Category: Beauty-Anti-Aging

Posted on by

How Do Your Sunscreens Rate Against Keys Solar RX? – EWG 2020 Sunscreen Report

by Wendy Steele, Keys CEO Melanoma survivor, and Founder

So, how do the sunscreens you sell to your customers rank on Saftey and Efficacy?  Do they actually work and are they safe.  The controversy rages on whether sports sunscreen is safe.  The FDA says they should be reapplied every 15 minutes in high-stress conditions.  Our Solar Rx Moisturizer with sunscreen has the highest and best rating.  It can be worn all day as a foundation.  How do the ones you sell rate against Keys Solar Rx?   The results may surprise you.  Every year the Environmental Working Group publishes a sunscreen report.  Keys has been at the top of the list since the first report ten years ago.  This year the report is better to read in every aspect.  It is easy to read and figure out which is best for your customers.  They already read the report, it is time you compare what they know to what you sell.

First, there are fundamentally two types of sunscreens.  There are “go-to beach” sports screens and daily moisturizers with SPF.  Keys Solar RX is a daily sunscreen foundation with anti-aging moisturizing properties.  Having both types on your shelves is important and knowing when to recommend one of the other is essential.

Keys has received the highest ranking in the 2020 EWG sunscreen report for safety and efficacy. Keys Solar Rx and Keys KPRO SPF each received a 1 rating in this year’s EWG sunscreen report. The scale of 1 to 10 ranks safety based on ingredients and efficacy based on the type and concentration of sunscreen ingredients; 1 being the highest rating and 10 the worst.  As you can see from the chart to the right, there are very few #1 ranked sunscreens with the majority rated 3-6 on the EWG scale.

Keys uses a 20.5% level of its proprietary uncoated zinc oxide blend. The base moisturizer is our Luminos lotion formulation that focuses on avocado oil, black seed oil, carrot seed oil, agave aloe, and Shea butter for maximum hydration.

Spherical Zinc Oxide particles

Keys SPF products use a technique from high technology sputtering to process the particles for maximum UV blocking efficacy. Our zinc oxide blend uses a vapor deposition process to make our particles spherical and, therefore, transparent. The mixture maximizes UVB and UVA properties for perfect UV filtering.

Keys SPF products are the best moisturizers with UV protection. Solar Rx and KPRO SPF are for everyday use in non-sport applications. The products last all day and need not be reapplied, assuming the wearer does not sweat or do physical activity. Keys Solar Rx is perfect under makeup, acting as a clear luminescent foundation. KPRO adds sparkle from our OptiFx particles for special occasions.

How Do The Sunscreens You Are Selling Rate Against Keys

Click Here or the image above to access the Moisturizer with SPF EWG report and scroll down to Keys to read the reviews

Anti-Aging

Keys CEO, Wendy Steele, Melanoma survivor and reason for Solar Rx being developed

Both Solar Rx and KPRO SPF have anti-aging emollient properties because of the ingredient purity and quality. These are the most exquisite oils that money can buy blended into a formulation that hydrates, moisturizes, and effects fine lines. Avocado oil has skin clearing properties and, over time, will reduce dark spots and patches.

Therapeutic

Keys Solar Rx broadens its purpose as a skin ailment and disorder product because the zinc oxide is uncoated. This means that the wearer gains all the benefits of a zinc cream at even higher concentrations than over the counter skin disorder products. Most zinc creams contain 6%-8% uncoated zinc oxide. Solar Rx is at 20.5% uncoated zinc level. One major benefit is as a redness reduction solution. Many dermatologists prescribe zinc oxide cream and ointments. Solar Rx is a universal solution while also providing UVA and UVB blocking.

10 Years

This is the tenth year that Keys Solar Rx has received the highest rating from the EWG. Consumer Union thrust Keys Solar Rx into the limelight when it rated Solar Rx the highest and most effective sunscreen in its class. It has been the choice of Hollywood makeup artists and actors. It was featured two years in a row at Maria Shriver’s California Women’s Conference. Originally developed for Wendy Steele, Keys CEO, melanoma diagnosis, Solar Rx is Keys number one selling product.

 

Posted on by

Winter Sunscreen – Keys Solar Rx Secrets

Winter is Time for Sunscreen

by Wendy Steele, Keys CEO

Every skier around the world knows the importance of using sunscreens at high altitude. As the air thins, the UV radiation protection from the atmosphere declines exponentially. The same is true when it gets cold and dry at sea level. Worse, cold winds chap, dry, and redden the skin on your face neck and hands. Ironically, it can be as important to wear sunscreen in the winter as in the heat of summer. Reflected UV can double the dose of UV A aging rays while UV B burning rays can be more docile. Our face neck and hands can take a real beating in the winter months. Even places like the Southwest US, where it is warm, are also dryer in the winter. Make Sense?

FDA
Click To Visit Solar Rx Page

Solar Rx is a daily use sunscreen with higher than SPF 30 and is broad-spectrum squelching both UV A & UV B rays. Perhaps more important is that it is a skin repairing anti-aging moisturizer and uses uncoated zinc oxide that soothes and restores damaged skin.

Solar Rx Hidden Secrets

Solar Rx truly has hidden secrets, which alone make it a 365 daily multi-use product. So here is a look under the hood of Solar Rx.

  • Zinc Oxide is the active ingredient in Solar Rx blocking UV radiation. Solar Rx uses uncoated zinc oxide, so the element itself comes in full contact with the skin. Uncoated zinc oxide is an FDA over the counter remedy known for its skin repairing properties. By using uncoated zinc oxide, we are the only sunscreen moisturizer that aids the skin while blocking aging UV.
  • Avocado oil has a vast array of skin-repairing properties while also offering minor UV B protection. Google avocado oil properties, and you will be amazed.
  • Carrot seed oil reduces inflammation and puffiness while aiding skin hydration
  • Black Seed oil went back to ancient Egypt and was the primary ingredient used by Cleopatra as her beauty regimen. The vitamin E8 levels are astounding.
  • Ghana Raw Shea Butter has its own active skin nutrients. We use it as an incredible humectant. Shea butter provides a non-comedogenic seal trapping natural skin moisture reducing skin dehydration.
  • Aloe Vera polysaccharides make this natural ingredient famous. Using a blue agave freeze-dried leaf gel10X’s the polysaccharides, and its crystalline structure adds a luminosity to Solar Rx. Not quite a shimmer, Solar Rx is our Luminos moisturizer with SPF protection.
  • Clary Sage essential oil is also legendary for repairing damaged skin.

So, Solar Rx is much more than just a sunscreen. It is a daily repairing and anti-aging product that has notable and discernible results.

Wendy

Posted on by

For Makeup Artists Only…Actors Too! Join Our Pro Team

Keys Vanities Makeup Artist & Actors Pro Team

Keys Vanities Pro Team entitles the professional makeup artist, and actors too, to unique benefits, including product discounts and exclusive access to tips and techniques. …and the most exciting is a free membership in our Beta testing team where you will see new products and be able to test them before they are in production.

What You Get?

If you qualify for the program, you will receive a 40% product discount online at www.KeysPure.com and receive an industry insider newsletter sent out to your email on a periodic basis.

Learn More and Apply – Click Here

 

Posted on by

Keto Diet Saves On Skincare!

Bob Root – Keys Founder & Formulator

Keto Skin!

There are two ways you can save half of your skincare products price. Either you get 50% off the price, or you only have to use half as much.

We have always said that a 100ml 4-ounce bottle of Luminos or Tortuga lotion is like getting a 600ml bottle of lotion. It is because there is almost no water in the formulation. All of the oils are concentrated and in therapeutic proportions. Avocado oil is our dominant oil, and the blend provides the highest possible concentration of emollients without chemicals. True, but what if you could use only half as much of Keys products and get the same results?

Enter My Keto Diet

Okay, I am lucky that as I have gotten older that I have tended to lose weight rather than gain. I went on the Keto diet to lower my blood glucose. The net was that I lost another 10 pounds, went from 16% body fat to 5.9% and gained lean muscle mass. What was to most exciting side-effect was that my complexion tightened and my skin was super-hydrated.

Although I love Luminos as a moisturizer, as I have pointed out in previous articles, I use Tortuga lotion as my go-to everything lotion. Although Wendy uses almost all of the Keys products every day, I am a two Keys product guy. Give me my Island Rx and my Tortuga.

So what I noticed after the first month on Keto was that I reduced the amount of Tortuga I was using by half. After three months, I was down to a stabilized 1/3 the amount of Tortuga I was using daily. My dominant fat intake is avocado, cheeses, fish, and some fatty meats. What I found was that being on Keto and operating at a ratio of 74% fat, 19% protein, and 7% carbs and No Sugar!   My skin became more emollient. Even my dry elbows disappeared. Why? I have become a fat burner, and more fat finds its way to my skin requiring less product. I now only apply Tortuga to wet skin because I can’t spread a thinner layer without the surface being wet.

My usage of Tortuga has gone down to about 30% of what I used before. Less is more savings. Ironically, my Island Rx usage is also down, but I have not figured out why.

Bob

Posted on by

Micellar Water FAD or Innovation

micellar
Click To Buy

Keys Island Rx Foaming wash is a patriarch of our line. With the popularity of micellar water cleansers, we thought it would be essential to point out that Island Rx has always been micelle-based. It has been that way since its introduction in 2004.

Our society, especially beauty, is fad and fan based. Keys has always been a “Fan” based product line, but we have started a few “Fads” in our 15 years. More often than not, we have not been credited with some interesting trends.

There is a difference between fads and fan-based products. Word of mouth advertising is generally associated with fan-based products and Fads with fake news.

The origin of the word fad is generally tied back to about 1834. Loosely related to “hobby, pet project” (adjective faddy is from 1824), of uncertain origin. Perhaps shortened from fiddle-faddle. Or maybe from French fadaise “trifle, nonsense,” which is ultimately from Latin fatuus “stupid.” From 1881 as “fashion, craze,” or as Century Dictionary has it, “trivial fancy adopted and pursued for a time with irrational zeal.”

Micellar water is not a fad as it has been the fundamental basis of Castile soaps for over 500 years. It is neither new or a flash in the pan. The fact that many are crediting the invention to a French chemist just a few years ago is bunk. Said, the fad is also functional. But, the craze of it will diminish, and we will keep extracting micelles for our Island Rx foaming wash.

All of our soaps are micelle-based cleansers.

Windsurfer is a huge fan-based product with runners, outdoors people, and people that want a refreshing citrus lime full body cleanser.

MetaClean has helped people with psoriasis, eczema, and other skin disorders for years because of its Neem and Karanja ayurvedic oils.

Island Rx Foaming Wash is consistently one of our top sellers because of how it cleans and moisturizes the face neck and hands with avocado oil and clary sage.

Posted on by

Glacier Water Micelles and Other Natural Mysteries

Island Rx Foaming “Glacier Water” Cleanser – All Natural, Chemical-Free Healing Foaming Wash for Skin Disorders, Itching, Allergies & Irritations.

Our micellar abundant cleaning soap was developed for sensitive skin like the face and neck.  The micellar technology foaming applicator automatically dilutes the  Island Rx formulation so that it can be used directly on wet skin.  It is also great for bathing small children and babies.

Island Rx was the first product we developed. With over 100 initial version, the product was developed for Wendy Steele after her bout with Melanoma. The basis for Island Rx is a 300-year-old Castile soap recipe with holistic and naturopathic influences in the form of healing essential oils, a Micelle that resembles the antioxidant properties of natural glacier water and the addition of softening oils like avocado and jojoba. Keys customers have reported the reversal of common skin disorders like eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and skin allergies after just a few uses.

From 2004 Article: Micelles by Bob Root

There are two distinct places that you find Micelles.  One is in Glacier Water and the other is Castile Soaps.  They fundamentally trap and hold dirt from the skin and wash off with water.  Simple, but a very complex mystery of nature.

Micelle Structure

A micelle, plural micelles, micella, or micellae) is an aggregate of surfactant molecules dispersed in a liquid colloid. A typical micelle in aqueous solution forms an aggregate with the hydrophilic “head” regions in contact with the surrounding solvent, sequestering the hydrophobic single tail regions in the micelle center. This phase is caused by the insufficient packing issues of single-tailed lipids in a bilayer. The difficulty filling all the volume of the interior of a bilayer, while accommodating the area per head group forced on the molecule by the hydration of the lipid head group leads to the formation of the micelle. This type of micelle is known as a normal phase micelle (oil-in-water micelle). Inverse micelles have the headgroups at the center with the tails extending out (water-in-oil micelle). Micelles are approximately spherical. Other phases, including shapes such as ellipsoids, cylinders, and bilayers, are also possible. The shape and size of a micelle is a function of the molecular geometry of its surfactant molecules and solution conditions such as surfactant concentration, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. The process of forming micellae is known as micellization and forms part of the phase behavior of many lipids according to their polymorphism.

Micelle Structure

In our studies of ancient remedies, we found that some of the most powerful yet gentle skin agents were Clary sage, blood orange, black cumin (black seed) oil, carrot seed oil, and avocado oil.  When using on the skin in lotions or soap, they perform the same as some harsh chemicals in a slow but sure manner.

So, how does all this work to help acne suffers?  We have found through our customers that they have developed a sort of regime that makes perfect sense to me.

 

Click To Buy

They get off all the junk(dirt) and go clean, including shampoo, personal care, and home care products.  You probably already get this because you are reading this.  Then they wash daily with Island Rx foaming wash, rinsing and lightly drying.  In the morning (some twice a day) they apply Solar Rx.  Yes, the sunblock.  Solar Rx contains pharmaceutical grade avocado oil, back cumin oil, carrots seed oil and uncoated zinc oxide.  Those powerful essential oils soothe the skin and mimic the skins own sebum restoring good oil levels lost by being exposed to hydrocarbons, pollutants, dryness, and dehydration.  The uncoated zinc oxide is at 18.5% by volume.  Most zinc oxide based acne and skin prescriptions only contain 5%-6% uncoated zinc oxide.  They discovered that they could get the same pharma grade zinc oxide in Solar Rx at much higher levels and a fraction of the price of prescription creams.

Here is a link to the original full article

Buy Island Rx Foaming Wash

Posted on by

May is Melanoma Awareness Month

Melanoma Can Strike Anyone

The list is long. Dianne Keaton, Melanie Griffith, Hugh Jackman, and Anderson Cooper are all now advocates of skin cancer protection.

There are several different types of skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell skin cancer, and squamous cell skin cancer.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer is a prevalent cancer in the United States, with more than 5 million people diagnosed each year. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are nonmelanoma skin cancers, are the most common types of skin cancer. Nonmelanoma skin cancers rarely spread to other parts of the body.

Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer. It is more likely to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body than the more common forms of skin cancer.

Although melanoma represents 5 percent of the skin cancer cases diagnosed in the United States each year, it results in the most deaths. According to estimates made from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, 96,480 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma and nearly 7,230 people will die of the disease in 2019.

Melanoma is more common in men than women and among individuals of fair complexion. Unusual moles, exposure to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight (such as from tanning beds) over long periods, and health history can affect the risk of melanoma.

So, May is Melanoma awareness month, and we have a couple of suggestions.
1) If you know someone who has had skin cancer, give them a call to see how they are doing.
2) Check yourself for moles that are larger than the eraser of a pencil
3) If a mole itches, get it checked
4) Stay out of the sun from 10am-2pm
5) Cover up with SPF/UPF rated clothing

You are responsible or yourself, especially when it comes to skin cancer. Always insist on a biopsy of any abnormality. If your doctor is not willing to or says they can tell with their eyes, it is time to find a new doctor.

Posted on by

FDA Set to Ban Chemical Sunscreen Ingredients

 

FDA Study Reports Chemical Sunscreens Enter Bloodstream in One-Day

In a recent report and study by the FDA, it appears they are on a path to ban all chemical sunscreen ingredients used in most sunscreens on the market. Keys Solar Rx is a clear physical sunscreen using zinc oxide.

The four chemicals studied — avobenzone, oxybenzone, ecamsule and octocrylene — are part of a dozen that the FDA recently said needed to be researched by manufacturers before they could be considered “generally regarded as safe and effective.”

Excerpt: Wired Magazine

Today, researchers at the FDA revealed the results of a small clinical trial designed to test how four of the most common sun-filtering molecules on the market behave after they’ve been sprayed on and rubbed in. The results, published in the journal JAMA, show that contrary to what sunscreen manufacturers have been saying, UV-blocking chemicals do seep into circulation. Now, don’t panic and toss your tubes. There’s no evidence yet that they’re doing anything harmful inside the body. But the revelation will have serious impacts on sunscreen manufacturers going forward, and may change what options you’ll find on drugstore shelves before the year is out.

“Everyone had always thought that because these are intended to work on the surface of the skin that they wouldn’t be absorbed, but they are,” says Theresa Michele, director of the FDA’s division of nonprescription drug products, and coauthor on the FDA-funded study. Her team found that it took only a few hours after the application of sunscreen for the photoprotective chemicals to infiltrate the bloodstream and shoot up to concentrations above the FDA’s toxicology threshold that triggers further safety testing.

Read the entire article Here.

If you have trouble opening the article copy the following into your browser.   https://www.wired.com/story/sunscreen-chemicals-soak-all-the-way-into-your-bloodstream/

Click Here to goto the Keys Solar Rx store page.

Posted on by

Micelle & Keys Island RX Soaps

The Micelle Magic – It’s All In The Soap!

Bob Root, Keys Technologist

The secret to clean vibrant skin is a natural oil-based soap that is full of Micelle.  They are magical in almost every way imaginable.

When I first developed Island Rx soap, it was because I could not find a Castile soap that was lower in alkalinity. As I formulated and saponified oils like Avocado, Jojoba, Coconut and Olive oil, I not only noticed that they were not as alkaline, but that there was some different reaction on the skin. Researching my ingredients and processes, I realized I was releasing something called a Micelle.

Click To Buy

Micelles are polar critters that live in a real soap. One end of the structure loves water, and the other loves oil. So the more micelle in soap the more effective it is in clearing oil, dirt, grime, and pollutants from a surface like the skin. These are not little creatures that live in a Jedi Knight’s blood like in Star Wars, but an ionic compound that does work.

On the skin, micelle act to remove all sorts of things and a high-density micelle soap like Island Rx foaming wash does many things at once. Here are just a few:

1) It removes dirt and grime
2) Removes “loose” acne-causing bacteria
3) Dissolves dead skin (exfoliates)
4) Affects skin collagen
5) Removes complex oils
6) Balances pH
7) Causes positive skin reactions
8) Deep cleans and opens pores releasing pollutants
9) Carries oils from the soap formulation and deposits them on the skin
10) Rinses quickly and thoroughly carrying away unwanted contaminants

In other words, a micelle-based soap is Magic. Unlike surfactant based cleanses, it gives and takes. It nourishes the skin and removes things the skin does not want. I believe Island Rx soap and foaming wash have the highest concentration of micelle available anywhere.

Posted on by

Keto Diet & Keys – Skin Is In The Game

Keto and Skin – Carb-Free, Sugar-Free, Sodium-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free Anti-Aging

The revelation that some skin care products have sugars, carbs gluten and salt is stupefying and scary!  Clean products are not that hard to make if you know what you are doing.

The Keto diet is sweeping the world and at Keys as well. In its purest form, we are switching our bodies from sugar burners to fat burning. Yes, the body runs on fat as well as sugar. There are lots of benefits to the switch, cutting out ALL sugar and limiting carbohydrates to under 20 gram a day. Yes, it will melt the weight off your body quickly, but what it does for your health is even more critical. Not the least of which is your skin.

Funny as it sounds, Keys products are ketogenic. No carbs and no sugar and they are mostly good fats like avocado oil, black seed oil, olive oil, etc. etc. Besides being gluten-free (carbs), we are sugar-free.

The exciting part is that those of us at Keys that have been on a Keto diet for three months now have noticed how good our skin looks and how fewer products we have to use to have great looking skin. Our skin universally seems smooth and cleans easier as if the grime is riding on top of our skin. Lotions and creams require less to get more. I have personally cut my Reflex and Luminos usage by about a third (33%), and my skin loves the nourishment.

There were some ironies like when I tried to use a sugar scrub, and my skin reacted almost as it dropped out of ketosis. Yes, and I will never do that again. One person tried a bar soap that turned out to have a raft of gluten and carbs used for thickeners, filler, and grains as an abrasive. Gluten = Carbs. And yes, we now believe the skin reacts to sugar and carbs the same way as our gut does.

So, most of us will never go back to sugar and carbs because of how the Keto diet has made us feel. Life changing is about the only description I can offer. Knowing that some skin care brands use carbohydrates and sugars, as well as artificial sweeteners, was stupefying to all of us. It is a central message for all of us that have noticed how much better or skin looks, feels and acts since going Keto.

Posted on by

Mangrove Shampoo & Conditioner – Pour Homme

Bob Root Keys Technologist & Founder

You love all your children equally, but sometimes those older more independent ones move to the corner of your eye. Mangrove Shampoo & Conditioner are among my oldest children and have matured into quite the adults. In product years, they are in their thirties and quite resourceful.

Dynamic Duo

Click To Buy

When Mangrove Shampoo and Conditioner were born, I had a vision for them which was entirely different. They were going to be a one-stop go-to duo for men. Early on, our marketing people convinced me to focus more on people with short hair for the products. That was not how I perceived them and over time, they matured into what I envisioned them to be. , Mangrove Shampoo and Conditioner are a duo that are the only two products men need and want in their lives for their hair and skin.

Men Like Multi-use Products…Yep

So instead then tell you what they can do, I will tell you about how I used them this morning. Seeing them in the bathroom shower was a reunion with my dynamic kids that I want to share.

Okay, the obvious is that I started to wash my hair lathering up and smelling the clean, fresh tropical smell that initially got them their names of Mangrove. I had enough lather to soften up my beard to shave. I final lathering of my hair before rinsing, I used what was on my hands to wash my face. Then I squirted some more Mangrove shampoo (soap) on a mesh scrubby and washed the rest of me. I cranked up the shower heat and rinsed off lightning fast. I mean I forgot how fast a clean Mangrove feels. Now clean, I dried off in the shower.

Mangrove Conditioner Not Forgotten

Okay, you thought I was going to say that after rinsing I would apply Mangrove conditioner and rinse again. No Way! I dried off to light dampness and squirted Mangrove conditioner into my hands. Nope, not the hair yet, I lotioned my damp face and neck. With the remaining, I ran my hands through my short hair to apply Mangrove as a leave-in conditioner. I then pumped some more to rub on my dry elbows and my arms that are generally exposed to the sun and everyday environment. I love our Tortuga lotion for really dry spots, but Mangrove Conditioner is not only a remarkable hair conditioner for short hair, but it is a light lotion that does not feel heavy on my skin.

Afternoon Swim

I am a distance freestyle swimmer for health and exercise purposes. Sometimes I get to swim in salt water pools, but it is mostly chlorine or bromide pools. There is nothing more harsh to your hair or skin than a chlorine or bromide pool that you spend 30 to 60 minutes every day. My grey hair could look like straw, but it does not… you guessed it, Mangrove Conditioner.

In my pool bag, there is now a Mangrove Conditioner. I rinse off before getting into the pool and then work Mangrove Conditioner into my wet hair. On goes a Nike Swimcap for my laps. The Mangrove not only conditions my hair, but it keeps the chlorine from leaching my hair. After the swim, I rinse again I do a quick outdoor shower with Mangrove Shampoo. It is 100% biodegradable, so there is no harm to the environment where the shower runs off to and no huge suds. I add Mangrove Conditioner to my hair and jump in the hot tub to relax after my swim.

Shine my Shoes and Clean My Glasses

You would not believe all the things I use Mangrove Shampoo and Conditioner for every day. Before writing this, I did a quick wipe of Mangrove Conditioner on my Merrell leather clogs to give them a shine. Then I used Mangrove Shampoo to wash my grubby reading glasses. No streaks, clean and fast rinsing. Maybe I will look for a door hinge to lube up.

Click Here to Buy!

Posted on by

Galleyon Soap – A Multi-Use Wonder

Wendy Steele – Keys CEO

Click To Learn More!

I have super sensitive skin. I am also a germaphobe. For that reason, I pay attention to everything that touches my skin. After all, this is the season when bugs and viruses seem to peak. Without a doubt, Galleyon Foaming Soap is my go-to product. It is naturally anti-bacterial and not a bactericide. Spearmint essential oils are effective cleansers. Therefore, it is not destroying the healthy microbiome on my skin. As a result, I use it not only for my hands, for my face as an extra cleanser and for sure on those things that ultimately touch my face.

All year round I pay particular attention to my facial skin. When I wear a cosmetic foundation, my clean fingers can be great applicators. Frequently, my favorite applicators for a sheer natural finish are my beauty sponge and make-up brushes. To that end, what you use and how you clean it does matter. Therefore, I use super clean cosmetic brushes and complexion sponges.

To be sure, I always use Galleyon Foaming Soap to clean my makeup brushes, sponges and tools. Galleyon is an all natural antibacterial spearmint soap that quickly and safely cleans my brushes and sponges.

To clean cosmetic brushes, first wet the brush in warm water. Then apply Galleyon foam cleanser to the palm of your hand. Follow by gently swishing the brush in a circular motion for about 30 seconds. Rinse and repeat if necessary. Afterward, blot to remove excess water. Use a clean washcloth or hand towel for this process. Gently press out water and take care to retain the original shape of the brush. Finally, allow it to air-dry naturally. Place the brush on a clean surface, like a countertop, with the brush tip hanging over the edge. This technique assures that the brush tip will maintain its shape during the drying time.

To clean cosmetic sponges, first wet the sponge in warm water. This time apply Galleyon foam cleanser directly to the sponge and squeeze cleanser throughout for about 30 seconds. Rinse in warm water while squeezing until water appears clear. For faster drying, press into a clean washcloth to remove excess water. Let air dry.

In conclusion, Galleyon has a rich spearmint lather that makes cleaning simple and pure. With natural conditioning oils, it does not dry out my brushes or damage my sponges. I also love that it rinses fast and leaves a refreshing scent!

Best of all no perfumes, toxins or bactericides that irritate my sensitive facial skin.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Mangrove Hair & Skin Conditioner for Men

I was at a classic style barber shop in Mesilla New Mexico. Sort of a man cave with traditional services. After the cut and shampoo, my barber placed a hot towel on my face. Then to my surprise, he conditioned my hair and then moved to my face. Yes, he used the same conditioner on my face and hair. It felt good.  I asked him to see the conditioner bottle to look at the ingredient. Full of junk, but the core ingredient caused me to think about our Mangrove conditioner.

In keeping with the new writing trends, I tried conditioning my face and hair for a week with Keys Mangrove Conditioner. I wash my hair every day and generally do not moisturize much. Honestly, after a week, my hair looked great. Wendy commented that my skin looks better than ever. Now I am hooked on the combination of using Mangrove for my hair and face.

Mangrove Conditioner – Maybe a new trend for men.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Island Rx for Acne

Fifteen years ago, one of the first things we discovered about our Island Rx pure castile soap was its fantastic success with acne and backne. What we found was that the combination of slightly high alkalinity and the Clary Sage had a tremendous effect on controlling and reversing acne. Today it is available in two bottle types — the original liquid soap and a facial cleansing foamer version. The liquid version is a strong fighter for more acne and backne. The foamer is one of the most popular products we make for how good it cleans and moisturizes. The bonus is that, because it is Island Rx, you get daily maintenance of the bacteria that causes acne.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Healthy Skin Makeup Remover

Makeup Remover Trick.  Our theatrical actor friends have shared this super easy tip with us. As part of their occupation, they must wear heavier makeup for the stage. Based on their experience a cleansing lotion works best for fast and easy makeup removal. Their trick is to use an emollient, gentle and naturally non-toxic creamy lotion all over their face and neck, massage in with a little tap water and wipe off with a warm face cloth. Keys Tortuga Lotion works well as an all-natural makeup remover lotion. A little bit goes a long way, and the emollient avocado oil, carrot seed, and black seed oils hydrate the skin while prepping for makeup removal. Best of all it leaves no trace of dryness or irritation. Some also will do a double cleanse by following up with our Island Rx Foaming Facial Cleanser.

Clean and healthy skin, skip the drama.