Teaming up with ‘Out There Adventure Centre’

This is an exciting time for Kara Vita!

We have recently teamed up with ‘Out There Adventure Centre’ in Calgary, who will now be carrying Kara Vita’s sunscreens!

‘Out There’ is Calgary’s premier outdoor store, specializing in outdoor apparel and gear from world class brands like Mountain Hardwear, The North Face, Arc’teryx, Icebreaker, Marmot, Lole, and now Kara Vita! Located in the heart of downtown, they have everything you’ll need for hiking, kayaking, mountain climbing, barefoot running, camping, and any other outdoor pursuit you can imagine.

Kara Vita is honored to have our sunscreens in ‘Out There’ and proud to be contributing to the highest standards that they maintain.

For more information on ‘Out There Adventure Centre’, check out their website at http://www.outtherestore.com/ or their online store at http://www.liveoutthere.com/.

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

What Are Glycolics?

Wow! Summer has arrived! Finally warm weather has spread across the country (with the exception of some overly dramatic storms). Although summer doesn’t officially begin until June 20, I am pleased to announce (in my opinion) that it has begun early; now I just hope it sticks around for long enough to enjoy it…

As we head into the summer, you may be looking at your skincare products and saying, what should I be doing for my skin? Or, what exactly am I using currently? As you can tell from the title, this week’s blog is about glycolics, and some information on what exactly they are, and some reasons why you might want to be using them. So that being said: what are glycolics?

Glycolics are cosmetic products that contain glycolic acid.

What is glycolic acid?

Scientifically known as hydroxyacetic acid, Glycolic acid is an acid that can be naturally found in sugar-crops. It is the smallest Alpha hydroxy acid, and due to its small size, Glycolic acid has an innate ability to penetrate the skin to deliver maximum results.

Why would you want glycolic products?

Glycolic acid, and in turn glycolic products, are beneficial to skin because they help resurface the skin. They first begin to work to exfoliate, taking off old skin cells and impurities and sebum that has built up, ensuring that the younger skin that lies underneath comes to the surface. Once the old, worn out, dead skin layer has been sloughed off, it is time to focus on the new top layer. Glycolics work to improve skin clarity, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and retexture the skin; working towards a smooth, younger-looking complexion. In addition, once glycolics are in the skin, they trigger new collagen formation, which works to plump skin cells.

As you age, your skin begins to naturally exfoliate less and less, making the dead skin build up happen more and more, getting thicker and thicker. By adding glycolics to your skincare routine, you can remove those extra thickening layers of skin that are prohibiting the effects of the moisturizers, and add ingredients that will truly make your skin look and feel, younger.

Happy days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

Information on Kara Vita’s 2nd May Promotion

From the 18^th of May until the 18^th of June, with the purchase of any Glycol-X product (Glycol-X Treatment Lotion, Glycol-X Treatment Cream, Glycol-X Cleanser) receive a FREE ‘Clearly It! Acne Lotion’!

Here’s the reason it’s on such a great sale: In our research to find the best solutions for our skin, we have found that when the Glycol-X Cleanser, Glycol-X Lotion, and the Glycol-X Cream are used together they work incredibly well to plump and hydrate the skin, balance the oils within the skin, as well as repair damaged skin cells. However there is room for more, which is when we found the perfect addition; the ‘Clearly It! Acne Treatment Lotion’. This lotion is the ideal fit to be paired with Glycol-X products. While the other products are working to plump, hydrate, balance, and repair the skin, the acne lotion works to penetrate deeper into the layers of the skin and dissolve dead skin that has settled into those layers. It works to unclog pores while preventing adult acne from forming.

Now that you know the secret to our sale, it’s time to reap the benefits!

Try the Glycol-X and ‘Clearly It! Acne Treatment Lotion’ combo today!

Happy Days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

Natural Wrinkle Remedies

For those of you who have forgotten: This Sunday (May 13^th) is Mother’s Day!

In honor of Mother’s Day, we are going to talk about something that I’m sure all of us have given to our Mothers: wrinkles!

I’m sure at one point or another we can all remember a time when we kept our Mom up late or stressed out. Those are both contributing factors to developing wrinkles! So as an apology to our mothers for all those times, we are writing about some ways to get rid of wrinkles!

Here are a couple of natural remedies for diminishing the look of fine lines and wrinkles:

Egg whites. Everywhere I looked for natural remedies for wrinkles, egg whites came up! Whip together two egg whites until mixed, then apply to face. Let dry for 15 minutes, then rinse off with water and pat to dry.This is a temporary solution to freshen the skin and soften the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Avocado. Avocado works to reduce the look of wrinkles because it is high in antioxidants. Creating your own Avocado masque can be a beneficial addition as you work towards a wrinkle-free complexion.

Honey. An ancient method for reducing wrinkles, it gathers and stores moisture working towards hydrated skin which reduces wrinkles. All you need is pure honey! Apply it to your skin, leave it on for approximately 15 minutes, then rinse off with water and pat to dry!

Lemon Juice. Lemon juice has been found to be able to reduce wrinkles. Apply it to your skin, let dry for 10 minutes, then rinse off with water and pat to dry.

Coconut Oil. Apply coconut oil to wrinkles. Rub it in, and leave it on and apparently it will help reduce wrinkles. Note: Using un-pure coconut oil or heating it first can clog skin.

Those are some of the natural ways to reduce and remove wrinkles, but truthfully, it sounded more like I was rubbing a lemon-meringue pie on my face… Which leads me to my ultimate conclusion: This Mother’s Day, bake a pie for the Mothers in your life, your mom, your daughter, your friend, or you! As for the wrinkles: Try Kara Vita’s UpTight Duo, and get the highest quality anti-aging ingredients in a complex and cream instead of food ingredients.

Happy days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

P.S. This Sunday (May 13) is Mother’s Day!

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

Dry Skin

For the last two weeks we have been talking about skin concerns. Combined, the total percentage of the American population affected by Eczema and/or Psoriasis is somewhere between 11.2% and 32.2%, a substantial amount of the population. Today, I am going to take the opportunity to talk about a skin concern that I would guess 90 – 100% of people suffer from at least once on their lifetime: dry skin.

Dry skin is caused by many factors; here are some of the most prominent ones:

1. Cold air can draw the moisture out of your skin
2. Medications can cause skin to dry out
3. Drying/bleaching acne medications can cause skin to be excessively dry
4. Air conditioners can duplicate the effects of natural cold air and dry out skin
5. Long exposure to hot water (bath or shower)
6. Excessive hand washing
7. Vigorously rubbing yourself dry after a bath/shower

To alleviate some of these effects, we came up with some solutions:

1. Dress appropriately for all weather. If it is cold out, cover up. Covering up disables the wind from reaching your skin, and protects it from the majority of the drying effects of the wind. If it’s exceptionally windy, try using a hydrating masque on your face as well, this can lock moisture in and create an additional barrier to block the wind.
2. If you begin taking a medication that has negative drying effects, talk to your doctor, or if it is self-prescribed, consider the alternatives.
3. Stop using harsh, drying acne products, and try naturally based ones that will not excessively and unnecessarily dry out your skin. If you have acne, try our Clearly It! Acne products, naturally oregano based, rather than bleach and chemicals.
4. Despite the enjoyment of air conditioners on full blast, turn it down a little, and enjoy a cool breeze, leave the Antarctic temperatures for the penguins.
5. A long hot shower/bath is always nice, but that long exposure to water can wash away the oils that our body naturally produces to protect our skin from drying, so try cutting down the time spent in them, and turn down the temperature a little.
6. While washing your hands is a good thing, doing it excessively can drastically dry them out. After you wash your hands, dab them dry with a towel, and immediately apply a moisturizer.
7. After you get out of your shower/bath, instead of rubbing your body with a towel and scraping off the remaining preserving oils, try gently dabbing yourself dry instead. As soon as you’re out of the shower/bath and dabbed dry, apply a moisturizer.
8. The best way to alleviate dry skin: MOISTURIZE.

Moisturizers work to hydrate your skin by creating a moisture barrier, locking in moisture already in your skin. Moisturizers are most effective when your skin is mildly moist, rather than waiting until it is dried out. Kara Vita has two moisturizers that have proven themselves time and time again to relieve dry skin: ‘Kara Vita Everyday Skin Penetrating Body Lotion’ for everyday skin use and ‘Kara Vita Everyday Skin Penetrating Body Cream’ for knees, elbows, heels and other very dry parts of the body.

We’d love to know what you think of today’s post, so let us know what you think of it in the comment section below!

Happy days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

The Truth and Facts Behind Psoriasis

A couple days ago we talked about Eczema, a common skin concern that is non-contagious but with many misconceptions surrounding it. Today, we are going to talk about another skin concern, also often misconstrued, perhaps even more unknown, and definitely not contagious: Psoriasis.

Psoriasis, like Eczema, still holds mysteries as to its exact cause. It is known that if you have a family history of Psoriasis there is a higher chance that you could develop it, however it is not guaranteed, and someone who has no family history of it can still attain it.

What is believed to be the cause of Psoriasis (although research is still being conducted) is something within the immune system. Some of your white blood cells, as a response to the immune system, begin a reaction in your skin. This reaction begins to turn over skin cells at an incredibly increased rate. This can lead to itchiness, rashes, bleeding, and a seemingly silver look to the affected area of skin.

The reason for all of those symptoms is that the skin is turning over healthy skin cells and rejecting them from the body. The skin cells the body is turning over are still healthy cells, so they are not dried out or flaky, instead, they are often still moist and sticky and not ready to be released, causing a negative reaction on the new cells the body is trying to create. Due to the body forcing out skin cells, the new cells are often malnourished, as the body cannot create enough natural oils to keep these new cells hydrated and healthy. In severe cases of Psoriasis, this can wake bearers from their sleep in the night as the skin gets unbearably itchy and/or begins to bleed.

At the current moment there is no cure for Psoriasis, however there are remedies to alleviate the symptoms. Ensuring that the skin is frequently moisturized is the most effective treatment for Psoriasis as this allows the new skin cells to be properly moisturized which can help reduce itching and bleeding. If you have a family history of Psoriasis, a few things to try and avoid are: extreme stress, alcohol abuse, infections, and some medications.

Happy days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

Skincare Question 1

We recently received a question on our Facebook page, in the new feature where you can now send private messages to us! This question was from a concerned individual who had a unique skin concern. After they had asked the question and we answered, we approached the individual for permission to share their question (anonymously), so that others suffering from similar problems would have an answer. Below is the question, and our answer; we hope it helps you!

Anonymous: “What is the best cream to use to get rid of acne scars and discoloration that have been with me for years? They just don’t seem to want to go away or even change to a lighter pigment. What should I be using? I have tried products with hydroquinone, glycolic acid, retina, and even harsh bleaching creams, but nothing seems to be working. Should I go see a dermatologist or laser surgery?”

Kara Vita’s response: “Because your scars have been present for several years, we believe the best course of action would be to visit a Medispa credible in facial rejuvenation,or see a dermatologist. I would also recommend using skincare products in conjunction with that, in order to achieve optimal results.

I would suggest our ‘Glycol-X’ products (not just glycolic acid, but a cocktail of other acids including lactic, malic, sitric and alicylic, which are all time-released to reduce sensitivities). An additional product would be our ‘Enlighten Me!’ which has 6% glycolic acid, 2% kojic (lightening ingredient), and 2% hydroquinone (lightening ingredient). To ensure no further pigmentation or scarring, one of our top selling SPF’s would be highly recommended (8 hour protection).”

If you are struggling with a similar problem, we hope this information helps you! And if you have any other skincare questions, feel free to send us a message on our new message inbox on Facebook, or email us at info@karavita.ca. We value anonymity, and will only post your question with your permission.

Happy Days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

The Truth and Facts Behind Eczema

Irritations; we all have them in our lives. Whether it is a sibling, a co-worker, a boss, the weather, traffic, pets or anything else, we all have something that can get on our nerves. However, what happens when these irritations begin to cause other reactions? What if contact with your friend’s annoying dog not only mentally pesters you, but you also notice a physical reaction? What if when the weather is cold, you notice inflammation or a rash on your skin? It could be allergies, or you could have some form of Eczema.

Eczema is an often misunderstood skin problem. The outbreaks of rashes and inflammation are most often looked at as some form of contagious disease, however Eczema is not contagious. In fact, the root cause of Eczema is still unknown. Researchers are in the process of discovering the cause; however that research is still in its beginning stages. What is currently known is that a family history of Eczema can increase your chances of developing some form of Eczema throughout your life, poor circulation can increase your chances of getting Eczema, and going through certain stages of your life (ex. Infanthood, young adult, and middle aged) can cause Eczema flares.

At this stage there is no determined cure for Eczema, however if you have Eczema, there are several things you can avoid in order to decrease the likelihood of having a flare up (some of these things can also be beneficial to take note of even if you do not have Eczema):

• Being aware of your allergies, and avoiding them to the best of your abilities
• Wool or other itchy clothing
• Pets and pet hair
• Getting sick (ex. Flu, cold…etc.)
• Stress
• Washing hands or body excessively (the water washes away the natural oils that can prevent Eczema, and soap can additionally irritate skin)
• Perfumes
• Dry skin

When an Eczema flare up begins, the first sign is generally redness, itchiness, and dry skin. Generally the itchiness develops and scratching at the affected area will begin. Scratching furthers the Eczema, and causes swelling as you are now physically irritating the skin. It can begin to stress out the bearer, which can trigger more break-outs, causing more scratching, more irritation, more swelling and more stress, and the cycle can repeat over and over again.

The best course of action to take if a break out of Eczema occurs is to immediately place a previously tested* moisturizer on your skin. This will work to calm the skin by alleviating dryness, reducing itchiness, and preventing swelling.

Understanding the problem can lead to finding a solution, so I hope you have found this information about Eczema helpful! If you have any questions, post them in the comment section below!

Happy Days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

*NOTE: when a break out occurs it is not the time to try a new product! Skin is already irritated and you can further it along if you try a new product while experiencing a breakout. Trying products should be done when skin is calm, in a controlled environment where you can easily wash off products if they begin to irritate skin.

In addition, for the month of April, when you place an order of over $99 (before tax) on the Kara Vita website, you get a FREE Penetrating Body Cream, proven to relieve symptoms of Eczema http://www.karavita.ca/ProductDetail/KV6003_Everyday-Skin-Penetrating-Cream

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

Sleep and Aging

So last week we talked about how at night our body slows down the production of proteins that break up the outer shell of our skin. We also discussed that this is a positive activity done by our body because it gives our skin time to rebuild and repair-again highlighting the importance of sleep. Now as we get older, the body begins to produce less Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which means that the effects of HGH on our skin (rebuilding, repairing and strengthening) are going to be diminished. So although as you sleep, your body is doing its best to keep you looking young, as we age, it just can’t do as much.

So, what does that mean for us? It means that while the body slows in the production of Cortisol during our sleep, as we get older, the natural benefits to our skin begin to wean. So what can we do? It is important as you get older to begin taking care of your skin more and more in order to: decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, ensure that our skin remains hydrated, and build up the strength of our skin.

From learning that Cortisol production slows during sleep and that at that time, the body would normally and naturally produce HGH, it makes sense that the best time for a deep hydration, rebuilding, and repairing of your skin would be at night while you sleep. So, Kara Vita designed the perfect product to assist in the hydration, protection, strengthening, and reparation of the skin, specifically at night! Our Indulgence Night Cream. Using this product at night can help restore the hydration and strength that occurred naturally when you were younger and your body naturally produced more HGH.

Sleep is an important first step to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but don’t forget to help your body along whenever you can.

Happy rest-filled days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!

Sleep Does More Than We Think

Based on the results from last week’s poll, we concluded that 50% of people where sleeping 7-9 hours a night, while the other 50% where sleeping 4-6 hours (our polls are located on the right hand side of the page – so be sure to vote!). What’s the difference in a couple hours? Surprisingly a lot! According to one website, getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep keeps your heart healthier, stating that lack of sleep has been associated with worsening blood pressure and cholesterol.

The same source stated that 7-9 hours of sleep can assist in reducing the risk for developing depression. Sleep is the time that the body balances and distributes various chemicals throughout our body; serotonin is one of the chemicals that it distributes during the twilight hours. You are at a higher risk of developing depression if you have a serotonin deficiency.

Sleep is the time when your body makes repairs, and some of those repairs specifically take place on your skin. As we know, the top layer of the skin is made of dead skin cells. These closely packed cells are consistently being naturally released throughout the day, however this process slows as you age, and it is important to assist in this shedding process by exfoliating at minimum every week, particularly as you get older (Exfoliating Body Wash). At night, during our sleep, the process of skin removal is drastically slowed due to a decrease in the breakdown of proteins (don’t worry – this is a good thing). This allows the skin to direct its energy to repairing itself: correcting ultraviolet damage and balancing hormones as just a couple examples of the skin’s work in our sleep, and incredibly important factors to good skin health. Having your body correctly deal with ultraviolet damage can increase the likelihood of it being dealt with properly and effectively, and ensuring that your hormones are balanced can reduce the likelihood of adult acne.

Another reason to get enough sleep is when you do not your body doesn’t slow down in the breakdown of the proteins. In fact, it begins to create more cortisol, which is a hormone designed to breakdown skin cells. In proportion this is good for you and your skin, however in excess this can lead to sensitive skin, droopy skin, and premature aging. When you get adequate sleep (7-9 hours for the average person), your body slows the production of cortisol, and increases its production of human growth hormone, which assists in your skin remaining thick and elastic.

These are just a few of the reasons that sleep is so important to your body! So be sure that you are getting 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night, and you will be able to maintain a healthier, more balanced lifestyle!

Happy Days,

Tim

On behalf of Kara Vita Canada

For more information on Kara Vita Canada, visit our website here!