The Fickle Hobbyist

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Skin care products containing alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) have become extremely popular due to their effectiveness in treating many common skin concerns like wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne and even dry, flaky skin. But because of such great results and high demand, products containing alpha hydroxy acids can also be very expensive. People pay high dollar at department stores everyday for high end AHA infused skin care products. But did you know that you can make alpha hydroxy acid at home and save money? You can make all natural alpha hydroxy acid for wrinkles, acne, dry skin and age spots that is just as effective as the pricey chemical peels and skin creams sold in stores. Making alpha hydroxy acid from natural sources is not only less expensive than buying commercial AHA products, it’s much better for the health of your skin than using chemically derived alpha hydroxy acids.

Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) skin care products are easy to make at home because they are made of fruit and other ingredients we may have in the fridge or kitchen cupboards.

Fruit acids are great for the skin because they loosen the glue between dead skin cells, and the cells fall away, leaving the face very smooth and soft. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to produce fabulous results for your skin that you would imagine only the most expensive and sophisticated products you could buy could do. Not only that, but AHAs are found in fruit and vegetables you may already have in your kitchen or growing in your garden, so you don’t need to worry about any synthetic chemicals that may cause harm. The famed beauty Cleopatra unknowingly used the benefit of AHAs on her skin when she bathed in milk. Try any of the following fruit acids, but always take care to avoid your eyes. Avoid using these homemade peels if your skin is sunburned, and before going into the sun.

Malic Acid: Apples, vinegar, applesauce, cider

Lactic Acid: Buttermilk, yogurt, powdered skim milk, sour cream, blackberries, tomatoes

Tartaric Acid: Grapes, grape juice, wine, cream of tartar

Citric Acid: Citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruit, and orange

Glycolic Acid: Sugar cane

All you need is about one half a teaspoon of liquid per face cleansing. You can freshly squeeze the juice of one lemon, for example, and refrigerate the leftovers for the rest of the week. Just dab some of the juice onto your fingers and pat on your face. Leave on for 10 minutes or so before rinsing.

If you are in a rush, just cut a grape or strawberry in half – whatever you happen to have on hand-and rub it over your skin; let the juice set for a few minutes, and then rinse.

Natural alpha and beta hydroxy acids are derived from apples, ginger, oranges, grapefruit, sugarcane, or willow bark, and will gradually peel off the top layers of dead skin.

Hydroxy Acid

The Alphas: One of the alpha hydroxy acids found in cane sugar, sugar beets and unripe grapes, glycolic acid, is an odorless, crystalline compound used to control the acid/alkali balance and also as an exfoliant. It works easily into the skin to break up, and remove, bonds of dead skin cells.

It has been said that loosening, or ungluing, these bonds stimulates the body’s built-in dead-cell elimination, or sloughing off, process, making way for new skin cells to emerge and for fine lines to be smoothed over. The use of these alpha hydroxy acids has also been shown to reduce skin discoloration and to even out pigmentation.

The “hydroxys” have also been shown to help those with oily and acne-plagued skin, since dead skin cells are no longer able to clump up around hair follicles and compromise the natural drainage of the oil-secreting (sebaceous) glands.

Citric acid is another hydroxy powerhouse, one extracted from citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids, including rutin, which are said to strengthen the small capillaries that provide nourishment to the skin.

According to Reverse the Aging Process of Your Face, the Spanish noble, the Duchess of Alba, would “apply the pulp of an orange [on her face] and leave it on for twenty minutes, like a mask.” Not knowing why it worked, it was most probably because of the vitamin C, a known skin antioxidant and defexider against skin damage.

Lactic acid is another alpha hydroxy, one which comes, in fact, from sour milk. Believe it, or not, but Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk, and to scrape off dirt and excess oil with a special tool.

If you think this is interesting, how about this: in ancient Rome, women would remove the sludge from wine barrels, and apply this sludge to their faces as a sort of inebriated skin pack. It was said to have worked!

In the 19th century, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary would mix lemons, roses, violets, and peppermint leaves in a mineral-rich Hungarian spring. She also used a wine facial treatment, one enriched by an herbal infusion. Not knowing it, of course, but Elizabeth was making use of tartaric acid, another of the alpha hydroxy’s. Other hydroxy acids used include malic acid (taken from apples and bilberries), pyruvic acid and gluconic acid.

The Betas: Salicylic, benzoic and buteric acids — all beta hydroxy acids — are also reported to be excellent exfoliators, and are often combined with alpha hydroxy acids for their synergistic, complementary activities.

Over time, proper use of these compounds will make crow’s feet and fine wrinkles less visible. Some of the most popular lotions on the natural products market contain glycolic acid, which has small molecules that are easy for the skin to absorb. Low-concentration hydoroxy acids are also available at the cosmetics counter of your local natural products store in cleansers and moisturizers.

Since natural acids, as gentle as they are, are, of course, acidic, science looked for a way to buffer this acidity. Chamomile is said to be an excellent buffer. In fact, a November 6, 1995 study by M. Podgia, a researcher in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California-Berkeley, found that “chamomile extract-containing products have anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and in vivo.” Chamomile is also known to stimulate and nourish the skin, a perfect complement to any moisturization program.

As you may know, moisturizers do not add moisture to the skin, but they do help your skin retain the water you’ve left on your face and body after washing. If you leave your skin a little damp and apply an hydroxy-acid-containing moisturizer, this will help the product absorb into the pores and sink deeper into your skin.

Instructions: (easy)

1. Make a home glycolic acid peel from raw brown sugar and the juice of unripened grapes. Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that is most often used to smooth, firm and erase fine lines. Brown sugar is an excellent source of natural glycolic acid and unripened grapes not only contain glycolic acid, but also have natural age defying properties. Mix both ingredients in a natural plant oil such as coconut, jojoba or grape seed oil to make a paste. Apply the peel to your face using an upward, circular massaging motion. Leave it on your skin for 10-15 minutes, then rinse well with warm water. A glycolic acid peel can be used 1-3 times per week and is a very effective treatment for wrinkles, dryness and loss of skin firmness.

2. Use apple cider vinegar to make malic acid facial treatments. Of all alpha hydroxy acids, malic acid is the best choice for people with acne, oiliness and uneven skin tone. Naturally found in apples, malic acid helps to dissolve dead skin cells, decrease oil production, clear black heads and fade dark spots. To make a malic acid treatment at home, simply dilute apple cider vinegar in water, dab a cotton ball in the mixture and apply it to the face 3-5 times per week. For sensitive skin, rinse well with warm water after 10 minutes and follow up with an oil-free moisturizer.

3. Make lactic acid facials to brighten skin tone, soothe dryness and stop skin flaking. Lactic acid is found naturally in milk and is both an exfoliating alpha hydroxy acid and a soothing moisturizer. Famous for her gorgeous skin, Cleopatra’s beauty secret was bathing in milk to keep her skin smooth and supple. You can reap the benefits of this age old secret for beautiful skin by making a simple lactic acid mask. Mix plain yogurt with a bit of organic honey and apply the mask to your face for 10-20 minutes, 3-5 times per week. This homemade lactic acid mask completely eliminates flaky skin and will leave your face smooth, soft and glowing.

4. Treat inflammatory cystic acne breakouts with a natural salicylic acid mask. The most common source of salicylic acid is aspirin, but it can also be found in smaller amounts in aloe and strawberries. Dissolve 1-3 crushed aspirin in a few drops of lemon juice (a great source of another alpha hydroxy acid, citric acid). Add aloe vera gel and 2-3 mashed strawberries to form a paste. Apply the salicylic acid mask to face for 10-25 minutes, 3-5 times per week. Then rinse well with warm water. You can also use the mask as a spot treatment for breakouts as needed. Alpha hydroxy acids, like salicylic acid, can easily be made at home to treat imperfections effectively just like many of the AHA skin products found in stores, but for a fraction of the price.

So the next time you cut open an avocado, take the peel, and rub the inside all over your rough elbows or heals, and sit back and relax while it goes to work. Pineapple rinds, same thing. I would, however, be a little hesitant to use blueberries or blackberries, as they stain.

Tami’s tip of the week:

Now that it is “iced tea season” around most of the country, here is a trick to keep your tea from becoming watered down from the iced cubes, and adding a splash of flavor at the same time. The next time you open a can of pineapple, mandarin oranges, or other fruit, instead of draining the juice off and tossing it down the drain, freeze it in ice cube trays. Use the frozen fruit juice cubes in your iced tea, and as they melt, your tea won’t become watered down, and you’ll notice a nice flavor infusion!! Try it in your glass of ice water, as well.

Nutritional Yeast?  If you are not a vegetarian or a vegan, you likely aren’t familiar with it.  For a person who doesn’t eat a diet containing meat, nutritional yeast becomes an imperative part of their diet.

Nutritional yeast is a yellow, non-leavening yeast used as a food supplement.  It has a distinct, pleasant aroma and delicious cheesy taste.  I buy it in the bulk section of the grocery store. It resembles instant potatoes.

There are many vegan and vegetarian recipes that use nutritional yeast, and I’ve read enough comments on vegan recipes websites to know that the average person is somewhat confused.  And who wouldn’t be?  I had never heard of it before.  Many people think when they see it in a recipe that it’s brewers yeast or bread yeast.  NO – not even close.  Let me clear up some misconceptions on the wonderful thing we veggies call nutritional yeast.

Nutritional yeast is a deliciously convenient vegan source of vitamin B12.  A natural bacterial fermentation process not involving any animal products produces the B12 used in this nutritional yeast.  It also contains amino acids, important minerals, and folic acid.

Vitamin B12 is prevalent in nature in the soil, which is how we once got all we needed naturally: by eating foods fresh from the soil with a little bit of dirt still on them and then perhaps licking your fingers clean.  And before toothbrushes, dentists, and modern personal hygiene became a part of our daily lives, the B12 bacteria would get stuck between our teeth and grow, as our mouths were warm and welcoming hosts.

Vitamin B12 is present in many meat products, but how did the animals get it in the first place?  Most of the animals that end up on American dinner plates consume a mostly plant-based diet themselves.  When they graze on grasses or ingest traces of soil, manure, or other contaminants, the beneficial B12 bacteria gets in their systems.  The animals’ livers then process the bacteria to absorb the vitamin B12.

Much of the traces of B12 found in meat products were produced within the gastrointestinal tracts of the animals and not exactly within the cut of fillet Mignon itself.  Without going into all the gory details, the slaughtering process is what really helps disperse the B12 onto the meat.  Fortunately for vegans, there are many better ways to get vitamin B12!!

The typical diet gets most of their B12 from animal, but plant-based foods are far better sources of B12, as they contain zero cholesterol and are lower in fat than animal-based sources.  Because vitamin B12 is from bacteria in the soil you can easily get a reliable source from your own freshly and organically grown foods.  Simply give your foods a gentle rinsing in water, if needed, and you’ll reap the benefits of clinging B12.  Eating foods in their raw state also preserves more of the naturally occurring B12.

But you don’t need to rely on dirt particles alone for your B12.  It’s fortified into so many vegan-friendly foods, including orange juice, grains, breads, nutritional yeast, cereals, sea vegetables, and many other soy-based products.

Stock up on these food sources of B12:

* Fortified fruit juices
* Fortified soy milk and soy-based products
* Fermented soy-based products such as tempeh, miso, shoyu, and tamari
* Enriched grains, cereals, and starch-based products
* Nutritional yeast (1 TBSP supplies 4 mcg – more than you need)

Autumn here.  I wanted to note that if you’ve never had nooch you are probably already grossed out because of the name.  (even though my mom described its flavor as cheesy.)  TRUST ME, I was VERY apprehensive.  I couldn’t imagine it tasting any other way than bread yeast.  However, once my mom finally made me taste it, I began to use it on everything to ensure we were getting the nutrients we needed.  My family especially likes it on popcorn!  Even if you are an omnivore, I honestly don’t think it would hurt to add nooch to your diet.  Unless you’re eating meat that is grass fed or free range, the chances of the animal actually ingesting soil are slim to none as they are fed corn out of a trough.  Add some nutritional yeast to a shaker and sprinkle some on your veggies or baked potato each night at dinner to ensure you and your family are getting the B12 you all need.

*Tami’s Tip of the Week*

Want to make your fresh cut tulips last extra long?  Throw in a teaspoon of sugar and a bright new shiny penny when you add the water to the vase.  The sugar adds nutrition, and the penny’s alloys provide minerals. 

Ah, the lowly flaxseed.  We buy our breads and cereals laced with them.  They are showing up everywhere these days, and for good cause.  Those tiny little things are a powerhouse of good stuff.  But sometimes, I think we’re wasting our money on the breads and cereals containing flaxseed, because unless you chew open every little seed, you are not reaping the benefits.  When you grind them, you are releasing the very beneficial oils and nutrients.  Such a simple little food, but a very important one.  Read on for some nutritional facts about this mighty little seed.

Flax combines so many important health benefits into a single seed that it’s considered nature’s most perfect health food.

Making flax part of your daily routine is one of the easiest things you can do for your overall good health.  Always be sure to grind your flax seed so that you may reap the benefits of the oil inside.  Eating them whole gives you no benefit as you will pass them.  And always remember, grind just the amount that you will use; don’t store it while ground, it will oxidate.  I use a coffee grinder, specifically for this purpose, it works great.  This tiny little seed is packed with 10 grams of fiber which helps to promote healthy digestion when freshly ground and ingested.

If you find you simply cannot add flax to your diet on a daily basis, you can use the oil supplements, although you reap no benefits of the fiber.

Flax is “cheap insurance” that pays constant dividends.  It contains so many of the nutrients your body needs, including protein, vitamins, phytonutrients, lignans and fiber, and the afore mentioned crucial omega-3 fatty acids.

* Phytonutrients: The term “phyto” originated from a Greek word meaning plant.  Phytonutrients are certain organic components of plants, and these components are thought to promote human health.  Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and teas are rich sources of phytonutrients.  Unlike the traditional nutrients (protein, fat, vitamins, minerals), phytonutrients are not “essential” for life, so some people prefer the term “phytochemical.”