Ain't No Beauty Like Natural Beauty
Beauty seems like it is something that changes with generations. And to some extent it does. But one thing that doesn’t change is the fact that beauty is a representation of your health. Being beautiful is a combination of health, confidence, happiness, and some style. Aspects like style and health are what change with the times. For instance, back in the old days a woman was considered more beautiful if she was more fat, because food was scarce, and women that had large fat stores were more likely to survive.
They were hence considered healthier. Now the situation has switched upside down (for the first world population at least). Food is in surplus and with many not able to control how much processed, chemical and sugar filled junk they eat, being overweight now comes with diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, hormone disruption, and the likes of that. Health in modern day is perceived as being lean (yet not unnaturally thin) and having muscle tone. Of course societal culture influences our perceptions too, but when it comes down to it, we are hard wired by a process called natural selection, to find health irresistibly sexy.
Girls everywhere for generations strive to find ways to make ourselves more beautiful. People invent products, they advertise them, try to convince you that you need them, and sometimes are very successful. But what we sometimes forget is that the best remedies are the ones nature has made us herself. Natural remedies often work better than any brand name product, because they make us healthier. Expensive does not always mean the best. So here are a few natural beauty tips that have worked wonderfully for many, and can for you too.
Coconut Oil: I recently started using coconut oil as a moisturizer for the skin, and think it works better than any cream I’ve ever used. Supermodel Irina shayk said in an interview that she uses it as a moisturizer. Since its natural, no chemicals like parabens or alcohols will damage your skin or cause long term health risks. Not to mention it smells heavenly. You can use it for the face or body, but if you have oily or problematic facial skin, an oil-free moisturizer is better. It’s also very healthy to eat.
Honey: Honey is filled with minerals that make your skin smooth and glowing if used as a face mask. It is also exfoliating (if you get cream honey). TV host Padma Lakshmi swears by honey as her skin-smoothing and anti-aging remedy. Her skin is quite inspiring! After cleansing, massage honey onto your skin and leave on for a few minutes. Afterwards rinse it off and moisturize. It’s great to do in the shower.
We Heart it
Sugar: Sugar is one of the gentlest exfoliators out there. Mix sugar with your regular facial cleansing gel to make a good exfoliator. Massage over your face and rinse.
Olive Oil: This is a very old beauty remedy used by the ancient Greeks and beyond. Weather ingested or applied topically, it is incredibly healthy for you, and is great for your skin and hair. Use olive oil as a moisturizing hair mask, something that Naomi Campbell is known for doing. Rub it into your hair and scalp before sleep and shampoo in the morning. You can mix other things like avocado and flax-seed oil into the mask to make it even more nutritious. It’s a bit uncomfortable to do this, but is good to do every now and then to give your hair a moisture boost. You can also rub a little olive oil into breakage-prone nails to help them grow stronger and healthier. You can remove eye-makeup with olive oil, and also mix it with sugar to make a moisturizing body-exfoliator. Don’t forget to add it to your salad too.
Argan Oil: This is a precious and very difficult to make oil, however it is extremely good for your skin and hair. Instead of using a cream, supermodel Elsa Hosk uses argan oil as a facial moisturizer. It’s very gentle and gives you a glow. It’s perfect to pat over your skin in the dry wintertime climate. However for people with combination skin, this is not the best option. You can also apply some argan oil to the ends of your hair to moisturize and make it look healthier. I love using it to remove eye make-up.
And the final yet most important two beauty remedies: Sleep and Fitness. These are the trickiest ones because they are the ones that require the most time, something that we often don’t have. I know it’s something I didn’t have while on my recent 1.5 month non-stop summer trip around Europe. However sleep is highly important, because it is during this time that the body restores and repairs itself. Skin gets rejuvenated, muscles get built, hormones are balanced, and growth happens. Fitness is important not only for the obvious reason of making you fit, but working out regularly also makes your skin clear and glowing, and makes your hair healthier. This is because it balances out the processes inside your body.
Why use chemical-infested products, that may have health damaging effects on your body, when you can often just use something natural? Our body was made by nature, and sometimes it reacts best to the things that nature made as well.
Top Photo Courtesy: We Heart It
