Summer Diet and Facial Masks for Beautiful Skin

Get Beautiful Skin with Herbal Facials

Whether you suffer from acne, dry skin or aging, wrinkle-prone skin - beautiful skin can be yours if you stick to an herbal regime that allows your skin to heal itself naturally without interference from formulated lab products or toxins.

Many studies have now shown most over the counter acne medication to be harmful to pregnant women - even to the point of causing birth defects!  So, use extreme caution when choosing your acne or anti-aging treatment. When in doubt - go for the most natural or herbal method available; treatments like herbal facials and clay-based or herbal based facial masks can do wonders to promote beautiful skin without all the abrasive chemicals.

Acne is caused by inflammation of the oily glands in the skin - they are called sebaceous glands - that contain a fatty material called sebum. When the duct of the gland becomes blocked either by layers of skin, fatty secretions or dirt, a mini-cyst or pimple forms. The cyst can become infected with acne bacteria.

Beautiful Skin With Herbal Facial Masks

Topical prescription products may contain antibiotic ingredients such as erythromycin that help control inflammation but they may also be dangerous to delicate systems.  These chemical products are designed to clean the area, dry up the oiliness in acne-prone skin, peel aging skin and eliminate wrinkles or bacteria present, but there are many other herbal options you can choose that do the same thing.

Oatmeal - will help relieve redness and itching and inflammation associated with acne

Rosemary - is a natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial

Lavender - is a natural antiseptic and anti-bacterial and anti-microbial

Yogurt - will lighten and even out dull, patchy skin tones

Chamomile - will soothe redness and inflammation

Aloe Vera - has long been know to be a skin healer and skin cell re generator - it is most often used in its natural plant form and as a gel - to treat burns and heal dry skin

Green Tea - has been found to contain miraculous properties of cellular regeneration as well.

Vitamin A, E, C - all help contribute to your skin’s healing process by providing it with nourishing nutrients.

When in doubt, choose a natural facial mask to help heal acne scars and prevent further breakouts.

Herbal Treatments for Beautiful Skin

There are many great herbal treatments on the market today. They can come in all forms and types to help clear current acne breakous, reduce wrinkles and scars and remove signs of aging.

If you are concerned about sensitive skin issues and want a treatment that is effective yet also gentle, you should check out herbal facial masks and herbal ingredients in your skincare.  Many drugstore treatments and products may contain harsh chemicals or parabens that might not be safe for your skin or can actually cause more damage.  Harsh chemicals like salycidic acid and benzoil peroxide can actually increase redness and inflammation and increase your chances of breakouts and acne erruptions. While anti-aging treatments like acid peels and dermabrasion actually BURN and SCRAPE your top skin layer off your face!

If you use a skincare regime, try to find ingredients that will gently cleanse your skin and allow inflammed tissues to regenerate naturally, without shocking them into submission.

Natural ingredients like Chamomile, Marshmallow, Confrey, Calendula and other herbs are the best way to papmer acne-prone skin, relive redness and reduce wrinkles and signs of aging.

For beautful skin treatments:

Acne erruptions are caused by excess oil and clogged pores, so you want to find an herbal acne treatment that will also help pull the dirt and oil out of the clogged pores - clay based masks work well.  if you can, look for an all-natural option or a 100% herbal option to meet both requirements, to heal skin herbally and remove toxins.

To Reduce wrinkles:

Deep wrinkles and redness can also be produced from using treatments that are too harsh or abrasive on the skin. Your skin’s natural lipid barrier is there to protect you from infection and bacteria. Each time you wash it away with harsh scrubs or chemicals, you are changing the PH of your skin and limiting its natural ability to heal and moisturize itself.

So, the next time you are thinking about an acne-treatment, go for the herbal facial mask or herbal options and treat your skin with the kindness it deserves.

Facial Masks for Beautiful Skin

Would you like to have a more beautiful complexion? Is your skin, sallow, dry or just palin dull? Then perhaps you could benefit from a weekly facial treatment like a facial mask.

Beautiful skin needn’t be a chore.  A simple weekly or by-weekly routine along with your daily cleaning and toning should be just the ticket to gorgeous skin.

If you already cleans, moisturize and tone your skin daily - then you are well on your way to beautiful skin. That is the first step to keeping your skin clean and healthy, removing dirt and debris so skin can breath and cells can regenerate.

Now the final step is a weekly or bi-weekkly facial mask. This will help remove built up toxins, and pull the remaining dirt and dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin, revealing a fresh, new layer of beautiful skin.

The most common types of facial masks are:

• Clay or Herbal  (Dry Ingredients)
• Moisturizing
• Peel off
• Gel

Clay masks or herbal masks: These are typically found in a powder form and you have the opportunity to custom-blend them with water, or facial toner, any ingredient you like. Most clay masks are detoxifying and are safe for all skin types. If you have oily skin, the clay will reduce the amount of oil by absorbing it. If you have dry or wrinkled skin, you can adjust the mask by adding a natural moisturizing agent - like oatmeal or Aloe Vera. These masks are sometimes sold in specialty or “whole food” stores as they tend to be the most natural lines you can buy. Also, since they are dry, they won’t go rancid or spoil the way other natural / organic masks might.

Moisturizing masks: These are typically found in most stores and are a cream-based mask. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, just look for the ingredients that suit your skin type the best - whether that is dry, oily or wrinkle-prone. Look for healing agents like, Aloe Vera, Calendula, Comfrey, Marshmallow or Lavender as these are all excellent herbs to heal skin and “plump up” skin cells.

Gel Masks are a great alternative if you suffer from really oily skin or have acne problems. The gels won’t be as thick as the standard moisturizing agent and will still help remove toxins from your skin without clogging your pores. Look for facial masks with natural acids or enzymes like papaya, pumpkin and fruits to gently loosen and dissolve dead surface cells.

Finally, we have “peel-off” facial masks - which aren’t as common as they used to be.  Some believe that “peeling” the mask off the face actually tears the skin tissue, making wrinkles more noticeable. Its up to you.  Some like to use them for the “fun” factor. They come in gel-form that usually has a fruit-acid base like cucumber or grape seed. The gel transforms into a thin transparent film that picks up dead cells, dirt & impurities.  Once dry, you then peel off the film after 15 minutes.

Depending on each mask the set times and after-care instruction may vary.  Usually you leave the mask on for 10-20 min.  Then rinse off with warm water. Follow with moisturizer or toner. And that’s all there is to having fresher, more radiant, beautiful skin!

What Does It Take To Have Beautiful Skin?

While not all of us were fortunate enough to have won the “genetic lottery” there are many, many ways we can improve our skin, and our overall appearance to actually BE more handsome or beautiful.

Most will agree, “beautiful skin” is skin that has few imperfections - no acne, or scars, no dark spots or red blotches. Beautiful skin always seems to glow.

Consumers today are bombarded daily with hundreds of ads and promotions, selling one product or another to give you “beautiful skin,”  but I’m here to tell you - if you don’t have a healthy body, you will never have really beautiful healthy, skin.

After years of suffering from acne, breakouts, redness and rashes and trying every skincare line I could find - I deiced to change my diet and see what would happen. I went on a RADICAL new way of eating healthy and guess what?  It worked!

It was really hard at first, I had to stop eating fast food, junk food, sugar, soda, candy, caffeine….  It took me over 6 months to slowly phase out all the chemicals I was injesting and relace that food with healthy alternative, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, iced teas, water and fruit juice  - I tried to go as organic and natural as possible as often as I could

Along with the is change in my diet, I did other healthy things for my skin, like taking walks, going to yoga, epsom salt baths, using herbal facial masks and natural skin care lines with no chemicals.

Here are some great ingredients to look for in your natural skincare:

Oatmeal - natural anti-inflammatory and skin softener

Chamomile - a natural anti-inflammatory, reduces redness and inflammation

Rosemary - Natural antibiotic, anti-microbial, astringent (great for acne)

Aloe Vera - natural skin healer, helps repair damaged cells or acne scars

Lavender:  natural anti-microbial and astringent

Marshmallow ( the herb - not the desert)  - helps reduce redness and inflammation

Green Tea - helps repair cellular damage to skin cells

Vitamins - A, C, E - all help repair skin and nourish

After 6 months of my radical new diet and my heral skincare treatments, I was getting shocked expressions from friends sying how radiant and beautiful I looked, they couldn’t believe the change.

So I advice you to give it go - try to limit the junk in your diet and choose healthy alternative, I KNOW you will see beautiful skin in no time.

How To Have Beatutiful Skin

Don’t be a fool when it comes to having beautiful skin, you want to be attractive to potential partners, yes?  So how do you do that?  How do you show that special someone  that you have beautiful skin ?  When your mate looks at you,  what do they see?  A  beautiful, flawless face and healthy skin or one that puts them off?

Is your skin riddled with acne?  Maybe you can’ afford high-end cosmetics and expensive ways of taking care of your skin…So, what do you do when you are on a budget?

High school has a way of making you feel like you don’t belong or making you work really hard to fit in…I get that.  Even worse is the need to be attractive and more popular. So, here is what you do.   Take care of your skin from the inside out as well as knowing what herbal treatments you can use to take care of yourself.  RULE NUMBER ONE:  Eat healthy.  NO one ever got great skin by eating lots of junk food and sugars.  Eat as many vegetable, fruits, and whole grains as you can.  Low fats, and healthy fats, like avocado and olive oil will also help your skin shine.

If you suffer from acne-prone skin, you should look for herbal anti-acne facial masks and herbal remedies that will reduce inflammation and redness like: Chamomile, comfrey or oatmeal.

If you are worried about age spots you should look into  an anti aging system that includes zinc cream and and an anti aging spot treatment that reduces dark spots and blotchy skin.

If you are light-skinned or Caucasian, then you might already know the sun is your enemy. Being cautious with the sun will help you avoid bad UV rays that can further damage your skin and cause wrinkles.

No matter your knowledge of skin care,  if you want to beautiful skin, then all you ave to do is follow these simple steps and find the product that’s right for you.

The Most Beautiful Person On Earth Is You!

What if you are given the title of the most beautiful person on earth? What if one day you wake up and notice that all your wrinkles, blemishes, scars and ugly things have disappeared? What if your skin has become free from all these unwanted skin problems? I know you must be reading this with eyes open wide. Would it not be just a dream come true? Believe it friends having a beautiful radiant skin is no more a dream and if it is it can be made to come true without any hassle. Gone are those days when you could not flaunt your skin because of skin problems. Today every problem has an effective treatment and a perfect solution.

Olive oil treatment will help you rejuvenate your skin with the help of vitamin E and vitamin A. It works well against sun damage and acne problems. It leaves your skin soft and glowing and prevents flakiness of skin in winter. Acne facials are also very effective way of reducing the amount of acne breakouts you experience. These facials reduce surface oil, remove dead skin cells, reduce irritation, hydrate and leave your skin with a soothing effect. If acne facials are done regularly, they satisfy you with the best results.

Herbal facial treatment works well without any chances of side effects. It has all the maximum positive attributes. It contains extracts of natural herbs which are chemical free. It deals with all skin problems effectively and gives immediate results.

Just identify your skin type and skin problem by consulting a dermatologist and grab the benefits of recommended treatment. It’s the best time to turn your skin beautiful and flaunt it.

Why Should I Look Out For Parabens and Sulfates? (Pt 1 of 2)

Many consumers today have spent vast amounts of money to improve their appearance. Cosmetic surgery  and the topical skincare industry are multi-billion dollar businesses.  It’s a simple law of economics that the higher the demand, the more skincare manufacturers will flood onto the marketplace. When demand for cheap, readily available products is high, quality ingredients tend to take a backseat over inferior, more accessible ones.

Many consumers today have spent vast amounts of money to improve their appearance. Cosmetic surgery  and the topical skincare industry are multi-billion dollar businesses.  It’s a simple law of economics that the higher the demand, the more skincare manufacturers will flood onto the marketplace. When demand for cheap, readily available products is high, quality ingredients tend to take a backseat over inferior, more accessible ones.

Many skincare products are unfortunately rushed to market to meet this demand without any real consideration to research and development. Most of the budget may go into the marketing of the product. On the surface everything looks great. The bottles and jars that the creams come in look appealing. The magazine advertisements are glossy, complete with a youthful looking model or a well known celebrity who may not even use the products themselves. But underneath the jar lid, one can typically find un-pronounceable ingredients chemically formulated to “imitate” their natural predecessor.

It seems incredible, but many skin care products are loaded with ingredients that actually harm your skin over time. Some of the more controversial preservatives used in recent years are called PARABENS.

WHY ARE PARABENS BAD?

According to Wikipedia, “Parabens are a class of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.

Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, the long history of their use, and the inefficacy of natural alternatives like grapefruit seed extract (GSE),[1] probably explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, because they have been found in extremely low concentrations in breast cancer tumors (an average of 20 nanograms/g of tissue). [2] Parabens have also displayed the ability to weakly mimic estrogen (a hormone known to play a role in the development of breast cancer).[2] No causal link between parabens and cancer has been established, however.[3]”

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in their report “Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents of Subtle Change?” reported that the chemical preservatives called parabens—methyl, propyl, butyl and ethyl (alkyl-p-hydroxybenzoates)—displayed estrogenic activity in several tests.

This means that these chemicals mimic your body´s own hormones and can have endocrine-disrupting action when they are rubbed into your body or washed down the drain into your drinking water. These disruptors interfere with your body´s endocrine system: your hypothalamus, your ovaries, your thyroid—virtually every system in your body. The EPA also stated that “continual introduction of these benzoates (parabens) into sewage treatment systems and directly to recreational waters from the skin leads to the question of risk to aquatic organisms.” Scientists in Europe found other endocrine-disrupting body care chemicals in the bodies of fish that humans are eating, and in human breast milk.

Many organic and natural skincare practitioners claim organic herbal medicinal tinctures made from high quality organic herbs and organic grain alcohol are shelf-stable for around two to three years. These include foods considered by the FDA to be “self-preserving” and containing no preservatives, such as: honey, maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, and wine.
According to one organic website, a self-preserved 100% organic moisturizing body oil made from organic sunflower oil, organic cocoa butter, organic coconut oil, organic peppermint oil and organic spearmint oil can have a shelf-life of up to 18 months. While this is HALF of its chemically-based brothers and sisters, some are finding those states to be more than palatable.

The Natural Skincare Authority lists, tea tree oil thyme essential oil, grapefruit seed extract, bitter orange extract among some of the alternatives to synthetic preservatives.  Contrary to popular myth the decaying process is natural and happens with or without preservatives. In reality, preservatives serve only to delay the inevitable. Skin care products (just like food) do not and should not last forever. If left for long enough they will deteriorate and go rancid.

Simple actions like storing your natural/organic products and recipes in the refrigerator will help extend their shelf life (naturally). Taking the time to understand what you are buying and spreading on and through your skin can result in a healthier, happier, longer-lasting you.

1. a b von Woedtke T, Schluter B, Pflegel P, Lindequist U, Julich WD (1999 June). “Aspects of the antimicrobial efficacy of grapefruit seed extract and its relation to preservative substances contained”. Pharmazie (Greifswald, Germany: Institute of Pharmacy, Ernst Moritz Arndt University,) 54 (6): 452–6. PMID 10399191.
2. a b c d Harvey PW, Everett DJ (2004). “Significance of the detection of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens) in human breast tumours”. Journal of Applied Toxicology 24 (1): 1–4. doi:10.1002/jat.957. PMID 14745840.
3.  Golden R, Gandy J, Vollmer G (2005). “A review of the endocrine activity of parabens and implications for potential risks to human health”. Critical Reviews in Toxicology 35 (5): 435–58. doi:10.1080/10408440490920104. PMID 16097138.

Coconut for Beautiful Skin

All of you know what a coconut looks like and what it actually is! Africans and Caribbean people have been benefitting from the use of coconuts since ages. Coconuts are a great way to detoxify the skin. The goodness of coconuts is indeed without comparison. Read on to know how coconuts can help to get you a good skin.

Products which are genuinely developed out of coconut have an excellent effect on skin. Coconut is known for its moisturizing properties. People with dry skin may resort to coconut derived products in order to gain instant relief from itchiness and dryness. Coconut is a chief flavor of a number of moisturizers and lotions.

Dermatologists also hold that coconut usage helps to suck excessive oil from the skin. As such, people with acne prone skin will benefit from the usage of coconut. The chief cause of acne is excessive oil deposition. Coconut usage helps to reduce such oil deposition thereby reducing the chances of acne breakouts.

Coconut Water- Coconut water may be added to your bucket full of water when you go for a bath. It may also be used in facial packs in place of normal water.

Coconut Oil- Coconut oil penetrates down into the skin with relative skin thereby leaving the skin dry and polished. Topical application of this oil lends a smoothness and radiant glow on facial skin. The oil also acts as a natural moisturizer.

Coconut Pulp- Coconut pulp can be used in facial masks. The pulp alone may be left on the facial skin to work. If good skin is desired, consistent usage of coconut facial masks is recommended.

Coconut Cream- African women swear by the advantages of coconut cream. The cream is nothing less than a magical concoction for people with dry and combination skin types.

Nutrients for Your Beautiful Skin!

Most people neglect the nutrition part and still expect to have a glowing and youthful skin. Yes, external factors play a very important part and we are not denying that. Following a good diet and a healthy lifestyle is however as important. Diet and lifestyle cannot be neglected. It is only an internally healthy skin which looks healthy on the outside. The following paragraphs will guide you on the importance of intake of proper nutrients in order to have a good skin.

Proteins are macro nutrients that help in the repair and growth of body tissues. Protein deficiency causes the skin to become dry, lifeless and worn out. If you think that your intake of proteins is inadequate, you may supplement it with protein tablets.

Next come carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are very essential for proper body functioning but most people do not realize the fact. Yes, one has to be extremely careful about the usage. For example, excessive sugar intake causes skin problems like acne etc. You may substitute normal sugar with brown sugar in such a case. Now you must be wondering as to how carbohydrates are good for the skin. It is because carbohydrates play an important part in blood purification that is freeing the blood from unnecessary toxins.

Contrary to what most people hold, fats are very essential to get a baby soft skin. Of course, excessive intake of fats is bad but your body does require fats in some quantity in order to get skin suppleness.

Vitamins are the most important of all nutrients when it comes to skincare. No wonder, cosmetic skin products containing multi vitamins have not only grown but tripled since the last two decades. Lack of adequate skin vitamins will make the skin look dull and dreary.

So, if you are not very serious about your eating and lifestyle, it is time you get so!

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