WATER WATER WATER

I can't stress enough how amazing water is for your skin and to prove it I did a little project of my own to see just how effective water was.

For one week I didn't drink  pure water. I just drank pop or milk or sports drink for 7 days. I felt more tired, my skin looked horrible and started breaking out (I didn't try any new products either so I knew it wasn't from that), I didn't have much success expelling my food if you know what I mean ;), my hair looked dry, I had bags under my eyes, etc. Now having said all of that let me say this: I didn't look like death by any means. I could still function, work, play, all that jazz but I did notice a difference in so many areas. Enough to make me want to drink even more water and less sugar now. Our bodies need water to survive and look healthy, just like it needs fresh fruits and veggies. :) Here are some links I found on the benefits of drinking water:

http://www.health-benefit-of-water.com/benefit-of-drinking-water.html

http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/benefits-of-drinking-water.html

http://www.thedietchannel.com/Top-4-Benefits-of-Drinking-Water.htm

http://www.health-benefit-of-water.com/drinking-water.html

I really enjoyed reading these articles about water. I know this isn't a super exciting post about makeup or looking "2beautiful" but I promise you without water no amount of makeup will help out at all! Water is vital in looking good and feeling great. And don't forget water helps in weight loss! If you can't stand the taste of water mix sugar free flavor packets with it. I do this daily so I don't ever get bored with the taste.

I challenge you to try drinking nothing but water for one week, 8-10 glasses per day, and see the difference yourself. (Be sure and still eat lol I'm not saying just drink water only) If you don't see a difference it can only be because you already drink lots o water :)

Be refreshed and hydrated always!!

This article was too good not to share! ENJOY!

How To Get Great Skin Naturally

Treat Acne, Oily Skin, Dryness, Sunburn, Eczema, Wrinkles, Calluses

 

There's no reason not to take care of your skin when these ingredients can be found in your kitchen. Try these natural tips for healthy, clean skin.

 

 

Try these easy natural beauty tips to look great and stay healthy. All of these ingredients are used in commercially prepared products – and they’re just a kitchen away.

Treating Acne

For persistent acne gently scrub the skin on your face or other problem area of your body with sea salt and a few drops of neem oil or a teaspoon of neem powder (both are available available at South Asian grocers). The salt is an antiseptic and the neem oil acts as an anti-fungal. Rinse off and wash face with your regular cleanser. Cinnamon or nutmeg powder can also be used with neem oil or honey to banish acne-causing bacteria.

Cleansing and Toning Skin

Banish oily skin with a homemade lemon toner. Combine lemon juice, distilled water and witch hazel in a clean bottle. Shake well before each use apply with a cotton pad. The lemon juice exfoliates the skin and evens out uneven skin tone while witch hazel is a herbal antibacterial cleanser.

 

 

Also try a yogurt mask to cleanse, exfoliate and boost circulation. Yogurt contains lactic acid, which dissolves dead skin cells. Add oatmeal or chickpea powder for oilier skin.

Honey is the perfect face mask for all types of skin. It has natural anti-bacterial and cleansing qualities for acne-prone skin and it hydrates, heals and balances dry skin. If you feel a burning sensation, rinse off immediately; some people are allergic to honey.


Soothing Eczema, Sunburns and Redness

Soothe minor eczema and dry skin flare-ups by applying olive oil directly to the irritated area. Rub the olive oil into the skin and leave on to nourish and heal the skin and create a barrier so skin won’t dry out.

Minor sunburns and other small burns can be treated with a cold compress of black or green tea. Brew a cup of tea and let cool completely by placing the pot in cold water or an ice bowl. Soak a small clean towel in the cold tea and apply it to the area. The tea contains phytonutrients which reduces inflamed blood vessels and helps to heal the burn faster.

Soak away feet calluses and rough hands. Give your toes a 30 minute bath in warm tea. The tannic acid in tea gently dissolves away calluses and rough dead skin build up. Any kind of tea will work but black tea is the best, simply add a teabag or two to a foot bath and let it brew.
Soothe redness with tomatoes. Lycopene a natural antioxidant found in tomatoes helps balance the skin’s pH balance ad improves ruddy, uneven complexions while the fruit acids get rid of excess skin oil. Try using fresh tomato juice like a toner and let it dry before rinsing with tepid water or make a mask by combining mashed tomato pulp with facial mask clay or finely ground oatmeal.

Get Glowing Skin and Shrink Pores

Glow with a ginger body scrub. The molecular properties of ginger cause a warming effect because they draw blood to the surface helping to increase circulation for healthy skin repair. Make your own natural ginger body scrub by combining freshly grated ginger root, coconut oil or olive oil and sugar. Rub mixture over your skin and let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing with tepid water.

Grapefruit is not only part of a healthy breakfast, it can also shrink pores. Citric acid, grapefruit’s main component acts as a mild astringent and exfoliator getting deep down into the pores to remove dirt and impurities for clean, fresh skin. Use grapefruit juice alone applied as a toner and rinsed off after a few minutes or make your own grapefruit cleanser with olive oil, grapefruit juice and borax powder.

Hydrate Dry Skin

Quench dry, weather-beaten skin with an avocado facial. Simply mash or puree a piece of avocado and apply to skin. Leave on for about 15 minutes before rinsing off with tepid water. Avocados are loaded with vitamin E and monounsaturated fats and will keep skin cells nicely hydrated whether applied as a mask or eaten.
Take a break from your everyday products and try these gentle age-old kitchen remedies to soothe and refresh your skin. Always store any left over product in a tightly covered container in the fridge and use within five to seven days for best results