The quest for beautiful skin and hair is prevalent among women. You can make inexpensive, natural beauty and hair treatments from ingredients you have in your home that will perform just as well or better than products you purchase in the store.

If you only have one natural beauty remedy in your pantry, make it Olive Oil. It’s extremely versatile and can be used on every part of your body.

Olive oil is excellent for removing mascara. It’s much better than petroleum jelly or baby oil and is beneficial to the skin around your eyes.

Use a few drops of olive oil in warm water for a wonderful at-home manicure. Apply your favorite lotion afterwards to lock in the moisture.

Beeswax and olive oil melted and poured into a small tin makes wonderful lip balm that will keep your lips soft and smooth.

Dry feet can be healed after one night of this treatment. Before bed, rub olive oil into your dry, cracked feet. Do not rinse. Then, put a cozy pair of socks on and go to sleep. Your feet will drink in the moisture and feel much better by morning.

Add a few drops of olive oil to your bath water for the best skin softener you can imagine. And, if you’re feeling extra decadent, then add a few drops of essential oil for a natural aromatherapy bath.

A very small amount of olive oil applied to dry hair will condition and get rid of frizz. This is a great leave-in conditioner.

Olive oil can also work as a shaving cream for men with sensitive skin.

Don’t buy those expensive Sea Salt Scrubs. Make your own. Just add sea salt to olive oil and you’ve got a sea salt scrub that will feel like heaven. Add a drop of essential oils if you’d like your scrub scented.

Please use caution when using olive oil in your bathtub as it will get quite slippery and you don’t want to fall.

It is not necessary to pay a lot of money for beauty treatment products. The things you have in your very own kitchen can often be the best beauty products available.

In practice since ancient times, massage is a relaxing experience of hand strokes on the body to rejuvenate the mind and body and eliminate stress. Using hands and fingers, the therapist alleviates any kind of muscular pains and discomforts and relaxes the muscles.

Stress related areas in the upper body are shoulder and neck area. Do not massage the front of the neck area around the throat as it is the most delicate of all.

When the person is lying down, massaging the upper body is easier. If someone has headaches, neck or shoulder pains, start by massaging the upper torso. Rub your fingers in circular motion over the temples, cheek bones and forehead lightly. The massage receiver feels relaxed.

Continue the massage along the cheek bone and jaw line, rubbing softly but firmly. Use gentle pressure around the eye socket area with finger tips. Massage the scalp areas, especially along the base of the head and temple using your finger tips for great effects.

To massage the shoulder and chest muscles, stand in front of the massager receivers head with your fingertips facing their toes. Rub the chest with your hands in flat position, moving your palms up and down and side ways leading to the shoulders.

Cup your hands underneath the shoulders. Use your fingertips to relax the muscles of the arms. This alleviates socket pain and helps to relax more. Move your hands up and down the arms; continue massaging the muscles so that your arms will relax further. Repeat the same with the other arm.

Rub the back in the same manner that you massaged the chest. Standing at the head of massage receiver, press your palms into the back muscles, rubbing it in a circular motion with your finger tips. It will relax the muscles and provide relief from stress and pain.

Today’s lifestyle leaves us open to a daily chemical assault, from the air we breathe to the water we drink, and the skincare and haircare products we use on a daily basis. It is not known what the long-term effects of these chemicals will be, but one thing’s for sure, it can’t be good.

Some people are unaware of the huge amounts of additives in their food, water and personal care products. Some are too busy to care, and others have the attitude ‘ Yes I know, it’s awful, but what can you do?’

The informed, wise people out there though, are taking a different view. Any species that fails to live in harmony with it’s natural environment will eventually make itself extinct. Fact. It’s nature. If human beings carry on the way they are going, they will indeed end up extinct..

For instance, 100 years ago, cancer affected approximately 1 in every 50 people. Now it strikes 1 in 3. It won’t be long before it is striking half the population. It doesn’t take a genius to realise that our lifestyle is the biggest factor influencing this increase.

Diet especially, is of paramount importance when it comes to maintaining good health, but so many people ignore this fact and fill their bodies ( and their kids ) with low-nutrient , chemical and additive filled junk.

When people eat meat, they are consuming the same chemicals and hormones that the animal ate. Obesity is on the sharp increase, and it’s not surprising considering that the majority of obese people are meat-eaters. They eat the meat, the meat is full of growth hormones and chemicals, the growth hormones are absorbed into the human body, so the person gets fatter. Want my advise – if your are overweight and seriously want to lose weight – go on a low fat vegetarian diet.

If your body had a choice, it would ask for lots of fresh organic fruit and vegetables, preferably raw. Your body would choose clean , fresh water ( I mean pure bottled spring water, not the stuff that comes out of your tap at home). Think about how much fresh water you consume in a day, and by that I mean water thats not mixed with squash, tea , coffee or anything else. I bet it’s not much. Do your body a favour, next time you reach for the fizzy drink, reach for the mineral water instead.

Tap water is just another way that we are being poisoned on a daily basis. It contains chemicals, hormones and in a lot of areas it also contains flouride. Yes, sodium flouride , that old favourite. The stuff they put in toothpaste is the same stuff they use to make rat-poison ! Surprised. What people get confused about is calcium flouride, which is the stuff naturally found in water which helps keep our teeth and bones strong. People think this is what goes into toothpaste and the water supply, wrong.

Sodium flouride is a by-product of aluminium smelting and other industries. It’s nothing more than toxic waste. For years it was very expensive to dispose of, until someone decided to make up some rubbish about it being good for our teeth, so they could get away with disposing of it in our water supply. This of course was done without public agreement. Nice, thanks for that, I’ll stick to the bottled stuff.

Sodium flouride builds up in the body over time, and it can cause cancer. It makes bones softer so they fracture more easily, and it doesn’t protect your teeth, in fact it has the opposite effect. Sodium flouride is a main ingredient in anesthetic, hypnotic, and psychiatric drugs as well as military nerve gas.

Sodium flouride promotes mental disturbances. The Nazi’s added it to the water supply at the concentration camps during the war, to help sterilize the prisoners and force them to be calm and submissive.

Sodium Flouride has a poisonous and narcotic effect on a certain area of the brain, which makes the person submissive and less able to resist those who wish to control him. It’s a way of controlling of the masses. Hmmm, makes you wonder what the government have in mind for us today……

When we look at the skincare and haircare products we use daily, most contain sodium laurel ( or laureth ) sulfate. This is a foaming agent which is so harsh that it was first used as engine degreaser! Fancy that, washing your skin and hair in something harsh enough to strip oil off a garage floor. No wonder we’re all spending a fortune on moisturisers! Hmmm, am I just paranoid or do you think there could be some method in their madness……

So they put this SLS in your shampoo,shower gel, bath foam, toothpaste etc, and then add moisturising ingredients to the same products to counteract the drying effects of the SLS. Why not just buy products without SLS? That’s what the smart people are doing. That’s what I do.

Since I stopped using commercial shampoos and skincare products, and switched to all natural, herbal skin care products, and natural hair care products, my skin and hair are gorgeous. My hair that was once frizzy and dry is now curly and shiny.

Since I began using organic, aromatherapy based skin care, my skin that was once so shiny from all the grease and additives from my previous moisturiser, is now so soft , much younger looking, and I don’t need powder or foundation because my skin is great!

I use non-flouride toothpaste, and I take vitamin and mineral supplements every day. I always eat fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, and I always drink bottled, pure water. I am vegetarian so I eat a very natural , low fat diet, that’s full of nutrients. I have never felt so healthy.

If you value your body, your health and your life, as well as your children and other loved ones, you owe it to yourself to change your lifestyle right now and start living more naturally.

Light therapy or phototherapy is an alternative treatment based on light exposure for various disorders. This procedure, which is also called light box therapy, involves the use of light brighter than regular indoor lighting, but significantly less bright than sunlight.

1. What Can Light Therapy Cure?

- Psoriasis
- Hyperbilirubinemia
- Atopic dermatitis
- Other skin disorders
- Sleep disturbance
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Mental disorders
- Schizoaffective
- Bipolar disorders

2. Treatment

Under the treatment, patients are exposed directly to full-spectrum bright light. The patient either sits down, if a light box is used as the source, or has some degree of mobility if a light visor is used. The duration of the exposure depends on the seriousness of the condition, reduction or elimination of the symptoms and light strength. Depression is one condition that is eliminated through the therapy. The affected individual’s biological clock, or the natural course of one’s waking and sleeping hours, is gradually normalized following light therapy. The process involves gradually increasing the time exposed to a high-intensity fluorescent lamp from about 30 minutes up to about 2 hours every morning – the time when the therapy is said to be most effective. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression caused by the absence of or limited exposure to sunlight during fall and winter. The use of light therapy has been cited by up to 90% of individuals with SAD as helpful in making them feel better, possibly because the treatment takes the place of sunlight exposure. SAD symptoms could take as long as three weeks before they are relieved through the therapy.

3. Not A Replacement For Traditional Care

Although the treatment is safe, most experts do not see light therapy as a replacement to traditional medical care. However, the approach is considered a good complement to other therapies. Patients should visit their health practitioner if treatment fails to eliminate symptoms of depression, or specially if they worsen, following an extended period of time. As with regular therapy, some side effects have also been observed with light therapy. These include headache, sweating, eyestrain, nausea, and agitation. More extreme and adverse effects include skin damage, eye cancer and skin and genital cancer. Some patients have also reported difficulty in falling asleep, although these are mostly individuals having the treatment towards the end of the day. Relief from insomnia is achieved mainly by reducing light exposure time and having the therapy earlier in the day, or by applying dawn simulation. The therapy is not advisable for individuals with sensitive skin and eyes.

4. Light Booth Studies – Does This Actually Work?

Light boxes, ultra violet booths, commercial tanning beds and related equipment also pose the question of cost. If the doctor being consulted has these equipment in the clinic, the problem would be more of a time issue, or ensuring daily or regular visits. Some companies have light therapy equipment for rent, although insurance coverage may not include these as part of the treatment. Psychiatric research from the Chapel Hill School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina has found comparable results between phototherapy, or light therapy, and antidepressant drug therapy in the treatment of SAD and other mood disorders. The 2005 study applied systematic statistical analysis to earlier clinical literature covering 20 randomized studies. These studies focused on 18- to 65-year-old adults who exhibited mood disorder and were grouped into four treatment classes: bright light for non-seasonal depression, bright light for SAD, integrated bright light-regular antidepressant use for non=seasonal sufferers and dawn simulation.

Scientists found that the elimination of methodologically flawed studies from the controlled set and meta-analysis of the remaining organized material established the efficacy of light therapy for SAD and depression. UNC psychiatry chairman Dr. Robert Golden, who is also vice dean of the UNC medical school, noted that light therapy intervention delivered results comparable to traditional depression treatments as detailed in medical literature. Although the scientists concluded that light therapy is an effective treatment for SAD and non-seasonal disorders, they emphasized that the research did not establish the treatment’s safety and/or negative side effects because of limited related data. Researchers also did not look at the effects of light therapy on the aged, children and adolescents.

Interest in skin care supplements, or beauty foods, has been strong in Asia, and that trend is growing fast in Europe as well. These nutrient rich beauty foods make a good case for starting a beauty regime from within, one that is designed to prevent or reduce the effects of aging, like sagging skin.

Some products on the market include a supplement containing lacto-lycopene, vitamin C, and soy isoflavones. This is aimed at restoring firmness to the skin for women over 40, and was developed by Nestle and L’Oreal. Others have been developed using lycopene and grape seed extract, both antioxidants. Grape seed extract also stops enzymatic reactions that lead to collagen in the skin being broken down.

Antioxidants protect the capillaries in skin and thus ensure that enough nutrients get to the living cells that eventually push their way to the surface and become the skin you see in the mirror. They also protect from broken veins and early wrinkling. Capillaries also deliver oxygen to the cells, and remove the waste products of cellular metabolism. This prevents puffy, sagging, and dull skin.

But you don’t always need to reach for a bottle of supplements. Simply by eating more antioxidant rich food on a daily basis should see some improvement in skin tone. Fruits rich in antioxidants include blueberries, prunes, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples, cherries and plums. And of the vegetables, eat more artichokes, broccoli, red cabbage, pontiac potatoes, brown onions, asparagus, non-green capsisum, beetroot, spinach and sweet potatoes.

Women are more prone to the damage caused by antioxidants than men, according to research from the University of Berkeley, and hence possibly their aging effects (Angyal).

Another strong antioxidant is beta carotene. Beta carotene is found in green leafy vegetables, fruit and carrots. This antioxidant has been found to counteract the effects of a particular type of oxygen free radical, singlet oxygen, which occurs after the skin is exposed to UV radiation in sunlight. UV exposure can lead to premature aging by the effects of singlet oxygen. A study found that whilst the provitamin A aspect of the carotenoid did not combat the singlet oxygen, the beta carotene did. It prevented the action of two enzymes, associated with UV light and the destruction of the skin cell’s extracellular matrix, which happens in premature aging of the skin. Sunlight also destroys beta carotene in cells after sun exposure, so this beta carotene has to be replaced.

Beta carotene has been reported as having a mild sunscreen effect too, though it needs to be taken as a supplement to get this effect.

The skin care supplement beauty market is still not a strongly developed one however, as these types of supplements tend to be more expensive than other supplements. And there needs to be more research and clinical trials to prove which products do what they are designed to.

Skin care is not a topic of recent times; it has been in practice since ancient times, when herbal skin care was probably the only way to take care of skin. However, skin care has transformed in a big way. Herbal skin care routines have been replaced by synthetic/chemical-based skin care routines. The herbal skin care recipes which once used to be common place are not so popular today (and even unknown to a large population). This transformation from herbal skin care to synthetic, can probably be attributed to two things our laziness (or just the fast pace of lives) and the commercialisation of skin care. Even herbal skin care products have been commercialised. These commercial herbal skin care products have to be mixed with preservatives in order to increase their shelf-life, hence making them less effective than the fresh ones made at home. However, it seems that things are changing fast and more people are now opting for natural and herbal skin care routines. But still, none want to make them at home and hence the commercial market of herbal skin care products is on the rise.

So what are these herbs or herbal skin care mechanisms?

Aloe vera, which is an extract from Aloe plant, is one of the best examples of herbal skin care product. Freshly extracted aloe vera is a natural hydrant that helps in soothing skin. It also helps in healing cuts and treating sun burns.

A number of herbs are known to possess cleansing properties. Dandelion, chamomile, lime flowers and rosemary herbs, are a few examples of such cleansers. Their herbal skin care properties get invoked when they are combined with other herbs like tea.

Antiseptics are another important part of Herbal skin care. Lavender, marigold, thyme and fennel are good examples of herbs that are known to possess antiseptic properties. Lavender water and rose water also form good toners.

Tea plays an important part in herbal skin care. Tea extracts are used for treatment of skin that has been damaged by UV radiation.

Oils prepared from herbal extracts present another means of herbal skin care. Tea tree oil, Lavender oil, borage oil and primrose oil are some popular oils used in herbal skin care. Some fruit oils (e.g. extracts from fruits like banana, apple and melon) find use in shower gels (as a hydrating mix)

Homeopathic treatments and aromatherapies also come under the umbrella of herbal skin care remedies.

Herbal skin care is good not only for the routine nourishing of skin but also for treatment of skin disorders like eczema and psorasis. Most herbal skin care products dont have any side effects (the most important reason for preferring them over synthetic products) Moreover, herbal skin care products can be easily made at home, hence making them even more attractive. So, herbal skin care is the way to go. However, this does not mean that you totally discard the synthetic products. Some people go to the extent of debating with their dermatologist, if he/she suggests a synthetic product. You should accept the fact that some skin orders might need usage of clinically proven non-herbal skin care products.

Natural skin care products are the safest and the most effective means to maintain the good health of your skin.

For ages, nature has provided the medical industry with ingredients that have powerful antibiotic, antiseptic, or anti-inflammatory properties which are processed into medicines, serums, ointments, or lotions.

Natural dermatological products are mostly found in the form of ointments or creams, which are quickly absorbed by the superficial layers of the skin. They are effective against most skin conditions and successfully treat local irritation or rashes.

The main advantage of using natural skin care products is their hypo-allergenic character; they are proved to be very well tolerated by the skin. This is due to the fact that natural products contain no additives or preservatives and therefore they are very safe and reliable. In addition, natural skin care products that are properly formulated to match a specific skin care need often cost no more than their synthetic opponents.

It is known for a fact that chemically enhanced products may harm your body by releasing malign substances into the blood stream. In order to minimize these risks, you should consider using natural skin care products instead. They stand as a very effective and healthy alternative to all synthetic products.

However, the main disadvantage of all natural skin care products is that they tend to lose their properties sooner; they have a shorter period of life. Unlike products that are chemically processed and contain synthetic preservatives, natural products alter more quickly, and therefore you should always make sure you check the expiration date before buying such natural skin care products from the shelves of pharmacies or supermarkets.

Sometimes, regardless of their nature, skin care products only treat the effects of a disease, and not the factors that are causing it. Take acne, for instance. Skin acne is not always an infectious disease. It may be caused by hormonal unbalances inside the body and the unaesthetic aspect of the skin is due to the excessive oil produced by the seborrheic glands. In order to successfully treat this very common skin condition, an internal treatment must be associated to the topic external antibiotics. Well tolerated natural skin care products in the form of creams or lotions applied on the affected skin then complete the treatment by controlling the condition externally.

Therefore, if you have skin affection, you should pay a visit to your dermatologist first and ask for advice regarding the appropriate treatment. Natural skin care products come as an addition to the prescribed treatment, enhancing its benefic results. Also, it is very important to check if the skin care products you choose are appropriate for your skin type before using them.

Despite their successful use among the medical branches, natural skin care products are not exclusively intended for treating skin conditions! They are also very efficient for cosmetic purposes. As a matter of fact, the cosmetic industry offers nowadays a wide range of natural products that improve the aesthetics of skin. Anti aging skin care products are the most popular at the time being. Whether they are intended for preventing or reversing the natural aging process of the skin, such products are highly requested and are a must have particularly among women in their mid-thirties. Anti aging skin care products, as well as other cosmetics, satisfy the growing aesthetic needs of modern society.

Regardless of their purposes, natural skin care products are the best alternative for synthetic ones, and when properly used, their beneficial actions are quickly noticeable.

Tea tree oil is known to have antifungal and antiseptic properties, and has been used for many years as an antimicrobial agent and to help clear skin of acne. study with over 100 participants, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, demonstrated that a 5% tea tree oil gel was just as effective as a 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion in the treatment of acne. Though the tea tree oil worked more slowly to clear acne, it produced fewer side effects.

Sandalwood essential oil has been shown to inhibit growth of a type of bacteria that is commonly a cause of acne. It is thought that a specific component of sandalwood essential oil, farnesol, is responsible for antibacterial and antifungal activity. Other essential oils containing farnesol include jasmine, palmarosa, and ylang ylang. These essential oils may also be effective against acne.

Make your own aromatherapy acne wash by adding up to 5% of the essential oils mentioned above to unscented face or body wash. For an aromatherapy acne gel, use pure aloe vera gel as a base, and add up to 5% of the essential oils mentioned above.

Be sure to avoid getting essential oils in or near the eyes. Also beware that because there are many products that contain tea tree oil, the risk of sensitization is increased due to increased exposure. There is always the potential for becoming sensitized to specific essential oils, so its wise to rotate use of different essential oils, rather than using the same essential oils over and over.

Coconut as a whole plays a very important part in our lives. From leafs to the oil everything has become very useful to us. Coconut oil is widely used for your hair and many may have seen the results it has provided. With the growth in the market we have been exposed to n number of creams, which have proved to be worthless. In this stiff competition coconut oil has risen as a thorough winner.

The oil seems to do wonders for your skin. It softens the skin as well as cures it from any damages providing you with a radiant and young look. It helps the skin to avoid liver spots and blemishes caused due to aging and sunlight. By regular use of the oil a soft and supple skin is developed keeping it wrinkle free. The damage to the skin by sun rays is restricted with the use of coconut oil. It brings back the shine and lost charm of the skin.

The presence of antiseptic fatty acids prevents any fungal and bacterial infection. Some of the infections it keeps fighting on regular basis are the acne, ringworm, herpes, boils, athlete’s foot and warts. Coconut oil or coconut butter has been widely used as a moisturizer. It provides a shield on your skin to protect the natural moisture.

For Skin Care

-Apply grinded betel leaf with coconut oil on black spots, to lighten it
-Paste of mehendi (henna) with little oil should be applied on your face to lighten black spots
-Apply the mixture of coconut water and thick pineapple juice for a glowing skin
-For soft skin make a paste of red sandal powder with coconut milk. Apply it on your face. Rinse it later.
-To remove pimples. Use thick curd; add turmeric and drops of oil. Put it on your face.
-Coconut oil mixed with crushed garlic when applied at night helps to cure plantar warts and athletes foot
-Coconut butter can be used as lip balm
-Massage your face with coconut oil before going to bed this would help in premature ageing

For Hair Care

-Add a teaspoon of camphor to 1/2 a liter can of coconut oil. Store it. Massage this oil on your scalp before going to bed. This would help you get rid of dandruff
-A mixture of castor, mustard and coconut oil massaged on your scalp can help you with dandruff problems
-One part lemon juice with two parts coconut oil to be massaged to the roots of your hair to ward of dandruff problem
-Hair loss problem can be solved by massaging coconut or almond oil for 10 to 15 minutes

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautions while following instructions on the recipes from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.