Still Needed.

 It is still cool enough to need a coat, especially in the morning but...

DIY Skincare Recipes To Make At Home.

 

You've decided to try making your own skincare products to save money, know what's in it, or just because but you don't know where to start.  Today, I'm providing recipes you can easily use to make your own skincare products. 

Let's start with an anti-aging mask made with cocoa.  This mask is filled with antioxidants, helps rehydrate the skin, and gives the face a younger restored look.  To make it all you need is 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp honey, and enough milk to make a paste (no more than 2 tbsp).  Apply it to your face until it dries and then rinse.  The sour cream and milk have lactic acid which hydrates the skin while gently exfoliating it and the honey boosts hydration.

If you have dry hands, microwave two to three cups of whole milk till just warm, then submerge both hands in it.  Let your hands soak for 5 to 10 minutes so the fat from the milk is allowed to be absorbed into the skin.  The fat helps hydrate the skin while vitamin A and E provide nourishment.  Are your cuticles dry?  Just rub a bit of coconut oil into the cuticles and cover with a bit of plastic wrap to help it sink in.

Rather than using something harsh on your acne, try mixing 1 tsp of peppermint tea leaves with 4 tsp of white tea leaves, half a cup of boiled distilled water, and 2 drops of lavender oil in a French press.  Let the mixture steep for 10 mins before pouring into a glass container to cool.  Mix with enough aloe vera gel to fill a 4 ounce spray container. Store in the refrigerator between spritzes.

Here is a nice recipe for a body scrub.  Grind enough rice to make 1/2 cup of ground rice.  Mix in 1/2 cup of coconut milk, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger to make a nice paste.  When you are ready, rub this mixture all over your body with your hand using a circular motion.  In a short time, your skin is beautifully polished. 

We always make masks and scrubs for the body or the face but don't forget the lips.  You can make a nice lip scrub by mixing 1 tsp coconut oil with 1 tsp raw honey, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and a dash of water.  Apply the mixture to your lips using your finger in circular motions and then rinse.  Another lip scrub recipe has you mix 2 to 3 tbsp crumbled oats with 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp water, and a drop of tea tree oil.  This can also be applied to your lips with your finger in a circular motion.  Rinse it when done and then apply your lip gloss or lip stick.

I'll be back later with more DIY skincare recipes.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great weekend.

Ingredients You Should Avoid If You Make Your Own Skin Care Products At Home

 

It is always interesting looking at skin care products whether in the store or on Amazon.  Sometimes the prices end up being way more than can be afforded so maybe you decide to make your own skin care products.  If you do a search for recipes, you'll find lots on blogs and webpages. Unfortunately, some recipes include ingredients that are not recommended by dermatologists. 

One such ingredient is lemon  Lemon is touted as a wonderful skin brightener but it can cause burns on the skin since it is an acid. It could leave your skin red and discolored.  If lemon is place on skin that is exposed to the skin, it could cause phytophotodermatitis which is where the skin is blistered and hyperpigmented. Other fruits should not cause the same reaction unless you are allergic to them. However, it is best to conduct a patch test to make sure there is no allergic reaction to your creation.

Another ingredient is toothpaste or baking soda. Sometimes, toothpaste is listed as a great hack to treat acne which it might due to it's antimicobal properties but it is still not recommended because it contains ingredients that are too strong for your skin and will irritate it. Toothpaste has a basic pH while skin needs ingredients that have more of an acidic pH.  If you decide to use baking soda, it has the same problem with pH and the baking soda could change the pH of your facial skin leading to burns and irritation.

Watch out for anything that calls for the inclusion of raw eggs.  Unfortunately, raw eggs may contain salmonella and this could enter the body via an open cut or opening which would not be good. This includes using the egg white, especially if you are allergic to egg whites.  If you have a severe enough allergy to egg whites, your skin might break out in a rash, hives, itchiness, or breathing problems.  Furthermore, egg whites can also irritate your skin.

If you check on vinegar, it is said to be a wonderful toner due to its acidity and pH balancing properties.  Unfortunately, vinegar can cause irritation, possible redness similar to a bad sunburn, superficial chemical burn from repeated applications, and depigmentation. 

Be careful of ingredients such as sugar, salt, ground up nuts, or coffee grounds that are said to be wonderful for exfoliating the skin.  Although they work on the body which has thicker skin, they are not recommended for use on the delicate skin of the face.  Any of these above mentioned ingredients can be abrasive to the skin and damage it.

Many skin care products contain vitamin A, E, and other antioxidants, so recipes suggest they be added to the homemade mixture by crushing vitamin pills.  When the pills are crushed and added to water or other ingredients, they become extremely unstable and oxidize. Consequently, the mixture can cause free radical damage instead of protecting the skin. It can also damage the skin because it burns it.

Next time, I'll look at some DIY recipes that will work at home and be good for your skin.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Other Reasons To Eat Healthy

On Friday, we looked at eating certain things so you'd have great skin but there are other reasons to eat properly and we'll be exploring those today.  When I talk about healthy, I am referring to food that is not processed or preserved. 

In fact, the best diet involves lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, low or no fat dairy products, using good oils such as olive or avocado oils, and eating fish, nuts, legumes, and whole grains.

Eating well can help people live longer because it helps people control their weight, prevent certain diseases, and help your bones stay strong.  So lets look at these in more detail.

First, eating well makes it easier to maintain a good weight because you do not develop a craving from foods high in sugar or fat.  In fact, a good diet combined with exercise can help you lose weight or at least keep from gaining additional pounds.  

Next, a good diet can help you avoid certain diseases such as type-2 diabetes, heart problems, or osteoporosis.  A diet high in fiber can help your body slows the absorption of sugar which lowers your blood sugar levels.  It also interferes with the absorption of fat or cholesterol found in your diet.  It helps regulate your blood pressure, and you eat less because fiber rich foods make you feal fuller and provide you with lots of energy.  

It is also good at preventing high blood pressure and heart disease.  When you eat properly, it is possible to prevent up to 80 percent of premature heart disease and strokes diagnosis.  Furthermore, a good diet can reduce your blood pressure which cuts down on the possibility of experiencing heart disease. 

In addition. if the foods are high in antioxidants, they can help protect your cells from damage and decrease your chances of getting cancer. Include dark leafy greens, berries such as blueberries, pumpkins and carrots, and nuts and seeds to make sure you get enough antioxidants.

There is evidence that you will have a better mood if you eat a good diet and a good diet also encourages good gut health.  Certain bacteria in your system produce vitamins K and B which help the colon.  In addition, bacteria can also help your body fight harmful bacteria and viruses so you stay healthier. It is important to have lots of fiber and little sugar and to have certain fermented foods such as sauerkraut, Kim Chi in your diet for these bacteria to thrive.  

Researches are finding that a good diet can also benefit your memory so it doesn't decline as much, and it helps you lose weight and then maintain a proper weight. In addition, a good diet helps you maintain strong teeth and bones so you don't suffer from osteoporosis.  

So with just a bit of planning, it is possible to have a good diet full of all the nutrients you need and low in fat so you live a nice long life.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great week.

In A Few Months

 In a few months, I'll be picking them.

Now

 

Planting tomatoes now.

Eating For Healthy Skin.

 

Having healthy skin is more than using the right products, refusing to smoke, or chasing after every treatment promising you the best skin.  We often forget that healthy skin begins with good diet so we are always looking for that one thing that will keep our skin glowing and looking fantastic.  Eating well is always one of the tips listed for having good skin but what do they mean by eating right?

One of the foods recommended is fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or herring because they are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. If you are vegan or vegetarian, look at eating flaxseed, or chia seeds.  Omega - 3 fatty acids help keep the skin thick, moisturized, and supple so if you don't eat enough foods with Omega - 3, you'll end up with dry skin. In addition, Omega - 3 reduces skin inflammation which reduces acne and redness.  In addition, it can even make your skin less susceptible to UV rays which damage the skin.

Then there are avocados which contain healthy fats. These fats also contribute to keeping your skin supple and moisturized. In addition, there are a couple of studies out there that have found eating avocados might help protect your skin against UV rays.  Furthermore, both fatty fish and avocados contain Vitamin E which also protects the skin from oxidative damage.

Another source of fatty acids are walnuts and they have more Omega - 3 and Omega - 6 fatty acids than most other nuts.  Walnuts also contain zinc which is needed by the skin so it functions better as a barrier. It also has small amounts of vitamin E and contains 4 to 5 grams of proteins per ounce of nuts.  On the other hand, sunflower seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin E, Selenium, zinc and 5.5 grams of protein per ounce.  

Throw in sweet potatoes because they contain provitamin A which the body easily converts to vitamin A in the body. Sweet potatoes are chock full of beta-carotene so that the beta-carotene provides 6 times the amount of vitamin A needed by the body. The carotenes can help your skin by acting as a natural sun block so your skin is better protected.  Another food high in carotene are red and yellow peppers.  In addition to being a high source of provitamin A, they also contain vitamin C which reduces risk of wrinkled and dry skin.

Pull out the broccoli because it is a great source of Lutein which acts like carotene, protects your skin from oxidative damage, contain zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin C, and contains Sulforaphane.  Sulforaphane is a substance that helps protect the skin against sun damage by neutralizing harmful free radicals and helps cut down on the number of cells killed by UV light.  Don't forget the tomatoes which are high in Vitamin C, have beta carotene, lutein, and lycopene, all of which can help protect your skin and prevent wrinkling. It is best to pair tomatoes with foods such as cheese or olive oil to increase the carotenoids better. 

Don't forget to finish off a meal with chocolate, grapes,  tea, or coffee because these four  have lots of polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants.   So eat lots of good nutritious foods