Are you eating enough beauty food?

Interesting article...

Are You Eating Enough Beauty Foods

Eating certain foods can dramatically improve the appearance of our skin, hair, nails, and eyes.

A diet rich in "phyto-compounds" can stimulate DNA repair, increased collagen production, reduce inflammation, and improve blood flow. This not only keeps you healthy but it keeps you looking younger longer.

Creams and lotions can do wonders for your skin, but your diet is by far the most crucial when it comes to having healthy skin.

Beauty is dependent on the overall health of your body. In order for your skin to look attractive and vibrant you need to make healthy lifestyle choices, and a great place to start is with the foods you eat.

So if you want your skin to feel soft and look firm here are a few foods that you can eat starting today.

Blueberries: These blue little balls are one of natures most potent anti-aging foods. They help keep the skins elasticity, strengthen the gums, and contribute to the health of our eyes.

Brazil nuts: Help protect our skin from UV rays and they help reduce dryness.

Strawberries: Help protect our skins collagen structures. Collagen is what keeps our skin firm. Wrinkles form when our collagen levels start depleting.

Salmon: Promotes soft smooth skin, free from dry itchy patches.

Avocados: These contain folate which helps blood formation. This is essential for cell regeneration.

Acai: This is the king of all berries. It has 50% more antioxidants than pomegranates, and twice as much as blueberries. They also contain omega 6,9 fatty acids, fiber, calcium, and vitamins.

Apricots: Very rich in fiber and phytochemicals like beta-carotene and lycopene. They also have vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, folate, iron and potassium, making them very beneficial to our skin.

Broccoli: Also very high in fiber, vitamin C, and folate. There's a compound in broccoli called sulforaphane that protects our bodies cells from injury.

Beans: Jammed packed with phytochemicals, fiber, folic acid, protein, calcium, and magnesium. These guys can stabilize blood sugar as well as lower cholesterol.

Black currant: Has a high source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Also contains a high amount of calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

Carotenoids: This isn't a food, but it's found in fruits and vegetables. It's a fat soluble pigment which helps fight against cancer and cardiovascular disorders.

Carrots: Have lots of beta-carotene which is a powerful antioxidant.

Cruciferous vegetables: A.K.A.- cabbage, broccoli, kale, collard greens, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. These guys release a compound called glucosinolates and an enzyme called myrosinase when chewed, which are known for their anti-cancer properties.

Cranberries: High in vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, and citric acid.

Cucumber: A great source of essential vitamins and minerals necessary for increasing collagen production.

Camu-Camu: Very rich in vitamin C.

Dark leafy greens: A.K.A - Spinach, kale, and dark lettuce are loaded with vitamins and minerals like beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, iron, magnesium, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.

Fish: Has lots of vitamin A, B1, B12, and B6. It also has omega 3 fatty acids which are very beneficial to the skin, as well as the heart and brain.

Flax, grapeseed, walnut, seaweed, spirulina, watercress: These are very high in zinc which is vital for the health of our skin. Plus they have been known to help clear up acne, and help keep us regular.

Grape seed oil: Has trace elements of selenium, zinc, copper, and iron. It's also a unique source for oligomeric procyanidine, which is known to improve our skins elasticity.

Honey: A nutrient rich alternative to refined sugar. Refined sugar is believed to contribute to aging.

Myrtle: Is known to slow down our skin aging process. Has been used in folk remedies for centuries.

Millet: A nutritious seed, high in silica, which is good for our skin, hair, and nails.

Oats: Very high in soluble fiber, and complex carbohydrates. High in iron, manganese, phosphorous, calcium, vitamins B and E, and silicon. Silicon is crucial for healthy skin by maintaining collagen levels.

Papaya: When applied as a paste on the skin, it's enzymes help breakdown dead skin cells.

Pomegranate: Very good source of polyphenol antioxidants. These antioxidants help neutralize free radicals that can damage the skin.

Water: Hydrated skin naturally looks younger.

If you are one of the millions of people worldwide that spend money on lotions and creams in an attempt to look better, then it only makes sense to incorporate these beauty foods into your diet.

It wont take very long to start seeing the major benefits these beauty foods will have on the health of your skin and the way it looks and feels.

About the Author:
Steve Billesberger lives in Edmonton Alberta with his wife and small dog. He's a owner/operator of a couple of sites one of which is a health and wellness site. He is a big believer in feeding the body what it needs to heal and maintain optimal health. Along with many other benefits a proper diet can accelerate weight loss as well as protect us from skin problems such as cold sores, etc.

Quick Joker make-up

That was a great party and I had a great time doing that make-up. Just a shame, not enough time as we were all running late. The Joker make up is good fun to do tho.
White is hard to work with and you can't be messy especially if you ad black powder on the eyes.
Don't forget to powder the whole face in between the layers of white to fix the creme.
If you start to do some special effects and make scars and scabs with the 3rd degree, do it before applying anything on the skin as it has to be clean... otherwise it does not stay on!! Apply the red (mix of red and blue) on the mouth using creme... can be fixed with red powders too...

This is so much fun!

Work...

Introducing our new M2B range!!!

It is that time in life when all the girlfriends, sisters and cousins are pregnant. That must be in the water?!?!?

Anyway, to look after all the Mums to be, I am introducing a new range of products especially formulated for pregnant women.

Why?
When pregnant, the woman's body goes thru different changes : the skin is stretching, breasts are changing, legs are carrying more weight.
During pregnancy the body's levels (EFA*) are at their lowest which has a direct effect on the skin elasticity. This can accelerate the ageing process and often lead to stretch marks. To combat these effects our products contain ingredients to supplement the level of EFA's directly where they are needed.

Our M2B treatments include
- a full body scrub that works on several levels to dissolve lack lustre cells and polish the skin to perfection.
- a massage with our Baby touch massage oil... it is a luxurious moisturizer enriched with nine naturally humectants. It is extremely moisturising and help improve the skin elasticity, promote the skin's barrier function and resplenish dry skin.
- a foot ritual including a soak and a foot massage with our revitalizing lotion for tired feet who carry more weight than usual.

Our treatments are tailored to the Mums to B need and one of them is specialized for the 4th trimester and onward when the body needs recovering and prepares to bounce back.

*Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are necessary for normal cellular function.

Show those legs...

You don't need a real reason to expose your legs...here are a few advices to follow to go from long skirt to short shorts...

- Exfoliate : Twice a week, using a gentle body exfoliant or a dry brush. Remember the benefits of dry brushing,it is perfect for cell renewal and blood circulation!
- Moisturise : Like the face, the rest of the body needs attention. Grab a good body lotion that won't leave any greasy residue and will keep your legs nice and smooth.
- Throw away your razors and start waxing... It lasts longer, exfoliate the skin, makes the hair root wicker and your skin softer.

- Exercise : Power walking is a receipe that works pretty well, swimming, cardio, anything that makes them move!!
- Look after your feet : REMEMBER, they carry you all day long, everywhere, anytime... So time to aknowledge them and give them a bit of pampering. Get a Spa pedicure and even add a bit of luxury and get a paraffin mask... Polish with a sexy RED and they will thank you for it!

Still time to leave the skirt behind until the cold season arrives!

Another receipe from the kitchen...

Get ready to hibernate...
Give your skin a bit of pampering with this delicious honey salt scrub....

In a preserving container, mix :
- 1 cup of medium coarse sea salt
- 20 drops of essential oils*
- 1/2 cup of sweet almond oil
- 2 teaspoons of honey

Seal the lid and shake well.
In your shower, rub the salt on your body insisting on the elbows, buttocks and knees.

Be carreful, the shower can become slippery because of the oil!!!
If possible use some water dispersible oil.

* Depending on your mood, use the blends of essential oils below:
- anticellulite : 10 drops of grapefruit, 5 drops of lemon, 5 drops of basil
- relaxation : 5 drops of chamomille, 5 drops of geranium, 5 drops of sandalwood, 5 drops of lemon
- energising : 10 drops of grapefruit, 5 drops of bergamot, 5 drops of perppermint.

Avoid using essential oils if you are pregnant or on sensitive skin....

After your shower and on a damp skin, apply your moisturiser.

Enjoy! your skin will feel supple and smooth :)