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Author Archive | Jennie Lyon

Skincare At All Different Levels Of Your Body

November 30, 2021 0

Not another clear skin dressing down! That’s what you’re probably thinking when you read the title. Well, just like any area of beauty and health, things move forward and get better. So unless you want to be surprised by new facts and tips that could help bring a new shine to your skin, you’ll pay attention to how things are changing in diets, food perceptions, studies, medicines, and other forms of treatment. Skin is the largest organ in the body or rather, of the body. It’s incredibly complex, strong, and yet vulnerable to the elements and the stresses we put it through. So we thought it would be a good idea to update you all on the progressions that are being made in this area of beauty and wellness. The skin is different in different parts of the body. The skin on your face is slightly different from the skin on your back. The skin on your knees is a lot different compared to your hands. So let’s explore all of them together.

Let’s start simple, with your hands

Right off the bat, we lied. There is nothing simple about the skin on your hands. Take a look at them right now. The skin on the backside of your hand has to be stretchy and tough. What!? How can those two things coexist? For something to be stretchy, it has to be soft. For something to be tough, it has to be rigid. Well, the skin on the backside of your hand is thick and yet very soft, so it allows itself to be stretched over the knuckles and protects the veins and tendons over the top of your hand. To make this part of your skin healthier, you should do a few things daily.

  • Pat or blot your skin dry. Don’t rub the towel over your hands, you’re making the thick skin dryer. The thicker the skin, the harder it is for your body to oxidize it. 
  • Don’t use too much soap or don’t wash your hands too frequently. In the course of the pandemic, washing your hands has become a religion of sorts. But, if you use too much soap and wash too often, your skin becomes very dry and itchy.
  • Don’t wash your hands with hot water, use warm water instead. Again, this is to avoid dryness.

For the inside of your hands, the skin is probably even thicker. Despite more nerve endings being present on the inside of your hand, the skin is even thicker. This is to protect the muscles of your hands. So you should follow the same rules posted above but also a few extra. Use an oil-based moisturizer so the skin remains flexible and stretchy. The amount of grasping and holding we do on a daily basis tends to tighten the skin as our muscles contract. So the oil-based moisturizer will sink deeper and thus, keep that stretch alive. Also, try to do some hand strengthening techniques such as improving your grip strength to inject more blood flow into your hands and skin. If you have blotchy palms, this can really help even out the skin tone.

The skin on your face

Get ready for a long and complex overview of your facial skin. It is by far the most complex skin on your body. It has to stretch, contract, protect, look beautiful, be clear, fight off bacteria, be oily and even fight off the signs of aging. How on earth can we be so brash and bold to ask our face to be all of these things at once? 

Well, in the modern world, we want it all. And you know what, who says we can’t? You just need to first, understand how the skin on your face actually works and what it needs to fulfill your demands. 

If you have acne, you need to buy the right kind of treatment for it. Duac gel is a good choice because it contains active ingredients. What we mean by ‘active’ is that they will react to the acne and not just passively improve your skin. In this way, it can be just 2 to 5 weeks before you begin to see a marked reduction of your acne. In about 12 weeks’ time you should not need to use this gel anymore and in fact, you shouldn’t because of the active ingredients. It’s a bit of an aggressive treatment, so don’t keep using it if you don’t want to ultimately damage the skin on your face.

If you want to have clear beautiful skin, then you should do a number of things in conjunction with regularly washing your face, i.e. twice a day, at least once with some kind of facial scrub, lotion, moisturizer, etc.

  • Get some exercise. The more your skin sweats, the more it releases toxins and thus, healthier, clearer skin.
  • Make sure you eat green vegetables; and the darker the better. When you eat foods like broccoli and spinach, you are eating more vitamin E and hence, your skin is stronger and absorbs more water and oxygen.
  • Stop smoking and drinking too much. Your skin hates these two awful habits, but especially the skin on your face. When you smoke, you will get grey cheeks. When you drink too much you get red cheeks and blotchy skin on your forehead and nose. 
  • Try not to wash your face with hot water. For the same reasons posted earlier.
  • Try to get 8 hours of sleep at least. Any signs of tiredness and lack of hydration will always appear clearly and firstly, on your face. 

More serious skin issues could be worth seeing a dermatologist about. While many skin problems on the face do not cause any pain or carry any added health risks, they can seriously affect self-esteem due to their location. Examples include serious acne, rosacea, psoriasis and lipomas.  At-home skin products may not always have an impact when treating these conditions, which is why you may want to look into professional treatment.

The skin on the rest of your body

Okay, so the face and hands have been given their special mentions. So what about the rest of your skin? Well, let’s look at where your skin is rough and tough, and where it is softer and more supple.

Tough skin tends to be on your 

  • Knees. Your knees have stretchy but thick skin, perhaps the thickest skin anywhere on the body. 
  • Your elbows come a close second to your knees.
  • The back has very thick skin, but it’s softer, because it has to flex and bend as our muscles contract and extend.
  • Your feet have thick skin too and often, the very toughest skin on the body. 

Softer and more supple skin tends to be

  • At the back of the knees. Very often this part of the body is avoided by massage therapists because it is so soft and sensitive. 
  • The inner part of your thighs has very soft skin, because this is where a good amount of fat is stored.
  • The inner part of your elbows is much the same; this is where your tendons and other nerves run past the upper arm and connect with the lower arm (forearm). 

For the thicker parts of your skin, use some kind of ointment, oil or paste for skincare. The thick skin will not fully absorb cream and water-based skincare products. The pastes and other such-like substances will be able to stay on top of the skin and eventually, penetrate deeper. For the softer parts of your body, use the types of products we just described to avoid for the thick areas. Creams and serums are great, but try to base all of your skincare products around nutrients, minerals and vitamins instead of complex chemicals.

Your skin is not the same all around your body. It’s highly complex and has adapted to protect and serve your body and all its movements and needs, over millions of years. So adapt your products and lifestyle to it. 

Practical Ways You Can Keep Your Home Pest-Free

October 29, 2021 0

Pests are not only annoying, but they can also carry diseases and wreak havoc on your home. They’re also expensive to exterminate, so it’s in your best interest to keep them out in the first place. 

Here are some practical ways you can keep pests out of your home.

Deal with Stagnant Water in the Compound 

When it comes to keeping pests at bay, water is a common culprit.  Pests are attracted to stagnant water so avoid leaving any open containers outside the house or in your property for too long. 

If you have an outdoor area with lots of vegetation and ponds or pools, keep them clean as this would help reduce possible mosquito infestations by getting rid of their breeding sites. Also, if your home is highly infested with mosquitos, you may want to consider a mosquito trap outdoor. This will be more effective compared to other ways of getting rid of mosquitos.

Trim All Trees and Bushes 

Trees and bushes can be a breeding ground for pests such as ants, cockroaches, ticks, termites, and mosquitoes, to name a few.  By keeping them trimmed away from the house, you are reducing their access points into your property, reducing the likelihood of having an infestation or being bitten by mosquitoes.

Seal Holes and Cracks 

It’s advisable to seal holes and cracks, such as in the home’s foundation. Sealing gaps around windows and doors is a great way to prevent pests from entering the home. There must be no standing water or moist areas where bugs can breed and spread throughout your house if you have a crawlspace.

Cover All Trash 

Cover all trash cans completely, even if you only throw away some paper towels or empty boxes. This will prevent rodents from getting into your home. You can also sprinkle cayenne pepper around your doors and windows to keep pests away.

Use Natural Products

Natural products are great for keeping pests away from your home. Peppermint oil is a great way to keep ants and other little bugs at bay as they hate the smell of it. Try putting some on cotton balls or even around windows. 

You can also mix peppermint with water in spray bottles and use them as an all-over body spray, too, if you’d like. The pungent smell will work wonders against insects that come near your house. 

Evict All Mice 

Mice have been a nuisance in homes worldwide for centuries, and while some may consider them cute, they are more of an annoyance from a homeowner’s perspective. Mice can spread diseases through their droppings, so it is vital to get rid of mice quickly before things go downhill.

To evict mice from your home, you need a multi-pronged approach that will also affect any of their offspring or other family members they may have hiding in the walls and other hard-to-reach places.

Keep Your Home Clean 

Keep your home clean to keep pests out, as they prefer dirty and moist areas. Be sure to clean your kitchen counters daily and sweep or vacuum the floors every day. 

Wash dishes straight away after use, rather than letting them sit in the sink overnight. Keep food covered when you’re not eating it and be sure to throw out any rotting fruit that falls onto the ground since this will attract insects such as ants. 

Residential Cleaning

For many people, the thought of cleaning their home is enough to send them running for the hills. Fortunately, there are eco-friendly residential cleaning services that can take care of the dirty work for you. These companies employ experienced and trustworthy cleaners who will clean your home from top to bottom, leaving it spotless. In addition to saving you time and energy, residential cleaning services can also help to improve your indoor air quality by removing dust, pollen, pests and other allergens from your home. If you’re looking for a hassle-free way to keep your home pest free, consider hiring a residential cleaning service.

The above are some of the best ways to keep your home pest-free. Be sure to use them for excellent results.

Should You Invest In A Home Battery?

October 27, 2021 0
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Just ten years ago, home batteries weren’t even an option. While the technology existed, no companies were offering homeowners the option of hooking them up to their mains systems. Instead, if you wanted backup power during a power cut, you had to invest in a polluting and loud diesel generator. 

With the advent of home battery packs, though, that’s changing. These systems collect energy from solar panels during the day and then distribute it around your home when you need it.

Battery packs solve a major problem of the solar panel industry – the fact that solar arrays can only collect energy when the sun shines. With a battery in your home, you can collect solar energy during the day (perhaps when you’re out at work), and then use the energy in the evening to power your TV or kettle. 

In addition, installing a home battery lets you overcome some of the technical constraints of a traditional solar electric system. You get to keep the energy you produce, instead of having to sell it to the grid or let it go to waste. 

The Benefits Of A Home Battery

As you might expect, there are multiple benefits of a home battery beyond just providing you with a steady supply of electricity that you can use in the evening, 

Power During An Outage

Home batteries essentially make you entirely self-sufficient. So long as the sun continues to shine, PV panels will continue to collect energy and your battery will continue to charge. Therefore, during a power cut, you can continue using your lighting and appliances. You may even be able to ration your use of electricity, allowing you to survive adequately off-grid for weeks at a time. 

Power Your Electric Vehicle

If you have an electric vehicle, you can also use your battery to charge it. During the day, solar panels collect electricity and store charge in the home battery. Then, when you charge your vehicle at night, you can hook it up to your mains, drawing down on your home battery reserves. Some systems may also allow you to draw power directly from solar panels themselves 

Reduce Your Costs

Home batteries lower your costs. Once you purchase the battery, the energy you use it to store is essentially free. You’re able to use it later. 

Furthermore, your meter stops running backward. You no longer have to sell your collected energy back to the grid at a lower rate. You simply collect and use what you store without having to pay premium prices. 

What’s amazing about battery technology is that you don’t even need solar panels to benefit. You can simply use your battery to draw energy from the grid when it is cheap and then use it to power your home when prices rise again during peak hours (such as the evenings). 

Better For The Environment

Lastly, battery technology is generally better for the environment. It reduces the size of the supply chain and impact on natural resources. 

Battery production is not entirely eco-friendly. Many chemistries contain chemicals which can harm the environment. However, the impact is orders of magnitude lower than it is for conventional energy production. Coal-fired power plants require enormous quantities of resources, including capital and raw materials. 

Estimates suggest that with battery technology, people consume an average of 70 percent of their own electricity. That means that they essentially slash grid demand by a whopping 30 percent – quite considerable. 

What To Consider Before You Invest In Battery Technology

Before you invest in battery technology, you’ll want to consider the following. 

The Cost

How much you spend on home batteries depends largely on the size of the battery. Most batteries offer somewhere between 3 and 20.5 kWh. Price per kWh is around $700. So the price of your system will depend on how many kilowatt-hours you get installed. 

The Lifespan

As you might suspect, batteries don’t last forever. In fact, over time, they degrade and lose capacity. Right now, there isn’t much that manufacturers can do about this. Battery chemistry features mean that most batteries will eventually require replacement, no matter how well you look after them. 

However, ten years is still a long time – enough to make savings. 

Physical Size

You’ll also want to think about the physical size of the battery. Some are quite large and heavy and usually require a service room where engineers can hang them. They tend to be around 1 meter long and 15 cm deep, though designs and styles vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. 

Batteries contain a range of components. The majority of the weight and volume is taken up by lithium-ion cells. Other components include the electronic control system which allows the battery to charge and discharge automatically, as well as the inverter to produce an alternating current that you can use in your home. High-performance batteries also require a cooling system to keep them at optimal temperatures during operation. Current batteries do not convert stored energy into electricity with 100 percent efficiency. 

How You Want To Use Your Battery

Another consideration is how you actually want to use your battery. First, you’ll need to check whether the built-in inverter is suitable for your purposes. Inverters take direct current from the panels and transform it into alternating current for your devices. 

If you want your battery to work in the home, you need a two-way inverter. This will allow the battery to both charge and discharge in the correct manner. You may also need to invest in a backup system or grid-forming inverter if you want to use your battery during blackouts. 

Some batteries offer integration with vehicle-to-grid technology. For instance, you might want your battery to act as a buffer to regular flows. You might also want to connect your home battery to your car battery for powering your home at night and avoiding high grid tariffs. 

In summary, whether you invest in a home battery is very much a personal choice. Given the current economics, however, the vast majority of people stand to benefit. 

How To Ensure Eco-Friendly Home Waste Management

October 27, 2021 0

As environmental challenges become more prevalent, you must do your part to ensure that all of your households are more environmentally friendly. An excellent place to start is to examine your waste disposal processes more closely. Are you looking for ways to help the environment by managing your waste at home? Here are a few tips.

  1. Composting

Organic waste generated in the kitchen, such as vegetable peels or clippings, are great for a compost pile. Compost piles are a great way of producing healthy fertilizers for your garden. Worm composting and bokashi buckets are two examples of composting processes that take up little to no space. These compost piles result in compost development that is beneficial to the soil, thus making it more fertile. Some garbage remains after reuse and recycling; rather than burying it, use it to generate electricity. Anaerobic digestion facilities like septic tanks are beneficial in this situation; they take care of anything that rots and converts it into biogas and farm fertilizer.

  1. Use green waste for your yard

Green waste, such as yard trimmings, can be used to keep them out of landfills and supply nutrients to the soil or as animal feed. You can spread grass clippings over the grass and manage yard trash as efficiently as possible. It is now more crucial than ever to concentrate on measures to protect our environment.

  1. Use e-waste management techniques

Certain domestic items, such as outdated televisions and washing machines, must be disposed of properly to avoid causing environmental harm. It’s recommended to do some research before attempting to remove these on your own. Before you toss your e-waste out, see whether the manufacturer offers drop-off services or look for recycling programs in your province. This waste can also be taken care of by a professional garbage management firm. 

  1. Reuse plastic bags

The majority of people are now aware of the negative environmental impact of plastic shopping bags. Everyone should reuse any non-recyclable plastic bags. Keep them in your car or handbag, so you don’t have to buy another plastic bag from the supermarket. Invest in a couple of canvas bags for your next major shopping trip.

  1. Use of waste disposal equipment

The use of correct waste disposal equipment can be classified as environmentally friendly waste management. Garbage disposers are meant to shred bulk rubbish into tiny particles that dissolve more quickly. Waste disposal units and septic tanks make it easier to reduce waste and manage home sewage. Furthermore, because food scraps represent 20% of all waste in the environment, putting them in the garbage disposal rather than the trash would be a critical step toward converting them to fertilizer or renewable energy rather than ending up in a landfill. Plastic bags are often used to dispose of food waste, as is well known. The usage of disposal machines, on the other hand, reduces the amount of plastic bags used. As a result, fewer plastics end up in landfills, reducing land pollution.

How To Clean Your Home In An Eco-Friendly Way

September 13, 2021 0

Chemical-laden cleaning products for the home aren’t as good as they purport to be. Yes, they can effectively clean and disinfect your house. When you dispose of them, though, they can leak poisons into your home and the environment around you. Plus, disposing of the packaging and bottles isn’t always eco-friendly either. 

With this in mind, it could be that you’re looking for better, greener, safer ways to clean your home. Yet when you start to look around, this can seem almost impossible; products are expensive or hard to get hold of, and you just can’t be sure you’re doing the right thing. Luckily, there are some easy ways to get past these challenges; read on to find out more.

Open The Windows 

The air quality inside your house can sometimes be more hazardous than the air quality outside. Everything from pet dander to pollen to mold to chemicals may aggravate allergies or asthma, making the air dangerous to breathe. 

To keep things fresh, open your windows every now and again to allow in some fresh air. As an added benefit, you will be able to enjoy the smell of fresh air drifting into your house. Although this won’t help clean your furniture, it will make your home smell good, feel fresh, and make the air much better for you and everyone else in the property. It’s a great place to start when it comes to making things cleaner in the most eco-friendly way. 

Try Baking Soda… Everywhere

Who knew this kitchen essential had so many applications that would enable you to have a clean and green home? For starters, include baking soda into your cleaning regimen to combat odorous carpets. Sprinkle it on, let it rest for a few minutes, and then vacuum the baking soda up. You’ll find that all the smells go along with it. 

You can also make an oven-cleaning paste out of baking soda and water, which you can leave overnight in the oven and scrape off with all the muck it gathered. Alternatively, mix baking soda and vinegar to make a fizzing toilet bowl cleaner; it looks exciting (so the kids might want to get involved in cleaning), and it does a fabulous job. 

Use Lemons 

Lemons contain antibacterial and antiseptic properties, making them a critical component of any natural sanitizing routine. To eliminate germs, rub a slice of lemon on a chopping board. Alternatively, soak lemon peels in vinegar for a few days. After straining out the zests, you’ll have a strong all-purpose cleaner. You can even bring a copper kettle back to its original luster by dipping lemon halves in salt and rubbing them over the outside. 

In other words, the natural cleaning properties that lemons have make them an ideal alternative to the chemicals and powders that you might usually use around your home. 

White Vinegar Is Best 

Only one vinegar should be part of your green cleaning routine, and that’s white vinegar. White vinegar, plain and simple, provides the antibacterial qualities you need to sanitize your house. 

Diluted white vinegar is an effective stain remover, and spraying a fifty-fifty solution of vinegar and water can make your windows sparkle and shine (especially if you use newspaper to wipe it off again, as this prevents streaks). You can even simmer some vinegar while cooking a smelly fish meal, for example; all of the odors will be absorbed by the vinegar, and your home will stay fresh. 

Don’t Use Air Fresheners 

Once you’re done cleaning your home, no matter whether it’s a daily, weekly, or monthly occurrence, you might decide to use air fresheners around the place. Spraying these in your property will keep the place smelling fresh and clean. 

The problem is, despite their nice fragrance, store-bought air freshener mixes are often loaded with artificial chemicals that can degrade air quality. Choose a natural version instead. Boil cinnamon, lemon, or any other plant of your choice that you like the smell of, and wait for the natural fragrance to fill your house.

Invest In Some Greenery

On that same note, having plants in your house, as opposed to commercial air fresheners, will offer a pleasant and welcoming aroma while also organically purifying the air. Plants such as spider plants, peace lilies, or English lilies are some of the best plants to have in your home. Furthermore, in addition to acting as natural air filters, you can use houseplants to decorate your home, so not only are you cleaning and making the place more pleasant in terms of the air you breathe, you’re making it look better (and feel more homely) too. 

Don’t Use Too Much Water 

Fill a bucket halfway with water and use just the water inside to clean. You will save water by not having to open and close the faucet every time you need to wet your cleaning cloth, plus you won’t accidentally leave the tap running. 

When it comes to the exterior of your home, it’s always best to use professionals such as Top Down Exterior Cleaning. In this way, you’ll not only know that they will finish the job to a high quality, but you’ll be sure that the most modern cleaning methods are used, which includes saving water in many cases. 

Buy Green Products 

You don’t have to go completely natural on your own when it comes to changing or adding to your home cleaning habits. A plethora of businesses have released safe – eco-friendly – versions of your favorite cleansers. Buying ready-made green solutions can help to ease the shift from conventional to green goods, showing you what’s available and saving you time. 

With that in mind, after you’ve made your routine more environmentally friendly, you’ll want to get rid of any items that are no longer useful to your family. If you don’t want a product in your house, you shouldn’t want it to end up in the water supply or landfill either, so be careful how you get rid of unwanted chemicals. Find out whether your town has a recycling day for such items. At the same time, you might be able to recycle other potentially hazardous materials, such as batteries.

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