There are so many cosmetics out there that there aren’t enough hours in the day to try them all. And who has that much money, anyway? Luckily, there are some natural products for beauty and health and a more positive outlook on life. Here are some of them.
I am not a fan of cosmetics. Maybe it’s a rebellion against my mother, who I remember vividly putting on lotions and creams and rubbing them on her body. She has soft skin and it looks smooth enough, but I’m saying is that I don’t care that much about that. I’ve learned to not be so critical and judgmental of my imperfections over the years. I don’t see my black undereye circles anymore when I look in the mirror – they’ve always been there.
What I do enjoy lately is self-care. The idea that to take care of myself I have to pamper myself and that should happen on an emotional level and a physical level. That means that I’ve started to enjoy cooking for myself and also concocting my own face masks and scrubs. For pampering purposes. But what ingredients to use in cooking and in creams? Here are some natural products for beauty enhancement.
5 natural products for beauty and health
1. Orange root vegetables
Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash are loaded with vitamin A, which has a hand in taking care of your hair, skin, and nails. But there’s more. They’re also rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant which combats the production of free radicals – one of the leading causes of aging. Vitamin C also relieves stress that tends to weaken collagen, elastin, and keratin in your body, which is to say all your hair, skin, and nails need to be strong and elastic. You can eat these foods raw, steamed, blanched, or slow-cooked.
2. Greens
Leafy greens are loaded with vitamins A, C, E, K, and all the B vitamins. They also have a healthy heaping of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The dark green seaweed spirulina is one of the most incredibly effective natural products for beauty. It also has some protein. But kale, spinach, broccoli, collard greens and watercress don’t lag far behind spirulina. When you’re choosing greens, there is one important criterion: pick them as dark green as possible.
3. Aloe vera
When you apply fresh aloe vera to sunburnt skin, it has quite the healing effect. But imagine if your skin isn’t burnt, just dried. Aloe vera moisturizes it and freshens you up thanks to its literally cool factor. The plant is rich in MSM, an organic sulfur compound, which helps make your skin and hair healthier. But it also can reduce pollen and food allergies, and relieve the pain in joint and muscles. I for one love to have some aloe vera lemonade in the summer.
4. Hemp seeds
They contain all the 9 essential amino acids, but also omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and plenty of minerals. Hemp is loaded with protein, but also sulfur-bearing amino acids which are a strong, steady building block for healthy nails, muscles, hair, skin, and connective tissue. Omega-3 fatty acids strengthen your immune system and help your skin glow. While omega-6, also known as gamma linolenic acid, is a potent anti-inflammatory substance.
But wait! There are also plenty of beauty-enhancing minerals in hemp seeds, like magnesium, zinc, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus.
5. Papaya
This fruit also has just about everything you need. From vitamins A and C to minerals like calcium. Eat papaya when you’re heaving indigestion because it has a soothing effect on your body. It calms down your digestive tract and has a cleansing effect. That might be thanks to the enzyme in the fruit, papain, which relates to anti-cancer and skin-cleansing properties. So, don’t be afraid to add papaya to your face when you’re just in the process of pampering self-care.
