Natural acne treatment

Mint for Acne

Peppermint is preferable to spearmint as a medicinal herb because it contains menthol. But if you can't find peppermint or aren't sure which type of mint they have at the market, use whatever is available. Peppermint is easy to grow in most climates; consider growing your own supply.
Crushed mint as an herbal acne remedy.

Method
Take a handful of mint leaves and crush them thoroughly with a mortar and pestle.
Rub the leaves and juice on affected skin and leave for 5-10 minutes.
Rinse with cold water.
Repeat as often as desired to alleviate pain and inflammation.

Why It Works
Peppermint contains menthol which is a natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory.

Oatmeal for Acne

Method 
Cook a single serving of plain oatmeal as you would for eating.
Add approximately ¼ cup honey and mix thoroughly.
Allow to cool.
Apply to face, avoiding the eye area.
Leave for 10-20 minutes. Do not leave it on too long or it will become difficult to remove.

Why It Works
The oatmeal cleanses pores by absorbing oil and exfoliating the skin. Honey eases application and serves as a skin toner.

Lemon juice for acne

Method
Mix equal parts lemon juice and rose water.
Apply directly to skin. You might feel an initial sting from the lemon juice.
Rinse after 15-30 minutes.

Why It Works
Lemon juice is a natural astringent and mild antibacterial agent. Rose petals, from which rose water is made, also have antibacterial properties. It is a also a skin toner and helps to mitigate the rather harsh, acidic quality of straight lemon juice.

Precautions
Be careful of exposing your skin to direct sunlight if you have been using lemon juice on your face. Also, though a strong reaction is unlikely, do not continue this treatment if it irritates your skin.

Milk- It Can Do A Body Good

Milk is one of the newest trends in body care these days, and it is showing up all over the place. Milk is in the media, hair salons, wellness centers, day spas, department stores, and health food stores, only to name a few. There is cow milk, goat milk, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, and milk you may not care to know the origin. 

Milk has been used for beauty treatments for quite some time, and there is evidence that Cleopatra soaked in baths of donkey or goat milk for hours at a time to beautify her skin. Asian cultures have relied on the benefits of rice milk for centuries to nourish and soothe skin, while cultures in tropical climates have found that coconut milk has numerous skin soothing properties.

Milk comes from the mammary glands of female mammals, so it makes perfect sense that it would be loaded with nutrients. In addition, milk is abundant in many plant species and is commonly derived from nuts, seeds and fruits. Today, milk of both plant and animal origin can be found in all sorts of body care products.

For some, milk brings to mind thoughts of wholesomeness, simplicity, or purity, and this easily draws people to try body treatments and products that contain any form of it. Who wouldn't want to soak in a creamy, milky-white bath of cinnamon scented oat milk or have their body covered in a warm elixir made with milk, honey and orange zest? The possibilities are endless: peaches and cream, almond milk and roses, chocolate-mint cream, or coconut milk and lime. Many spas around the world offer some type of treatment that utilizes milk, while body care product lines have introduced it into shampoos, soaps, lotions and nail care. Milk contains lactic acid, which actually dissolves the glue that binds dead skin cells to our skin's surface. Consequently, the milk is sloughing off dead skin cells and acting as an exfoliant. When we exfoliate our skin, it automatically feels softer, but when exfoliation is combined with the skin smoothing and hydrating effects of milk, it may no longer feel like your own. Milk contains proteins, enzymes, amino acids, and antioxidants, all incredibly valuable for our skin. The milk proteins are skin-enhancing since they promote smoothness and help to strengthen skin structure. The milk enzymes and amino acids are responsible for stimulating the skin's natural moisture barrier, which makes way for intense hydration and skin cell regeneration. Finally, milk's antioxidants are great for combating environmental damage and provide future protection from further damage.


Now, you have a better understanding of milk's sudden popularity in the body care industry. Not only do the combination of milk and other elements sound delicious, but they also provide nutrition for the skin, often times are all-natural, and can be just plain fun! Next time you are near body care products, take a look, and I'm sure you'll find some milk around.

Natural Foot Scrub & Lotion

Our feet are all too often hidden from view and neglected, especially during the colder winter months. Out of sight and out of mind - that is, until they start aching, flaking, cracking or getting sore! Perhaps we don't always appreciate the work our feet do until they're not working properly.
The simple fact is that we only have one pair of feet to last us a lifetime, and should pay them the respect they deserve for getting us around every day. And when summer arrives, it's a much better prospect to unveil a pair of perfectly pristine pedicured tootsies than two cracked-heeled and scaly feet!
The easiest solution to keeping your feet in tip-top condition is to make your own natural foot scrub and lotion, and apply regularly. The foot scrub will help to gently exfoliate the dead skin cells, whilst foot lotion will help to keep your foot's skin supple and soft.
Before applying this natural foot scrub and lotion recipe, you can give the especially hard skin areas on your feet a helping hand. After soaking in the bath, a pumice stone can be gently rubbed over the offending areas to help wear down thickened skin that commonly occurs on the heels. 

Foot Scrub Recipe 

Making your own foot scrub is so easy! The first simplest recipe you can use for a foot scrub is using sea salt and olive oil. Firstly soak your feet in warm water. Then simply add a teaspoon of sea salt to a few milliliters of olive oil, and massage over your feet before washing off. The olive oil is a fantastic skin moisturizer that helps to condition your toenails, whilst the sea salt gently exfoliates your skin.

However, there are more exotic recipes for foot scrubs that will leave your feet smelling gorgeous. For a more rejuvenating herbal recipe, you'll need:

• Peppermint Essential Oil
• Lavender Essential Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Sea Salt

Firstly, you will need to measure out around one and a half cups of sea salt and add around 4 tablespoons of sweet almond oil. Make sure to combine the mixture evenly. Then simply add two or three drops of both the lavender and peppermint essential oils to the mixture.
Once you've soaked your feet in warm water for around 5 minutes, you can then gently massage the foot scrub all over your feet, before rinsing off. Again, the salt acts as a natural exfoliate, whilst the sweet almond oil gently softens, nourishes and moisturizes. The lavender essential oil adds a soothing tone, and the peppermint revives and revitalizes.

Foot Lotion Recipes

Foot lotion or cream tends to be thicker than general all-body moisturizers. It's therefore a good idea to make up a batch of your own natural foot lotion at home - so that you can focus on pampering your feet in the way that they deserve!
As above, you can use some basic natural ingredients in place of commercial lotions and moisturizers. Making your own foot lotion can be amazingly easy. For instance, almond oil, olive oil and jojoba oil are all great starter ingredients that will leave your feet irresistibly smooth.

Other foot 'foods' that nourish and moisturize the skin include mashed banana combined with honey and lemon juice. You can apply this mixture to your feet, put on a pair of old socks and leave overnight. In the morning remove the socks, wash your feet and hey presto - stunningly smooth skin!
Avocado is also another great natural ingredient in place of foot lotion. Simply mash and apply in the same way for exceptional results.

natural body scrubs

 

A body scrub offers many benefits. Not only does it feel refreshing and invigorating, but it also cleans and exfoliates dry skin, removes toxins and improves circulation. Commercial body scrubs are very expensive, but it's easy to make your own healthy and natural body scrub.

Make Brown Sugar and Lemon Body Scrub

Try a brown sugar and lemon body scrub, and feel the benefits for yourself.

• Put the 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix.
• Add 1 tbsp. jojoba oil, 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel and 1 tbsp. pure honey. Stir until the jojoba oil is completely blended.
• Poke a small hole in the vitamin E capsule and squeeze it into the brown sugar and lemon body scrub. Stir to blend.
• Take a warm shower, then turn the water off.
• Stand in the tub and apply the brown sugar and lemon body scrub to your body, massaging with your fingertips and working in a circular motion. Pay particular attention to dry areas like heels, knees and elbows. Turn the shower back on, and rinse the brown sugar and lemon body scrub completely from your body.
• Dry your skin with a soft towel and apply your favorite moisturizer.

Natural Moisturizing Body Scrub

• Mash the avocado in a small mixing bowl.
• Pour the ground almonds and oatmeal into a bowl, and stir the mixture together gently with the avocado.
• Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, add in the jojoba oil (I suggest using this for dry or normal skin but if you have oily skin I would suggest not using it) and stir together once more.
• Start a warm bath, and gently massage the mixture into the desired areas. I suggest using a towel if you have dry skin, this will help to remove the dead skin. Try to focus especially on dry areas of skin, such as the elbows, knees and feet.
• Wait 15-20 minutes, and then gently rinse off with the bath water. 

Moisturizing Body Scrub for Dry Skin

This moisturizing body scrub is perfect for dry skin. This moisturizing body scrub helps to scrub away dead skin cells and gently exfoliate the skin, while helping to gently moisturize the skin. I suggest using this moisturizing body scrub 2-3 times per week, or as needed.

• Pour the ground almond into a small mixing bowl, and then pour the almond oil over it. Gently stir the mixture together until the ground almond has been soaked into the almond oil.
• Pour the ground oatmeal into the mixture, and stir together until it becomes a thick paste.
• Pour the yogurt into a mixing bowl, and then sprinkle the dry mixture over it. Gently fold the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
• To use, massage the mixture in a circular motion into the desired areas. Let it soak for 10 minutes before rinsing off. I suggest using a towel to remove it, to help remove the dead skin cells more easily.

Any leftover mixture can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for about 10 days.

Chocolate Face Mask

Guilt Free Chocolate

What better way to deep cleanse your skin while relaxing than a chocolate face mask.

Chocolate has had bad press in the past with claims that eating it would cause acne: we now know this is not true. But why is chocolate good for your skin? Chocolate protects the skin by breaking down free radicals and has anti-aging, anti-oxidant properties. It’s packed full of magnesium which is a stimulant for progesterone, a hormone which drops each month making premenstrual women anxious, grumpy and causing many breakouts in the skin. Magnesium is ideal for controlling hormone breakouts.                      

Chocolate is also a great mood buster which is why we all like to eat it. Just a mere hint of the smell of chocolate can release good feel endorphins into your system. What more could you want, than a deep cleansing mask which leaves you looking and feeling on top of the world! 

Other ingredients in our Chocolate Face Mask are:

Coconut milk - a wonderful gentle cleaner and softener which is enriched with vitamin E

honey - has healing properties, and attracts and retains water.

Kaolin Face Mask - will draw out impurities and toxins, cleaning the skin of dirt and pollution.

Before Your Mask

Give your skin a steam facial to open and clean out the pores. exfoliate your skin, which will remove dead skin cells and ensure a really deep cleanse. 

Chocolate Face Mask

The ingredients here are for normal /combination/dry skin. Alternately if you have oily skin, you can use Fullers Earth instead of Kaolin.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of kaolin
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder
• A little water or if desired a little coconut milk

 

Instructions

Warning - the mixture for your chocolate face mask should be fairly thick, verging on a paste. The water should be added drop by drop otherwise the mixture will become too runny to manage. If this happens add more kaolin.

Using a fairly small bowl, measure out the kaolin and cocoa powder and mix together. Add a teaspoon of honey and mix into the powder. Add a small amount of water or coconut milk until you have a paste mixture.

Leave to stand in the bowl for at least 30 minutes before gently spreading over entire face, neck and shoulder area. You only need to apply a thin layer of mask. Leave the mask on for 15 - 30 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. You can leave this mixture to stand overnight if you wish; it does not need to be used immediately although it should be used within 24 hours because the air will dry it out

Natural Skin Care

Natural Skin Care Tips for Healthier, Beautiful Skin

When meeting someone new, most people take notice of the person is face first. For this and other reasons, maintaining clean, healthy skin is paramount to self-esteem, confidence and even attitude.
Getting healthier skin is not contingent upon high-cost prescription medications or obsessive skin care routines. Modifying your daily routine a tiny bit and upholding disciplined cleansing habits can help to add flawless skin to the list of your best qualities.



Eat healthier 

By avoiding foods that often make your face breakout, your skin will be less oily and more resistant to blemishes. Some problem foods that may cause pimples or breakouts include chocolate and other candy, French fries, fast food, pizza and soft drinks.
To get your skin in better shape, you may not have to give up everything that has negative effects on your skin, but rather, eat those things in moderation. Have greasier foods as a special treat or on rare occasion when eating a healthy, balanced meal is out of the question. Fruits and vegetables are one of most widely available sources of energy. When consumed properly they can be of immense help in enhancing individual's beauty. Raw food diet is good for beauty of health as well as beauty of body, mind and soul. With help of these vegetables and fruits, natural face packs, tonics & lotions can be prepared at home which are good for health and does not include any kind of chemicals. These face packs provide soft and lovely radiance to skin which everyone desires. fruits and vegetables contain high content of vitamins ,minerals and antioxidants. Antioxidants guard against free radicals... the minute enemies that speed the aging process. That should persuade you to eat your fruits and vegetables!


Hydrate and exercise

Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water per day coupled with some regular exercise - walking, running, bicycling, engaging in sports - should have a great impact on one is complexion. Increased blood flow due to aerobic exercise will positively impact one is complexion with a glowing look to replace dull skin.
Not only will exercise and drinking water help skin tone and texture, but it will also make you feel more energized and great about yourself. By keeping your body in shape, you will feel less stressed and more capable of achieving those things you set out to do.



Monitor sun exposure

By using a moderate strength sunscreen, you will be protecting your skin from sun damage, skin cancer, aging and premature wrinkles. Too much sun can blister one is lips, leaving them red, sore and charred. Sunburned skin will eventually peel most times, leaving skin areas blotchy and sensitive. The best approach to preventing sunburn and other sun-caused skin problems is to monitor how much time one spends in the sun and to avoid sun exposure by using sunscreen with SPF 15 or greater.


Practice a regular cleansing routine

Cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize this daily routine should carry you on your way toward healthier skin. Select a gentle skin cleansing solution that works for your specific type of skin - dry, oily, normal. Using your selected product, cleanse face in a circular motion and rinse with lukewarm water, as hot water zaps skin is moisture.  
Follow the cleansing stage with an exfoliant. A granular product is often especially effective in smoothing rough areas and releasing dead skin cells, allowing the face to be better moisturized.
After the exfoliation process concludes, use a toner or an astringent to tighten skin and remove any makeup or cleanser residue. A nice alternative to a toner or astringent would be doing a facial masque at least once a week, which tackles clogged pores while also firming skin and leaving it soft and silky.
Finally, pat skin dry with a soft towel but do not dry up all the water. Apply a moisturizer (with or without sunscreen) to help protect skin from dryness. Those who have oily skin do not have to moisturize as often as those who have dry, normal or combination skin.
By following the daily skin care routine along with drinking lots of water, exercising and protecting your skin from sun damage, you should soon notice positive results. Maintaining discipline and adhering to your goal to achieve healthier skin make the actual task at hand so much easier to accomplish.