Friday's Organic Skin Care Tip #10

Alright, so the week dedicated to honey is almost at an end. We've gone over some science on why honey is so beneficial, we've also shown you a few simple do-it-yourself face masks. So what's left to say about honey? Eat it! Yay! We're telling you to eat sweets!

Honey is a great substitute for refined white sugar in many recipes. Plus, honey is easier for your body to digest, thus being more gentle on your organs and skin.

Pass the Honey Please:

1. Use honey in your morning cup of tea. Simple and delicious!

2. Mix one to two tablespoons honey and one tablespoon apple cider vinegar in hot water. This drink soothes the throat and the apple cider vinegar can help naturally balance your pH levels.

3. Substitute honey, cup for cup, in many baked goods recipes. Follow the additional instructions below to make sure those brownies still turn out delicious!

      - For each cup of honey used, reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup.

      - Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. This will neutralize honey's acidity and 

        help the food rise.

      - If the recipe contains sour cream or sour milk, however, you may forego adding baking soda.

      - Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent over-browning.

      - When using honey in jams, jellies, or candies, increase the cooking temperature just a bit to allow the 

         extra liquid to evaporate.

How To: Create Your Own Honey Skin Mask

Below you'll find a few face mask recipes containing honey. The first is a recipe is one that I tried on my own face just the other day and it worked wonderfully. I'm not talking miracles here, people. But my pores were clearer and my skin felt great afterward. I used unheated and unprocessed honey on my face, but in the future will probably use organic, raw honey in the future.

Honey and Nutmeg Mask

1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Gently rinse face with water. Mix together (I find mixing with a fork on a small plate works best), and put a fairly thick coating on your face. Leave on for 30 minutes and rinse off.

The nutmeg helps with inflammation and, in time, can help even out skin tone and lighten acne scars.

** Note: The nutmeg should be safe for most skin types, but if you have skin sensitivities, be sure to test it on a small patch of skin first.

Honey, Nutmeg and Cinnamon Mask

2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Follow the same instructions as above.

The cinnamon adds extra exfoliation properties to the already existing benefits of honey and nutmeg.

**Note: Do not use this on your skin if you have sensitivities, as it will be too harsh.

Honey and Milk Mask

2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon milk

Follow the same instructions as above

The milk will add gentler exfoliation than the cinnamon.




Honey,

How's Your Skin Honey?

A good face mask always seems to be in short supply. But, thanks to Bess, who inspired this week's posts, we are going to talk to you about the benefits of honey. To start off, Below are a few articles that explain the benefits of honey and its different properties.

Benefits of Honey

Why Honey is Good for Your Skin

Honey and Acne

And if you're feeling in a more scientific mood...

Functional Properties of Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly

Friday's Organic Skin Care Tip #9

#9 - Hair Mask

For a quick and easy hair mask, massage coconut milk into your hair, starting at your roots and slowly working down the strands.  Leave in your hair for about an hour, then wash and condition your hair as normal.  This will help nourish and condition your hair, promoting growth.

Coconut milk from the can is fine!

How To: Care for Your Neck, Chest and Hands

Before we start showing the inevitable signs of aging, we all think that we are going to live forever.  It's an awesome feeling...while it lasts.  

The first signs we show aging on our skin is on our face, neck, chest and hands.  Even though some women may show a young face, a quick glance at their dry, sun-spotted hands shows their real age.  

Here are some tips for caring for those sensitive, quick-to-show-aging spots of the neck, chest and hands:

1.  Care for your neck, chest and hands the same way you would your face.  Every time your moisturize, exfoliate and apply sunscreen to your face, be sure to also apply it every time to your neck, chest and hands.  

2.  When driving, try wearing gloves, scarves and/or a hat.  Now this may seem a bit retro, but it will protect all these areas from UV damage over the years, especially if you spend a lot of time commuting!

3.  Moisturize your neck, chest and hands before you go to bed every night!  The moisturizer, combined with the reparative sleep will help keep these areas looking young.

4.  Try wearing gloves when doing dishes or any other chores that may be rough on your hands.  Not only will it minimize injuries and skin breaks, but it will also keep the skin from drying out.

5.  Sleep on your back!  This will help minimize wrinkles all over.

6.  Eat foods rich in antioxidants to help repair and protect skin from the sun.  Try cantaloupe and tomatoes!

7.  Drink green tea: it has been shown to help protect the skin from UV damage!

Above all else, always remember to care for your neck, chest and hands with the same care you use with your face!  All of these areas can sport some delicate skin and are easily damaged. 

What's Your Favorite Position...When Sleeping?

We all know that sleeping is beneficial for us, but do you really know what it can do?  In addition to refreshing our bodies and minds, sleep is extremely beneficial for our skin!  Take a minute today to read some of the article below on sleep and what it does for us and our skin....

Sleeping Beauty:  Sleep Your Way to Better Skin and Hair

Does Sleep Deprivation Cause Acne?

Which Sleep Position is Healthiest?

Friday's Organic Skin Care Tip #8

Along with snow and cold weather, winter often brings along dry, cracked skin... particularly on your hands and fingers. Below are some simple and quick tips to help get your hands back in shape:

1. Apply olive oil, just as you would lotion, to moisturize your hands. Remember that consistency is key.
2. After you have moisturized your hands, put on some cotton gloves. You can sleep in these and this will help lock in the moisture.
3. Paraffin wax treatments work great to moisturize and soften your hands. You can buy a paraffin wax kit so that you can use them at home, or treat yourself and go to a spa!
4. Limit your hand's exposure to the cold as much as possible.
5. Don't bite or pick at your fingers, this will only irritate the skin and dry it out more.