10 Tips to More Natural Skin Care

The beauty & skin care  industry is a huge multi-billion dollar industry. We are bombarded with ads  that tell us these companies have succeeded in creating beauty in a bottle.  Their profits are realized by selling products to you, the consumer.  These products are “supposed” to make us look more youthful, give us softer looking skin, hide our imperfections, and give us downright supermodel status!

The truth is these products are full of chemical ingredients that can do more harm to us than good. While I can see the importance of proper skincare, it seems to me that looking younger is just not worth the risks associated with the use of skincare products containing carcinogenic chemicals. For beautiful skin AND good health, start from the inside and rediscover natural skincare products.

 The skin is your largest organ. It really should be treated with care. If you really care about the health of your skin, you want to work on beauty from the inside out. Commit to educating yourself, and begin taking small steps toward going natural. Begin by slowly replacing your conventional over-the-counter products with their more natural counterparts that use wholesome ingredients. These skin loving ingredients will make a dramatic difference in your beauty routine. Nothing is more youthful than healthy, beautiful skin! You will be shocked at the skin that wholesome skin care will reveal! Here are some easy ways to go natural:

1. Keep your skin healthy from the inside with a healthy diet, containing healthy “fats,” like avocados, olive oil and nuts. TRUST me, these healthy fats in moderation will NOT make you fat, but they will nourish your skin. Drink plenty of water to flush your body of toxins and impurities. “Dull” skin will come alive with the introduction of this one life change! Water is an internal shower for your body, so make sure to drink eight to ten glasses every day.

2. Use natural oils and butters that won’t clog pores. The skin loves natural oils like olive, coconut, jojoba and sweet almond oils, and butters like cocoa, avocado, shea and mango butters. They are very close to the skins own oils (especially olive), and contain no harmful by products.

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

4. Skip washing your hair everyday as shampoo can be very drying to your hair, scalp and skin. When you do wash your hair, consider using shampoo bars made with natural ingredients and healthy oils.

5. To remove make-up, apply a small amount of olive oil and wipe with a soft, dry cloth. The dry cloth will gently exfoliate the skin, while the olive oil will leave your skin feeling soft as a baby’s bottom! Microfiber cloths are particularly nice for cleansing the face. BE GENTLE!

6. Use a natural sea sponge to apply a natural facial toner. There are NUMEROUS facial toner recipes on the internet. A quick google search should suffice, if you’re ready to brave your creative side in the kitchen! (See #7)

7. Try your hand at making your own skin care products with easy ingredients like salt, sugar, oatmeal, milk, honey, olive, coconut and avocado oils. These ingredients can be cost effective and they are OH! SO good for your skin! An added benefit is you’ll know exactly what you’re putting on your skin, and can create custom blends that suit your skins needs.

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

9. When purchasing products, carefully read labels and buy only those products with recognizable ingredients, without parabens or artificial fragrances.

10. Get some sun every day. Your skin needs sunlight for optimum health. Be wise and don’t overdo it!  Staying out too long can be damaging to your skin, so strike a balance and wear protective clothes and a big sun hat to avoid chemical sunscreens.