We are often told that our eating habits are more than just a matter of taste and can have great impact on our general health.
‘We are what we eat’ is a well-worn mantra. Parents for years have convinced children that eating carrots will help them see in the dark, that they should go to work on an egg and eating crusts will curl their hair.
Many nutritionists have advised the need for a balanced diet with warnings about missing vitamins and minerals. It follows, therefore, that as our skin is our largest organ it would benefit also from those very nutrients. Skin is pourus and can absorb vitamins directly.
Vitamin C for instance has been proven beneficial to the skin. Hair oils containing Almond have long been used to beautify and strengthen the hair. Egg yolks are a good shampoo ingredient as egg white is good for the complexion. Honey is a humectant, locking in moisture. Manuka honey is highly antibacterial and good for Acne prone skin.
Turmeric has been discovered in recent years as having numerous benefits but, in the east, it has been used for centuries as a beauty aid. Mixed with chick pea flour it has been used by brides-to-be as facemasks to beautify and to smooth out scares and blemishes.
Exfoliating has also benefitted from the use of things like almond, cucumber and chia seeds.
Rose hips are an excellent source of high-quality Vitamin C and promote regeneration of damaged skin as well as improving stretch marks and scars.
Grapefruit is excellent as an astringent for oily skin and has been used to reduce acne.
A very popular and famous natural skin care product is Coconut Oil. Coconut has gained notoriety recently for all kinds of reasons, being used for both skin and hair care.
Rose water is vitamin enriched and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties known to nourish and moisturise mature skin.
We are what we eat but also we can greatly benefit from what we use and apply externally to skin and hair.
Leave a comment