Guest Blogger — Mission Essentials

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I am so happy to introduce today’s guest blogger… Steve and Gail Salomon. They own and operate a local company called Mission Essentials… they were introduced to me by a participant in my Skin Happiness eCourse (thank you so much Diane!)

Diane wanted me to look over the ingredient list for this particular sunscreen brand and I’m so glad she did. I found nothing but amazing ingredients and physical blocking agents (no chemical sunscreens or preservatives) along with the fact that the product is micro-sized but *NOT* nano-sized… this sunscreen fit the bill perfectly. In addition to it being an amazing product, I much prefer to support a local small business, over a large company… you just can’t beat that combination.

Up until being introduced to Mission Essentials sunscreen, our family sunscreen was Sunforgettable Powder sunscreen, which we still lovingly use and I highly recommend. But there are limitations to the powder sunscreen (it’s price makes it unreasonable to use over the entire body, so we just use it primarily for face and shoulder dustings.)

While the powder sunscreen is very portable and my favorite one to throw into my beach bag or purse, I was still searching for the perfect cream sunscreen to use all over our body. I have used this one and I am addicted. Mission Essentials sunscreen feels perfect… non-greasy, yet moisturizing. Light yet provides water resistant coverage. I can not say enough about this sunscreen… I truly believe it is better then any other all-natural or organic cream sunscreen available on the market today.

In addition, they offer a bug repellent that I am so excited to use this spring and summer. Bugs in the Lowcountry have got to be one of the only things I don’t like about living here. Today, Steve and Gail are graciously talking a bit more about what we can do to survive the bug infested summers this year, and they talk a bit about their amazing sunscreen as well.

They are also generously giving away a free tube of their sunscreen that contains bug repellent right in the sunscreen! To enter, just leave a comment below and I will announce the winner on Friday!

And without further delay, here they are…

 


The Summer heat is over and it’s now time to get back in the garden. My wife and I just spent an entire weekend trimming the trees and shrubs, pulling the weeds, placing the new plants for fall and spreading the mulch. The yard looks so much nicer once the work is all complete.

This is the season for planting but, if you live in the Lowcountry, you know that this is also the season for those pesky insects. You know which ones I’m talking about: gnats (or no-see-ums as they are sometimes called) and, oh yes.. the mosquitos! In the Lowcountry, its part of the landscape. Usually most active during dawn or dusk mosquitos love those transitional times of the day. Gnats can present themselves at any time. You can find them
both at the beach, grass at the soccer/ football field, any outdoor venue or just strolling down the street in the evening!

So how can we enjoy the beautiful outdoors of the Lowcountry and not get “eaten alive”? We are all becoming more health conscious with what we consume or put into our bodies but what about what we put on our bodies. Remember, your skin is a filter for harmful insults, such as sun, dirt, bacteria and insect bites. It is also very porous and absorbs most anything we apply. Many of the products on the market today to protect us from those annoying insects contain effective but harmful ingredients.

DEET, for example is a chemical that has been around since the 1950’s. DEET at certain levels has been proven to be a health hazard but the vast majority of commercially sold products still contain some level of the chemical. The most serious concerns about DEET are its effects on the central nervous system. DEET is absorbed through the skin and passes into the blood. The Medical Sciences Bulletin, published by Pharmaceutical Information Associates Ltd. reports, “Up to 56% of DEET applied topically penetrates intact human skin and 17% is absorbed into the bloodstream.”

Blood concentrations of about 3 mg per liter have been reported several hours after a DEET repellent was applied to skin in the prescribed fashion.

In two recent scientific publications, when oil of lemon eucalyptus was tested against mosquitos found in the US it provided protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET.

 

And don’t forget your sunscreen! Your choice of product here should include “physical” sun protection ingredients such as Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. The other popular sun screen ingredients commonly used and commercially sold are “chemical”. Studies have shown these may be absorbed into the skin and may be harmful. Physical ingredients stay on the skin surface and reflect the harmful rays of the sun.

This combination of physical ingredients (zinc and titanium) also protects you
from both UVA and UVB. Re-application, especially to the face and neck is very important.

Steve Salomon lives on Daniel Island with his wife Gail and their two children. They are both Registered Nurses and own Mission Essentials, a natural and organic skin care company with retail locations around the Lowcountry and other parts of the country.

For more information go to www.mission-essentials.com

Don’t forget to leave a comment below to enter to win a free tube of their sunscreen with bug repellent, and please check out their website and shop on-line to support their efforts to spread healthy skin care products to folks everywhere! xoxo