Beautiful Skin from the Inside Out

Here’s an article that my friend, Ana Loaiciga, sent to me from GoodVeg.com - Thank you Ana!

Beautiful Skin from the Inside Out

Our skin tells a lot about us. It glows and shines if we are happy and healthy. It is dull and blotchy when we are sad or sick. Your skin gives away all of your secrets before you even open your mouth! So why not nurture it? After all, it’s the biggest part of the glorious temple called your body.

Here is your guide to creating a great natural face before you even get to the makeup part! The most important component of healthy skin is diet and healthy lifestyle choices.

Beauty starts on the inside

Stress Less: When you are happy and relaxed, it shows on your face. It is proven that the biggest contributor to rapid aging and disease is stress. Frowning, brow furrowing, and sleepless nights eventually take a toll on your complexion.

Learn to let go of what troubles you can with yoga, meditation or other relaxation techniques. Try to develop a different outlook. Don’t dwell in the past. Decide to look on the bright side. Simplify. All that “self help” mumbo jumbo works if you are open to it. Positive thinking can change your life…and your looks.

Work It Out: Sweat does wonders for your skin. Something about the release of toxins and circulating blood leaves you with a healthy glow post workout. And if you work out regularly, that glow never goes away. You don’t have to be a kickboxing master or a gym rat to get the benefits of exercise. Just get moving for at least 40 min. a day. Find out what works for you and stick to it.

Be a Good Girl: I really hope I don’t have to tell you this, but don’t smoke. It’s gross, it causes cancer, and it makes your skin cry out in agony. A glass of red wine here and there is good for your skin, but drinking like a pirate every day? Not so much. And always wear sunscreen, preferably in your makeup. Don’t pop zits until they are ready to pop themselves.

And most importantly, lay off the processed foods. Your body doesn’t like them and your skin pays for it — more on that below.

Eat these foods

You can basically eat any “whole food” and your body will thank you. Processed foods (anything not in its original state) takes longer for your body to break down and may be treated as a toxin that your body works hard to flush out…through your skin.

These are the “best of the best” as far as skin-friendly whole foods go.

•    Spinach, Kale, Collards, and other leafy greens.
•    Nuts
•    Flax seeds, hemp seeds, and Omega Oil (I prefer Udo’s Oil or Opti3 Supplements.)
•    Berries, raisins, prunes
•    Peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots
•    Avocados (Start eating 1/2 an avocado a day and you will see a HUGE change in your skin.)
•    Beans
•    Whole grains (Many people have minor gluten sensitivities that may make them break out. If you are eating whole foods and still mysteriously breaking out, try cutting out wheat and then see what happens.)

Then polish the outside

It’s important to have a good skin care regimen. Since we are all beautiful snowflakes, everyone’s skin requires a different type of care. The following products are just suggestions that I find work well on both oily and dry skin.

CLEANSE

Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash – This is by far my favorite face wash. It washes off easily and leaves my face feeling squeaky clean. Plus, it is cheap and you can get it in bulk at most health food stores!

Marie Veronique Organics Gentle Cleanser -  A little goes a long way with this super gentle face wash. It leaves your skin feeling clean but soft and supple, unlike many face cleansers.

Coalface Cleanser by LUSH -Don’t let its morose color scare you, this soap is awesome. It zaps oil without over-drying and gently exfoliates. At first it will pull everything out of your face and cause a few breakouts, but it is smooth sailing after that!

EXFOLIATE

Exfoliating renews your skin after it scrubs away your old ‘blah’ skin cells. Exfoliators are best used once or twice a week. Everyday use tends to irritate.

Desert Essence Gentle Stimulating Facial Scrub – This stuff is heaven sent for those with dry skin. It scrubs away the dead cells and keeps your new layer moist with its essential oils.

Lavender Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub – Renewal at its finest. This refreshing scrub will have you stroking your face alll dayyy lonngg.

**Did you know? You can make your own exfoliator by adding baking soda, cornmeal, coffee grinds, or ground almonds to your cleanser.

REPAIR

The one and only anti-aging/ repair serum I recommend is Marie Veronique Organics Ant-Aging Mist. Spray this heavenly smelling concoction all over your clean face and within a few days you will notice softer and suppler skin without all the nasty chemicals.

MOISTURIZE

If you are young or can’t afford fancy anti-aging creams, I whole-heartedly suggest moisturizing. Moisturize before you apply your makeup, before bed, and any other time you can possibly do it. A face full of moisture keeps you looking young, fresh and line free. I promise!

Desert Essence Daily Moisturizer – if you can’t tell already, I’m totally in love with the Desert Essence line. It is cheap, with great ingredients and works wonderfully. This moisturizer is light but penetrates deep and makes your skin feel heavenly. Somehow it works great with both oily and dry skin.

Jason Aloe Vera Gel – Perfect if you have very sensitive skin, or acne. I use this when I am breaking out or my skin is irritated. Aloe is non-greasy and also encourages collagen production! On top of all of that it is super cheap!

But remember kids… too many products equal irritated, dry skin and breakouts! Take it easy and let your skin do its thing. Cleanse and moisturize when you need to and only with products that have simple ingredients made from plants.

And above all else, make sure your products are not tested on animals! No one likes the look of suffering on your face.

Enjoy!

Monica