Summer skin care tips and solutions for glowing summer skin

Hot weather, salt water, humidity, and chlorine take their toll on our skin during the summer months. You should drink plenty of water through the day, not merely to replenish humidity lost to the heat but also to help blush toxins out of the body and keep skin looking healthy and glowing.

Dr. Michelle Copeland recently was kind enough share her top summer skincare tips-"Your skin has different needs depending on the month. During the summer, the glands produce more oil, so switch to a product that's not so moisturizing. The zone around the nose and down towards the mouth contains a lot of glands, so you probably want to go easy on it all year round. People often wonder whether they should stop exfoliating during the summer because they think the dead skin is protecting them from the sun. While it's true that surplus surface cells offer a slight shield against rays, that benefit is outweighed by the greater gain you'll get in encouraging cell turnover. Always wear SPF to protect from the harsh UVA/UVB rays of the summer months. Apply sunscreen every day to your skin and lips. An easy way to remember your sunscreen is to use a daily moisturizer with SPF built right in! Sunblocks containing clear zinc oxide offer both UVA and UVB protection with the added benefit of the antioxidant properties of zinc." An easier way to remember sunscreen is; Wearing sunscreen everyday will significantly cut back on accumulative sun damage: It’s not about the SPF number, it’s how often and how much you re-apply your sunscreen.

Facials are equally important; an independent study at Harvard University has shown there is a strong connection between touch therapy and the overall heath of you skin and body. Having a facial is something that improves not only your skin, but also your overall health. Facials are recommended one at least every four to six weeks.
For the body as well as the face, the number one tip is exfoliation! For the body dry brushing and or body scrubs will turn over the dead skin cells and reward you with glowing skin. A gentle facial exfoliant applied 3-5 times a week or a facial will show much improvement for the health of the skin on the face.


Foods for healthy skin include: Berries, which give you a powerful punch of antioxidants that help you skin fight off free radical damage from the sun. Avocados are loaded with B-complex vitamins and essential fatty acids, which give avocados anti-inflammatory properties. Salmon is an important building block for healthy, younger skin by supplying essential fatty acids; whole grains contain selenium, which is an important mineral for maintaining healthy skin. Also, look to sweet potatoes for vitamin A (beta carotene) which does wonders to create a great complexion, green leafy veggies that are loaded with vitamins including zinc which contributes to a healthy glow to your skin, as well as citrus which contain vitamin C and bioflavonoids that help your body detoxify and support collagen in the skin, that helps keep the skin firm and young looking. We can't forget about olive oil, which provides healthy fats that are important maintaining healthy skin membranes. Your cell membranes hold water and help maintain the plump healthy look of your skin, and helps prevent wrinkles and age lines. Last but not lest antioxidants, are excellent to protect cell damage from the sun, Green Tea extracts and Grape Seed extracts, even pomegranate extracts, which is said to have more antioxidants that similar amount of green tea or even red wine.

Antiaging Secrets: Toners vs. Astringents

Why don't young people have wrinkles? Mostly because they have more facial fat, no sun damage, and gravity hasn't taken its toll. As we age, laugh lines appear around the mouth and eyes. Sometimes sleep lines, the temporary marks that appear after sleeping on a pillow, become permanent. Areas that are exposed to the sun may develop brown patches known as age spots or liver spots. Over time, the skin gradually loses its layer of subcutaneous fat, and skin can take on a gaunt appearance. This is why just cleansing your skin isn't enough.

Many people confuse toners and astringents, but they do different things. Usually toners are water based and slightly acidic in order to balance the pH of your skin. Toners are gentle and made to hydrate. They remove any leftover cleanser or dirt and help close pores. Astringents, on the other hand, are made to calm oily or inflamed skin. Teens with chronic acne can make the best use of astringents. If used on the wrong skin type, astringents can strip skin of protective oils.

Another good use of toners is as a refresher after exercise or on a hot day. If your skin type is normal, sensitive, dry, or mature, you will benefit from a toner. Toners can be made from Witch hazel, vinegar, glycerin, rose water, or distilled water. I think a good choice for an antiaging toner is glycerine because it's a vegetable-based fat.
http://face-natural.com/blog/natural-skin-care-articles/antiaging-secrets-toners-vs-astringents

Sleep...more than just for Beauty

Sleep: An Ayurvedic Perspective

by Shazia and Prana


“About 42 million sleeping pill prescriptions were filled last year, according to the research company IMS Health, up nearly 60 percent since 2000.” — The New York Times, February 7, 2006

There is a reason that millions of Americans are popping pills in their quest for rest. Studies have suggested that sleeping problems may be linked to obesity, depression, and diabetes—conditions which are epidemic in the United States. In a December 9, 2008 report published on www.medicalnewstoday.com, Professor Philippe Froguel of the Department of Genomic Medicine at Imperial College London pointed out, "we know that obese children tend to sleep badly and that people become more obese if they are not having enough sleep. Our new study demonstrates that abnormalities in the circadian rhythm may partly be causing diabetes and high blood sugar levels."
Clearly, sleep involves more than the bliss of closing your eyes at night. According to Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, getting quality sleep is one of the key ingredients of a healthy and joyful life. Sleep acts as a rejuvenator of mind and body, enabling us to have optimal functional performance during our waking hours. Even powerful medicine is of hardly any use if the fundamental ingredients of life are missing.
Sleep is important because it supports Ojas. Ojas is of the three treasures in Ayurveda (the other two being Prana (life force) and Tejas (radiant energy) that integrate body, mind, and spirit into a functioning individual. Ojas is the refined essence that is derived from the digestion and assimilation of food. It governs the growth and development processes in the body and enhances the immune system.
The state of deep sleep is achieved when our awareness is completely disconnected from our physical senses. If our awareness is only partially disconnected, then our quality of sleep may be adversely affected. Our lifestyle, eating habits and behavioral patterns create an imbalance of Vata (air), Pitta (fire) or Kapha (water) which eventually results in sleep imbalance. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the three Ayurvedic causative-patterns that govern all the different activities of the body and mind.
We all have varying amounts of Vata, Pitta and Kapha within us. If we pay attention to our resting patterns, we can discover more about our balance of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha and make simple changes to our diet and lifestyle to enhance our experience of sleep each night.
Vata sleep imbalance is related to problems with falling asleep. A Vata pacifying diet is recommended in Ayurveda to alleviate this problem. Consider including foods that are warm, heavy and oily, and minimize foods that are cold, dry and light. Add the sweet, salty and sour tastes, and cut down on spicy, bitter and astringent foods. Develop a routine of eating meals and going to bed at the same time. Apply a little lavender oil to your hands and feet before you go to bed. Also, practice deep and slow breathing meditation to help you unwind.
Follow a Pitta pacifying diet if you tend to wake up during the night. This is generally an indication of Pitta sleep imbalance. Try incorporating foods that are cool and in liquid form. Sweet, bitter, astringent foods are good in moderation. Reduce foods that are hot, spicy, salty or sour. Apply calming oil, such as vetiver or rose, before going to bed. Practice deep and slow breathing meditation to help calm your mind.
If you wake up feeling dull and lethargic, you may be experiencing a Kapha sleep imbalance. In this case, favor foods that are light, dry and warm. Minimize or avoid foods that are heavy, oily and cold. Place an emphasis upon warm spices and tastes that are bitter and astringent. Avoid sweet and sour tasting foods. Massaging feet with warming massage oil such as rosemary or eucalyptus will help.
When appropriately chosen and practiced regularly, an Ayurvedic diet combined with a blend of essential oils and breathing meditation can create a relaxing and calming atmosphere to balance your body, mind, and spirit so that you wake up feeling rested and rejuvenated.
http://www.visionmagazine.com/archives/0901/Holistic_Living_Sleep.html

Tropical Eye Cream

Ingredients: 2 tbsp grated cocoa butter (find at health food stores); 3 tbsp coconut oil

Mix ingredients in an heat-proof container. Melt in microwave or in a water bath. Pour the melted mixture into a small clean container and allow it to cool completely. To use, apply nightly under your eyes. Makes 3 oz.

Hand and Foot Sugar Scrub

Ingredients: 2 tbsp light olive oil (not extra-virgin, which gets sticky) or grapeseed oil;
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Rub this mixture onto hands and feet, focusing on calloused areas. Rinse under warm water and pat dry. Voila! Fabulously silky-smooth skin.

credit to total beauty

Healthy Appearance

Facial appearance

Negative emotions can alter the appearance of the face by triggering stress hormones that cause acne outbreaks, dilating the pupils, which makes your eye color appear to change, and brings on frowns and scowls that can etch lasting lines.

Overall Health

Bad moods can harm your health. Chronic depression can lead to headaches, backaches, muscle pain, poor sleep and possibly even decreased immune functioning and cardiovascular damage. Thousands of women turn their lives around every year, but it's easier to start by driving in the right direction in the first place. Come out from under the covers and start now!


Our beauty regime should evolve as the years pass


When you're young, it's not hard to look great. It's all about natural beauty and simply taking care of your health. As you get older, it's a lot more work to look as young and healthy as you can. And every year it takes more. Don't wait for the whole thing to fall down. Looking beautiful is a journey and not a destination, and if you want to be beautiful, it's a daily process.

Natural Make~Up

The History of Make~Up

From the copper and lead ore that the ancient Egyptians used to create the world's first cosmetics to the scientifically advanced products of today that can do everything from hide pores, smooth complexions and turn the pale green of your eyes a vivid shade of emerald, makeup has been an integral part of humankind for thousands of years. Over the centuries, women used burnt matches to darken their eyes, berries to stain their lips and young boys' urine to fade their freckles. They even swallowed ox blood in some misguided attempt to improve their complexions. Women throughout history put their health at risk with many of their homemade cosmetics. In some cultures, for example, women used arsenic, lead, mercury and even leeches to give themselves the pale appearance deemed beautiful in the old days.

Make~Up Today

You have many choices today in cosmetics and coming to the forefront rapidly is the Natural and Organic. They don't contain synthetic FD&C dyes, artificial fragrances, or petro-chemicals. Because natural makeups are made from mineral pigments and organic plant extracts, oils and waxes, they're gentle and healing.
There is also the category of Skin Care Make~Up which allows the skin to breath and function normally while still protecting it from air-born pollutants.

Camouflage Make~Up

Is great for any Vascular Lesions including Rosacea, Pigmentary Disorders, Scars, Chronic Skin Diseases including acne and Temporary outcomes after surgery such as laser, chemical peels, dermabrasion and surgical procedures and Temporary Tattoo removal.