A Man's World of Body Care

Men and women often feel they need their own personal, body care products and the paths of those products shall not cross. Actually that is a marketing ploy and clutters up your cabinets. Many personal and hygiene items can easily be shared by both men and women and you don't need a separate type item for every little purpose.

The attempts to get away from the hype of slick advertisements trying to have you believe you need this and this and this can be a challenge. In today's day and age men are taking better care of themselves and more conscious of what they put onto and into their bodies. Awareness is the first step to educating ourselves on just what is in our hygiene and body care products. Read labels, do your research on just what are those ingredients you cannot pronounce,  be aware of potential harm from synthetics and chemical ingredients, be aware of the use of animal testing, and finally, understand just what that term "natural" is saying or isn't saying.

It may be very surprising to learn just how vague the labeling laws are in the perfume and cosmetics industry. Unlike the food industry, there are no legal standards for organic or natural personal care products sold in the United States.

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to you and your family's health. The skin is our body's largest organ, and anything we apply to ourselves enters through the layers of skin into the bloodstream. Yes, the old saying about "anything in moderation" is true with most things, but...The cosmetic industry claims the amount of these ingredients are not high enough to pose a threat, but the problem lies in the fact that we use these products day in and day out.  Our kidneys and liver do their best to eliminate toxins but what about those that over time have been stored within the fatty tissues of the skin. The long term effects are a concern. The body reacts by way of allergic and inflammatory reactions, the havoc played on the the endocrine system is not always fully understood and the source of the problems are often hard to pinpoint.

There are several items within the Meadow Muffin Gardens shop that are geared for men, but there are also many items such as these below that can easily be swapped for more than one method of use and by both men, women and even the kids.

A body wash certainly isn't limited to the shower. Containing Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap, Aloe Vera Gel, Jojoba oil and various essential oils, this blend can easily be used as a face wash, a shampoo and even a shaving gel. Put into a foaming pump bottle, application is less wasteful without losing some between your fingers and down the drain.

Body Wash, Shaving Cream

A conditioning hair oil isn't just for women! Men can have dry, brittle hair as well, whether they wear their hair long or short. This Jojoba oil blend does make an excellent dry hair treatment, but it's use certainly doesn't have to stop there. Hair isn't limited to our heads alone!
Bearded men need to take care of their facial hair and the delicate skin beneath. Jojoba oil is unique in that it is very similar to the sebum of our own skin, therefore it makes a great hair and skin conditioner.

Hair Oil, Beard Oil

Men may or may not use an after shave balm to moisturize the skin and help with razor irritation. This Shea butter and Coconut oil blend is listed as a body butter, but it can be used for so much more. Whipped to a fluff consistency, this moisturizer can be used anywhere you need it, be on the face, hair or even on that balding head. Some use such a blend as a shaving cream, but if you do so, realize that you are washing fats down the drain. I don't know how good doing that on a regular basis is for the drain pipes.

Face, Body Moisturizer, After Shave Balm

Concerns over the safety of sun screens has people looking into alternatives. The choice we have is between "chemical" sunscreens which contain questionable, potentially hormone disrupting ingredients, and "mineral" sunscreens which contain zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. This lotion is listed as a sun block, not a sun screen. It hasn't been evaluated by the FDA, therefore there hasn't been testing done to establish an actual SPF factor. However, the ingredients used all contain their own natural properties to help block the harmful rays of the sun.

Balding men or those who choose to shave their heads need to protect their scalps from sun damage. The purpose of our hair is to protect the scalp and without hair, the skin can easily burn. This sunblock is good for anywhere on the body but using a bit on the scalp before heading out without a baseball cap is a wise idea.

Sunblock Lotion, Bald Head Care

Personal care items make great gift ideas for Father's Day, Holidays and Birthdays. You can easily custom create your own gift basket or make substitutions for one or more items already part of a listing such as those shown below.

Basket idea for those who love the outdoors, gardening, sports, hunting, fishing

Basket idea for the needs of men


Come visit!
Meadow Muffin Gardens
Website
Etsy shop

Men's Personal Skin Care, Safe Cosmetics

 "The average American man uses six personal care products a day containing more than 80 unique chemicals. Many of these chemicals are absorbed into the skin, inhaled or ingested, and the vast majority of cosmetic chemicals have not been assessed for safety."

This statement was made by The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics. Usually when we think of the cosmetic industry we think of women, but this industry includes the personal care products used by men as well. Shampoos, shaving products, body wash, body sprays, deodorants...all advertised to help our men smell alluring and masculine.

 

Walk into a beauty salon, cosmetic section, or skin care line aisle and it is easy to get enveloped in the wonderful smells and appealing promises of slick packaging and advertising. You may wonder what the big deal is with the ingredients. I mean, you would think if there was something potentially harmful in these products they wouldn't be on the shelves in the first place.

It was very surprising for me to learn how vague the labeling laws are in the perfume and cosmetics industry. Unlike the food industry, there are no legal standards for organic or natural personal care products sold in the United States.

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to you and your family's health. Don't think there isn't a problem just because the majority hasn't yet balked and made a fuss. Don't let the influence of the glamour and subliminal messaging behind the cosmetic industry cause you to doubt yourself just because you seem to appear the odd one in your circle. Sure, when you look around, people seem just fine. But if you or someone you love develops a condition where you find yourself far too often in some doctor's office, take another look around you. Our society really does have a lot of health issues.

 Our health is our own responsibility, therefore it is up to us to be willing to educate ourselves and search and check the labels on these products. The skin is our body's largest organ, and anything we apply to ourselves enters through the layers of skin into the bloodstream. Yes, the old saying about "anything in moderation" is true with most things, but...The cosmetic industry claims the amount of these ingredients are not high enough to pose a threat, but the problem lies in the fact that we use these products day in and day out.  Our kidneys and liver do their best to eliminate toxins but what about those that over time have been stored within the fatty tissues of the skin. The long term effects are a concern. The body reacts by way of allergic and inflammatory reactions, the havoc played on the the endocrine system is not always fully understood and the source of the problems are often hard to pinpoint.

 It is time to fight back and take control of your health and that of your family. Read labels and educate yourselves. Don't expect the FDA or the government to have your family's best interests in mind as long as our society is so influenced by big business.

Two red flag ingredients that we are hearing a lot about are phthalates and parabens.  

For a more detailed list of what is in your personal care items:

What's in your products? 

Phthalates are a class of chemicals used to dissolve ingredients so that they blend efficiently. 

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) found in fragrance-containing products such as cologne, aftershave, shaving cream, shampoos and deodorants. You may not see the actual term, phthalates, on the label but you will see them listed as parfum or fragrance. Sounds harmless labeled that way but studies are finding links between DEP and reproductive development in infants and sperm damage in adult men. A study by Harvard University researchers have found that the regular use of colognes can increase the levels of DEP in the body.

Parabens are synthetic preservatives used in foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care products such as deodorants, moisturizers and shampoos. Look for the words: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. Parabens allow skin care products to survive for months or even years in your medicine cabinet; however, they also enter your body through your skin when you use these products. According to Mercola.com, the body can absorb as much as five pounds of cosmetic chemicals every year. 

Parabens can mimic hormones in the body and disrupt functions of the endocrine system, which involves the thyroid, adrenals and reproductive system. The endocrine system releases hormones into the bloodstream and is involved in a number of functions related to reproduction, waste elimination, digestion and metabolism.

You won’t, unfortunately, find phthalates listed on a label, but the best way to avoid them is look out for ‘fragrance’ or parfum’.

Colby College's Clean Makeup website reports that parabens can mimic estrogen and disrupt the body's hormone system. Your body does not easily break down synthetic estrogen, and it can accumulate in fat cells, including breast tissue.

Other product ingredients to look for in your personal care supplies:
Lead acetate: found in men's hair and beard colorants.
Coal tar: found in dandruff shampoos
Triclosan: found in antibacterial soaps and deodorants
Formaldeyde: found in some shampoos and body washes

Men today realize the importance of taking care of their appearance and it all starts with skincare. Men often don't experience the same problems as women with dry skin. Being men produce testosterone, their skin tends to be thicker than that of of women, therefore women tend to show signs of aging sooner then men. After the age of about 30, the skin's oil glands reduce their production and the loss contributes to drier skin. Both sexes experience a drop in hormonal levels as they age, but in women the decline is more dramatic. With a decrease in estrogen levels the skin's fat layer begins to thin, resulting in the skin becoming not only drier, but less firm and more fragile. Women usually know to use a moisturizer as part of their skin care routine, but men often don't even think about that until later in adulthood. Men need to moisturize too.

With awareness comes the task of making wise decisions. Rather than worry, educate yourself with the truth behind the hype, and be a wise consumer by going the all natural route.

Shaving Balm, Facial Moisturizer

Private Parts Powder

Fungal Powder

Stick Deodorant

Facial Moisturizer

Aftershave Splash

Dandruff Scalp Oil

Shampoo

Tribute to Father's, Mentors on Father's Day

Whether your father is sitting across from you today or tucked deep within your heart, Father's Day is a designated day on the calendar to recognize the person who helped develop you into the person you are today.

Parenting doesn't come with a manual and all of us learn on the job. Keep in mind that people do the best they can at the time, with what they've got. Reflecting back most of us would do things differently knowing what we do now. I know while we were raising our kids one of our fears was something dreadful happening to them and of course as parents it is our job to keep them safe. So just getting them to their 18th birthday in one piece is quite an accomplishment.

In today's world, what is a normal family? Who sets that criteria anyway? We're all dysfunctional to some extent, I suppose, which is what makes family histories so interesting.
The more time that goes by since my Dad's passing, the more at peace I am with the "what could have been if..."

It is best to put aside any negativity and focus on the warm fuzzies of our memories.
As I mature in my own development, I can better understand the environment in which he grew up and what was going on during that time period to influence the man he had become.
People are what they are and usually do what they think is right at the time. 

Perspective is key to outlooks and attitudes. My mother's wisdom was always,
"If you can do something about it, do it, if not, accept and Let Go, Let God"

The words of Buddhist teacher Gil Fronsdal: “Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.”
That realization will give you hope for a far brighter present.

From a biblical point of view, we are taught to first be a good example to our children since they listen and observe everything we do. Second, we are to give them a sense of significance. To feel valued and secure is so very important for personal success.
Last, we are to release them to their own lives and let them shine in their own right.

So, realize your parents did the best they could and now apply your best to your own children or those to whom you mentor.
Make contact and connect with that special dad, step-dad, uncle, friend...be it through a visit, phone call or prayer.

Father's Day poses as just the perfect occasion to express feelings of gratitude and thankfulness to every dad in the world. Though the day is celebrated with utmost fervor and enthusiasm in the present times, it wasn't always that way. The  Father's Day celebration had a modest beginning. It's history dates back to 1909, in Spokane, Washington. Sonora Smart Dodd was listening to a Mother's Day sermon, at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church. The lecture inspired her to have a special day dedicated to her father, William Jackson Smart, who raised herself and her siblings after their mother had died.

Sonora realized the enormity of her father's dedication and commitment to his family. She wanted to let him know how deeply she was touched by his sacrifices, courage, selflessness and love. To pay a tribute to her beloved dad, Sonora held the first Father's Day celebration on 19th of June 1910, on the birthday of her father. She was the first to solicit the idea of having an official Father's Day observance. However, unlike Mother's Day, which was readily accepted, Father's Day was received with mockery and hilarity. Though the day was gaining attention, it was mostly for the wrong reasons. Jokes and satire made ridicule of this chosen day of celebration.

In 1913, a bill in accordance with making the day official was introduced. The idea was approved by US President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Later, in 1924, the idea gained further momentum as it was supported by President Calvin Coolidge. In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. However, it was thirty years later that a Joint Resolution of Congress gave recognition to Father's Day. Another 16 years passed before President Richard Nixon established the third Sunday of June, as a permanent national observance day of Father's Day in 1972.

Father's, or any male serving as a role model, certainly deserve the respect of being acknowledged on this special day of honor. 

Naturally Safe Father's Day Gift Ideas

"The average American man uses six personal care products a day containing more than 80 unique chemicals. Many of these chemicals are absorbed into the skin, inhaled or ingested, and the vast majority of cosmetic chemicals have not been assessed for safety."

This statement was made by The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics. Usually when we think of the cosmetic industry we think of women, but this industry includes the personal care products used by men as well. Shampoos, shaving products, body wash, body sprays, deodorants...all advertised to help our men smell alluring and masculine.

Below is the rest of the article:


Some of the chemicals used in men's body-care products – from aftershaves and shaving creams to deodorants and shampoos – are linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities and other chronic health problems. A common chemical found in most fragranced products may be particularly harmful to male reproductive health.

What's in his Medicine Cabinet?

Problematic chemicals in men's personal care products include:

Diethyl phthalate (DEP): found in fragrance-containing products such as cologne, aftershave, shaving cream, shampoos and deodorants

• Recent human studies link DEP to sperm damage in adult men, abnormal reproductive development in infants, and Attention Deficit Disorder in children (i).
• A study by Harvard University researchers suggests that a single use of cologne can markedly increase the level of DEP in a person’s body (ii).
• Recent product tests found DEP in popular men’s colognes Quicksilver, Calvin Klein Eternity for Men, Old Spice After Hours Body Spray and Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce (iii).

Lead acetate: found in men’s hair and beard colorants

• Banned from cosmetics in European Union because it is a known human reproductive toxicant
• Brands include Men’s Grecian Hair Formula and Youthair Hair Color for Men.

Coal tar: found in dandruff shampoos such as Neutrogena T-Gel Shampoo

• Known human carcinogen that is banned from cosmetics in European Union.

Triclosan: found in antibacterial soaps and deodorants such as Old Spice Wide Stick Deodorant, Speed Stick deodorants, Dial anti-bacterial soaps and Edge Advanced Shaving Gel, Ultra Sensitive

• Linked to hormone disruption, and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (iv).
• The Canadian Medical Association asked the Canadian government to ban triclosan in household products due to concerns about bacterial resistance and carcinogenic byproducts (v).
• There is no evidence that triclosan soaps are any more effective than regular soap and water (vi).

Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane: found in many leading shampoos and body washes

• Known animal carcinogens and probable human carcinogens, according to US EPA (vii).
• Formaldehyde is a leading allergen that can trigger skin rashes and other allergic reactions.
• 1,4-dioxane is a leading groundwater contaminant and suspected as a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant, according to California EPA.

Meadow Muffin Gardens carries many safe, affordable, holistic personal care products for men as well as women and children. The items listed below can be found on our website
http://www.meadowmuffingardens.com
or within the Etsy shop
http://www.meadowmuffin2010.etsy.com

Great gift ideas for that 'hard to shop for' dad, husband, son, brother or best friend. Think ahead for Father's Day or a birthday celebration! Already assembled gift baskets for that special man in your life! http://www.etsy.com/listing/61400603/fathers-day-birthday-gift-idea-basket An assortment of eight body care products he is bound to appreciate; all tucked into a seasonally appropriate decorative basket. Items include: 1. Sensual, Relaxing Lavender/Sandalwood Massage Oil http://www.etsy.com/listing/50603256/sandalwood-and-lavender-relaxing-sensual A deep muscle massage is a treat for any man. 2 oz. plastic pump bottle 2. Restless Sleep/Restless Mind Massage Oil http://www.etsy.com/listing/50660926/restless-mind-restless-sleep-massage-and Helps unwind and relax a tired mind and bodily tension. 2 oz. plastic pump bottle 3. Fungal Fighter Foot Powder http://www.etsy.com/listing/61965960/fungal-fighter-groin-or-foot-powder Anti-fungal powder for athletes foot or jock itch. 6 oz. plastic shaker bottle 4. Stinkfoot Odor Foot Powder http://www.etsy.com/listing/52978289/foot-odor-stinkfoot-battle-powder Helps reduce odor caused by trapped moisture and bacteria 6 oz. plastic shaker bottle 5. Weekend Warrior Muscle Overexertion Relief Balm http://www.etsy.com/listing/44362364/weekend-warrior-muscle-ache-overexertion Relaxes tense and sore, overused muscles. 2 oz. plastic jar 6. Plantain & Coconut Oil All-Purpose Balm http://www.etsy.com/listing/47964605/herbal-plantain-and-chamomile-all Relief from dry, chapped skin or healing minor wounds. 2 oz. plastic jar 7. Yarrow Insect Repellent Body Spray http://www.etsy.com/listing/54947840/yarrow-insect-deterrent-body-spray Deet free bug spray and aid for bug bites. 4 oz. plastic spray bottle 8. Honey Lemon Lip Balm tube http://www.etsy.com/listing/54250443/honey-bee-lip-balm Moisturizes dry, chapped lips. Great gift idea for that special man who just loves the out of doors and its many activities and occupations! http://www.etsy.com/listing/62866037/fathers-day-birthday-gift-idea-man-or Assortment of necessities and first aid items for the gardener, hunter, fisherman, farmer, ranch hand or outdoor enthusiast Items include: 1. Calendula and Comfrey Healing Balm http://www.etsy.com/listing/43995975/comfrey-and-calendula-herbal-healing-boo Herbal salve to aid in the healing of minor wounds, skin irritation and minor burns. 2 oz. jar 2. Weekend Warrior Muscle Ache Overexertion Relief Balm http://www.etsy.com/listing/44362364/weekend-warrior-muscle-ache-overexertion Herbal balm utilizing comfrey, ginger and essential oils to help relieve tight, sore muscles and stiff joints. 2 oz. jar 3. Shea Butter Herbal Balm http://www.etsy.com/listing/54947591/rose-violet-chamomile-shea-butter-balm Herbal olive oil infusion and shea butter help those with chapped and irritated skin, eczema or dermatitis. 2 oz. jar 4. Sunburn Care Ointment http://www.etsy.com/listing/54947840/yarrow-insect-deterrent-body-spray St. Johnswort and comfrey infused olive oil and essential oils aid in the repair of sun damaged skin. For use with first degree burns. 2 oz. jar 5. Yarrow Insect Repellent Body Spray http://www.etsy.com/listing/54947840/yarrow-insect-deterrent-body-spray Deet free herbal body spray to help deter insect bites. Alcohol based infusion with the addition of essential oils. 4 oz. plastic spray bottle 6. Jewelweed Vinegar Body Spray Remedy for Poison Ivy http://www.etsy.com/listing/51133173/jewelweed-poison-ivy-spray Herbal vinegar infusion with lavender essential oil to ease the itch and irritation caused by exposure to poison ivy. 4 oz. plastic spray bottle 7. Cocoa Butter Lip Balm http://www.etsy.com/listing/54146770/cocoa-butter-lip-balm Flavor free cocoa butter lip balm for healing and protecting chapped lips. plastic jar or tube style(if have a preference convo me) These items give you an idea of a practical, yet unique gift idea. Visit our shop on Etsy or the website and browse for individual products or put together your own basket assortment. For custom orders contact me at www.meadowmuffingardens@yahoo.com Below is a wonderful sentimental assortment of items reminding us to appreciate the little everyday things this Father's Day!

Out Of The Ordinary Father's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is right around the corner but it isn't too soon to start thinking about Father's Day. In my opinion, men are so much harder to shop for than women so it takes a bit more imagination to find that unique gift. Check out these awesome items created by some very talented artisans.