Organic Beauty Secrets

There's nothing I love more than hearing what other women do to stay beautiful. And the older the woman, the better. I really don't want to hear a 20 something talk about how to stay slim and youthful when gravity, sunlight, poor dietary choices, and life's toils hasn't had its effect, yet. Now, as a woman over 40, I think I've earned the right to share a few of the tricks in my bag for staying radiant, so here it goes...

Diet
I'll be brief here, since we all know this in the back of our heads: If you're really serious about looking your best and aging well, then you need to eat a clean diet. No synthetic chemicals, preservatives, colorings, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc. Eating chemicals is taxing to the liver (which is our fountain of youth organ) and will not give you the body or the glow you want. Eat fresh, organic food from nature, not from a corporate produced bag or box. I've managed to stay the same weight for most of my life, but I do work at it. I cut out processed foods long ago and I really attribute it to slowing the aging process down. I have also never been that person who can eat whatever they want and not gain weight. I've just figured out what foods work for me. The dietary principles that have been successful for me (and many of my clients) are:

1. A low glycemic diet. Sugar will age you, and not just sugar, anything that converts to sugar in the body like starches and grains. Sugar also causes hormonal imbalance and weight gain.
2. Plant based diet. I eat a predominately plant based diet and much of it raw. If you want to know exactly what foods I eat and why, check out my books.
3. No late night snacking. I eat my dinner no later than 3 hours before bed, but most days 4-5 hours before bed and that's it. No food till morning. This night time "mini fast" ensures I get a nice big surge of fat burning, anti-aging human growth hormone during the night.

There's so much more I could say about eating for beauty, but I will save it for another post. But, if you want to read a wonderful book about the subject, I recommend Eating for Beautyby David Wolfe. Just remember that the closer you eat to nature and the less exposure you have to toxins the better you will look and feel. Other things that bring out our natural beauty is kindness and laughter so practice doing both every day!

Now let's dive into the fun stuff. Skin care secrets! Here are some of the products I use to get the glow. You can watch the video below and read on to see what my favorite tools in my skincare toolbox are. All of these products contain NO chemicals or synthetic anything. What's in your skincare? If it's chock full of toxins then it will only age you. Rethink what you're putting on your body as you read on.

Worker B Honey Face Wash
I love the cute letter press labels, their ethical cultivation of bee products and their line of skincare. They use the best quality ingredients to formulate their unique face washes and serums. The face washes come in Normal to Oily and Normal to Dry and are in a base of raw honey and organic oil blends. I have oily skin so I thought it was a bit strange to wash my face with more oil, but I learned that oil breaks down oil. Oil cleansing has been around for a long time and is much better for your skin than stripping it with soaps. Here's how you do it:

1. Wet your hands and apply a small amount of cleanser
2. Massage into your skin for 1-2 minutes
3. Run a washcloth under hot or very warm water and then squeeze out excess
4. Apply to face until cool. Repeat if necessary. This will open the pores.
5. Use the cloth to gently wipe off cleanser

Voila! You now have clean skin that is soft and hydrated. I also use this cleanser as a mask. I'll apply it and go about my business for 30 minutes and then wash it off. You can also add some sugar to make a scrub.

The benefits: Honey has natural antibacterial and antimicrobial effects and is great for wound healing. It can be very effective for helping breakouts as well as improving the appearance of acne scars. Click here to see photos on how raw honey can radically heal acne breakouts.

Worker B Dusk and Dawn Serum
After I cleanse my face I apply a few drops of the serums. The dawn serum is a light blend of organic oils that prime and protect the skin while the dusk serum is more dense for nourishment and repair. All the different ingredients have wonderful antioxidant properties and help strengthen collagen. Click here for the ingredient list.

Benefits: Softens and moisturizes the skin and lessens the appearance of fine lines. My skin looks firmer and healthier. My surfer husband has been using it as well to help combat the effects of all the sun exposure. His skin looks noticeably softer and younger since he started using it 6 months ago.

Living Libations
The owner of Living Libations is an essential oils expert and a stickler for absolute purity in her products. She puts so much love and integrity into her line and it shows. Everything smells and looks great and you can feel the high vibrational energy when you use it.

Blushing Balm
Some people think I inject my lips to make them fuller. Nope! My secret for pouty lips is a pretty little pot of Maidenfern Blushing Balm. I massage a bit of balm for a solid minute to increase circulation in my lips. It creates a rosy tint as well as a pretty, moisturizing shine. It contains a blend of different essential oils in a base of jojoba, olive oil and beeswax. The mildly spicy blend of cinnamon, peppermint, cayenne, and turmeric give your lips a flushed fullness. You can also use it on your cheeks for a natural, dewy blush. One jar lasts for months and will easily become a favorite item in your makeup bag. For complete ingredient list click here.

Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever
I use this on my body after I shower. It smells great and leaves my skin soft and toned. No alligator skin here. You can even use it as a facial cleanser. Just follow the same steps I outlined for the Honey Face Wash. Just a note for acne prone people, some don't do well with jojoba oil. And for the expectant mothers out there, I heard this is amazing for preventing stretch marks. The ingredients are a blend of jojoba, coco creme, seabuckthorn, tamanu, lavender, vetiver, grapefruit and palmarosa. All are wonderful for nourishing the skin and calming irritation. It's the seabuckthorn and tamanu that hold much of the healing powers in this blend. Both are great for skin problems like eczema, acne, burns and scar healing as well as being rich in skin protecting antioxidants.

Botanica Mist Functional Body Spray from Omica Organics
I add this unique body spray to my face and body before I moisturize. It contains a blend of plant hydrosols (water that is created from the distillation of essential oils), magnesium oil, ionic angstrom silver and fulvic acid. It makes a great toner and it's a cool way to supplement your skin with nutrients. Magnesium is an essential mineral that needs to be replenished daily. Often our diets are lacking in magnesium, so this is a way to get a little boost. Using magnesium oil topically can help reduce inflammation and improve skin hydration. Silver has antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial properties which is also great for skin irritation while fulvic acid contains trace minerals. It also comes in a violet glass bottle which blocks all light and preserves the precious contents.

Orange Owl Body Butters
This is a cute little skin care line from the east coast started by a fellow nutritionist/health coach. I fell in love with her yummy, whipped body butters and use them post shower or anytime I need hydration. A little goes a long way and they come in a few different varieties. I even have a Naturally Naked one that I add my own essential oils to. I alternate these with the Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever since they have totally different ingredients. Just like we eat a variety of different foods, why not feed our skin a variety of different nutrients as well. These butters come in a base of mango butter, organic almond oil, organic olive oil, vitamin E oil, and grapefruit seed extract and come in Naturally Naked, Zingy Luxury, Orange Joy and Lemon Lift.

Remember, that what you put on your skin is just as important as what you eat. Our skin is our biggest organ and it needs nourishment and protection. Anything you apply will absorb into the bloodstream, so check your products at home and make sure you're only giving it the best stuff possible.

For more awesome products go to my City & Sea Trading shop. Stay beautiful!!