The beauty of bath salts!

While bath salts provide an extremely healthy way to relax and heal the body, it's important to know how to properly use bath salts to recieve the full benefits of them.

Naturally harvested bath salts are the best to use--those that are collected without the use of chemicals and are dried naturally using nothing but good old fashioned sunshine.

The types of salts that are best for baths are said to be those collected from various places around the world and include but are not limited to: Dead Sea salts, Himalayan salts, Mediterranean Sea salts, Epsom salts, Pacific Sea salts, Bali Reef salts, and of course--Organic Sea Salts. These salts may be a combination of salts but are usually collected from the Dead Sea. Organic Sea salts are a dusty gray color and often will turn bath water a gray color as well, but this is harmless. Because of the organic content of the salts, they are usually very course to the touch and sight. Genesis Ethnic Body Care uses a mixture of Organic Dead Sea Salts and Epsom Salts in it's bath sachets. Dead Sea salts are some of the most diverse as far as minerals are concerned as it has approximately 21 minerals in it's composition!

Bath salts (especially those collected from the Dead Sea) are known to treat a variety of ailments, including but not limited to: arthritis, psoriasis, muscle tension, muscle aches, dry skin, rough skin, eczema and rheumatism. It is also extremely beneficial in improving blood circulation, healing of various skin traumas (cuts, burns, bruises, etc.) and it detoxifies impurities in the body through the skin as well.

It is important to remember that when using any salts in bath water, anything less than 1/2 cup with have very little theraputic benefit. It is suggested that naturally the more bath water you have, the more salts you use. But for general purposes 1/2 - 1 cup of salts per bath is recommended. Soak in the tub for 20 - 30 minutes, no more than 45, and do not rinse. Pat dry and relax!

Baths that have salt added provide a better physical and mental experience for the bather...so remember to add a generous amount of salts during each bathtime experience!

Genesis Ethnic Body Care's bath sachets weigh approximately 1/2 pound each, and are derived of approximately 3/4 cups of salts and 1/4 cup of herbs per sachet, which provides the perfect amount of salt and herb for a healthy bath.

Dark spots, blemishes and discolorations and skin of color.

Dark spots, blemishes and discolorations are particularly troublesome in skin of color because they can be unsightly and cause self-conciousness, especially on more noticable and vunerable areas such as the face and neck. Once a pimple or damaged skin heals, a dark mark or blemish is often left behind. Dark marks appear in skin of color because melanocytes, the pigment cells that color the skin, become very active in areas where skin is irritated and began to build up. The result is a blemish that may never go away.

There are some very easy steps that those with darker skin tones can take to help prevent, and clear, dark spots and blemishes.

-Remember to always wear sunprotection with an SPF of 20 to 30. Remember to apply it every two hours while outside, because the sun causes melanin to build up in the skin, resulting in darker areas on the skin.

-If you are going to use a skin lightening cream, remember to only apply it to dark spots. Do not use any creams that contain more than 2% skin lightening ingredients (usually hydroquinone). Applying more can be dangerous to the skin, as it has been tested and shows signs of causing cancer after prolonged usage.

-Find a healthy skin care regimine and stick to it. Remember to protect yourself from the sun and treat blemishes and injuries to the skin immediately. Do not pick at any marks, bumps or scabs on the skin and do not allow clothing or other irritating materials to rub against sensitive skin. Keep hair and hats out of the face to prevent them from rubbing against delicate facial skin.

Remember to always treat your skin gently and kindly, and to be patient with it. Although a blemish can appear quickly and take what seems like forever to go away, you can greatly decrease the appearance of blemishes on the skin with a little TLC before they come.

*This information was collected from "Beautiful Skin of Color: A Comprehensive Guide to Asian, Olive and Dark Skin", and is not intented to diagnose, treat or cure any disorder or disease.

Vitamin D: ethnic skin and the elderly.

It has been suggested that the elderly, those with darker skin and ethnic skin types supplement their diets with Vitamin D, especially during the colder months as the sun's helpful rays are no longer directly beaming down on the skin. Because African-American skin (and elderly skin) produces Vitamin D in much smaller quantities than Caucasian skin in the winter and summer months, it is imperative for supplements during these times. Vitamin D, when given in sufficient amounts, decreases bone loss, fractures and the Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) in the blood, which is a cause of bone loss. Please click here to learn more: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/80/6/1763S

Vitamin D cannot be created artificially, so it must be found through natural means. Our Winter 08 Line includes Shunammite Woman (NOT to be confused with Shulammite Woman of our Fall collection!) Body Butter, which is created from 100% organic and unrefined avocado oil, and Queen of Persia (not to be confused with Queen of Sheba from the Fall Collection) Sugar scrub, which is made from avocado oil as well. Avocado oil is an excellent source of Vitamin D and one of the few plant oils that offer such a great source. And because our oils are not chemically treated or changed, they retain their full benefit as sources of many Vitamins, including A, B1, B2 and E. Avocado oil softens the skin as it absorbs and aids it in cell regeneration, which is excellent for those with mature skin and those who must constantly face the elements in harsh winter and summer conditions.

And as always, about 60% of what is put on the skin absorbs into the body, so the Vitamin D in these products will directly benefit the bodies of those who use it!