The Birdy Blog

Unraveling the mysteries of skin care and life in general

You Should Know

What every bride-to-be should know about skin care

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What you need to know to glow: Skin care DON’TS for the bride:

  • Don’t do any professional facials or treatments within 10 days of your wedding.
  • Don’t do any NEW facials or treatments within 3 weeks of the big day. If you’ve never done it before you don’t know how your skin will react.
  • Don’t wing it. Establish a skin care routine and follow it. It’s worth it.

Skin care DO’s for the bride: Start here:

  • Establish your skin care routines for 3-6 months before the ceremony if you’re not already committed to a skin care regimen.
  • Start with a professional facial. Tell your esthetician that you’re getting married and consult with them about a routine for your skin type.

Bridal skin care nutrition and diet:

  • Watch what you eat. Keep sugar and alcohol at a minimum. These are big culprits when it comes to swelling and tone of your skin. Puffy Bride? No bueno.
  • Eat your antioxidants! Work these into your diet as soon as possible and eat them everyday. Smoothies are a great way to get them into your diet and will help control your weight at the same time if you replace one meal for one smoothie.
  • Regular exercise is great for your skin.
  • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

About your 3-6 month pre-wedding skin care routine:

Tanning and grooming:

  • If you want to be tan, fake it but go light. Go for the sun-kissed look. Go ahead and get a professional spray-on but if you decide to do it yourself make sure you use a product you’re familiar with. Do a “tan” trial run so you know what you’re getting and make sure to use an all-over body scrub before applying. Orange streaks and splotchy tan, again, no bueno.
  • Get your eyebrows done 5-10 days before the event.
  • Get your hair trimmed and colored 2-3 weeks before the event. And I would counsel against making any drastic changes.

A few words about hair and makeup:

  • Do a hair and makeup run through. Let your natural glow be the star and use minimal makeup. Drag queen look? Really no bueno..
  • Make sure your makeup makes you feel beautiful.
  • Consider these factors before you commit to a look: season, temperature, time of day, indoor vs. outdoor.
  • Google “makeup tips for brides” to get a ton of great information.

Make sure to have a plan for your skin. If you have that natural and bridal glow, you won’t need much makeup to shine. But most importantly you want to feel great about yourself while you’re being celebrated by your family and friends. THAT is mui bueno.]]>

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Birdy's Famous 30-Minute Miracle Facial for glowing skin

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Because looking your best is not optional. Whether you’re hosting or attending a big event you’re probably a busy person. While I recommend getting a professional facial at least twice a year (once a month is ideal) sometimes this may not always be affordable or doable time-wise. You can keep your skin clean, glowing and maintain your pores by performing this 30-minute facial every week. Like most health-related issues you’ll get better results spending a little time once a week than trying extensive and extreme treatments less often. Important details:

  • If you do facials regularly you can do this facial up to 5 days before your big event.
  • If you don’t do facials on a regular basis, don’t do this one within a week of your big event.
  • If you have sensitive skin try a patch test first.
  • Trying any new facial regimen can cause your skin to break out. Although this means it’s working, it’s one of the reasons you don’t want to perform it too close to your event.

The 30 Minute Miracle Facial details:

  • Always clean your face before applying a masque.
  • In a small bowl or dish take some Blue Clay Masque about the size of a quarter. Add two spritzes of Hydrating Mist and/or a dime-sized dollop of Hydrating Lotion Jelly. You want it wet enough so it doesn’t hold its shape but is smooth and liquid.
  • Mix together and apply a thin transluscent layer to your clean face. If the masque is too thick and opaque it won’t be as effective at pulling oil from your skin.
  • Leave on for 15-30 minutes, then rinse.
  • Use a cotton ball and apply some Detoxifying Toner then finish with Anti-Aging Serum.

About Birdy Blue Clay Masque:

  • Because you add liquid to this clay masque there are hundreds of variations to try. Use yogurt, banana, avocado or egg yolk for sensitive or dry skin. Add egg white, toner or lemon for oily and combination skin types.
  • If that’s too overwhelming just try water, which is great for all skin types.
  • Clay masques can be too harsh for some skin types although Birdy’s Blue Clay Masque is different because it includes MSM to smooth, soothe, repair and balance your skin. It works to reduce wrinkles, repair stretch marks and scar tissue and can help people with acne and psoriasis. Our masque also contains honey which helps your skin retain moisture and elasticity.
  • Birdy’s Blue Clay Masque is 100% natural with no preservatives.

Now go get your “glow” on and get ready for your close-up! ]]>

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Follow Birdy Botanicals on Bloglovin for Skin Care Tips, Tricks, Information and Sass

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Bloglovin is a great site to organize the blogs you like to follow. They alert you with new posts and give you a daily update in 1 email of all your favorites. Check them out and follow Birdy Botanicals to get tips and tricks, DIY beauty, ingredient information etc. We’ve got lots of tricks up our sleeves and we love to share! Follow my blog with Bloglovin Also, if you’d like to sign up for Birdy Botanicals email newsletter for access to blog info, current events and most of all DISCOUNTS! You’ll receive 25% off your first order. Can’t beat dat. See you round the block!]]>

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Natural Skincare: Routines and Tips for Oily Complexions

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oily-skin-type-600 If you’ve got oily skin, consider yourself lucky. I know large pores are a pain in the arse to maintain but since your skin naturally creates its own moisture, you’ll look younger for longer. Now doesn’t that change your whole outlook on having an oily skin type? Cleansing

  • Always use a super gentle cleanser.
  • Avoid sulfates (any ingredient ending in “sulfate”). Sulfates are harsh and increase lather production.
  • Look for these ingredients in a gentle cleanser: ones that end in “betaine” or “sulfosuccinate.” Don’t worry about pronouncing it.
  • Wash twice per day but no more.
  • Invest in a gentle toner.
  • Avoid astringents as they can be too harsh and aggravating.
Moisturize
  • It’s ok, you can put oil on your face. It’s a myth that oily complexions should use nothing but oil-free products. All complexions need oil. And all oils will build up in your pores to a certain extent but you can easily keep them clear with by applying good masque weekly and exfoliating.
  • Choose a serum for use during the day and at night.
  • Use a moisturizer for your night routine.
Sunscreen
  • Wear sunscreen everyday. This is non-negotiable.
  • If you wear makeup, try getting your sunscreen with a tinted moisturizer or foundation. BB creams are a multiple use product (Birdy’s a big fan of multiple uses!) A makeup professional at Sephora suggested SmashBox BB cream for oily skin types as it helps control oil production.
Maintain your pores
  • Use a clay masque once a week and exfoliate 2-3 times per week. This is crucial for an oily skin type and to maintain overall skin health.

Skin care routines for oily skin

  Every Day Cleanse, use toner, apply serum and sunscreen. Nightly Cleanse, use toner, apply serum and a light moisturizer. Weekly Use a clay masque. Two to three times weekly Exfoliate in lieu of normal cleansing, use toner, apply serum and moisturizer.

Important tips for managing oily skin

  • I know I’ve already said it but this is key for an oily skin type—find a good gentle clay masque and use it once a week. This and exfoliation are the best ways to minimize your pores.
  • Exfoliate two or three times per week. But, also keep in mind that overdoing this will not benefit your skin in the long run, but instead age your skin faster. Pick two days of the week. I exfoliate on Tuesday and Fridays. Add a third day if you think your skin can handle it, but no more.
  • When you have an oily skin type, it can be tempting to over-cleanse. Treat your face gently and use gentle products. Cleansing too often will strip your face of its natural oils and cause your pores to produce too much oil.
  • Get a facial a few times per year, minimum. Your esthetician will tell you if your routine is working and can help you deep-clean your pores.
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Bike to Work Without Becoming a Hot Mess: Tips on How to Stay Cute on Your Two-Wheeled Commute

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Bike to work day for the San Francisco Bay Area is Thursday, May 9th. Over 1 million people in the Bay Area live within 5 miles of their work. For a lot of people the logistics of biking to work get in the way of what should be a really good idea. How do you balance getting all sweaty with the fact that you need to make yourself presentable? My husband is a bike commuter as well as some of my customers. I’ve gotten some tips and hints from my bike peeps to help solve this dilemma. Because being smelly and unkempt at work is pretty much a deal breaker. Reasons to bike to work

  • It’s great for the environment by saving on fossil fuel.
  • Creates less air pollution. Clears traffic.
  • Saves you money on gas.
  • It’s darn good for you.
  • Clears your head, wakes you up and improves your functionality and mood.
  • Makes your butt look fly.

What’s not to love? Bike to work problems to overcome

  • Helmet head
  • Sweat and overheating
  • Odor prevention
  • Changing clothes and wrinkles
  • Time
  • Weather
  • Safety

How to overcome bike-to-work challenges Sweat and overheating After my research and consulting my bikers it seems the consensus is to allow yourself to cool down before you change your clothes. This will prevent any excess perspiration from clinging to you. It takes several hours for sweat to turn to odor so if you freshen up properly this shouldn’t be an issue. See below how some of my customers freshen up after their bike ride. Helmet head If you can’t wear your hair short then invest in or make a dry shampoo. This will soak up any excess oil and allow you to rebrush and freshen up your hair. For the gals: Consider an updo on occasion and buy some hair pins and accessories to give you some options. We know hair can be moody. My favorite hairclip is a Ficcare. It’s $40 but it holds even the most fine and thin hair (talking from experience). It’s one of the best $40 I’ve ever spent for a hair accessory. Changing clothes If you are lucky enough to have a place to stash some clothes you can roll some shirts at the first of the week and hang them to use throughout the week. If you can’t stash your clothes then roll any button-downs and shake them out as soon as you arrive. In some cases you can also adjust your wardrobe to suit your work environment and your new routines simultaneously. In some cases you may change only your top and wear the bottom on the bike. And, in some cases you’ll have to change from bike wear to work wear. How you pull this off depends on your work environment and what kind of space you have to work with when you get to the office. It may take some time and trial and error but you can make it work. Time

  • You may have to get up slightly earlier to get organized but the time you save on commuting is negligible if you’re traveling under 5 miles.
  • You’ll be saving time by exercising while you bike to work.
  • You’ll get a lot more energy by biking to work then you would sleeping in a few minutes longer.

Weather Ride when weather permits. There’s no need to make this difficult. Rain and nasty weather make bike commuting a lot more complicated. Safety There are some fantastic bike groups and clubs that can help make this a snap. They have classes on bike safety, can suggest the best bike routes in your neighborhood and offer lots of great information on bike culture and what gear you need for the utmost safety and legality. Make sure you have the proper safety gear and lights to make you as visible to traffic as possible. Check out these online resources: San Francisco Bike Coalition You Can Bike There Birdy customers speak about some tips and products to help your bike commuting work. To help you keep fresh after a bike ride you need some crucial types of products to help you make this easy and doable.

  • All bikers should apply deodorant before and after a ride.

What Karissa S. does: Before ride

After ride

What David P. does: Before ride

After ride

Additional items David has on hand

I realize that biking to work may not be ideal in every case and situation but if you can make this work the benefits far outweigh the difficulties. And since it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday, always follow your mom’s advice and “Wear a helmet, dammit.” :)]]>

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Earth Day 2013 is here! Do you know your Carbon Footprint Score?

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It's Earth Day 2013! Do you know your Carbon Footprint score?Earth Day is on April 22nd and I got to thinking about my carbon footprint. I realized I don’t even know what my carbon footprint is. I googled and found a nifty carbon footprint calculator from the Nature Conservancy. The calculator measures greenhouse gas emissions by estimating how many tons of carbon dioxide my household creates every year according to my habits. I plugged in my info, exerted some “yeahs,” “gasps” “oops!” It was an eyeopener! It included habits I had no idea contributed to greenhouse gases. It’s helped me realize what more I can do to help the environment and reinvigorate my efforts. As I am very concerned about the environment and my impact on it I strive to keep my carbon footprint small. What I do to reduce my greenhouse emissions at work and at home:

  • I use earth-friendly labels that will break down instead of stick around.
  • I use recyclable containers. I eschew any unnecessary packaging.
  • I reuse shipping boxes and recycle shipping peanuts.
  • I never print out anything from the computer unless absolutely necessary.
  • I use my car only when absolutely necessary.
  • I use the power of my feet to do daily and weekly banking etc.
  • I have changed all my lightbulbs to energy efficient light bulbs.
  • I recycle and compost.
  • I reuse and wash all Ziploc bags.
  • I by biodegradable garbage bags.
  • I use only reusable shopping bags for my purchases.
Things I want to do better:
  • Use my car less. I got a bike!
  • I really struggle with the paper towel thing. I don’t have a washer/dryer where I live so it’s tough to deal with reusable rags. If anyone has suggestions on how to change this I would love to hear them!
  • My appliances are getting old and I would like to replace them with more energy efficient ones.
What do you do to reduce your carbon footprint and what can you commit to this year to make it even better?! Birdy loves Earth Day. Being a bird, she is very susceptible to the delicate balance of the environment and likes to celebrate Earth Day like it’s her birthday. So, happy bEARTHday!]]>

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Clueless about Skincare Labels? Hashing out natural oils in your skincare products.

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I know things about stuff. What’s the purpose of natural oils in your skincare and how do your know if they’re working for you? The list is endless..jojoba, sunflower, almond, lions and tigers and bears, OMG! Reading your skincare labels can be intimidating and confusing. It’s not rocket science, but it seems like a person needs multiple chemistry degrees to understand this stuff. Today we’re focusing on some basics to look for in your skincare. Oils soften, soothe and lubricate the skin as well as protect it from the elements. They are excellent at forming a seal and not allowing the natural moisture of the skin to evaporate. Different oils are appropriate for different uses. The skinny on the fat:

  • Plant derived oils penetrate and are absorbed by the skin.
  • They also help to lubricate and retain moisture by forming a seal on the skin preventing the evaporation of your natural moisture.
  • Natural oils are from seeds, nuts and vegetable sources.
  • Oils are a must for every skin type including oily.

Some types of oils you may see in your products:

    • These are some you might see higher up on your ingredient list. Sunflower, safflower, olive, almond, apricot and grapeseed oils. These oils are liquid and all have nourishing properties for the skin as well help carry the other ingredients to penetrate the skin.
    • Most of these common plant derived oils have similar qualities and can be used interchangeably.
    • Coconut oil is hard at room temperature but has similar properties as the liquid varieties. It’s also a good substitute for mineral oil.
    • Jojoba oil is actually a liquid wax and most like sebum (an oily secretion your skin produces to keep skin moisturized.) Jojoba is always an excellent choice for all skin types and it absorbs readily into the skin without greasiness and does not turn rancid as quickly as some of the other natural oils. But, there is a world-wide shortage of jojoba so prices have increased dramatically over the last couple years.
    • A variety of other oils are added in smaller amounts for their rich benefits like anti-aging, skin cell repair etc. You may see oils listed like avocado, cranberry, primrose, borage seed and carrot.
    • Mineral oil is a petroleum based product. It does not penetrate the skin but covers it and does not permit the skin to lose moisture, therefore “moisturizing” the skin. It is not a “green” product but can be excellent for dry skin as well as skin in need of repair from extreme weather or recovering from exfoliation. Use coconut oil if you prefer to avoid petroleum based ingredients

Oils for different skin types.

Oily skin: Look for rosehip, jojoba, castor or hazelnut for any oil based product like cleansing oil. For lotions and creams you can use any plant derived oils but I would skip the mineral oil. All oils will clog you pores to some extent but you can combat this by investing in a good clay masque and use it once per week. Normal or combination skin: Use any plant derived oil for your skin care and use clay masque on any problem areas for pore maintenance. Dry or chapped skin: Look for avocado, almond, jojoba, coconut or mineral oil. Use liberally. Sensitive skin: Sensitive skin is a gigantic category so always use a patch test with any new product and build up use when first applying to skin. It all depends on what you’re “sensitive” to. Look for Wheatgerm, sesame, apricot kernel, carrot or avocado. You can also use oils from the more common list like sunflower and olive oil. Mature skin: Look for primrose, avocado, jojoba, carrot, coconut, apricot and borage oils. Choices for oils in your skincare from natural sources are plentiful. Oils are chosen for their price, shelf-life, therapeutic value or “sex” appeal on a label. The ones listed above are some of the most common but most of all the naturally derived oils are all good lubricators and carriers for more performance based ingredients and help them to be absorbed into the skin.]]>

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Step out of your winter coat and spruce up for spring

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11 Spring Grooming Tips for Men & Women Bye bye winter! Spring is in full swing! Beauty tips for men and women to tidy up for the season. My allergies are telling me it’s spring. It’s time to get out there and start living life again. Curse the pasty pallor of my skin, I want to breath fresh air again! AAAchoo! Can’t win ’em all…. But I can look good while I sneeze. Since spring is here lets uncover and take inventory of some things to spruce up while we transition through the season. While uncovering your parts from their winter coats there’s a few maintenance tasks that need attending to and are important not to neglect. Here’s a short list to help with the transition: For the Gals:

  • Shape up the eyebrow.
  • If you want to be tan, fake it.
  • Make sure you have moisturizer and sunscreen. It’s your best anti-aging friend.
  • Exfoliate your body with a store bought or homemade scrub and then moisturizer liberally.
  • Get yourself a new lip stick- Poppy red seems to keep popping up but there’s a shade of red out there for all of us! And the pinks are super bold and bright. Ask a makeup artist at your local department store to help you match a color with your skin tone. You may pay a couple bucks extra for a brand name but it is so worth it! Or ask for a sample and match it to one at a drug store.
  • Pay attention to your feet. Spruce them up yourself or get a professional pedicure. Nail color trend- InStyle magazine suggests nude fingers and neon toes.
For the Boys: Now you’re fresh. Get on with your bad self.]]>

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Spring into flip flop ready feet

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sprint into flip flop ready feet. A DIY home spa day for the hardest working part of your body- Birdy Botanicals Tips for a DIY home spa day to get your feet ready for their debut. You’ve heard the expression “Agony of da feet?” Ok, I made that up, but we torture our poor feet everyday by cramming them into pointy shoes, letting them crack from pure neglect or just plain ignoring them. Give them the day off and take ’em to a spa day…at home. Here’s what you’ll need to get flip flop ready:

  • 3 Tablespoons of Epsom salts per gallon of water.
  • Warm water about as hot as your skin will stand.
  • Pumice stone and an emery board. Vitamin E oil or an intense balm.
  • Add Epsom salts to warm water and soak until water cools or rough skin starts to soften 20-30 minutes.
Other items you can add to your foot soak:
  • Tea bags (black or green)
  • honey
  • olive oil
  • coffee
  • lemon juice
Now the details:
  • After soaking, scrub the bottom of your feet with pumice until all dead skin is gone.
  • Dry feet thoroughly and then shape and file toe nails with emery board.
  • Slather with an intense balm, vitamin E oil or vaseline.
  • Immediately slip into some socks and wear them all night.
  • To maintain your makeover be sure to moisturize your feet several times a week.
The worst thing we can do to our feet is ignore them. We have more nerve endings and sweat glands in our feet than anywhere else in our bodies. Be kind to them and they will service you well.]]>

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Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Anti-Aging Questions!

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Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Anti-Aging

When, where, why and the skinny on some ingredients and products

There are a of couple questions I get asked over and over again about anti-aging. The subject of wrinkles is stressful enough to give the average person anxiety. The extent some people go to look younger can be downright scary. Besides that, trying out the latest Anti-aging fad can cost you an arm and a leg. Sound familiar?

Here’s what you want to know:

Question: “When do I start using anti-aging products?” Answer: Like, yesterday. It’s about “anti” aging. The goal is to not lose the elasticity and collagen in your skin. It’s easier to prevent lines from settling in then it is to take them away once they appear. With that said, it doesn’t mean you can’t reverse things a little if you already are experiencing signs of maturing skin. You can also improve texture and tone which will make a huge difference on the quality of your skin.
Ingredients like Vitamin C and antioxidants will help fight off effects from the environment and over exposure to the sun. Essential oils can help tone, balance and improve texture of the skin and also reverse fine lines that have set in. Exfoliants remove dead skin cells and allow new ones to grow.
If you’re over 18, you’re old enough to start using anti-aging products. Question: “How do I use them?” Answer: Anti-aging products can be delivered in cleansers, serums and moisturizers.
  • For cleansers, don’t use them more than once a day.
  • If you’re using a Serum, apply it before moisturizer.
  • If you’re anti-ager comes in the form of a moisturizer, this is the last thing you would apply before sunscreen.
Question: “How often do I use them?” Answer: Twice a day- If your using a serum or moisturizer. Apply in the morning and at night before you go to bed.
  • Use the same product for both day and night
  • OR, if you want to get the benefit of different antioxidants in different formulas then you can use one product during the day and a different product at night. BUT!, beware of super-active ingredients like glycolic acid, retionol and Alpha Hydroxy Acids. These are great ingredients but they don’t always mix and too much of a good thing is not always a good thing.
Question: “What’s different about Birdy Botanicals anti-aging products compared to other brands?” Answer: My goal with anti-aging was to deliver important ingredients that improve your skin’s texture and tone while reducing fine lines in the process. I combined serious antioxidants and essential oils into products that can be used by all skin types, including sensitive skin. Just because it’s a serious product doesn’t mean it has to hurt. I’ve included one of my favorite ingredients, DMAE.
  • DMAE helps improve skin elasticity.
  • Reduces fine lines and sagging for the day to give a more chiseled appearance.
  • Most importantly, I think of DMAE as botox in a bottle. Because it reduces lines and sagging for the day you are keeping those wrinkles from forming and not allowing them to settle in. It’s a super gentle ingredient with a major “Wow” factor. With continued use you can help stop wrinkles in their tracks!
  • It’s an ingredient you can afford.
In my business wrinkles scare the bejesus out of me. The condition of my skin is the first thing people judge about me considering I have a skin care line. But, I don’t want to look like Joan Rivers when I get to her age either. I think we need a little happy medium and perspective. Unless your willing to deal with syringes and/or go under the knife you can get a lot of mileage and real, true beauty by taking care of yourself and using some really great products. Spinach may not give us biceps like Popeye but it can definitely make us prettier! Remember, sunscreen is your best friend when it comes to anti-aging and preventing the degradation of collagen in your skin. Eat a diverse diet and get plenty of exercise. Basically it’s all that crap they’ve been telling us all these years. ]]>

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