Today’s guest blog post is by the beautiful Sylvia Lunsford of BeOrganicallyBeautiful.com. Sylvia wants every woman to achieve beauty and wellness without compromise. It is her mission to raise awareness about the current cosmetic and beauty industry standards. In this blog she writes about the benefits of natural skin care as well as some ingredients we need to watch out for.

Our desire as women to have clear, soft and beautiful skin dates back to ancient times. European beauties used dairy products for softening skin, Greek beauties used honey as a natural moisturizer, and Italian beauties have long been known to use olive oil as their secret for skin rejuvenation.  Not much has changed, women still want healthy and beautiful skin.

The environment we live in today is loaded with toxic chemicals causing your skin to age more quickly than it was meant to, leaving you constantly searching for beauty products that will improve your appearance.

Most mainstream cosmetic and beauty products contain harmful chemicals that dry out your skin, block your pores and prevent your skin from breathing and eliminating waste, inhibit circulation, disrupt hormones and put a huge burden on your immune system.  Your skin looks and feels worse as a result, so you’re on the search for latest and greatest miracle beauty cream.

You Are Not Alone!

Luckily, the answer to having the healthiest and most beautiful skin of your life – at any age, is within every woman’s reach.

Nature holds the true secrets of exactly how to have the healthy, radiant glowing skin that we were born to have. Herbs have an almost magical ability to transform skin.  They are effective remedies with the release of potent compounds extracted from their leaves, petals and roots of the plants.

Here are 11 ways how nature works to improve your skin.

1. Soothing:
   Lavender, Bergamot and Chamomile are nurturing, soothing and extremely gentle to the skin.  Marshmallow Leaf and St. Johns Wort flowering herb are soothing and anti-inflammatory.
2. Purifying:
   Tea Tree oil and Lemon Myrtle are well known skin purifiers.  Burdock Root is a gentle but effective herb that cleans and purifies the skin without drying it.  Plantain Leaf is toning, purifying, and reduces oil secretions of the skin while soothing and healing.  Witch Hazel Leaf extract is astringent, anti-inflammatory and soothing.
3. Healing:
   Echinacea herbs speed the healing of skin conditions caused by acne and eczema.  Burdock Root is a gentle but effective herb that herbalists praise as an effective herb that cleans and heals the skin without drying it.  It has been used as a remedy against skin cancer in Canada, Chile, China, India and Russia.
4. Stimulating:
   Natural clay stimulates the skin’s process to remove impurities and toxins, and also to firm, tone and refine the skin.  Essential citrus oils like Lemon, Lime and Sweet Orange work to stimulate the microcirculation, balance skin oil production and support tissue regeneration.  Sweet Basil stimulates and improves dull-looking skin.
5. Hydrating:
   There’s nothing that will add years of life to your skin like being well hydrated.  Nettle, Rosehip Seed oil, and Avocado oil are nourishing and deeply hydrate the skin.  Olive extract also improves skin hydration and elasticity.
6. Protecting:
   Zinc oxide is a naturally occurring mineral and provides superior sun protection and is recognized as a healing agent.  Green Tea and Grape Seed extract are effective in skin cancer treatment.  Aloe Vera helps prevent different chemicals that promote cancer growth from developing, and helps soothe sunburns.
7. Regenerating and rejuvenating:
   Our skin can be exposed to nature’s harshest environments, and when combined with age and stress can take a toll on facial appearance.  Coconut oil works amazingly well as a moisturizer for all skin types, especially on dry and aging skin.  The fat content in the oil helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and to clear skin problems like dermatitis and psoriasis.  Avocado, Jojoba, and Rosehip Seed oils are effective in regenerating and revitalizing the complexion.  Rose, Calendula and Carrot work to boost the appearance or tired stressed skin.
8. Enhancing circulation:
   Cypress, Tarragon, Basil, Ylang Ylang, and Rosemary essential oils are commonly recommended to support, improve and stimulate circulation, and strengthen blood capillaries.  Ginger, Sandalwood and Peppermint essential oils help facilitate blood flow and toning of vessels.
9. Anti-oxidant properties:
   Olive extract is a unique anti-oxidant from the olive leaf and offers protection from free radical damage.  Horsetail extract is an anti-free radical that is used to heal wounds and treat cancer.  It’s been praised for its ability to reduce swelling of the eyelids.
10. Ant-inflammatory properties
    Oregano and Thyme are essential oils that are high in carvacrol and can be very effective as natural anti-inflammatories.  Chamomile has healing properties for dermatitis, eczema, acne and rashes and is especially effective in treating dry, sensitive and inflamed skin.
11. Anti-aging properties:
    Fennel essential oil from crushed fennel seeds works to increase the elasticity of the connective tissues of the skin.  It’s anti-wrinkle and anti-aging and has a tightening effect on the skin.  Frankincense essential is also excellent for anti-aging and treating wrinkles as it tones the skin and promotes new cell generation.  Moroccan Rose herbs are used for reducing wrinkles and to regenerate skin.

Two harmful chemicals to watch out for that are commonly found in most major cosmetic and beauty lines would be Sodium Laureth Sulphate and Parabens.  Sodium Laureth Sulphate is used as a foaming agent and is linked to eye and skin irritation, as well as mouth ulcers and is considered carcinogenic.  Parabens are used as synthetic preservatives and are linked to cancer, allergies, skin irritation and skin aging, and rosacea.  Parabens mimic our own hormones and can cause hormonal and endocrine disruption.  In a 2004 study, Parabens were found in breast cancer tumors in 19 out of 20 women with breast cancer.

When you make the switch to chemically free beauty products the result is a transformation from dry, oily, irritated or lackluster skin to a dewy, glowing, radiant, and younger version of your skin!

 

Sylvia Lunsford is the voice for Beauty Without Compromise.  She’s an author, advisor and educator on natural and organic beauty brands and products, and publishes the Organic Beauty Secrets newsletter.

Her mission is to inspire, educate, empower and support women on their journey to everlasting health and natural beauty, work as a positive force to change the current cosmetic and beauty industry standards, and raise eco-consciousness. Get your copy of her investigative expose, “Pretty Poison” at www.BeOrganicallyBeautiful.com. You can also follow Sylvia on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.