DIY: Edible Anti-Aging Face Mask

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net (Africa)

Sometimes I can’t believe how many anti-aging products are on the market these days. Even more, many of them contain harmful ingredients, like parabens. Knowing the dangers, we still diligently purchase these products and let’s be honest, they aren’t cheap.

If you are anything like me, you probably live on a budget and would rather use something that is a little healthier and safer for you. What better way to do this than to make it yourself?

I love a good DIY because then I know exactly what is put in my products. Making it yourself allows you to avoid potential allergic reactions and of course, avoid the use of chemicals.

I believe that if what you eat is good for your skin, then what’s good for your skin should be worth eating. With that in mind, I started using this potent anti aging mask that isn’t just great for your skin, but is darn tasty!

All you need is 4 simple ingredients to make this tasty skin care recipe:

- 1 ripe Avocado

- 3 tablespoons Raw Chocolate Powder

- 1 teaspoon Matcha Green Tea

- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

Making this face mask is super simple. Just whip all of your ingredients together until they are nice and smooth. Give your face a quick rinse then slather on your mask. I’ll warn you now, you will want to lick it off your own face! If you cool this mixture in the fridge it makes for a very tasty pudding!

Feeling vegan? Use vegan chocolate powder instead! Vegan, gluten-free, edible and effective against fighting age? Not too shabby for only 4 ingredients.

Carrying on...

Once you’ve slathered on your face mask, let it soak in for 20 minutes. When your time is up, rinse it off with lukewarm water, pat dry with a clean face towel then apply your favorite anti-aging moisturizer.

Each ingredient plays a beneficial role in the anti-aging process.

Avocados are incredibly moisturizing fruits. They are made up of 85% fatty acids (think, Omega-3’s!) and are incredibly water-dense. They are also a valuable source of vitamin E and antioxidants so they effectively fight premature signs of aging.

The power of the avocado doesn’t stop there. These little powerhouses also contain anti-inflammatory properties to reduce skin inflammation and retain your skin’s elasticity.

Raw Chocolate is not only incredibly tasty, but carcinogen crushing, antioxidant rich age-fighter. It also helps regulate your pH balance, which can cause your skin to go crazy if unbalanced.

Matcha green tea is an exotic ingredient in many Japanese green tea blends. It offers 500% more antioxidant powers than the fad fruit goji berries. It is also 10 times more powerful than regular green tea because of its polyphenol content. Polyphenols fight fine lines and wrinkles for a smoother, younger looking face.

Finally, unsweetened almond milk is a great source of vitamin E. The inclusion of this hydrating beverage is beneficial for fighting damage caused by overexposure to the sun. For the purposes of this mask, you must use unsweetened, as the sugar content in regular almond milk could wreak havoc on your skin and cause an acne outbreak.

Whether it be as a tasty treat or a potent anti-aging mask, this recipe is amazing. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Guest Post-

Author Bio: Sabrina is a beauty blogging jet-setter who loves sharing tips and tricks on how to look and feel your best via TopBeautyBrands.com. While she's on the go she creates quick and dirty DIY remedies like Fight Cellulite with Sage.

Connect with Sabrina on Twitter or Facebook.

3 Foods For Healthy Skin

Keeping our skin looking youthful and damage-free can be a hassle, with many women looking to a cupboard full of treatments and creams to deal with a multitude of problems. However, restoring our skin back to its former glory can be simple with some natural beauty care in the form of dietary changes.

There are many foods that work for many reasons but here are three of the best to get you started!

One of the best foods that can be recommended is fish - the oilier the better. Whether eaten as a healthy fillet of salmon or a some sardines in your lunch, fish have many benefits on the skin. The high levels of Vitamin B help improve circulation, which can lead to a healthier glow and less irritation, and the presence of Omega 3 helps with the replenishment of fats, plumping up the skin and potentially reducing wrinkles.

Vitamin E is a supplement many of us already take to improve skin in many creams because of its properties as a moisturizer and effect on damaged skin. This Vitamin is widely available in foods making these costly lotions less appealing. One great source is almonds or anything containing almond extract.

Finally, why not try adding some more berries into you diet, this is simply done by adding them to your cereal, substituting them for a dessert or drinking more juice. Berries contain Vitamin C which aid collagen production and the maintenance of capillaries, but even better yet are blueberries because they contain antioxidants to help remove unwanted free radicals.

By making these three additions to your diet - fish, almonds, and berries - you can experience a cost-effective form of natural beauty care that will have you on the road to achieving healthy, glowing skin!

Vitamin E & Beeswax- Moisturize Your Lips

Everyone knows how damaging the elements can be to our skin, but not everyone is aware of the effects they can have on our lips. On that note, not everyone is aware of the importance of proper lip care. Harsh chemicals in commercial lip balms, brisk winds and too much sun can all damage the softness, moisture level and overall appearance of lips. These elements can cause cracking, pain and even blistering and bleeding.

Since most over-the-counter lip care products and lipsticks contain noxious ingredients, using them can often aggravate already irritated lips or even cause allergic reactions. Commercial lip products are not usually the healthy answer to keeping lips smooth and soft. Instead, there are several all natural ingredients that can be combined at home to create healthier lip products that not only deliver results but deliver them in a safe and organic way.

Try these edible, safe ingredients:

1. Vitamin E and Primrose oils can be combined and poured into a glass roller bottle to create the glossiest gloss any woman has ever had the pleasure of applying!
2. A delicious flavored essential oil such as Lemon or Tangerine can also be added to the mixture.
3. Add in chopped or grated Beeswax to the above oils and microwave them for a short time. This will create a wonderfully moisturizing, flavorful lip balm that will take your lips from damaged and cracking to lusciously lip smacking!

By making a small effort to create natural, organic lip balms and glosses, you will benefit by having lips that look and feel better than ever! $30 for a lip gloss? Not anymore! Save your money and try a natural alternative.