Customer Question: "How do I take care of blackheads that won't come clean?"

Dear Tessa,

You inquired about a common issue with women your age (20 and up) but can be removed safely and in the comfort of your home.

Blackheads need to have steam applied to open pores and soften the sebum (hardened dirt and oil). The best option is to extract blackheads immediately out of the shower. Great care needs to be taken not to damage skin while extracting the blackhead. Wrap each index finger with a tissue around the fingernails to prevent them from digging into the skin. Apply pressure evenly until the debris comes out.

In order to keep the blackheads at bay, we recommend starting the Daily Botanical Enzyme Peel twice per week to dissolve excess oil and debris from the surface of the skin. You could also try our Mineral Mud Mask once a week to help pull out any stubborn debris left in the pores.

I hope this was helpful! Thanks for writing.

Shea Butter-Up That Skin!

It’s that time of year again: dry, irritated winter skin. If you live in the Northern hemisphere, you know that winter skin needs to be moisturized with extra care. Be Natural Organic’s Shea Butter Lotion uses rich, certified organic shea butter to moisturize, avoiding the toxic petroleum base so common in well known brands.

In fact, shea butter is a powerful moisturizer high in fatty acids and vitamins A, E, and F. Shea butter has been used for centuries to nourish and protect skin from harsh climates. Traditional uses of shea butter include: treatments for dry skin, blemishes, skin discoloration, scars and wrinkles, and even as a mild sun screen. As good as it is for your skin, did you know using shea butter supports sustainable development in impoverished communities?

The work of collecting and processing shea butter is an exclusively female activity and serves as additional income for the women of West Africa. This yellow-white to ivory-colored butter starts as the nut of the Shea tree, which grows only in West Africa. Once collected, the nuts are boiled, sun-dried, shelled and then prepared for extraction by women. As one of the few economic commodities under women’s control, this work positively correlates with improved educational levels and overall economic development.

At BNO, we strive to support women in small business by using ingredients that are not only good for our bodies but also good for people everywhere.