Oh, to be forever young! Who wouldn’t want the radiance of dewy and plump, healthy, glowing skin? Only, how we go about getting the most out of the skin we live in seems to vary greatly by our personal choices.

I believe anyone can have gorgeous skin. Whether your skin is fair, freckled, rosy pink, dark, olive or any other colour and with any particular skin tendencies, YOUR SKIN CAN BE BEAUTIFUL.

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of your body? Around 1 million little ‘mouths’ (skin pores) make up only 1 square inch of your skin! It actually ‘breathes’ and ‘eats’ as your mouth does. The skin on your face is sixty percent more absorbent than the skin anywhere else on your body (apart from feet, underarms and groin areas). Studies have shown that toxic chemicals found in common beauty products end up in the urine, even remaining in our kidneys and bloodstream, and can be stored in the lymph glands contributing to hormonal imbalances, skin irritation, allergies, chemical sensitivity and cancers. We certainly don’t want any of those along with our glowing skin!

Tips for youthful glowing skin:

• Choose 100% natural skincare products. My rule is, not to put anything on my face that I wouldn’t consider eating. Reading labels carefully is important and choosing products without phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, fragrances, etc. It’s worth the effort in your health! There’s some magic products on the market which work even better than toxic concoctions. For instance, KORA is a beautiful range by Miranda Kerr.
  
• Treat your skin, fresh from the kitchen! Try using natural foods which have high antioxidant and nutrient levels to nourish your skin. Avocado, banana, goat’s milk and organic cream (all nourishing), strawberries (brightening), cucumber (toning, soothing) and many other delicious kitchen foods may be applied to the skin as nourishing and anti-aging masks. Try banana mashed with natural yogurt – it’s easy and so effective in plumping & brightening the skin or see my 4 Step Facial here. Pure cold pressed organic, coconut, olive, jojoba, sweet almond and rosehip oils naturally replenish the skin with life giving nutrients. Oils can be encouraged to penetrate deeper when applied immediately after taking a bath or shower, or in together with a simple rejuvenating mist such as my easy to make frankincense toner here. A great little beauty book to have on hand is Carla Oates’ Feeding Your Skin, which is full of easy to make beauty recipes. Something I also do to brighten my skin in a hurry is to pop a little paw paw ointment onto my lips, cheeks and eyelids – it provides an instant glow!
  
• Exercise and elimination promotes younger-looking skin. Enjoy doing something active, daily or every other day to encourage deep breathing (oxygen is anti-aging) and circulation. Exercise also promotes efficient elimination, which reflects upon your skin. Make sure everything inside moves well!
  
• Body exfoliation. Dry body brushing or salt scrubs effectively lifts off the skin’s outer layer revealing the beautiful new skin underneath. To make a simple salt scrub take 2 parts plain sea salt, add 1 part Epsom salts and mix! You can work up from there with essential oils, ginger powder, spices like cinnamon, coffee, rose petals – be creative as you like.  The ‘salt glow’ is an old fashioned name for a treatment used at many of Europe’s best beauty and wellness clinics and it’s just so simple! Simply massage moist skin with the salt mix vigorously. AMAZING for toning, cellulite, lifting the mood, leaving you glowing and feeling revitalized.
  
• Enjoy plenty of water, raw foods and superfoods ~ What you choose to actually put inside your body is the closest thing I know to the ‘beauty in a bottle’ concept! You really are what you eat and if you’re choosing beautiful foods, this will certainly be evident in your skin and better still, in how you feel! Begin by drinking lots of water – at least 2 litres a day for a clearer complexion.  For extra hydration, I love fresh green coconuts and enjoy them up to 4 times per week. Think of coconut water as a facial for your cells! The good fats in the coconut flesh will make your skin glow. It’s important to eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, legumes, avocado. Also, try to include a few superfoods in your diet, such as blueberries, goji berries, quality dark chocolate and chia seeds for omega rich fats. Try adding a fresh fruit/vege juice or green drink to your daily diet for extra vitamins and minerals. Let’s scrap the fast foods for life giving, energizing meals.

Personally, I’ve found that it matters more about what I put on the inside of my body as opposed to what I put on the outside. People generally guess me as being over ten years younger than my actual age. It’s a nice bonus for living in a way that makes me feel so good!

OH and one last tip!

• Smile! Apparently those who smile, in time (a very very long time if you follow the above), have nicer looking wrinkles than those who frown!

Love, Abigail