Where Have I Been?

Hey everyone!

It's your girl Rebecca here, Owner of Body Scrubs by Rebeca!

I know. Where have I been right?  Well I've been extremely busy with just life in general and of course working on Body Scrubs by Rebeca.  As some of you know I also have my 9-5 gig and just got a promotion (yay!) so I've been busy adjusting to that.  I'm here today just to update you on what's been going on during the last couple of months.

BSBR is having its best year to date! Sales are up and we're really getting exposure and visibility at different events in New York.  Back in June we were at The Bushwick Collective Street Fair, curated by my pal, Joseph Ficarola.  In August, we celebrated our four year anniversary in business and had a huge blow out sale! Sales were fantastic in August.   In September and October we were out vending in places in Hastings On Hudson, NY at the Hastings Flea Market, Valley Stream Community Festival in Valley Stream, NY and most recently in Hicksville at the Broadway Mall, Fall Family Fun Day!  So we are really get out there!  It is always a pleasure to see everyone and I am forever grateful for your support!

I'll be keeping you all up to date on more events coming up in the future! Feel free to visit the "Events" tab on bodyscrubsbyrebeca.com 

Check out some pics from previous events!

Good to be back! Be well!

Xo,

Rebeca

I Love Rebdolls!

Okay, so some of you may or may not know that I'm 6 ft tall. 

I've always been the tallest one in all my classes, always in the back of the line and always had the hardest time finding clothes that fit me right.  I always wanted to get the cute two piece midi skirt sets, the cute body-con dresses, crop tops and whatever else was trending and most importantly, not look like a two cent whore when wearing them!!

Unfortunately, it was difficult to get the right fit or material that would conform to my height and curves. I'd spend hours upon hours in stores only, for me to go home disappointed because I didn't get the right fit or, as the store clerk would say "you have to order tall sizes online." -_- .

The Body Scrub GirL! This ensemble is not by Rebdolls.

Then, I stumbled upon RebDolls on Instagram!!  It's a online store that caters to curvy women and their clothes really fit me well!!

Rebdolls "Seashore" maxi dress. This fits so nice and long on me - skirt lands past my ankles.

Here are some reasons why I LOVE RebDolls-

1. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET- everything that you see online is the way that it looks on the site. The colors online are the same colors in person.

2. TRUE FIT - the size guide and the height and size of the model are also helpful to give you an idea of what size you should get or how an item will fit on you.

3. LENGTH - the dresses and skirts are long enough for taller women. As a six foot tall woman, it's awesome knowing that my skirt touches past my ankles or that a skirt is not going to ride up under my butt-cheeks!! 

4. QUALITY - RebDolls is not like these cheap boutique stores you find online. The quality and feel of the clothes are actually very good!

5. DELIVERY - they offer reasonable delivery prices. When I ordered my second item, I received it in a day! They use USPS Priority Mail! Awesome sauce!

So, there you have it! I am officially a happy customer and have found the store that finally fits me! Now, if they only had denim! I'm patiently waiting..,

Visit - http://www.rebdolls.com/#_l_3c

Xo,

Rebeca 

Swimsuit I ordered. Colors on the model are the same in person.

Blackness Around the Neck (How Do I Get Rid of It!!!)

Have you ever seen anyone with really good looking face but when you look at their neck, there's a ring around it or blackness?  You probably think to yourself, "Well sheesh, they need to scrub their neck harder in the shower or do something!" Part of the problem as to why people have dark rings around the neck is failure to properly cleanse the neck along with the face when washing. Your face is the center of attention when you speak to people but as people talk to you they're also looking around the rest of your face, including your neck.

It is really important to cleanse and exfoliate the neck along with the rest of your face on a day to day basis. Not doing this will cause the blackness and dark regions around the neck.  

If you do have blackness or darkness around your neck here are some home remedies that will help you to get rid of it.

• Take milk and rub your neck with it. Milk is an excellent cleanser and a toner too.
• After cleansing, use a scrub, preferably natural one, to exfoliate the skin around your neck.
• You may mix olive oil with sugar and rub gently to scrub your neck.
• Sometimes use another scrub having bleaching agent such as lemon juice. You will find many scrubs here in this article that you can use for daily exfoliation.
• After exfoliating, wash off with water and apply some moisturizer.
• Whenever you go out, apply sunscreen to your neck along with your face. This will avoid pigmentation.
• Never step out in sun when you apply lemon juice on your skin. This will make your neck darker than before.

If you follow the above neck care regime daily, you will begin seeing result in a two week’s time. However, do not stop and continue cleansing, scrubbing and moisturizing your skin (rapidhomeremedies.com).

As for an exfoliant, I recommend Lemon Burst  face and body scrub by Body Scrubs by Rebeca.  Lemon burst exfoliates the skin. It is made with sugar, fresh lemon peel to help polish the skin, lemon juice that acts as the bleaching agent to fade blackness or dark spots and natural oils are great for moisturizing the skin.  Visit bodyscrubsbyrebeca.com to view more information. 

Lemon Burst $19.99 

Lemon burst face and neck scrub $19.99

Hope this information helps. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email! And also, let me know how this worked for you!

Massage Oils

So, for the last few months I've been saying that I'm going to introduce BSBR relaxing massage oils and finally, last night, I did some research and testing.   If all goes well, I should be releasing this new product by months end. I've been working on some really fancy names for the product and everything! I just want it to be perfect so that when you all give or get massages you will be in an aromatic heaven. 

Anyhow, I brought the tester in at work to get some feedback from my colleagues. They loved the way it smelled but they thought some of the oils I used were a bit dense.  I tested it out by offering my coworker a little massage and she loved it! I got the kink right out of her neck LoL! (I know, I should be working but we had a little down time).

But anyway, you may be asking yourself, why does she want to introduce massage oils to her collection of body scrubs? Well, the answer is easy! Everyone loves a massage (I know I do) and what's more awesome than getting a massage and getting rubbed down with a soothing, calming and sensual scented oil?

BSBR massage oil protoype

People have been getting massages for years and it was part of the health care system in ancient civilization.  The Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Mesopotamians and Indus Valley civilizations all practiced massage therapy with the use of oils in the past.  The Chinese massages are amongst the best in all of the societies, as they have mastered the technique.

There are difference types of oils that I researched and tested out. Here are some of the oils I tested and their uses. I think you'll find it interesting.



Different Types of Carrier Oils for Massages

Olive Oil
This is most well known oil for infant massage. But, one can use it on adults too. Olive oil is a nice massage oil which tends to improve skin’s elasticity and strengthens it.
Olibe oil has been used in the Mediterranean since ancient times, for young and old alike. Regular massage with olive oil can keep the skin looking younger and glossier.
Olive oil tends to make the skin look a bit tanned for some time.

Jojoba Oil
This is most well known oil for infant massage. But, one can use it on adults too. Olive oil is a nice massage oil which tends to improve skin’s elasticity and strengthens it.
Olibe oil has been used in the Mediterranean since ancient times, for young and old alike. Regular massage with olive oil can keep the skin looking younger and glossier.
Olive oil tends to make the skin look a bit tanned for some time.

Sunflower Oil
Its a rather inexpensive oil which can be used for body massage. It flows well on the skin, is moderately thick. It is good for generating traction with hands, which is ideal for chiropractic massage.

Avocado Oil
It is a thick oil which is yellowish in color. A special extra virgin oil from a special cultivar of Avocado oil, called Hass, is bright green in color. This oil is rich in chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments. Avocado oil is great for face massage and in hot oil treatments.



DIY

Here is a quick DIY recipe to make your own massage oil at home.

• Carrier Oil  – 4 ounces
• Essential Oil – 4 – 15 drops per essential oil. Strong essential oils, like eucalypus need just a few drops. Less strong oils can be added in slight moderation.

References

www.oilhealthbenefits.com

Spa Experience: Peppermint Facial Treatment

So every year, around or on my birthday I make a trip to the spa to treat myself and my skin! So this past Tuesday, on my birthday I headed to the Dorit Baxter Day Spa where I received a Classic European Facial!

Me at the Dorit Baxter Spa in NYC on my birthday.

As far as facials go, it was very relaxing. As usual, the specialist asked me about my skin type. I explained to her that I have combination skin-oily/dry. She did some further assessments on my face and began the facial. 

She cleansed  my face and used the steamer to open my pores. Then, during the facial she treated me with a special unclogging peppermint/ menthol face mask and warm towel.  It felt amazing! I could feel my pores opening and unclogging right there and then!

After the facial, my face felt so clean and radiant! My pores looked smaller and my face glowing. 

I thought about my usual skin care regimen and will now add peppermint and a warm towel to my face to unclog and open my pores. 

Here's What You Can Do:

1. Cleanse face with face wash/cleanser.

2. Apply hot towel over face 2x ( let it sit until the towel is no longer warm).

3. In a plastic bowl, add 10 drops of peppermint oil, 1 tbsp of seed oil with 2 cups clean hot water.

4. Dip towel in the hot peppermint, seed oil mixture and apply to your face.

5. Leave the towel on your face until the towel is no longer warm. (Repeat 2x)

6. Get a new clean towel and run cool water over it and apply this to your face to close your pores.

7. Moisturize!

Voila!

Pores unclogged and your face is now clean!

Hope this helps! 

Note: If you have sensitive skin use less drops of peppermint oil.

Xo,

Rebeca 

6 Tips to Reduce the Size of Your Pores

On my Instagram page (@body_scrubs_by_rebeca) I questioned my followers as to what some of their skincare concerns or issues are.  I received a few replies, both via Instagram as well as my personal email.  And so, while working, I got an alert that someone wanted to know how they can reduce the size of their pores.  I thought to myself, "hmm that's a really good question!"  Then, while at my desk, I started looking at my face, examining my skin and taking a closer look at my pores.

Me, au naturale - Owner of Body Scrubs by Rebeca
bodyscrubsbyrebeca.com 

(Pores are tiny little openings (holes) in the skin that help to produce natural oils, sebum is produced.)

I noticed that the size of them varied depending on certain situations.  A while back I noticed my pores were looking rather large and some days they looked pretty small. I payed attention to my habits to see when my pores looked their smallest. Here's what I found -

On days where I drank lots of water my skin looked very radiant. My pores also appeared to be smaller.

On days that I exfoliated (2x per week) using my natural body scrubs my pores were also smaller...

And on days I treated myself to a face mask my pores were looking fab!


I researched some more information about pores and found some really useful tips for those to reduce the size of their pores.

Here are 6 Tips to Reduce the Size of Your Pores

1.Hydrate - (drink water) all of our organs flourish with water. The same goes for your skin, so drink up!

2.Exfoliating - try a gentle sugar or walnut scrub to gently remove dead skin cells from your pores.
Exfoliating leaves your skin smooth and radiant and of course, makes your pores smaller.

3.Using a face mask- try a pharmacy brand face mask to cleanse and remove oils and dirt from your face. You should use a face mask once a week. This too will help reduce the size of your pores.

4. Cleanse - wash your face daily to unclog pores. When your face is dirty the pores expand as they are filled with dirt.

5. Tone - use a toner. It helps to close the pores.  That cool tingle you feel when you rub on the toner is helping to cool your skin so that your pores close. (Remember, warm opens pores and cold closes them).

6. Moisturize - Some people think lotion clogs the pores but its actually not true.  Moisturizing actually helps produce less natural oils that can help clog the pores, ultimately making them bigger.

So, there you have it! Six easy steps to reduce the size of your pores!

Xo,

Rebeca


*Here are some products I like - 

Dickinson's Witch Hazel

Body Scrubs by Rebeca all natural coffee scrub

Clinique cleansing bar soap

Hyper-pigmentation and Dark Spots on Legs

This is a very personal post for me and was debating as to whether or not to share it. But I'm sure people can relate to this.  So here it goes...


After this long, cold and harsh winter in New York, I am so ready for  spring and summer! Although I adore these seasons,with it comes the fact that I have to show skin- especially the skin on my legs.

Since I was a child I have been plagued with dark spots on my legs and arms (more so on my legs) from mosquito bites! Getting a mosquito bite causes the hyper pigmentation on my skin and i'm left with an unsightly dark spot(s).  Therefore, getting ready for warmer temperatures left me wanting to hide and keep on long items of clothing.  With maturity, I learned to love myself and accept my flaws but still work to improve them. And so, I'd like to share with you some information on hyper pigmentation and dark spots, with steps to remedy them.


Hyper pigmentation is the darkening of the skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Melanin is a broad term for a group of natural pigments.


Dark spots, put simply, acne or any type of inflammatory trauma to the skin can lead to excess production of melanin which causes post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation dark spots.

So how can we minimize or lighten the appearance of dark spots on our legs caused from mosquito bites?

Figure 1.0 -(web image)

After this long, cold and harsh winter in New York, I am so ready for  spring and summer! Although I adore these seasons,with it comes the fact that I have to show skin- especially the skin on my legs.

Since I was a child I have been plagued with dark spots on my legs and arms (more so on my legs) from mosquito bites! Getting a mosquito bite causes the hyper pigmentation on my skin and i'm left with an unsightly dark spot(s).  Therefore, getting ready for warmer temperatures left me wanting to hide and keep on long items of clothing.  With maturity, I learned to love myself and accept my flaws but still work to improve them. And so, I'd like to share with you some information on hyper pigmentation and dark spots, with steps to remedy them.


Hyper pigmentation is the darkening of the skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Melanin is a broad term for a group of natural pigments.


Dark spots, put simply, acne or any type of inflammatory trauma to the skin can lead to excess production of melanin which causes post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation dark spots.

So how can we minimize or lighten the appearance of dark spots on our legs caused from mosquito bites?

Follow these tips -

Correcting the Dark Spots

If you couldn’t resist the urge to scratch or had an inflammatory reaction that caused hyperpigmentation spots you can try using lightening ingredients. Some recommend using hydroquinone for fading dark marks, but it can be problematic for skin of color. You can also use treatments specifically created to heal scars like Bio Oil, Mederma, and Scar Zone.

When using fade creams or ingredients to fade marks, only apply the lightening agents to the dark spots. Don’t apply to the unaffected skin.Visiting a dermatologist for a chemical peel is also a great way to remove the layer of skin affected by the dark spots. 

Natural ingredients for Fading Dark Marks

• Vitamin E applied to bite marks helps reduce redness and helps the skin heal.
• Rosehip seed oil helps reduce the discoloration and even out skin tone.
• Licorice is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that also has skin lightening properties.
• Coconut oil can lighten dark marks.
• Tomato exfoliates and lightens the skin.
• Lemons and limes are natural skin lighteners. (Try a Lemon Burst body scurb)
• Papaya helps fade dark spots and even out skin tone. Green papaya can be mixed with lemon or lime juice to help lighten spots.

Precautions

• When applying a substance for lightening spots, leave on for about 10 minutes and then rinse. It could take two to three months for spots to fade.
• Make sure that the topical ointment used is hypoallergenic and won’t cause an allergic reaction and cause further inflammation.
• When using any ingredient, be sure to do a patch test in a small area like the inner elbow to make sure you will not have an allergic reaction, which will only exacerbate the problem.
• Whatever treatment you decide to use, always protect the treated area with sunscreen. Apply sunscreen whenever the area will be exposed to the sun. Sun exposure can make the dark marks worse. In addition some people find that sun exposure also causes a bite to itch again (Source: multiculturalbeauty.about.com).

Skincare Uses for Coconut Oil

I don't think I've ever mentioned how much I love coconut oil! Coconut oil is the fatty oil obtained 
from the coconut and used in candies,confections and in cosmetics.  I first learned about 
coconut oil after starting my skincare business in 2011. When I first started making natural body scrubs I only used oils that I was familiar with such as olive oils.  I was pretty ignorant to all of the other oils out there that are beneficial for the skin but after some research I discovered the benefits of coconut oil.  I'd love to share with you some of their many benefits for the skin. 

Lip Gel:  Cracks in our lips can be a source of worry, discomfort, and embarrassment. When we apply chemical gels on the lips, it is possible to consume those gels accidentally, even though they are somewhat toxic. Some gels may be edible, but you still don’t want to eat those chemicals.

Coconut oil comes as an ideal alternative in such cases. It acts quickly and even if it goes in your stomach, it will only give you additional benefits, so everyone wins!

Skin softener: Most of us use several creams and lotions for softening our skin, especially the skin of the face and hands. Coconut oil is a great skin softener and helps you do away with dry and hard skin conditions. Simply take some coconut oil on your palms, rub your palms against each other once or twice and then on your face, hands, or wherever you want to see the moisturizing effect.

Coconut oil is also good for hardened and cracked feet, which may happen due to excessive cold or strenuous work while standing on your feet. The cracks in your feet will not vanish, but your feet will become softer within days if you apply coconut oil to the affected area.

As an exfoliant, including coconut oil as an agent with other exfoliating or grainy materials like salts and sugars can vastly improve the effects. You will successfully scrape off excess dead skin and clean out whatever substances have blocked the pores without leaving the skin feeling irritated. The natural soothing nature of the oil combines with the grainy, exfoliating material perfectly, and leaves your skin with an even color, closed pores, and a soft texture.

Makeup Remover: Coconut oil can also be used a makeup remover. This is not common, but women have begun using it for removing the makeup of the face and eyes, without worrying about the harsh chemicals of other removers getting into delicate or sensitive areas.

Skin disorders: It is claimed that coconut oil is good for several skin disorders such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Several readers have reported this benefit. However, scientific research is ongoing in order to prove or disprove these claims. Much of the research that is there speaks to its protein content, since the replacement of sick or dying cells that can occur with various skin disorders, are quickly replaced by new, healthy cells. In this way, coconut oil not only treats the infection by battling the microbial bodies, they also heal the damage or the visible marks of that skin disorder; it is a two-in-one solution!

www.organicfacts.net

Spring,Hair Removal and Exfoliation

You probably wouldn't think that spring, hair removal and exfoliation are something that go together hand in hand, but it's been a very long winter, and as we transition from colder temperatures to warmer temperatures, we have to be mindful about what our skin has gone through and how to properly prepare our skin for the spring- especially when it comes to hair removal.  


Our skin has been dry, scaly, rough, overheated and undernourished during the cold winter days and if your like most women you've paid less attention to your body hair and its time for some immediate de-fuzzing!  According to Claudia Spagnolo, among the best things you can do for your skin is a full-body exfoliating scrub before you shave, wax, Nair or whatever else you do to remove your unwanted body hair.

"If you use a mild natural ingredient like brown sugar to gently, and I repeat, gently rub your body several days before having a waxing or chemical hair removal, you'll loosen and remove dead skin cells, which will not only make your hair removal easier but also safer," says Spagnolo, director of the DeFranco Spagnolo Salon and Spa in Great Neck, N.Y.

Body Scrubs by Rebeca - Sweet Honey Almond scrub - $20 www.bodyscrubsbyrebeca.com 

Spagnolo says that the full-body scrub is also a great way to get ready for an application of any faux tanning product, adding that it "helps to ensure a more even application with less streaking."

Source: www.webmd.com