Working My Way to Better Health With Bone Broth

Bone Broth for Better Health

*Excuse my goofy pictures. I was under the influence of extreme excitement over getting to try organic bone broth, so I resorted to selfies with the bone broth when it came in the mail.*

Bone broth is considered a super-food by many, like the Weston A. Price Foundation for instance, and for good reason. It's known for its immune-boosting properties. Good bone broth like Bone Broths Co.'s nutrient-dense, organic, grass-fed bone broth is even used to aid in recovery from illness, or the flu/colds. It helps strengthen and restore many of the body's important functions, like the immune system.

It just so happens that when Bone Broths Co. sent me their bone broth, I had been dealing with the pain of a broken wisdom tooth for months, so it was the perfect time to try it since bone broth is so amazing for dental (and overall) health.

I want to go ahead and interrupt for a minute to say that one of my main reasons for wanting to try bone broth was for my bone and dental health. At one point, while in excruciating pain, I had the idea to hold some of this bone broth in my mouth around my wisdom tooth to see if it couldn't give me some relief. I was pleasantly surprised that the extreme inflammation seemed to calm each time I did that. I also alternated between other home remedies and when I went to the dentist two days ago, he surprised the heck out of my by poking my mouth with three needles (anesthesia) and going straight to extracting the tooth! 

The reason that's a surprise is because the tooth was very broken, in one place, all the way to the gum and had been this way for around three months, so I expected to be sent home with a round fo antibiotics on my first visit and then asked to come back for the extraction. I've never heard of someone getting their tooth extracted the very same day! 

I assumed it must have been because I didn't have much infection in the area. I know it was infected after it broke because I was in so much pain.

For good measure, before he went to town jerking my tooth out, I asked if there was much infection. He said he really couldn't see much at all. So, I have come to the conclusion that all my home remedies I'd been using actually did keep the infection down!

I used a variety of different natural remedies to keep the pain and infection as low as possible, but I have to say, the bone broth and the tea tree oil (which is what I used to brush with since it helped with pain and worked wonders to relieve the infection) seemed to be the most helpful to me. In fact, in the week leading up to my dentist visit, the only things I was using was tea tree oil and bone broth!

I just wanted to jump in and share that interesting bit of information real quick before continuing.

Bone Broth is rich in trace minerals like calcium, phosphorous, silicon, sulphur, magnesium, and others.

The benefits of a good bone broth are so numerous that I probably couldn't name them all, but I've listed many below.

- Builds strong bones.

- Improves metabolism
 

- Promotes healthy muscles and connective tissue, making bone broth beneficial to those looking to build more muscle.

- Provides protection to digestive lining

- Provides fuel to cells in the small intestine
 

- Bone broth is said to help aid in detoxification of cells, liver, and "gut."

The main reason I became interested in adding a good, organic bone broth to my diet was due to what I'd read from Weston A. Price's work and other health experts. 

Since I've been working diligently at improving my dental and bone health -- and hopefully even remineralizing some of my teeth --  I finally decided it was time to really go all out and add the beloved bone broth into my diet.

I'd already adopted most of the other important things for proper dental health anyways -- such as quitting all toothpaste and only using natural stuff like essential oils.

I've been dealing with a broken wisdom tooth for months and the problems have been severe. So what better time to begin the bone broth, right? I was given the opportunity to collaborate with a reputable bone broth company -- Bone Broths Co. at just the perfect time when my teeth needed it the most.

Note: I'm not saying that consuming bone broth will cause my severely broken wisdom tooth to somehow heal magically. This is one case where I believe I'll have to have the tooth extracted, but in the meantime, I'm excited to begin adding the mineral and nutrient-rich broth to my diet to help improve my dental health (and overall health) as a whole.

Health Problems That Benefit From Bone Broth:

 - Arthritis and pain associated with osteo/arthritis

*Bone broth contains gelatin, which is super important as it's said to be used to treat many diseases, even cancer. It is used as medical treatment in ancient China. 

Gelatin is not only important for joint and cartilage health, but it's also great for digestion and has even been used to help people heal from digestive problems like "leaky gut syndrome," crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and IBS (something I've battled with on and off for years.) It also helps with candidiasis as bone broth promotes the growth of "good" bacteria which in turn can fight off the bad, like candida albicans.

- Food allergies

-  Bone broth helps fight colds, flu, and malnutrition.

- Skin health

Many say that because of the collagen in bone broth, drinking it regularly will reduce cellulite and wrinkles.

3 Important Things to Look For Before Buying Bone Broth:

 
As with anything consumable these days, it's important to make sure the bone broth you consume is free of harmful items that are often found in many store-bought broths.

Make sure the bone broth you use is:
1. From grass-fed animals
2. Free of MSG (a neurotoxin found in most shelved stocks/broths)
3. Free of artificial growth hormones and antibiotics
From what I have read, these are the three basic things to look for if you plan to buy your bone broth.

Product Specs:

- 2 Servings per box

- Does not require refrigeration until box is opened

- Contains only 100% Organic vegetables, sea salt, herbs and grass-fed bones. No fillers, additives, artificial flavors.

- Bone Broth Co.'s broth does gel

Back label of Bone Broth Co. package

*The back of the label reads: "We combine modern day packaging technology with the old fashioned way of cooking bone broth to bring you a delicious and healthy shelf-stable beef bone broth. Every batch of our beef bone broth is made with bones from grass-fed, pasture-raised cattle without antibiotics or added hormones. We also use garden vegetables, sea salt, and spices. Our broth is cooked at a slow simmer to extract all the flavor and nutrients..."

Ways To Consume Bone Broth

Above is a quick chili "dip" + crackers. The chili "dip" is basically venison chili (made with bone broth) and shredded cheese, sour cream, garlic, and onions, and I believe a few other flavorful things that I currently cannot recall at this late hour. Clearly I also couldn't be bothered with any decent dishes at the late hour when the snack was made either. Hey, paper plates really can be a life-saver even if they are ugly. 

As someone new to broths, I can't say the flavor of the straight broth in a cup was delicious to me, but it certainly wasn't intolerable.  I had no trouble allowing the broth to sit in my mouth for several seconds. I did this for my teeth, especially since my broken wisdom tooth was giving me severe pain and the gums and teeth around the broken tooth were extremely inflamed. 

Bone Broth can be used in a huge variety of dishes, but many people love drinking it as a warm beverage! I was surprised to learn this last winter, but I've read/heard/saw dozens of folks say they love drinking bone broth. In fact, there was a drive-thru place open somewhere in New York I think where you could get a warm cup of bone broth.

For those who aren't fond of drinking their bone broth, I've came across loads of different recipes that you can use it in. 

Most people use bone broth in their soups, stews, and slow-cooker (crock-pot) dishes. I've seen pasta recipes like spaghetti that use bone broth as well. 

As I've noted, bone broth is versatile in that it can be used in numerous dishes like stew and even spaghetti, but you can also include it in your sauces. The beef broth I'm using from Bone Broths Co. has so far went splendidly in every dish I've tried it with so far, including spaghetti.

Since I'm very new to bone broth, I've not had the chance to try it very many different recipes, so I'm just discovering the possibilities at the moment.

So far, I've found it enjoyable in vegetable soup (my favorite soup) and even in my mom's chicken chili! Chicken chili is basically a creamier kind of chili in my opinion. It's a blend of chili powder, beans, vegetables, and chicken instead of beef. My mom always includes herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, a variety of beans, sour cream, and of course cheese! That's exactly how I love it. 

We tried using the bone broth in chicken chili and it was absolutely perfect. I thought it added more flavor rather than a watery, blandness it often has.

I could even imagine this bone broth being tasty in chicken noodle soup, for those of you who like the stuff.

Why I Love Bone Broths Co.'s Bone Broth

 
- This is the first truly fresh, never frozen bone broth
 

- Grass-fed garden vegetables

- All natural, no artificial ingredients, no added hormones, no antibiotics

- Gluten-free 

- Minimally processed (slowly simmered)

- Paleo-friendly

- US inspected and passed by department of agriculture

"We keep things real by keeping things simple. Grass-fed bones, organic vegetables, sea salt and organic herbs are the only ingredients in our fresh and never frozen bone broth."

Ingredients in Bone Broths Co. Beef Bone Broth:
Filtered water, grass-fed beef bones, onions, organic carrots, organic parsley, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, black peppercorn, bay thyme, rosemary extract.

Bone Broths Co. is offering a 10% discount on your order. Just use the code bonebrothpal10   at checkout.

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advice of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

Organic Fundamental Face Cream from Earth Turns *Product Review*

 

Recently, I have had the amazing opportunity to try a few products available at Earth Turns, which happens to be a friendly company that carries a variety of high quality products like supplements and natural/herbal products, and even a beauty department. All of the products Earth Turns carry are manufactured under Current Good Manufacturing Process Standards and are natural, safe and effective. At this moment, I've been enjoying the pleasure of using a product from there called the Fundamental Face Cream.

Before I get into the review for the Fundamental Face Cream (which I'm loving, by the way), I wanted to take a second to include that Earth Turns has an A+ BBB rating, and at the moment, they're doing free shipping for  US orders! You really can't beat free shipping these days.

What Makes The Fundamental Face Cream so Fantastic
The Fundamental Face Cream is 100% natural and contains organic ingredients, nutrients and antioxidants that fight wrinkles and other signs of aging. This is one of the most important things I look for in a face cream -- it absolutely must moisturize my skin well without leaving too much residue behind, without interfering with any makeup application and lastly, it must have some type of anti-aging properties. Brownie points because it contains my all-time favorite ingredient & remedy for anything -- Aloe vera.

The Fundamental Face Cream does everyone of those things in the most rich & creamy way! I really adore the texture and consistency of this cream. It makes applying it to my skin a real pleasure. I enjoy seeing it almost melt into my skin instantly, like butter and leave a nice, supple appearance behind.


Aloe vera soothes inflamed skin, promotes healing and is a natural anti-bacterial.

Organic Cacao Seed and Shea butter provide intense hydration and Cacao Seed butter protects and conditions skin. Shea butter has antioxidant properties, can reduce scars and other marks. It contains Vitamins A & E, and can help reduce UV radiation damage.


Organic Soy Lecithin an emulsifier that promotes moisturization.


Organic Rice Bran Extract contains antioxidants, is an anti-inflammatory that prevents aging.


Organic Tremella Mushroom is rich in Vitamin D, can help fill in places where wrinkles form, and improves skin complexion and overall appearance by promoting Hyaluronic Acid production in skin. Moisturizing.


Organic Pomegranate Oil an antioxidant that supports cell function and regeneration. It can improve skin's texture and might help with hyperpigmentation.


Organic Grape seed Oil is an anti-inflammatory that soothes skin. GSE contains antioxidants -- which help prevent damage and repair previous damage,  -- rich in Vitamins C, D, E, and Beta Carotene and essential fatty acids. This ingredient can help minimize scars, prevents acne and definitely prevents aging signs, as it helps restore collagen. It can even help with excessively oily skin by balancing it.

Organic Marshmallow Root Extract helps skin regenerate from damage, helps reduce inflammation.

More Reasons I Love The Fundamental Face Cream

• Free of PEG's, BHA, Mineral Oil and Petrolatum
• Completely safe & impressively effective.
• Makes my skin appear plump, healthy and clear
• Doesn't interfere with my makeup application
• Hydration is one of a kind with this Face Cream.
• Feels silky and velvety, goes on without sticky or greasy residue left over.

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

Fundamental Chemical-Free Organic Shampoo Review

I've just had the lovely opportunity to try a few products that are available at Earth Turns, who happen to be a very friendly company that carries a variety of really amazing quality products like supplements and natural or herbal products, and even a beauty department. All of the products Earth Turns carry are manufactured under Current Good Manufacturing Process Standards and are natural, safe and effective. I've recently been trying various samples of their product (like the "Relax Already that I recently reviewed) and this new, chemical-free shampoo. 

Before I get into the review for this interesting shampoo, I wanted to take a second to include that Earth Turns has an A+ BBB rating, and at the moment, they're doing free shipping for  US orders! You really can't beat free shipping these days.
 

Fundamental Shampoo is a chemical & SLS-free shampoo with organic ingredients designed to restore hair's shine and body. 

Obviously, as with any natural shampoo, you're going to experience little to no lather. This sometimes means you feel the need to use more product than normal, as I do, so when I dumped an entire hand-full of shampoo in my hair, I was shocked to learn that with the Fundamental Shampoo, that was not necessary! The stuff actually lathers as good as any typical shampoo! So, I kicked myself for wasting so much.

Something I love about Fundamental Shampoo is my hair always smells, feels and looks totally clean, even though I didn't use sulfates to clean it.  The shampoo has a minty scent that does not stay in hair.

 I once thought that natural shampoos that did not contain some sort of harsh sulfate couldn't truly clean my hair. I think we've all been kind of brainwashed as to what the real definition of clean is. It seems we've been thinking that "clean" means stripping all of our skin and hair of anything and everything. If any little natural oil was leftover (which cannot be seen when you first wash the hair with Fundamental Shampoo) is considered dirty.

In fact, my hair feels, looks and smells just as clean as when I use the average drug-store shampoo.

Another plus is that the scent of the Fundamental Shampoo is "acceptable" by either gender (male or female.)

After using the Fundamental Shampoo, my hair was different in texture and appearance. It had more fluff/volume than it normally does, which can be a great thing when hair is flat.

My ends, while they appeared a lot fuller than normal (plus!), they felt a tiny bit drier than they do when I use a good leave-in conditioner, but I made sure to use my leave-in the next night when washing my hair with Fundamental Shampoo  & that helped my ends a lot. I normally always use the leave-in since my ends have some damage, but I skipped when I used the shampoo for the first time because I wanted to be sure I could get the best idea of how this shampoo does. 

I do want to make it clear that I love this shampoo! I really do. My hair actually felt cleaner than it does with other shampoos, and I have been able to skip a day between washes (I normally do that) without my hair looking oily at all the last day. Very impressive.


Benefits of the Ingredients in Fundamental Shampoo
With ingredients like saponified olive oil and coconut oil, the Fundamental Shampoo is nicely moisturizing for hair, and will help with damage and promote shine.

Ginger extract is a natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, which makes it great for sensitive skin. Ginger extract may also be a useful remedy for hair loss and can make the hair stronger & healthier. Ginger plus olive oil makes a great dandruff remedy, so since the Fundamental Shampoo contains both, it'll be useful for that too. 

Honey, a natural anti-bacterial is an all-around amazing ingredient for health in general, which is why I try to consume pure, raw honey at least 5 times a week, daily when I can. As for hair, though, honey may be useful for preventing hair loss since it helps hair to retain moisture, and it's conditioning. It also makes hair shiny.

Comfrey Root Extract is an anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, too. It also prevents dryness, is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and may stimulate hair growth. The plant protein Mucilage in Comfrey is a foaming agent, which gives the Fundamental Shampoo a bit of sudsy-ness, it also softens hair.

Grape Seed Extract is an anti-septic and anti-inflammatory that may also be helpful for hair loss. GSE contains antioxidants, which help prevent damage and repair previous damage.

Rosemary Extract, an anti-microbial and anti-fungal with some scientific evidence showing that Rosemary oil may be able to help with hair growth. Rosemary extract will help soothe any scalp irritation and keep it clean while also preventing dandruff

Burdock Root Extract helps promote healthy scalp and hair. The Vitamin A, Mucilage and essential fatty acid content in Burdock helps nourish and strengthen skin and hair. It can also provide relief from itchy, inflamed and dry scalp problems.

What I Love About the Fundamental Shampoo:

• Cruelty Free. Fundamental Earth products have been approved by Leaping Bunny & PETA as cruelty free products.
•  The shampoo contains organic ingredients and vitamins.
•  Is nourishing to hair
• Won't damage hair at all as it's free of toxic chemicals, sulfates, parabens, etc.

• Maintains hair's pH balance.

• Doesn't dry out scalp

I can't say that I would actually go so far as to totally switch to this shampoo at this moment in my life. Mostly just because at $11 something for a full sized bottle, considering how much shampoo my hair uses, it just wouldn't be affordable right now. However, I have checked around and it appears that it's as much as $5 elsewhere online, so I certainly cannot complain about the $11 price for it at Earth Turns, especially with free shipping on top of it. I would certainly jump all over that offer when my usual budget allows just a bit extra spending, though.

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

Organic Fundamental Face Scrub from Earth Turns *Review*

*Updated on 9/3/2014 -- Update at end of post.

Recently, I have had the amazing opportunity to try a few products available at Earth Turns, who happen to be a very friendly company that carries a variety of high quality products like supplements and natural/herbal products, and even a beauty department. All of the products Earth Turns carry are manufactured under Current Good Manufacturing Process Standards and are natural, safe and effective. At this moment, I've been focusing on the wonders of their Fundamental Face Scrub.

Before I get into the review for the Fundamental Face Scrub (which I'm loving, by the way), I wanted to take a second to include that Earth Turns has an A+ BBB rating, and at the moment, they're doing free shipping for  US orders! You really can't beat free shipping these days.

The Fundamental Face Scrub from Earth Turns uses organic ingredients that are effective (and totally safe) for any skincare concern. Aloe Vera, for example is like my miracle plant for everything. It's included in the ingredients, which obviously make this Face Scrub great at soothing and healing.

What I love about the Fundamental Face Scrub is that it's simple. It uses the ingredients necessary for maintaining and promoting healthy, clean skin without the use of those dang chemicals you find in most skincare products.

The Fundamental Face Scrub is a neutral pH and contains antioxidants.

The Fundamental Face Scrub is clear with a gel-like consistency. There are a few apricot kernels within the gel, and they're very gentle on skin.  

Even though the ingredients are all great, it's not uncommon for my skin to still be dried out after washing with almost anything, so I was very impressed with how smooth and soft and totally not-dried out my face was after using this! My pores appeared a bit smaller, even and I was pretty satisfied to see that a lot of the breakouts I'd had were less inflamed and angry looking after using.

Why the Fundamental Face Scrub is So Fantastic

Aloe Vera soothes inflamed skin, is a natural anti-bacterial while honey moisturizes and is also a natural anti-bacterial, anti-biotic, and anti-microbial.

Spearmint Oil relaxes muscles and skin and combats acne.

Chamomile is an anti-septic and anti-spasmodic that helps heal wounds.

Apricot Kernels exfoliate skin. 

Avocado oil hydrates, moisturizes.

Hops Extract increases blood flow, tones, and calms irritations.

Olive Leaf Extract is a natural anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory that soothes skin. 

Ginger Extract is a natural anti-septic, and anti-inflammatory.

Balm Mint Extract an anti-spasmodic that soothes sensitive skin.

Yarrow Extract helps heal skin, regenerating damage, can provide relief from acne, reduce inflammation and redness.

Vitamin C  an antioxidant that balances skin's pH, restores elasticity, promotes healing, protects and repairs skin.

Grape Seed Extract is an anti-septic and anti-inflammatory that may also be helpful for hair loss. GSE contains antioxidants, which help prevent damage and repair previous damage.

Rosemary Extract is an anti-fungal, anti-microbial that also soothes irritation.

What I Love About Fundamental Face Scrub

• No harsh ingredients or chemicals
• Contains amazing ingredients that help heal skin like Aloe vera.
• Neutral pH helps skin maintain its natural pH
• Great for acne prone skin
• Soothing
• Not tested on animals, uses no animal ingredients
• Contains certified organic herbs

The Fundamental Face Scrub is most certainly a skincare product I'd happily adopt into my long-term (forever and ever) skincare routine simply due to the fact that those ingredients are just what "works" for my odd, combination skin. Plus, with Earth Turns' prices, I'm happy to adopt it as a regular part of my skincare routine without feeling guilty for spending. Very affordable for all the help it does for my skin. And it's a product that doesn't require a bunch per use, so it's long-lasting.

I tend to require a lot of soothing and healing due to some previous breakouts that left minor scarring, and some breakouts that are recurring. So, aloe vera and the rest of the ingredients are really useful, especially since combination skin means both oily and dry. The natural ingredients like honey and avocado oil are useful for adding enough hydration without causing oily skin. 

 I've never been able to get by without a moisturizer though, (even when I've smothered my skin in olive oil!), so I love using the Fundamental Face Cream I have from Earth Turns in combination with this. 

 How do you guys feel about organic skincare products? Are you currently using organic? If so, what are your favorites and what do you love about them? I love hearing from you lovely folks.

Stay tuned for my upcoming review on the Face Cream from Earth Turns, which I am absolutely madly and insanely in love with!

UPDATE:

I wasn't sure where in the review would be the proper place to add an update like this, and since this post has already gotten so many views, I figured I'd just post it at the bottom, that way everyone, including folks who've already read this will be able to see there's been an update & quickly scroll to it. 

So, I wanted to update to say that not even a week after I ran out of the Fundamental Face scrub samples did I notice major acne flare ups, which were there as I began the Fundamental scrub, but had cleared up dramatically. I wasn't 100% sure the scrub here was to be credited for this amazing clearing on my skin since I'd been trying so much other things, but now I feel comfortable stating that this facial scrub was at least contributing greatly to the positive effects on my skin.

My skin was looking fabulous while using the Fundamental scrub. I mean it was perfectly hydrated, nice and glow-y, and since I'd been combining it with the Fundamental lotions, it was supple and smooth! I noticed acne turning into little dark spots and peeling away, revealing healthy skin underneath instead of scarring. In fact, I even thought my previous acne scars seemed to be less noticeable. 

I wasn't 100% sure the Fundamental scrub was all the reason for these improvements until after I quit using it. I can say that I've had the acne under control the past week, for once! But I had to quit using any kind of soap (even the organic stuff) and only use aloe vera for cleaning. 

 It had gotten to the point where nothing was helping. I'm feeling relieved that it's looking better right now, but will feel even better to finally order the Fundamental Scrub so that I can actually cleanse and keep things under control.
In fact, I was quite disappointed upon running out of the stuff & after the whole new acne flare up coming back, I've been working on purchasing the full sized product. I do hope that this is a product that will continue to benefit my skin, even after long term use, and I feel like it will, so I'm pretty confident in spending $ on it. Will update & let you guys know if any changes occur!

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment Review

In this review, you'll read about the Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment. To read about the Somatique facial cleanser click here.

 In my last post, the Somatique Facial Cleanser review, I promised a review for the Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment, and a lot of you expressed a huge interest in it, so I'm going to be as detailed and thorough as I possibly can in this post. If any questions are left unanswered, don't hesitate to ask away. 

 Put briefly, Somatique's Stretch Mark Treatment is designed to help prevent stretch marks with its awesome, organic, effective ingredients like Shea butter, jojoba oil, tamanu oil, Vitamin E, coconut oil, aloe vera and beeswax. However, it can also be used to help fade existing stretch marks. This is why I wanted to use it. I don't have any new marks, but have had old ones since my teen years.

Now that I've had a month of use with this stuff, I'm going to tell you all about it. I'll start with my results.

My Results Using the Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment

I should start by telling you that everyone is going to be different with these things. Results are likely to vary greatly between individuals. I personally have probably moderate stretch marks. Not severe like you may see immediately after giving birth or something of that nature. My stretch marks are deep, though. My stretch marks are mostly on my legs and sides/obliques. They appeared on my inner and outer thighs as well as lightly on my calves during my teen years. I'm 24 now, so they've been with me for a while.

It's been around 1 month since I began using the Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment cream. As of the time of writing, I've seen a possible change in appearance of my stretch marks (those on my outer thighs.) However, the change, if any, is so minor that photos weren't useful here. I will certainly continue use and photograph any results after more time has passed. I wish so badly that I could've had some noticeable results by now, but the "after" photos would look identical to the ones you see labeled "before."  

At times, though, when looking at the stretch marks on my outer thighs, they seem less noticeable. The marks on my sides, the ones that are the deepest, are still just as bad as before. Hopefully, the change will appear soon as I continue to apply the cream twice daily. I won't give up hope just yet!


Things to Keep in Mind:

 I assume folks who have new stretch marks may see a quicker improvement than those who've had them much longer. I don't know if this is true, though.  I also have minor stretch marks that aren't as deep or as many on my chest. During the time I've been using the Stretch Mark Treatment, I've focused on the worst of the areas -- my thighs and sides. I've even taken photos before and after for you guys.

These are my "before" photos. If any change does happen, and the marks show any sign of improvement, I'll include the "afters".

 I didn't want to get too graphic, considering the marks appear in areas that are under my clothing, so I simply took some up-close photos of the skin to give you readers an idea of what I started with. I figure this may be helpful in some way, and better than just words.

Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment pictured on the left

I began using the Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment immediately when it arrived to me, which was around the end of February. I apply to clean, dry skin nightly and sometimes in the mornings, too.

The Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment  impressed me with its super rich, thick and highly moisturizing properties. It healed my dry skin areas (which are pretty much on every body part I have) within the first week of use. 

So far, I've seen an improvement in my skin's softness. It's never been this smooth and soft! Or this moisturized, either. I actually took a liking to this stretch mark cream as an intensive moisturizer and skin smoother, too. I realized quickly that even if I didn't receive an improvement in my stretch marks, I'd be happy with the softness of my skin alone.

What I Love About Somatique Stretch Mark Treatment:

•  Safe for pregnant & nursing women
  

•  Organic, safe and effective ingredients

• Highly moisturizing and leaves skin smooth.

• Improves skin elasticity
  

Ingredients and Their Benefits:

 Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Organic Sunflower Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Organic Vegetable Glycerin, Octyl Palmitate, Shea Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Stearate, Organic Beeswax, Matrixyl 3000, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E, Organic Jojoba Oil, Tamanu Oil, Organic Borage Oil, Organic Flax Seed Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Rose Hip Oil, Vitamin B5, Arnica, Organic Lavender, Organic Calendula, Organic Chamomile, Grapeseed Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Sodium Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin.

Like most of the Lady Soma products I've used, the stretch mark treatment is also high in antioxidants, which help promote elasticity.  antioxidants are responsible for not only preventing damage to the skin, but also repairing it, too.  

Jojoba Oil: It's rich in Vitamin E (antioxidant!), which means age-prevention. Restores skin's natural pH balance. 

Works as an anti-inflammatory (so that's good for redness and irritated areas, including psoriasis and eczema). Softens and smooths texture of skin (and hair), acts as an incredible moisturizer, without clogging pores. It restores skin's  normal  oil balance. Jojoba oil is hypoallergenic and safe to use on all skin. Also has fungicidal properties. It's been touted for its acne scar and stretch mark fading abilities. 

Tamanu Oil: Has also been used widely in the removal of stretch marks, and has some evidence to back up its efficiency: 
"BioScience Laboratories conducted a study of Tamanu oil's ability to improve the appearance of scars. The results showed that when Tamanu oil was applied to the scarred area twice daily for nine consecutive weeks, scar length decreased by an average 0.28 centimeters and the and width was decreased by an average 0.12 centimeters."
 Source: Botanical.com
 
It's also been used to treat many skin conditions. It has anti-microbial properties

Coconut Oil: Also well-known for its use in stretch mark treatment. Coconut oil has amazing skin benefits (and internal ones, too!) It has anti-fungal, anti-septic,  anti-microbial properties and more. It's a decent moisturizer, helps with skin problems, protects against UV rays,

Aloe Vera

Ya'll know I have to refrain from getting too excited when I talk about healthy, awesome ingredients like aloe. It has been my life-saver in more ways than just skin-related (IBS - candidiasis). Aloe has so many benefits for us, internally and externally. It's soothing to any kind of irritation, it helps heal and has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

How it Feels

I wanted you guys to get an idea of the cream's awesome creamy, rich texture, so here's a photo of the actual cream.

As you'd expect in a product that contains so many awesome oils, this has a somewhat greasy feeling right before its fully absorbed into the skin, and that's something I do love -- the cream will fully absorb into skin leaving behind little residue. The residue that may be left behind usually ends up absorbed as well after some time, then I'm left with soft, smooth skin. It's not nearly as greasy as you may expect, but it's thick and rich, which makes it even better! A thin, watery cream would never be enough for stretch mark treatment.

The little glass jar comes with 4 oz of cream, and since it's so thick and rich, it takes a little more than a quarter sized drop to cover my thighs. In fact, it takes about a tablespoon full to cover a thigh. I'm not sure this would be a product that'll last throughout a whole year or anything, but so far, I have at least a several month supply left.

Now, I have to admit it -- I've been in love with the way this stuff leaves my skin so perfectly soft and hydrated that I couldn't resist but to use it on my face! I know that sounds insane, but the ingredients are safe and healthy, so they shouldn't cause any issues. My skin was just so incredibly dry that when I seen how well it worked on my thighs, I had to try it on my face, too and I was pleasantly surprised with the results!

 I guess I can also admit that during a rub-down of my stretch mark areas, I realized how perfect this cream would also be on dry feet, so.... Yeah, I used it on my feet one night, too. Hey, who could blame me? They felt so great! I slipped my socks on, and my feet have been softer ever since that one application of the stuff.

Then I decided it was best to not get too carried away and use it all on my non-stretch-marked body parts.

Disclaimer (I know, I hate them, too, but these days you kind of can't afford to note post them.):

I am not a specialist or any other kind of doctor or expert. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information/suggestions to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with the company mentioned. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.