8 Things You Can Start Doing Now to Look Younger

Who Says You Have to Look Your Age?

When it comes to how old you are, age really is just a number. Researchers at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis recently published a study stating that there are a lot more factors that should go into determining age than how long you’ve been alive. There are plenty of super-simple things you can do to keep your complexion healthy and radiant regardless of what birthday you most recently celebrated. Andrea Robinson, the former head of beauty for Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford and the author of “Toss the Gloss: Beauty Tips and Tricks for Women 50+”, shares her insider knowledge on what anti-aging products really work, makeup tips that are guaranteed to make you look younger, and more.

Use the Right Skin Care Products

When shopping for skin care products, there are three powerful ingredients you should look for to maintain youthful-looking skin, says Robinson. One, check the label for a serum containing antioxidants like vitamin C (Robinson likes Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-aging Daily Serum), which will help brighten your skin; two, add retinoids, which increase cell turnover and stimulate collagen renewal, to your routine; and three, start using an alpha hydroxy acid exfoliator to remove the top layer of dead skin cells (Robinson is a fan of Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads, which are gentle enough to be used daily).

Wear SPF Every Day

Whether it’s humid and 90 degrees outside or chilly and rainy, sunscreen is a must no matter what. So add it to your daily routine if you haven’t already, since sun damage not only causes wrinkles, but can leave you vulnerable to skin cancer. “Use at least an SPF 30, but don’t waste your money on anything higher than SPF 50 since there is little evidence that higher SPFs provide more protective benefits,” Robinson says. Try Paula’s Choice Moisture Boost Daily Restoring Complex SPF 30, which is packed with vitamins and helps moisturize dry skin.

Pumpkin Soap Recipe

Pumpkin Soap Cold Process Recipe

Today’s recipe is for Pumpkin Soap! For this batch, I added a vanilla spice swirl to give the bar just a hint of warm, fresh-baked scent.

Because I have several sensitive family members, I usually leave bars unscented or very lightly scented with natural ingredients only. If you want your soap to have a more detectable smell, you’ll need to greatly increase the amount of essential oils I list, keeping in mind that vanilla absolute will color your soap brown.

This is a Cold Process Soap recipe. An overview of directions can be found in my Soapmaking 101 post. I also recommend my ebook Natural Soap Making: Cold Process Basics & Recipes in order to learn more about the craft, how to color your soaps naturally, 25 of my favorite palm-free soap recipes, and more!

Natural Soap Making 275 px

The recipe is sized to fit a homemade wooden loaf mold, that my husband made for me. The inner dimensions are roughly: 8″ long x 3.5″ wide x 3.5″ tall if you’d like to make your own. You can also use a regular glass bread loaf pan, lined with parchment paper, instead.


Pumpkin Soap CP Cold Process Recipe
Pumpkin Soap Recipe

Liquid & Lye Portion:

    4.19 ounces lye (6% superfat)
    8 ounces distilled water
Oil Portion (30 ounces total):

    16 ounces olive oil (53%)
    8 ounces coconut oil (27%)
    3 ounces sunflower oil (10%)
    3 ounces cocoa butter (10%)

Make according to general cold process soap making directions. (See Soap Making 101 for an overview.) I buy my lye (100% sodium hydroxide) from my local Tractor Supply Store. You can also order HERE from Amazon.com.

At light trace, blend in:

    2 ounces canned pumpkin

3 Easy Homemade Protein Treatments For Dry and Damaged Hair

Your hair is made up of protein. Everyday styling and environmental pollution can strip moisture out of your hair. The best way to put moisture and shine back  to your hair is  by getting a protein treatment. Protein smooths the cuticle of the hair, creating smoother strands and stronger hair. Protein treatments are expensive at salons. Instead of buying those pricey treatments you can make your own easily at home. Homemade protein treatments are all natural and with frequent use you get a long lasting result.

protein hair treatments
Here are the 3 easy homemade protein treatments for dry and damaged hair :

Egg Mask :

protein hair treatments
Egg is the best source of protein for your hair. The yolk is rich in fat and protein which is extremely moisturizing. The white is full of bacteria eating enzymes which cleanses your hair and scalp. Use a full egg for normal to dry hair. For oily hair and scalp, use only whites. Egg alone or mixed with more protein rich ingredients can be applied to the hair. This treatment can be used every two weeks or monthly. Take one egg or two depending on the length and thickness of your hair. Beat until frothy and apply it your hair and scalp. Make sure all your hair is properly covered with egg. Cover with a shower cap and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse with cold water and shampoo. If you find the smell of egg unpleasant, add a few drops of lemon juice.

Yogurt :

protein hair treatments

Dairy products like cream and yogurt contain Lactic acid which gently cleanses while fat moisturizes. Mix egg and yogurt for a deep conditioning protein treatment.

Simply, massage 3 tbsp sour cream or yogurt into your hair. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse and shampoo hair. You can apply this treatment every week.
Mayonnaise and avocado:

 Homemade protein hair treatment homemade protein hair treatment

Mayonnaise is made of oil and egg so it’s very moisturizing for your hair. The high-fat content of avocados makes hair less dry and prone to breakage. Mix two tbsp mayonnaise and half mashed avocado in a bowl until creamy. Apply this homemade conditioner through your hair concentrating on the ends. For even distribution, use a wide tooth comb.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion and regulated metabolism. It also provides relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and cancer, while helping to improve dental quality and bone strength. These benefits of oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and their respective properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial and soothing qualities.

Coconut oil is used extensively in tropical countries especially India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippines etc., which have a good production of coconut oil. At one time, the oil was also popular in western countries like the United States and Canada, but there was a strong propaganda campaign in the 1970s spread by the corn oil and soy oil industry against coconut oil. Coconut oil was considered harmful for the human body due to its high saturated fat content until the last decade (2000s) when people began to question the claims of the propaganda. Next, let’s look into some more details of how coconut oil works in our body.
How is lauric acid used by our body?

The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which is supposedly helpful in dealing with viruses and bacteria that cause diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. It also helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and helicobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

As a result of these various health benefits of coconut oil, although its exact mechanism of action was unknown, it has been extensively used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicinal system. The Coconut Research Center has compiled a list of potential benefits of coconut oil in both traditional and modern medicine.

Before we move on to the benefits of coconut oil in detail, we should first understand its composition.
Composition of Coconut Oil:

More than ninety percent of coconut oil consists of saturated fats (Don’t panic! It’s not as bad as it sounds, read to the end of this review and your opinion may change), along with traces of few unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Virgin coconut oil is no different from this.

Home Remedies for Acne & Pesky Pimples

Acne Your skin is your friend. You like your skin. Your skin likes you. It protects you from the elements and literally keeps you together. You in turn do your best to protect it from any kind of damage. Then, one day, acne rears its ugly head, and you suddenly hate your skin. What do you do then? Turn to harsh chemicals, and expensive scrubs? That’s a fine way to thank a friend who’s been there for you since day one. Your epidermis isn’t at fault here-it can’t help that your hormones are causing all that extra sebum to clog up your pores, or the fact that bacteria is running rampant. If your skin could talk it would say something along the lines of “patience, grasshopper. Treat me right and I shall repay you in kind.”

That’s just a guess, anyways. The point is, natural acne remedies are a good way to get rid of it, or at least hold it at bay. They make you step back and really figure out what’s going on with your skin, and how to work with it. Chances are, your skin will repay you in kind for not simply ravaging it with strange chemicals-and your wallet will probably thank you too.

1. Apply some apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a powerhouse when it comes to acting as an acne remedy. Why? It kills off the bacteria that may be causing all the trouble in the first place. It also becomes alkaline, and balances the pH of your skin, which in turn makes it harder for bacteria to thrive. To top it off it’s an astringent, like lemon juice, and will help dry up excess oil. Keeping that in mind, don’t overdo and dry out your skin too much. This could cause the sebaceous glands overproduce to compensate, therefore triggering an outbreak.

You will need…
-Pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar
-Fresh water

Directions
Wash your face with water and pat dry. Using a ratio of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, dip a cotton ball into vinegar and apply it directly to the blemish. Leave on for at least 10 minutes, or overnight. Reapply several times a day, washing face thoroughly after each time. Make sure to use a moisturizer afterwards as well if you feel like your skin is getting dry.

Apply Some Apple Cider Vinegar

2. Make a cinnamon and honey mask

Honey is sticky, and cinnamon is spicy, and it seems like they’re both things you’d want to avoid getting near your skin. Surprisingly, while it may sound strange, honey and cinnamon make a (literally) killer combo when it comes to acne. Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, so it can help stop bacteria from getting out of hand. If it does, the honey is a natural anti-biotic, ready and waiting to wipe the little buggers out.

You will need…
-2 tablespoons of honey
-1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- paper towels

Directions
Rinse your face with water and pat dry. Mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together until they are thoroughly blended and have formed a sort of paste. Apply the mask to your face (or spot treat) and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off completely, and pat your face dry. This is a sticky mixture, so make sure you have some paper towels at on hand.

Egg White Face Mask for Radiant Skin

Egg White Face Mask for Radiant Skin

This egg white face mask will offer you great results and is also very simple to make.

Your main ingredient in this face mask – in fact the only one – is an egg… :)

It makes it so simple right? Well this easy to prepare face mask will give you a lovely radiant glow, by also nourishing your skin tissue.

Egg White Face Mask for Radiant Skin
How To Make The Face Mask

Egg white alone possesses enough benefits to satisfy your skin`s needs. Check out my article on “6 Effective Skin Care Face Masks with Egg White” to find out more about this wonderful ingredient.
You can apply this face mask daily (morning or evening), depending on your preference.

Before you get everything ready for using your egg, I want to share with you my own way of making this face mask. I try not to waste any of my ingredients, especially if it is something useful like : the egg yolk.

I always adapt any ingredient to my own type of hair and skin. So I always end up by using also the egg yolk to treat my hair at the same time.

If you would like to do the same, here are some suggestions to suit every type of skin. I hope you will be able to pick something that works best for you:

    for normal skin – egg yolk + the juice from a grated carrot or even just grated carrot + a bit of milk
    for dry skin – egg yolk + 1/2 mashed avocado
    for oily skin (it also suits acne skin) – egg yolk + 1 TSP lemon juice + 1 TSP honey
    for sensitive skin – egg yolk + plain organic yogurt (you can also add some honey if you want)

Keep any of these egg yolk face masks on your face for about 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients required

You will need:

    1 egg white

Steps

    Separate the whites from the yolk and beat it well with a fork or by using a blender (it will end up looking like foam).
    Apply it on your freshly cleansed skin and leave it to work for 15 minutes.
    When you feel your skin tightening up, gently remove the egg white, with a cloth soaked in warm water.

The result will pleasantly surprise you as your skin will radiate with freshness!

Source: http://homemademasks.net

Homemade Best Face Mask For Dry Skin

In this article are given DIY face masks for dry skin that are super moisturizing for dry, chapped and rough skin. These dry skin natural face masks use ingredients that, for the most part, are already available in your home and can be made at home. They will keep your facial skin moisturized and fresh. The benefits you get by making these face masks at home is that you avoid use of harmful chemical ingredients and moreover most of these masks can be made for pennies with help of natural ingredients already available in your kitchen.
Natural Face Mask For Dry Skin

1. Egg And Honey Facial Mask For Dry Skin: Add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil with the white of one egg in a small bowl and mix them well till they thicken slightly. Spread the mixture onto your face. Let it sit on your face for 15 minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water.

2. Banana, Yogurt And Honey Dry Skin Face Mask:  Put 2 fully ripe bananas, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1/2 cup of yogurt in a blender. Blend these natural ingredients together till they form  a consistent paste. Smear the paste onto your face, leaving it there for about 20 minutes or till it dries out. Rinse your face with warm water.

3. Cucumber And Aloe Vera Natural Face Mask  To Manage Dry Skin: Peel a cucumber and place it in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of aloe vera to it. Blend these two natural ingredients together until they form into a thick consistent mixture. Smear this paste onto your face, leaving it there for 30 minutes. Rinse off the mask with cold water.

4. Avocado And Honey Face Mask For Dry Skin Home Remedy: This great face mask recipe requires only two natural ingredients, namely, avocado and honey. Avocado contains lots of oils and honey is also a natural moisturizer. This mask is a boon for mature, wrinkled and dry skin. You need half of a ripe, fresh, organic avocado to make this dry skin face mask at home. The other half you can eat to give your skin a boost from inside as well!!

Mash 1/2 very ripe, soft avocado into a creamy pulp in a bowl. Then stir in 1/4 cup of honey to form a smooth paste. Apply it onto your facial skin, leaving it there for about 10 minutes. Rinse it off your face with the help of a cool washcloth.

Natural Beauty Tip: Use this natural recipe after applying brown sugar facial scrub – simple face scrub that exfoliates skin while this mask moisturizes.  (Recipe given below).

5. Aloe Vera And Avocado Best DIY Face Mask For Dry Skin: This natural face mask is very effective in hydrating and softening dry chapped skin. Its three natural ingredients – aloe vera gel, avocado and honey – all are super hydrating.  This mask also works great for wind-burned or sunburned skin because aloe vera contains natural healing agents.  In addition avocado and honey are known to be packed with antioxidants that make this as one of the best DIY face masks for dry skin.

Take 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel, 1/2 ripe avocado (eat the other half), 1 tablespoon of runny honey (if required, warm it for a few seconds in a microwave to make it runny), 1 teaspoon of almond or coconut oil and 1 ½ tablespoon of dry oatmeal (the real stuff not the instant one).

Mash up the avocado in a bowl until it turns into fine pulp without lumps. Stir in the aloe vera gel, runny honey, coconut oil and oatmeal. Mix these natural ingredients together to form a uniform paste. Spread the mask onto your freshly washed skin, leaving it there for about 15 minutes. Rinse the mask off with lukewarm water and a warm wash cloth. If needed, follow with a moisturizer on your still-moist skin.

6. DIY Milk Facial Mask for Dry Skin: This is an ancient time face mask. Raw milk is a well-known moisturizer that hydrates dry skin. This at home recipe is enough for two persons and for a single person you need to reduce the quantities by one half.

Take 1 teaspoon powdered milk, 1 tablespoon runny honey, 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel and 2 drops of an organic essential oil. Mix these natural ingredients well and apply onto your face. Allow it to sit on your face for about 15 minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water.

This at home recipe is perfect for dry skin!! It opens up the skin pores and will make your skin soft and smooth.

7. Oat Bran, Yogurt, Honey And Olive Oil Face Mask To Treat Dry Skin: The natural ingredients required for this mask are normally available in your home.

Take 1 tablespoon of oat bran (you can use oatmeal, but the flakes look much goofier), 1 tablespoon of yogurt, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix all the natural ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl. Smear it onto your skin, leaving it there for about 10 minutes or until it dries out. Rinse it off. If needed apply moisturizer on a still wet skin.

You can store the leftover mixture in your fridge in a sealed container. This mask mixture will stay fresh for about one week.

8. Banana, Honey And Oatmeal Dry Skin Face Mask: Take 1/2 ripe banana, 1/2 cup of oatmeal and 1 tablespoon of honey.  Blend 1/2 ripe banana, 1/2 cup of oatmeal and 1 tablespoon of honey together.  Stir in a little water and mix thoroughly until the mixture turns into a creamy uniform consistency paste. Smear evenly on to freshly washed skin, leaving it there for about 15 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water and pat dry your face.

If needed, apply a moisturizer on your still wet skin.

9. Carrot, Avocado, Honey And Egg Face Mask For Dry Aging Skin: This natural dry skin face mask is packed with antioxidants and moisturizing agents that work to hydrate your skin and also act to neutralize the free radicals that otherwise cause aging. Carrots are rich source of potassium that prevents skin dryness and also contain anti-inflammatory properties to help revitalize and tone up your skin. The other three ingredients, namely, avocado, honey and egg yolk are all moisturizing agents.

Take 1 carrot, peeled and de-stemmed, 1/2 avocado, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive or coconut oil and 1 egg yolk.

Steam or boil the carrot till it turns so tender that a fork can pierce it easily. Blend it along with 1/2 fully ripe avocado in a blender until it forms a uniform consistency pulp. Stir in 1 tablespoon honey, 1 egg yolk and mix well all the ingredients together. Smear it evenly onto your freshly washed face, leaving it there for about 15 minutes. Rinse of the mask with a warm washcloth, followed by applying moisturizer on the still wet skin.

10. Brown Sugar And Olive Oil Face Scrub For Dry skin: Brown sugar works as an excellent natural exfoliant for all skin types.

Take 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and about 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil or pure organic coconut oil.

Place the brown sugar in your palm. Add and stir in your palm the olive or coconut oil with your finger to create a uniform paste. Add the oil or sugar as needed. Message the mixture into your facial skin with your fingers in circular motion. Rinse it off with warm water. If you like, follow with a moisturizing mask for dry skin or a moisturizer of your choice.

Homemade face masks for oily skin

If your skin is oily or tends to breakout easily, try one of these homemade face masks. These masks will leave your skin looking and feeling beautiful.

Homemade face masks for oily skin
Refresh your skin
If your skin is oily or tends to breakout easily, try one of these homemade face masks. These masks will leave your skin looking and feeling beautiful.

Banana honey mask
   
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Banana honey face mask
Ingredients

    1 ripe banana
    1 Tbsp honey
    10 drops of lemon juice

Directions

    Smash banana with honey in a small bowl.
    Add lemon juice and combine well.
    Apply mask to entire face and leave it on for 15 minutes.
    Rinse with a warm washcloth.

Gentle oatmeal mask
Ingredients

    1 Tbsp honey
    1 egg yolk
    oatmeal

Directions

    Mix honey and egg yolk in a small bowl.
    Slowly add enough oatmeal to create a thick paste.
    Smooth mask over face and neck. Leave it on for 15 minutes.
    Rinse with lukewarm water.

Homemade Peanut Butter

For almost 12 years, I ate half of a PB & J sandwich every day, 5 days a week. I was in charge of packing my own lunch from 1st-12th grade, and PB & J was my culinary specialty. Peanut butter was a favorite of mine, and my mother encouraged it as a protein source since I was picking out every minuscule bit of meat she added to family meals. (One too many rubbery bits in my chicken nuggets caused me to be a vegetarian during childhood.)
Homemade Peanut Butter

Mmmmm… peanut butter. So much better than beak and toenail chicken nuggets.

Growing up, I remember having the oil-on-top, sawdust-tasting, have-to-vigorously-stir-it-with-a-spoon-without-spilling-oil type of peanut butter in the fridge. This was for Dad. Nobody else touched it. The kids’ peanut butter in our house was creamy, sweet, lick-your-lips-good, and always embellished with some cartoonist picture to make us love it even more.
Homemade Peanut Butter 2

I used to love that cute little flying silhouette.

The problem with the tasty peanut butter from my childhood is that it (not so astonishingly) has some nasty added ingredients. When I look at the back of a peanut butter jar these days, I see the likes of sugar, hydrogenated oils, and other things that should never come near my PB & J. Even Natural Jif has to be called a “spread” because it only contains 90% peanuts. Imposter, I say!
Now the Peter Pan peanut butter label even has to boast, “NO high fructose corn syrup!” Why? Am I suppose to expect this ingredient to make an appearance in my peanut butter? Sad.

I eventually had to get real about peanut butter. And “real” does not include sugar, cartoonish pictures, or hydrogenated oils.

Peanut butter is still a part of my diet, and now I make my own delicious, creamy variety at home. I keep it simple… after all, it’s just peanut butter.
Peanut Butter Made Simple

All you need for a great peanut butter is peanuts. I know… it seems too simple, but that’s how it should be. Depending on your tastes, you can also add a little oil, a pinch of sea salt, or a bit of raw honey if you like yours sweetened.
Choosing Your Peanuts

Rule 1: Be particular about your peanuts. I recently looked at a container of peanuts innocently resting in our cupboard, thinking I would just find “peanuts and salt” under the ingredients. Instead, to my horror, the list of ingredients included things like mono sodium glutamate (MSG!), sugar, malto dextrin, corn syrup solids, hydrolyzed soy protein, and other ingredients I was not prepared to see. (Just another example of how reading labels is a complete eye-opener!) The unopened peanuts were returned to the store on my next shopping trip… and I may or may not have gone on a short rant in front of the grocery store clerk when asked my “reason for returning.” (She was not amused by my peanut dissertation.)

Rule 2: Choose any type of peanut you are comfortable using. You may prefer organic, dry roasted, salted, unsalted, or the cheapest kind available. But again, I’m passing along the lesson I learned… CHECK THE INGREDIENTS. A container of dry roasted peanuts (or other variety) may have additives you are trying to avoid in your peanut butter. Purchasing bulk peanuts is usually cheaper, but check the ingredients on the bin to be sure you’re getting what you want.
est setting until peanut butter begins to move freely through the blades.

VitaMix users: Push peanuts into blade using the plunger while blending. Stop processing when peanut butter begins flowing freely through blades and the high pitched motor sound changes to a lower pitched sound. In my VitaMix, I am careful not to process for more than 1 minute after butter begins flowing freely or the machine could overheat.

For food processors or blenders that do not have a plunger: You may need to stop the machine once or twice during blending to scrape down the sides. Continue blending until desired consistency is reached.

3. Stop machine, scoop peanut butter out of your machine with spatula and refrigerate in an airtight container. Yields about 2 cups. Refrigerated peanut butter will last several months.
Additional Notes

    If you’re feeling ambitious, go ahead and roast your own peanuts to be made into peanut butter!
    Be sure to use peanuts that are as fresh as possible, or you might end up with an “old” peanut taste in your peanut butter.
    If you prefer crunchy peanut butter you will want to stop blending before it is moving freely through the blades of your machine.
    The color of the peanut butter will be different depending on the type of peanut used. (I say this so you don’t think there is something wrong with your peanut butter when it doesn’t look exactly like store-bought.)

So instead of processed, mass produced, commercial peanut butters, experiment with this simple recipe and let us know what you think!