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Monday, July 30, 2012

Foods That Double as Great Skin Care Products

Having sensitive skin is the worst. As a teenager, I knew very little about skin care except no matter how many facial washes, astringents, or moisturizers I tried, I still felt like a horrible zit monster. Looking back, I realize I was probably using too many harsh products for my sensitive skin. While I still have some skin issues from time to time, I've found that for my fickle combination skin, natural remedies work best.



In fact, several common foods and pantry items often yield great results when it comes to skin care. Would you believe it that smearing honey all over your face would even your skin tone? How about strawberry juice as an astringent? I'm serious, they're amazing. Here's my list of foods that you might want to work in to your skin care regimen:



1. Raw honey. I bow at the altar of honey. I'm not kidding, raw honey masks will change your skin. My friends are all tired of hearing about it, but here's why I'm so obsessed with raw honey: it is a natural antiseptic and is also antimicrobial, so it helps heal your skin while killing the bacteria that causes acne. It helps balance out oily skin while also keeping your skin moisturized. AND it can even out skin tone and red splotches (in my personal experience). 

Basically, its a miracle worker, especially for sensitive skin. You can use it in one of two ways: either smear raw honey all over your face as a mask, or dab it on as a spot treatment. As a mask, leave the honey on for 5-10 minutes then rinse off with warm water. For best results, don't use a toner afterwards. This mask can be done daily.

2. Plain yogurt. Yogurt is another popular mask for acne treatment. Also good for sensitive skin, yogurt contains lactic acid, which can make skin feel smooth. Yogurt masks can also help reduce redness and tighten pores. Like honey, it has antibacterial properties that work in clearing up acne. You can also mix various ingredients into yogurt to make a number of different masks, such as honey, oatmeal or lemon juice. Leave yogurt masks on for 10-15 minutes and rinse with warm water. Downside: some people have yogurt allergies. If you feel any itching or irritation, wash it off right away.

3. Strawberries. Strawberries contain salicylic acid, which is a main ingredient in most drugstore cleansers and astringents! Who woulda thunk, huh? To use as a toner, slice up fresh strawberries and rub a few slices on your face to coat with strawberry juice. Wipe off with a warm wash cloth after a 10-15 minutes. Strawberries help tone and tighten skin. There are also a ton of variations of strawberry masks that can be made. Eating strawberries also helps fight acne!

4. Eggs. I love egg masks. I do them in two parts: Egg white mask followed by an egg yolk mask. Leave the egg white mask on until it dries completely, then wash off completely with warm water. Apply the egg yolk for another 10-15 minutes, then wipe off with a warm wash cloth. Egg whites are great for firming up skin. No joke, I can't move my face once an egg white mask has completely dried. However, when you wipe it off your skin will feel tight and dry. While this helps reduce redness and inflammation, the egg yolk mask helps moisturize and soften skin. Overall, its a great combo, and it works great if you do it right at the first sign of new zits (that's such an awful word, isn't it?). This is a great once or twice a week mask, and works well for combo/oily skin and is a godsend for PMS time.  Downside: dealing with raw eggs. If you're uncomfortable with that, there's plenty of other natural skin remedies to choose from!

5. Apple Cider Vinegar. Ok, it may smell awful, but apple cider vinegar works great as a natural toner. It will help smooth and exfoliate skin as well as reduce acne redness. It has antiseptic and antibacterial properties (running theme!) that make it an ideal natural toner. ACV is very intense though, so make sure to mix it with water! You'll need to experiment to make the right mixture, but 1 part ACV for 3 or 4 parts water should work nicely. After cleansing, apply all over the face with a cotton swab.

6. Sugar. I've never been a huge proponent of sugar scrubs for acne treatment because my skin can't handle a lot of exfoliation, but I've heard that doing a sugar scrub treatment once every week or two works well. However, I recommend sugar scrubs for chapped lips. No matter how much water I drink or lip balm I wear, my lips are always semi-chapped. Create a sugar scrub (sugar mixed with something like lemon juice, water, or a little honey) and rub into your lips with your fingers in order to remove dry, chapped skin.

Honorable mention (is it really a food?): Rosewater. Great in cakes, great as a toner. Distilled rosewater is one of my favorite things.

Do you use any other natural skincare remedies? There are a few others I could've mentioned, but this was getting long enough as it is! I'm always interested in trying new things, so feel free to share your experiences with other food-as-skincare ventures!

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28 comments:

  1. I love these! I also like the old cucumber slices on the eyes. Always makes me feel so refreshed :) Also- coconut oil is supposed to be great for your hair. Makes it nice and smooth!

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    Replies
    1. Oh hey lady! Cucumbers on the eyes are great, I love those too (although I'm usually tempted to eat them all before they make it to my eyes oops). Another great one is chilled chamomile tea bags (pour hot water over them, then let cool in the fridge), chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties so it helps reduce swelling and redness (some say this is debatable, but in my personal experience its worked!). Cold chamomile tea also helps sooth sunburn pain and itchiness from rashes. Okay, end of tea rambling :)

      And I've heard from a few friends that coconut oil is another miracle! They swear by it as a hair treatment and moisturizer. I've never used it myself because I'm not a fan of the smell (eek I know!), but maybe I should suck it up and give it a try!

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  2. Wow! Everyone wants to have perfect skin! Thank you for sharing those tips! Absolutely helpful! Adeana @ Skin Care Online Tips

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, I hope they will be helpful to anyone looking for alternative remedies to try! I know breakouts are no fun at all.

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  3. love this post! I'm always looking for natural skin stuff. have you ever tried baking soda?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Rhi :) I've never tried baking soda before! Actually, I think I may have one or twice in middle school but I can't remember the results. I've read that it works well as a spot treatment if you make it into a paste first. It can be harsh for sensitive skin though, so it may not work as a daily treatment.

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  6. wow..like all the products..the skin care products are just awesome..skin is reflection of your good health so keep maintained eating good healthy products and stay healthy with younger looking skin..
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  7. “I've found that for my fickle combination skin, natural remedies work best” You’re right. :) Because each individual has a unique skin type, it means he/she also needs a product, natural or not, that would suit his/her skin best. Also, having great skin is directly related to what you take in. That’s why you should always make an effort to eat right and healthy.

    Katie Hallison

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  8. You are what you eat! Whatever you eat, it’s reflected on your physical appearance, particularly on your skin. So, it is best if you make eating healthy a habit. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, and lots of water too. Also live a healthy lifestyle and stay away from vices. And most importantly, take a rest and have a good night’s sleep.

    -Francis Powers

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  9. It also helps to keep the skin hydrated.
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  12. This post is great source of information which is useful for all. I'll be back later for some great reading...
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  14. This is amazing post having great knowledge about skin care products . thanks for this useful post :)
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  15. The post is telling about food that doubles as great skin care products, useful post

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  16. Thanks for your valuable information, I like the choice of your because most of the foods mentioned in above we can take in our daily meal, however I am adding two more raw foods, those are onions and oranges. And I believe author also agree with me

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  18. Would include that on my diet right away!
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  19. Thanks for the lists. Those natural products are one of the most safest and effective products that can really get rid of acne. It's hard to look for the best acne products since there are tons of imitation and fake products on the market. All naturals are the answer for this problem.

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  20. Very nice post. and I agree with you. Strawberries are great for clear skin. It is also one of the best anti-aging foods for younger-looking skin. Thanks for sharing info.

    All the best and more power!
    Shruti xoxoxox
    Shrutigoenka.snydle.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Interesting layout on your blog. I really enjoyed reading it,I agree with you that natural product is actual help to improve a great skin. I will be back to read more in the future.

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