The beauty industry is a huge multi-billion dollar industry. We are all looking for more natural skin. Unfortunately, we are bombarded with ads in magazines on the television that tell us these companies have succeeded in creating beauty in a bottle.  Every day there is something new to make you look younger. Yesterday it was Acai, today it is Resversatrol. Many of these products including Resversatrol have only been tested in mice. You buy the next biggest beauty fad, use it for awhile and then there it sits in your cabinet collecting bacteria. Why? Because they don’t always work.

Manufacturers make money hand over fist selling products to us that are “supposed” to make us look more youthful, give us softer looking skin, hide our imperfections, and make us look like a supermodel. But they are not so forthright in telling us that their products are full of chemical ingredients that can do more harm to us than good. Looking younger in the moment is just not worth it though when you may eventually get cancer because the skincare products you were using contained carcinogenic chemicals. For beautiful natural skin and good health on the inside as well, we need to rediscover natural skincare ingredients and products. Your skin is your biggest organ and it needs to be treated with care.

If you really care about your health from the inside out, then you must make an effort to get rid of conventional products and start using organic and natural ingredients in your beauty routines. Here are some easy ways to go natural:

1. Keep your skin healthy from the inside with a healthy diet. Get rid of fruit drinks and soda. Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins and impurities. Water is an internal shower for your body so make sure to drink your eight to ten glasses a day.

2. Use natural oils and natural moisturizers that won’t clog pores like olive oil or coconut oil. You usually only need a small bit around the nose and under their eyes.

3. Use coconut oil as a moisturizer for your driest spots like lips, heels and elbows.

4. Skip washing your hair everyday as the soap can dry your skin. When you do wash your hair use a shampoo bar with natural ingredients and healthy oils.

5. To wash make-up off just rub some olive oil onto your face and wipe off with a soft, dry rag that will exfoliate your face as well. Microfiber cloths are particularly nice for cleansing the face.

6. Use a natural sea sponge to apply facial toner.

7. Try your hand at making your own skin care products with easy ingredients like salt, sugar, oatmeal, milk, honey, olive oil, or avocado oil. They are cost effective and you know exactly what you are putting on your skin. You don’t need a chemistry degree to create beauty products of your own.

8. Dry brush your body to exfoliate your skin and slough off dead skin cells. This is a centuries old practice that is still used by many today.

9. When purchasing products read the labels carefully and only buy products with recognizable ingredients, organic if possible, without parabens or fragrance.

10. Get some sun every day but not too much. For more natural skin, it needs sunlight for optimum health but staying out to long and damaging your skin isn’t good either so strike a balance and wear protective clothes and a big sun hat if you can instead of using chemical sunscreens.

Are you looking for healthy, natural skin recipes you can make at home? Here are several skin recipes you can whip up with basic ingredients from your own kitchen. From natural cleansers to natural skin masks, you will be amazed at the results you’ll get without all the chemicals and a hefty price tag.

from Natural Beauty by Laura DuPriest:

Natural Skin Recipes for Cleansing

Basic cleanser for all skin types:

1 Tsp plain yogurt
½ tsp honey

Mix together and massage over face. Remove with warm water and a washcloth. The honey is beneficial for antibacterial cleansing.

Basic cleanser for dry skin:

1 tsp plain yogurt
½ tsp mayonnaise
½ tsp finely ground plain oatmeal

Grind oatmeal in food proccessor. Mix all ingredients together and massage of face. Remove with warm water and washcloth. Oatmeal softens the skin and the oil in mayo moisturizes.

Basic cleanser for oily skin:

1 tsp yogurt
1 egg white
1 tsp unflavored Milk of Magnesia

Mix together and massage over face. For very oily skin or acne, let the cleanser dry for five minutes and remove with warm water and washcloth. This recipe makes enough cleasnser for 3 days. Store in container in refrigerator.

Deep cleanser:

½ cup oatmeal
3-4 drops of canola oil or almond oil
1 tbls milk
1 egg white

Grind oatmeal in food processor. Add remaining ingredients, blend and massage over face for two-three minutes. Rinse with warm water and washcloth. This recipe will leave your skin soft and smooth.

Natural Skin Recipes for Exfoliating

Gentle Scrub:

Mix 1 egg yoke with 1 tbls of instant oatmeal. Add a tsp warm water. Massage all over face and neck using small circular motions for two to three minutes. Rinse with warm water and washcloth.

Place ½ cup dry cornmeal and ½ cup dry oatmeal in a blender and mix. Mix it with warm water to make a paste. Place on face and leave on for 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

For Oily skin:

1 small tomato
Juice of a ½ fresh lemon

Put tomato in blender and puree. Add fresh lemon juice and scrub skin with mixture.

Sugar scrub for aging skin:

Mix 1 tbls sugar and 1 tbls vegetable oil. Message over face and neck for two to three minutes. Rinse with warm water and washcloth. This scrub will amaze you.

Cornmeal scrub for acne:

Mix 1 tbls of cornmeal with 1 egg white. Add a bit of warm water to make a thick paste. Massage over face and neck. Let this dry for five to ten minutes. Rinse with warm water and washcloth.

Healthy, Natural Skin Recipes for Masks:

Use at least once a week.

Strawberry Mask:

Mash two or three strawberries into a fine pulp, add 1tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir and spread over face. Leave on for no more than five minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Banana and honey firming mask for aging skin:

Smash half of a ripe banana and add a tsp of honey. Apply a thick coating to face and neck. Leave on until completely dry. Remove with warm water.

Avocado Mask:

Smash ½ of a ripe avocado and spread over face. The ph level in avocados is beneficial for oily skin and acne sufferers. Rinse with warm water.

Simple Acne Mask:

Pour a tsp of unflavored Milk of Magnesia into a cup and apply to face with cotton ball. Let dry completely. Rinse with cool water. The active ingredient in Milk of Magnesia helps absorb excess oil.

Natural Skin Mask for very dry skin:

Especially effective after too much sun exposure. Smash ½ of a ripe banana and mix with 1 tbls of mayonnaise. Apply over face and neck and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Natural hair pack for deep conditioning:

1 very ripe avocado
2 tbls mayonnaise

Blend ingredients together until consistancy of pudding. Massage into hair and scalp while hair is still dry and cover with plastic shower cap. After 10 to 20 minutes, rinse out and shampoo. If you have oily hair you may wish to replace mayonnaise by smashing a ripe banana and mixing with the ripe avocado instead.

Healthy, Natural skin recipes are easy to throw together and of course the very best ingredients for your skin health.

Who would have thought that coffee grounds could be used as a natural skin wrinkle treatment? I have used many, many kitchen cabinet products on my skin. Coffee grounds is not one of them. I will definately give it a try mainly because it is free!

Would you believe that coffee grounds can:

Make age spots fade

Smooth wrinkles

Eliminate blemishes

Moisturize dry skin

And even help smooth the appearance of cellulite.

Coffee contains over 300 antioxidant compounds, oils that help moisturize the skin, and hundreds of antioxidants that help protect against fine lines and wrinkles. Coffee is a natural astringent, detoxifier and exfoliant.

So, instead of using those expensive, harsh chemical scrubs in your local store, use this natural skin wrinkle treatment…..coffee grounds. Use them as a facial scrub to eliminate dead skin cells and improve circulation in the skin, or massage into the skin to smooth away bumps and dimples caused by cellulite. Who would of thought?

What can one say about mineral foundation makeup? At its best, it will do things for your skin that no other makeup can do. Because it doesn’t use artificial ingredients, dyes, or perfumes, it’s much better for skin, and it also doesn’t cake or crease like most makeups do. Sheer coverage that illuminates skin with light reflecting minerals while still retaining the look of healthy, bare, natural skin.

How can minerals be makeup, you’re asking?

Well, the types of minerals used are:
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Mineral makeup got its start in the early 1970s, as the first emphasis on going “green” and living closer to nature began. While many other makeup companies also use various minerals as part of their product, they also all used artificial ingredients such as chemicals, dyes and perfumes.

The first mineral makeup companies used only all-natural ingredients. However, as with any other product, once it moved out of the hands of the small companies who made the makeup as a labor of love, and into the mass-market, quality began to go down, and so today, there are some mineral makeups that have ingredients you might not suspect or want.
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Eczema is a common problem in babies, children, and adults alike. It presents as a red, scaly rash that itches and sometimes oozes when it blisters and breaks open. It can be extremely uncomfortable and even miserable to endure, in severe cases. Thankfully eczema can and often does respond very well to natural remedies, sometimes to the point of clearing up completely. Here are some of the most common suggestions:

Many natural minded physicians are convinced that eczema is mostly due to food allergies. If you can identify the allergen you can avoid it or pursue some other method of healing the immune system so the body doesn’t react to it. The most common allergens would be dairy products, wheat, soy and corn. Incidentally, advocates of raw (unpasteurized) milk claim that switching to raw milk has cleared up some cases of eczema. The best way to find out if it is a food allergy is to eliminate the most common allergens listed above from your diet for several weeks. Once your body is free of these products, begin to introduce them one at a time and see how your body reacts and which foods cause your eczema to worsen.

Natural remedies for eczema include essential fatty acids which are known to provide some relief. Examples of this are the types of fats in fish, Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E, coconut oil, organic butter from grass fed cows, and Cod Liver Oil. Talk with your health care practitioner about proper doses of these nutrients. Supplements of essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6), vitamins E and A (to moisturize the skin), vitamin B and quercetin (a flavonoid which prevents skin rashes), zinc, black currant oil, cod liver oil, bio-flavonoids are definitely worth trying.

Oatmeal baths can be helpful to ease the itching. You can purchase colloidal oatmeal at drug stores, or make your own by grinding oats in your blender and then putting them in muslin tea bags. Place one in your bath water, and use tepid to warm water. Do not use soap. Then while your skin is still wet, apply an organic lotion.

Probiotics can be helpful in healing a gut imbalance. Foods such as naturally fermented and cultured vegetables (sauerkraut, kim chi, etc), kefir, yogurt and kombucha might help your immune system to normalize and heal. There are many natural remedies for eczema however it may take a little trial and error before finding the right supplements and finding the trigger a foods.

For many, it is almost impossible to find relief with diet changes and supplements so an over the counter eczema treatment may be needed to help end the pain and embarrassment of this annoying skin condition.

Most lipsticks you buy in pharmacies and department stores have artificial colors, are made from coal tar or are synthetically produced using petroleum products. Disgusting. Are you ingesting these harmful lip ingredients? If you’re a lip biter, like me, you may want to consider switching over to a more natural or organic lip product asap.

Chemically sensitive people may get negative symptoms that include headaches, nausea, lack of concentration, asthma attacks, fatigue and irritability. And your husband thought you were psycho! Now you can blame it on the lipstick!

Harmful products in your lip products:

Alcohol-drying and irritating. Forms of alcohol include cetyl, cetearyl, behentrimonium, and methosulfate.

Lanolin-sounds healthy doesn’t it? Lanolin is the fatty secretion from sheep’s wool and has been known to cause allergic reactions. It may also be contaminated with pesticides as it is a powerful absorbing agent.

Mineral Oil- another healthy sounding ingredient. This is a petroleum derivitive, harsh on skin and is known to cause severe allergic reactions. It also clogs pours.

Petroleum-HELLO?? Would this be the same stuff we run our vehicles on?

Preservatives- extends shelf life of products just as in our food and can be toxic.

This is what should be in your lip products:

Aloe Vera- moisturizes and tones with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Avocado Oil- contains vitamin A, D, E, fatty acids and is easily absorbed into the skin.

Beeswax-is a skin softener that helps lock in skins own moisture

Jojoba Oil- nourishes, lubricates, and softens

Natural Colors-beet powder, beta carotene, grape skin extract, turmeric and annatto.

Peppermint-a natural lip plumper

Shea Butter-a natural UV blocker

Sweet Almond Oil-soothes and heals and rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins

Vitamin E- a powerful antioxidant and barrier against sun damage.

So next time you bite, chew or lick your lips think about the harmful lipstick ingredients you are ingesting.

The best way to all natural skin health is to take better care of yourself by focusing on diet and exercise. Your skin will reap the benefits. Having great skin is dependent on caring for your body from the inside out. If something is not going right on the inside, it will show on the outside and your face is the first to be seen. Many people don’t realize just how quickly the benefits will be by making easy lifestyle changes.

• Eat at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta carotene and decrease the rate of free radical damage. Free radical damage contributes to the aging process.
• Take a multi-vitamin every day. Vitamin A helps to stimulate healthy cell growth, vitamin C assists oxygen flow to skin, vitamin E assists in the fight against acne. B vitamins help produce collagen, vitamin B2 helps prevent oily skin, zinc promotes healthy skin and selenium preserves the elasticity of the skin.
• Include good fats in your diet such as olive oil and flaxseed oil
• Exercise daily
• DON’T SMOKE. Smoking causes skin to age prematurely and it looks dull, shriveled, and wrinkled. Smoking depletes the body of Vitamin B and deprives the skin cells of oxygen. We have all seen the toll that smoking has on skin…. why would anyone want to look like that?
• Make sure you get enough sleep. Lack of sleep dehydrates the skin and contributes to under-eye puffiness.
• Drink lots of water. Do not drink soda and caffeine but drink tea instead.

These are the very basics of all natural skin health. Pretty much common sense however most woman are lacking in at least one of these important daily regimens. Adding all natural skin care products will only enhance the look of your skin; it must be taken care of from the inside first.

One of the best ways to protect your skin is through a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals. The following is a list of key nutrients found in food for healthy skin; all antioxidant rich, all skin rejuvenating.

Vitamin C is involved in collagen production and protects cells from free radical damage. It is important to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin E helps to protect cell membranes and guard against UV damage. You can get vitamin E from foods such as sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, flaxseed oil, red bell peppers, olive oil, asparagus, peaches, broccoli and spinach.

Selenium is a mineral that helps protect skin from sun damage and protects skin elasticity. Because selenium supplements may increase risk of squamous cell carcinomas, it’s best to get your selenium from food. Selenium is found in crab, oysters, whole wheat pasta, lean beef, whole wheat bread, brown rice, chicken breast, mushrooms and eggs.

Food for healthy skin should also include:

Beta carotene converts to vitamin A in the body, and helps to repair body tissue. Although high doses of vitamin A in supplement form can be toxic, getting this antioxidant through food is perfectly safe. Beta carotene is found sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, spinach, watermelon, asparagus, and cherries.

Zinc is necessary for helping to maintain the collagen that keeps skin firm. Zinc is involved in skin renewal. To keep skin youthful, make sure to include this mineral in your diet. Zinc is found in lean beef, pork tenderloin, almonds, peanuts, green peas, chick, turkey, veal, cashews, sunflower seeds, lima beens, and fortified whole grain cereals.

Omega-3 fatty acids help cell membranes act as barriers to keep toxins out and allowing water and nutrients in. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in sardines, anchovies, flaxseed, walnuts, seaweed, canola oil, and soybeans.

Along with food for healthy skin, drink plenty of water to help flush away toxins. Drink tea. Tea contains polyphenols which have antioxidant properties. There is no better reason for you to start eating a nutritious diet than to age proof your skin. When you look good, you feel good.

Cosmetic technology is constantly improving. It’s not just a question of finding longer lasting mascara that doesn’t run, but rather of makeup that won’t cake or crease, and will actually help keep the skin healthy.

Take mineral powder makeup, for example. This is quite a boon for women everywhere, but in particular in places with high humidity, that cause normal makeups to melt and run.

Mineral powder makeup has no talc, no chemicals, no fillers and no dyes.

Because it has no talc, it doesn’t dry out the skin, and it doesn’t cake or crease.
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Although mineral makeup has only within the last few years started taking the world by storm, mineral makeup brands have actually been around for a long time.

The first company in these mineral makeup brands was bareMinerals, founded in 1976. (Yes, the company really does not capitalize it’s first name – except when it’s the start of a sentence!)

The company Bare Escentuals first product was bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation, which was “reintroduced” in 1994. It was – and is – free of preservatives, oil, fragrance, talc and other skin irritants.
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The most popular form of mineral makeup comes in a powder, however liquid mineral makeup is certainly gaining popularity. That is because many people feel they need more coverage of their face than the powder form provides.

Rather than purchasing a brand of liquid mineral makeup that they are unfamiliar with, many people will simply convert their favorite brand into a liquid.

How is this done?

Well, choose your favorite moisturizer, and scoop out a quarter cup of it. Then, add two teaspoons of your favorite mineral makeup to it. Mix it thoroughly together – and voila, you have your liquid mineral makeup.
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It is difficult to say what the best mineral foundation is for you. That’s because even though mineral makeups are the most healthy makeups on the market, they may still not be right for you. Some makeups use bismuth, for example, which many people are allergic to. While the best mineral makeups eschew dyes and perfumes and artificial ingredients, these have creeped into some of the mass-market offerings.

In order to choose the best mineral foundation for yourself, therefore, you’re going to have to do some research.
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