Essential Natural Foods for Beauty and Anti Aging Julie S. Ong
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Table of Contents
Introduction:
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Chapter 1: What Are You Putting on Your Skin?
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Chapter 2: Natural Ingredients for Anti-Aging Skin Care
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Chapter 4: The Worst Foods You Can Eat for Your Skin
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Chapter 3: What to Eat to Have Beautiful Skin
Conclusion:
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Introduction: If you are like most men and women out there, you are probably on the quest for the fountain of youth. You may have tried product after product with no visible results in the hopes of reducing fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, age spots, and acne scars in your complexion. Am I right? Lucky for you, there is a natural remedy right underneath your nose, or rather in your kitchen cabinets: natural ingredients! This is the key to your success in alleviating a number of skin concerns and treating premature signs of age so that you look instantly fresh and radiant. What many women don't realize is that most overthe-counter products have harsh chemical ingredients that do more harm than good to the surface of the skin. This is precisely why you must take matters into your own hands and start using natural ingredients that you have at home to treat and correct a number of issues in your skin. The added benefit to this method of anti aging and beauty care is that you will be saving money in the long run because you will no longer be purchasing commercial products that don't work! Using natural ingredients to create home beauty remedies also provides you with the opportunity to treat and nourish your skin from the inside out with safe and protective ingredients that are gentle enough to eat. Within this report, you will discover everything you need to know about the top beauty ingredients that you can't live without to treat your skin the way it deserves to be treated! Are you ready? 2
Chapter 1: What Are You Putting on Your Skin? Many people do not realize how harmful the over-the-counter cosmetics are that they use on a daily basis. The truth of the matter is that if you take the time to read a cosmetic ingredient label, you may not like what you see. As a rule of thumb, it is best to look for natural and organic choices in skin care products on the market, yet many advertise or suggest that they are organic when they actually do not contain organic and natural ingredients. If you are interested in purchasing natural and organic products, they must be certified as 100% USDA Organic, or they are not worth buying. However, we are all well aware that many natural and organic products are highly expensive, meaning that you could be shelling out some serious cash for every cosmetic and skin care product that you buy.
What is the solution? In these instances, you can instead rely upon home remedies made from natural fruits and vegetables to provide topical antioxidants to correct a number of skin concerns. If you are considering purchasing an over-the-counter skin care product, you must first of all take a look at the ingredient label. If you see an ingredient label that looks like a scientific lab experiment, put the product down immediately! Most over-the-counter beauty products that claim to be organic and natural contain a number of preservative ingredients, and some may even include parabens. Parabens are the number one ingredient to be on the lookout for when purchasing over-the-counter beauty products since they are harmful chemical preservatives that have been linked with toxicity and even breast cancer. Nonetheless, you may be shocked to find that many derivatives of parabens are in the beauty and skin care products that you are using as we speak! 3
This leads us further to the booming anti aging industry. Everywhere that you look, there are constant advertisements for the newest anti-wrinkle product to make you look dramatically different. I am sure that you can attest by now how difficult it is to find one of these anti aging products that really works! On top of that, you can also bet that many of these same anti aging products will contain harmful chemical ingredients that will coat the surface of your skin so that it sustains even more damage as a result. These products are actually doing more harm than good. As a basic breakdown, wrinkles are caused by outside free radical damage. Free radicals are unstable electrons that damage cells underneath the surface of the complexion, which will result in deep lines and wrinkles over time. Of course, the best thing that you can do to treat this issue is wear a daily sunblock that protects from the UVA and UVB rays of the sun, but you must also apply topical antioxidants on a regular basis to make sure that your skin stays in the best condition.
Antioxidants neutralize free radical damage to prevent wrinkles. In fact, you may have already seen many overthe-counter products on the market that advertise topical antioxidants, but did you know that fruits and vegetables also contain the natural forms of these antioxidants? That is yet one more reason to throw out many of the harsh chemical products that claim to remove wrinkles, and use natural ingredients that really will work: fruits and vegetables full of antioxidants. In the next chapter, we will discuss which natural ingredients you can use at home to treat a number of skin concerns in a remarkable amount of time! 4
Chapter 2: Natural Ingredients for Anti Aging Skin Care
You may be surprised to find how many natural ingredients you can use from your own kitchen cabinets to dramatically benefit your skin from head to toe! • Aloe: Aloe vera is one of the best ingredients to use to fade age spots on the skin. Use 100% pure aloe vera gel two times per day to reduce dark spots of hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage in the complexion. • Apple Cider Vinegar: Mixing 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a teaspoon of orange juice will reduce hyperpigmentation in the skin. Apply this mixture to areas of concern with a cotton pad so that dark brown spots on the skin can be dramatically reduced. • Brewed Tea Bags: After brewing and cooling a teabag, you can place it directly on puffy and swollen eyes to reduce inflammation. Even better, this is the perfect home ingredient to use because tea is full of antioxidants, and if you use green tea, it contains caffeine as a vasodilator. This will constrict the surface of the skin to tighten sagging and reduce puffiness so that you look fresh, radiant, and beautiful as a result. • Buttermilk: Buttermilk is rich in emollients and fat, and it can be used as a natural softener and cleanser for the surface of your skin. This is especially 5
helpful for dry skin types, such as those that are susceptible to rosacea or eczema. • Coffee: Coffee is an ingredient full of antioxidants and caffeine, which will constrict and smooth the surface of the skin. Mix 3 tablespoons of fine coffee grounds with equal parts milk to form a paste. Allow the paste to sit on your face and neck for 20 minutes, and rinse off completely. The caffeine in the coffee will tighten and firm the surface of the skin, and the mask can also be used on all areas of the body to reduce cellulite. • Corn Starch: Corn starch is highly absorbent and can be mixed into any facial mask to absorb excess oil. This is the perfect ingredient for oily skin types to remove surface oils from the skin for a soothing and soft feel to the complexion. • Cucumbers: I will start out with the obvious here, but cucumbers can often be used for soothing and calming puffy eyes. Cucumbers contain a high water content, so you can slice them thinly to place on your eyes for 5 minutes to reduce puffiness and bags underneath the eyes. • Egg Whites: To treat very dry skin, you can beat an egg white, and apply it to your complexion to dry completely. Allow the mask to remain on for 10 minutes, and it will deeply moisturize the surface of the skin through this natural nourishing ingredient. • Honey: Honey is a wonderful clarifying and soothing ingredient to moisturize the skin, and 6
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you can mix it with a few drops of orange juice to apply to the entire face. Allow this homemade mask to remain on for 20 minutes, and rinse well with warm water. This is the perfect mask for aging skin to bring softness to the complexion, especially if you have severe sun damage. The orange juice also applies topical vitamin C as an antioxidant to the complexion to stimulate collagen production, which is what is responsible for firming and smoothing the skin. Oatmeal: This is yet another ingredient that will work as a natural exfoliant. Mix raw oatmeal with yogurt for a creamy and exfoliating facial scrub, which you can also leave on the surface of your skin for added hydration benefits. Olive Oil: This is the perfect home ingredient to use for shiny hair. If you are struggling with dull hair and split ends, simply massage 2 tablespoons of olive oil into your hair and allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and shampoo as usual for vibrant tresses that your friends will be envious of! Strawberries: Strawberries can be blended with heavy cream to create a mask to apply to the skin for 10 minutes as an acne treatment. Many people don't realize that strawberries are highly antiseptic, and they also contain vitamin C to heal the surface of the skin and provide anti aging benefits. Sugar: Sugar is not necessarily good for you when found in your diet, but it contains glycolic acid, which makes it perfect for exfoliation. You can mix a half a cup of sugar with 2 tablespoons of whole milk and 1 cup of olive oil to create a sugar scrub to exfoliate with and leave on your complexion for 15 minutes. 7
Face Mask Recipes: Peach Facial Mask for Oily Skin • 1 peach, mashed and peeled • 1 teaspoon olive oil Mix the ingredients together, and apply to the skin for 10 minutes. Rinse completely. This mask will remove surface oils and prevent breakouts. Grape Mask for Sensitive Skin • 10 grapes Peel and mash the grapes together, and use cheesecloth to strain and apply the mixture to the surface of the skin. Gently massage the mask into the skin for 5 minutes, and rinse with cold water to remove. Grapes are rich in alpha hydroxy acid, and they will gently remove dead skin cells and soothe sensitive skin. Pineapple Exfoliation Mask • 2 teaspoons chopped pineapple • 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil Blend the ingredients together in a blender, and apply to the complexion. Leave the mask on the skin for 15 minutes, and rinse with warm water. Pineapple is full of natural enzymes that will remove the buildup of dead skin cells and impurities from the complexion. Pineapple will also work to naturally soothe inflammation, and olive oil provides the healing benefit of vitamin E to the surface of the skin. 8
Dry Skin Eye Cream • 2 tablespoons aloe vera • 1 tablespoon sesame oil Mix the ingredients together and whisk until they are combined completely. Apply this mixture to the area around the eyes before bed nightly. The soothing ingredients will deeply hydrate fine lines and wrinkles around the eye area for anti aging benefits. Purifying Mint Facial Mask • • • • •
1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon oat bran 2 drops vanilla 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 1 small egg white, strained and beaten
Stir the oat bran into the water, and heat in the microwave for two minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. In a small blender, mix the egg white and mint until they are completely blended. Mix the remaining ingredients together to create a mask to apply to your face for 15 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. This mask provides purifying benefits to reduce breakouts and acne in all skin types, including highly sensitive skin. 9
Chapter 3: What to Eat to Have Beautiful Skin You may be familiar with the saying that you are what you eat, and in the same manner, your diet will definitely influence the quality of your skin. In addition to using many of the natural ingredients I previously described, here are the best foods to eat to ensure radiant skin on a daily basis: • Avocados: Avocados will prevent dry and brittle skin, which is one of the main causes of aging. Eating avocados regularly will give you the healthy fats that you need to have natural moisture in your skin so that it remains smooth and firm. • Blueberries: Blueberries are an antioxidant rich fruit that contain almost 3 times as many antioxidants as cherries, grapes, and oranges. As I previously discussed, antioxidants will neutralize free radical damage to prevent the development of wrinkles! • Green Tea: Green tea is full of antioxidants, which will neutralize free radical damage underneath the surface of the skin. • Oranges: All citrus fruits are full of vitamin C, which boosts collagen production underneath the surface of the skin. When collagen begins to break down, it causes 10
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deep wrinkles and sagging, so eating foods rich in vitamin C will continue to promote tight and firm skin as you age. Oysters: Oysters may have an acquired taste, but they provide a high content of zinc to renew and repair the skin. Zinc also boosts collagen production, which is exactly what you need to have firm and strong skin that is free from wrinkles. On top of that, oysters also have antioxidant benefits to prevent cellular damage below the surface of the skin! Pomegranates: Not only are pomegranates entirely delicious, but they are full of antioxidants to speed the healing process in the skin and boost collagen production. An added bonus! Salmon: Salmon contains a carotenoid called astaxanthin, which will improve the elasticity and firmness of the skin to reduce the appearance of fine lines. Walnuts: Walnuts are superb source of omega-3 fatty acids if you do not like to eat fish. Walnuts will help bring natural shine to your skin, hair, and nails so that you will immediately look fresher and younger.
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Chapter 4: The Worst Foods You Can Eat for Your Skin When it comes to beautiful skin that is free from wrinkles, there are also specific foods that you need to stay away from to prevent long-term damage. Believe it or not, some food groups can cause dehydration, free radical damage, and premature aging in the skin, resulting in age spots and wrinkles that are difficult to treat!
Remember, you are what you eat... Here are some of the most important foods to avoid in your diet to protect your skin:
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Additives: Additional sweeteners and preservatives have been linked with cancer, so it is best to choose foods that are whole and natural to protect your skin from toxicity and damage. Fried Foods: It is obvious that fried foods are bad for your health, but they are also bad for your skin. The fractionated oils in fried foods can cause free radical damage, which will lead to premature aging and wrinkles. High Glycemic: Foods that are higher on the glycemic index, like pasta, cake, and white bread have been linked to breakouts and intrinsic damage in the skin. Low Fat: Even though it is important to stay away from "bad" fats in your diet, good fats are highly necessary to maintain healthy skin, so make sure not to overlook olive oil and fish as sources of healthy fats within your diet. Processed Meats: Processed meats, like hot dogs or bacon, have a high content of nitrates, salt, and fat. Nitrates in themselves pose no harm, but they can convert to nitrite to create a cancer-causing chemical.
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Conclusion: The wonderful news for you to know if you hope to protect your skin is that all of the ingredients you need are right at your fingertips! This gives you the opportunity to search through your kitchen cabinets or grocery store to find the best ingredients that will not only benefit your skin but benefit your health in the long run. It is an unavoidable fact that many over-the-counter beauty products are full of harsh chemicals and toxins, which will age your skin faster than you even realize. If you hope to alleviate a number of skin concerns, like rosacea, acne, sensitive skin, or even wrinkles, these natural ingredients will give you the complexion that you have been hoping for. As a rule of thumb, it is important not to use ingredients on your skin that are not safe enough to eat. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and all ingredients will be absorbed into the bloodstream to cause toxicity and damage. On the other hand, if you are using natural and soothing ingredients that are absorbed into your body through your skin, they will provide even greater benefits in protecting you from disease and illness! Using these natural remedies will not only protect your skin to give you a beautiful complexion, but they will also protect your budget because you will no longer have to purchase expensive over-the-counter products that don't live up to their claims!
Doesn't your skin deserve the best?
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