Ant in your pants? It could be itchy skin!

Unless you are truly tough (or the owner of lots of fleece or flannel shirts), you probably have been toying with turning on your home's heat. (Maybe you already gave in to temptation some cold morning.) If you haven't turned that dial yet, you soon will as November chilly winds start blowing. And you know what that means (besides the smell of burning dust in your ducts and a heating bill that will cross your eyes)...dry skin.

As the moisture leaves your epidermis, it causes little cracks and eventually you start getting itchy. Besides keeping a long-handled back scratcher beside your bed and favorite chair (find one here www.backscratcherworld.com) what can you do about that itch?
Here's a few tips:
Buy a humidifier: Either go for a whole-house one (expensive, but it helps your whole family) or at least one by your bedside that will run quietly for eight-hours or more. Most importantly, buy one that is highly-rated for being mold resistant. A great selection can be found at www.allergybuyersclub.com.
Keep fats in your diet: Smart fats with omega-3 oils like those in walnuts, salmon, sardines, soy, flax and eggs can help keep you hydrated.
Water yourself like a thirsty plant: Oils and creams can't produce moisture, only help it stick around. Drink water constantly. It's not only good for your moisture levels, but helps flush toxins out of your body and every part of you benefits from that.
Stop parboiling yourself: Cut down on those great-feeling-but-tough-on-your skin steamy showers and long hot baths. You are stripping your skin of oils each time. Make the water less hot and the showers or baths shorter. Use soap only on the truly necessary areas and just warm water wash the others. If you are a bath lover, soak a few minutes before you add bath oil to the water. You need some moisture to be absorbed before you seal off your pores.
Use moisturizing soap: ZUM's Dragon's Blood is a perfect choice. It breathes life into scaly skin with the restorative resin of the Dracaena tree,and infused olive, coconut, palm and castor oils, in a goat's milk base. With pure essential oils, it even smells earthy and sweet while it's slaking your dry skin's thirst. (Yes, we sell it at Believe.)
Slather yourself with moisturizer: Don't let more than a few minutes pass after that bath or shower before you fill all those open pores with delightful moisture. For your body or face, we recommend ZUM Organic Body Lotion with essential oils.
Exfoliate weekly: Get rid of the little pieces of skin (often invisible) that keep any moisturizer you apply from soaking into your skin. Slough it off with Zum Sea Salt Soap. Invest in a long-handled loofah to scrub your back (just make sure to dry it thoroughly between uses.)
Take menopause into account: If you're a “woman of a certain age,”menopause may be part of your dryness problem. As estrogen diminishes and the ratio of hormones change, not only does your body's oil production slow down, so does its ability to retain moisture. (You'll probably see this first on your elbows or the T-zone of your face—but it may show up on your legs, scalp and nails.) Talk to your doctor about HRT therapy if the problem gets bad or consider natural alternatives like adding Black Cohosh to your diet.
Don't forget the sunscreen: Just because its getting colder and the sky looks overcast, don't think those harmful rays went away. Put an ounce of broad spectrum sunblock SPF 15 or higher on all exposed skin.
Start now and get a jump on those winter winds. You'll be able to face the season silky, smooth and much-less itchy (and we all need a little more comfort.) See you soon at Believe.

You Deserve To Be Treated Like Royalty

Legend has it that thousands of years ago an emperor named Shen Nung was traveling through his empire, when he grew thirsty and a servant was dispatched to find water. What the servant brought back was brackish and foul—not fit to pass the lips of the ruler, but it was the only liquid available. 

So Shen Nung, being a resourceful leader, ordered the water to be boiled. When it was sufficiently boiled, the water was again presented to the Emperor. At that moment, a leaf blew into the Emperor's cup, who took it as a sign, so he left the leaf in until it had steeped and tea--as a drink for royals --was born.

Some teas were just for the royal court and White Tea was given as tribute to the Emperor himself. It was the tea used for the original (and now famous) Japaneses Tea Ceremony. Love of this particular tea grew and by 1885, tea plants were cultivated (and grafted) to specifically develop White Tea.

But the Chinese couldn't keep this wonder plant to themselves forever. Recently the benefits of White Tea have become known in the West, where it was discovered that the tea not only offered health benefits when drunk (it is full of antioxidants and may lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and even prevent cancer) but was an amazing addition to beauty products as well.

At Believe, we carry a line from Scruples called the White Tea Luxury Collection including:

Sulfate Free | Restorative Shampoo

Sulfate free, fade resistant formula

Restores and nourishes hair leaving it silky, shiny and soft

Gently cleanses while preserving salon hair color and texture services

Protects and tames hair

Use as a body wash for luxuriously soft skin

and...

Soothing Daily Conditioner

Tames, detangles, smoothes, seals and improves hair's integrity

Extends the life of your hair color and texture investment

Weightless formula for daily use

Enriched with nourishing botanicals and vitamins

Leaves hair unbelievably silky and shiny

We are happy to order the other fabulous products in the White Tea Luxury Collection like Restorative Conditioner, Magical Serum, Medium Hold Gel, Leave-In Miracle Foam Conditioner,
Satin Paste, Velvet Molding Gloss and Embrace Luxury Hold Hair Spray if you absolutlely fall in love with the line (and we think you just might.)

What is so special about the White Tea line from Scruples?

• Acts as a moisturizing lotion for hair, adding radiance, shine and condition.
• Contains sunscreen to help prevent hair color from fading.
• Provides thermal protection from heated styling tools.
• Creates unbelievable body and manageability.
• Makes a great styling cocktail when combined with any Scruples styling product for added conditioning.
• Remarkable perm pre-wrap to protect and condition.
• Add to hair color and lighteners for extra moisture and scalp protection.
• For a porosity equalizer, apply to hair prior to refreshing the ends with hair color.

So don't the salt and sun of Summer wreck havoc with your hair. Treat yourself like royalty with Scruples White Tea Luxury Collection. Come in and try this fabulous line of products at Believe.

(Psssst: Hurry in. The Scruples products are on-sale right now!)

Believe's New Year's Resolutions Suggestions For You

It's that time of year again when we all reflect on the year past and vow to make a few changes to make the new year upcoming better than the last. In that spirit, we at Believe, offer a few resolutions for you to ponder:

Volunteer: Give away your time, your money, your creativity. Go read at a nursing home; work at a soup kitchen; collect your neighbors cast-off clothes and drive them to the drop-off bin; take an elderly neighbor to a doctor's appointment; give some seeds from what you've grown to the community garden (and donate the extra food to a nearby homeless shelter); send money to Covenant House,The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee or the Remote Area Medical to get annual healthcare clinics to rural areas. By giving, you'll have more to give. Or keep your charity within our community. At Believe, we contribute to many local charities and we are better people for it. Check this blog throughout the year for the neighborhood benefits and causes to which we contribute--we'll be happy to pass your donation along.

Sing More: Out loud and not just in the shower. Serenade your baby or grandkid or just sing in your car. Don't know the lyrics? There's an app for that. Download SoundHound (for free)--then just point it at any radio, stereo, or Muzak and it will identify both the song and the lyrics. Dance, too (alone or with your dog). It will lift your spirits.

Get A Flu Shot: Year after year we keeping meaning to get a flu shot, but the season is over by the time we actually get to it. Change this tardy habit in 2011. Check with your doctor if it is safe to get one (most doctors say even pregnant women should) and then go...better still, drive an elderly neighbor or two.

Commit To A Skin Care Routine: Don't just slapon some moisturizer when you think of it, but exfoliate twice a week (three times if you've got oily skin), moisturize faithfully twice a day (all over your body, too) and schedule a facial twice a month. Your skin will thank you.

Age Gracefully, Not Fearfully: This year, try really accepting yourself. Change what you must (you're not still smoking now are you? Lip lines are the best thing you can expect from that!) and love the rest. Well-tended silver hair looks stunning on some women (try our clarifying shampoo to take out yellow tones); Cougars really do look a bit pathetic (you lived your life when you were younger, now live it even better now that your are older), and that little extra padding around your hips might actually help protect you during a fall. We can help you lessen lines and wrinkles, but be proud of every one you have. They are badges of honor for havingreally lived.

Stop Dyeing Your Own Hair: Visit a master colorist (like Believe's owner, Lisa) and get the shade that really suits you best (go lighter as you get older--the shades are less harsh.)

Wear Sunscreen Every Day: Winter and summer. Nothing protects your skin from cancer better and Believe has the best moisturizers (organic goat's milk Zum Lotion), shea butter organic lip protection and makeup, Giella Custom-Blended Mineral Makeup for keeping safe and beautiful.

Clean out your makeup drawer: No more lipsticks over three months old and mascara, eye shadow, and eye liner should be pitched every month--they are breeding grounds for bacteria and change shades on your when they are old. Make an appointment with our artist, Sam, who will custom blend makeup (and whip up the perfect color lipstick) just for you.

Schedule A Skin Cancer Screening: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer and, according to the American Cancer Society(ACS), it makes up more than half of all diagnosed cases each year. Early detection can save lives, but most of us don't know our risk level, and too few of us have had a head-to-toe skin check check. Visit your dermatologist and book appointments for the next two years to make sure you'll be around for many more new years.

Change Your Hairstyle: Even your head can get bored with the same look day after day. Get your hair cut shorter; try the new asymmetrical cuts; or see how you'd look with a longer do by trying our SoCap 100% human hair extensions (we even do fun colored extensions just for the heck of it.) As the French have taught us, interesting women are always a bit unexpected.

Try A New Exercise Regime: Include Zumba or some dance class (how about pole dancing?) to keep things fresh and interesting. Or join a gym with a pool and learn different swim techniques (and include scuba certification to make that next trip to the Caribbean truly special.)

Vow To Treat Yourself Better: (Ditto for everyone around you, too.) Take a breath and count to 10 before you say anything when you are angry (or, as Thomas Jefferson said, if you are really mad, count to 100). Tell the people you love that you love them (they really aren't mind readers.) Walk a mile in someone else's shoes and be kind (especially to the elderly--you'll be there soon enough.) De-stress with a massage at least once a month (more if you've the time and money.) Smile as often as you can--even to people you don't get along with (they'll either wonder what you've got up your sleeve or smile back, improving the atmosphere for all.)

Be More Positive: Times have been tough the last year for many in our country, but keep your spirits up and try and have faith. Rid your life of negativity--root it out of your language (substitute "I can" for "I can't"), get rid of the negative people around you (gossipy, nasty people may sound interesting, but they really only spread poison), resign from situations that bring you down (that book club you hate, that commitment you made that now feels like a prison, or that job you dread every day.) Make a decision that 2011 will be a much better year and watch--it really will be a better year...one we hope is full of blessings and joy for all of you.

We'll be open Christmas Eve and work as late as possible on New Year's Eve--but call soon for your pre-party appointment. Our open slots are filling fast.) And please make it one of your resolutions to come see us-often-in the New Year.

Here's to many blessings for us all in 2011.