2013-05-22T09:42:55-04:00 Renata Helfman http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=renata-helfman Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Renata Helfman Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2571234 2013-02-05T15:30:20-05:00 2013-04-07T05:12:01-04:00

Renata Helfman http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renata-helfman/
My nose became more sophisticated as I learned and experimented with different oils and notes, and now I have a few favorites that call to me depending on how I am feeling on any given day. Not only do they make me smell like heaven, but they also can elevate my mood, make me feel more seductive, or instill a sense of calm and well-being. As my obsession for scents grew, so did my curiosity, and I fell in love with essential oils.

For those of you who haven't been introduced to these oils, this is the product rendered from distilling flowering plants. To get started on my studies, I called on my friends and experts at Intelligent Nutrients. I am a huge fan of this brand and the founder Horst Rechelbacher, who has been using and studying them for more them 40 years. I also discovered The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood. This is a beauty junkie's bible! Armed with these experts at my side, I trepidatiously decided to further educate myself on the study of this ancient art.

I say trepidatious, for I am initially cautious or even a bit cynical when I research a newfound passion that entails using sensory thoughts and applications that were, until recently, relatively unknown to me. School for me was always a bit of a struggle -- let's just say I was certainly a late bloomer and, back then, far more worried about my hair (no kidding)! I am so glad I dipped my toe into these waters; I have discovered my love of the right perfume can also be applied to aromatherapy. I now use these oils intuitively for a multitude of things -- my clarity, mood, cleaning house and, most excitedly, medicinally. So, along with my Clarisonic, probiotics, and beauty masks, my newest addition to my daily routine and beauty arsenal is my diffuser. Oh, and don't worry-this one is not hippy-dippy; it plugs in, has two speeds, and actually looks like a piece of art.

Here are some facts I found fascinating:

• Diffusing essential oils in a space may effectively combat some infectious pathogens, while promoting respiratory health.



• Some oils are believed to have an anti-inflammatory effect through inhalation or by stimulating a person's sense of smell and creating a response within the body. Certain oils may be applied topically, as well.



• Many nurses in the UK and even the U.S. use essential oil aromatherapy as a method of enhancement for care. This intrigued me, of course, as I spend lots of time with patients in hospitals doing make-up for my charity, Lipstick Angels.

Here are a few of my faves that the brand carries. Some are even blended by the experts, so you can smell a variety of notes. I suggest starting with the blends if you are a beginner so you can experience a varied palette.

• De-Stress Express -- This is a unique blend of essential oils to immediately de-stress your mind and body (you can even spray it on your pillow).



• Grapefruit -- In my experience, this is an antidote for irritability, stress, and anger.



• Tunisian Rosemary -- Great for stimulating brainpower and alertness, stimulates cells and happy thoughts. (I love this oil before or during a meeting and am actually diffusing it now as I am writing!)



• Mandarin -- Can be calming and sedative, it is ideal for those who are tired of counting sheep and need to sleep.



• Ylang-ylang -- incredibly soothing, heady, and reportedly an aphrodisiac (an added bonus!).



• Sandalwood -- Powerful for focusing, an antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal.

The best part about this journey for me (besides sharing it with you) has been the continuous voyage. Taking the time to tap in to what my mind and body want and need through scent has been so interesting. My personal insecurities -- many of which are the result of my not being, shall we say, the most stellar student in my youth -- continue to confront me as an adult. Experiencing the art and science of this holistic practice has me once again holding up that mirror of self-reflection. In the grander scheme, I am grateful that I am gently reminded how important the benefits of taking risks, learning something new (at any age), and embracing the art of listening can be. This combo of science and spirituality is truly intoxicating and has added a lovely and positive dimension to my previously olfactory-deprived life!

XO

For more by Renata Helfman, click here.

For more on natural health, click here.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1552512 2012-05-30T16:12:43-04:00 2012-07-30T05:12:13-04:00

Renata Helfman http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renata-helfman/
I heard this word in a whole different context today in the volunteer work I do at the hospital. Recently, I created a non profit organization, www.lipstickangels.org. In a nutshell, I enlist make-up artists like myself to visit very ill patients in the hospital and make them feel "pretty." Oh, there's that word again.

Today my patient (I like to think of them as clients) was 20 years old. She was escorted into my room by her entire family. She was too devastated and debilitated physically and emotionally to really even make eye contact with me. When we finally got her IV machine situated and had made her somewhat comfy in my makeup chair, her emotions finally got the best of her and she burst into tears. I took her release as my cue to get started on my best work. I told her George Clooney was coming by (we wished) and we better start getting her makeup on! We talked about how she had virtually no pores, perfectly arched eyebrows and the loveliest smile that could light up any room. As the mood in the room lightened and the jokes got passed around from Dad to Mom and her gorgeous sister (who by the way has been slumbering on a cot in her room ) I watched how this young girl blossomed. Even as she sat completely silent, I could feel her mood and spirit elevate .

As I passed her the mirror so she could see her face, all the colors and the luminous shine in her cheeks she wept again, but this time the tears were different. She cried out with all her strength, "I LOOK PRETTY!!"

So I ponder this word today because now it feels different and from this point on, always will. It feels significant and necessary. I learned today pretty is really a state of mind, not the way you look. It's about being cherished, cared for, noticed and most of all, being loved. I love what I do and often find that even the right shade of lipstick can make a girl's day. But my true work is in connecting and breaking through so when the mirror goes up, I see a girl who feels pretty.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.1002746 2011-10-10T11:54:32-04:00 2012-01-16T05:12:02-05:00

Renata Helfman http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renata-helfman/
"No Mirror Day" not even in the car -- my secret and favorite place to check my frown lines, whiteheads, stray hairs (God forbid) and any other imperfection or perfection of the day. Yes, I am great at knowing when to draw the line as my inner voice has been carefully honed to check in with my valley girl genes for some good old "get over yourself therapy." I thought the ying and the yang in my mind were covered, or so I thought. Little did I know that my journey with the reflection that I knew or thought I knew oh-so-well would be challenged, scrutinized and in the most heartbreaking way change the way I look in the mirror forever.

I have been practicing yoga for a decade; it has been the biggest gift I have ever given myself. When practicing diligently, I have learned to be a more flexible and loving person inside and out. I have met great friends and traveled to many wonderful places that have enriched my life in so many ways. When I heard about Bikram yoga, I was intrigued and actually got a super deal on a starter series, and with much excitement to try something new I was off to the races. As a novice at Bikram, but a journeyman at yoga in general, I instantly gravitated to the practice. The rooms are sparse and are there are wall to wall mirrors. OMG this was new for me... So let me get this straight. I am supposed to do these poses while looking at myself? In other classes it is just the opposite. I can't tell you how many times I would've paid big bucks for a quickie peek to adjust my ponytail!

So, here I am in a bind while I was loving this hot sparse womb of a class and the generous banter of my teachers, the looking at myself (and by self they mean eyes) in the mirror was killing me! Why was this so hard? I thought I was a pro! So with my self reflection (and by that I mean inside) here is what Bikram is asking of me. It's all still and most likely will be a challenge and a gift.

The idea is to meet your own eyes as you move through the poses to develop a relationship with your mirrored self and start being kind to her.

Okay, so here was my struggle. Could I ever look in the mirror the same way again? I think not!

• I go to class as much as possible, and I am starting to see past the physical body so I know I am getting closer.



• My intrigue and habitual mirror time has become less fascinating as I find my eyes drifting to the beauty I see all around me more and more.



• Lastly, and most importantly, my "mirrored self" without hair and makeup in that sweaty, stinky room is starting to be able to make eye contact without judgment and sometimes even a smile.

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Renata Helfman http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renata-helfman/
My love affair with makeup began at an early age. I was keen on being perfect (big job for a 13-year-old). I can clearly remember the day I had to halt my daily beauty regimen when I woke up covered head to toe in little red dots! They would soon grow into a full-fledged case of psoriasis. This was a bittersweet disease as it took me on a journey that would shape my life forever.

After some very painful and embarrassing years of hiding my skin and using extremely toxic remedies such as harsh cortisones and tar (yes, tar), I found Eileen Poole. She was an inspiration for me; a famous "psychic nutritionist" who put me on a diet of very specific foods. Eileen told me that skin disease is "a cancer releasing outside the body and not inside." She told me I was lucky and that I should think of myself as blessed. Holy crap, really? I was only a child but her words resonated somewhere in my young mind.

I did not realize the gift Eileen had given me at the time, but her words have been a guidepost for me throughout the years. Now, whenever I get even the smallest outbreak I know I am not in balance, and instead of hitting the cortisone, I need to hit the yoga mat.

So here I am now in the business of beauty. I spend my days evaluating and conceptualizing products to put on the skin to make it look and smell younger, healthier and more vibrant. I also look to science and chemistry to understand the cellular system and how it plays into the dance of anti-aging. It is all so exciting to me that I have to actually make myself stop working most days.

After almost 25 years, I found Miss Eileen Poole again and there she was; still a very hard appointment to get and just about to retire. I explained to her assistant that I was writing a story and had been a patient of Eileen's as a child and what an inspiration she had been to me. I managed to get in to see her and as I walked into her office, I was stunned -- her age-defying beauty was staring me in the face. I was blown away as she was still absolutely gorgeous and I knew that I had met Miss Poole for a reason. We are both in the business of making people feel beautiful and my journey into natural health would have never begun if I hadn't had all those darn skin ailments! So, could our problems -- whatever they may be -- sometimes be signs of our true destiny or perhaps, a reminder to stop and take inventory of our lives? I think so ...

Some Tips:

- What I eat matters. My skin tells me everything! One too many glasses of vino or a late night at Dan Tanas (my fave Italian joint in LA) leaves its mark. I can't simply wake up and jet out the door with just a whisper of lip gloss!
- I don't freak out when I get a breakout. I actually take it as sign that I need to get "out of the mirror" and get back to being in touch with my body
- Before reaching for a "magic pill" to fix what ails you, look inside and assess what else is going on in your life.
- Oh, and for all the women out there, please know that we are truly our own worst critics.
-Lastly, the secret to looking stunning and beautiful comes from within. I know that sounds like fluff, but it's true and we all know it!

As for my psoriasis, it never came back with the vengeance it had when I was a young teen -- and for that I feel so grateful. Mother Nature is able to lend a hand with many remedies that I have discovered through the years. But ultimately, there is no better remedy than self-love. When I see people suffer and feel shame about skin ailments, I say a quiet prayer in my mind that they too will find their passion, ask for help and -- most importantly -- begin to look within.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.824602 2011-02-18T14:12:54-05:00 2011-11-17T09:02:45-05:00

Renata Helfman http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renata-helfman/
As I drank my roasted dandelion tea that evening, I started to question the very interesting fact that aging in our society has not only become difficult from a purely social standpoint, but it has also become entirely impossible to visually gauge the number anymore. So what does this mean? Are we becoming ageless? As you may know, I spend a lot of time reviewing beauty products in my world of natural and eco friendly lifestyle. The expectation for remarkable anti-aging remedies certainly does not stop here. In fact, the formulations hatched and cracked open are constantly met with my sentiment, "I'm blown away!" "Excited" and "eternally grateful" are words that come to mind as I slather on my new "probiotoic" serum of youth; but what else is going on here? An obsession to stay young and wrinkle-free forever?

I have to ask myself, "Where does the fountain of youth lie inside me?" I feel very fortunate (genetically speaking). I do not have a grey hair (yet) and I diligently use my perfectly blended progesterone, do my hot yoga and watch what I eat. I meticulously cover every inch of my body in amazing anti-aging products. I feel as if I have somewhat altered the aging clock. So is this where cougars, short term marriages, early mid-llfe crises and, most of all, an illusion that the years are something to be ashamed of come into play? The answers are to me worth evaluating, as I want to scream from the hilltop, "I am ___ years old!" but I just can't seem to utter the numbers. Yes, I am affected!

So as I continue on my journey to find a comfort with myself in an ageless society, I have come to believe that I can embrace both worlds. I'm really going to try! Here's what I am doing:

• When I first meet someone, I make a point to look at their eyes, not their wrinkles.


• I make a point to connect with nature everyday even if it is as simple as noticing the beauty around me.


• I try not to look in the mirror so much; instead, when I have that insatiable urge, especially when I'm driving, I catch myself and try to look within.

Finally and most importantly, because technology and formulations keep getting better, and plastic surgery is now becoming available to the masses, having a relationship with age has to come from a totally different perspective. Being comfortable with the "number" has to come from a place of total acceptance of having a healthy connection to our inner and outer selves and actually makes for much better dinner conversation!

Funny enough, I was actually pissed off when Kathy wouldn't sell me that bottle of wine! I wasn't gushing, "Oh my God, I was carded!" but maybe that's because I had no I.D. to show her, so I was leaving wine-less. So in that moment, my glass of red superseded my need for any compliments to my perhaps underage and youthful appearance! It's all still up in the air, but I am aware, and that is always what inspires me to take contrary action.
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