beauty, naturally:
1. Black head removal. For a lovely, clear complexion, take a wedge of lemon with a few drops of raw honey on it and rub over your face, avoiding the eyes. Leave on for a few minutes before rinsing in cool water. Best to do this at bedtime.
2. Decrease wrinkles. Cut the morning coffee in favor of detox tea. Or at least drink the tea before you have the coffee (coffee is a diuretic and, therefore, dehydrating). You can make a quick tea by steeping a little fresh ginger root in hot water then stir in a touch of cayenne pepper, lemon juice and, to sweeten it, some natural stevia.
3. Exfoliate. For an inexpensive but effective scrub, mix a little sea salt into olive oil. You’ll give yourself softer, glowing skin but be careful to avoid the eyes if you use this on your face.
4. Get your hair professionally styled. This can make a huge difference to your looks. The right style can enhance your best features and detract from your worst. You don’t need to pay a fortune to change your hair color. Glossy, healthy hair is more attractive than brittle, over-treated locks. And getting the latest style can be a huge mistake. If it doesn’t suit you, you can just look silly.
5. Have sex. There are studies that confirm romping in the bedroom with your significant other will increase blood flow and bring essential nutrients and oxygen to the skin. This, in turn, flushes away harmful toxins so you look younger, more beautiful and have rosy, glowing cheeks.
6. Keep fat cells and acne at bay. Massage an ice cube or two over your face.
7. Lighten your hair naturally. If you feel you really must lighten your hair color, put aside the harsh chemicals and rinse with a mix of lemon juice and chamomile. If you can, sit in the sun to let your hair dry.
8. Look younger with an avocado face mask. Simply whip a ripe avocado with a little raw honey (which is naturally anti-bacterial) and apply it to your face. This is also a good time to lay back, relax and meditate for a while. As an alternative, apply it in the shower after the steam has opened up your pores so the ingredients will penetrate more easily. Wash off just before you get out.
9. Luscious lips. Plump your pout quickly and easily by applying petroleum jelly to your lips then, with a soft bristle toothbrush, rub your lips gently in a circular motion. Do this morning and night.
10. Moisturize your nails. Simply soak them in olive oil.
11. Remove build-up of commercial shampoos. Mix ¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water and rinse your hair to remove the build-up from shampoo. Use conditioner after if you wish. This will help restore your hair’s natural gloss.
12. Shape your eyebrows. Whether you pluck, tweeze, wax or go to a professional, the right brow shape can drastically and quickly improve appearance. Heavy, bushy brows distract from your other features. Just be careful not to go to the other extreme – a thin pencil line creates a harsh look above your eyes.
13. Soothe your face. Spread Pepto-Bismol over your face. Leave it for up to 30 minutes then rinse with warm water.
14. Soothe puffy eyes. Those dark bags under your eyes can make you look tired and ill. Here are three quick and cheap ways to help take care of that.
• Cucumber. Put slices of chilled cucumber over your eyes for about 10 minutes. Cucumber’s astringent properties help reduce inflammation. Do this several times a day, if you can.
• Tea bags. Steep the bags in warm water for a few minutes. Wring them out a little then place over your eyes ‘til they cool. This should help give relief from redness and irritation.
• Frozen peas. Take a bag of frozen peas and hold it over your eyes for a few minutes. This can reduce puffiness and bring relief to tired eyes.
15. Strengthen hair. Does your hair break easily? Comb about ½ cup mayonnaise through wet hair. Leave it on for about 15 minutes before rinsing and shampooing as usual.
16. Tighten a slack jaw. If double chins and a chicken neck are getting you down, try this simple exercise. Tilt your head back slowly; pucker your lips and try to kiss the ceiling. You’ll feel the stretch in your neck. Do this several times.
17. Tighten your skin by brushing. Get yourself a long-handled skin brush. Use it dry right before you shower or wet, with soap, while you shower. Brush lightly from the outer extremities of your body to the center. This eliminates dead cells, can reduce cellulite, helps to clean out the lymphatic system and tighten your skin leaving it soft, smooth and glowing.
18. Zap pimples. Whatever you do, don’t squeeze them. Instead, apply a little toothpaste (not the gel kind) to each zit and leave on overnight. Rinse off with warm water.