Celebrities may not seem like real people in a lot of respects but apparently they are - and some of them even have trouble sleeping from time to time. Or so says Gwyneth Paltrow in her latest GOOP mail any road.

Good job then that the hugely knowledgeable and talented Dr Frank Lipman is on hand with some tips for how to nip insomnia in the bud. For some people, says Dr Frank, the causes of sleeplessness can require specific clinical treatment. However, for a great many, following a few simple rules could have dramatically positive effects on our sleeping. I know this for a fact because I’m a case in point. Having been a sometime insomniac for more than 10 years, I read Frank’s book Spent (now called Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again ) and I tried the pre-bed yoga relaxation, eye patch and ’switching-off’ suggestions as well as following his recommendations for sorting out a struggling digestive system (a common cause of sleeplessness apparently) and pretty soon I was feeling the benefit. Not only was I getting to sleep more easily but the sleep I get now feels much more restful.

Anyway, don’t just take my word for it. Check out Dr Frank’s top tips in the latest GOOP letter. Gwynnie’s included some tips for how to make your boudoir super sleep-friendly and all… Nighty night.

Having seen our posts about pH quoted on a site about the need for soap to be ‘drying’ in order to clean skin properly, we have since been mulling over the merits (or lack thereof) of using soap and water.

The author of TheSoapBlog.com makes a great case for using homemade skin care over chemical-laden manufactured products such as The Dove Beauty Bar. However, we differ on a couple of fundamental points when it comes to the importance of pH and so I have called upon our lovely bioesthetician Ishtar Magally to clarify her thinking…

The author says that the drying effect of soap is not a problem because, “within 20 minutes [of washing], [the acid mantle] is about 1/3 strength and within 2-3 hours, it is back up at full strength.”

However, Ishtar suggests that unfortunately this isn’t quite true. “The skin will be able to restore its stripped oils if, and only if, pH-balanced formulas were used to cleanse it. pH-disturbing formulas will simply strip almost all the natural oils of the skin making it impossible for our glands to restore the normal acid range.

As a result two things could happen here:

1. The skin is unable to replenish the stripped oils leading to dry, sensitive skin.
2. The sebaceous glands produce too much oil as a result of over-stripping, leading to overly oily, acne-prone skin.”

She adds: “The truth is that those of us who have been using pH-balanced formulas for a while know from personal experience what a great difference it makes to keep the skin working within the right pH range.”

This is why we advocate using an all-natural and organic mildly acidic cleanser and toner because soap and water are both too alkaline to promote the healthiest environment for your skin.

If you are still pH-confused (and we understand why you might be), you can read more here.

And don’t forget, if you are in the US you can fire your questions (in English or Spanish) directly to Ishtar on the live chat section of the site 11am-3pm EST Monday to Thursday. And if you are in Europe, you can speak to Francoise 11am-3pm GMT.

After getting some fantastic feedback on the live chat functionality we introduced on Sophytoorganics.com for all our US fans a few weeks ago, we are now delighted to be able to offer the same thing to everyone in the UK and Europe on Sophytoorganics.co.uk as well… as of now!

Peeps in Europe can now speak live to a very talented skin care expert every week day between 11am-3pm GMT.

You really can ask her anything and everything about your skin and its particular needs so please do take full advantage of her expertise. After all, where else could you get such a service - FOR FREE??

The skin care expert in question is the lovely Françoise Rapp. Françoise, who speaks English and French, is considered a pioneer in the field of holistic aromatherapy and natural perfumery. An exceptional fragrance designer with more than 20 years’ experience in the fragrance, beauty and spa business, she has worked with top names in the industry, including Annick Goutal in Paris, developing a wide array of exclusive aromatics and cosmetics for their exquisite face and body treatments. During the 10 years Françoise spent  in the USA, she gained a reputation as an alchemist, a cutting-edge aromatherapist and perfumer creating genuine elixirs and sustainable perfumes.

Françoise has published a best-selling aromatherapy book,  L’Aromathérapie et ses bienfaits and was featured as a key speaker at the International Congress of Esthetics, Les Nouvelles Esthétiques, in Paris. A regular feature on the speaking circuit for natural perfumery, Françoise has recently joined Sophyto’s green innovation team, working on formulating some very exciting new products… more info on that to follow soon!

So, don’t forget 11am-3pm GMT and EST you can now talk to someone who really cares about skin health and has the knowledge to help you get yours into tip-top condition.

If you’re a Brit or are at least spending time in the UK today, you will probably be in the vicinity of someone sprinkling lashings of sugar and lemon on a sweet pancake… I am. At this very minute my family are tucking into a short stack like there’s no tomorrow. And normally I’d be right there with them. But I can’t now because I have just been reading about the adverse effect of sugar consumption on skin ageing and quite simply my vanity is getting the better of me.

Yes, yes, we all know sugar is bad for our teeth and our blood sugar, and some of us even know now that it weakens our immune system too (more on that further down). But can sugar really accelerate ageing? Unfortunately, the answer is yes.

How? In a word, Glycation. Glycation is actually a natural process occurring in your body all the time. What happens is the glucose (sugar) in your blood combines with proteins in skin cells to produce the cruelly named AGEs - Advanced Glycation End Products. AGEs weaken collagen and elastin in the skin (responsible for skin firmness and elasticity) which encourages wrinkle formation and sagging. In addition, Glycation converts the strongest of our collagen fibres into weaker forms which are less resistant to ageing, thereby accelerating the degenerative process even further.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, it is in fact the AGEs that adversely affect our antioxidant levels, thus making us prone to illness (from bacterial or viral attack). Antioxidants also help protect us from sun damage so AGEs can make us more vulnerable to premature ageing from excessive sun exposure, not to mention skin cancer.

Still want to eat that triple choc chunk brownie? No, me neither. Sad times. Spread the word folks. If telling people about the risk of diabetes doesn’t deter all junk food addicts from the Krispy Kremes, you can bet the idea of premature ageing will raise a few more eyebrows… what a happy, vain bunch we are

As well as avoiding sugar, apparently we can combat premature skin ageing by exercising, eating a low-glycaemic diet, in general, and some say cinnamon (an anti-inflammatory) can help prevent the attack of AGEs too… It is also imperative to pack in heaps of antioxidants as well, so that you are replenishing those which may be trampled on by the nasty AGEs, inside and out. (If you’re a fan of SOPHYTO Organics you’ll know we pack ‘em in to all our products so you’ll be quids in there, whichever ones you pick

Dr. Nicholas Perricone (famous for putting Kim Cattrall on a red-carpet-ready omega-3-loaded salmon-only diet) is well known for his anti-sugar mantra. Now, we may not agree with everything he puts in his products but he’s right on about this one. To read his wise words, click here.

For even more info on this sad, sad subject, check out the following:

www.easygrooming.com

www.brighthub.com

One of the first established makeup artists to greenify her makeup case, Christy Coleman is one smart cookie. Having deduced that her father’s untimely death a few years ago from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/ Lou Gehrig’s Disease) could perhaps have been caused, or at least exacerbated, by the toxic chemicals to which her father was readily exposed, Christy decided to take her personal passion for green living into her professional arena and has been using natural make up on her clients ever since. Clients which have included Giselle Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Emmy Rossum, Amanda Peet and Sheryl Crow, no less, and photographers such as Arthur Elgort, Irving Penn, Patrick Demarchelier and Gilles Bensimon.

But even if you aren’t likely to enter her sphere of influence professionally, Christy kindly shares everything she knows via her blog and Twitter feeds, which she updates regularly.

This week on the blog, you’ll find a piece on the ‘Top 5 Foods for Beautiful Skin’, while on the site you can see which brands Christy loves and uses. And, if you go to the skin care bit and you’ll see a certain organic skin care company on there that we know and love only too well!

That fact aside, though, we think Christy is a real champion and hope she continues to work her powers on the rich and famous as well as the not-so-rich-and-famous as she fights the good, natural, organic fight.

If you haven’t yet heard of this curiously named phenomenon, Turbo Beauty, fret not because you undoubtedly will sooner or later. Or so say Jody Villecco, quality standards coordinator for Whole Foods Market and Taya Tomasello, director of beauty innovation for the Mintel International Group. Villecco and Tomasello have just submitted their top beauty predictions for 2010 to HealingLifestyles.com and of course organic skin care is gaining credence in leaps and bounds.

But, just calling something ‘organic’ isn’t enough of a pull for savvy consumers these day, it seems. Which is where this Turbo Beauty idea comes in. “Turbo beauty is all about skin products, such as serums, that come fully loaded with what Tomasello calls “natural actives”—phytochemicals, anthocyanins, and fermented ingredients.” Of course, this is exactly what Sophyto Organics skin care is all about - which is why Villecco and Tomasello cite Sophyto as being “ahead of the curve” in delivering toxin-free, high-end skin care.

This is very gratifying indeed. As we’ve always said, why lather your skin with anything that doesn’t actually benefit it in some way? Contrary to the beliefs of many of the most popular beauty brands, skin care doesn’t need ‘fillers’ to look good or sell. Quality skin care should deliver functionality above all… and long may this trend continue.

The rest of the predictions are interesting too - the increasing importance for consumers of buying ‘green’ from ingredients to packaging; their desire for authenticity in the use of the term organic and the regard for sustainability as well. This is all very good news for us because these are all things we care about deeply and want to share with the world.

Apologies for the delay - we have been beset by technical difficulties but all good now…

Anyway, Happy New Year one and all… 2010 will be a year of (hopefully great) change for us here at SOPHYTO HQ and we hope you will come along for the ride.

More on all that later, but in the meantime we can introduce the new-look airtight packaging for our hottest organic skin products - Multivitamin Skin Drops (formerly Skin Energising High Potency Concentrate) and Marine Peptide Brightening Treatment (formerly Purifying Active Mask). Gone are the single-use sachets and plastic mono-doses and now we bring you easy-to-use airtight pump dispensers that keep their contents fresh, right down to the very last drop.

The new products will be available from January 8, so if you have already ordered some, fear not, your booty should arrive haste post haste this week!

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients for a truly happy holiday.

Best wishes for the coming year from all at SOPHYTO. We thank you for all your interest and support and look forward to sharing some more great organic ideas with you in 2010.

Mimi R! Congrats and a very Merry Christmas to her Thanks to all those who entered and helped spread the good SOPHYTO Organics word to your nearest and dearest. (Just occasionally) we have some useful flashes of info to share, so it’s very gratifying to know you want to hear them!

If you weren’t lucky enough to win this time (ie. your name isn’t Mimi!) fret not because we will be up and running with more exciting organic skin care offers in the new year, so watch this space….

For a great many of us, winter spells pretty bad news for our skin: the cold, wind and snow outside combined with heating inside, can leave skin feeling rough, dry, tight, irritated, and itchy - not to mention prone to fine lines and wrinkles. So, what to do? Shelter your skin from the elements where possible, use a gentle skin care routine with richer moisturisation (of the mildly acid variety) and pack a load of antioxidants and fatty acids into your diet, says SOPHYTO’s bioesthetician, Ishtar Magally.

How to nourish yourself on the outside

• Always bathe/shower with warm water. Cold water causes further vasoconstriction (constriction of the veins/arteries which stops blood flow to skin, making it look pale.) Hot water strips your skin’s natural oils more easily so keep bathing time to a minimum.

• Purchase a shower filter, if possible. Unfiltered water contains high amounts of chemical compounds such as chlorine and fluoride which alkalize water. Alkaline water severely alters the skin’s pH causing more dryness.

• Bathe/shower with a mildly acidic gel. Soaps are usually very alkaline and will disturb the skin’s pH balance. Sante, Logona and Dr Bronner are all good options.

• Rinse soaps and gels thoroughly as any residue can irritate the skin and prevent active ingredients from penetrating.

• Tone skin after showering/bathing with a mildly acidic solution. This is extremely important as it will hydrate the skin and restore its normal pH. You could use one of the SOPHYTO Organic Super Bioactives if you have it. Or, you can make up your own pH balanced toner by mixing 70% purified water + 30% apple cider vinegar.

• Exfoliate frequently (2-3 times times a week) to help remove all surface cellular debris and keep your skin soft and smooth.

• Moisturise with a lightweight, ultra-nourishing, mildly acidic lotion. Oils and butters with a heavy molecular weight can’t readily penetrate the skin and will likely clog it. Logona does lovely body butters that shouldn’t clog your skin. It is important to replace the natural oils that have been stripped after showering/bathing with a good moisturizer as these oils are responsible for hold-ing much of the Vitamin C stored in our bodies. If Vitamin C is allowed to escape, you will be more susceptible to colds and other viruses. Apply moisturizer at least twice a day, emphasizing face and hands. Use fragrance-free moisturizers because fragrances can sensitize the skin.

• Wear sunscreen daily (SPF 15 minimum). Even though winter sun is less intense it can still burn your skin; remember that snow reflects up to 85% of sun radiation. Re-apply every 2 hours.

• Dry brush skin everyday. This is an excellent way of massaging your skin. Dry brushing will not only remove all skin debris but it will also stimulate circulation and help flush toxins through the lymphatic system. Pay special attention to the rough areas: elbows, knees, feet, etc.

• Pamper yourself. Once or twice a week, apply a living food facial using nourishing fresh ingredients, to prevent surface build-up and provide deep moisturisation… not to mention, make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

• Do not forget your neglected areas. Apply 2-3 layers of moisturizer on the rough areas. Use emollient lip balms liberally and exfoliate your lips at least once per week with a toothbrush soaked in the vegetable oil of your choice (preferably organic). Moisturize your hands whenever you wash them. Smear organic coconut oil on your hands and feet at night and cover them with a pair of gloves/mittens and socks, respectively.

• Dress warmly to prevent further vasoconstriction and encourage healthy blood flow which, in turn, keeps skin cells oxygenated.

• Exercise regularly to increase blood flow to every single organ of your body, including the skin.

• If possible, purchase a humidifier as these can help combat dryness caused by indoor heating.

How to nourish yourself on the inside

• Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Water is the most important nutrient and it also helps transport other nutrients throughout our system.

• Eat more water. The water from fresh fruits and vegetables is more easily absorbed by our cells than drinking water and so are the nutrients they provide.

• Go easy on alcohol and caffeinated drinks. For every glass of alcohol/cup of coffee you drink, have an extra glass of water to avoid possible dehydration.

• Increase your intake of EFAs (Omega-3)-rich foods such as: salmon, flax seeds, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, purslane, scallops, cauliflower, cabbage, cloves, mustard seeds, halibut, shrimp, cod, tuna, tofu, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, spinach, romaine lettuce and winter squash. These foods will keep the skin moisturized from the inside out.

• Supplement your diet if necessary. If the aforementioned foods do not meet your EFAs needs, then take mercury-free fish supplements. For vegetarians/vegans, you can now find several algae-derived Omega-3/DHA supplements available.

• Skin-boosting foods for winter include: avocados, bananas, blood oranges, chestnuts, clementines, cranberries, grapes (red), grapefruit, kiwi, kumquat, oranges, passionfruit, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, pommelos, radishes, rhubarb, winter squash, sweet potatoes, tangelos, tangerines, and ugli fruit.

So, go forth, tone, moisturise, wrap up warm and eat lots of colourful, (preferably organic) skin-nourishing foods.