Name the largest organ in your body?

Pub quizzers will all be sitting looking smug because this is one of the classic trick questions. No, it’s not your liver, although the liver performs the most diverse variety of functions, it is actually the skin which is the largest in terms of physical mass.

And it does more than making sure that everything else is tucked away and keeping the rain out; maintaining body temperature, expressing emotion, forming a barrier to the elements, our skin is perfectly adapted to help our bodies stay in equilibrium with our surroundings and because it has to also be able to cope with every movement we make and sudden changes in our environment it is stressed in the most direct way, every minute of every day.

Anyone who has come off a sports pitch after playing 90 minutes in the freezing cold and wet only to jump into the shower or a hot bath can immediately attest to the ability of the skin to cope with sudden changes in temperature and humidity.

So how is this achieved? The answer to this question lies in the very nature of the skin itself.  Skin is composed of two primary layers, the epidermis, which contains no blood vessels but provides waterproofing and serves as a barrier to infection, (the “cling film”) and the dermis which contains the blood vessels and provides the cushioning we need from the outside world as well as containing the blood vessels and glands.

Treat your skin like quality leather?

Our skin is mammalian, differing from that of animals in that it does not have fur - the human equivalent of the cow’s hide, and if we don’t care for it that is exactly what it’s going to look and feel like. Whether shoes, jackets, handbags or furniture we all know that natural materials need a bit of TLC to stay at their best.  Ensuring that it is not exposed to intense direct light for long periods, that it is kept supple and not allowed to dry out and crack due to lack of moisturizing leather conditioner.  If you are lucky enough to have a pair of Manolos or Louboutins, I bet you don’t just wear them out in the wet to go shopping for your groceries!

Your skin is the same; it needs that care and maintenance that you would not hesitate to give an expensive pair of shoes, whether by protecting them from damaging conditions or maintaining their flexibility and appearance with a specialist shoe cream.  So you should use a specialist natural moisturising cream to give your skin the treatment it deserves.

               

Get some ‘lip service’ over winter

As winter approaches we need to change our approach to skincare, cold temperatures and drying winds can be very wearing and particular attention needs to be paid to the delicate areas.  Many people find that their lips can become badly chapped and sore, for a very good reason. The skin of the lips is much thinner than that on the rest of the face and of course it is under tremendous strain accommodating the sudden stretches and puckering from speaking, smiling and eating. Regular application of moisturisers and barrier creams are very helpful and men need to realize that they are not immune and a little pot or tube of lip balm can make the difference between comfort and misery. It doesn’t have to come in grapefruit or cherry flavour, there are many neutral options and there is definitely something out there to suit everyone.  Anyone of Marble Hill’s moisturising creams also act as great natural non fragranced lip balms.

Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise

A good moisturiser is vital for exposed faces and hands to help maintain skin at its best and minimize the likelihood of eczema and hacks. If your skin is prone to eczema try to avoid extremes of temperature- too hot and dry indoors or intense cold while you are out and about.. Remember to wear well-insulating gloves, avoiding wool as it can cause irritation. Fingers are very vulnerable to becoming cold quicker than other parts of the body and as anyone who has eczema knows it only takes moments to trigger a flare –up but it can take months to get back to normal. Sore, cracked hands are a real source of misery so do take care.

To find out more visit our website at www.marblehillonline.co.uk

Ideal footcream for diabetes? See new study for why you should choose PediSalve!

Dr Maria’s Blog;

“ Use of Emollients and the Diabetic Foot” by Dr K Lagan of the Dept of Podiatry, School of Health Sciences University of Ulster, Jordanstown.

PediSalve Rocks!

We have just received the final draft of the report commissioned last year on the best way to look after your feet if you have diabetes and we are delighted to be able to confirm that PediSalve is the only product on the market which is both free from water and allergenic additives, recognizing that  it is the purest, most concentrated foot cream you can buy - making it excellent value for money, lasting far longer than other diluted products.  

PediSalve is easy to apply and makes for a soothing massage when it is rubbed gently all over the feet, with healing Shea butter for cracked heels and Argan oil softening areas of hard, thickened skin.  Many people report that Athlete’s Foot has cleared up with regular use of PediSalve .

It is easy to develop a regular daily regime for checking your feet as recommended for  diabetics when you use Pedisalve. The pleasant sensation which follows application of PediSalve in the morning lasts all day, and many people describe it as feeling as though they are walking on air. Applying PediSalve all over the foot helps to loosen up the  the joints and skin of the foot and helps soothe arthritis and can help stimulate the circulation. Simply dot PediSalve all over the under surface of the foot, with particular attention to the borders of the toes and heels and gently massage with a circular motion stroking the edges of the feet carefully to aid absorption, then pop on a cotton sock and wait a few minutes for the Pedisalve to soak in. If you are applying PediSalve to clean feet before bed there is no need wash your hands after putting on your socks as PediSalve is so pure it can actually be rubbed into your hands helping them benefit from the exceptional moisturizing qualities of PediSalve as well.

Having spent so long developing and trialling PediSalve it is a fantastic boost to get such a ringing endorsement for our flagship product. I hope that we can now get its benefits out to all the people out there who would find that their quality of life is improved by using it regularly.

PediSalve is available via our website  www.marblehillonline.co.uk  and in pharmacies and podiatry/chiropody clinics all over Northern Ireland  and in many outlets in the Republic of Ireland. If you would like to know more about stockists or if you have any other queries please contact us during office hours on 02871367128 or by email on   info@marblehillonline.co.uk. Remember: everyone who buys PediSalve form our website receives a complimentary pair of moisturising socks worth £2.50 with each pot.

LIVING WITH ECZEMA

LIVING WITH ECZEMA?

Eczema is one of the most prevalent skin problems we see around us today and for many people it is “How do I live with eczema?” rather than “How can I cure eczema?”

The boundary between a diagnosis of “dry skin” and “eczema” is blurred and many of the strategies used by eczema sufferers can be very helpful for those of us who are plagued by dry, itchy skin and discomfort.

Eczema requiring medical intervention is a condition all on its own but many more people than in the past complain of some degree of eczema/dry skin. So many bathrooms now sport the large size bottles of some whole body moisturizer or another even though some of these may not be helping the problem. Whether the increase in these complaints is due to the dry, centrally heated and/or air conditioned environments we live in now, to the higher standards of personal hygiene we require than in the past, with more frequent bathing or to the use of stronger skin cleansers such as the detergents found in shower gels and liquid washes no one can say for sure, but I feel that it is probably linked to all three to some extent.

First and foremost, check what is in your skin care products.

Many people have absolutely no idea what they are using and that includes people who really need to keep an eye on their skincare regime.  SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) SLES, (sodium laureth sulfate) artificial fragrances and colours are all potent causes of skin reactions so look carefully at the back of your bottles. It can be surprising what ingredients different ranges contain.

Not so Simple after all?

For example I was doing a review of the Simple brand of skincare products recently and was astonished to find that while, as they claim, they don’t contain fragrances or colours, and they contain absolutely everything else, from SLS to parabens. Their Kind to Skin Nourishing Body Wash shower product has 31 ingredients, including both SLS and SLES and propylparaben as a preservative.

Although most people will not have any negative reaction to these artificial ingredients, if you have dry or sensitive skin these detergents are a potential trigger for dryness or allergy which you need to be aware of.  Only you will find what suits your skin and you really need to take a bit of time actually checking the products before you use them just to be sure. The improvement after you have made even a simple change can be dramatic.

There are many triggers to look out for

Seek advice from the experts

The National Eczema Society is a fund of information for those living with eczema and I strongly recommend anyone who wants to improve their approach to their eczema to look at their website and think about getting their handbooks. They do very good booklets for parents of children with atopic eczema, teens and adults with eczema and cover every aspect of those changes you can make which will help you live your life more enjoyably and comfortably, from information on how to find out what triggers your eczema to managing your eczema day by day.

My own family cannot use anything with these artificial additives and have to stick to only the plant based cleansers and moisturisers that we have created at Marble Hill to but we only found this out after many years of trial and error and this is why I developed my own brand of truly natural products... Many dermatologists recommend using products which contain fewer ingredients, reducing the chance of a bad reaction but, as the Eczema Society says, you have to find the emollients (moisturisers) that suit your lifestyle. Eliminating obvious triggers is a good start but only you can find the right combination.

For example, many new mothers who have had no previous problems with their skin find that their hands are sore, dry and cracked once they start caring for their baby simply as a result of frequent washing with liquid hand washes and it is a simple matter to swap these drying cleansers for something less severe, natural bar soap for example, which cleanses just as well but is less inclined to strip oils from their skin.

Even though there are really no cures, for eczema, there are ways to help live with it.

Dr McGee, CEO of Marble Hill was today 11^th July 2011 awarded funding to further investigate the potential Health Benefits of Marble Hill’s Health Scrub Bar.  Dr McGee said, ‘Our own sample trials and testimonials conclude that The Health Scrub Bar has cured several cases of Seborrheic dermatitis, and has been effective in the treatment of Impetigo, Acne, Dandruff and other skin malaises. 

The Ingredients contained in The Health Scrub Bar have proven to be Antibacterial and now in conjunction with Queens University’s Micro Biology Centre the funding will allow us to conduct Clinical Trials exploring the real possibility that those using The Health Scrub Bar regularly will vastly reduce the possibility of them ever contracting MRSA’. 

Dr McGee went on to say that she and her team were delighted by Government endorsement of the continuing work that Marble Hill carries out to offer natural solutions to everyday health concerns.  At Marble Hill we want to make a real difference to people’s lives by researching and producing natural products that are effective and do not come with a list of warnings about side effects she concluded. 

Marble Hill Website

All Marble Hill’s products are 100% Natural and in fact are so natural you could actually eat them’!

The Story of Marble Hill

'We care about your skin, Naturally' Marble Hill Skin Care was founded by Dr Maria McGee, MB, ChB who had been making hand-crafted, Cold Processed soaps as a hobby for a number of years. Dr McGee had a particular interest in the healing and moisturising properties of some natural plant extracts, essential oils and vitamins because some of her own family suffered from dry skin conditions and a close companion had Seborrheic dermatitis. Dr McGee set about researching the treatments for all types of skin disorders and investigated natural alternatives; she laboriously sourced ingredients from around the world and finally settled on the correct blend whilst also developing a unique processing technique that included natural spring water from her own well in Marble Hill Co, Donegal.

With extensive testing and feedback from her family and friends she developed a soap bar which she originally called Marble Hill Kelp Bar (Renamed Health Scrub Bar) with Shea Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Glycerine, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Vitamin E being just some of the ingredients. Her naturally crafted Kelp soap bar became ever popular and helped to alleviate many of the skin conditions her circle of friends had been suffering from and incredibly with continued use, completely cleared the symptoms of Seborrheic dermatitis her companion had been suffering from. (Dr McGee is the first to point out that this may not be the case for all sufferers)

Hobby or Business?

She continued developing new soaps and added moisturising creams to her skin care range. In the meantime her customers had grown significantly as ‘word of mouth’ recommendations and praise spread through her home town with the result that she made the decision to turn her hobby into a business. There was an ever increasing demand for her products after being featured in local media. And so it was that Marble Hill was born with the core value of continuing to supply her soaps and creams to customers who told her that they could not do without it.

National Media Takes an Interest

Articles in the Sunday Times newspaper recommending her soap brought Marble Hill Skin Care to a wider audience and with other recommendations from everybody who used her range including praise on Internet blogs and forums. Also because of sales on Ebay, and other outlets production demand became too much for Dr McGee who found herself swamped, trying to balance a full time job with the hectic task of raising a young family. The outcome was that she very reluctantly decided to stop trading although she deliberately kept her business name registered, trademarks in place and intellectual property protected knowing she would start trading again when the time was right.

A New Beginning

Dr Magee who had still been producing her skin care range on a small scale to aid those who needed it decided she was now at a time in her life when she could re-launch Marble Hill Skin Care. This time she decided to run as a fulltime fully functional business that could meet the demands of all its customers on time and be placed to provide the benefits of her range on a worldwide scale. Having learned valuable lessons from her first ‘one woman band’ foray into business, she started appointing a team of professionals who would assist her as CEO in bringing Marble Hill to the masses while fulfilling the company vision of outstanding customer service and remaining true to the purely natural product range that benefited and contributed to the wellbeing of its users.

Management Team Appointed

A team was appointed bringing skills such as Finance, Legal, Production Management, Quality Control, Health & Safety and Customer Relations. This established the Company’s aim to become a leading player in the Health & Beauty market.

Realisation of the Dream

The Marble Hill Company is now focused on building its brand and continuing to develop new 100% natural products whilst always remaining loyal to its original skin care range. The original products are being rebranded to reflect the wide range of uses and benefits that they provide so that they can appeal to a much larger consumer base who as yet don’t know what they are missing out on. As with all businesses it will take time to build but Marble Hill’s management team are confidently projecting that Marble Hill will be a world-wide recognisable name and highly competitive player in the skin care market. CEO Dr Maria McGee said “Marble Hill are now positioned to respond to production demands, excellent customer service, customer driven development and realisation of my dream to bring the benefits of our skin care range to the world”.