Health On The Blog

Making a natural treatment for acne or oily skin shouldn’t have to be a long, complex process. Sure, it can be fun to mix and heat up ingredients in the kitchen, but many people would rather just indulge in a ready-made facial treatment for a few minutes and then get on with the rest of their day, enjoying the look and feel of healthier skin. It is possible to have the best of both worlds- homemade wholesomeness and packaged convenience- with any of these four common foods: tomato paste, honey, egg white, and yogurt. Each is used separately as a one-ingredient mask.

1. Tomato Paste

How it works: Tomato paste is full of nutrients, but the most important one for your skin may be lycopene. In fact, researchers suggest eating tomato paste for healthier skin. So far, no studies have been done to verify the benefits of applying tomato paste directly to the skin, but tomato masks are a traditional, time-tested cure for acne. Tomato paste stays on the face better than tomato juice or pureed tomatoes. Because it’s been cooked, the paste also has more lycopene available for the body than raw tomatoes do. As a bonus, tomato paste is a vegan mask for those who’d rather not use animal products.

How to use it: After washing your face, apply tomato paste with the fingertips. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, and rinse. Like many facial treatments, it may stain your clothes, so wear a robe, a smock, or something old.

2. Honey

How it works: Honey is a superfood that’s even good for your skin. It helps in four ways. First, its stickiness gently pulls away dead skin cells and clarifies pores. Second, it has anti-microbial qualities, so it helps fight the cause of many breakouts. Third, honey’s antioxidants heal and protect. Finally, the waxy properties of honey soften and soothe facial skin without adding unwanted oil.

How to use it: You can use plain honey, straight from the jar. (Any type of honey is good, but manuka honey is thought to have the strongest antimicrobial action, making it ideal for acne masks.) Wash and dry your face. Apply the honey with your fingertips (messy but worth it!), leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, and rinse with lukewarm water.

3. Egg White

How it works: As an egg white mask dries, it contracts and tightens, pulling impurities from the skin. What’s more, egg white contains lysozyme, an enzyme that digests bacterial cell walls. It is used as an anti-spoiling agent in wine and as a natural preservative in some foods. The lysozyme in egg white may attack the source of many acne problems.

How to use it: Separate the egg yolk from the white. Put the egg white in a bowl, and beat with a fork until well mixed. With fingertips, apply evenly to a clean, dry face. Leave the mask on for 15 to 20 minutes, and rinse.

4. Yogurt

How it works: Yogurt’s naturally occurring lactic acid gently peels off dead skin cells that can clog pores. Lactic acid may also be helpful in lightening dark spots left behind by previous breakouts.

How to use it: Wash and dry the face. Apply a thin layer of plain (unflavored) yogurt. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off.

So there they are-four single-ingredient masks that are low-cost, close at hand, and natural. Most of all, they’re quick and easy. These are bare-bones recipes, specially designed to be convenient. Of course, you can enhance and customize them with other ingredients if you wish. While effective, these masks are gentle, so patience is a must. Treat your face every day or two for at least a month or until results are seen, and then continue using masks twice a week. Skin needs time to renew itself and return to a more normal state. A healthy, glowing complexion is well worth the persistence. Generations have treated their acne and oily skin with natural masks, and you may come to swear by them too.

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Would you like to learn more? Visit my website (linked in my author bio below) for time-honored skin care resources and recipes. Use these tips to pamper yourself, control the ingredients in your skin care products, be and feel attractive, and save money.

Zelda Oldenbuzz has always been an avid collector. As her interests turned toward books, she came across some rare volumes with tips about beauty and skin care.

Zelda enjoys passing these secrets on her web site (http://www.oldenbuzz.com) almost as much as she likes sitting on an overstuffed chair in the parlor reading her antiquarian skin and hair care books. To her, it doesn’t matter if a beauty secret is old or new, as long as it’s shared.

Given the choice of eating foods that are either tasty or healthy, most of us would probably go for the former. It seems more and more people are paying less attention to healthy food and consuming even less of them. However, if you are not one of those people or you were at one point, but now trying to live a healthier life – you can start by eating high protein and low carb foods instead. The foods will be no less delicious, yet they are definitely healthier.

Changing your lifestyle into a healthier one requires determination from your part. At first, eating strictly high protein and low carb foods might seem a hassle. You will even doubt the effectiveness of the diet. However, if you stick to the diet, you will soon see that by getting rid carbohydrates off from your body – or at least limiting the amount – you will do yourself a huge favor. In exchange of carbohydrates, you can rely on protein instead to provide the fuel that your body needs to run. The addition of protein in your body will help you reach the perfect balance in your diet – one that allows you to perform your regular activities – without being overly tired.

Doing the diet means you have to know which foods to eat and which to avoid. Since you need to eat foods that are high in protein, you will want to eat foods like nuts, fish meats and chicken. In preparing the foods, instead of having them fried, try having them boiled or steamed. This will save your body from getting unwanted fat found in cooking oil. Fruits and vegetables, being low in carbohydrates, should also be in your menu.

There are many benefits that you can reap when you are eating high protein and low carb foods. The most obvious change that you will feel is, your sense of being will be enhanced tremendously. This feeling comes from the fact that you know you are eating healthy – which in turn will regulate the blood sugar level and insulin in your body better. Hence, this diet is often prescribed by doctors to those who suffer diabetes.

As in many things, don’t rush things and don’t push yourself too hard during the first few weeks and months into the diet. Slow and steady wins the race, remember? That’s why, it’s better for you to take it slow at first. You will want to gradually eating less and less of carbohydrates, so that your body can adapt to this new change of lifestyle. If you’re consistent, you will soon no doubt be in the prime of your health.

Jessica Tanady loves to write articles since 4 years ago, both offline and online. While she’s keen on topics of beauty, fitness and weight loss, she has demonstrated her writing skills on a wide array of topics. Visit her latest articles on senseo coffee makers which reviews and discuss about senseo coffee pods.