50 Ways To Great Skin :: At Any Age

EATING FOR HEALTH

There are far too many foods with incredible health benefits to list here but the following are a good start. We’ve known about the benefits of natural and organic ingredients for thousands of years and there are discoveries being made constantly as science allows us to unlock the secrets of even more of nature’s most potent phytonutrients.

33. Antioxidants are the superstars of the skincare world. Behind sun exposure, the damaging effects of free-radicals are the second biggest cause of aging. Our skin is under constant siege from free-radicals that are formed when skin is over-exposed to conditions such as sun, smoking and pollution. Use skincare that contains high amounts of antioxidant ingredients to scavenge and neutralize free-radicals.

34. Vitamins A, C & E are thought to be the most potent antioxidants but every day new discoveries are being made of plant sources rich in antioxidant ingredients. Australian Kakadu Plum, Green Tea and Oat Beta Glucan are some of these. Look out for antioxidant ingredients on the labels of your skincare.

35. Otherwise known as Essential Fatty Acids, Omega 3, 6 & 9 are considered critical at a cellular level for healthy skin. Nut oils, butters, olive oil, borage oil, pomegranate seed oil, flax seed oil and fruit kernel oils are all good sources of EFA’s. Beware, not all oils are considered equal. Cold-pressed, virgin and organic are the best to buy and make sure you store flax seed, borage and other temperature sensitive oils in a cool place to prevent the oils from becoming rancid.

36. You can make your own body scrubs by mixing organic sugar or salt with your favorite oils. This is a great way to moisturize and exfoliate in one hit.

37. Alpha Hydroxy and Beta Hydroxy Acids are amazing for dissolving dead skin cells, encouraging skin renewal and generally refining the texture and tone of skin. Using these gentle fruit acids will make your skin smooth, even, and radiant. Tip: The inside of pineapple rinds is full of fruit acids so before you throw them in your compost, smear them all over clean skin and leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse.

38. Coconut is well documented for a myriad of health benefits. The oil is amazing for hair, skin, nails and wounds – in fact, it can be used for almost any kind of skin issue. On top of that, drinking coconut water daily provides more energy, natural salts and potassium than a sugar filled energy drink – without the calories.

39. Jojoba Oil has an almost identical lipid profile as skin, so it’s able to be more readily absorbed into skin than almost any other oil. For that reason you’ll find this beautiful, lightweight, emollient oil in a lot of organic & natural beauty products.

40. Shea Butter is almost the holy grail of emollients. Absolutely loaded with good fats and oils it’s renowned for its skin softening and healing abilities. You will find this in many organic and natural body products.

41. Aloe Vera is one of the most potent skin healing plants on the planet. Particularly useful for after sun care and is often now used as a base in many skincare lines, replacing water.