Frownies Blog

The Acid Mantle

Skin Structure

It’s a unique micro-flora that’s made up of strange secretions which cover the entire surface of your skin.
* The oily secretions originate in the sebaceous glands.
* The water phase is from perspiration in the sweat glands, which exhibit a powerful bactericidal effect.
* Secretions also come from our natural moisturizing factor.
All of which helps to keep your skin gorgeous and healthy.
Your skin’s acid mantle is made up of the following:
* Water
* Lactic acid
* Urocanic acid
* Fatty acids
* Pyrrolidine carboxylic acid
* Eccrine glands (secrete amino acids to help with the metabolism of skin)
These elements protect against environmental assaults. They secrete enzymes, that break down excess sebum in the skin. They prevent bad bacteria and viruses from entering the blood stream. They keep your skin soft and supple, so it stays free from cracks and abrasions. They boost the immune system, which produces antigens close to the skins surface; these antigens hinder the growth of bad bacteria, known as pathogens.

Harmful environments for skin

Our world consists of different environments, some of which have negative effects on our skin. Sun damage, pollutants, dust, central heating, air conditioning, harsh treatments and astringent products all stress the skin, which breaks down our cells natural defense mechanisms. Our skins function as a barrier gets out of balance, and the inter-cellular lipids between our cell walls (designed to keep this barrier intact) break down, creating skin conditions.

"Bacteria, allergens and foreign bodies find a passageway through your skin causing havoc, once they hit the blood stream they create inflammation, allergies and breakouts."

The skin’s pH balance 

The pH is the crucial factor for determining healthy bacteria and the level of acidity. A neutral pH is 7, anything above creates an ALKALINE environment, and below creates an ACID environment. A healthy pH is around 5.5. Skin is so acidic because pathogenic bacteria thrive under alkaline conditions.
So it is important that skincare products be formulated without strong astringents, which upset the delicate micro flora.The ingredients within a formula, must be gentle enough to keep the pH levels balanced for it to remain healthy.

Frownies Masks for healing

Using FROWNIES skin care products helps protect and support the acid mantel from being depleted. FROWNIES Full Face Mask, Neck Mask, and Under Eye Gels help to restore the acid mantel and deliver ingredients deep into the skin as well as reduce fine lines around the eyes and mouth. All-natural cactus collagen masks contain no silicone!

Frownies skin Care products contain essential oils for fragrance and for the many beneficial effects plants bring forth for the skin. 

What are Essential Oils 

Essential oils are organic compounds extracted from plants that contain incredible healing properties. You may have heard of using essential oils for healing purposes (i.e. aromatherapy) this is an ancient and holistic way to improve mental, physical, and emotional health. For over 5,000 years these healing oils have been used by many cultures to treat a variety of health conditions. Essential oils are often used for beauty care, home cleaning, relaxation, and most often used as natural non-toxic medicine. Adding common essential oils like lavender, frankincense, lemon, peppermint and tea tree oil to your natural medicine cabinet can:

• Fight cold and flu symptoms
• Relax body and soothe sore muscles
• Heal skin conditions
• Alleviate pain
• Balance hormones
• Improve digestion
• Reduce cellulite and wrinkles
• Clean your home
• Used in homemade personal care products

Why Should I use Essential Oils?

Essential oils are extracted directly from bark, flower, fruit, leaf, seed or root of a plant or tree and just one drop can have mighty health benefits. Essential oils are usually made through the process of distillation which separates the oil and water based compounds of the plant by steaming. Essential oils are highly concentrated oils that have a strong aroma. By concentrating the oils of these plants you are literally separating the most powerful healing compounds of a plant into a single oil!

These therapeutic plant oils protect the plant from insects, shield the plant from a harsh environment and help plants adapt to their surroundings. By using essential oils you are harnessing the protective and healing powers of the plant. Essential oils are composed of very small molecules that can penetrate your cells; some compounds in essential oils can even cross the blood-brain barrier. They differ from fatty oils (those in vegetables and nuts) that come from large molecules because they cannot penetrate your cells so they are not therapeutic in the same style.

Aromatherapy Health Benefits

Aromatherapy has various health benefits and is used in a variety of settings. It is a non-invasive way to treat an assortment of medical conditions and can be used safely in combination with other therapies. Hospitals are catching on to the benefits of essential oils and are using them for the treatment of anxiety, depression and infections in patients.

Essential oils can also have antibacterial and anti-fungal benefits used in medical settings. Many oils when massaged on the skin can heal and help treat skin conditions, such as burns, cuts and scrapes. Some oils boost the immune system, help with insomnia, and aid with digestion. There is an abundant amount of research on Essential oils even being used to fight cancer. Research has shown frankincense being used for shrinking brain tumors.

Common Essential Oils and Their Health Benefits 

Every essential oil contains compounds with unique healing and therapeutic benefits. Some of the most popular essential oils and how to use them:

• Clove: Anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic and antioxidant protection
• Cypress: Improves circulation, reduces varicose veins, boosts confidence and can help heal broken bones
• Eucalyptus: Improves respiratory issues such as bronchitis, sinusitis and allergies. Invigorating and purifies the body
• Frankincense: Builds immunity, reduces inflammation, heals age spots, supports brain and fights cancer
• Ginger: Reduces inflammation, supports joints, improves digestion and relieves nausea
• Grapefruit: Supports metabolism and reduces cellulite. Mix with coconut oil and rub on areas of cellulite or take a few drops orally mixed with water
• Lavender: Promotes relaxation, improves mood and heals burns and cuts
• Lemon: Great to use in homemade cleaning products, improves lymph drainage and cleanses the body
• Myrrh: Natural anti-septic and can prevent and reduce infections. Also, supports beautiful skin, reduces stretch marks, and assists hormone balance
• Oregano: Powerful anti-microbial properties can kill fungus and help you kick a cold fast
• Peppermint: Supports digestion, improves focus, boosts energy, fever reducer, headache and muscle pain relief
• Rose: Incredible for reducing skin inflammation and great for creating glowing skin. Add a few drops to your facial moisturizer. Also, one of the most valued essential oils in the world 
• Rosemary: Can naturally thicken hair so it is great to add to homemade shampoos. Also, it improves brain function and memory so it’s great to used when working, reading or studying
• Tea tree oil (melaleuca): natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, reduces bad odors and can help stimulate the immune system
• Sandalwood: Natural aphrodisiac that improves libido and can also improve energy

Different oils can be blended together to enhance each other’s energy or can be blended with a base oil to be used for massage, shower gels, or body lotions

How to Use Essential Oils 

3 most common ways these healing oils are used today:

Defusing Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

There are many ways to diffuse essential oils and you don't even need an expensive diffuser! Diffusion in its simplest sense, is the process wherein the volatile molecules of essential oils intermingle with the surrounding air molecules. Whatever the method, 15-18 drops of essential oil will provide about 15 to 30 minutes of noticeable aromatherapy when applied to your environment airspace. Of course be sure to read the directions included with whatever method of diffusing you chose for specific use and dilution recommendations. Adjust the amount of essential oils accordingly to the instructions. 

Applying Essential Oils Topically

Massage a drop or two of a quality essential oil to the skin, or mix into lotion or body oil. Essential oils can also be very effective when properly formulated into skin care. Frownies skincare is completely safe (enter warning here, every individual is different at different times) whatever health safety label you can come up with we qualify. for example our products are gluten free, non-toxic, organic, 100% natural, non-GMO, small batch formulated, paleo friendly, vegan, recyclable, compostable pregnancy safe, safe for breast feeding, need I go on? We have you back because we want you to have one less thing to worry about. with Frownies you know everything you put on your skin is positive. Frownies uses this powerful science of essential oils properly formulated to prevent irritations. Frownies skincare is safe for all skin types and skin issues this is what separates us from other skincare systems.

Ingesting Essential Oils 

There are tons of essential oil brands out there, and a lot that are NOT ingestible.  Essential oil ingestion can be a very effective application method. However, it’s an application that certainly should be done with much caution, you want to ensure that you’re using therapeutic food grade essential oils that are edible for health benefits and won't cause nasty side effects. Have no doubt, a lot of brands out there can be dangerous to ingest defuse or used topically 

That being said, many therapeutic grade essential oils can be ingested. You must keep in mind, “therapeutic grade” can be a loosely claimed term (like a lot of other labels i.e. natural/organic) because it’s thrown around a lot by companies that offer different degrees of quality. So when doing your own research take these claims with a giant grain of salt. Look for companies that have quality ingredients at the bedrock of their products. Kat Wright, Naturopathic Doctor, holistic healer, and pioneer in the western world for bringing natural healing through food, has been the formulator for Frownies skin care since 2014. Frownies skin care formulations use very small amounts (almost only traces) of essential oils so that the products are hypoallergenic. Always test on a small section of skin, but Frownies skin care formulation is unlike other skincare formula and our ingredients are naturally grown and of the highest quality. 

What food is sadly lacking from the diet of most people around the world? Greens! St. Patty's Day or getting ready for spring, green is the color.  Green beer, just one or two, but the rest of the month look for green foods daily to improve liver function which improves you skin's clarity and over all appearance. 

Greens are packed with nutrients, especially vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, zinc, folate, lutein, beta carotene, chlorophyll and protein. Yes, protein. Greens contain a large percentage of calories as protein.

For example, broccoli is over 50% protein. Kale is 17% protein. One bunch of kale supplies above the recommended daily allowance for many of the essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein, and close to the RDA for many others -- all in roughly 225 calories. 

Try pampering yourself with a fantastically colorful salad, a roasted pan of green  vegetables like mustard greens or collard greens, or a beautify and nutritious green smoothie. 

The possibilities are endless, although it may seem like you’re relegated to choosing between broccoli or a Caesar salad, both are great but there is more. 

Get creative. Get loving. The act of cooking for yourself is itself a declaration of your own value - treat your body kindly. Liver gets active in the spring to cleans the blood and the color to cleanse the liver is green. 

Greens provide essential alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium that are not found in sufficient quantities in fruits, nuts and seeds. When animals are fed a low calcium diet that is high in phosphorus, they develop bone disorders and dental problems.

To provide enough minerals in the diet, we need a sufficient quantity and variety of green vegetables. We also need to eat greens in such a way that the body can easily assimilate the nutrients.

Most people don’t eat a great variety of greens, and sadly, when it comes to the most important greens, they don’t eat hardly any of those at all. The most important greens are the ones that contain the most minerals such as kale, broccoli, mustard greens, and collards.

These greens are not eaten raw very often because their tough, fibrous nature make them tough to chew, the valuable nutrients aren’t always released from the cell walls from chewing alone. These vegetables are best cooked.

For optimal health, you need to include green vegetables daily, in a form that is easy for the body to assimilate. While salads are great, and should be eaten regularly, it’s often the case that they are not providing all of the nutrition necessary for optimal health because they are not chewed well enough to release all the nutrients from the cell walls.

Sauteing, steaming and boiling dark greens and adding our favorite dressing is a place to start. Green drinks are easy and tasty start with a simple basic and build your favorite. 

Take leafy greens such as dark green lettuces, kale, spinach, parsley, or any others and enough  water for blending. 

Place a handful of green leafy vegetables in the blender.  Add enough water to cover the vegetables and blend until vegetables are completely dissolved. Pour liquid into a 1 1/2 to 2 quart container and fill with water.  Shake well before drinking.  Sip throughout the day in place of water.  Adding fresh ginger root, lemon or mint to the blend adds a nice flavor. Mix in any frozen fruit for a thick smoothie. If the drink seems plain add lemon it always picks up the beverage. 

Valentine’s Day may call to mind fatty steaks and rich chocolates, but the truth is heavy food and overeating leaves most of us feeling slow and sleepy. Not a good way to love on yourself!

Try pampering yourself with bone broth soup, or a fantastically colorful salad, a roasted pan of cruciferous vegetables, a delectable dark chocolate mousse, a cheesy frittata, yummy mint hummus, candied walnuts, dill salmon and quinoa pilaf…

The possibilities are endless, although it may seem like you’re relegated to choosing between a loaded baked potato and a Caesar salad.

Get creative. Get loving. The act of cooking for yourself is itself a declaration of your own value - treat your body kindly.

Swivel down into the most comfortable spot in your home (bring yourself some of that herbal tea and a square of dark chocolate) and let yourself get lost for a little while.

This list is certainly not exhaustive.

Singing by yourself? Totally restorative.

Stretching out on the floor and staring through a skylight? Magical.

Practicing re balancing your energy through strategic breathing exercises? Priceless. (YouTube breathing exercises)

There are endless ways you can show yourself love, and that’s especially important to remember on Valentine’s Day.

Frownies Body Lotion all over cellulite cream where you want to tighten, Skin Serum on the feet, elbows, and neck.  Use Skin Serum on you hands and nail beds too! Try Clay Mask to feed the skin, then put on a Full Face and Neck Mask. After all of that Moisturize and moisturize again with Frownies Moisturizer Face and Neck and Eye Cream.  Self love is the most important before you can really love another.  

FROWNIES Skincare is unlike any other skin care system. The uniqueness is found in the ingredients. Take at look at the product ingredient lists at Frownies.com and you will see why. Every ingredient we put into our skin care formulas is for your skin's benefit. Yes, Frownies skincare will have your skin looking younger tighter and "glowier' with continued use, but our intention is to give your skin what it needs, what it craves! Your skin wants to protect you, and Frownies wants to protect your skin. 

Toxic Skin Care Ingredients 

Everyday the average person uses 10 different skin care products on his or her face and body, We slather, lather, rub and spray--and since our skin acts more like a sponge than a barrier, we absorb approximately 130 chemicals in our daily routines. For most, these are chemicals we regularly expose ourselves to. Cosmetic companies and the FDA maintain that these chemicals are safe, and some of them somewhat are—IN SMALL DOSES!

Effects of Hidden Ingredients

Consider this, the average woman wears makeup every day. This helps you to begin to understand how a little pump here and a simple spray there begins to add up! The scary fact is, no one fully knows how certain chemicals affect us long-term, or how they react when combined together within our bodies. There are other chemicals that do have known dangers: Phthalates, for example, often found in artificial fragrances, are classified as hormone disruptors which can be linked to birth defects, sperm damage, and infertility.

Switching to Non-Toxic Skin Care

The face and neck area is where the most products are applied. This is why switching to non-toxic products for this area of the skin is how you can make the biggest difference for your skin and overall health. Swap out skincare with hidden ingredients for Frownies Moisturizer for Face and Neck and Frownies Eye Cream. If you think about it you may cringe. Why would we want to put the grossest ingredients right on our face? Not to mention a lot of skincare and anti-aging treatments for face and neck have neurotoxins, yet we put them right on our heads.

The Power of Awareness

Sometimes a little awareness can go a long way. Being aware that you can't see all the ingredients in your beauty products may leave you a bit hopeless, but there is hope. Frownies Products have no hidden harmful chemicals, ONLY HEALTHY PLANT INGREDIENTS that help heal and protect your skin naturally. Diet can be a large factor in skin health but unnatural skin care ingredients will perpetuate skin issues and illnesses. Just like your body needs healthy natural ingredients to thrive so does your skin. Don't starve your skin, instead feed it what it needs to do its job properly.

Having Hope During Illness

Before you give up hope take a moment to love your skin, having gratitude that there is another option. You can change the quality of your skin's health with Frownies, and the side effects are balanced, glowing, younger looking skin!

Monthly Skincare Special 

Frownies products are paraben free, polysorbate free, disodium edta free, sodium laureth free, and fragrance free! Frownies products are of such high quality for your skin and body that they are technically edible! Go to Frownies.com to receive a special offer during the month of February on our Face and Neck Moisturizer and our Eye Cream!