NatActive

Answer

from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.

Research on the best foods for healthy skin is limited. Still, antioxidant-rich foods seem to have a protective effect for the skin.

Consider these skin-friendly foods:

• Carrots, apricots, and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables
• Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
• Tomatoes
• Blueberries
• Beans, peas and lentils
• Salmon, mackerel and other fatty fish
• Nuts

On the flip side, some foods seem to be associated with skin damage. For example, some research suggests that a diet high in processed or refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats promotes skin aging.

Remember, many of the best foods for healthy skin also promote good health overall. Rather than focusing on specific foods for healthy skin, concentrate on a healthy diet in general. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Choose low-fat or fat ... Read more »

Good skin care — including sun protection and gentle cleansing — can keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Don't have time for intensive skin care? Pamper yourself with the basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay the natural aging process and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense tips.

1. Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.

For the most complete sun protection:

• Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if y ... Read more »

Dark Hair: Cocoa, Chocolate, or Strong Coffee

Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler and cool it down a bit, so that you don’t burn your scalp. Alternatively, blend half-cup of cocoa powder with half-cup of organic plain yogurt, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or two tablespoons of lemon juice. You need some gentle acid to help pigments penetrate your hair shaft. Another bonus: an absolutely gorgeous shine.

... Read more »

A lavish, supple, glossy silver mane is incredibly attractive and can tell a lot of good things about woman’s health and her realistic approach to aging. Yet, most women I know would prefer toxic dye jobs than letting their hair age gracefully. Unfortunately, the only way to reliably cover gray hair is to use permanent hair dye, and if you are after permanence, you end up with ammonia and peroxide. The more dramatic change of color you want, the more chemicals you end up with, so it’s best to stick to your own color and play with ammonia-free dyes to enhance your natural beauty.

If you decided to stop coloring your hair and embrace your gray locks, your first task would be to prevent the telltale border between your natural color and the artificial one. "You can strip out all the permanent color, but that takes a lot of chemicals,” says Manhattan hairstylist John Masters, who pioneered the art of organic hair care and non-toxic dyes in his John Masters Organics ... Read more »

A lavish, supple, glossy silver mane is incredibly attractive and can tell a lot of good things about woman’s health and her realistic approach to aging. Yet, most women I know would prefer toxic dye jobs than letting their hair age gracefully. Unfortunately, the only way to reliably cover gray hair is to use permanent hair dye, and if you are after permanence, you end up with ammonia and peroxide. The more dramatic change of color you want, the more chemicals you end up with, so it’s best to stick to your own color and play with ammonia-free dyes to enhance your natural beauty.

If you decided to stop coloring your hair and embrace your gray locks, your first task would be to prevent the telltale border between your natural color and the artificial one. "You can strip out all the permanent color, but that takes a lot of chemicals,” says Manhattan hairstylist John Masters, who pioneered the art of organic hair care and non-toxic dyes in his John Masters Organics s ... Read more »

It appears I was right. In March 2008, scientists from the University of Kyoto found that when mice inhaled titanium dioxide microparticles, they are invaded in alveolar, transferred to organs through blood vessels and may express biological effects were carried. After animals inhaled titanium dioxide p ... Read more »

Vitamin E is perhaps the most effective and least irritating vitamin that can breathe a new life in your skin around eyes. Vitamin E a great antioxidant, it looks great under makeup, and it works to make wrinkles less deep and pronounced. It usually takes me ten days to notice results with daily vitamin E oil application. Look for the natural vitamin E (tocotrienols, not tocopherol acetate) in health food stores.

You can also find a supplement in capsule form where vitamin E is blended with vitamin C. This mix works even more effective, but you must keep it well away from the lash line and avoid direct contact with eyes, as it can sting due to the acidic nature ... Read more »

Emollients: beeswax, squalene from olive oil, jojoba and other plant oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, plant-derived silicones. Thickening agents like triglycerides, palmitates, myristates and stearates may be pore-clogging.

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lavender florets

1 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Method

Crush lavender florets with pestle and mortar. Stir in the applesauc ... Read more »