Natural Beauty Secrets - How To Give Your Skin a Healthy Glow

I have covered tons of information on health, fitness, and supplements. I thought it might be time to offer up some beauty secrets that are not secrets to many, but are not really known generally. You can spend thousands of hard earned dollars on beauty products and they may not even give you the results you are looking for. Or, they may promise to do one thing, which they may offer up some results, but they may be filled with toxins, additives and fillers that are harmful to your skin, body and system.

Sometimes some of the best beauty products are straight from mother nature, untouched and unprocessed. These items are inexpensive and can produce results more impressive than some of the beauty products that range from $50 all the way up to $300 a bottle.

Over the years I have studied natural products that can give me the youthful glow we all try so hard to maintain. Some of the most impressive results were produced by the least expensive items, and stumbling upon these little treasures made me even more eager to find other products that had yet to be uncovered.

All of these items can usually be found at a health food store, or a market that carries organic products. With anything, make sure to test the product on a small area of your skin to make sure you are not allergic. All of these items are nontoxic, but that does not mean you are not allergic. Be smart and try a small amount on a small area before slathering it all over your face and body.

Below are some items you can try to give your skin a healthy glow:

High Potency Alpha Lipoic Face Cream - This will increase circulation, tighten pores, even out complexion, and give skin a healthy glow in as little as 4 days.

DMAE - Sometimes found in face cream including alpha lipoic acid, DMAE improves skin tone and can lift sagging skin around eyes.

Concentrated Vitamin C Ester (also may contain DMAE) - Use this on the face and neck at night. These two nutrients work synergistically to reduce sagging skin and tighten the skin on your neck.

Vegetable Glycerin - This is a natural product derived from vegetable oil, usually palm or coconut. Glycerin is a humectant, which means it attracts moisture to the skin. Glycerin attracts moisture, so when applied to the skin it seals in moisture causing the skin to be well hydrated. Glycerin also helps the skin to heal in the case of breakouts, scratches, scrapes, or any other wound. You can also use glycerin as a leave-in conditioner for your hair. I have put equal parts glycerin and water in a spray bottle. I spray this on my hair after a shower. For a little more conditioning, I saturate my hair with the glycerin, wait 20 minutes and then shampoo twice and condition. A word of warning, don't go glycerin crazy. In dryer climates it will draw on moisture from hair and skin causing dryness. Start very slowly and once you understood how your skin and hair react, then used accordingly.

Castor Oil - Castor oil can be used for scars, wrinkles, acne, and hair. The first time you use castor oil, make sure to wash your face before applying it. Apply a layer and massage it into your skin. After massaging it for several minutes, let it sit for 10 minutes. Then take a hand towel and soak it with warm water. Take the towel and cover your face. Avoid rubbing and try to pat on the castor oil. Repeat until the castor oil is no more. After I did this every three days, I started to apply it every couple a days in the evening before bed, and sometimes in the morning. I found that once my skin had grown accustomed to it I could use it more often. I now use it on my face and body. It can also be used as a oil treatment for your hair. Apply and then wait 10-15 minutes, then finish with shampoo and conditioner.

Coconut Oil - Coconut oil gives hair a shine, as well as softening and aiding your hair in the repair process when it has been damaged. The addition of essential protein can even remedy annoying dandruff. Coconut oil moisturizes, especially older and dry skin, and can improve wrinkled skin. It helps the skin heal from acne, scratches, and wounds. Coconut oil also has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. I have applied coconut oil to my hair when sitting in the sauna. I also apply coconut oil on my face in the evening, and sometimes in the morning. Anytime my skin is in need of extra TLC, I apply coconut oil. I also apply to my skin when I am still wet after my shower. It has given my skin a glow and balanced it out to where it has an even tone.

Arnica - I actually use a mixture of Birch and Arnica, called Birch Arnica made by Dr. Hauschka. It is an oil made from the bark of the Birch tree, and from the Arnica flowers. The Arnica helps with sport injuries, sore muscles, swelling, inflammation and bruising. Birch oil can be used as a skin toner, though I only use this combination for sore muscles, swelling and bruising. It's basically a staple in my gym routine. It is an antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and disinfectant. Birch oil has skin enhancing properties. I can honestly say that I have only used it for injuries, and soreness in this combination. It may be well worth it to do further research and experiment with birch oil separately. I have always purchased it together with Arnica.

Skin Restoring Ceramides with Lipowheat (by Life Extension) - This one is very interesting and shocked me. This comes in the form of a capsule. I stumbled on this a few years back. Life Extension had recently come out with this supplement and it did a write up on it. It sounded interesting so I ordered a bottle. I started with a capsule every morning. Within 5 days my skin was baby soft. Now I have been taking this for close to two years. My skin has gone through so many positive changes. My only advice would be to order this and see for yourself. You will never know until you try it. And anyone who has just listened to me and tried it, always called me 5 days later just raving about it and about how amazing their skin looked and felt.

Vitamin K Lotion - Vitamin K lotion can help with spider veins, bruises, scars, stretch marks, burns, and rosacea. I would suggest to make sure you get a lotion or cream that does not have any additives.

Fuller, Thicker, Healthier and Fast Growing Hair
This little combination of supplements changed my life. My hair would never grow beyond a certain length. It was fine, thin and always breaking. During a lecture I was told about the combination of MSM, Biotin, Saw Palmetto, Silica, and Lecithin (I stumbled on Lecithin). I started taking this combo as I was told. Within 3 weeks I noticed my hair was fuller and within 6 weeks, it was growing even faster. Within 8 weeks, it was falling out less. Now my hair is fuller, stronger and longer than it has been in years. The dosage is as follows, MSM 1,000 mg three times a day. This amazing supplement has many benefits, and has no known toxic effect.

Biotin - I have seen suggested dosages running from 30-70 micrograms to 2,500 mcgs. It is better absorbed in the absence of protein. The higher dosage is safe since there have been no known toxic effects, and it has many other amazing benefits. Saw Palmetto twice a day at 160 mgs. Silica 30 mg (either once a day or broken down to three times). Lecithin at 500 to 1,000 mg. Now this may seem like way too much. I actually started taking all of this. Once I saw how my hair was responding and doing further research on each supplement, I narrowed it down to three. Maybe twice a year, I rotate one out and take another or add an additional two if my hair needs extra attention (say during the dry summer months, or if I color my hair).

Now this is just a very short list and there is so many more items to cover but I didn't want to overload you with too much information. If you have any beauty secrets you would like to share, feel free to send me an email. I have tried all of these things listed above and have received amazing results. If you doubt them, then just give a few a try. It's the only way you will ever know.

By Diane Mohlman