Pear Shaped Gal: April Favorite: Motion Medica Skin Care

Pear Shaped Gal: April Favorite: Motion Medica Skin Care: My current workout routine consists of yoga, weights, and running on a treadmill which I chatted about in my Exercise Plan post.  It seems ...

Skin Care Wonders from the Sea

As a dietary supplement, marine ingredients are beneficial to maintain healthy skin and healthy digestion. They are rich in protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Marine ingredients are also provided in topical skin care products, and they seem to be making a big splash!

Algae, known to have excellent anti-aging properties, has actually been used for beauty since ancient times. There are over two hundred kinds of algae used in skin care products. The most commonly used algaes in skin care are blue green marine algae and red marine algae. These are known to produce exceptional results for healthy skin. They are widely found in products for mature, dry or sensitive skin type.

In addition to algae, the deep seas offer marine collagen. This is a material derived from the substance found on fish scales. It was first used by the Japanese for skin care products and it’s known to provide support for skin with anti-aging benefits to prevent skin from pre-mature wrinkles and sagging.

Sea water features minerals and trace elements that claim to be good for healthy skin cell functioning. The Dead Sea in particular has the common name “Salt Sea of the World”. Being at below sea level scientists have taken an interest in this sea since 1837. Water from the Dead Sea has been used to treat psoriasis. The Dead Sea’s unique composition of natural minerals derives from dissolving the salt created in the natural evaporation process of the lake’s water. Dead Sea Mud has been used in skin care for its benefits in maintaining healthy skin and detoxifying affects. It’s also known to help dryness, inflammation, psoriasis and eczema.

This synergy from the sea when used in natural skin care products can lead to healthy balanced skin. Ingredients from the sea are also found in products for toning, moisturizing, detoxifying and revitalizing. No matter what your skin type is, your skin may be pleased with the benefits from the natural wonders of the sea.

For an internal boost, I take Krill & Fish oil from the clean and cold waters of the Antartic. Rich in Omega-3 and antioxidants, Nordic Light fish oil is beneficial for healthy skin.

Use natural wonders from the sea, both topically and internally, and you'll discover a great difference in the texture and appearance of your skin.

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
By Sandy Alcide, Founder of Motion Medica skin care. Sandy is a published author and guest writer for notable websites and publications. She can be contacted at: Motion Medica skin care

How to cure acne by knowing what type you have

NOT ALL ACNE IS THE SAME Whether you are 13 or 40, the key to fighting acne is knowing the type of acne you have. No acne is alike. There are many types of acne and the best way to cure acne is with knowledge. Each type of acne is caused by different elements and each type may need different care. Types of Acne Whiteheads/Blackheads Papules Pustules Acne Conglobata Nodules & Cystic Acne Back Acne Whiteheads/Blackheads: When the pores of skin accumulate sebum (a natural oil our body produces), you will get a whitehead. When the sebum plugs your skin’s follicle it creates a lesion. This turns into a whitehead because the clogged sebum is not exposed to air. When air causes oxidation, the oxidation darkens the tips of the clogged pores and causes a blackhead. To prevent white/blackheads you need to keep the skin cleansed with a mild cleanser for oily skin without drying the skin. Apply a moisturizer formulated for oily skin types and use an exfoliating cleanser 2-3 times a week to rid dead skin cells that trap debris in pores. Papules: These are small pink bumps. What they actually are is inflamed whiteheads. Unlike whiteheads, they do not contain pus. You should never attempt to pop or squeeze them as you will aggravate the papules and can possibly lead to permanent marks on the skin. Avoid papules by having whiteheads properly extracted and practice the cleansing regimen to prevent whiteheads. Pustules: Similar to Papules these are small red bumps. In some cases they may have red, yellowish or whitish centers. Pustules don’t have a lot of bacteria and they are a result of chemical irritation from free fatty acids that circulate in the bloodstream and quite common in many persons’ skin. Pustules and Papules need to be extracted by a skin care professional to avoid marks and scarring. Nodules & Cystic Acne: Nodules are hard bumps lodged deep in the skin. Cysts are softer, pus filled lesions under the skin. The pus hardens and forms a cyst. Both develop when the contents from a whitehead can’t break through the pores to be extracted. Cystic acne and nodules are known to exist for weeks, even months because the contents in the pore hardened into stubborn cysts deep into the skin. When left untreated it causes scarring best known as “potholes” in the skin and need professional microdermabrasion to remove the scars. Most cases of cystic acne is genetic. The best way to avoid cystic acne is preventive techniques with better care of your skin. Getting deep cleansing facials with steam once every 4-6 weeks is beneficial. Back Acne: Another popular place for acne is the back area because it’s a large area of the skin with a large area of oil secretions. Back acne is often triggered from heat, friction and sweat from certain fabrics. These elements make it a perfect breeding ground for acne. This area needs to be thoroughly cleansed on a daily basis and avoid “body crèmes” used for a moisturizer as these may cause clogged pores. Use an oil free moisturizer if the skin feels dry. In the hot, humid summer months try to wear clothing with breathable fabrics like cotton. Avoid polyester that tends to trap moisture on the body. If you currently suffer from any of these types of acne it’s best to use the suggested techniques so your acne condition won’t become worse, or lead to scarring. Acne can also have an emotional effect on persons no matter what the age of the person is. With any type of acne, avoid chemical based products with parabens and sulfates

as this will actually aggravate the acne more. There are several acne products that contain these ingredients and many persons don’t realize the effect of certain ingredients. By Sandy Alcide. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Sandy Alcide is the founder of Motion Medica skin care. A unique botanical line for general skin care and beauty products for the fitness lifestyle. Sandy is a published author with several articles published in notable magazines and websites. Her product line is highly reviewed by beauty editors and dermatologists.

What exactly is the definition of Beautiful Skin?

The basic essentials of what is termed “beautiful skin” are quite basic. What actually constitutes the societal holy grail (ultimate goal) of beautiful skin is as follows:

-Smooth, firm and elastic tone
-Free of creases or deep lines
-Has some healthy reddish tint (regardless of skin color) from profuse blood circulation
-Ample water holding capability (no dehydration)
-Uses little or no cosmetics-(elle’ naturelle)
-Usually is somewhat bronzed or suntanned
-Has no skin cracks
– Clear, blemish free skin is the number one factor in attraction based on psychological studies in 170 different human cultures.

Biologically, such skin has the following characteristics:

-A strong well formed blood microcirculation (exercise helps this)
-Strong collagen and elastin fibers (prevents skin sagging)
-Ample water -holding capabilities (don’t deprive your body of inadequate water consumption)
-Has high antioxidant levels (internal and external vitamins are a must to nourish skin)
-Has adequate, but not excessive natural oils

The key to beautiful skin is maintaining the skin’s acid mantle which is commonly known as PH balance, (P)otential of (H)ydrogen.and a rapid turnover of skin cells, which an avid exerciser has the edge on. These cells rebuild damaged collagen and elastin to maintain skin’s strength, elasticity, and resiliency, but must be removed by exfoliation to reveal new skin cells. This rapid turnover also contributes to ample water holding capabilities.

Biocirculation of capillaries and small blood vessels must constantly be renewed. Any damage to this circulation impairs proper nutrient flow to the skin, thus leading to aging and dullness. Even with proper skin care, damaging skin rays can contribute to aging and cheap cosmetics and skin care products, or lack of proper skin products in one's skin care regimen can dull or clog skin’s pores.

Using a sunless tanning lotion or cosmetic bronzer is safer than a tanning bed, which draws the water from the skin. No harsh soaps should be used or are necessary, even for removing sweat after a workout. Harsh soaps will strip skin of essential natural oils. Proper cleansers should be used for certain skin types. One who is acne prone should use a cleanser with natural salicylic acid derived from willow bark rather than cheap synthetic ingredients or alcohol based products.

Most people think it costs a fortune to have celebrity looking skin. A common misconception as most celebrities use lines that are marked up for "status quo", but a person who does not have the same budget as a celebrity can use products just as good in quality and dedicate a little extra time to their skin if really dedicated for having beautiful skin.

By Sandy Alcide. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
Sandy Alcide is the Founder of Motion Medica skin care. A certified all natural skin care line and innovators of beauty products for persons with a fitness lifestyle and general skin care.

Mass-Produced skin care compared to hand crafted skin care

Mass Produced Skin Care Line vs. Atypical Hand Made Skin Care Therapies

Big brand skin care lines aren't all they are cracked up to be.

A large skin care company/corporation uses their massive amounts of cash to produce fancy packaging design and television/magazines campaigns often featuring movie stars. Place the high product prices with slick advertising and big name actresses and the consumer can discover their products are of low quality and their effectiveness, according to consumers, is often dissapointing. The products are often costly and, as many consumers discover, these much vaunted products often contain low quality ingredients. And worse, some of these chemicals have been identified as carcinogens, yes, they can cause cancer.

Some time ago, I experienced sticker shock when I saw the prices visiting my local chain drug store. A 1.7 oz jar of moisturizer was on sale for $54.00. Testers were provided and when I placed some of this creme on top of my hand I immediately determined it would never touch my face. Naturally, the next step was reading the ingredients. The big name high price skin care contained cheap synthetic substances and miniscule quantities of quality ingredients.

After having extensively researched the constituents of mass produced skin care products, it has become apparent that they can lead to skin irritation, cause problematic skin (acne), and premature aging.

We all love something for free. The consumer is lured to department stores for the ambience of the store and the visual appeal of the bottling and corrugated boxes provided with the products. Here's the trick: the consumer really pays for the marketing ploys, the cardboard, the cellophane, the nice music and the parfumed atmosphere.

Lots of people are animal lovers and won't use products tested on animals, and that's great. Ironically, they unknowingly use household name products, that are tested on animals. PETA has the list of these companies. Some people ask, how bad can it be to test a cleanser on an animal? One example, the product is sprayed into the animals eyes. If the animal's eyes burn a lot it's an indication the product may not be good for sensitive human skin. The first person to test Motion Medica is me. If or when it passes my skin standards I then ask clients to test the new product with their feedback. Most companies consider this a big risk and have their employees test and not the consumers-the ultimate decision maker of a product.

So how can small ethical skin care companies manufacturers afford to make a good product with high concentration of expensive ingredients that actually works for positive results? We use a tiny advertising budget, unadorned plastic bottles/jars and labels; and purchase ingredients from local farmers (botanicals and herbs) and suppliers rather than China, while using these resources to make a truly good product that won't dissapoint the consumer or hurt their budget. Grow a company from nothing with no big advertising and word of mouth by clients gives credibility to the product line.

Use a skin care line that is botanical based and chemical free. However, there are skin care lines popping up that claim "all natural" and organic when they are not. Mainstream vs. Atypical. I'll let you decide who is the winner.

By Sandy Alcide
Founder of Motion Medica skin careCo-Author Dr. John Daniels Redfern, Australia
Copyright 2011 Sandy Alcide

How to care for athletes' skin to prevent negative effects

It's obvious how great exercise is for healthy strong body and mind. But some side effects of exercise are not particularly beneficial for your skin.


When you exercise your cardiovascular system rushes freshly oxygenated blood to the surface to feed your muscles. Because of the high amount of oxygen content the bright red blood plumps up your skin making it larger and thicker. Perspiration naturally occurs to cool off your body and expels salt, oils and natural toxins on to the skin. These natural functions brought on by exercise and heat can cause a variety of consequences to your skin.

As fitness enthusiasts we have different nutritional needs, we need different clothing during our physical activity and we drink more water. However, many may not realize that their skin-care needs also differ.

Even those who have a clear complexion find that routine physical exertion can result in occasional blemishes, clogged pores, dryness and dullness. Scientists are still uncertain about the exact causes, but they do have some worthwhile theories and solutions.

Oily Skin
Sebum, an oily secretion of the sebaceous glands housed in the pores of our skin, reduces the skin's water loss and helps protect it from dryness and cracking. Anaerobic Bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, colonized on the skin, is neither helped or harmed. Sebum's presence in a blocked pore can lead to an acne lesion (blemish) or blackheads. Pimples tend to worsen because the swollen skin from a workout irritates the existing pimples and helps to create new breakouts which can be larger or painful.

Oily skin becomes oiler from sweating as the salts and acids mix with sebum which glues down dead skin cells creating a coating akin to plastic wrap on the skin. A deep pore cleanser and one which includes exfoliation benefits that does not strip necessary oils can help remove the extra oil that is brought to the skin's surface during exercise will remove the bacteria on the skin leading to a clearer complexion.

Adequate moisture levels are still necessary for this skin type. A moisturizer formulated with both camphor extracts to keep skin soft and Citrus extracts to stabilize oil levels and kill off bacteria is key for this skin type.

Dry Skin
During exercise, skin can become dehydrated due to the high levels of sodium in perspiration. People who consume sports drinks with added sodium may increase their likelihood of dry skin even more. Dry skin becomes more prominent, irritated, flaky and rough due to the high amounts of salts and acids deposited on the skin via sweat.

A cleanser with proper cleansing agents and astringents is essential for this skin type. Dry skin also needs to be gently exfoliated twice a week to rid dead skin cells and flaky skin. This will help for the moisturizer and nutrients in the cleanser to penetrate into the skin resulting in a softer appearance.

Some exercisers don't realize their skin has a dry appearance until they are on a specialized product regimen which eventually cures their dryness to a healthier appearance.

Combination Skin
This skin type needs to be balanced. In most cases using only one type of cleanser will not be the solution.

A cleanser formulated for this specific skin type would be best for every day use, but on days when skin feels oily or dry due to climate or workout conditions, alternating to a cleanser formulated for these occasional occurrences is necessary.

Combination skin also needs an exfoliating cleanser on a once daily basis and include a daily moisturizer twice a day.

Damaged or Neglected Skin
Many endurance athletes, swimmers and persons who engage in outdoor sports (runners, tennis players & sports lovers) suffer from sun damaged or prematurely aging skin. Some simply never made the time to care for their skin because of time demanding workouts. Exercise is said to be the fountain of youth, but when the skin is dried out, a dried wrinkly appearance results, and can make a person appear older.

Disciplining yourself by applying a long lasting sun block formulated for an athletic lifestyle and an anti aging treatment which emulates human sebum is key for this skin type. Cleansing the skin within 30 minutes of post workout will help rid sweat expelled toxins and bacteria that penetrate the skin after thirty minutes.

Applying a serum before exercise will help to protect the skin and generalize neutral waste in sweat. For those who don't have time to hit the shower after a workout, a chemical-free botanical mist formulated for post exercise is a good option, as it will help to kill odor and acne causing bacteria.

Most people will agree that exercise is good for the entire body. With the proper special care, fitness enthusiasts can sport healthy, vibrant skin and with careful product selection that healthy glow of exercise can shine through.

By Sandy Alcide. Sandy Alcide is the Founder of Motion Medica. A certified botanical skin care line widely known as innovators of beauty products for fitness lovers. The line has expanded with chemical free products for general skin care.
Copyright 2005. Revised 2012 All rights reserved.

Can exercise cause acne?

Working out at the gym may tone your muscles and cause the ladies and gents to swoon over your chiseled physique. But when they get a closer look and realize you’re covered in acne, your six-pack abs can’t save you. Skin, the body’s largest organ, can be riddled with acne problems after a workout.

Even if you don’t suffer from excessive acne, your training may be adversely affecting your skin. Yes, acne can be induced by exercise. But exactly what causes this? Scientists are still uncertain what the exact cause is, but they do have some worthwhile theories. Your lymphatic system is controlled by movement and operates best during exercise. The lymphatic system is also known as “the drainage system of the body”. This system consists of lymph nodes & vessels that carry lymph fluid around your body. This amazing circuit collects waste from tissues and returns it to the blood after it has been fully purified.

If the lymph is insufficiently activated, cells swim in their own waste which can block pores. Lymph fluid is a transparent, pale yellow fluid that carries cells that help fight infection. When the blood cells are not able to unload their toxins via the kidneys, they go to the next best eliminative organ: your skin! When bacteria starts to set in the pores it causes acne. A raised heart rate brought on by exercise also activates your oil- producing sebaceous glands. Some people have over active sebaceous glands to begin with and, when mixed with lymph fluid, toxins, or bacteria, the condition produces blemishes induced by exercise. This can creep up on us over a long period of time, which is why persons who never had acne are suddenly plagued by it, regardless of what age the exerciser is.

Because acne appears on one’s outermost layer, the epidermis, there are natural topical remedies which can be used to the exercisers’ advantage. Most acne treatments tend to dry the skin with chemicals and mass- production methods. Organic botanical and herbal extracts which use a processing method called “cold pressing” eliminate alcohol content. Some key plant ingredients in acne treatments are salicylic acid, derived from willow bark and aspen bark extract and coltsfoot. Salicylic Acid is a natural beta hydroxy acid which exfoliates surface dead skin cells (keratinocytes) and debris that cause acne.

Although there is no quick fix for acne, there are treatments that can help to keep the acne at bay once healed. Camphor, a thick oil derived from the wood of the cnamonum caphora tree, is grown in the Far East. It has been valued for natural remedies since the 12th century. Camphor is now being used to cure acne as a medicinal ingredient that purges skin to remove toxins. Bentonite is a fine mineral clay used to draw excess oil from the skin. When using products containing this combination of natural ingredients as a daily treatment, it has been proven to help with acne induced by exercise without drying the skin.

By Sandy Alcide Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved. Sandy is the founder of Motion Medica skin care. A certified botanical skin care line widely known as the innovators of beauty products for the fitness lifestyle. The line also includes products for general skin care.