“When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.”
— Chinese Proverb
As important as it is to nourish your body, inside, with antioxidant-rich recipes for glowing skin, it is equally as significant in terms of the development of your inner beauty to care for yourself by indulging your body, outside, with antioxidant beauty “recipes” for glowing skin.
There is beauty that deserves to be recognized in your mind and in your heart and in your soul. Connect with your authentic, inner self, and the beauty that exists within each part of you will become grand, your consciousness of your beauty will expand in all directions, touching all those around you. You will radiate beauty for others to experience, and realize that you are indeed a far more beautiful person than you may have dreamed you are.
Indulge your beautiful self with the following beauty “recipes” for glowing skin! These beauty “bytes” offer helpful tips and secrets for being your most beautiful self. You deserve it!
featured in Natural Health Magazine Hydration and moisture retention is essential for smooth, supple skin. Circulation is an important part of fighting the appearance of cellulite and we can use this hydrating body scrub to help with both of these issues at once! Cocoa powder and coffee grounds improve circulation, especially when rubbed over legs and thighs. They also work as an exfoliant. Almond oil is high in vitamin E, which helps your skin retain its moisture, and it is a powerful antioxidant. Shea butter is an extremely hydrating cream-like substance, and it is also has anti-inflammatory properties—perfect for a heavenly body scrub that smells divine!
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons almond oil 1 teaspoon coffee grounds 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 1 tablespoon shea butter
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Apply to clean skin in the shower, while rubbing in a circular motion. Try to stay out of the shower stream while rubbing in this very hydrating, natural body scrub. Rinse thoroughly and you will have smooth, supple skin.
Honey is nature's moisturizer. Find two clean socks that you do not mind discarding after use. Use a paintbrush or a synthetic fiber makeup brush and get ready to become a living work of art. Dip the brush into a jar of raw honey and generously paint a layer of honey, about 1⁄4 inch-thick, onto one hand and then cover with one of the socks. Then, with your honey-mitten hand, do the same for your other hand. Leave on for thirty minutes and then rinse off thoroughly. Your hands are another revealer of age, so smooth out and soften your hands and reverse the clock.
Green tea is an anti-inflammatory with healing properties. Rose water is derived from the beauty of the rose. It aids with circulation and digestion, and has value as a toning astringent. Steep green tea and allow to cool. Add to rose water in a 1:1 ratio. Place in a mister and use as an astringent on a clean face, before applying moisturizer. It smells divine.
As seen on It's Your Health T.V. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, which helps fight cellular damage and improve the skin's elasticity. It is wonderful for preventing wrinkles and is known to brighten the complexion. Lime juice has a high amount of vitamin C and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA), which are also known to brighten skin. Tumeric powder is a non-drying disinfectant and a good skin clarifying agent. Olive oil is a gentle, natural moisturizer. This mask will reveal your glowing complexion, so say goodbye to dull skin with this all- natural, Brightening Face Mask.
Ingredients: 11⁄2 teaspoons Gram flour pinch of Tumeric powder 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon whole milk 1⁄3 teaspoon juice from 1 organic lime
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Apply to a clean face, and leave on until your skin begins to feel tight, approximately 15 minutes. Note that the potency of this mask expires in about a week, as the natural process of oxidation affects the ingredients upon exposure to the air.
Over the stove, bring a medium-sized pot of water to a high heat (almost boil). Add a few drops of lavender essential oil for a calming aroma. Pull your hair back, away from your face, and lean over the pot of Lavender Steam. Hold a towel over your head, covering the pot, to allow the natural steam facial to open your pores. Inhale the lavender aroma with deep, relaxing breaths. After five breaths, your skin will have a wet sheath of sweat. With a cold, damp washcloth, pat your face to seal the pores with the cool temperature of the cloth. This Lavender Steam Facial improves hydration, which is the secret to supple skin.
featured in Teen Vogue The summer heat can be harsh and cause chapped lips or even sun-blisters. Restore moisture to dry lips with this beauty recipe for luscious lips. Peel 1/3 of a cucumber and puree it in the blender to extract the juice. Add just 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt, then stir until your homemade lip balm is blended. Apply like lip-gloss and allow it to absorb into your lips.
As seen on KTLA Avocados can replenish moisture to the skin. An avocado mask can improve very dry skin, smoothing your skin to its natural supple state. Smash half of one avocado until whipped, and apply a thin layer of this skin softening mixture to your face, avoiding the eye area. Rinse with warm water, and then a splash of cold water, to close the pores.
featured on Discovery Channel's Planet Green Apple cider vinegar, rich in vitamin A, is essential for improving acne. In fact, a lack of vitamin A has been known to worsen the appearance of acne. Apple cider vinegar is a natural product, and can typically be found in your local market. Tomatoes have more nutritional value once they have been cooked, so using a tomato paste has more benefits than a raw tomato. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in tomatoes, becomes more bioavailable to our bodies when heated or cooked, so our bodies can absorb more of this wonderful antioxidant.
Mix together 1⁄4 cup low-sodium tomato paste, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and apple cider vinegar until you have a smooth paste. Use as a neck and facial mask to alleviate acne. Leave on for 15 minutes and then gently rinse off with warm water. Finally, splash some cold water on your face to immediately close your pores.
NOTE: Go ahead and drink some of the apple cider vinegar, as well. It is a great detoxifier and has a natural effect of weight loss and removing toxins from your body.
featured in Health Magazine Cinnamon sticks, or quills, can be dried and ground into powder to create the tasty, aromatic spice of cinnamon. There are many noted health benefits of cinnamon, specifically in helping to ease digestion or nausea. Cinnamon is also known to ease the painful cramps associated with a woman's menstrual cycle. So if you are experiencing cramps at “that time of the month”, treat yourself to a relaxing, calming, Cinnamon Foot Indulgence. Breathe in the aroma of the cinnamon and enjoy your foot-bathing experience. Give your heels reprieve from pounding the pavement, and nurture your delicate feet. Cinnamon spice (ground powder) can be purchased at your local market, or found in your pantry.
Ingredients: Juice from 5 organic lemons (remove seeds from juice using a fork) Olive oil, 1 tablespoon Cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon 1⁄4 cup whole milk 1⁄2 cup water
Mix all ingredients together and place in your tub or other foot-sized bucket. Slather all over your heels (perfect for dry, cracked skin), the balls of your feet. Allow feet to soak in the Cinnamon Foot Indulgence bath for 15 -20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, or just jump into the tub and enjoy the healing aroma of the cinnamon.
Beauty Recipes, Courtesy of Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin