Tips beyond beauty

Fact: you don’t have to be model material or have immaculate hair or skin to be beautiful. True beauty resides in how you feel about yourself and how well you take care of your body.

Feel comfortable in your own skin and this confidence WILL radiate out in your body language, mannerisms and how you interact with others.

Think about it…

How often have you met someone whose personality is so big, warm and inviting that you never realised that they were barely 5ft? Instead of getting caught up on their height, you were instantly drawn to the strength and awe of their personality.

This applies to appearances too.

You could have the biggest outbreak of acne in the world, but if you’re confident in your appearance; people will never realise that you’ve hidden it under layers of foundation. They’ll be more interested in your inner beauty.

So what can you do to feel better in your skin? To rid yourself of these self-esteem and confidence issues?

The first step is learning how to take care of yourself.

A healthier you = a happier you = bolstered confidence = a radiant you who’s beauty shines through in every interaction

Tips for keeping your hair, skin and body healthy

Like we mentioned before, keeping your body healthy will naturally raise your self-esteem and confidence levels. And if you feel more confident, you’ll feel more beautiful too.

Below, we have come up with a range of tips to help you take care of your body without spending countless pennies on products:

1. Eyes – work, stress, not enough hours in the day to get plenty of sleep? All can contribute to the appearance of bags under your eyes. Now sure, you could mask them with foundation; however, using chilled tea bags can help to eliminate this puffiness for good.
   
   The trick is to briefly steep 2 green, black or chamomile tea bags in hot water for under a minute; remove them from the water and leave them to chill in your fridge. When ready, place 1 bag over each closed eye and leave for 5-15 minutes.
   
   Now, if you’ve got dark circles under your eyes you can try applying arnica gel. It contains powerful anti-inflammatories that can reduce swelling and the appearance of these circles.
   
   
2. Lips – ever dreamed of having ‘brighter lips’? Using raspberries and coconut oil can help you to achieve this look. Simply put a tablespoon of coconut oil into a saucepan and heat over a low flame until it liquefies. Remove from heat and add 4 fresh red raspberries and mash until smooth. Leave this mixture in your fridge to go firm. Once ready, you can use it aslip-gloss.

Another technique you can try is using shea butter and coconut oil. Mixed in equal parts they can nourish your lips and act like a natural chapstick (again leave in your fridge to set).

• Face-lift – yoga is not just good for your body. Inverted poses can also help to improve your circulation and give your face a little extra lift and vitality. One pose to try is the downward dog which you should hold for 1-5 minutes.
  
  
• Soft skin – this next tip is particularly good if you suffer from dry skin, as a blend of pomegranate, raspberry and sweet almond oils can all help to hydrate your skin. This should be used as part of a regular routine – being applied after cleansing or after you’ve put on make-up – as it is rich in antioxidants.
  
  To make you will need equal parts pomegranate seed oil, raspberry seed oil and sweet almond oil. Once blended put 3-6 drops of the mixture onto your palm, rub together (between your hands) until warm and then using your fingertips apply it to the dry areas on your face or where you’ve got fine lines or wrinkles.
  
  Another way to hydrate your skin and keep it looking fresh is to drink a glass of fresh unsweetened coconut water every morning, before drinking it throughout the day. Alternatively, you can modify your diet to include salmon, avocado, olives and coconut as they are all good at improving your skin tone.
  
  
• Protect against sun damage – excess exposure to the sun and UV rays can naturally damage your skin. So alongside making sure you stay out of the sun and use at least SPF 15 every two hours; you can also start eating wild salmon, krill, shrimp, lobster, crabs and crayfish. All of these are rich in astaxanthin (a strong antioxidant) that can help protect your skin from sun damage, as they can effectively act like an internal sunblock. Several servings of any of these fishes (per week) can help to protect your skin.
  
  
• Remove dead skin – we naturally shed dead skin cells daily (creating dust), but using an organic papaya mask (an enzymatic exfoliant) can help to remove it all and revitalise your face. This eliminates the need to use chemical exfoliants that contain many abrasive ingredients which can irritate the skin.
  
  Papaya contains papain and pineapple contains bromelain. Together these enzymes can help to naturally exfoliate your skin so it is smooth and soft.
  
  To make, scoop out a ¼ cup of raw papaya flesh, mash and blend with 1 tablespoon of fresh pineapple. Apply this mixture to dry skin and leave for 5-15 minutes. Next rinse it off with cool water.
  
  Note: as this mixture works to dissolve dry, dead skin, you will only need to use it once or twice a week.
  
  
• Acne – if this is the bane of your life, then simply cutting out sugar can help you to achieve radiant skin. You see, sugar may taste great but it can contribute to inflammation on the skin e.g. acne, dry itchy skin and wrinkles. Cutting it out of your diet for 10 days, can help to reduce this inflammation.
  
  
• Fine lines and wrinkles – our natural collagen levels deplete with age triggering wrinkles as our skin loses strength and elasticity. To help raise these levels, you can add bone broth, gelatine (containing collagen) and foods rich in Vitamin C to your diet.
  
  
• Cleansing– instead of stripping your skin of natural oils, switch from using bars of soap to liquid soaps that don’t lather. These will help to nourish your skin whilst you cleanse. Good oils to use include argan and almond oil as they will act as natural cleansers.
  
  
• Washing – you should use only warm water – not hot – and try to limit how long you are in the bath or shower.
  
  
• Stress – this bad boy is one of the biggest triggers for premature aging, acne, eczema, rosacea and vitiligo. The best way to combat them is to get plenty of sleep; meditate and exercise regularly. Sleeping can rejuvenate your skin, whilst meditation and moderate exercise can both help you to manage stress more effectively(by releasing ‘happy’ hormones).
  
  
• Skin repair – our skin needs certain micronutrients to aid skin repair and turnover. Zinc, vitamin A and vitamin C can all help you to achieve a healthy glow, as well as reduce acne, eczema and premature aging. Similarly, you can use aloe vera to treat irritated skin. This gel contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and healing properties that will stop the breakdown of collagen (caused by this irritation) and instead will nourish it so it is smooth and healthy.
  
  
• Hair –an easy way to add more shine to your hair is to mix one egg with mashed up banana. Apply to your hair as a thick paste and leave for 10-30 minutes, then wash out following your usual washing routine.
  
  Another trick you can try is creating your own shampoo. This can help to eliminate build up and leave it looking silky smooth. Simply mix ¼ cup of organic apple cider vinegar with a cup of water. Pour onto your hair, rub in and wash off like normal before finishing with your usual conditioner.
  
  
• Nails – your nails need moisturising just as much as your skin. We recommend soaking your nails in olive oil for 5 minutes every day.
  
  
• Knees and elbows – an easy way to soften up any rough patches is to cut an orange in half and rub it into your knees and elbows. Not only does it smell nice, but it is easy to wash off afterwards.
  
  
• Body scrub – to eradicate dead cells off your entire body and achieve softer, glowing skin mix olive oil with sea salt (ratio of 2:1) and use it as a body scrub. You can also try dry brushing to detoxify your body. This can help to stimulate your organs; boost your lymphatic system;get rid of dead skin cells; strengthen your immune system; eliminate cellulite, and tighten your skin (through better circulation). All you need is the right type of brush and you can spruce up your body.

Then of course there are lifestyle and dietary changes you can try which can help to improve your natural health and beauty:

• Quite smoking – smoking causes the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin to narrow causing a reduction in blood, nutrition and oxygen. Similarly it can damage the collagen and elastin your cells causing your skin to lose strength and elasticity. Long term it can age your skin and cause wrinkles.
  
  
• Diet – it is important to get plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. In terms of fats, you need to increase your fish oil intake and decrease unhealthy fats. With carbs, avoid any processed or refined carbohydrates.
  
   – Increase your Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Selenium and Omega-3 fats as they can help to rid your body of free radicals, and protect you from sun exposure, inflammation and damage done to your collagen. Good foods for all of these include: strawberries, blueberries, oranges, kiwis, papaya, sweet potatoes, almonds, avocadoes, hazelnuts, pine nuts, spinach, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, fish, eggs, tomatoes, broccoli, shrimp, lamb, carrots, oranges, cantaloupe, kale, squash,
   walnuts, flaxseed, canola oil, tuna and salmon.
  
  
• Hydration – you should drink between 6-8 glasses of water a day to keep your skin hydrated and make wrinkles less noticeable. Water helps to increase your cells nutrient intake, flush out toxins, reduce inflammation, improve digestion and boost your metabolism and energy levels.
  
  
• Beauty courses – you might be thinking ‘why on earth is this on the list?’ but hear us out. Online beauty courses have the power to educate you on the best ways to take care of your body, hair and skin.
  
  Many of the above treatments are employed by professional beauty therapists (as well as numerous others); so take the time to do an online beauty course and you can discover every trick to enhancing your natural beauty.
  
  Hair, skin, nails, body… you can learn it all and do it from the comfort of your own home. Click here to learn about beauty courses.

Take the time to look after your body – both on the inside and the outside – and you CAN improve your confidence. You CAN feel more comfortable in your own skin. You CAN feel beautiful.

And the best news is – you can achieve it all naturally without having to spend hundreds on beauty products.