Foods That Prevent Wrinkles

Women spend their entire lives chasing the fountain of youth.  Most of us find ourselves chasing it at the cosmetic counters.  We are never going to be able to stop the aging process, but wouldn’t it be nice to slow down those fine lines and wrinkles?  Try opening your fridge.  Many foods contain antioxidants and hydrating components that can help your skin look radiant at any age.

Tomatoes – Tomatoes are loaded with Vitamin C, which helps aid in producing collagen.  They also hold lycopene, a critical component in protecting your skin from UV damage.  Eating a daily dose of tomatoes can increase circulation, thus producing a natural glow.

Water – I am not really sure if you can consider water a “food,” however proper hydration is necessary for your skin.   Without proper hydration skin will produce wrinkles and fine lines.

Berries – Raspberries and blueberries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and probiotics.  Often called a “super food,” berries have also been known to promote skin regeneration.

Yogurt – Another food containing large amounts of probiotics, which are a skin friendly bacteria.  Yogurt will help to prevent/improve redness and irritation, often found in acne, rosacea and dermatitis.

Nuts – Omega-3 rich nuts are great for the skin when eaten in moderation.  Nuts are another food that can help improve irritation and inflammation.  Inflammatory compounds in the skin aid in the aging process, so eating a handful of nuts can lead to beautiful, healthy skin.

Honey – Honey is loading with antioxidants and anti-viral compounds.  Sugar can cause inflammation of the skin.  Even though honey is technically a sugar it does not cause additional inflammation.

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Beauty Balms 101

What exactly is a beauty balm?  First developed in Germany in the 1960’s under the name Blemish Balm, BB Creams were designed to streamline your beauty routine.  This little product promises to do what six other tubes/bottles can do.  Tinted moisturizer, sunscreen, primer, concealer, foundation and skin serum.  BB Creams began picking up steam in South Korea and soon became a sensation across Asia.  However, Beauty Balms did not work their way to the United States until about 2011.  Now you find every cosmetic brand has their version of a beauty balm.  The idea of a beauty balm is a great idea, and for the most part does a great job of evening your skin and moisturizing.  However, if you are planning to use a beauty balm as your daily sunscreen, I recommend using an additional facial sunscreen to protect your skin.  And don’t forget to put your sunscreen on last, which is a common made.  Also, some women who are prone to oily skin or acne might find a beauty balm is not for them.  Just like any new beauty product, if you are expecting a “miracle” you might find yourself feeling a little disillusioned.  However, women who apply moisturizer, sunscreen, primer and foundation every morning might find a BB Cream to be a warm welcome to their makeup regimen.  Just keep in mind that not all BB Creams are created equal, so you may have to search to find the BB Cream that is right for you.

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Teas For Healthier Skin & Hair

There is nothing more relaxing than drinking a hot cup of tea after a long day.  The benefits to drinking a cup of tea are numerous.  Not only are you hydrating your body inside and out, many teas contain amazing healing properties for your skin and hair.

Green tea – Probably the most well know tea used for healthy skin and hair.  This tea is rich in antioxidants and usually used as a healthy substitute to coffee and caffeinated beverages.  Green tea can also be used for a cleanser, toner, face mask and hair care. 

Chamomile tea – Made from the chamomile flower, chamomile tea is known for its amazing healing power.  This tea is said to accelerate the healing of minor cuts, bruises and scrapes.  It has also been used as a skin bleach, which provides your face with a healthy, natural glow.  Like green tea, chamomile tea is loaded with antioxidants and can also be used to diminish acne breakouts.

Oolong tea – This traditional Chinese tea has been said to hold anti-aging benefits.   This tea promotes healthy, shiny hair and can prevent hair loss.  Also to be noted, Oolong tea has said to be associated in alleviating stress and mood swings, and promoting healthy bone development. 

Peppermint tea – This caffeine free tea can help those who experience frequent skin irritations.  It can also help to diminish bug bites, rashes and burns.  The menthol in peppermint tea also helps heal those prone to acne and oily skin.  Peppermint tea has also been used to help stimulate/promote hair growth.  Peppermint soothes the blood vessels at your scalp, which then boosts blood flow at the roots.

There are hundreds of teas on the supermarket shelves for purchase and each tea holds its own special benefits.  Just remember that many teas contain caffeine, so it always wise to exercise caution in how much is consumed. 

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Sunburn Relief 101

So you did it…you burned yourself crispy.  You don’t need the guilt trip associated with three to four days of discomfort and several days of peeling ahead.  We have all heard that dreaded phrase “you should have used sunscreen” and hopefully you learned your lesson.  Now you need a course of action to prevent/minimize the pain and peeling associated with your sunburn.

Milk – Soak a small towel in cold milk and lightly pat the cloth on the effected areas.  This is probably the most cost effective and quickest methods to easing your sunburn pain, while simultaneously creating a layer of protein to protect your skin and help it heal.

Yogurt – Also milk based, yogurt holds large amounts of probiotics and enzymes that help heal a sunburn.  Be sure to use plain live cultured yogurt when applying to the burn.  Let the yogurt sit for five minutes on the skin before rinsing off with cool or luke-warm water.

Aloe Vera – This treatment has been around forever, but it still works as effectively as ever.  Aloe vera  cools and alleviates immediate pain, while also helping to remove the redness from your sunburn.

Cucumber Slices or Paste – Place cucumber slices on sunburned areas can help soothe burned skin.  This miracle vegetable not only helps to relieve the burn but is loaded with antioxidants to promote healing.  If you plan on making a cucumber paste in the blender you can also add some aloe vera to the mixture for additional soothing properties.

Hydrate – You literally just burnt your skin, so there is a good chance you are somewhat dehydrated as well.  Your sunburn has also dried your skin out.  Make sure you are drinking plenty of water during this time to heal your skin.

There are dozens of other ways to help limit pain and discomfort identified with your sunburn.  These are just a few of the treatments I have chosen today.  Potato, witch hazel, oatmeal, apple cider vinegar and mint are just a few of the others I did not have time to touch today.  Just keep in mind the true prevention to a sunburn is to apply sunscreen regularly.

 

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Remedies For Oil Prone Skin

Many women struggle with controlling oily skin. On top of that, numerous over the counter products promise to minimize oil but just end up drying out your face. You would be surprised by some of the simple steps one can take to eliminate or minimize oil prone skin.

1. Apply milk to your face – It has been said that milk can assist in moisturizing your face, while simultaneously not creating additional oil production. Try dipping a cotton ball in milk and applying to your face. When the milk has dried on your skin, wash it off with cold/luke-warm water.

2. Try using citrus as a natural astringent – Lemon and lime juice, citrus essential oils have been used as a natural home remedy for fighting oil prone skin. However, to avoid any irritation make sure to mix your citrus products with water or lotion.  It is best to use citrus as part of your nighttime ritual and in the morning apply sunscreen if you are planning to be in the sun as citrus can make skin photo sensitive.

3. Washing your face regularly – I know it sounds simple but washing your face two times a day is important to control oil. Keep in mind that if you wash your face too much, your skin can react by producing more oil. And when washing, try using cold/luke-warm water which has been shown effective in controlling oily skin. You don’t need to necessarily buy an organic cleanser, as not all cleansing products are bad.

4. Drink lots of water – Another simple trick that will keep your skin hydrated. Staying hydrated can help regulate your skins oil production. Drinking water helps to moisturize your body, thus sending a message to your brain that oil is no longer needed.

As always, every product works differently on each person so it’s important to remember that you may have to try several different products/natural remedies before you find the right combination for you.

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Beauty Benefits of Coconut Oil

From disease and sickness prevention, to skin care and beauty, there are hundreds of ways to benefit from coconut oil.  This super food has been used throughout the ages for its healing and nutrient rich properties.  Today I am going to list four ways to use coconut in your daily beauty routine.

1. The hair mask – Are you struggling with dry and damaged hair?  Try putting coconut oil on the tips on your hair 30-60 minutes before your shower.  Do this two-three times a week and you will notice softer and more manageable tresses.

2. Makeup remover – Instead of using harsh makeup remove towelettes, try using coconut oil to remove that stubborn eye makeup.  You will be surprised at home much easier your makeup comes off.  However, if you tend to have skin prone to breakouts be sure to use a cleanser after removing your makeup.

3. Lotion and body oil – Use coconut oil straight out of the shower on your body.  It helps to keep your skin soft for prolonged periods of time and it smells great.

4. Shaving cream – Traditional shaving creams tend to leave skin dry and irritable. However, using coconut oil in your shaving ritual leaves your legs feeling smooth and can help prevent razor burn.

If you do plan on taking up coconut oil as a regular part of your beauty routine, make sure you are buying organic extra-virgin coconut oil that is cold pressed and unrefined.

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10 Benefits To The Green Smoothie

Are you feeling tired and rundown? Are you having a hard time keeping up with your day-to-day activities? I have been there. Which is why I had to make a change in my daily living habits. I could write for days on the benefits of the green smoothie, as I am a huge supporter of its nutritional value. I personally drink one every morning to start my day. But besides its amazing nutritional value, here are other ways the green smoothie is liquid gold (or should I say green).

1. A green smoothie a day keeps the sickness at bay. Green smoothies help to build a stronger immune system.

2. Drinking regular green smoothies leads to healthier skin, hair and nails.

3. Green smoothies can help accelerate your metabolism, thus helping to lose or control weight. This does not mean you need to live off a diet of green smoothies to lose weight. It simply means that a green smoothie can act as a wonderful addition to your diet.

4. The green smoothie has many anti-aging properties. It can help your body and skin stay hydrated, thus reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

5. It can help improve joint and bone function.

6. Because the green smoothie requires limited digestion, all its nutritional properties are rapidly absorbed into your digestive system, while also giving your digestive system a rest.

7. Removes impurities such as carcinogens from our body.

8. When you are putting good fruits and vegetables into your body, your body will reward you. Thus why the green smoothie is a wonderful energy booster.

9. Fruits and vegetables can help prevent cancer and heart disease, so adding a green smoothie to your daily routine can lower your risk for future diseases.

10. A regular diet of healthy foods will help naturally curb your cravings for junk food.

 

 

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Preparing For Those Summer Elements

As the temperatures begin to rise I am sure you’ll be spending more time outside, which means you will also be needing to protect that beautiful skin of yours. It is okay to have fun in the sun, but you also owe it to yourself to treat your skin graciously.

So what do you need to protect your skin from the outside elements? Sunscreen is not just for a day at the water-park, lake or beach. If you plan on being outside longer than 15-30 minutes, you should be applying sunscreen. Sun damage can happen anytime your skin is exposed to the outside. The sun can also do more harm than an uncomfortable sunburn. The longterm effects of sun damage can cause brown spots, skin cancer, early wrinkling and the list goes on. This means every part of your body that is exposed to the elements needs to be coated. Your body, face and even your lips. A good rule of thumb is to apply sunscreen every one to two hours. If you are planning on being in the water or sweating, your probably want to be safe and reapply every hour. When selecting your sunscreen you should be buying a sunscreen that offers protection from UVA and UVB rays, with a minimum protection of SPF 30. You are going to receive the most sun between 10:00am and 4:00pm. I personally know the sun cannot be avoided at all times, but during peak hours there are ways to limit your sun exposure. Place yourself in a shady area as much as possible, or wear a rashguard and hat when in the sun for prolonged period. This will protect you from wind exposure as well. And finally, after a long day of sand, chlorine, salt, wind, sunscreen and insect repellant it is best to use a gentle cleaner with a exfoliant to clean away the days pollutants.

All in all, sunlight is not bad for us. Not only does it offer our daily does of vitamin D, it harbors many other benefits to our health. However, we just need to be conscious of its full power.

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May is Skin Cancer Awareness month

May is Skin Cancer Awareness month, so let’s revisit ourselves and remind our friends, clients and family about proper sun safety. Skin cancer is almost preventable. Not only that think about pre mature aging, wrinkles and pigmentation issue coming  from the daily sun exposure. So if skin cancer doesn’t concern you particularly, at least protect your skin from the sun in order to keep it looking young and fresh.

The Skin Cancer Foundation provides the following sun safety tips:

Since its inception in 1979, The Skin Cancer Foundation has always recommended using a sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher as one important part of a complete sun protection regimen.

But you know Sunscreen alone is not enough, however, these simple recommendations can help:

Seek the shade, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM.

Do not allow yourself to burn. Sunburn is damaged skin and greatly increases the risk of skin cancer.

Avoid tanning in the direct sun or UV tanning booths.

Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.

Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Apply 1 ounce  of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside.

Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.

Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months.

Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.

See your physician every year for a professional skin examination.

Please, make your loved one aware of these guidelines and stay safe this summer.

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Skin Care and the Effects of Aging

Cleopatra, it is believed, bathed in sour milk (lactic acid) to improve her complexion.  In France, over 200 years ago, there is documentation of a “Youth Cream” made from aged wine.  Lemon and fruits have been used in Hungary, and other parts of Europe for hundreds of years as skin toners.  Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) have been a part of skin treatment regimens since ancient times.  This historic experience base has lead a  to growing body of current research around the effects of photoaging.  With this research, alpha hydroxy acids have become even more popular.

 

PHOTOAGING

Photoaging was first coined in 1986 and is a direct result of ultraviolet light exposure on the skin. On sun exposed skin, up to 90% of skin aging is due to the deleterious effects of the sun.   The natural aging process is dependent on time and genetics, and is unchangeable. However, photoaging can be avoided with good sun protection habits.

 THE BENEFITS OF AHA

Alpha hydroxy acids work mainly as an exfoliant.  The cells in the outer layer of skin detach and slough off, making room for regrowth of new skin.  Alpha hydroxy acids may even stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.  Alpha hydroxy acids are reported to improve wrinkling, roughness, and mottled pigmentation of photo-damaged skin after months of daily application.  AHA found in skin-care products works best in a concentration of 5% to 8% and at a pH of 3 to 4.

Read the ingredients of your skin care products carefully.  Those with AHA in them are likely to help diminish some of the signs of aging, but AHA can also increase sensitivity to the sun by 50%.  It appears that alpha hydroxy acids may be able to reverse some of the damage caused by photoaging, but at the same time may make the skin more susceptible to photoaging.

AHAs have side effects that can include redness, burning, itching, pain, and possibly scarring.  People with darker colored skin are at a higher risk of scarring pigment changes with alpha hydroxy acids.  When using AHA it is important to protect yourself from the sun.  A tanning alternative, such as spray tanning, would better serve the desire for a golden tan, than laying out in the sun and risking exposure to damaging UV rays.

 

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