Skin Care foods

February 22, 2007

Unless you've been living in a cave, you're familiar

with the following:

Oatmeal. Papaya. Yogurt. Honey. Aloe Vera.

But perhaps you didn't know you can think of these as

"skin foods."

You see, oatmeal, papaya, yogurt, honey, and aloe vera

are just a handful of the many natural substances that

can do as much good on your skin as they do inside your

body.

"The skin is under constant assault from chemicals in

the environment, chlorine in the water, overexposure to

the sun, stress, and countless other factors," says

Linda Kaminski, president of L'Bri Skincare and one of

my favorite skin experts. "And the healthiest way to

bring your skin back into balance is by caring for it

with herbs, essential oils, foods, vitamins, and other

natural substances that soothe and nourish it."

Let's now examine some common foods and how you can use

them on your skin.

Good old-fashioned oatmeal has long been hailed for

its soothing and softening properties, as well as its

ability to draw impurities out of the skin. Oatmeal is

often found as an ingredient in masks or facial scrubs.

Papaya, thanks to the papain enzyme it contains, helps

the skin rejuvenate itself by sloughing off dead skin

cells. Papaya is also excellent in masks and scrubs.

Fresh cucumber juice is highly regarded for its anti- inflammatory and soothing effect on oily and blemished skin. Rub a slice over clean skin or use a toner with cucumber extract and rosewater. Using cucumber on the skin won't even make you burp!

Aloe vera is a common remedy for rashes and burns

because of its soothing and healing properties. Aloe

also hydrates the skin without the use of oils. Slice

open a fresh leaf from the plant or buy the pure gel,

juice, or extract at a health food store. It's helpful

in any skin care formula.

Strawberries have a cleansing, softening, and

astringent effect on the skin, and they work well as a

facial mask for oily skin. They're also delicious and

healthy to eat, but don't dip them in too much whipped

cream.

Yogurt provides a good base for holding together herbs, essential oils, and other ingredients in natural masks and moisturizers.

Honey coats the skin with a film that enables it to

rehydrate itself. You can use honey in a mask, along

with yogurt and rose hip oil.

Sesame oil is a skin softener which also helps protect

the skin from ultraviolet rays, making it one of the

best natural sunscreens.

Wheat germ and wheat germ oil are rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant long used to help skin tissue rejuvenate itself.

Green tea, one of the richest antioxidant sources,

leaves the skin smooth and protects against UV damage

from the sun.

Carrots and carrot oil are excellent natural sources of

beta carotene, along with vitamins C and E.

Rose hip oil can help diminish fine lines. Look for it

in masks and moisturizers.

Cider vinegar softens the skin and, diluted eight-to-

one with rosewater or plain water, helps restore the

skin's acid mantle. Use it on oily or blemished skin

after cleansing.

Rosewater is a soothing and refreshing mild skin toner.

Witch hazel, extracted from the Hamamelis plant, is a

soothing and mild astringent that helps shrink pores,

making it an ideal natural astringent, especially for

oily or blemished skin. It also works well for soothing

that old hemorrhoidal itch that plagues so many modern societies.

Chamomile and other herbs have various skin-balancing properties. Soothing herbs include chamomile, melissa, and calendula; astringent herbs (good for oily skin and shrinking pores) include elder flower, fennel, nettle, lady's mantle, mint, and yarrow.

Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words.Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior.Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior becomes your habits.Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values.Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny.

- Mahatma Gandhi

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