Tuesday 23 August 2016

Benefits of Epsom Salt Bath for Skin

Epsom Salt bath is a pure mineral compound (magnesium sulfate-MgSO4) in crystal form. The crystals are formed from evaporated brine pools in the earth’s crust. There are several different grades of Epsom salt bath, produced to purity standards according to the purpose for which it is intended. At The Float Spot, we only use USP Grade Epsom Salt (medical grade-Pharmaceutical grade-food grade).

Epsom salt bath, named for a bitter saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England, is not actually salt but a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate. Long known as a natural remedy for a number of ailments, Epsom salt bath has numerous health benefits as well as many beauty benefits, household, and gardening-related uses.      

Smooth Skin

Epsom salt bath is an excellent exfoliator. Using a handful of the salts with a wash cloth and warm water and gently scrubbing the skin in circular motions will get rid of rough patches and smooth and soften the skin. To make an ultra moisturising body scrub, simply add an oil with it, like olive oil or coconut oil.

Mildly exfoliates the skin 

People use it as an exfoliator, a blackhead reduction [method], and a standard facial cleanser," says Andrew C. Krakowski, MD, a dermatologist in Conshohocken, PA. That's because unlike a lot of exfoliators on the market, Epsom salt bath isn't made up of plastic. "It provides gentle abrasion and then dissolves in your tub or shower.

Reduce Bloat

Take an epsom salt bath to reduce bloat. It’s recommended that you add 1-2 cups of epsom salts to a bath. Ensure that the water is not too hot so that you can relax and soak for about 20 minutes.

Hangover Cure

Overindulged on alcohol the night before? Well, having an epsom salt bath is a natural remedy that can help make your hangover just that bit easier! As we mentioned above, epsom salts draw toxins from the body and ease muscle pain. Just make sure to bring a glass of water in with you, because you will get thirsty! An epsom salt bath is also great for getting over jet-lag.

Wednesday 30 March 2016

How to Choose the Right Foundation For Skin

Choosing the right foundation for your skin is one of the most essential steps to flaunting a flawless complexion. The right formula keeps you feeling comfortable in your skin and has you looking and feeling great. A quick vist to your dermatologist will help you gauge your skin type. Be it oily, dry, normal or acne prone let us help you make the right decision with your foundation.

Determine Skin Type


Before selecting a foundation, shoppers should first identify their individual skin type. Foundations can work with the chemistry of the skin when it is formulated to balance out the characteristics and tendencies of problematic skin types. The right formulation of foundation can improve the appearance of the skin and prevent breakouts or unwanted reactions.

Normal Skin

A variety of formulas work for normal skin. Change in seasons tend to bring a change in the texture / type of your skin. Choose a dewy formula for slightly drier days and a semi matte foundation on hot humid days. The key is moderation; a matte formula might make for lackluster skin or a creamy formula might exxagerate the shine. Vogue.in recommends Estee Lauder Nutritious Vita Mineral Makeup.

Dry Skin

Dehydrated skin definitely needs a moisturising foundation. A water based liquid foundation with a satin/luminising  finish helps hydrate skin while evening out any redness. Satin formulas also aid in hiding dry spots while creating a dewy finish. Hydrating formulas work well with aging skin to create a supple complexion. Vogue.in loves the Lancome Photogenic Lumessence Line Mastering and Line Smoothing Foundation.

Combination Skin

Combination skin types have dry and oil-prone areas on the face, especially in the "T-Zone" area, which is across the forehead and down the midline of the face. Types of foundation that can work especially well with combination skin types can include oil-free foundations or liquid, spray, mineral, and stick foundations. Some people choose to use one type of foundation for one area of the face and another type of foundation for other areas.

Oily Skin

Mattefying or semi – matte foundations are formulated to combat excess oil and sebum production and help keep your face looking fresh all day long. Setting the matte foundation with translucent powder of sheer powder foundation is highly recommended for a long staying, shine free skin. Vogue.in recommends Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Foundation.

Acne Prone Skin

With Acne prone skin, the ingredients in a foundation play a huge part in determining the right fit for your skin. Look for foundations that are free of comedogenic products like mineral oil and lanolin. If your skin is oily and acne prone a good choice would be powder based mineral foundation. If your skin feels dry, stretched and is acne prone try water based creamy foundation. Applying a silicone based primer before foundation helps reduce redness and creates a smooth texture on your skin so the foundation applies easily and evenly.Vogue in loves Dermalogica Treatment Foundation

Friday 18 March 2016

The Health Benefits of Epsom Salt Bath

Epsom salts have been used by many different cultures for hundreds of years.  They have a number of different beneficial properties and are used in gardening, household cleaning, and detoxifying the body.  These salts are very inexpensive and can be purchased at bulk discounts in garden centers nearly everywhere. Using Epsom salt baths is an advanced detoxification strategy that has remarkable health benefits.

Homemade Skin Mask


Puree 1 Egg white, 1/2 Teaspoon Pantothenic acid powder (Vitamin B5), 1  Teaspoon Aloe Vera Gel, 1  Teaspoon Epsom salt, 1 Ripe Tomato, chopped, and 2 drops Thyme oil. Apply to face for 15 minutes then rinse off. This is especially good for acne problems.

Foot Soak

Sooth aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as the water is warm. Rinse and dry. Also helps with toe nail fungus, like athlete’s foot. I like to add marbles to the bottom of my pan for an added foot massage.

Get Rid of Blackheads

Here’s a surefire way to dislodge blackheads – Mix 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt and 3 drops Lugol’s Solution liquid iodine in 1/2 cup boiling water. When the mixture cools enough to stick your finger in it, apply it to the blackhead with a cotton ball. Repeat this three to four times, reheating the solution of necessary. Gently remove the blackhead and then dab the area with an alcohol based astringent.

General Stress Relief

Nothing draws out stress like bath salts. As the magnesium soaks into your body it reverses the effects of stress on your body, replenishing magnesium levels, decreasing adrenaline, and producing serotonin. Make your own bath salts by mixing 16 ounces all-natural bath salt and 15-30 drops of essential oil (especially those that induce relaxation). Store in a glass jar and use 3 times a week for maximum results.

Flush Toxins

The Epsom Salt Council notes that the sulfates in Epsom salt help flush out toxins and draw impurities away from the skin. According to The Epsom Salt Council, you should soak in a warm bath with 2 cups Epsom salt for at least 12 minutes at a time for the greatest therapeutic benefits.

Weight Loss


There are numerous techniques of circumventing weight gain and stripping a few pounds of your weight to get that optimal size. They include dieting, the use of pills and use of Epsom salt bath to lose weight. Epsom salt has drummed up support to its side over the recent days and studies have indicated that it does more than helping you lose weight. It has benefits for the digestive system, the skin and general health.

Softer Skin

Epsom salt baths naturally exfoliate and soften skin, points out the Epsom Salt Council. Epsom salt baths may lead to better skin circulation, making your skin healthier.

Fight Colds and Flu

The Epsom Salt Council states that soaking in an Epsom salt bath it may spur vasodilatation, which increases white blood cell production, helping your body fight illness. This is especially useful for people who have colds or the flu, since Epsom salt also helps with aches and pains.

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Preschool Easter Songs and Music

Easter songs are an integral part of Easter festivities. Easter songs can be categorized into two types - humorous that appeal to kids and religious. Some Easter songs truly capture the festive spirit of the spring season. Humorous Easter songs, which incorporate traditional Easter symbols such as Easter bunny and eggs, are a big hit among young children. On the other hand, Religious Easter hymns pay tribute to the sacrifice made by Lord Jesus Christ for humanity. Whatever the theme is, the Easter songs carry the real essence of the festival and communicate to the Christians that Jesus Christ is everywhere.

On Easter morning, churches reverberate with Easter hymns, commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. During Easter, compilation CDs of famous songs on Easter literally flies off the shelves of music stores. Apart from the music stores in town, the virtual world of internet provides the opportunity of free downloading of Easter songs. You can make a collection of your favorite Easter songs, without burning a hole in your pocket. You can also get lyrics for popular Easter songs, in case you are do not know the wordings of the songs clearly. Check out our related section to get the lyrics of some of the famous Easter songs.

Easter Bunny

If you like the Easter Bunny, hop, hop, hop (hop)
If you like the Easter Bunny, hop, hop, hop (hop)
If you like the Easter Bunny and you think he's really fun (smile)
If you like the Easter Bunny - hop, hop, hop. (hop)

Little Peter Rabbit

Little Peter Rabbit (Make Bunny Ears)
Had a fly (flap arms) upon his nose (point to nose)
Had a fly (flap arms) upon his nose (point to nose)
Had a fly (flap arms) upon his nose (point to nose)
And he flipped it (brush nose with hands) And it flew away (flap arms)

Spring Poem

By Sharon Siegelman
Some days seem like winter,
Some are nice and warm.
Rainy days and windy days,
Maybe it will storm.
Warm or cold or wet or dry,
What will the weather be?
I think Spring is trying to play
Peek-a-boo with me

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Easter's on its way

Bringin' ev'ry girl and boy
A basketful of Easter joy
Things to make your Easter
Bright and gay

He's got jelly beans for Tommy
Colored eggs for sister Sue
There's an orchid for your mommy
And an Easter bonnet too. Oh!

Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity
Happy Easter Day!

Easter Bonnet

In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.
I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.
On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade. 

Friday 11 March 2016

Coconut Oil Benefits For Pregnant Women

 Coconut oil is for more than just the beach, which is probably what comes to mind for many when you catch the succulent scent of coconut.  Many don’t realize the health benefits of Coconut oil for pregnant women.
The benefits cover a wide range of areas in the body such as skin, stress, cholesterol, weight issues, immunity, digestions, kidney relief, blood pressure and more. These benefits can all be linked to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid in the oil.

While the highest source of lauric acid is breast milk, coconut oil is actually the second highest source of this healthy acid.  It’s cited in helping combat bacteria and viruses that cause diseases such as influenza, herpes and even HIV. Lauric acid also combats those harmful bacteria like listeria and heliobacter pylori.

Lactation

Coconut oil stimulates metabolism promoting both healthy thyroid and lactation. Intake of coconut oil while pregnant may help ensure that a mother will have lots of milk. Studies have proven that milk in breastfeeding mothers who takes coconut oil and other coconut products has higher amount of lauric acid.

Stretch Marks

Because of the high amount of vitamin E in coconut oil, pregnant women in South India apply the coconut extract on their bellies to prevent stretch marks. Even existing stretch marks have a chance to fade with regular use of coconut oil. It will also moisturize the skin and keep skin irritation and infection at bay.

Infant Health

Coconut oil helps develop the immune system of the newborn as well as aid in the brain and bone development. It is known to relieve diaper rash, Keratosis Pilaris and is so gentle and beneficial for baby’s digestive health it is actually used by hospitals in infant formula.

Infant Massage

Coconut oil is popular for infant massage, and has been known to calm babies and help them sleep.

Pregnancy can be a stressful time, and Pregnant women have an increased demand for good nutrition. The unborn child also demands ample nutrients for proper development and growth and will steal them from the mother’s body if they are not supplied in her diet.

Diabetes

Coconut oil is proven to help control blood sugar by improving the secretion of insulin and also assists with the effective use of blood glucose. This is great for pregnant women who are diabetic, as well as to prevent gestational diabetes in women.

Tuesday 23 February 2016

How to Use Epsom Salt For Skin Care

Epsom salt is a pure mineral compound (magnesium sulfate) in crystal form that gently exfoliates skin and smoothes rough patches. Regularly used by a growing number of models and actresses, it’s a popular natural choice for beauty enhancement.

Body scrub

You could really use the same Coconut Oil Salt Scrub you used on your lips as a body scrub, too (it would work especially well on dry elbows or heels). But Epsom salt on its own also makes for a supereffective body scrub: After your shower, gently massage wet skin with handfuls of the crystals. The coarse texture helps slough away dead skin cells, while the anti-inflammatory properties prevent irritation. Rinse and follow with a moisturizing body cream.

Hair volumizer

Bet you didn't see this one coming: Epsom salts can help remove the oil and product buildup that weigh down hair. For a mask that clarifies without sapping moisture, combine equal parts Epsom salts with your regular conditioner, then comb the mixture through hair and let it sit for 20 minutes before rinsing.

Facial

"Epsom salts' natural exfoliating properties deep-clean skin," says Bhatia. Add a half teaspoon to any creamy facial cleanser to turn it into a scrub. "I like to create a salty-steam facial by adding the Epsom salts to a small basin of very hot water and holding it under my face for a few minutes," she says. Then apply a face mask and rinse with cool water.

Smooth Skin

Epsom salt is an excellent exfoliator. Using a handful of the salts with a wash cloth and warm water and gently scrubbing the skin in circular motions will get rid of rough patches and smooth and soften the skin. To make an ultra moisturising body scrub, simply add an oil with it, like olive oil or coconut oil.

Help get over certain diseases

Some diseases like athlete’s foot, gout, and toenail fungus have been shown to improve with the Use of Epsom salt. These are uncomfortable conditions that can take a lot of time to heal. Especially athlete’s foot and toenail fungus because your feet spend all day in shoes and socks. Anything to help these sorts of conditions out are always a good idea.

Friday 12 February 2016

Best Outdoor Winter Activities For Children

Knowing the right outdoor activities for winter days (and nights!) is the first step to having a healthy, active winter. "I think it’s important to make fitness a part of your child’s life from the youngest of age. The best way for them to learn it is for you to model it. Do a stroller workout and/or take your baby to a mommy and me fitness class. They will see that Mom likes to healthy exercise," says Lisa Druxman, creator of Stroller Strides.                          

  • Before heading outside, make sure that your kids are bundled up to be warm. You should bundle up too. Be sure to wear gloves, coats and warm socks, along with weather-appropriate footwear.
  • Be aware of the signs of frostbite in kids. If your child complains of aching pain or numbness, most often to their extremities (hands, feet or ears) or their skin feels hard/waxy with a white color, come inside immediately and follow these instructions.
  • Don't worry, playing outside won't make them sick. Dr. Khan says that the idea that going outside in the cold will give you a cold is nothing more than an old wives' tale. "Just going outside doesn't make people catch colds. Of course, they should be appropriately dressed... and if it's really cold, like we get in Chicago, staying inside is better," says Dr. Khan. However, Dr. Khan does say that if someone has been exposed to the cold virus, then being in the cold weather can make the cold come on faster.
  • Stay hydrated. Just like any other time of the year, it's important outdoor activities hat you and your kids drink enough. "Don’t forget to bring water, even when the weather is chilly," says Mindy Pierce, director of programming for Sport & Health Clubs.