Skin care is a topic we can never get tired of reading about or writing about. These days, the buzz is all about natural skin care and avoiding harsh chemicals. So, where does one begin?

Nutrition plays a large part in protecting the largest organ which covers your whole body. Below are a few things to consider stopping or reducing if you wish to protect your body from acne and enjoy smooth, glowing skin.

Natural Skin Care – Sugar, Oil and Fats Reduced or Made Redundant!!

Okay, this seems a little harsh but this is your skin we are talking about. By reducing the intake of the above, it can visibly reduce acne on your skin. The thing to remember is that this is not an instant result and can take weeks or months to show

Natural Skin Care – Go organic

To change your diet also means that you alter what you eat and probably develop some new tastes along the way! The key to all of this is the addition of wholesome foods. For those who have run out of options for acne cure, try organic foods as they do not carry and preservative, chemicals or potential toxins that can affect your skin.

A diet which is surrounded by fresh fruits and vegetables is necessary as it contains vitamins which are essential for the well-being of your body and in turn, your skin.

Natural Skin Care – Hydration

A dehydrated body can lead to a lot of nasties and as such keeping your body hydrated should be on your high priority list every day. If you find that your skin is dry, flaky, itchy and dull looking; the answer is the lack of water.

Hydrated skin feels fresh and there is a glow on the face. Avoid sugary, syrup drinks which are a waste of time with their excessive sodium and sugar content. They may taste good on the palette for a few minutes but do not offer any real health benefits.

Try to follow the above guidelines to a clearer more natural looking skin which is acne free. From time to time, we all suffer from acne or other skin related ailments; this does not mean that we use chemicals all the time to solve it. Instead, keep hydrated and eat a well-balanced meal.

Below are seven skin care tips for the week using all natural herbal skin care ingredients.  Many ingredients you may already have in your kitchen!  All are fairly easy to find at your local market and stores:

1. Oranges are high in vitamin C and when eaten helps to boost the immune system, especially from upper respiratory illnesses like colds and even allergies. The juice of oranges and dried orange peels can be used as a skin toner or a facial mask or scrub.  The blossoms makes a fragrant bath and helps control body odor.

2. Rosemary helps to lower blood pressure, and is good for the heart and liver.  Rosemary makes a great tonic for skin, and helps to get rid of wrinkles.  Rosemary flowers and leaves can be boiled in water to make an excellent facial cleanser.

3. Take beet root and cut up and grind into tiny bits.  Then squeeze the juice from the ground bits and use this as a facial massage / cleanser.  Rinse for around ten minutes in the shower.  Be careful not to stain clothing.

4. Roses make a wonderful fragrance to use in facial creams, lotions, masks and tonics.  Grind up rose petals and mix with milk cream as a nice moisturizing cleanser, rinse well in the shower.  Rose water can also be applied as a perfume.

5. Strawberries, in addition to being a good fruit to eat, are very good to treat serious skin conditions.  They can be very helpful in whitening teeth, just brush and clean the teeth with the strawberry juice.

6. Almonds are both good to eat and excellent as care for the skin.  Almonds can be used in creating facial packs.  Ground up it makes a good cleanser / scrub for the face.  The oil from almonds makes very good herbal skin care.

7. Lavender is widely known for its wonderful fragrance. Use it in a bath to open up the sinuses and ease stiff and sore muscles. It can be an effective mouthwash too. The oil can cure headaches.

Below are seven beauty tips to seven days of natural skin care:

Beauty Tips # 1 – Facial Mask from Food

Take egg whites, some honey and plain yogurt, and instead of eating it, paste it on your face as a mask.  Rinse with warm water.  These ingredients can be used mixed together or separately or in any combination.  This will tone the skin and after the skin will give a glowing complexion.

Beauty Tips #2 – All Natural Self-Tanner

Use either tea or cocoa. If you have a good all natural skin care lotion, you can add the color from the cocoa or from tea (boil the tea, allow steeping for about five minutes).  Alternatively you can add the tea to lanolin, sesame oil or even olive oil to create a nice safe self-tanner.

Beauty Tips #3 – Fruit as a Hair Conditioner

Mash up a banana and an avocado together.   Wash hair as normal, and then apply the fruit mixture to the wet hair.  Gently comb through and leave on for fifteen minutes.  Rinse.  Do this once or twice a week for shiny smooth healthy looking hair.

Beauty Tips #4 – Baking Soda Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is all the rage these days.  But you have to wonder how harsh the chemical ingredients are in the ones you purchase at a department store.  All you need is some baking soda.  Simply wet the face with warm water.  Place a couple spoonful of baking soda into the palm of your hand then work it over the face.  Baking soda is a natural abrasive that is way gentler than those found at retail stores.  Rinse well.  If you feel the sting, you will know it’s working!

Beauty Tips #5 – Natural Teeth Whitener

Good old baking soda again.  And this is something that has been taught for years, brushing your teeth with baking soda will help to whiten them.  This is a lot safer than using those teeth whiteners you can buy from retail, and it’s lot more cost effective.  Add baking soda to a wet toothbrush and spend a good minute going over the teeth.  Rinse with water.  Do this a couple times a week for a whiter smile.

The last two tips are self-explanatory:

Beauty Tips # 6 – Drink Plenty of Water

Beauty Tips # 7 – Nutrition

Simply put; eat healthy well-balanced meals, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and low fat dairy.   Avoid junk food.

Below are some acne skin care tips that will help to combat acne; blackheads and pimples.

• Honey. Applying a honey mask over the entire face will help to wash away any acne causing bacteria. It is great for sensitive skin. Use one to two times a week.
• Go without cosmetics. Give the skin a chance to breathe and help the pores to become unclogged. If cosmetics are needed only use ones that are water-based.
• No squeezing or picking at the pimples and blackheads. If you do this you risk causing the acne to spread and infection. Nothing looks worse than a pimple that has been squeezed till it’s a bloody scab. That’s worse than just letting the pimple to go away with the help of natural acne medications.
• Consume carrots. And you thought carrots just helps with eyesight? Truth is the vitamins A contained in carrots are very healthy for the skin too and can help in the prevention of acne. Plus it’s a good nutritious food to eat. A vitamin A deficiency symptom is acne! So eat up!
• Eat a diet that includes zinc rich foods like nuts, whole grains, beans, yeast and even pork and beef contain zinc. Zinc acts as an antibacterial for the skin.
• Take chromium supplements. Chromium, known for helping to lose weight is also an excellent supplement that helps to heal skin infections, such as acne outbreaks.
• Pull hair back. Either pull it back with clips or bands or keep a style that doesn’t allow the hair to hit the face. Because hair is oily, these oils will sit on the face and cause acne.
• Take your vitamins. Multi-vitamin supplements will help the body to boost the immune system and thus will help to fight off any skin infections. Acne is a known skin infection.
• Wash your face two times a day. Use good acne soap (ones that contain sulfur work best.) Wash first thing in the morning and again right before going to sleep. Do not scrub or rub vigorously. Your face is delicate, so be gentle, wash gently and pat dry.