When Your Skincare Says It Is All Natural- Is It?
Plus, DIY Natural And Zero Waste Skincare That You Can Find In Your Own Kitchen.
As April is Earth month, I thought it would be only prudent and fun for this month’s BLOG guest to have close connection to sustainability/zero waste. As added bonus she is also very passionate about natural skincare.
Before we even met, this month’s guest and I had each other at hello. We first connected via WhatsApp prior to our Costa Rica yoga retreat adventure earlier this January and agreed to create an interactive mini session about a simple skin care regime for girls at the Girls for Success Center.
The inspiration for this interview came from our first dinner together in Costa Rica as a number of our new yoga friends expressed interest in natural skincare and skin care routines and quizzed us about it. So, Thank you ladies for the inspiration!
As both of us are among many other things, two very busy entrepreneurs, moms, wives and live in two different states but luckily in the same time zone, we conducted this interview in our own unique and fun way. For the past few weeks, we have been chatting via phone once a week for 10-15 minutes.
Here is the final result of our weekly Tuesday phone calls.
Meet Deedee Helbig, the owner of Ava Bella Day Spa in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Anita: Hello Deedee! And thank you for sitting down even if virtually to chat about natural skin care and so much more. Before we get into the actual questions, I always like to ask folks the how, when, and why type of questions regarding their business journey/adventure. I know that this year you will be celebrating the 20 year anniversary of your Ava Bella Day Spa. Wow, two decades! Congratulations! So let’s hear about the Ava Bella Day Spa journey.
Deedee: Hi beautiful friend Anita! I received my esthetician license in California in 2000 and moved to Arkansas that same year. I worked at different spas - but always had a dream of having my own. I had my own ideas I wanted to implement- but wasn't able to under someone else's rule. In 2004- I bit the bullet and opened my own place. The only education I had was esthetician school. Nothing business related. But- as us entrepreneurs do- I didn’t care what the statistics said. I never took no for an answer. I just opened my own place.
Anita: All that perseverance certainly paid off. Thank you for sharing. Ready to dive into the questions?
Deedee: Yes, I am ready!
GOT WATERMELON?
Did You Know That Watermelon Juice Helps To Hydrate Our Skin And It Also Acts As Natural Mosquito Repellent?
(Who Knew, Right?!)
Anita: Deedee, you and I hit it off even before we met in person as we both are incredibly passionate about skin care and natural, toxin-free skincare products. During our recent yoga retreat, the two of us had an amazing opportunity to volunteer at Girls for Success Center, where we helped to teach the young ladies how to take care of their skin using with natural and zero-waste ingredients such as watermelon, papaya, mango, cane sugar, coffee grounds and extra virgin olive oil. Many of these ingredients can be readily found in our kitchen.
I know you have a number of great DIY skincare recipes. Can you please share a couple easy ones? One for maturing skin, like ours? And one for teenage skin with occasional acne flare-ups?
Deedee: That was such a beautiful experience. Feels like a lifetime ago! I’ll never forget those babies' faces and the laughter we all shared by putting fruit and coffee on our faces! Here are a couple easy recipes:
Are You Experiencing Occasional Acne Flare-ups?
A teenager that has a flair up- simple take a spinach leaf and rub it on the blemish. Raw spinach has salicylic acid in it. Which will naturally decrease the bacteria and help calm the inflammation. Rub the spinach for about 30 seconds. Leave on.
Do You Have Maturing Skin?
As for mature skin- the best thing you can do ( next to sunscreen) is exfoliate. Simply get a ¼ cup of sugar-it doesn’t matter what kind and rub over gentle damp skin until it dissolves. I recommended exfoliating 3- 4 times a week. Rinse.
Anita: Yes, that was so much fun! Our experience at the Girls For Success Center will always have a special place in my heart. These two recipes are as easy as it gets. Thank you.
You and I are about the same vintage and I would probably categorize our skin as maturing :). My belief is that with some relatively small effort on our part, we all can age, including our skin, like a good old French wine, where we are mature, with deep level of complexity, plenty of wisdom and certain “Je ne sais quoi” and we speak our truth in kind manner, know our worth, and also set clear boundaries.
Speaking of maturing skin, what are your top 3 natural skin care hacks to help keep your skin looking glowing and happy for decades to come?
Top Three Natural Skin Care Hacks For Maturing Skin:
Deedee: 1. Exfoliate, 2. Sunscreen and 3. Sleep. When we sleep- our skin repairs itself. Extra bonus- if you didn’t sleep and you have bags under your eyes, put two very cold spoons over your eyes. The cold will restrict the capillaries and help with dark circles and puffiness.
Are You Ready For Fun In The Sun?
Anita: I absolutely agree with your three hacks and would probably just add that not all sunscreens are equal. I would recommend for folks to read the product labels, both front and back.
If I apply sunscreen, I personally only use sunscreens that are toxin-free, mineral-based or sometimes also called physical sunscreens and contain either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. I stay away from what is often referred to as chemical sunscreens. These often contain parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances and many other hormone endocrine disruptors.
I am big fan of natural vitamin D intake but at the same time I am also very intentional when I spend time outdoors. I love being outdoors and especially in nature but I try to schedule my outdoor time outside of peak hours for sun, so I am usually outside before 10 A.M. and after 5 P.M. Especially during warmer months, if I can, I avoid going outside in the middle of the day when the sun is strongest. And when I need to be outside mid-day, I do not leave my house without one of my wide brim hats and protective clothing.
With each new decade, we might need to adjust certain things about our lifestyle and overall wellness, including our skin care routine. From your perspective, what is one thing that you would recommend folks consider incorporating in each respective decade as people get into their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond?
Deedee: Get in the habit of a skin care routine ASAP. When you're in your 30’s, you might not think it makes a difference. Until you see someone your same age later in life that didn’t take care of their skin. Make sure you stay hydrated. Shrink water all day long. It’s a natural detox that will give your face a beautiful glow.
Anita: Indeed! It makes absolute sense as our body is on average about 60% water.
In your opinion, aside from covering with make-up, can one ever get rid of dark circles under eyes with creams or treatments? If so, please spill the beans.
Deedee: Dark circles are tricky. Are they from your ethnic background or from lack of sleep, overworked, burn out? If it’s in your heritage- there's nothing you can do- but be proud of who you are. It’s simply a blood flow that is under your skin. If not- you can use cold spoons in the morning to put on your eyes. Another trick- used coffee or tea grounds. They have to be caffeinated though. The caffeine constricts the blood vessels and helps to reduce the dark circles.
Anita: As I have dark circles under my eyes myself, I might have to try these and will report back to you.
Deedee, I am really curious, what is your typical morning skincare routine?
Deedee: Ha! That's a loaded question for an esthetician. We are notorious for doing way too much on our skin. But- I’ll tell you what I recommend. Double cleanse in the morning. The reason behind double cleansing is to get rid of all the dirt, free radicals, make-up, etc. You can use the same cleanser– just do it twice. Exfoliate 2-3 times a week ( depending on your exfoliant), use a serum and eye cream. Moisturize and then use sunscreen.
Anita: I figured it would be a loaded question for you so that’s why I included it, but I hear yah.
Over the years, I personally tried a lot of both conventional and natural products looking for the right fit for my skin and eventually I just said, " The heck with it!" and ended up developing my own Botanical Glow skincare line for my sensitive and maturing skin that meets my skin needs.
What are your top 3 non-negotiable steps for your evening skincare routine?
Deedee:
1. Cleanse,
2. nighttime moisturizer, and
3. sleep in a mask a couple times a week.
Anita: I recognize that each skin type might require a different mask, but do you have some recommendations for DIY masks? Let’s say for dry skin and combination skin.
Deedee: My most favorite mask is to just mash up an avocado. The natural oils will absorb into your skin and add extra vitamins that have been depleted due to “life”. Mash an avocado and apply all over the face and neck. You can even do your eyelids! Leave on for 10 min and rinse off.
Anita: Oh, I love avocado mask! I use it for both my face and my hair. Here is more of a logistics question, but how do you prevent your pillow from wearing most of your face mask? Do you recommend putting an old towel over your pillow?
Deedee: Great question! Yes- always put a towel down before you do the mask. And have an extra towel in your hand in case some of the mask drips down your face or neck, that’s an uncomfortable feeling.
Time To Debunk One Natural Skincare Misconception!
Anita: From your professional experience, if there was one misconception related to natural skincare that you would like to debunk, what would it be?
Deedee: When your skincare says it is all natural- is it? The skincare industry is a 4 billion dollar a year business. Companies have a lot of money to spend on marketing. Look at your ingredients! Google what they mean! You might be surprised by what you're putting on your face.
Anita: I totally agree with you and always urge folks to read the product labels. If it is a product that one uses frequently, I strongly encourage people to cross check the information with the company’s websites as more often than not one might find some discrepancies. There are a number of ingredient categories that are simply nasty carcinogens, hormone endocrine disruptors, or skin sensitizers that are in many skincare products both conventional and so-called “natural” ones, especially here in the United States. There is still a lot of greenwashing going on. One key ingredient in skincare and personal care products in general that I personally always recommend folks to stay clear off is synthetic fragrance.
What are some of the ingredients that you would recommend to stay away from in our skincare?
Deedee: I agree with you 100%. Synthetic fragrances are awful for your skin. Also- check what the “ carrier” is. Is it mineral oil? Lanolin? One more ingredient- the coloring. Is it a red dye? Blue dye? All of those are red flags for your skin.
Anita: Oh boy, this makes me cringe! I think many of us do not even realize that mineral oil is petroleum based ingredient. But I better off get my soap box now as save it for some other time.
I cannot resist but to ask this question. Most of us have a guilty pleasure as far as food goes. Mine are organic, rich dark chocolate and a glass of really delish red wine. What is yours?
Deedee: A really good cheeseburger!
Anita: Ha! Good to know! Next time you are in Chicago, I know of a great place or two.
Let’s stay on topic of food, are there really certain foods that might typically trigger skin–related issues, such as breakouts? If so, what are these foods?
Deedee: This depends on the person- but if they are lactose intolerant- and their skin care contains dairy, they could have a break out. Same as if ingested. Some oily foods can cause a breakout if you have really oily skin.
How Often Should We Get A Facial?
Anita: Obviously, you and I are big proponents of facials but there are many folks that either are on the fence or feel like that it is unnecessary luxury. I personally view facials as an important part of one’s preventative skin care. However I also recognize that facials tend not to be inexpensive, but I still see long term value in them. In my case, I tend to get regular professional facials every 6 to 7 weeks and then the rest of the time I rely on my DIY facial routine. I am curious what your take on this topic is and in your opinion, what are some of the benefits of regular facials? How often would you recommend one considers having professional facials done?
Deedee: Every 28 days, our skin renews itself- like a woman's cycle. I recommend a facial once a month for that reason. But I agree- sometimes the budget doesn't allow that. As long as you are doing your skin care on a regular basis- you can get away with a facial every couple months. Think of it this way- you go to the dentist every 6 months. But you have to brush your teeth every day to get the results you want ( no cavities, etc.) Same with skin care.
Anita: I like your dental analogy and absolutely agree!
One of the reasons many folks are hesitant to get a facial as there are often so many options and it can be pretty overwhelming. What are some of the questions that they need to be asking their prospective esthetician and spa to ensure that they are the right fit for them?
Deedee: Always ask to begin with the basic facial. Your esthetician should do a consultation and guide you in the right direction of what you need. Some menus look like a dinner menu- very overwhelming. Just begin with the basics and go from there.
Anita: What is the most popular skincare treatment at your spa?; What are its benefits?; How many treatments are necessary to see noticeable results with hydrafacial?; And what are the results?
Deedee: Our Hydrafacial. It’s an intense facial treatment that works with water in a vortex way to cleanse your skin. It’s the best treatment I have found for everyone's skin type. The client will have instant results from the Hydrafacial. The hydrafacial is an amazing exfoliator, peel and conditioner for your skin. The results are instantaneous because the esthetician is removing all the bad gunk on your skin and replacing it with vitamins and minerals. In the perfect world with the perfect budget- I recommend a Hydrafacial every 2 weeks. But- that isn’t a reality for most. Once a month will also work.
what is the best thing to wash your face with?
Anita: Not too long ago, I was talking to a few of our clients about our Reset + Wellness BLOG series and that I was planning to interview you next and asked them if they had any questions that they would like me to add. So here are some of their questions:
In your professional opinion, is Vitamin C worth it?
Deedee: Vitamin C is tricky. The ingredient is well worth it- but the packaging has to be correct. If the Vitamin C is exposed to any sort of light, it will oxygenate and become useless. My recommendation- do your research on the jar and the Vitamin C before you purchase.
Anita: I absolutely concur. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant which can mitigate the effects of free radicals on the skin, but should never be mistaken for an UV light protection ingredient.
What about masks, are they worth it?
Deedee: YES! I LOVE a good mask. My favorite thing to do is sleep in a mask at night. Cleanse your skin and apply a light layer of the mask. Your skin naturally repairs itself at night. Incorporating a mask during the healing process- you are giving your skin a boost on rejuvenating!
Anita: I love a good rejuvenating mask myself! I like to power nap with mine on Sunday afternoons with an old towel on my pillow, of course.
In your opinion, what is the best thing to use to wash skin?
Deedee: This is a loaded question and depends on your skin type. To be safe- coconut oil or olive are good universal cleansers.
Anita: That’s good to know. I know that many folks, including a number of our clients, are starting to be sensitive to coconut oil and break out from it, so we ended up developing our coconut oil free product line as a result. Do you have any other recommendations for cleansers? As far as washing your face, do you recommend washing your face with oil cleanser only?
Deedee: Unfortunately, we all seem to develop allergies throughout our life. Even with products that we have used for years. Some gentler cleansers are cucumbers ( juice it is possible- or mash it and use the liquid part). Avocado oil is also effective.
Should We Wash Our Face With Soap Or Not?
Deedee: Soap strips your skin of its natural oils. Which is why you have that “ tight” feeling after using soap. Your skin goes into panic mode and over produces oil to replenish the lost natural oils. This isn’t good. Our skin doesn’t need to work that hard. And it takes a lot of serums and moisturizers to rebalance its pH.
Anita: Yes, our normal skin pH is between 5.4 and 5.9 and when we wash our face with soap, our skin ends up working overtime unnecessarily and this turns into a vicious cycle where ultimately it is our skin that suffers.
What are your thoughts on self tanning products? Are they ok to use?
Deedee: Absolutely! Make sure you exfoliate first. Self tanners attach to your dead skin cells. When you exfoliate- the tanner lasts longer. Side note- the molecule in the self tanner is too big to absorb into your skin. Which is why it’s safe. Plus- everyone loves a healthy glow!
Anita: Hmm that’s a good point about exfoliating first. I personally do not use self tanners but can see how some love them. I suspect just like anything else, everything in moderation.
Well, you probably know what is coming next. Yes, my rapid fire questions, so we are go! What book(s) are on your nightstand right now? And currently, what is your favorite one?
Deedee: I’m currently reading a book called Truth. It’s a book/ workbook to help you find your life’s truth. So very exciting. HA!
Anita: Hmm, that sounds intriguing! You and I will need to circle back about it once you finish.
What is the best life advice you have ever received?
Deedee: Always follow through. If you say you're going to do something- do it.
Anita: Love it! We at Rodina Botanicals are about overall wellness, and especially organic, plant-based, natural skincare. In your daily skincare routine, are you camp facial oil or camp moisturizer and which do you prefer, liquid lotions, lotion bars, or whipped body butters?
Botanical Goodness ALL the WAY to Costa Rica!
Deedee: I LOVE liquid lotions and whipped butters! They have a way of calming my psyche and making me feel like I’m at a spa!
I love your Botanical Goodness (Calendula) Balm you shared with me in Costa Rica. It, for sure, soothed my South American sunburn!
Anita: Thank you and you are most welcome, Deedee! I always keep one of our travel size tins on hand, just in case. It sure got handy on our trip.
Make It Count!
I'm doing a thing. I turned 50 in December and decided it was time to "get busy living or get busy dying".
—Deedee Helbig
While we were in Costa Rica, you shared with me that you are a breast cancer survivor of 10 years now. We also talked about how you recently turned 50 and I love what you shared with me about the beautiful realization you arrived at. Would it be ok if we share your social media post as I think it hit the nail right on the head and found it very inspirational?
Deedee: Yes, absolutely! I think oftentimes we are hesitant to talk about life after we turn 50.
“I'm doing a thing. I turned 50 in December and decided it was time to " get busy living or get busy dying". 50 is weird because 1) I never thought I'd make it. 2) I made it and now I have numbered days. Could be 5 years, could be 40 years. Who knows. But I gotta start making my dreams a reality.
So- first stop- Costa Rica. By myself. I gotta see what else is out there. Cheers to me and to the people I meet. I'll post pics along the way. Love you all!!!”
Anita: Love this every time I read it!
Before we wrap up our chat, what are your hopes and dreams for the next decade for Ava Bella Day Spa? And how can folks find out more about your spa and your other fun and easy DIY skincare recipes?
Deedee: We will be celebrating our 20th year anniversary in August. We also launched a body line- www.bellatubeauty.com . And last- our launching our AB Outreach program. My staff and I will be reaching out to our community and see where we can help. This project is hands-on. For people that need relaxation, but can’t afford it. Nursing homes, homes for battered women and children, ect… My team goes to the establishment and sets up a spa room. The people that live there get to experience a spa and some relaxation. The power of touch- in a gentle way. I also have a DIY recipe book on Amazon- Bella Naturale by DeeDee Helbig
Anita: WOW! You continue to be full of surprises, my friend! Love all your initiatives and giving back to your local community! Congratulations on your 20 years and cheers to the next 20! Thank you again! You are an absolute rock star, Deedee and true inspiration!
LESS IS MORE!
in product ingredients +
application.
Anita is a founder and owner of Rodina Botanicals. Rodina Botanicals is a maker of small-batch, organic plant-based skincare for an entire family.
We at Rodina Botanicals:
want our clients to enjoy their life to the fullest and not be distracted by mosquito bites, dry cuticles, eczema, or dry and cracked skin.
make all our products in Barrington, IL, U.S.A.
use eco- and travel-friendly packaging.