Lulu and Boo Blog
Out with the old and in with the new!
Sunday 01 January 2012
Lulu & Boo Organic Skincare
Now that the Christmas party season is over this is the time of year that we turn our thoughts to what we can do to improve our lives.
If the effects of late night’s, over indulging on rich food, chocolate and alcohol has take its toll on your skin, leaving it looking dull and less than glowing.
Try these simple tips and see how great your skin can look:Out with the Junk Food:Swap the junk food for nutrient rich
organic fruit and veg. Keep it colourful. Brightly coloured foods like carrots, red peppers, broccoli and spinach are nutrient-rich and packed with powerful antioxidants. Challenge yourself to pile on the purple, red, green and orange fruits and veggies.
Eat two daily servings of protein. Protein is Vital for the growth and tissue repair of the body. Lentils, broad beans, quinoa, tofu or one small serving of meat, oily fish or free range eggs are all excellent sources of protein.
Include lots of fibre in your diet. It keeps you regular and enhances the elimination of waste from your body.
Carbohydrates are the main fuel for the body. Swap cakes, biscuits and chocolate for slow releasing carbohydrate, whole-grains, pulses, brown rice, wholegrain pasta, wheat-free pasta fruit & Veg. All are also great forms of fibre.
Essential fatty acids are vital for healthy glowing skin, hair and nails. Inadequate amounts of EFA’s in the diet can result in dry, dull and flaky skin and can lead to dry and brittle hair and nails. Most people are deficient in EFA’s, especially Omega 3. Try adding a combination of cold press oils or seeds to your diet, especially flax, hemp, olive, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower or oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and wild salmon. Or take a good supplement, I like
Organic Omega 3:6:9 Balance Oil, from Higher Nature or
OracOmega 3 Fish oil from Nature’s Best.
I also like to take a good high potency probiotic. Adding healthy bacteria, or probiotics to your diet can support the health of the gut and immune system. They also help you digest and better assimilate the nutrients from your food. That means your skin receives more of the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals it needs to be healthy, giving you a glowing complexion. Probiotics can treat acne ~ One study found that teenagers ingesting probiotics saw improvement in their blemishes after only 2 weeks.
Probiotics can prevent wrinkles ~ Good bacteria in your gut can help you eliminate the toxins and free radicals that can damage skin and cause early signs of aging.
Good supplements to try are:
Nature’s Best Acidophilus Extra and
Higher Nature’s Probio-GestCut out coffee: Coffee is a diuretic. It can cause dehydration of the skin. Drinking coffee can also interfere with a good night's sleep, which is essential for good skin. Replace it with hot water and a squeeze of lemon juice. Lemon is an excellent source of Vitamin C. It helps to cleanse the digestive track and allows food to digest properly. It also wakes up your liver and helps to flush out toxins in the morning. Lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. You will notice your skin coming back to life, skin will look clearer and dark under eye circles will disappear. If you still fancy a cuppa, try green tea, herbal tea or rooibos tea, which are all loaded with antioxidants. I love Rooibos Earl Grey by Dragonfly Tea. It’s really refreshing but can also be drunk before bed as it contains no caffeine.
Banishing the booze:Alcohol puts a big strain on your digestive system and liver. Like coffee it also dehydrates the skin. Regularly consuming a large amount of alcohol, your skin won't be as radiant as it could be. A lot of the body's water is held in the skin so, if you're dehydrated, your skin will age much more quickly than normal, leading to wrinkles appearing much earlier in life than they would otherwise.
If this is impossible for you to completely cut out drinking alcohol, try not to drink it during the months of January and February. This will help to give your liver a rest and when you do drink alcohol make sure you drink a lot of water.
Try taking Milk Thistle before and after the party season. Milk Thistle contains Silymarin, which is an antioxidant that helps to protect the liver. A Good one to try is:
Higher Nature’s Milk Thistle.
Increase your water intake:Water is the key to great skin. It keeps the kidneys functioning well and also aids in eliminating wastes and toxins. It also hydrates and improves moisture levels in your skin, making your skin look hydrated, plump and healthy looking. Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water everyday. And I really mean water! Not flavoured water or fizzy carbonated water, just plain still filtered or bottled mineral water. This is the most fundamental thing of all for clear skin. If you don’t drink enough water on a daily basis, all the other tips I have given you for glowing skin will not work.
Exercise:Exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday. Any exercise will do. Anything you enjoy. Walking, jogging, swimming, biking, skipping, gardening, dancing, or Wii Sports. The main idea is to get your heart pumping and blood flowing and to get rid of excess toxins through sweating.
Beauty Sleep: Sleep is crucial for great skin too? According to scientists, those who manage eight hours a night look far more attractive than those who are sleep deprived.
When you sleep you're getting more than rest your body is healing and repairing itself while you sleep.
Smoking: if you smoke, STOP!
Everyone knows that smoking causes many problems and deadly diseases, but it also starves the skin of oxygen and causes premature wrinkles. A number of scientific studies have compared the skin of smokers and non-smokers with alarming results: Smokers have far more wrinkles than non-smokers. Smoking also breaks down elastin and collagen making the skin look thickened and leathery. But it's not just wrinkles that affect smokers' skins. Their faces are often sallow and grey, with more tiny visible blood vessels often known as broken veins on the nose and cheeks. This is because smoking impairs circulation.
Chemicals:Minimize the use of chemical-based household cleansers and beauty products and substitute with natural
organic alternatives. Our skin, the largest organ of the human body, absorbs 60% of the ingredients used in personal care products. Some of the chemicals used are very toxic, and have ingredients that can seriously risk our health, some are even carcinogenic. Making it extremely important that we use chemical free
organic skincare products on our skin.
Give yourself a home facial and hair treatment once a week:Create an atmosphere for unwinding. Slip into your cosiest pyjamas, and play some relaxing music.
- Warm a small amount of Shea & Jojoba Deep Hair Treatment in palm of hand and massage it into dry hair and scalp, wrap hair in a warm towel and leave it on all night (with towel on pillow). The Lavender, Geranium and Cedarwood essential oils in the hair mask will also help you to relax.
- Remove all traces of makeup on your face and eyes by massaging some cleanser into your skin. Using either Calendula Organic Cleansing Milk (suitable for All Skin Types) ~ A Light, creamy cleansing milk with soothing Organic Extracts of Aloe vera, Calendula and Chamomile, Softening Jojoba oil and Impurity Removing Castor oil. Or Chamomile Organic Cleansing Balm (Suitable for Dry &
Mature Skin) ~ With Natural Organic extracts of Chamomile and Calendula and a blend of cleansing plant oils, which soothes, decongests and gently melts all make-up away. Remove Cleanser with a clean damp Muslin cloth.
- Now you're going to cleanse a second time. Gently massage Cleanser over face and neck, this time with an emphasis on a slow, relaxing circular massage. Massage works to soften wrinkles and combat the first signs of fine lines. Remove with a clean damp Muslin cloth.
- Next apply Fruits & Vitamins Brightening Mask (Suitable for Dry & Mature Skin) A rejuvenating, anti-ageing organic mask, packed full of fruit extracts rich in vitamins and minerals.The Active Enzymes in White and Pink Clay stimulate the skin’s circulation, revealing a younger, brighter complexion. Or Seaweed Purifying Mask (Suitable for Problem
& Oily Skin) A deeply purifying organic mask that detoxifies and brightens the complexion. Organic Seaweed helps to oxygenate, tone and revitalise the skin. Both masks contain clay, which will help to draw impurities from the skin and refine pores. They also contain natural enzymes: This is one of the kindest methods of skin exfoliation and can be used on all skin types. Enzymes are extracted from an assortment of sources including papaya (papain), apple, pumpkin, pineapple (bromelain), mango, lactase, and kiwifruit. They stimulate natural exfoliation by dissolving cross-links in the skin, encouraging a rapid turnover and elimination of dead skin cells. Leave mask on for 20 minutes and again remove with a damp muslin cloth.
- Then warm 6 drops of serum in your hands and massage gently into your skin, working from the neck upwards. Frankincense Serum (Suitable for Dry Skin) ~ A deeply nourishing serum, with high levels of Antioxidant and EFA Rich Plant Oils including Rosehip, Macadamia Nut, Pomegranate and Hemp. With Organic extracts of Vitamin A-rich Carrot and Anti-Aging Rosemary.
or Rosehip Face Lifting Serum (Suitable for All skin types) ~ with Cell Regenerative properties of Rosehip Oil, Seabuckthorn Extract, Vitamins A (Beta-carotene) and E and Omega 3 and 6. Also active are Mullien and Pumpkin Seed Oils, which when combined help to lift and revitalise the skin.
- Then follow with your relevant moisturiser:
Almond & Rosehip Face cream ~ Dry Skin
Multi-Vitamin Face Cream ~ Mature & Dry Skin
Safflower & Nettle Face Cream ~ Combination & Oily Skin
Linden Blossom face Cream ~ Normal Skin
- Finish with a small amount of refreshing Aloe & Eyebright Eye Gel ~ Organic Witchhazel, Eyebright and Arnica help reduce puffiness, dark circles and fine lines, whilst Aloe Vera & Apricot Oil add moisture to the delicate eye area.
Using your ring finger, apply one pump of gel around the eye area, patting lightly.
Detox your body with a bath:A home detoxification bath will release toxins and help with circulation and energy. Use our
Vanilla Sugar Body Scrub, it will boost circulation, remove dead skin cells and improve skin tone. Massage using circular movements, especially on cellulite
prone areas. Start from the ankles and work up the body. Rinse away with warm water, then turn the shower to cold for 1 minute then back to warm again. This will further boost circulation and help the detoxification process. Then relax in the warm bath water and slowly breath in the wonderful essential oils from the body scrub. Your skin will be left silky-smooth, and moisturised.
For a revitalising morning bath or shower, try our May Chang, Lime and Blackpepper Bath Soak and Body Wash, with its diuretic and detoxifying properties, which is also effective on cellulite, and a great way to boost your circulation.
Happy New Year and hopefully if you follow my simple tips, a brand new you!
Organic Skincare by Lulu & Boo Organics