You Said It...Plastic Surgery

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Face Facts; Skincare For the 30 Days to a More Beautiful You Project

Clear, glowing skin is the most beautiful accessory you could ever wear. Nothing says health and vitality like smooth, blemish free skin. Perhaps this is because our skin is a mirror to what's happening inside our bodies. The good news is that no matter what your skin looks like today, it can start to look better in just days. The condition of your skin can be drastically improved in 30 days.

If you want better skin here are a few simple guidelines;

1) If it's white, do not eat it! This is the most important thing you can do for your body and your skin. Your skin will become clearer, softer and less lined just by replacing processed white sugars, potatoes and grains with more natural options like agave syrup, sweet potatoes, and 100% whole grains. Simple sugars and refined carbs interfere with the proper formation of collagen (which is responsible for keeping our skin elastic and youthful). Of course, eat lot's of fruits and veggies.

2) Drink your water. While I don't necessarily believe that you have to drink a certain amount of water each day(this will vary), you do need to be hydrated for firm, supple skin.

3) Drink Freshly pressed green juices. I LOOOVVVVVEEEE juicing!!! and I can't say it enough!! Drinking fresh juices every day makes you feel better inside and it gives your skin an amazing, soft, GLOW that would make even J-Lo green with envy. The emphasis is on green juices for maximum impact. Use only enough fruit or sweet juices (i.e. apples or carrots) to make the greens palatable. My favorite fresh juice is green lemonade. I drink it every day.

4) Clean with care. Treat your skin with care, cleaning your face with chemical free, sulfate free cleansers. Harsh cleaners can make oily skin or acne worse by aggravating oil glands. You can also clean your face with ingredients found in your kitchen like milk or baking soda. Be very gentle when cleaning delicate facial skin (especially if you are prone to breakouts or irritation). (Stay tuned for more how-to info)

5) Dress with care. You take the time to put good things in your body, so it only makes sense to put good things on your body. Your moisturizer should be pure and effective. The best moisturizer I've found is aloe-vera gel mixed with glycerin; simple, inexpensive and safe. Aloe is intensely healing while glycerin is one of nature's most effective humectants. Moisturize every day and every night to preserve skin's elasticity. Your makeup should also be as pure as possible. Don't worry, if there are certain things you can't give up yet, just replace the items you can live without, with healthier options like AfterGlow cosmetics or Eccobella products. When your skin is healthy and glowing from the inside, you will greatly reduce your dependence on cosmetics.

-Nasirah

Buyer Beware...

Buyer beware of so-called natural products. I'm sure you've seen the shelves of products at your local drugstore or grocer that claim "natural" status. Because of growing awareness, many consumers know enough to know that they should be looking for natural or organic products, but the beauty and food industries are taking advantage of the fact that most people don't even know what natural really is. Unfortunately, many companies are adding plant essences or one or two herbal ingredients to their chemical cocktails and passing them off as natural. Even sadder is that some companies with reputations as natural health personal care companies are using ingredients such as parabens that are antithetical to health by all accounts. While we should applaud some of these companies for trying to do better, we should not blindly trust them. Just because a product claims to be "natural" or because you can find it in a health food store, does not make it safe.

If you are concerned about certain additives or ingredients read the label every time and research ingredients you are not familiar with. If there is a product with less than healthy ingredients you feel you just can't live without or aren't ready to give up yet, don't. And don't feel bad about it. Simply having the knowledge lets you make an informed decision.

-Nasirah

Toxic Beauty

Danger

So we already know that it's important to know what we put in our bodies, but most of us don't know it's just as important to know what we are putting on our bodies. Think about it, your skin is your body's largest organ and absorbs whatever you put on it. Toxins on your skin = toxins in your body. A great article by Nicky Pilkington that breaks down the specifics can be found at

http://www.fine-skin-care-products.com/toxic_ingredients.html

Check out this article please. Do it for you and somebody you know.

-Nasirah

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