Jennifer Aniston's Surprise Beauty Secret

Yaba - Daba - Doooo... I've got a great secret to share with you beauties, and the best thing about this secret, is that it costs roughly £4.00!! This secret comes from Jennifer Aniston - It is her No. 1 face cleanser and has been  since her teenage years. What is it? Neutrogena Transparent Facial Bar.... 

Have a snoop at what she says:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/beauty/article-1304092/Jennifer-Aniston-names-1-99-Neutrogena-soap-bar-secret-flawless-complexion.html 

I'm going to be the guinea pig, so over the next few weeks I'll keep you updated on it's benefits and give you a final review. 

LA xoxo

Filipinos - Beautiful Skin - Jealous? - Find out Why...

Yep, they really do have it don't they - that absolutely 'doll-like' supple, soft, youth skin. Well it's time to share their secret!!

In a country where skin cancer is basically unknown - What a gem to find out why & what it is that keeps them in such healthy condition inside and out .......       Wait for it..............................  

                     COCONUT OIL... (Extra virgin, cold pressed)

Yes, this is their secret, a very ancient one at that. Coconut oil is their main dietary oil, they use it in most of their meals, replacing most other oils and also topically on their skin. (This is Pressed, cold virgin coconut oil) Which is the best form of the oil to consume and also to use directly on  your skin. New research into coconut oil has prompted the Question - Is Virgin Coconut Oil the Best Oil on the Earth?

Coconut oil has anti-bacteria properties (the lauric acid it in) it has been found to aid in the treatment of acne and skin bacterial conditions. It has absolutely amazing antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage, remember it is much more effective when consumed and applied directly to the skin. 

What we put into our body is very important, a recent study showed that an individual who ate a french fry cooked in vegetable oil (polyunsaturated oil) is more susceptible to burning in the sun because of the oxidized lipids entering your skin tissue causing free radical damage. Using a natural oil, like coconut internally and externally has a heap of health benefits, no only for your skin but for your whole body overall. 

So my Beauties - That's two great benefits from a natural oil, that actually delivers it's promises. Research/ Google it and you will see for yourself the tremendous health benefits associated with using Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=3889

(Buy one get one half price H&B - Oh I love these sales!)

LA xoxo

Beautilicious Week- Day 3 - Smoothie For Beauty

Everyone of us wants to be naturally beautiful, as little maintenance as possible always scores highly. Let's take some time investing in what makes us gorgeous inside out. Today is learning a beautification detox smoothie that will be your saviour for wedding preparations, holidays, huge events that require you look fabulous, or just generally to look and feel great everyday. Seeing as it's day 3 of our Beauty Haul week, I suggest we start today and grab these ingredients on our way home from work and start reaping the benefits as soon as possible!

So this Smoothie comes from a book I've read, it is not my own beauty concoction it comes from Kimberly Synder; but it a potent beauty smoothie - meaning it makes your skin glow, it gifts your hair with shine and it makes your eyes pop by brightening them with the nutrients in the vegetables.


(All ingredients should be organic and the blender should blend very smoothly)

1. 1 1/2 cups water
2. 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3. 1/2 of large bunch of spinach (or 3/4 small bunch)
4. 3 or 4 stalks celery
5. 1 apple, cored and chopped
6. 1 pear, cored and chopped
7. 1 banana
8. Juice of 1/2 lemon
9. OPTIONAL: 1/3 bunch cilantro (stems okay), 1/3 bunch parsley (stems okay)
   
   
   Start with just the water and add the romaine lettuce, blending at a low speed, blend until smooth and slowly add the celery, pear and apple gradually increasing the speed. If you've chosen to use the herbs cilantro and parsley add them now - they help to detoxify the body as they have cleansing properties. add the banana and lemon juice last. This smoothie will make roughly 60 ounces, so you will have enough for 4 smoothies as you should drink a 20 ounces every morning. This smoothie makes your skin have a natural fresh smell, eliminates dark circles, revitalises and rejuvenates your skin hair and eyes truly from the inside out.    
   
   
   Enjoy The Day Beauties...
   LA xoxo

   
   

   SFVTHBAT4T6B 

These... I Call - 'Beauty Foods'

Drinking water doesn't necessarily keep your skin from drying out - What keeps skin moist is oil, not water. Of course, drinking water helps our organs operate properly, and too little water in your body can give you a dull appearance. But your skin can still look dry even if you drink eight glasses a day. So that's why Omega 3&6 found in fish oil and flaxseed, are important as well as healthy oils like Olive Oil. 

Water and nutrient dense foods... Water melon is 90 percent water and high in beta carotene, which turns into the skin nourishing vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes production of red blood cells and collagen in the skin. Cantaloupe is full of Beta-carotene (so if you have a loss of colour in your skin, or it's  dull or pale- this tends to be because of the lack of beta carotene.)  Beta-carotene can also be found in abundance in Apricots - buy them firm so they haven't lost their nutrients. Apricots are one of the best fruits you can eat. 

Eating raw coconut or extra virgin coconut oil regularly is another simple way to attain vibrant skin, it is rich in properties that promote youthful clearer skin. 

Lemon is a powerful antioxidant that can speed up cell turnover and rid your skin of dead skin cells, you can use it as a natural skin peel three times a week by cutting the lemon in half and rubbing the flesh and juice of one side all over your face. Leave for ten minutes and then wash away. Try this in conjunction with the home facial:- 

http://latoyaa.blogspot.com/2012/03/healthilicious-skin.html 

LA xoxo

Clear Beautiful Skin

Even at 24 years old, I'm still vying for that Beautiful Clear Skin - Well I was until I gave up being depressed and used that energy to research how to get that 'dewy natural beauty look.' I've always loved the 'bed head, fresh faced, barely there' look but never been able to achieve it feeling tinted moisturiser was too sheer, and then foundations just don't have that same 'naturalness' to them. I always felt under my eyes were still dark and a few blemishes and dark marks needed super covering and tinted moisturiser just didn't have that power in it to make me feel confident.

I started researching for two weeks straight on how and what I could do to feel confident without make up. I knew that my skin always looked plumper and more even toned when I ate Clementines and Grapes, before I even started researching... so I used this information to find out why. So to begin; Clementines are full of Vitamin C, which protects our DNA, lipids and Proteins from oxidative free radical damage, as well as providing collagen formation (We know how important collagen is for our skin, and as we get older we lose so much of it leading the way to wrinkles). Grapes also have the same benefits, in fact the Grapeseeed contains more powerful antioxidants.  The components are 50 times stronger than Vitamin E and 20 times stronger than Vitamin C.

This was a good start and a very promising supplement I could look into taking, which was easily found at a health foods store. I remembered a few years back I had read about a Chinese Papaya soap that evened out skin tone and eliminated blemishes. I found myself later at the local Chinese herbal shop in West London finding out more about it. They indeed had this Papaya soap it was one of their best sellers - because it apparently lived up to those claims! They told me it was a natural exfoliator so it very quickly gives the skin it's overall clarity back. It also has a huge concentration of Vitamin A in it.

I had learnt two natural ways which I was soon going to learn were going to improve my skin dramatically. The next 'super ingredient' I came across was 'Rosehip Oil' , I read reviews on Natural Moisturisers and this one was raved about and came out tops, by people achieving amazing results in a very short period of time.

http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=69833/Rosehip_Oil/Trilogy/Skincare_-_Face

Rosehip oil is an intensive moisturiser, but never too much, it is perfect for all skin types, normal and dry. It smooths out wrinkles and protects against further ones forming. It nourishes the skin, restores normal skin colour and is a topical retinoic acid (Vitamin A). So there - I had my new regime. A new cleanser, moisturiser and a supplement to take orally to aid my topical applications.

I'd always had the knowledge that exfoliation was crucial to skin health, but always thought once a week was enough. After speaking to an  Aesthetician she told me exfoliation needs to be carried out 3 times a week followed by a mask once a week in order to attain clear beautiful skin.

Lastly there are a few avenues which I am still on the way to trying and incorporating into my regime because I have researched them and find they are too 'powerful superfoods' for the skin. The first is Flaxseed oil, as it contains high levels of Omega 3 and 6 which keep the skin cell membranes soft and smooth. Many skin problems like acne and eczema are partly due to the modern diet and the fact that it lacks Omega 3 and 6 and essential fatty acids. Flaxseed oil prevents clogging of the pores, which is what can lead to acne.

As well as trying to include distilled water and Green tea into my regime for overall health and clear beautiful skin, I am feeling sooo much better and my skin is really thanking me after 4 weeks, I can quite happily go without my foundation! ;-)

LA xoxo