You Said It...Plastic Surgery

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Is there any place for plastic surgery in the "natural beauty" world? Chime in with your opinion.

Recipes for Beauty...

A few personal care recipes for your beauty...

Soap-free cleansers for face and body:

+ yogurt and lemon juice- around 1/2 cup yogurt to 1 tsp juice

+ oatmeal paste-use oats ground in a mini processor and mix with warm water to make
a paste.

+ honey

+ milk or sour cream

(These suggestions were adapted from one of the best Natural Beauty Books on the market. Janice Cox's Natural Beauty at Home is a must-have for both the aspiring and accomplished at-home beauty expert.)

Gently massage any of the above into wet skin. Using smooth, circular motions, massage skin with your fingertips. Rinse well with warm water and follow with moisturizer or an exfoliant, steam and mask if you are doing a facial.

These recipes are especially suited to dry skin types. If you feel the need to use soap based cleansers such as pure castille soap (try Dr. Bronner's) add a little glycerin or honey in your hand to prevent drying. Keep in mind that even if you have oily skin, over cleaning with soap based cleansers can create more oil production so you may want to experiment for a couple of weeks with a soap free cleanser. It may be possible that your oil glands will start to normalize sebum production if they are not overstimulated.

Be very gentle when cleaning your face. Use a very light touch especially when you are experiencing a breakout. Being to harsh when you have a pimple can lead to scarring.

To remove makeup before cleansing simply massage a light oil such as almond oil into skin, loosening makeup.

My personal daily face wash: a little baking soda sprinkled into my palm in the shower. I simply massage the powder into my face gently. This makes an excellent exfoliant/cleanser. If I want stronger exfoliation I simply use more baking soda, less water for a stiffer paste.

Always follow cleansing with a moisturizer. I love aloe vera mixed in my hand with a little glycerin. Aloe alone usually does not provide enough moisture for my skin, but glycerin does the trick.

Feel free to share some of your favorite natural personal care recipes for beauty.

-Nasirah

Anatomy of a Beautiful Face...30 Days to a more Beautiful You Target

Okay, so I know I tend to explore the deeper side of beauty more often than the surface aspects, but this time...I am going completely superficial. There are certain elements to an "attractive" face and they are things we can all pretty much achieve with a little nudge here and there.

1. Well groomed eyebrows shaped to fit your face

2. Facial symmetry(makeup can help even out minor differences)

3. Healthy skin

4. Soft, moisturized lips

We all have different faces and unique looks, however these elements seem to be universal markers of "beauty." I love makeup for fun and expression, but for everyday I love a very natural look characterized by muted, radiant color, lush lashes, softly color-kissed cheeks and lips and well groomed brows. I'm not a big fan of concealer or foundation except as temporary, occasional measures. When your skin is at its best you won't feel the need for these things.
Makeup should ideally be an embellishment, not a cover up. As an artist, I look at makeup as one more medium of accentuating beauty and a way to express a mood. This is the basic natural face.

1. Natural highlighting on brow bone, under eyes and on center of nose. Can be achieved with a neutral colored shimmer powder from a company like afterglow cosmetics.

2. Well groomed brow. Have your brows professionally done or tackle them yourself if you feel up to it. They should not be too thin or heavily penciled in. DO NOT OVERPLUCK. Do not pluck too much from the inner brow and make sure each side matches. Symmetry is very important to achieving a "beautiful" look. If you make a mistake you can fix the problem by first lightly penciling in short feathery brow strokes and then blending in lightly with a brow powder.

3. Soft, natural colors on cheek , eyelid and mouth. Soft glowing colors like dusty roses and bronzes achieve a natural look on most complexions. One of my favorite brands is eccobella especially for lipsticks.

4. Lightly lined lids. You can use natural kohl sticks or charcoal pencils.

5. Defined eyelashes. I like to use aloe vera gel as a clear, natural mascara. Just use the wand from an old tube of mascara. (be sure to keep it clean)

6. Soft sheen on lips. A tiny, tiny touch of a light oil like almond oil will do the trick. Or try Burt's Bees lip balm. Or, even better make your own lip balm.


Okay, let's get beautiful!


-Nasirah

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

Beautiful Girl

Each week, starting this week, purebeauty will feature a beautiful woman who embodies confidence, style and heart. This week's beauty is none other than the talented, fresh faced and ultra-stylish Rihanna. Just when it seemed like every young R&B singer was starting to look like Beyonce, Rihanna dared to be different. She chopped off her hair and took it up a notch. Her bob haircut was chic, fresh and unexpected. And now, she has switched it up again. Her new, supershort, edgy haircut is a little round-the-way girl and a little punk. It is a perfect marriage and the perfect style for Rihanna's pixie-like face. Her beautiful blue Zac Posen Grammy dress was the perfect compliment to her new haircut. The gorgeous jewel tone was vibrant and exuberant.

So, Why do we love Rihanna? Three simple reasons; she is talented; she dares to be different, which in a world of cookie-cutter beauties, is very refreshing; she is fabulously confident, and that is beautiful.

-Nasirah

Complete at-home facial

A day at the spa is an indulgence that we don’t always have time for, but, luckily we can recreate a spa facial in our own homes. The five basic components of a facial are: cleansing, exfoliation, steam, mask and moisture.

Step 1

Clean face using oil cleansing method or method of choice.

Step 2

Exfoliate with your homemade exfoliant or exfoliant of choice. Do not splash face with cold water after exfoliating if you are proceeding to step 3.

Step 3

To perform steam treatment, first bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and pour water into a large heat safe bowl. Add any of the following herbs or essential oils to the water. Sit down and lean over the bowl with a large towel over your head. Exercise extreme caution when handling hot water. Relax, breathe deep and remain over the bowl for ten minutes while the steam opens your pores. If you get too hot at any point lift the towel.

Step 4

Gently rub face mask of choice into face and neck. Let mask sit for 10 minutes or until prescribed. Rinse with warm water until all traces of mask have been removed. Do a final rinse with cool water to close pores.

Step 5

Moisturize with moisturizer of choice. Apply moisturizer while face is still slightly damp in order to seal in the moisture. You can simply seal the moisture in with a light oil of choice.

A complete facial can be enjoyed once a month for healthier, more youthful, glowing skin.

-Nasirah

Mask Your Skin

Face masks are a wonderful indulgence that should be enjoyed when you need some "me" time or when your skin needs an extra boost. This article from Associated Content explains the importance of facials and gives step by step instructions to make your own mask at home.

-Nasirah

Black Beauty

So, I discovered a quick pimple fix this morning in my bathroom (thanks to a red, glowing pimple on my nose). I remembered making a paste of activated charcoal and water for an itchy,
swollen mosquito bite this summer. Within thirty minutes of applying the paste, the bite was flat
and the itchiness was gone.

Because of its absorptive properties, charcoal has been used effectively to treat many things including snake bites and diarrhea. (do not substitute this information for proper medical diagnosis or treatment) I figured, if charcoal can absorb the poison from a snake bite and can flatten a mile high mosquito bite, it could probably take down a pimple.

I emptied the contents of one activated charcoal capsule and mixed it with enough aloe vera gel to make a paste. I applied a dab of the paste directly onto the cleaned pimple. Once the paste dried i gently flaked it off (you could wash it) and the pimple had flattened considerably and the redness was gone. I reapplied the paste once more and by the time it dried again the pimple was virtually non-existent.

This means good-bye to expensive, harsh, chemical laden blemish cream and hello to blemish-free skin!


For more information about charcoal visit http://healingtools.tripod.com/thn5.html


-Nasirah

Dairy Good...

Milk is one of the most gentle yet effective cleansers nature has to offer. It is safe and effective to use as a daily facial cleanser for morning and night. Mix 1/2 a cup of cold milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir the mixture well and pat gently onto your face and neck with a cotton ball or soft white towel/cloth. Leave the mixture on your face for 2-3 minutes. Apply again and gently rub in small circular motions. Finally, rinse your face and moisturize with your favorite moisturizer.

This

cleanser hydrates, soothes and exfoliates. It is suitable for all skin types.

-Nasirah

Homemade Facial Exfoliant

photo by Jane Hian

Exfoliating sloughs off dead skin and clears the pores of dirt and debris leaving you with youthful, glowing skin. It is an essential part of a skincare routine. which should be performed once a week. Homemade facial exfoliants are extremely cheap and easy to make. To make a basic exfoliant you will need an exfoliating (abrasive) ingredient and a base ingredient.

Exfoliant:

corn meal

corn flour

sugar

kosher salt

ground almonds

steel cut oats

Base:

oil i.e., olive, almond, apricot kernel, coconut

egg white- good for toning and tightening

pureed fruit, i.e., berries, cucumber,tomato- acid refines skin

yogurt- smoothes and refreshes

milk-smooths and refreshes


Additions:

honey-for moisture and antiseptic property

glycerin-for moisture



To make exfoliant combine 1 part exfoliant, 1 part base and 1/4 part additional ingredient if desired. Chill if desired for a refreshing effect. Pat mixture onto face and neck and rub gently with small circular motions. Leave exfoliant on skin for five more minutes. Rinse with warm water until all traces of exfoliant have been removed. Do a final rinse of cool water and finally, moisturize.


-Nasirah

Simple Lip Balm

Recipe featured on makeyourowncosmetics.com

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated beeswax
1 vitamin E capsule (400 mg)

Blending Procedure:

Place grated beeswax (or beeswax beads) into a heat proof cup. Add olive oil and liquid from the vitamin E capsule.

Place the heat proof cup into a hot water bath until the beeswax is nearly melted. Remove from heat.

Pour into suitable screw top or other lip balm containers. Allow to solidify and cool before using.

Enjoy and tell your friends!


source:http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/recipes/viewrec.asp?id=288&cat=facial
submitted by Kena

Simple Makeup

This excerpt from Doctor Hulda Clark's 1995 book The Cure for All Diseases gives step-by-step directions to make your own cosmetics. While I have not tried these yet, I have used beet powder as a blush with success.

-Nasirah



Eye liner and Eyebrow Pencil

Get a pure charcoal pencil (black only) at an art supply store. Try several on yourself (bring a small mirror) in the store to see what hardness suits you. You may need to wet it with water or a vitamin E perle first. Don't put any chemicals on your eyelids, since this penetrates into your eye. To check this out for yourself, close your eye tightly and then dab lemon juice on your eyelid. It will soon burn! Everything that is put on skin penetrates. Otherwise the nicotine patch and estrogen patch wouldn't work. Not even soap belongs on your eyelids! Charcoal pencils are cheap. Get yourself half a dozen different kinds so you can do different things.
You could also use a capsule of activated charcoal. Empty it into a saucer. Mix glycerin and water, half and half, and add it to the charcoal powder until you get the consistency you like. Use a brush for eyelashes; use a finger for eyebrows.

Lipstick

Beet root powder100% vegetable glycerin
Combine 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin and 1 tsp. beet root powder in a saucer. Stir until perfectly smooth. Then add 1/2 tsp. of vitamin oil. Snip open vitamin E capsules or buy vitamin E oil. Very thick olive oil can be substituted. Apply liberally with your finger or a lipstick brush. Do not purse or rub your lips together after application. To make the lipstick stay on longer, apply 1 layer of lipstick, then dab some cornstarch over the lips, then apply another layer of lipstick. Store in a small glass or plastic container in the refrigerator, tightly covered in a plastic bag.

Face Powder

Use cornstarch from the original box. You may also try arrow root starch or potato starch. Use your fingers or a tissue to apply because applicators can carry bacteria.

Blush (face powder in a cake form)

Add 50% glycerin to cornstarch in a saucer to make paste. Slowly add beet root powder to the desired color. Use part of a charcoal capsule to darken it, if desired. A drop of food grade alcohol will also darken it. To make 50% glycerin, add equal parts of glycerin and water. Try to make the consistency the same as your brand name product, and you can even put it back in your brand name container.

Berry Beautiful

Strawberries make a perfect treat. They are full of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants (the beautiful red color is a giveaway to the antioxidant power). More importantly, they are delicious and maybe even decadent if you prefer them dipped in rich dark chocolate...

Okay, I'm off track. Strawberries are one of my favorite beauty treatments. It's is oh so simple, yet very effective for mild blemishes or spot pimple treatments (those with severe or deep acne require a more holistic treatment) .

Clean your face with a mild cleaner or oil of your choice. Mash a couple of strawberries well. Proceed to smooth the mashed berries all over your face and neck. Leave the mask on while you do chores or overnight. You may feel a mild tingling after a minute or so. In the morning, rinse your face and moisturize. This treatment will leave you with refreshed, smoother skin.

How does it work? According to Janice Cox, author of Natural Beauty for All Seasons, strawberries make an excellent skin-softening facial mask. A member of the rose family, strawberries contain salicyclic acid, which rids the skin of dead cells, allowing it to absorb moisture more efficiently. Strawberries also have a mild bleaching effect on the skin and help heal blemishes.

This treatment has been part of my beauty arsenal for years and it has never let me down.
It just doesn't get any more natural than this.

-Nasirah

Please do a small patch test behind your ear before trying this treatment.
Do not continue this treatment if you experience discomfort.

Oil Cleansing

I recently tried the oil cleansing method which can be found at http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/ . Oil cleansing just might prove to be one of the most beneficial, revolutionary, wow, beauty "secrets" I have ever come across. You might think that I'm being a little overzealous about this, but I am simply amazed. I have generally "good" skin. It is relatively problem free and when I drink plenty of water, and eat well some even say it glows. I have a simple routine of washing and moisturizing (with whatever oil or lotion I have on hand). Well, I have already tried "washing" my hair in oil, but for some reason it never occurred to me to use the technique on my face. I'm so glad I did.

I chose to use almond oil because it is fairly light and I had some on hand. Following the instructions in the oil cleansing article, I gently massaged the oil into my skin. The massage itself was very nice, like a mini facial. At this point, I could already tell this "secret" was going to change my skincare routine forever. I wet a white towel with hot water from the tap and proceeded to alternate gently wiping my face in a circular motion with rewetting the towel until the surface oil was removed from my skin(about 30 seconds total). And, as usual, I splashed my face with cold water to close the pores.

Initially, my skin felt clean and refreshed, and the massage, the massage was an indulgence that started my day off right. Throughout the day my skin retained a very light film of oil which gave me a dewy natural sheen that I love, love, loved (think Beyonce dewy). Who doesn't love "dewy." "Dewy" is soft, glowing and moist, in other words, beautiful. Need I say more?

-Nasirah

Coconut oil is Beautiful...

Skin Health and Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is quite possibly one of the most valuable tools you can possess in your beauty and health arsenal. Coconut oil has stood the test of time across the world as an indispensable component of a healthy lifestyle. You can eat it, put it on your skin, or put it in your hair and you body will thank you for it. To read more visit..www.coconutdiet.com/skin_health.htm

-Nasirah

photosource:http://www.ecofriend.org/images/coconut_oil.jpg