way this design dispenses the perfect amount. I also like that it locks easily so that it won’t make a mess if I bring it with me when I travel.  I don’t like that a little touch of it gets dried up during the day between uses so it makes one of those little hard bits at the start of each use.  However, that was far from a deal- breaker, particularly when considering how much I absolutely loved this product and its effects.
I used this overnight every night for quite some time (in fact, I still have a lot left even after regular use, and I’m still using it at the time I’m writing this blog).  The ingredients are fantastic. It is refreshing smelling. It is cooling and soothing and, by the next morning, it takes down the look of the redness on my face. It didn’t erase it, but I noticed a difference.  I didn’t have a flare-up while using this product, so I couldn’t test it that way. However, it has reduced the look of my permanent redness that never goes away (due to 15 years of damage and skin mistreatment).
This worked well with my light therapy and with the rest of my usual skin care.  I will definitely buy this once it runs out.  It makes a difference for me, and I want to keep using it.

ZENMED AVT Cream Review

This is a gorgeous thick cream.  I loved using the AVT Cream and feel that it thoroughly hydrated my skin. It is meant for daytime and nighttime use.  For me, it was absolutely perfect for nighttime.  It’s summer right now, so I found it too heavy for the daytime.  If I wasn’t going out but was just working from home, it was just fine to use in the daytime.  However, in the summer, it was too heavy to use in combination with other products such as sunscreen and/or makeup.
I’m considering purchasing this product again during the winter to give it another shot. I’m under the impression that I will love it during the winter because I need an exceptionally heavy face cream during the colder months.  For the summer, though, it left too much of a layer behind.

ZENMED Essential Eye Serum Review

The Essential Eye Serum feels very nice when applied.  I loved using it in the evening the most, even though I also used it in the morning (as per the instructions).  It was cooling and refreshing and didn’t irritate any of the rosacea-prone skin in the surrounding area.

Overall, I enjoyed using this product. I liked the feeling of it.  However, I did find its texture a bit on the strange side.  It was thick.  Very thick.  Thick enough that when I withdrew the dropper from the bottle, it left a hole behind that took so long to refill that it didn’t move while I waited.  Though this didn’t make it any less pleasant to apply to my face (in fact, it made it easier to dispense the perfect amount from the dropper onto my finger), once I’d used about half the bottle, it made it quite difficult to fill the dropper.  It’s a glass bottle with a small opening, so there isn’t a huge amount of maneuverability and, since there’s an empty hole where the dropper naturally enters the bottle, it took a lot of crafty dropper use to try to get enough of the product to use it. I’ll likely use a tiny spatula or toothpick to access the last quarter of the bottle.

I’m not entirely sure if it worked to reduce under-eye circles on me.  I have chronic insomnia, so I’m likely not an ideal person to test that sort of product, particularly because I’m obsessed with my facial redness far more than shadows and fine lines.  Perhaps it was working wonderfully and I didn’t notice.  What I do know is that it felt very refreshing and cooling, and I felt like I was doing something good for my skin to avoid future unwanted sagging and bagging.

Having tried all these amazing products, I can easily say that ZENMED is among my favorite skin care brands.  I love how responsible they are to customer, ethical and environmental needs. Some of their products have easily joined my all-time favourites.
Big thanks once again to the team at ZENMED for sending me these products to try.  I’m definitely hooked and consider myself a loyal customer.
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I’m a Big Baby About Having Rosacea

Little Sleepy Head Bath
~ Julie B Campbell ~ 3 Comments

Hi Rosy Friends!

It’s been a while, but if you’ve been keeping up with my latest videos on my Rosy JulieBC YouTube channel, you know that I haven’t disappeared. I’ve also started tinkering around as @RosyJulieBC on Instagram. Throughout that time, I’ve become quite the big baby about having rosacea…

By that, I mean that I’ve been incorporating a growing number of products meant for babies and toddlers into my life.  I’m not a parent, so I don’t regularly find myself walking/surfing through products meant for little ones.  However, every now and again I’ll come across a product or two as I shop and, despite the fact that they’re designed for teensy tots, they often work better for me than equivalent products designed for us grown-ups!

I recently released a video on the subject (below, in case you’re curious), but I thought it might be nice to dedicate an actual blog post to the topic, since I find it to be an interesting one, and I’ve really let posting slide over the last little bit.  I’m dedicated blogging regularly again (I know, I know, I keep saying that, but I swear I mean it every time haha).

The following are some of the products meant for little ones but that work for big babies with rosacea, like me!

Kids-sized reusable water bottle

Hydration is massively important to healthy skin, healthy digestion, and overall wellness.  To function properly, your body needs to get a certain amount of water through your food and through drinking it, of course.  In my ever-so-humble opinion, living a Rosy Lifestyle absolutely requires you to hydrate properly.

Since I’d prefer not to be a giant hypocrite, that means that I work hard to drink the right amount of water every day. When I head out the door, I need to take water with me. As a result, I have amassed a broad selection of different types of water bottles.  The main struggle with reusable water bottles is that you never really know how well one will work for you until you give it a try.  I have glass ones, stainless steel ones, BPA-free plastic ones, ones with citrus infusers, ones with a straw, ones with a small drinking opening, ones with a wide drinking opening…I’m pretty much the reason the reusable water bottle people are in business!

kids water bottle BPA freeWhile the big ones and the heavy ones (glass!) are great for keeping around while I’m at home or in the car, it’s my kid-sized one that I love the most when I head out to walk dogs, go to outdoor festivals, or at any other time that I’ll need to carry it around. The one I have is Nalgene with a carabiner-style locking flip-cap and a small pour spout-style drinking opening. It’s easy to carry in a bag or attach to a strap.  It locks so it won’t accidentally open and spill, and its opening is small enough that I don’t pour it all over myself when I drink out of it.  I’ve never seen these options in water bottles made for adults. Plus it has a shark on it that says “chomp” and that’s just awesome! 😉 I got this one in clearance in the kids lunchbox section of a department store.

Kid-sized gel ice packs

Keeping cool in the summer can be very difficult, especially when it’s a million degrees outside, humid, and I’m trying to get to sleep despite regular anxiety attacks.

This may sound like a nightmare thing to do during the winter, but in the summer, I take kids’ first aid gel ice packs straight from the freezer and either wrap them in a tea towel or use them straight-up against the back of my neck and/or on the bottoms of my feet.  Sounds crazy, but the next time you’re very, very overheated, give it a try.  It cools you down really fast.

Hello Kitty Boo-Boo Pack gel ice packsSince being overheated is a fast way to turn my cheeks tomato-red, keeping cool is very important.  I got my freezer packs (or in this case, “boo boo” packs) at the local dollar store.  Mine happen to be Hello Kitty themed, but I’m sure that the Strawberry Shortcake or Thomas the Tank Engine would work just as well (as would any other character or non-themed gel ice pack.  I’m 98% sure the theme doesn’t affect the coldness haha).

Baby food fruit puree pouches

Ever since I was a child young enough to be in the target market for most of these products, I’ve been at risk of hypoglycemia.  When I eat the wrong balance of foods or wait too long before eating, my blood sugar levels plummet.  It makes me emotional (hangry!), my hands shake, it spikes my anxiety, and can even cause me to faint. All those things are a rapid path to a rosacea flush – and are rather uncomfortable, too – so, naturally, I try to avoid them.

Reusable baby food pouchOver the last few years, those little baby food fruit and veggie puree pouches have become extremely popular.  I keep them on hand so I can toss one in my purse or bag in case I need a quick blood sugar boost. Since I’m not exactly a fan of the packaging garbage they create, I’ve recently found some reusable/refillable ones so I can simply make my own purees (easier than you think), fill the pouches, freeze them and then take them with me when I think I’ll need them.

Little Sleepy Head Bath Time and Skin Care

If you’ve been following my videos/blogs for a while, you’ll know that I’m always on the hunt for a new sunscreen.  In my opinion, sunscreens are the hardest skin care product to find because the vast majority of them cause my rosacea to flare.  They make me itchy, they sting and they make my skin red and pimply.

In my hunt for a product that wouldn’t do this (because it never hurts to have options!), I came across the Little Sleepy Head Daily Rehydrating Sunscreen.  It caught my eye because it’s safe for babies and toddlers with sensitive skin, as well as being free of “Paba, Parabens, Nano-particles, fragrances, or Phthalates,” non-irritating, water resistant, and non-comedogenic.  What really sold me on it was that it flat-out says that it’s “well received” by people with lupus, rosacea, acne and other skin conditions.  Holy cow!  A sunscreen that directly says that rosacea sufferers don’t often react to it!

Little Sleepy Head Sunscreen, Body Wash, and LotionBefore I knew it, I was unpacking a box with the sunscreen as well as the brand’s entire line of bath time and skin care products! So here’s what I thought of treating my skin like a big baby with Little Sleepy Head‘s skin care line:

  • Little Sleepy Head Daily Rehydrating Sunscreen – I’ve been using this on my face, neck, ears, and upper chest area since I first got it.  On hotter days when I was wearing short sleeves, I used it on my arms as well.  My skin has tolerated it extremely well.  It has no fragrance and is very easy to apply.  I can see how it would be quick to spread on the skin of a kid who is fussing because it was certainly easy for me to apply to myself – and boy can I be fussy! 😉  I liked that it did feel like it was moisturizing my skin, but even if I got sweaty and it ran into my eyes, it didn’t sting. I’d usually wash it off my face as soon as I came indoors again, but it never irritated any place that I applied it no matter how long I left it on. This was a definite find.
  • Little Sleepy Head Gentle Hair and Body Wash – As much as this is meant to be used both as a shampoo and a body wash, I just used this as a body wash.  I have a huuuuge amount of hair and would likely go through the whole bottle in three showers if I shampooed with it.  That said, when using this as a body wash, a little bit goes a long way!  It’s a very soft product that lathers and spreads nicely.  It feels lovely on the skin and smells phenomenal.  I shower before bedtime, so the natural lavender and chamomile in the ingredients provided a beautifully soothing and relaxing bit of aromatherapy to help me combat my typical bouts of insomnia. It was also very effective at washing away the sunscreen, which I didn’t find was at all difficult to remove. As a side note, I know for certain that this product was not meant for this purpose, but in a pinch it also doubled wonderfully as a shaving gel!
  • Little Sleepy Head Hydrating Baby Lotion – After using a baby bedtime bath product it only makes sense to moisturize with the matching lotion, right? This moisturizer also contains lavender and chamomile and has a very close (natural) scent to the body wash. Since it also contains oatmeal, aloe, and shea butter, even my super-sensitive, rash-prone skin tolerated this product very well.  I love that both this product and the body wash are in a pump bottle.  I find that super-convenient.  I haven’t run either of them out yet so I don’t know if the pump bottle lets you get the product right up to the end (some designs. are more effective than others in my experience) but if I run into any problems, I’ll be sure to update this blog post to let you know.

So there you have it.  I have rosacea, and I’m a big baby about it, too!

While I do still love my all-natural skin care for my face from unbelievably great quality brands like SBT Seabuckthorn, Face Addiction and even Celtic Complexion, among others (the list is always growing), I’m happy to add a kids line, Little Sleepy Head, to my sunscreen and sensitive skin care favourites.

What about you?  Have you found a baby and/or kids product that works better for you than the adult alternative?  If so, please share in the comments section below!

 

 

 

 

Rosacea on Spring Break: Will We Ever Look Tanned Again?

Rosy JulieBC Rosacea Sun Protection Skin Care
~ Julie B Campbell ~ 2 Comments

Rosy JulieBC Rosacea Sun Protection Skin CareSpring Break is nearly here and for a lot of us, that means we either want to spend some time in the sun or look as though we have.  For those of us with rosacea, both possibilities can pose a rather significant challenge.

Tanning is a relatively controversial topic both in terms of achieving the look from sun exposure or through sunless methods.  UV rays (from both the sun and tanning beds) and certain chemicals in self-tanning products have been directly linked with an increased risk of skin cancer and premature aging.  However, that won’t be the topic of this post.  There are tons of articles online from some fantastic sources, and I recommend checking them out if you want to learn more about that (important) topic.

Here are two from ConsumerSafety.org that I find particularly helpful:

The Trouble with Traditional and Sunless Tanning with Rosacea

When you have rosacea, you need to keep those aforementioned issues in mind above and beyond the fact that the sun is the top rosacea trigger, according to the National Rosacea Society.  Their figures show that 81% of us are triggered by sunlight. That’s more than 4 out of every 5 rosacea sufferers!

Rosy JulieBC - spring break sun protection with rosaceaAnother 41% of us are triggered by certain skin care products – nearly 1 in 2 rosacea sufferers.  That means that regardless of whether we’re into traditional or sunless tanning, rosacea can present a considerable barrier to achieving that sun-kissed look on Spring Break.

Since there are a lot of us facing this challenge at the moment, ConsumerSafety.org has asked me to share my thoughts on the topic.  They also provided me with a handy list of general tips we can follow to take care of the rest of our skin to avoid “sun shock,” skin cancer and other sun damage.  Click here to download that list for free.

Please note that this is not a sponsored blog post.  ConsumerSafety.org asked me to discuss Spring Break and skincare for fun in the sun with my own spin. It’s such a great and relevant topic that I was more than happy to comply.

Tanning in the Sun with Rosacea

If you’ve been reading my blog or watching my Rosy JulieBC YouTube channel for a while, then you know that I fall into that group of people whose rosacea symptoms are triggered by sunlight.  This means that for me, tanning my face is out of the question.

Rosy JulieBC - broad brimmed hat sun protectionFor one thing, I don’t tan, I burn.  For another thing, it causes my cheeks to turn dark purply-red and I break out in papules and pustules that look like acne (though they’re not).  After even a short time in the sun, my skin feels tight, hot and will sometimes sting or feel itchy.

This is even worse at a time like Spring Break, when I’ve spent the last few months thoroughly covered up during the winter and have had limited time for natural sun exposure, anyway.

How to Enjoy Spring Break in the Sun with Rosacea

This doesn’t mean that I can’t go to a place that is sunny and warm.  It just means that some extra precautions are necessary.

Rosy JulieBC - sunscreen for rosaceaI’ve accepted the fact that I will not be lying out in the sun with my face in the direct sunlight.  Still, it doesn’t mean I need to find the nearest dark cave and hide in it while everyone else is out and having fun.

Here’s what’s in my rosacea sun exposure toolkit:

  • Moisturizer – thoroughly moisturized skin fares far better against the sun than dry skin. My skin is naturally as hydrated as the Sahara Desert, so I stick to a rigid moisturizing routine on a regular basis, but particularly when I’ll be in the sun as well. Some top favourite products for this include:
    • SBT Seabuckthorn’s Chokecherry Oil
    • SBT Seabuckthorn’s Tea Cream
    • Face Addiction’s Soft Cream
    • Celtic Complection’s Creme
  • Sunscreen – of all the skincare products I use, a good sunscreen is the hardest for me to find. The reason is that most sunscreens contain ingredients that cause my skin to flare up.  There are a few that I’ve found that don’t cause a rosacea flare-up.
    I apply the products a half hour before heading out to give them the chance to absorb and start working at their fullest. I’ll then reapply every 2 hours or more frequently if I’ve been swimming or sweating a lot. Each have their benefits and drawbacks, but my favourites include the following:

    • The Matter Company’s Substance
    • Celtic Complexion’s Organic Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin
    • Celtic Complexion’s Tinted Moisturizer SPF 31
    • La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Mineral Tinted Ultra-Light Fluid Lotion
  • A Wide-Brimmed Hat – I don’t mean a baseball cap. I mean a hat with a big brim that goes all the way around to shade my face from sun in all directions.  Some hats actually come with an SPF, which I appreciate.  Otherwise, I just look for one that provides actual shade and that doesn’t have lots of holes (for example in a loose weave) that would let the light through.
  • A Parasol – I’ve started to love using bright and pretty parasols. I save the black umbrella for rain protection. For the sun, I use a brightly patterned, summery umbrella or a Chinese-style parasol.  I’ve collected several options over the years so I can match them to my outfit or my mood.
  • Water – staying hydrated gives skin an extra boost of protection. The healthier skin is, the better it can protect itself from the sun and the less likely it is to experience rosacea symptoms. Getting a great refillable bottle helps to encourage me to drink from it more – and to bring it in the first place!

Those are the tips I use for my face.  For the rest of my body, I follow the tips mentioned in the ConsumerSafety.org list I mentioned earlier.  These help to avoid sun shock and keep skin healthy and comfortable while reducing the risk of sunburn.

Sunless Tanning with Rosacea

Rosy JulieBC - sunless tannerThere are two main categories of sunless tanning: tanning beds and topical products.  I’m not going to talk about tanning beds as an option for several reasons: I’ve never tried them, I think they’re dangerous to a person’s health, and they are a fast route to a rosacea flare-up so I don’t feel that they apply for our needs.

So that leaves us with the second category: topical products.  These come in the form of sprays, lotions, creams, serums, oils and several others.  I’ve tried a few of these over the years but, to be honest, I started phasing them out when I began taking my rosacea seriously.

The reason is that I couldn’t find a single topical self-tanner that didn’t irritate my rosacea.  Since I didn’t want to have a tan-looking body and a white-and-red face, I gave up on trying to look tan at all.  That said, it isn’t impossible to look sun kissed just because you have rosacea.  The key is to choose your products carefully, apply them with a light hand and understand the ingredients.

How to Achieve a Spring Break Sun Kissed Look with Rosacea

Ideally, you can try to find a self tanner that you can use on your body and a matching tinted moisturizer or mineral makeup bronzer that will allow you to make it look as though your face and your body were in the same sunshine over spring break.

Rosy JulieBC - Bronzer for rosaceaTo do this realistically, don’t apply a ton of product to either your face or body.  Your goal shouldn’t be to look as though you baked in the sun for hours every single day.  That will only give you an orange or otherwise fake skin colour.  People won’t think you had a great time in the sun if you do that.  They’ll think you don’t know what you’re doing with self-tanner or that you made a concerted effort to bring out your inner oompa-loompa.

Instead, make your goal to have a bit of a healthy “glow.” Embrace your natural skin colour but enhance it with a very slightly darker golden shade that makes it look like you were able to step out into the light after having been inside all winter long. A little bit can go a long way for giving you a healthy look that shows you had a great time on Spring Break.

To make sure you’re using self-tanner properly and safely, consider checking out the Skin Cancer Foundation’s information about these products.  It provides some very handy insight about DHA (a major ingredient in nearly all self tanners) and in what ways it can be safely used as well as how it should be used in order to avoid risks to your health.

In terms of mineral makeup that can help you to bronze your face to match without causing a rosacea flare-up, here are some of my favourite options:

  • Cheeky Cosmetics Bronzing Powder
  • The All Natural Face Vegan Bronzer
  • Physician’s Formula Argan Wear Ultra-Nourishing Argan Oil Bronzer
  • Physician’s Formula Nude Wear Touch of Glow Palette
  • Everyday Minerals Bronzer

Rosacea After the Sun

This may sound like a lot of work, but it’s actually quite straightforward.  A little bit of preparation in advance will mean that you’ll be ready to work these tips into your Spring Break trip very conveniently.

Rosy JulieBC - parasolYou’ll be able to achieve the look you want – both there and when you come home – while keeping your skin healthy, protected and nourished, and saving yourself from a vacation filled with rosacea symptoms.

That said, nobody’s perfect.  If you do end up getting more sun than you meant, be sure to have a plan of action to get things under control very quickly.  Nourish your skin with after-sun products like La-Roche Posay’s Posthelios After Solar Repair, or my personal favourites: pure aloe vera gel and SBT Seabuckthorn’s After Sun Cream.

If you’ve had a sunburn, pure aloe vera gel and SBT Seabuckthorn’s Sunburn Soothing Salve (rich in coconut oil and other important oils that cool, hydrate and encourage healing in sunburned skin) can rapidly become your best friends.  These are worth having on hand for quick damage control, just in case.

Don’t Forget to Have Fun!

Rosy JulieBC - beach rosaceaNo matter what you’re doing over Spring Break, I hope you have a wonderful time and come home with calm skin, no rosacea symptoms and a huge journal of great memories.

 

I’d like to thank ConsumerSafety.org for inspiring me to write this post.

 

Celtic Complexion Review: 8 Luxury Artisan Skincare Products Tested on Rosacea (Part 2)

Celtic Complexion Natural Skin Care for Rosacea
~ Julie B Campbell ~ 2 Comments

click to go back Rosy JulieBCContinued from Celtic Complexion Review: 8 Luxury Artisan Skincare Products Tested on Rosacea (Part 1)

Celtic Complexion Eye Elixir Hydrating Serum

Celtic Complexion Eye ElixirOf all the products I tested, the Celtic Complexion Eye Elixir seemed to feel the most luxurious to me.  I’m not exactly sure why that was.  Everything I tried was beautiful in its own way.  This one just seemed to have that extra something special.

Every feature of this product from the dainty roller-ball bottle to the gorgeous product it contained felt like I was treating myself.  It had that “spa treatment” sensation.

Typical of me, I read the instructions which said to use this product very sparingly and then I went ahead and used too much on my first application.  When the instructions tell you that one little sweep under the eyes is enough, they really mean it! I used this product every night for nearly a month before the teensy little container finally ran out.

It made my skin feel soft and smooth and when I woke up I didn’t have giant blue bags under my eyes. I’d also like to point out that I liked the feeling of the stainless steel ball of the applicator.  It was very cooling under the eye.

Ingredients: Argan oil, squalene oil, avocado oil, rosehip seed oil, carrot seed oil, sea buckthorn oil, evening primrose oil, borage seed oil, essential oils of ylang ylang, lavender, myrrh , rosewood, tangerine, bergamot.

Celtic Complexion Tinted Moisturizer

Celtic Complexion Tinted MoisturizerCeltic Complexion Tinted Moisturizer is a hydrating, natural sunscreen-and-foundation in one.

It comes in two shades: Light and Medium.

Mine said that it provides SPF 22 on it, but the website says it has an SPF 31.  I’m assuming that the formula has upgraded its protection since I tried it last summer.

As much as this can be used as a foundation or a moisturizer with a hint of coverage, I used it as a sunscreen under makeup.  If I was going somewhere that I wanted to look nice but where I’d need to be outside, this became my go-to base layer between my skin and my makeup.  It sat well under makeup and didn’t irritate my skin at all.

The sunscreen was a fantastic bonus. Unlike other sunscreens I’ve tried, this is neither drying nor greasy. This was a fantastic product to have last summer.

Ingredients: 25% zinc oxide, artesian spring water, cert. organic organic jojoba oil, cert organic extra virgin olive oil, organic shea butter, vegetable glycerin, vegetable emulsifying wax, vegetable vitamin e, iron oxide.

Celtic Complexion Organic Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin

Celtic Complexion Organic Sunscreen for Sensitive SkinIf you’ve read some of my other blog posts or if you’ve seen some of my YouTube rants, you’ll know that sunscreen is among the types of product I find most challenging to find for my rosacea-prone skin. All but one of the chemical-based sunscreen products I’ve tried have caused my skin to flare up.

On the natural side of the spectrum, most sunscreens usually leave my skin looking chalky white. However, this is not the case with the Celtic Complexion Organic Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin.

This product provides SPF 32 and is chemical free, cruelty free, fragrance free, and is even reef safe.

This product gives my face a very slight whitening effect, but nothing dramatic.  I can see it if I look at myself very closely in the mirror but not from a “normal” distance.

I absolutely loved this sunscreen for the protection it gives from the sun and for not causing flare-ups.  I like that I need to use only a very small amount, that it doesn’t leave my skin feeling as though it has been buttered and it doesn’t make me feel like I’m melting when I start sweating a bit from being outside in the summer.

I felt like it lasted a long time, so I didn’t need to reapply it every few minutes, which was also quite nice. It didn’t have any fragrance or perfumed scent, which I also appreciated because the last thing I want in the summertime is to be even more appealing to mosquitoes than I already am!

As was the case when I tried the Exfoliant, I re-ordered this one very quickly after having tried it.

Ingredients: 25% zinc oxide, Eldorado Springs Artesian Water, certified organic extra virgin olive oil, certified organic jojoba oil, vegetable glycerin, certified organic shea butter, vegetable emulsifying wax, vegetable vitamin e.

Celtic Complexion Youth Infusion 7 High Potency Serum

Celtic Complexion Youth Infusion 7 High Potency SerumOf all the products I tried from this brand, the Celtic Complexion Youth Infusion 7 Serum was likely the one that left the least impression on me. This isn’t at all to say that it wasn’t a lovely product.  It’s only that I couldn’t quite measure any difference that it made in my skin.

I used it twice per week as a part of my “extra effort” skin care days.  I spread a few drops over my face and neck. The product is certainly luxurious and my skin was definitely moisturized and responded well.  That said, I didn’t notice any difference between when I used this on top of the full skin care cleansing and moisturizing routine and when I didn’t.

Perhaps it was just one step too many for my unique skin type, maybe I had no idea what I was looking for or perhaps this is something that works over time in a protective/rejuvenating way and I didn’t use it long enough or should have photographed my progress to see a difference.

It may also be that I’m not quite far along enough in the anti-aging skin care demographic to truly see the difference this product can make.  To be honest, I’m far more focused on my rosacea than my fine lines.  I may have quite the opposite opinion in five years from now, but at the moment, my main goal is to get the redness under control and keep it that way.

While I feel this is a stunning product, it’s the one I’d be least likely to replace at this point…ask me again in five years!

Ingredients: Fractionated coconut oil, carrot seed oil, Indian rose oil, Indian sandalwood oil, frankincense oil, borage seed oil, evening primrose oil, Bulgarian rose oil.

Two Celtic Complexion Products I Haven’t Tried Yet

There are two more products I have but that I haven’t yet tried.  I’m looking forward to testing both of them once I’m finished the current skincare trial I’m undergoing.

The products are the Celtic Complexion the Celtic de Savon Facial Cleansing Bar and the Vida de Fleur Liquid Moisturizer.Celtic Complexion Celtic de Savon Facial Cleansing BarCeltic Complexion Vida de Fleur

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facial Cleansing Bar ingredients: Saponofied oils of olive, palm, shea butter, argan, jojoba, avocado, camellia, goat milk and oatmeal.

Vida de Fleur ingredients: Squalane oil (derived from vegetarian sources), evening primrose oil, jasmine grandiflorum, jasmine sambac.

I’m hoping to test these out in February so watch for my review soon afterward!

Another Celtic Complexion Product I’d Love to Try

At the start of the holiday season, Celtic Complexion had two fantastic sales and during that time, I checked out the Winter Skin Kit, which contains two products I already have (the Vida de Fleur and the Creme) but it also drew the Winter Skin Balm Bar to my attention.

Have you ever kicked yourself for not jumping on the opportunity to try out something great?  Yup, that was me.  It’s also available to purchase on its own in the full-size version.  It looks incredible as it can even be applied on top of makeup to restore hydration during the day.  I can barely wrap my brain around that. Won’t be difficult to guess what I’ll be adding to my next order!

In case you’re curious, the ingredients for the Winter Skin Balm Bar are: Shea butter, jojoba oil, raw organic coconut oil, squalane oil (from vegetarian sources), borage seed oil, evening primrose oil, apricot kernel oil, backhousia citriodora.

Coupon Code Reminder: 30% off your whole order with “roseyjulie“

The “fine print”. Using this coupon code during checkout will take 30% off your entire Celtic Complexion order. This coupon code is valid from today until January 20, 2017.  It can be used for every product on the site except the Celtic Jewel.  It can be used to discount your entire order but is not valid with any other offer or coupon.

Please note that this coupon code was offered to me from Celtic Complexion to give you the chance to save money if you want to try the products I have tested. I am not affiliated with Celtic Complexion, I have not been paid to do this review or this blog post and I will not make any money from any purchases through Celtic Complexion or through the use of the coupon code.

About Celtic Complexion

Celtic Complexion is a company founded by Master Esthetician, Jennifer Devlin Waller.  Like me, Jennifer has had rosacea since she was in her 20s.  In fact, it motivated her to become a professional makeup artist as she wanted to be able to effectively cover the redness.

Jennifer worked in the retail cosmetics industry for a decade and, despite the fact that she could try out some of the most expensive luxury skin care lines, she was unable to control and reduce her rosacea symptoms.  In fact, she frequently found that they worsened.

It wasn’t until she spoke with a holistic esthetician that she saw a meaningful difference. She altered her own skin care and lifestyle in favour of a natural, gentle and nourishing one and was astounded by her results.

This led her to launch her own skincare line, which had been her dream since she was in high school.  Now, she formulates and creates each product while she and her husband Steve (Mr. Celtic Complexion) run the company together.

Other Cool Stuff from Celtic Complexion

In my conversation with Jennifer Devlin Waller, she shared some of her exciting upcoming plans with me.  In her own words, here’s what she said:

In 2017, I am venturing beyond great skincare because that’s only one piece of the larger puzzle of how we can slow down aging. I created Anti-Aging University to educate women about how to age naturally and  organically using alternative wisdom that has been used safely for centuries. You will discover mind/body/spirit principles as well as cutting edge diet/tools/supplements/exercises to look your best no matter what your age.

If you’d like to learn more, click here.

Have you tried Celtic Complexion or do you plan to?  Let me know in the comments.  I’d love to hear about it 🙂

As an update, I’m still working on my cookbook.  I’m in the final stretch now.  I’ll let you know when there’s more news! See you soon!

Celtic Complexion Review: 8 Luxury Artisan Skincare Products Tested on Rosacea (Part 1)

Celtic Complexion Natural Skin Care for Rosacea
~ Julie B Campbell ~ Leave a comment

Celtic Complexion Vegan Natural Rosacea Skin CareI’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions.  It’s not that I’ve been put off by failures to keep them in the past.  To tell you the truth, I’ve never actually made one. I just don’t see the point.  It’s likely because I frequently make new promises to myself and am regularly launching new efforts to make things gradually better in my life. It’s a lifestyle for me. I don’t need a new year to resolve to treat myself better.

Last summer as I was experimenting with new rosacea skin care lines, I came across a brand called Celtic Complexion.  I stumbled across it while I was researching brands that are legitimately high quality and that are not guilty of greenwashing. I spotted an article on a sustainability-focused site called TreeHugger.

I checked out the Celtic Complexion website and contacted Jennifer Devlin Waller, the owner. Before I knew it, I was being sent the “Love Your Skin Travel Kit” as well as a generous sample-size of the company’s Organic Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin.

I’ve reviewed the majority of these products on my YouTube channel, but I’ve wanted to share my thoughts here on the blog. After all, what better time for me to review a huge line of rosacea-friendly, all-natural luxury artisan skin care products than at the start of the year when it feels like everyone is looking for ways to make improvements in their lives?

I contacted Jennifer Devlin Waller to let her know I’d be talking about her products and she sweetened the deal even further. She gave me a special coupon code just for you, Rosy Friends!

Use Coupon Code roseyjulie (until January 20, 2017) and Save 30% on Your Next Celtic Complexion order.

The “fine print”. It can be used for every product on the site except the Celtic Jewel.  It can be used to discount your entire order but is not valid with any other offer or coupon.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. I am not affiliated with Celtic Complexion, and I am not being financially compensated for reviewing the products, sharing the coupon code or providing a link to the website. As you’ll see in the following honest reviews, I’m just a fan of these products and the customer service at this company is amazing enough to let me share some discounts with you.  Enjoy!

Now that you have your Celtic Complexion coupon code, here’s my honest review of the products I’ve tried.  I hope it helps you to decide on the items you might like to test for yourself.

Celtic Complexion Coconut Creme Cleanser

Celtic Complexion - Coconut Creme Cleanser

The Celtic Complexion Coconut Creme Cleanser is a very gentle creamy cleanser with a mild coconutty smell. That said, it is not a “fragranced” product in that it doesn’t contain any chemical perfumes to give it a certain scent. None of the Celtic Complexion products contain that type of ingredient.  Instead, the scent of the product is the natural result of the ingredients it contains (listed below).

I found this to be an excellent day-to day cleanser that never made my skin feel stripped or dry. It washed away what I didn’t want on my skin while leaving the natural balance of natural oils in place. I didn’t find it removed makeup or the brand’s sunscreen efficiently on its own. That said, after contacting Jennifer Devlin Waller, I discovered that cleansing those substances away with coconut or jojoba oil and then following up with the Coconut Creme Cleanser made the process quick and easy.

Ingredients: Organic aloe juice, organic coconut oil, organic green tea extract, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, certyl palmitate, organic olive oil, xanthan gum, palm stearic acid, essential oils of ylang ylang, lavender, rosewood, tangerine and bergamot.

Celtic Complexion Calming Serum

Celtic Complexion - Calming SerumThe Celtic Complexion Calming Serum was easily one of my favourite products from this line. It made an incredible first impression and never let me down.

It is made specifically for people who have rosacea, stressed and/or highly sensitive and reactive skin.  If there was ever proof needed that its creator really knew what she was doing when she created a rosacea-friendly product, this was it.  I found it both soothing and hydrating/nourishing for my skin.  My skin could tolerate it no matter how healthy or reactive/flared-up it happened to be.

In the summer, I found that this was all the hydration my skin required, so I didn’t need to use an additional moisturizer on top, particularly in the daytime. In the winter, I’d combine it with the Creme since I live in a place where it is very, very cold and windy in the wintertime (as I write this, it’s -15ºC/5ºF with a windchill of -23ºC/-9ºF).

I loved the way the Calming Serum worked with my rosacea so much that I stopped using on my whole face and started using it exclusively on my rosacea-prone skin because I wanted to make it last longer!

Ingredients: Fractionated coconut oil, German chamomile oil, neroli oil, lavender oil, evening primrose oil, borage seed oil.

Celtic Complexion Creme

Celtic Complexion CremeThe Celtic Complexion Creme is a beautiful and rich moisturizer.  As is the case with all the brand’s products, a little goes a very long way.  It’s a good idea to pay attention to the directions when using this product if you want to get it right.

I was a bit overzealous when I first tried it and practically buttered my face with it.  After I re-read the directions, I realized that I didn’t need nearly as much.  I first used this product in the summer. At that time, it was a bit heavy for the daytime, but it was nice at night.

I deliberately saved some to try in the winter, knowing that my skin needs much heavier products when it’s cold out.  I was right.  It’s perfect for winter.  According to Jennifer Devlin Waller, it’s easily one of her top selling products for wintertime.

Ingredients: Vitellaria paradoxa (cert org shea butter), Cocos nucifera (cert org raw coconut) oil, Simmondsia chenensis (cert org jojoba) oil, vegetable glycerin, Daucus carota (cert org carrot) seed oil, Santalum spicatum (cert org sandalwood) oil, Vanilla planifolia (cert org vanilla) extract, Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) seed oil, Melaleuca alternifoli (tea tree) oil.

Celtic Complexion Gentle Creme Exfoliant

Celtic Complexion Gentle Creme ExfoliantThe Celtic Complexion Gentle Creme Exfoliant was likely the most surprising product.  I’d previously had such bad luck with exfoliating products that I’d given up on them entirely.

Since I stopped using products with plastic micro beads, I’ve previously found all-natural scrubs and exfoliating products to be too harsh.  I’d tried products with ground walnut shells or even ground watermelon seeds but they were too hard on my skin.  Same for chemical exfoliants.

When I used the Gentle Creme Exfoliant, I fell in love with it.  It has jojoba beads, which I use very, very gently on my rosacea-prone skin.  The product directions clearly state that it shouldn’t be used during a flare-up, so I’ve avoided doing that.  It leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed without feeling hot or irritated.  I do find my skin is slightly more pink after use, but that fades out very quickly.  It isn’t any more pink than it would be if I just washed it as usual. This was one of the first products I re-ordered from Celtic Complexion after giving it a try.

Ingredients: Organic aloe vera juice, organic coconut oil, organic rooibos tea extract, emulsifying wax, vegetable glycerin, organic olive oil, palm stearic acid, jojoba beads, organic jojoba oil, avocado oil, witch hazel, vitamin E, xanthan gum, black willow bark, rosemary extract, neem oil, essential oils of ylang ylang, lavender, rosewood, tangerine and bergamot.

Click for More - Rosy JulieBCClick to continue reading with Celtic Complexion Review: 8 Luxury Artisan Skincare Products Tested on Rosacea (Part 2)

 

 

My Ongoing Rosacea Busting Journey

Rosy JulieBC
~ Julie B Campbell ~ 25 Comments

Hi Rosy Friends!  I’m so glad to be back to tell you all the things I’ve been doing over the last while to overcome/beat/hide/understand rosacea.  If you’ve been following me on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube, then you know I’ve been up to quite a lot. If you’ve been following me exclusively on this blog, then clearly I owe you an apology!

My hope is that by making this a big-fat juicy post about everything I’ve been up to in living the Rosy Life, you’ll forgive me 😉

I’m not sure where to start, so instead of overthinking, I’m just going to dive in.  Here’s what I’ve been doing to take control over my rosacea.

I’m a member of the National Rosacea Society!

Rosy JulieBC Member of the National Rosacea Society
My National Rosacea Society membership kit

If you have rosacea and you haven’t visited the National Rosacea Society website yet, then that should be your next stop (after reading this post, subscribing to this blog and bookmarking the link, of course haha).

The National Rosacea Society is a registered charity that provides rosacea patients as well as doctors with a huge amount of information about the condition.  It includes everything from the very basics (what it is, what the symptoms are, etc), to guidance about treating it, covering its symptoms, and it even conducts studies regarding its impact on our lives, comorbidity (other conditions associated with it) and other important research.

I’m proud to be a member of such a fantastic organization and I’m looking forward to taking part in upcoming studies and doing my part to further the understanding of rosacea.

I launched the Rosy Life Kit

The Rosy Life Kit is a lifestyle box I created and curated to include products you’ve seen me review, test and love on my YouTube channel.  It was my opportunity to share the experience of some of my very favourites with you.

I absolutely loved the entire experience of coming up with the kit and sharing it with you.  It was far better than I could ever have expected. I launched it in one video and your enthusiasm was overwhelming!  I’ve never had to ship so many packages at one time before. Thank you!

When I first had the idea to share the products I’ve found to be the best for my own rosacea-friendly lifestyle, I talked to some of the companies from whom I’d purchased my very favourite products.

There were lots of different things inside this lifestyle box.  Some were skin care, others were sun protection, some were accessories, one was a very special surprise gift from me to you. All were sensitive/reactive skin-friendly and they’re all things I’ve reviewed in the past and have continued to use and adore. Valued at $50, I sold them at a fraction of that cost. The companies I spoke to were fantastic and supportive. That experience alone was inspiring.  Since I paid for it all with my own money – and I’m a writer, so I’m not exactly swimming in cash – I put only a small number of Rosy Life Kit boxes together.

After only one launch video, they were nearly all gone!  I didn’t even get the chance to mention them here on my blog (until now), and I barely even spoke about them on Facebook and Twitter.  Holy cow! I’d expected to have to give them all to friends and family as Christmas presents haha. I’m thrilled that so many people were interested in testing out what I’d tried and liked.

I do have a very small number left because I deliberately stopped talking about them completely.  Canada Post looked like it was going to go on strike this summer, and I didn’t want to sell boxes to people they’d have to wait weeks or months to receive.  As it turns out, there was no strike, so if you want a Rosy Life Kit, now’s your chance because once they’re gone, they’re gone.  They’re extremely limited edition, and I’m almost out of them.

I tested a huge number of rosacea skin care products

SBT Seabuckthorn Wellness Matcha
My order of two cans of SBT Seabuckthorn Wellness Matcha

This summer was a huge time for me to test out a ton of rosacea skin care products, makeup products and other concoctions to apply to the skin or consume in order to treat, heal or hide rosacea symptoms.

I fell in love with SBT Seabuckthorn’s new Wellness Matcha and made up a ton of recipes out of it.  They include everything from beverages to vegan ice cream and even mini-cheesecakes, each using this glorious powder.

I was swept off my feet by Celtic Complexion and its full line of different skin care products that are all safe for rosacea sufferers (full blog about these coming soon), including a sunscreen and (drum roll please) a facial scrub!  It’s been years since I’ve been able to use an exfoliating product! The Calming Serum is also unlike anything I’ve experienced before and is more than likley the best product I’ve ever applied to a rosacea flare-up.

I still haven’t got the hang of Substance natural sunscreen because I get white stuff on everything when I use it, but it was well worth the try.

I was also flattered to be sent two of the Cover Girl Katy Kat products just before they hit the shelves – the Katy Kat Eye mascara and the Katy Kat Matte lipstick.  Both were a ton of fun to test out.

I tried the super-affordable RubyLux Light Therapy bulbs

At the start of the summer,  a Rosy Friend asked me if I’d tried the RubyLux light therapy bulbs because they were unbelievably affordable and she wanted to know if they worked.  I confessed that I’d never even heard of them so I couldn’t tell her about any personal experience about them

Then it dawned on me.  Why wouldn’t I try these bulbs to help out my Rosy Friends?  After all, if these could work as effective light therapy for rosacea, it could be much more affordable than the methods I’d previously been using.

I contacted the owner of the company and she (VERY generously) offered me the products for free if I’d pay for the shipping.  That was unexpected and absolutely wonderful of her. I was more than happy to cover the shipping and soon I had a Rubylux All Red, RubyLux All Yellow and RubyLux All Blue bulb to test.

These bulbs were great (full blog about them coming soon)!  I wouldn’t say they’re appropriate for the type of use I’d need to put them through simply because they’d take too long to treat my whole face.  However, I can’t think  of a better way to test out light therapy in an inexpensive way to see if your skin will react well to it. It’s the perfect option for a patch test.  The RubyLux light bulbs are also a fantastic travel form of light therapy if you’d rather leave a more expensive device at home.

I’m starting a new rosacea light therapy experiment

After having such fantastic luck with red light therapy for rosacea and amber light therapy, too, I’ve taken it upon myself to test green light therapy.  Unlike when I tested the Dual Care light therapy on my rosacea, back when it was just a prototype (though it has since become a successful and popular treatment for rosacea if my understanding is correct), I’m doing this experiment all on my own.

I already have a green light therapy bulb because I was using it indirectly for anxiety and insomnia issues about a year ago.  After doing a bit of research and talking to a lot of rosacea sufferers, I started to wonder if green light might have some benefits for the rosacea condition, too.  My hope is that it will help to cool down the sensation of red light therapy for rosacea (though I don’t have much of a problem with that, I’ve heard some other people do) and that it will help me with some of the lasting “permanent” redness on my face that just never goes away.

I started on September 10 and plan to do it every day for three months.  Wish me luck!

I created a rosacea product review database

Rosy JulieBC Rosacea Product Review Database
My new rosacea product review database – new products are being added all the time.

After wanting to take on something like this for a very long time, I’ve finally created a rosacea product review database.  Several people have asked me to create a list of products I’ve tried, but every time I attempted to get one started, it just seemed too daunting.  It wasn’t something that could fit on this website.

Instead, I created a sister site for this blog: https://rosyjuliebc.com/

It’s still a work in progress but I’ve added around 30 or more products, so far.  The goal is to add every product I’ve ever tried and reviewed or discussed, regardless of whether I liked it or not. At the new site, I talk about what it is, where you can get it, what the claims are, what I said about it in my review (including text and/or video) and an ingredients list, where appropriate.

My goal in creating that site is to make it easier for you to look through all the products I’ve tried so it might be easier for you to find something that is appropriate for your own unique rosacea symptoms.

Just because something worked for me, it doesn’t mean it will work for you.  Just because something didn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.  But at least there is finally one place to be able to discover it all at once.  I’ve broken it down into skin care, makeup and lifestyle products with sub-categories to make things easier to find.  There is also a search feature  in case you have something specific in mind that you’d like to find.

I’m continually adding to the site since I’ve now tried well over a hundred products. It will take some time, but  I’m populating it as quickly as I can because I think this type of resource is sorely needed online.  I’m thrilled to be able to provide it!

Rosy JulieBCPHEW!

That’s just a fragment of what’s been going on over the last while.  I’ll try to keep blogging much more frequently so my updates won’t be long enough to make your eyes burn from now on.

I’m looking forward to future posts that will give my full review of the many Celtic Complexion products I tried, of all the different colors of affordable RubyLux lights, and of my amazing new red-amber and green light therapy for rosacea experiment!

So much is going on right now, and I’m very excited to share it with you. Until then, I hope I’ve shared enough with you to be helpful in your own efforts to combat rosacea symptoms and live the Rosy Life.

See you soon!

 

I’ve Switched to Soap Nuts Natural Laundry Detergent

Soap Nuts - Natural Laundry Detergent for sensitive skin
~ Julie B Campbell ~ 1 Comment

Soap Nuts - Natural Laundry Detergent for sensitive skinHi Rosy Friends! A few months ago, I discovered that my laundry detergent was making my rosacea symptoms worse. I’m not sure why – among all the things I’ve been doing to minimize the impact of triggers – I never did much with laundry detergent.

After all, if you’ve been reading these posts for a while, then you know that I shared a full-on rant about the fact that I felt my sleeping habits were making the situation worse.  True, I suffer from the occasional bout of insomnia.  Then again, it’s also true that my social anxiety disorder tends to make it difficult for me to fall asleep at the best of times.

Still, what seemed to be the most problematic was that, despite valiant efforts to change my ways, I seem to be incapable of keeping my face off my pillow.  I’ve tried building a virtual pillow-fort to force myself to sleep on my back, but my unconscious self has inevitably employing unparalleled military strategy and has crumbled the fort walls in what I can only imagine was a dramatic assault.  In the morning, no matter how hard I’d tried to prevent it, I’d wake to find my cheek smushed against the pillow.

That side of my face has always been slightly worse than the other, which has made me think that my sleeping habits could be to blame.  Naturally, I have my doubts that pressing my cheek against a piece of fabric for several hours in a row could be good for my skin.  I have been changing my pillow case every day to try to avoid sleeping on the hair care products, skin care products and any other ickies added to it the previous night.

Near the end of March, it occurred to me that the detergent used to clean that fabric – my pillow case – could also be playing a role in the irritation of my skin.

Laundry detergent and I have never been friends.

I’ve always struggled with laundry detergent.  Over the years, I’ve tried to choose products that were “eco-friendly” or that were labeled as being “hypoallergenic.”  I also reduced my fabric softener use to the point that it was really nothing more of a drizzle per load.  Still, the entire time my machines were running, I’d find myself sneezing, and my skin was perpetually itchy.

When I finally pieced together the potential connection between the detergent – not just the fabrics – and my skin irritation, I started looking for a truly effective alternative.  Enter soap nuts.

I first heard of them on the Dragon’s Den TV show so I looked up that company and found their website.  They had a contact email address so I wrote to them and asked them a few questions.  I didn’t receive a reply.  So I did a bit of online searching to see if I could find another company that sold them.

That’s when I stumbled upon Earth’s Berries. Not only did they sell soap nuts, but they were relatively local!  I emailed them and quickly received a friendly email that answered all my questions.  They even offered to send me a free sample of the product so I could test it against my reactive skin/rosacea before purchasing a larger package.  Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity.

The day it arrived, I was so excited that I did an “unboxing”/first impression video on my Rosy JulieBC YouTube channel.  A few days later, I did all my laundry using Earth’s Berries soap nuts for the first time. Naturally, I had to do a video about that, too.

Once I tried soap nuts, I knew I was done with conventional laundry detergent.

That sounds like a line from a very bad commercial, but it’s true! One week’s worth of laundry was all it took to sell me on soap nuts for life.  I can’t believe it took me this long to discover natural laundry detergent.

Before I tell you what I like about them, I’d just like to say that this blog post is not sponsored, paid for, or otherwise swayed by Earth’s Berries or any other company for that matter.  This is my honest opinion about using soap nuts as a natural laundry detergent.

That said, here’s what sold me on soap nuts right away:

  • Despite the fact that they have a tangy, not-too-pleasant smell in the package, when you use them in your laundry, they’re completely scent-free.
  • They have amazing odour-fighting.  Since they’re not fragranced, they have nothing to cover up any odors that could be left behind in the laundry.  After a thorough sniff-testing of everything I washed that week (don’t use your imagination, please just trust me when I say I was thorough), I was very confident that there were no odours left behind.  Not even in socks I wore after putting on fragranced foot lotion or clothes I wore to exercise!
  • They clean very effectively. The soap nuts aren’t just odour-busters. They gave everything I washed a very effective cleaning. I do my laundry in cold water, so I followed those instructions (on the package) very carefully.  It takes an extra 1-to-2-minute step to wash in cold than it does to use them in warm water laundry, but I like using cold water for the eco-friendliness (not to mention the savings on my electricity bill).  Even in cold water, my sheets, towels and clothes all came out just as clean as they would have using Tide, Arm & Hammer, Purex or any of the other liquid laundry detergents I’d been using until I stumbled on Earth’s Berries.
  • They make fabrics SOFT! Even when I was using the recommended amount of fabric softener, my laundry didn’t come out as soft as it is now because of soap nuts.  Everything is so snuggly now!
  • They’re environmentally friendly.  It takes 5 whole (or 10 half) soap nuts to do a large load of laundry.  That said, they can be reused around 4 times without losing effectiveness.  The tiny sample bag gave me 16 loads! After they’re used up, they’re compostable!

Recently, I’ve discovered that I can get more out of soap nuts than just clean laundry.

Other uses I’ve discovered for soap nuts…

A few weeks ago, I was watching the Earth’s Berries YouTube channel when I saw a video they’d made about using soap nuts to make a liquid all-purpose cleaner.  Naturally, I whipped out my sauce pan and boiled up some of the soap nuts in water (by this point, I’d already ordered a larger bag of the product so I had lots to spare).

Not only is the liquid great for surfaces like my kitchen counter – which I’d really rather keep free of scary chemicals – but it’s fantastic for floors and pretty much any other surface I want to wash, too.

I even discovered that it’s the perfect solution for washing my makeup brushes.  Though I do use disposable sponges for makeup application, there are many times when a brush is the only way to go (plus I hate throwing out a lot of foam sponges!).  I always wash my brushes when I’m done with them because I don’t want bacteria to grow on them, only to re-apply it to my face!

Previously, I’ve used dish soap, hand soap and even the bar soap I use to wash in the shower.  I gave up on chemical-based brush cleaners a while back when I suspected that it was causing irritation.  Now, soap nut cleaning liquid does the trick.

Here’s the video I made about how I do that:

The difference this has made in reducing skin irritation from laundry detergent and makeup brush cleaner has been incredible.  No more sneezing while I do my laundry, no more guilt about what chemicals I’m sending into the local water supply, no more itchy, inflamed skin from waking up with my face mashed into my pillow. Pretty sweet results from a little dried berry!

Have you found that your laundry detergent makes a difference to your skin irritation or rosacea symptoms? Have you tried soap nuts or anything else that you’ve found effective? Please let me know in the comments!

I’ve already been taking notes for my next blog post.  I hope I’ll have it ready soon, too!