Natural Skin Care is more than what we put on our skin; it’s what we put into our body.

The skin is a reflection of our inner health. Depression, stress and lifestyle all play a role in how successful we are at taking care of our skin.

Natural skin care can begin each morning (before we shower) with a dry brush exfoliation. I can hear the groans already. Hey, this improves lymph and blood circulation while eliminating dead skin cells and it allows our skin to detox. The skin is our largest organ and detox it must. So why not help it? Use a natural soft bristle brush and apply gentle pressure in a small circular motion moving upward on the body beginning at your feet (for those of us who can reach our feet). This also calms the nervous system.

The total natural skin care process also includes our diet. Good skin is a reflection of the digestion system. Skin disorders like acne, rosacea and psoriasis can possibly stem from constipation and other digestive conditions.

Your natural skin care regime needs to include eight to ten glasses of water per day. Good natural skin care is also about making good choices regarding what we eat. Substitute the bags of chips and pretzels with high fiber snacks like nuts, seeds, dried fruit, dates and figs. The old saying “an apple a day” still holds true! Apples are excellent sources of natural fiber and to maximize your fiber intake add cauliflower, too. Try ground flax seeds sprinkled over your favorite cereal, yogurt and salad. Stock up on the healthy stuff the next time you go to the store. Then when the urge to eat (whatever is in sight) hits, you'll be prepared.

For vibrant skin and maximum results from your natural skin care regime, stay away from processed sugar. Excess sugar is one of the main causes of pre-mature aging. Start by cutting out the sugar in your coffee or tea. Natural flavored Stevia is an excellent sugar substitute. Instead of that morning muffin, have high fiber natural grain bread instead.

We hear so many don’ts – but here is an important DO for good, natural skin care; eat good fats. Butter and natural cheese (not processed) are perfect examples. This is especially important for dry skin and eczema. If you are uncertain how dry your skin is check the backs of your arms. Those with a fat deficiency will notice small bumps on the backs of their arms.

Natural Skin Care for Your Face

There are three simple steps to do every morning and night for good, healthy facial skin:

Cleanse

Use a gentle cleansing bar with natural ingredients for oily and combination skin. For dry skin use a gentle cleansing cream or lotion.

Tone

Made with fresh ingredients from your kitchen. This homemade toner will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week(1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 cup of white wine) Gently boil this recipe for 10 minutes. Cool for one hour. Drain and discard the spices. Dip a cosmetic pad* and move gently upward from the neck area to the forehead in light strokes. * Cosmetic pads have less lint than cotton balls.

Moisturize

Look for a cream that has DMAE (dimetheyaminoethanol). It is a natural anti-inflammatory and protects the skin from irritation. Another ingredient to look for is alphalipoic acid. It restores a healthy radiance while tightening pores and diminishing fine lines. One other important ingredient is Vitamin C with ester. Ester is a fat soluble and allows the Vitamin C to penetrate the skin at ten times the higher level than without it.

Special note on moisturizers: Always smooth upward in gentle long strokes, beginning at the neck. Avoid the eye area. Use a special eye cream designed for this delicate area. When putting on eye cream, use your “ring finger”, as this uses the least amount of pressure. Gently smooth eye cream in the direction of the “infinity” symbol.

Good natural skin care also begins and ends each day with one of your most important natural assets, your smile. Give it a regular work out. It will confuse those wrinkles.

Well that's certainly enough to think about. Now it's up to us to take action. Take baby steps. Try different things. But do something everyday and make the commitment to take care of yourself and preserve your precious skin.

Linda Woods