Reduce Under Eye Circles without Chemicals

Do you ever wake up in the morning looking like you went a few rounds with a prize fighter? No one wants to show their face to the world bearing dark under eye circles. Before reaching for the newest beauty treatment on the market, try to resolve the dilemma of the under eye circles with a natural remedy.

Why do we get those circles? There are a variety of causes. For one, stress and sleeplessness can produce the dark circles. Restorative sleep allows the body to repair itself at night. Without it, you could end up with those nasty circles.

Don't forget the water that flows so freely from our eyes through a variety of emotional states. Crying, especially at night, can cause the tissues to retain the fluid leading to puffiness as well as dark circles.

Here are a few ways to reduce that look without chemicals.

1. Use cucumbers. We've all seen it done on television and probably wondered if it works. Place a couple of thin chilled slices of cucumber on closed eyes for 10 minutes. Cucumber juices reduce the appearance of puffiness almost like an astringent. It also lightens dark circles. And, you can eat them afterwards.

2. Potato slices. They are great baked, fried, and boiled, but how about on the eyes? Potatoes were once used as a way to pull impurities from the body in folk remedies. Slice a potato into two thin circles to apply to the eyes for about 20 minutes. The raw potato will lighten dark circles.

3. Use mushy bananas. Food seems to be the order of the day as a natural remedy. Bananas contain potassium which is great for the body because it helps restore water balance. Take a ripe banana and mash it up. You can puree it in a blender for a smoother texture. Before going to bed, place some of the banana puree under your eyes like a cream. In the morning, the dark circles should be gone or greatly diminished.

4. Chamomile tea bags. Use chamomile tea to calm your spirit and your skin. Cold or warm tea bags will do the trick. Cool them in the fridge for 20 minutes or so or just let them warm on a plate. Lay back and hold the tea bags on your eyes for about 10 minutes.

5. Drink plenty of water. Part of the reason skin begins to look dark under the eyes is due to lack of proper hydration. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day can stop under eye circles from being a problem in the first place.

6. You are what you eat. Your diet has a lot to do with how your body behaves. Not getting enough vitamins and nutrients on a daily basis affects how we look and feel. As far as looks, you could develop dark circles under the eyes from the deficiency of one or more necessary nutrients.

7. Lack of moisture can contribute to dark circles under the eyes. Natural moisturizers contain ingredients like avocado and almond (nuts contain Vitamin E). Cut out the middleman and use pure avocado or almond oil on the area.

Dark circles are horrid at any time. Try natural remedies to get rid of them.

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Mineral Makeup: Is It Really All Natural

What is it that we like about mineral makeup? It's sheer, light, and most importantly, doesn't make us look like our sweet, but over-done Great Aunt Margaret. Mostly though, it is the good ingredients that make up the mineral cosmetics we find the most appealing.

Unfortunately, many cosmetics that say they are all natural are not. They contain a few ingredients that are natural but not enough of them are present to overcome the other not so good chemicals in the makeup. Even with mineral makeup, it is best to know what you are getting before taking their word for being a completely natural product.

The premise of mineral makeup is that it is all natural. In order to be all natural, the ingredients have to be wholesome and not harmful to your skin. If your mineral makeup contains ingredients like this, you are in for clean healthy skin under your makeup.

1. Mica - You'll see this ingredient in most mineral preparations. Mica has many forms, the most common of which is serecite mica. This mineral helps the other components to adhere to your face where they are supposed to stay and stay nicely. Mica also uses the reflection of the light to hide wrinkles, large pores, and lines.

2. Titanium Dioxide - this mineral is big in the concealing department. It hides pores and lines by reflecting light as well as adding a brightener of sorts to the makeup. The overall appearance is still a matte natural finish. Titanium dioxide does offer the properties of sun protection but adding a sunscreen to your skin before applying mineral makeup reinforces what comes naturally.

3. Zinc Oxide - it's just like that white stuff you see on the noses of surfers on the beach. Zinc is a mineral that aids in naturally healing the body without chemicals. As zinc oxide, it provides protection from the sun (as an ingredient found in most sunscreens) because it stays on when your face gets wet.

4. Iron Oxides - Who needs dyes when you can get your color naturally? Iron oxide pigments add color to mineral makeup. It can be subtle color changes used in foundations to match skin tones or a more varied color palette as with eye shadows.

5. Silica - this mineral when powdered, adds a silky feel to mineral makeup. It functions to absorb excess oil in the skin so makeup continues to appear natural and not cakey. Silica powder also helps to reduce fine lines and reduce pores.

6. Boron nitride - Like silica, boron nitride absorbs excess oil so your face won't shine like you've been sweating. Instead, your skin will glow.

Some mineral cosmetics can be far from natural. For sensitive or dry skin, wholesome ingredients are important to avoid skin problems. Some manufacturers add kaolin clay or rice powder. They absorb oil and shine but can irritate sensitive skin.

Everyone's skin is unique, just because something is natural doesn't mean it's right of every skin type. The best remedy is to test different formulations to learn which ingredients suit your skin best!

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All Natural Winter Skincare Tips

Winter brings cold temperatures when it comes. It can also provide us with glistening white snows for sledding and skiing. But, winter weather can dry the skin and damage it if we are not careful. Learn methods for keeping this from happening without resorting to chemicals.

Even the most moisturized skin can tend towards dryness in the winter. We believe that if we wear layers of clothing to keep the wind out that our skin will automatically be protected. That is far from the truth. If we fail to moisturize our skin in the winter, it will become dry, itchy, and red.

1. Hydrate with water"Drinking water gives our bodies an internal shower. The more moisture we take in, the better our skin will look. It will also resist drying when we sweat. Our skin is also an organ that needs moisture to stay healthy.

2. Moisturize at night"Even if we put on lotions or creams during the day, we might forget to do so at night. We cover up to stay warm, but that is not enough. Activities throughout the day deplete the moisture in the skin and not moisturizing at night continues the process. Cover your skin with a layer of moisturizing lotion before bed. To keep feet from getting dry and cracked, massage them with a natural salve or balm and cover them with socks.

3. Dont go outside without sunscreen"The glare of the sun on the snow can cause sunburn even if you dont feel hot. Without a protectant, the radiation penetrates deep into the skin and can cause damage that ruin our skin and put us at risk for skin cancers. Prevent dryness and skin damage with zinc and other moisturizers with sunscreen.

4. Use a humidifier"The air in winter can be very dry. Even in the house, the heat can have a drying effect on the skin and the nasal passages. To add bits of moisture to the air invest in a humidifier. There are two types: warm and cool mist. A cool mist humidifier adds moisture to the air but lowers the temperature a few degrees for comfort.

5. Scrub away dead skin"Just like we shed hairs from our head each day, our skin is continually creating new layers underneath the old. Dry flaky skin doesnt hold much moisture. Removing dead skin in the shower with sugar scrubs or exfoliating pads allows the new skin to breathe and soak up moisture.

6. Lower your shower temperature"The hot water feels nice, but it is not being nice to your skin. Milder temperatures keep the pores closed to retain more moisture in the body. Youll lower your energy bills in the process.

Winter is a beautiful time of year, but it can be murder on your skin. Add a few of these tips to your routine and see how much better your winter skin feels.

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