5 Habits You Need to Stop Now If You Want Beautiful Skin

Most people have the idea that having clear and healthy skin costs a fortune. But, this is a misleading concept used for marketing skin care products and treatments. You may use the most expensive skin care products money can buy, but these can't guarantee a blemish-free and clear complexion. Why? Because skincare does not start with the products you use or the skin treatments you undergo. Skin care depends on your habits and their effects on your skin. Below are some habits you can do without to achieve better skin:

Dehydrating your skin

You can slather on jars after jars of moisturizers on your face but these won't do any difference on your skin if it is dehydrated internally. The most it can do is give you an oily sheen and some zits. Not drinking at least eight glasses of water daily can dehydrate your skin and make it lose  necessary moisture.  Lack of moisture can make your skin lose its elasticity and suppleness. This can lead to a condition known as “elderly itch.” With this condition, your skin becomes rough and dry, hence, making it itch. This can lead to premature aging of the skin which can give it a leathery appearance.

Washing your skin excessively

Ideally, your skin should only be washed at least once or twice a day. Washing your skin more than twice daily strips it off the necessary oils needed to maintain surface moisture. Aside from stripping your skin off its natural oils, overwashing can lead to irritation, dryness, and skin conditions like eczema.

Foregoing sun protection

Your moisturizer container may proclaim that is has SPF 15 but this is not reason enough to forego applying sunscreen or sunblock. For total protection, your skin needs at least SPF 30, more if you are going out between 10am to 4pm when the sun's rays are at their strongest. Even if the day is cloudy, make it a point to wear sun protection since UV rays can penetrate clouds. Overexposure to the sun, can cause skin discoloration, sunburns, dryness, and other skin conditions.



Use sunscreen on your face, lips, and other exposed body parts. Additional sun protection like hats, sunglasses, and umbrellas can also be used.

Touching your skin frequently

Your facial skin is very sensitive compared to the skin on the rest of your body. Touching it frequently such as by picking, rubbing, or scratching can irritate it and cause breakouts. Your hands also come into contact with a lot of surfaces and can transfer bacteria on your skin which can lead to cystic acne. Facial skin is also delicate since it is prone to sagging and wrinkling when touched frequently.



Using the wrong products

Just because a product worked well on another person, it does not mean that it will work great for you too. Choosing an inappropriate product for your skin type can worsen your skin's condition. For example, using an oil-based product for oily skin will make it oilier and prone to more breakouts.

These are just some habits that can damage your skin. To prevent your skin from aging prematurely or breaking out, be sure to improve your skin care habits. Good skin care habits coupled with the skin care products can make your skin healthier and better.


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Aphrodite's Sanctuary: Winnie the Pooh and Piglet Candle

If you are a fan of Winnie the Pooh you are going to love this adorable pillar candle.

 Depicting Winnie the Pooh and Piglet sitting on a log and reads,

How do you spell love? Piglet

You don't spell it you feel it, Pooh

Get you very own hand decorated version  by clicking here

Aphrodite's Sanctuary : Glinda The Good With Candle

At Aphrodite's Sanctuary we take pride in our hand decorated candles that are glazed for a long lasting finish , gift wrapped and sent first class to your chosen address all included in the price.

Your pillar candle is 14cm x 6cm tall is carefully decorated by hand to order and makes a great gift. 

This Glinda the Good Witch  is one of our favourites and has proved to be very popular with our customers too, get yours now click here

At 

Aphrodite's Sanctuary Ornamental Candles

The Process of Candle Making

Making candles is fun and relaxing. While it does give you the opportunity to be creative, there are some basic candle making steps you need to follow to make the process flow well. Nothing is more disappointing than discovering your candles didn’t form correctly. Safety is very important in candle making. Most people make candles in their own kitchen. You will want to have a fire extinguisher handy as well as a non slip mat placed in from of your stove. Always wear old clothing and long sleeves. However, make sure your sleeves don’t dangle where they can fall into the hot wax.

Since you will have to get the candle wax very hot to melt completely, there is the risk of severe burns. You also have the risk of starting a fire. It is important to clean up all spilled wax immediately. It won’t take long for it to harden, thus becoming very slippery. The dyes and scents used in candle making can leave stains.

The best way to set up your work area for candle making is to divide it into three specific work stations for preparation, the melting process, and the cooling process. The preparation area doesn’t need to be large, just a flat surface that is well organized. To make the process flow best, use a counter in close proximity to the stove. You will want to keep your utensils, thermometer, additives, and other candle making supplies in this area. It is a good idea to know what types of candles you will be making ahead of time so that you have all the necessary items ready to go.

Your melting work station will likely be the stove. You will need to use a double boiler to melt the wax to a temperature that is hot enough without scorching it. The molecular structure of the wax can be damaged if the direct heat to it is too much. This means your candles won’t form well or hold up well when they are used. Wax comes in sheets or blocks. You will need to chip off chunks to melt. A hammer and flat head screwdriver work well for this.

Chipping wax should be done in the preparation stage so that you can simply add more pieces throughout the melting process. You will want to weigh each piece of wax before you add it to the pot for melting. This will help you determine how much scent and dye to add, which is based on weight.

The cooling station needs to be a flat area such as a countertop or table. The wax needs to cool for several hours so this area needs to be able to withstand high temperatures as well as remain undisturbed for long periods of time. The area should not be directly in the path of sunlight or heating/cooling systems. If it is, the candles will not set properly. If you plan to use molds for your candles, have them set up in the cooling area while the wax is melting. Once it is done melting, you will need to pour it immediately into the molds. To prevent a mess from spills, use an old cookie sheet for the molds to rest on.

The candle making process will run smooth and efficient if you follow these tips for establishing three work stations. While the process should be fun, it is important that you understand the dangers of candle making including burns and fires. Taking the proper safety precautions will help ensure the creation of candles in your home is a great way to spend your time.

Find the perfect ornamental candle for your home at Aphrodite's Sanctuary

Common Problems and Their Solutions for Candle Making

Making candles can be great fun. It is very exciting to decide what type of candle to make and getting your supplies. However, some individuals quickly become disappointed and frustrated with the process and give up. There are some common problems that beginners experience with candle making. Most of them have quick and easy solutions. It is recommended that all beginners start with the basic candle making process. This gives you the opportunity to learn the basics, then you can move on to making the types of candles you really want to.

One secret to making great candles is to use quality products. In general, candle making supplies are inexpensive. If the wax you purchase is of poor quality, then it is never going to make quality candles. Heating the wax to the proper temperature is very important. The temperature will change depending on the type of candle you are making with it. If the wax isn’t hot enough it won’t form correctly. Likewise, wax that is too hot will lose luster and won’t be as sturdy once it cools.

Have you every made a beautiful candle, but when you lit it the room filled with smoke rather than the fragrance of the candle? This problem has to do with your wick, it is too long. Simply cut them shorter for future candles. You can snip the tips of the candles you have already created and this should remedy the situation.

Some candles burn and smell great, but they look ugly after a few uses with a crater in the middle of the candle while the edges of the candle jar haven’t even been touched. This is the result of a wick that isn’t wide enough. There isn’t much you can do for candles you have already made except melt the wax in them and start over. You can purchase a wider wick or braid three together to get a good thickness. The wider the candle jar, the wider you need your wick to be for the candle to burn evenly.

Cooling candles is an area of trouble for many beginners. Don’t rush the cooling process or you will damage the hardness of the candle. Forcing the candle to cool will also result in bubbles forming in the top and middle of the candle. While it won’t be a physical defect, the melting wax will go into these bubbles when you have the candle lit resulting in the wick going out. Candles should be allowed to cool in an area where they won’t be moved until completely cool. The area needs to be flat and out of direct sunlight. You will also want to make sure there aren’t any heating or cooling vents in the cooling area.

If you notice that your cooled candle isn’t as appealing as you’d like because the wax pulled away from the glass jar in some areas, try heating your jars in the microwave for a minute or two right before you fill them. This will help the wax adhere to it correctly with a very smooth look all the way around the jar.

It is important to remember that candle making involves some basic concepts. It will take a few tries to complete the steps properly, but give it some time. You will have to experiment to find the methods that work best in your work environment to make the candles you want. It is suggested that you only make a few candles at a time to keep from wasting money on supplies while you are learning. Make sure the finished product doesn’t have any burning issues with the wick or bubbles. If it does, simply melt the wax again and try it once more. Once you have mastered the basics of candle making, you can experiment with different types of candles. The internet is a great place to find candle making tips as well as troubleshooting for your candle making problems.

Find a range of unique candles hand decorated to order, gift wrapped and posted to your door , visit Aphrodite's Sanctuary for more information

How to Operate a Successful Candle Making Business

Making candles can be great fun. Some people choose to take their love of this art and make money doing what they enjoy spending their time on. There are many areas of the candle making business you need to consider before embarking on such an adventure. Knowing how to make quality candles isn’t enough. You need to educate yourself on ways to promote your candles, ordering supplies, offering customer service, and determining a price for your candles.

We all know candles are a very popular item, so the market for such products is out there. However, that market can’t purchase your candles if they don’t know about it. You will need to establish a plan including where you plan to sell your candles, and then come up with a handle of ways to get attention to them. There are many places to sell candles. You can do so from your own home or rent space at craft shows. Often word of mouth will result in orders. You can also choose to advertise on the internet.

Advertising online can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Write about your business on a blog or purchase services from a web hosting company. They often offer excellent tools for setting up a web page and directing traffic to your site. In addition, they provide the shopping cart and even credit card processing for you. Most web hosting companies charge $20 per month, which isn’t a bad investment.


Hand Decorated Candles Aphrodite's Sanctuary


Placing your candles on Ebay or other online auction sites is a great way to generate sales. As you accumulate feedback for selling a quality product you will get more buyers. Before you can do any advertising, you will need to decide what types of candles to sell. You will generate more sells if you show pictures of your work with each type of candle you sell. People buying candles want to visualize the product they are purchasing. Once your business starts turning a profit, consider buying supplies in large quantities to get a discount.

The secret to being a successful candle making business is selling the product at a fair enough price that the consumer will buy it. Yet you also need to cover the cost of your time and supplies, while making a reasonable profit. Don’t be tempted to cut corners on the quality of your supplies as this can greatly alter the quality of your product. Once the word is out that your quality is poor, you will have a hard time maintaining sales.

To generate business, offer promotions. You can offer free shipping for your candle products at the online auction sites to have an advantage over the competition. Many auction surfers will buy a product with free shipping over one with low shipping. You can also offer a free candle with the purchase of three or even to send a personalized card if the buyer is going to use the candle as a gift.

Many successful candle making companies offer personalized service. This means customers can ask for a particular type of candle in a color and you will make it for them. This often costs the customer more, but they are likely willing to pay it. Make sure you communicate well with your customers and know exactly what they want before committing to such a project.

Every business experiences issues that come up. This is to be expected. Customers are likely to be more forgiving of such issues if they are provided with quality customer service. Make sure customers have a way to get into contact with you. Work out a resolution to any issues that you will both be happy with. It is best to outline return policies on your website as well so that there is a place customers can review such information.

Choosing to start your own business is a wonderful and exciting time. Selling your own candles gives you a business where you can be proud of the quality product you are making. Taking the time to learn the basics of the business before jumping in will help ensure this is a fun business venture for you and hopefully one that is going to be quite profitable.

You will find a unique range of ornamental gift candles at Aphrodite's Sanctuary to view the full collection click here