Natural Beauty Tips

As we get older, many of us find that we don't have the time or the inclination to spend a lot of energy on hair and makeup each day.

We want a more natural alternative, but we still want to look our best.

Here are seven tips to help you bring out your own natural beauty.

1. Don't go nuts...all at once. If you are accustomed to spending a lot of money on salon or spa beauty treatments, wean yourself off of such treatments gradually. If you wear a lot of makeup or perfume, try decreasing the amount you wear a little bit at a time.

For me to go completely barefaced is kind of a shock, but I really like the minimal makeup I wear now. These days, I feel that I look my best with a quick swipe of a light powder foundation (the brand I like doubles as an SPF15 sunscreen), a smudge of eyeliner, a quick coat of mascara and a smear of light pink gloss.

I much prefer this look to my old look, but it took a while to get used to it. I started decreasing the amount of makeup I wore each day until I found something that best suits me.

2. Try plant-based cosmetics. Experiment with some of the natural skin care and fragrance lines, which use elements and fragrances from the natural world. Aveda, L'Occitane and Origins are three of my favorites. The scents of these products are heavenly but not overpowering.

3. Get the right hair products. Many times, the only thing standing between you and a wash-and-wear hairstyle is the right styling product. Ask your stylist for recommendations on a product that will allow you to go from wet hair to a styled look with no heat styling. The quality and breadth of styling products available to the general public these days is staggering.

You'll also want to look online for no-heat styling tips for your hair type and length. In addition to all the time you'll save in the morning, your hair will stay healthier over time, too.

4. No roots. If you color your hair, consider asking your stylist to gradually adjust your hair back to a shade closer to your natural shade. Your skin tone probably coordinates best with your hair color in its natural state. And you'll save a bundle of time and money not having to get your roots done regularly.

5. Take good care of your skin. As you start wearing less makeup, your complexion will shine through. For natural beauty, stay hydrated and use a skin care product that works well with your skin. You might need to sample a number of different products before you find one you love. Many of the online beauty stores offer free samples with each purchase, which can be a good way to try different skin care lines. Or take a trip to the cosmetics counter at your favorite department store and ask for some free samples.

6. Sleep well. Eat well. Exercise. In short, take good care of yourself. Your natural beauty will shine through when you get plenty of sleep and exercise each day and you choose nutritious foods.

7. Hold your head high. You will look most beautiful, naturally, when you feel comfortable with yourself. Work on your posture and your confidence.

Spend time each day writing down the things in your life for which you are truly grateful. Seek help from a personal coach, counselor or psychologist, if necessary, to help you feel more comfortable and beautiful in your own skin.

Natural Beauty - Making Your Own Skin and Hair Treatments Is As Easy As 1-2-3

The quest for beautiful skin and hair is prevalent among women. You can make inexpensive, natural beauty and hair treatments from ingredients you have in your home that will perform just as well or better than products you purchase in the store.

If you only have one natural beauty remedy in your pantry, make it Olive Oil. It's extremely versatile and can be used on every part of your body.

Olive oil is excellent for removing mascara. It's much better than petroleum jelly or baby oil and is beneficial to the skin around your eyes.

Use a few drops of olive oil in warm water for a wonderful at-home manicure. Apply your favorite lotion afterwards to lock in the moisture.

Beeswax and olive oil melted and poured into a small tin makes wonderful lip balm that will keep your lips soft and smooth.
Dry feet can be healed after one night of this treatment.

Before bed, rub olive oil into your dry, cracked feet. Do not rinse. Then, put a cozy pair of socks on and go to sleep. Your feet will drink in the moisture and feel much better by morning.

Add a few drops of olive oil to your bath water for the best skin softener you can imagine. And, if you're feeling extra decadent, then add a few drops of essential oil for a natural aromatherapy bath.

A very small amount of olive oil applied to dry hair will condition and get rid of frizz. This is a great leave-in conditioner.

Olive oil can also work as a shaving cream for men with sensitive skin.

Don't buy those expensive Sea Salt Scrubs. Make your own. Just add sea salt to olive oil and you've got a sea salt scrub that will feel like heaven. Add a drop of essential oils if you'd like your scrub scented.

Please use caution when using olive oil in your bathtub as it will get quite slippery and you don't want to fall.

It is not necessary to pay a lot of money for beauty treatment products. The things you have in your very own kitchen can often be the best beauty products available.

Melissa B. Rayn loves to experiment with different homemade bath and body recipes. Her passion for creating beauty and spa recipes inspired her to share them with others at her website http://www.mybeautyrecipes.com

Natural Beauty: The Benefits of Holistic Skin Care

What is holistic skin care? It's a regimen that recognizes that your skin is not just the outermost layer of your body it's also a reflection of your body's internal state. Rather than just treating the surface symptoms, such as wrinkles, sallow skin, acne, dry flakes, and so on, holistic skin care aims to target the root problems in an effort to revitalize and rejuvenate the entire body. As a result, you don't just see an improved appearance; you also feel more energized, clear-headed, and physically fit.

Prescription Drugs Vs. Holistic Treatment Options

Holistic skin care sometimes gets a negative reputation from mainstreamers who prefer to prescribe drugs for virtually every condition they encounter. The trouble is, most prescription medications and medical fixes have isolated effects, failing to take the whole picture into account. A strong oral anti-acne drug like Accutane might have the effect of reducing superficial skin oiliness and reducing acne, but only at the expense of the liver. Botox injections may plump up the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but the effects are temporary and the safeness of the procedure is questionable.

Now what if you knew that eating salmon 10 times a week could not only plump up your skin and fill out wrinkles but also make your hair more lustrous, diminish blemishes, and improve your elimination system? Would you still opt for that Botox needle, or would you start making salmon part of your weekly diet plan?

And what if you were told that dry brushing your skin each morning before jumping in the shower could revitalize your sluggish circulatory system, boosting your energy, empowering your immune system, ridding your body of toxins, and clearing your head and skin? Would you keep taking dangerous antibiotics for your acne when simply sloughing your legs and arms with a loofah could dramatically improve your complexion? (And did you know that taking antibiotics can actually throw your whole system out of whack, killing off the good bacteria that are essential to digestion ultimately clogging up your elimination system and worsening your complexion?)

Certainly, some medicines are modern miracles, providing cures to people who would otherwise be condemned to suffering. But in this day and age, medications are so over-prescribed (and often inappropriately prescribed) that it is good to be wary before popping another pill. Many physicians in the West don't know much about natural treatments options or alternative solutions to common skin problems. It is well within your rights as a patient to research them and discuss them with your physician or dermatologist if you so choose.

Caring for Your Skin the Natural Way

In your attempts to improve the condition of your skin, start by looking inward. Don't just think about how you look think about how you feel.

Are you irritable, congested, upset, depressed, stressed out? If so, topical treatments alone may not do the trick. You've got to exercise, drink plenty of water, dry brush your skin and perhaps even get regular massages as a way to recharge your batteries, boost circulation and improve your mental state. How we look is a reflection of what's going on inside, and that includes both our physical and our emotional health.

Pay attention to your diet a much neglected aspect of life in our modern day and age. Make sure you are eating foods that feed your skin, not foods that work against your body. Avoid excessive sugars, white flour and processed items, which trigger dangerous inflammation. Junk foods and fast foods are a big no-no. Limit your intake of meat, which essentially rots inside your gut; instead, choose plenty of veggies and fruits they will help sweep out your colon, improving absorption of nutrients and boosting your energy levels. Eat lots of oily fish, like salmon, to give your body the essential fats for proper functioning.

As you eat, try this simple and yet incredibly effective tip: chew your food thoroughly. Don't just chomp a few times and swallow. Instead, chew at least a dozen times on each side of the mouth. Most of us don't break down our food into small enough pieces, and this can wreak havoc on our digestion by hindering the body's absorption of nutrients. You may be surprised to find that this simple change has a considerable impact on how you feel and how your skin looks.

Give the Holistic Approach an Honest Try

If you're used to quick fixes and easy prescriptions, it may be hard to accept the idea that deceptively simple changes like the ones above, in combination with natural topical treatments and vitamin supplements, can have a major impact on your health and your skin's condition. But just give them a try and you may be shocked at how quickly your body transforms. The human body is astonishingly resilient and fast to respond to positive changes you'll see the proof in your mirror!

Ayurveda Almond Beauty Treatments

The world is gradually waking up to the invincible Indian text that is Ayurveda. Translating into modern language as the 'science of longevity', Ayurveda is being relied upon by leading cosmetic companies in the world in their efforts to go natural.

Balance of Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta and Kapha

According to Ayurveda, all the activities of mind and body are governed by three psycho-physiological energies known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When these three elements are in perfect balance within us, we enjoy good health. If any of these energies within us is out of balance, disorders result.

Each of these principles is also associated with a season. Winter is the season when Vata becomes off balance within most people. Because the winter months are dryer, rougher and cooler than summer, spring and fall, Vata often manifests itself in hair breakage, chapped lips and dry skin.

Ayurveda has a vast range of treatments. The good thing about natural beauty care is that the treatments and recipes have both an aesthetic role and a medicinal purpose.

Almonds & Ayurveda

If a mango is considered the king of fruits, almonds definitely lead the pack amongst dry fruits. Almonds are some of the oldest and most common nuts in the world. Almond falls into ayurveda treat by either eating them directly, or using the oil extracted from the nut in body pastes and fase masks. Almonds are also very valuable in ayurveda for their ability to balance the mositure levels of the skin, or the Vata.

Skin & Hair

Almonds are good for your heart because they have plety of plant steorls, healthy fats, fiber and Vitamin E. In addition to helping internal heart health, almonds also have the power to remedy a range of skin problems, no matter your age. The nutrients found in almond oil help banish wrinkles, ease acne outbreaks, and create an overall glowing complexion.

In addition to hair, almond oil massages have wonderful benefits for hair problems. The oil and its nutrients combat hair loss and dandruff, and some even believe it helps you retain your hair color longer.

Sweet almond oil is the best massage oil for those with a Vata imbalance. Almond oil helps balance the Vata (what western medicine might call a pH balance in the skin). It does this by seeping down into the different layres of skin and releasing its moisturizing properties. Would-be brides are always recommended to incorporate almonds into their pre-matrimonial beauty regime.

Skin Diseases & Scars: Almond Powder, Milk and Paste

According to Ayurveda texts concerning treatments of skin diseases, almonds are effective in treating diseases like eczema and psoriasis. A few leaves of the wild almond plant powdered with water applied to affected parts helps cure many skin disease symptoms. In addition, almond milk can act as an astringent. Applied to the face after washing, the mild removes excess residue and impurities left behind, leaving your skin glowing and with a better tone.

Creating a paste of five almonds soaked overnight and mixed with a teaspoon of rose water applied on the skin regularly will make your skin appear noticeably younger and even help smoothen out wrinkles. Ayurveda also prescribes using almond powder for scars from cuts and acne as well as deep chicken pox scars. To get rid of scars, powder some almonds and mix them with milk cream, turmeric and sugar to make a paste. Use this paste regularly for at least two months.

Almonds & Bridal Beauty

Many beauty tips on various Indian matrimonial sites suggest tricks with almonds to beautify a bride's appearance. Since almond treatments are natural and do not leave any side effects, they are very popular for brides everywhere in India, whether they have a traditional Hindu matrimony, or are a part of another religion.

Four of the most common bridal beauty treatments with almonds are:

1. To get rid of blemishes and make the skin softer, mix almond oil with lemon juice and honey. Blend it into a face mask and use it once a week.

2. Mix a couple drops of almond oil with your regular moisturizer to apply all over your body right after a shower. This to keeps flakiness at bay, and eases inflammation and rashes. Almond oil is compatible with all skin types, so you don't have to worry if you have sensitive skin.

3. Indians are obsessed with the idea of Rapunzel-like long hair. Almond oil is great for hair because it moisturizes without leaving behind a greasy feeling. When the oil sits on the scalp, it smooths the cuticles and follicles, while adding shine to the lower shaft of the hair. To get the Rapunzel-like hair, apply almond oil to make it stronger so it can grow as long as possible without breakage.

4. To deal with chronic back acne and pimples, take 5 or 6 unpeeled almonds and soak them in water. Once they are soaked through, pound them into a paste with marigold petals. Work the paste into the skin of your back and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Rinse the paste off with water. For best results, repeat two times a week for three months.

Sanavee Kumari is an expert in Indian beauty and society, especially relating to marriages. She runs vivaah.com, helping young men and women from all over India find their perfect matches. Whether you are in search of a Gujarati or Bengali matrimony, the tools on her site will help you find the love of your life.

Natural Makeup For Natural Beauty

Usually when we think of natural beauty we think of someone without makeup. Did you know that your natural beauty can be enhanced by using natural beauty products? That is: makeup and cosmetic products that are 100% natural and organic. Unfortunately most of the makeup that women wear is full of harmful toxins and chemicals. Makeup products and skincare products containing these actually can do more to harm the skin than enhance natural beauty.

You have probably heard it said that "...if looks could kill...". For many years women have been led to believe that in order to look beautiful they have to wear makeup. Most large cosmetic companies market their products so that you feel that you can't live without them. Who of us hasn't seen a commercial and thought: "I would like to look like that". This leads many women to put beauty first rather than health. Of course we all want to fit in and be accepted - but at what cost. Just think how much the makeup industry affects our thinking: How many films have you seen when the actress awakes in the morning without any makeup on? Probably not very many. So women start thinking that they have to look like this. Then their partners also start thinking the same. Then there is the other extreme. The terms 'natural' and 'organic' still have a stigma attached to them, and so many think that buying natural organic makeup products is only something for hippies.

Beauty though is all relative. You could say that it is skin-deep. Fashions also change. For example, what was fashionable in the 80's would look pretty ridiculous in today. It used to be the fashion that women would have white skin - this showed that they were rich and didn't have to spend a lot of time outdoors. Now the fashion is to have a tanned skin, which is to show the same - we've got a lot of money for recreation and exotic holidays. We have been led to believe that a tanned skin is a healthy skin. Actually that could not be further from the truth. A tanned skin is actually a damaged skin.

Culture also plays a part in what is acceptable and what is not. Coco Channel is quoted as saying: "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." For example in Burma is desirable for women to wear neck rings to elongate their necks. It is also reported that tourism is to blame for this because they are a popular attraction for tourists. In China feet biding used to be popular. (This is a practice whereby children's feet are bound to prevent further growth). The results were deformed feet. So we have to ask ourselves - how much of our thinking is being dictated by the media, culture and our peers? If you lived in China in the late 1800's would you have had your children feet bound? Even if it meant you being different and being rejected as a 'poor person' or someone of a 'lower social class'?

During the last few years many studies have been carried out which show that most of the commercially available makeup products on the market contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals and other irritants. Just take a look at the ingredients of any makeup or skincare product. How much of is sounds natural and how much of sound like you need a degree in chemistry to understand it? Even if you could understand everything that is listed under ingredients the cosmetic industry still hide toxic ingredients behind innocent sounding labels. For example: 'scent'. Seems harmless enough, but the 'scent' could contain hundreds of different chemical combinations. Sometimes you have to wonder if the makeup products have been produced for putting on your skin or cleaning your car engine.

It's also worth noting that many of the commercially available makeup products actually cause skin irritations and allergies. Even some of the so-called cures for eczema or acne actually aggravate the skin and can make it worse.

Natural organic products are manufactured in such a way that they do not cause harm to humans or animals. They are biodegradable these organic and natural products are great for the environment as well.

By using natural organic makeup you will enhance your appearance and at the same time actually care for the health of your body and skin. In the long term, using natural organic makeup and skin care products will maintain a healthy balance in your body thereby improving your natural beauty and reducing the need for using too much cosmetics.

How is this so? Let's examine one example. Did you know that drinking enough water moisturizes your skin? It also has many other 'side-effects', it keeps us healthier, improves metabolism, reduces headaches, and if we talk about makeup products, reduces the need to use so much moisturizer. All from something that comes free out the faucet. Think about this: whatever we put on our skin is absorbed by our body. Did you ever wonder where the skin cream went after you applied it? Yes, into our body and some of it is even metabolizes by the internal organs. If you use only products that are organic and contain natural ingredients you will help to keep your skin healthy.

Natural beauty will help you look beautiful naturally. Don't risk your health for the sake of fashion. It's been done in the past and many women are still paying the price. What will be the cost of using makeup products that are full of toxic chemicals? Already studies are showing that some of these chemicals are turning up in different cancers. While a definite link has to be proved, it is alarming that cancers seem to be on the rise the more we are using chemicals.

Natural makeup products are widely available and by using them you will not have 'looks to die for'. They are just as effective as their toxic counterparts - but without the health risks. Remember also to care for you health by what you eat. You naturally look more beautiful when you are in good health and natural makeup product will enhance your natural beauty.

You will probably want to find out more about natural beauty products and the benefits that they can give to you. Would you like to know what are the ingredients to avoid when choosing makeup products? Then please visit http://purenaturalmakeup.com where you will be able to read many well researched articles on the benefits of natural makeup.