Wildcrafted Cottage – Kurrajong Now Open

Wildcrafted Herbal Products Pty Ltd. has opened its first retail store, in Kurrajong Village, NSW, where its full range of natural skin care products is now available and on display.

Wildcrafted Cottage – Kurrajong, is the brand new retail outlet for Wildcrafted’s full range of skin, body and personal care products. “We wanted to make all our products available in one place so customers could come into our shop, sample the products, and ask questions directly from the people who make them,” said Danny Siegenthaler.

“So far our brand, Wildcrafted Herbal Products, has been primarily available via our website and to patients that come to our Clinic, but there was no specialised outlet where people could go to experience, smell, touch and try the products. Now with the opening of Wildcrafted Cottage, not only can people come and test our natural skin care products, but they can also sample our full range of personal care, hair care, Aromatherapy spa-blends and Therapeutic creams,” said Susan Siegenthaler.

The formulations of all the products throughout the entire range of Wildcrafted Herbal Products are based on the principles of herbal medicine. Susan, a renowned medical herbalist, formulated each of the products to maximise their safety and effectiveness.

Wildcrafted’s range of natural skin care products, as well as all the other products, only contain 100% natural and certified organic ingredients to ensure the highest quality, effectiveness and purity of every product.

“Over the last 25 years we’ve fine-tuned our formulations to be as safe and effective as possible”, said Susan. “My aim has always been not to just make another range of natural skin care products, but a range of products that are of therapeutic potency and effectiveness”, she said.

Wildcrafted Cottage opened its doors in October 2009 and is located in Kurrajong Village, northwest of Sydney in the lower Blue Mountains. Kurrajong is surrounded by natural bush land and is a picturesque, small Village, making it an ideal choice for the first of Wildcrafted’s retail stores.

The whole range including the latest line of anti-ageing products are now on display at Wildcrafted Cottage – Kurrajong.

Organic Skin Care Products – Your Health Is Worth It

Natural and organic skin care products are increasing in popularity. Why? Because consumers are becoming aware of the potentially harmful ingredients that some skin care manufacturers are putting into ordinary skin care products.

Consumers are becoming aware of the many benefits natural and organic skin care products offer, not the least of which is that they actually work.

Would you prefer ingredients that are not man-made, have a proven safety record, are effective and not likely to cause any health problems? Or would you prefer products that contain temporarily effective ingredients that mask, conceal or cover up problems and may actually cause you health problems? No, of course not.

You are looking for natural and organic skin care products because you know that these types of products are better for your skin, better for your body’s health and better quality all-round. They are full of natural nutrients, minerals, trace elements and vitamins that no synthetic product could possibly match.

Good quality natural and organic skin care products contain safe, highly effective and nutrient rich ingredients that your skin and body will love and can effectively work with. This is important, because many man-made, or synthetic chemicals are difficult for our bodies to utilise and eventually eliminate. This is where some of these chemicals become potentially harmful or toxic.

By using organic and natural skin care products you are eliminating this risk and are substituting it with many benefits instead. The advantages to your body, skin, and general health are almost countless.

Just consider the ingredients in a well known plant such as Lavender ⁽¹⁾:

alpha-Pinene, Camphene, alpha-Pinene, Sabinene, Myrcene, alpha-Terpinene, Limonene, alpha-Terpinene, p-Cymene, Terminolene.

Hydrocarbon monoterpenes: Cineol, Sabinene hydrate, Camphor, Linalool, Lavandulyl acetate, Myrtenal, Cis-verbenol, Trans-pinocarveol, Lavandulol, alpha-Terpineol, Borneol, Geranyl acetate, Myrtenol, Geraniol.

Oxygenated monoterpenes: Trans-caryophyllene, Caryophyllene oxide.

Sesquiterpenes: Methylbutyric acid hexil ester, 1-Octen-3-ol.

A synthetic chemical trying to copy Lavender’s complex constituents is just not in the race and may well end up being potentially harmful to your health – so why risk it?

Natural and organic skin and personal care products are simply a safer, more effective choice for your skin and body care.

So what are you waiting for, order your natural and organic skin care products now.

Reference for Constituents of Lavender

1. An investigation and comparison of the bioactivity of selected essential oils on human lice and house dust mites. Fitoterapia, Volume 78, Issues 7-8, December 2007, Pages 521-525

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Organic Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.

Take a look at their 100% natural skin care products for men.

© Wildcrafted Herbal Products 2009

Natural Skin Care for Men is More Important Than You Might Think

Generally, men do not take especially good care of their skin. Mostly they shave their stubbles off in the morning, apply some aftershave and that’s just about it.

Some take it a step further and apply a moisturiser or toning gel after completing their shaving routine, but very few realise that taking good care of their skin is much more important than that.

You see, the integrity of the skin is vitally important to prevent harmful substances and micro-organisms from penetrating through the natural barrier of the skin. Few men realise that the integrity of the skin is compromised by shaving. Shaving removes the natural barrier function of the skin and allows potentially harmful ingredients and micro-organisms to pass through the skin, while nicks and cuts open the pathway into the blood stream.

Even when using an electric shaver, the skin is inflicted with microscopic nicks and cuts (they don’t have to bleed), which compromises the integrity of the skin. The process of shaving removes not only the protective acid mantel of the skin, but in addition, shaving removes several of the most superficial skin layers including some living skin cell layers and this renders the skin vulnerable.

This vulnerability is not just limited to attack from micro-organisms either. Once the natural barrier of the skin has been compromised, molecules that would otherwise have been excluded are now able to penetrate the skin and enter into the deeper layers of the skin and potentially the bloodstream.

Natural skin care products for men that only contain safe, effective and 100% natural ingredients such as essential oils and herbal extracts will reduce this risk. Essential oils are known to have very powerful antiseptic effects, which help to keep micro-organisms from penetrating through the compromised skin and thus prevent infection and inflammation of the skin. Together with herbal extracts, these types of ingredients soothe, nourish and protect the skin and prevent bacteria and other micro-organisms, etc., from entering the deeper layers of the skin.

In addition, using only safe and natural ingredients insures that potentially toxic ingredients, commonly found in men’s skin care products, are not a threat – simply because they’re contained in the products.

One also has to be mindful of the fact that no matter what type of razor is used, a range of bacteria and other micro-organisms will always be present on the blade, even a brand new blade. It is therefore very easy to introduce these organisms into the bloodstream. In most cases, the body’s immune system will handle this quickly and effectively, but by adding dangerous chemicals, contained in most commercially available skincare and shaving products, into the equation the skin can be adversely affected.

We are seeing an increase in skin sensitivities being reported by men that on closer examination frequently turn out to be allergic reactions to ingredients in the skin care products they are using. We have seen that once they start using 100% natural skin care products and follow a systematic skin care approach, these sensitivities tend to become less and their skin generally becomes healthier.

Specifically formulated natural skin care products for men are not jet commonly available, however, it is worth the effort to identify such products in order to avoid causing unnecessary skin problems and potentially dangerous skin infections.

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.

Take a look at their 100% natural skin care products for men.

© Wildcrafted Herbal Products 2009

Natural Skin Care Regime for Ethnic Differences in Skin Characteristics

The world is a big place and there are many different cultures, Europeans, Scandinavians, Asians, Africans, Hispanics and many, many more. Each of these cultures tends to have certain characteristics such as eye colour, hair colour, skin colour, etc,. Inherent with cultural backgrounds is a difference in skin types. For example, western cultures such as the central and northern Europeans have a tendency to fair complexions, hair and eye colour, while southern Europeans dent to have darker hair, brown eyes and darker, olive skin tones.

Africans and African Americans, have very dark or almost black skin, usually dark or black hair and brown eyes. Genetically, this skin type is less susceptible to the UV rays, although their skin can still get burned.

Asians on the other hand have a yellowish skin tone and can have brown or blue eyes but have mostly dark or black hair. Yes, genetics does have its opinion on how we look. The cultural differences are reflected in the skin and the genetic factors play an important role in how well our skin looks, how ‘tough’ it is and how vulnerable it is to certain skin problems.

For example, cultures that have a tendency to body hair, also have a tendency to oily skin and therefore have a potential problem with blocked secretory glands resulting in pimples and other skin problems. On the other hand, the Irish, who have a tendency to red hair and very fair skin, have less of a problem with oily skin, but they do tend to get burned easily and thus stand a greater risk to skin cancers. Similarly the Scandinavians and other central and northern Europeans and Americans.

Below are some generalised characteristics of various skin types from different cultural backgrounds:

Skin Characteristics of people with Anglo-Saxon origins

• Fair, dry thin-skinned
• Scars heal well
• Signs of aging appear earlier
• Burn easily in the sun
• Bruising more obvious
• Increased chance of skin cancer

Skin Characteristics of people with Southern Mediterranean origins

• Oily, olive dark complexion
• Signs of aging appear later
• Cartilage tends to droop
• Darker, thicker scars more common
• Wrinkles appear later and in more localized areas
• Skin cancer is rare

Skin Characteristics of people with Northern European origins / German and Scandinavian

• Fair, blue-eyed, blonde
• Thin skin
• Scars heal well
• Signs of aging appear early
• Bruising more obvious
• Greater chance of skin cancer

Skin Characteristics of people with African/African-American origins

• Signs of aging appear very late
• Very little fine wrinkling
• Formation of keloids is possible
• Pigmentation changes may occur
• Thicker cartilage hard to change
• Skin cancers are very rare

Skin Characteristics of people with Northern European/Irish and northern England

• Ruddy freckled complexion
• Red hair
• Scars usually thin
• Signs of aging appear later
• Bruises easily
• Pigmentation problems
• Skin cancers are most common in this type

Skin Characteristics of people with Asian origins

• Signs of aging appear late
• Fine wrinkling does not usually occur
• Pigmentation changes may occur
• Skin cancers are very rare

Skin Characteristics of people with Southern European origins

• Dark, oily brunette complexion
• Signs of aging appear later
• Fine wrinkling less common
• Bruising lasts longer
• Scars may be thicker and darker
• Skin cancers are less common

Identifying the correct, natural skin care system for your skin’s characteristics is essential and may need to be adjusted depending on your specific genetic influences, as within each of these groups, there is a wide range in skin tones, which tend to overlap from group to group.

Each of the different categories of skin characteristics has various advantages and disadvantages specific to that group. However, the overall structures and functions of our skin are very similar and are therefore cared for in very similar ways. Knowing your skin’s particular strengths and weaknesses, you can tailor your skin care approach to your particular skin-characteristics.

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.

Subscribe to their Natural Skin Care Newsletter and receive a free eBook providing hints & tips on how to look after your skin

© Wildcrafted Herbal Products 2009

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): a powerful herb growing in many gardens

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) a Powerful Herb Growing in Many Gardens

Thyme is one of the most well known culinary herbs and is commonly grown in herb gardens. It is a small perennial plant native to Europe and Asia, but has been adopted the World over. Thyme is an aromatic shrub with a gnarled woody stem that grows to 30 cm tall. Its leaves are opposite and green-gray in colour. It is a member of the Laminaceae (Labiatae) family. It’s essential oil is extracted from the leaves and flowering tops by steam distillation.

Thyme is known by many names including: Thyme, common thyme, garden thyme, common garden thyme, mother of thyme, and others.

Constituents:

The essential oils of thyme are grouped into three main types: thyme oil, which contains 42 to 60% phenols and is mainly thymol; origanum oil, which contains 63 to 74% phenols and is mainly carvacrol; and lemon thyme oil, which contains citral. Essential oils are extracted by steam distillation. Thyme oil has thymol, terpinen-4-ol, carvacrol, p-cymene, -pinene, camphene, -pinene, myrcene, 1,8-cineole, -terpinene, d-linalool and other compounds. Thyme oil is divided into two types, a red, unrectified oil and a white, rectified oil. The essential oil content of the dried plant material is between 2 to 5%.

Traditional Applications in Herbal Medicine:

In herbal medicine, herbalists traditionally consider Thyme as an anti-microbial, anthelmintic (expels parasitic worms (helminths) from the body), antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, emmenagogue (herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate menstruation), expectorant, resolvent (promotes the resolving and removing of abnormal growths, such as a tumour, swelling , etc.), rubefacient (agent which reddens skin, dilates the vessels, and increases blood supply locally), sedative, stimulant, and tonic. It is one of the herbs that has a large number of therapeutic properties and has both internal and external applications.

Thyme has been used as a folk medicine against asthma, arteriosclerosis, colic, bronchitis, coughs, diarrhoea, and rheumatism and is used to promote perspiration. With its high content of volatile oil, Thyme makes a good carminative for use in dyspepsia and sluggish digestion. This oil is also a strong antiseptic, therefore, it is used externally as a lotion for infected wounds, and internally for respiratory and digestive infections. It may be of use as a gargle in laryngitis and tonsillitis, easing sore throats and soothing irritable coughs. It is thus an excellent cough remedy, producing expectoration and reducing unnecessary spasm. It may be used in bronchitis, whooping cough and asthma.

As a gentle astringent it has found use in childhood diarrhoea and bed wetting.

Combinations: For asthmatic problems it will combine well with Lobelia and Ephedra, adding its anti-microbial effect. For whooping cough use it with Wild Cherry and Sundew.

Other indications include:

• Oil contains the antibacterial chemical thymol.
• Useful for all types of cough.
• For asthma (steam inhalation), chronic asthma, nervous cough, dry cough, hacking cough, whooping cough, infection of lung or bronchial tubes, and bronchitic asthma.
• Used for intestinal infections, intestinal worms, fungal growths, thrush and mouth fungi (mouthwash and gargle), wound cleanser, scrophulous skin condtions (lotion), liver diseases, indigestion, and as a skin disinfectant (washing wounds before dressing).
• The tea is used for colds, nervous conditions, colic, and headache
• The steam is inhaled from the infusion for congestion; often combined with marjoram and chamomile.
• Oil used in liniments for muscle pain.
• Used to combat itchiness.

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.

Subscribe to their Natural Skin Care Newsletter and receive a free eBook providing hints & tips on how to look after your skin

© Wildcrafted Herbal Products 2009

 

References

1. Grieve, M. (1977). A Modern Herbal, Peregrine Books, England.
2. Purdue University (hort): www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/factsheets/THYME.html Last accessed, 10/06/2009.
3. Stuart, M. (1979). The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing Limited, London.
4. Valnet, J. (1992). The Practice of Aromatherapy. The C.W. Daniel Company Ltd., Essex, England.

Cellulite – Here’s a natural solution to getting rid of cellulite

Cellulite is a major issue with many women of just about all ages. Whether you are a fit athlete or not, cellulite does not discriminate.

But, there is now a natural solution that has been specifically put together to help those who are trying to unsuccessfully fight their cellulite get the upper hand.

It’s a simple 3-step programme, which is easy to follow. No harmful chemicals are used in any of the products, on the contrary, only 100% natural & organic ingredients are included in the products, so you can use them safely and know that you’re not adding more toxins to your body.

Take a look at the Cellulite Kit now and start winning the war against your cellulite.

Natural Acne Remedies, Products & Information

Finally, here is some good quality information on natural acne remedies, herbal remedies, as well as articles written by qualified health care professionals

Natural & Herbal Acne Remedies.

This section deals primarily with two areas. The first looks at things you can do in your home to prepare home made acne remedies that will help you deal with outbreaks and persistent acne spots.

The second reviews Herbal Acne Remedies you can purchase in health food stores and have shown to be affective in most cases. These herbal acne remedies are natural products that do not contain pharmaceutical drugs, but are based on the principles of natural medicine.

Natural Acne Skin Care

The skin is a complex organ and needs your attention whether you suffer from acne or not. However, if you do have an acne problem, then using a natural acne skin care approach is vital. The less potentially harmful chemicals you use on your skin the better.

The Natural Acne Skin Care section will look at various steps you can take to naturally and safely help reduce the frequency and severity of acne outbreaks.

Home Made Acne Remedies

Home made acne remedies is intended to provide the reader with information they implement quickly and easily using ingredients found in most homes. Home made acne remedies is not intended to provide recipes to implement treatment, rather it is intended to provide information on cheap, safe and usually effective things you can do to relieve pain, inflammation and other symptoms associated with acne outbreaks.

Acne News & Articles

In this section, we publish news items and articles (not found in the scientific literature) that address the issue of acne. Here you will also find opinions from the owners of this website who have over 25 years of clinical experience in complementary medicine. Susan, a medical herbalist and medical aromatherapist has helped hundreds of people suffering from acne and other skin disorders. Danny, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has also over 2 decades of clinical experience and will look at how Chinese medicine deals with acne.

Acne Library

The Acne Library is a reference section where we publish articles, based on scientific studies, dealing with the issue of acne. In the Article Library you will find articles like Diet & Acne, a study that clearly demonstrates that diet does have an effect on acne. We’ve also included other authoritative sources that you can go to for even more information.

Herbal Acne Products

This is the section where you will find products that are based on the principles of herbal medicine and have been used in clinics throughout Australia by qualified natural therapists, Naturopaths, Herbalists, and other health care professionals. These products help to restore the pH balance and general health of the skin.

You can click on the titles for each of the paragraphs, which will take you to the described section.

Hints & Tips on Skin Health

This library contains a directory of articles written by Danny and Susan Siegenthaler who together have over 40 years of experience in the field on natural medicine. Danny is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and his wife Susan is a medical herbalist who has taught hundreds of student in medical aromatherapy and herbal medicine.

These articles draw on their years of clinical experience and provide the reader with high quality information about natural skin care and related topics.

In addition there are several Universities and medical references worth bookmaking. Many of them are great sources of authoritative information.

University of Maryland Medical Center.
UMM provides a great deal of quality information on dermatology. The information if well researched, backed by references from scientific sources and is written in mostly non-medical terminology. They also have a large authoritative section of information on herbal medicine.

Articles on Skin Care, Skin Problems and Solutions
Over 100 articles on all aspects of skin care, natural skin care products, natural approaches to treatment of skin disorders and much more.

Information on natural and organic skin care is very confusing to say the least. While we all know that we should avoid synthetic or artificial ingredients in our food and drinks, we are less well informed on the ingredients in our beauty and personal care products.

Merck Manual – Skin Disorders
The Merck Manual is a searchable, online reference text, that provides expert medical information.

Sun Damaged Skin: Avoiding skin damage from the Sun
The incidence of skin cancer is still rising even though there are warnings on TV and other media on a regular basis. Outdoor activities are great; They provide exercise and enjoyment, however, while outdoors we need to make sure we avoid risking sun damage to our skin.

Your Skin Care Regime for Spring
Spring is the time to rejuvenate your skin by following some basic steps: exfoliating, cleansing, nourishing, toning and moisturising. But there is much more to healthy, vibrant skin than a daily skin care regime. The following article provides some practical hints and tips on caring for your skin and preparing it for Summer.

Are You Finding Information on Natural and Organic Skin Care Confusing?
Information on natural organic skin care is very confusing to say the least. While we all know that we should avoid synthetic or artificial ingredients in our food and drinks, we are less well informed on the ingredients in our beauty and personal care products.

Oily Skin – Why You May Have Oily Skin & What To Do About It
Often, oily skin is associated with acne, however, here we will focus on the classic oily skin type and look at the causes and solutions for oily skin.

Skin Care Advice: The Good, Bad & The Ugly
There is a plethora of information about what to do and what not to do when it comes to taking care of our skin. The media is full of reports and the cosmetic/beauty companies run full-page advertisements in popular magazines telling you how you should take care of your skin and the various treatments you should impose on your skin.

Why Choose Organic Skin Care Products?

Many people are increasingly concerned about the thousands of potentially dangerous chemicals hiding in their skin and personal care products as well as part of the ingredients in their foods and beverages. The article below is taking a close look at why so many people are increasingly choosing natural & organic skin care products

clipped from www.wildcraftedcottage.com.au Organic skin care specifically and organic products generally are gaining popularity Why is it that over the last few years organic products generally and organic skin care products specifically have become so popular? Natural, Organic Skin & Body Care Products Wildcrafted’s Natural & Organic Skin Care Products are Your Healthy Skin Care Solution ...more inforamtion The answer is very simple. Thinking people are concerned with their health and try, wherever possible, to avoid exposing themselves to potentially dangerous chemicals. In order to avoid these, they are starting to look for organic skin and personal care products as well as including organic products in their diets and other areas of their lives.

Nanotechnology in sunscreens: Possible Cancer Risk

In previous articles we looked at sunscreen factors (SPFs) and their possible health risks and we looked at the use of nanotechnology in the cosmetics industry. Today, scientists from the CSIRO have shown, under laboratory conditions, that nano particles of metal oxides (as used in sunscreen lotions) can penetrate cells and damage DNA.

Below is a transcript from the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) reporting on the potential cancer risk resulting from the use of nanotechnology in sunscreen lotions.

Safety concerns over high-tech sunscreens

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Broadcast: 17/12/2008

Reporter: Kirstin Murray

Nanotechnology has been a revolutionary science utilised to improve water supplies, screen for viruses and increase durability in food among its other uses. Nanoscience has also been used to produce products such as stain resistant clothing and is often found in cosmetic products such as anti-ageing creams and sunscreen. With this technology being so widely used, questions are being raised as to how safe nanotechnology is in products that are rubbed directly onto human skin.

HEATHER EWART, PRESENTER: The revolutionary science of nanotechnology, which engineers tiny particles the size of an atom, has transformed the world we live in. And within two years, it’s expected to be a $1 trillion industry. Scientists have used the technology to improve water supplies, increase the durability of food, screen for viruses and create new forms of drug delivery. It’s not surprising the cosmetics industry has seen the appeal, with nano particles now common ingredients of many anti-ageing creams, hair products and sunscreen.

But how safe is nanotechnology in products that are rubbed directly onto human skin?

Read the full article “Nanotechnology in Sunscreens, Noisturisers and Anti-Ageing Creams – a Cancer Risk” and find out the potential risks of using products containing these modified molecules.

It’s not worth the risk. Use natural skin care products that do not contain modified, synthesised or manipulated ingredients in them.