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Eating a nutritious and well-balanced diet is good for your health as well as beauty because it helps maintain younger-looking skin.

Foods rich in vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E, in particular, are excellent for maintaining beautiful skin and hair.

These vitamins are useful for maintaining smooth skin and preventing skin disorders. Furthermore, make sure you drink sufficient water at regular intervals throughout the day. It is usually recommended to drink at least eight glasses of water in a day.

Here are top 5 foods that can prove to be highly beneficial for maintaining healthy skin

Orange for beauty

Orange is widely known for maintaining glowing and gorgeous skin. In addition, it slows down the aging of skin.

Thus, you can eat this fruit, drink its juice or apply rejuvenating face masks prepared from orange juice or orange peels to benefit your skin.

It contains amino acids, folic acid, flavonoids, and antioxidants that are considered excellent for skin. Needless to say, it is a good source of vitamin C.

When applied on skin, it cures acne, makes your skin soft, reduces wrinkles, opens pores, and works as a natural bleach to fade skin pigmentation and blemishes.

Avocado

Researchers have found that having avocado pulp encourages the production of embryonal collagen which, in turn, helps maintain smooth and wrinkle-free skin.

It is packed with vitamin A and contains an amino acid called glutamine that regulates cell growth and tightens loose skin.

The antioxidants present in this fruit help remove toxins that cause premature aging. It contains niacin that soothes red, blotchy skin. Moreover, regularly eating avocados lowers blood cholesterol levels.

Plus, you can apply facial masks prepared from avocado pulp to maintain soft skin. When dealing with sunburn, you can apply avocado oil for soothing the skin.

Mango

Eating mangoes is a delicious way to pamper your skin. They have a rejuvenating effect on dull skin. In addition, mangoes are packed with vitamin A and antioxidants that repair skin cells, reduce skin inflammation caused by sunburn, and fight free radicals that lead to premature aging of skin.

Moreover, you can scrub your face and neck with a paste of mango pulp and a couple of teaspoons of milk powder. Besides, you can apply a combination of mango, yogurt, and oatmeal.

Nuts

Nut and seeds like almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and so on are a good source of essential fatty acids.

You can munch on roasted nuts and seeds as snacks or sprinkle them on your yogurt, oatmeal, etc. Pumpkin seeds, for instance, are rich in zinc, too, and thus, promote skin renewal by maintaining collagen.

Furthermore, almonds are loaded with vitamin E that nourishes your skin and protects it from the damage caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. While taking nuts and seeds, though, eat them in moderation as they tend to be high in calories.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable high in antioxidants. Being packed with beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and folate, it promotes collagen production, thereby assisting in maintaining supple skin, improving the turnover of cells, and guarding against damage caused by ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Plus, broccoli sprouts contain sulforaphane that can repair sun damage and have anti-cancer properties. Apart from broccoli, other cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, Brussels sprout, cauliflower, kale, chard, mustard greens, watercress, horseradish, etc.

Furthermore, when striving to maintain gorgeous skin, reduce stress and kick the habit of cigarette smoking. Stress can trigger dermatitis and contribute in making your skin dry and scratchy. Smoking, on the other hand, leads to wrinkles around the eyes and mouth.

Blackheads are dark tiny bumps on skin. They are a mild type of acne and are medically known as open comed ones. Interestingly, the black color of these comedones is not due to dirt.

They appear dark and black in color as the sebum is exposed to the oxygen in air. Though slightly raised, unlike pimples, blackheads are not painful or inflamed.

More often than not, they appear as enlarged pores and black spots, especially around the nose, chin, and cheeks.

They are caused by a buildup of excess sebum and dead skin cells leading to blocked skin pores. Thus, this problem is more common in individuals with oily skin or combination skin.

Excess oil production, in turn, is caused by a number of factors like hormonal changes, genetic predisposition, stress, intake of certain medications, environmental factors, and so on.

Furthermore, improper skin care is another important reason leading to blackheads. For instance, using too much makeup, oil, or oil-based creams increase your chances of developing this problem.

How to Get Rid of Blackheads

Given below are 9 effective solutions for eliminating blackheads from your skin.

Taking facial steam every week or every alternate week is highly beneficial for opening your skin pores and softening the sebum plugs causing blackheads. For this, you can place your face over a bowl of hot water for about 10-15 minutes. You may add dried herbs or a few drops of essential oils in boiling water to increase the effectiveness of this procedure. Facial steaming and application of warm compresses makes it easier to remove the blackheads. Thus, use this procedure before applying any face mask to eliminate this problem.

Exfoliate your skin with an oatmeal mask to get rid of blackheads. To prepare the mask, add sufficient green tea or chamomile tea in a tablespoon of colloidal oatmeal to form a thin paste. You can make your own colloidal oatmeal at home by grinding rolled oats or quick oats in a food processor or coffee grinder to get a fine powder. After rinsing off the oatmeal mask from your face, dab hydrogen peroxide on the affected area with the help of a cotton ball.

Mash a few strawberries to get two tablespoons of strawberry pulp. Mix a teaspoon of honey in this pulp to form a paste. Apply it on your face and neck. Rinse it off after 20 minutes.

There is another interesting homemade peel off mask prepared by mixing half a cup of lemon juice, orange juice, or tomato juice and a packet of plain gelatin. You can heat this mixture either on a stove top or in a microwave for about 15 seconds. Leave it to set for about five minutes. Finally, brush it lightly on your face, particularly around your nose with a makeup brush or a small paintbrush and peel it off when it dries.

Whisk an egg white and apply a thin layer on your face, especially around the nose. When it dries, spread another layer. Let it dry for about 15 minutes. Finally, scrub it off with a warm, wet washcloth to reduce blackheads naturally. You can follow this procedure once or twice a week.

Use an over-the-counter cream or lotion containing benzoyl peroxide to get rid of blackheads. You can use it about two times in a day for about four to six weeks. Before applying the cream, though, make sure your clean your face thoroughly. You can also use retinoids and cleansers containing salicylic acid.

Take half a cup of boiling water and add one teaspoon of Epsom salt and three drops of iodine in it. Dip a cotton ball in this solution and apply it on the affected areas to treat blackheads.

Using blackhead strips or pore strips can be an effective way to improve blackheads and plugged pores. Besides, you can opt for comedone extractors that help remove blackheads through suction.

If nothing else works, then you may consider cosmetic procedures like laser or light therapy. In case you are interested in a non-invasive procedure then you may try chemical peels or microdermabrasion.

Coconut milk is packed with loads of proteins and vitamins which makes it an excellent beauty product. It adds strength and elasticity to weak, brittle and damaged hair, and promotes longer hair by helping reduce everyday damage.

SOFT, SHINY HAIR
Coconut milk not only treats dry, frizzy hair but also deep conditions, moisturizes and strengthens your hair to help prevent and treat hair fall.

Coconut Milk after shower Conditioner

After shower, add a drop of coconut milk to your palm and apply it to the strands of your hair.
If you have very fine hair then use it just at the ends of your hair to keep it split end free and looking healthy.

If you don’t have coconut milk then try this homemade hair spray using coconut oil >>

Coconut Milk Leave in Conditioner Spray

1/2 cup Coconut Milk
1 cup distilled water
1tsp of vitamin E oil (optional)
Few drops of lavender oil or any other essential oil

Mix it all in a spray bottle and mist it all over your hair.

The homemade all natural leave in conditioner will not only keep your hair soft, shiny and moisturized but will also treat any hair problems naturally.

To clear and prevent acne as well as lighten the scars use a natural homemade toner.

Green Tea Oily Skin Toner
* 1 cup of green tea
* 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar

Mix 1 cup green tea along with 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and use it as a toner to deep clean the pores, reduce oils and fight acne.
The toner also helps to reduce scar and even out the skin tone for a clear complexion.

Apple cider Vinegar Oily Skin toner
* 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup of water

Mix apple cider vinegar with water and pour it in a bottle. Use a cotton pad to apply the toner all over the face, leave it on for 5mi

ns to get rid of excess oils, blackheads and deep clean the skin. Rinse off and pat dry.

Witch hazel Oily skin toner:* 3 parts water
* 2 parts of witch hazel
* 1 part apple cider vinegar

Mix three parts distilled water with two parts witch hazel and one part apple cider vinegar will take care of you. Apply the toner to not only treat excess oil but also tighten the skin.

Top Five Egg Face Masks For Tighter Wrinkle Free Skin

With time and age, you get sagging and loose skin; your face too is no exception! But don’t you get a shiver down your spine even as you imagine your facial skin going slack and flaccid? That is why, anti-aging skincare regimen is so important. If you start early, chances are that your skin would remain firm and tight for a longer period of time. Skin tightening face packs, if used on a regular basis, can be immensely useful. And trust me, you do not have to burn a hole in the pocket to give your skin a boost of skin tightening; if you choose to rely on the bounties of nature, cost-effective skin tightening face packs are abundant.

Did you know that egg whites are extremely effectual in tightening your skin and shrinking the pores? In fact, eggs, when used in face packs, can bring about significant reduction in the appearance of fine lines and restore elasticity to the skin. That is why, using eggs in face packs, especially targeted for skin tightening, can be rewarding! Of course, you have to put up with the smell of raw eggs and that can be a major turn off; but if you count the benefits you are going to reap, I am sure nobody can be happier than you!

Top five skin tightening egg facial masks

1. Egg-white and honey mask: Mix the white of an egg and add a spoon of honey. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and apply it not only on your face but also on your neck. Wait for fifteen minutes. Rinse with cool water. The mask tones your skin, hydrates to make your skin feel rejuvenated.

2. Egg-white and yoghurt face mask: Mix an egg white with a spoon of yoghurt. Add a few granules of brown sugar. Apply the mask generously on your face and neck. Massage your skin gently for about ten minutes. Allow the mask to rest for another ten minutes and then wash off. This mask is great for exfoliating dead skin and tightening loose facial skin. It makes your skin glow with youthful radiance.

3. Egg-white and oatmeal face mask: Whip the white of an egg and add two spoons of oatmeal. Make a paste and apply it on your face. Wait for twenty minutes and experience a natural face lift.

4. Egg-white and lemon juice facial mask: Mix an egg white with two spoons of lemon juice. Add a few drops of honey. Whisk the components into a smooth frothy mixture and apply it evenly on your face and neck. Wait for 30 minutes and wash off. Lemon juice is effective in removing dark spots, dead cells and excess oil. Egg makes your skin firm. Honey helps to replenish lost moisture content.

5. Egg-white and apple facial mask: An apple is to be peeled and blended well. Mix two spoons of apple cider vinegar with an egg white. Mix thoroughly and apply it on your face. While apple cider vinegar exfoliates and soothes your skin, egg white tightens the skin. After 30 minutes, wash off with trepid water.

I am sure you would love to try these egg white skin tightening facial masks for a lovely and youthful skin. After all, beautiful and firm skin is the key to timeless beauty!

Three interesting makeup tricks!

1.The Most Important Thing – Proper Contouring

Proper countering is perhaps the most important thing when you apply makeup on your face. The main reason for using makeup on your face is that you want to hide the features that you do not like so much and underline the ones that are your favourite. Using makeup and the proper contouring is important when you are going to pose for photos, because the camera is much more sophisticated then the normal human eye and it can capture all the shadows and highlights.

There are special powders for proper countering and highlighting and you can try to use them, but there is also the variant to use such powder that is darker than your skin with a few shades, and a foundation that is lighter than you skin. There are certain areas that you need to define with darker shades – your neck, under your cheek bones, and other parts of your face like the zone under your eyes and the t-zone is where you should highlight.

2.The Illusion of Larger Lips

Well, unfortunately we are not all blessed with big and juicy lips that we like so much to see on a woman’s face, but there are a few tricks that can help you create this illusion. The simplest one is to use a lip pencil and apply a line outside your normal lip line. That means just to go slightly off your normal lip line so that you create the effect; otherwise all you could achieve is to look like a clown.

3.How to Save Your Eye Line

If you are using eyeliner as part of your makeup vision, perhaps you also check from time to time if it is still there. Some eyeliners are not so stable and tend to vanish after some time, may be because they are not like waterproof makeup. But waterproof makeup is really hard to be taken off, the process of removing, for example the lashes, can be even painful. That is why I prefer not to use waterproof makeup but have some tricks for saving the makeup on my face. Such a trick is to put pressed powder under your eye liner on your bottom lid. With this you create some kind of a barrier so that your eyeliner does not go downward.

The Secret Trick to Nailing the Perfect Cat-Eye

Let’s face it: For those of us without steadfast, surgeon-like hands or a professional makeup crew on call, inky, jet-black liner is intimidating. One false tug is all it takes is to go from feline flick to Amy Winehouse superfan. But before you breakup with the look altogether, consider this: With the right tool—and technique, of course—creating a cat-eye is actually easy. You’ll be a believer too once you try Benefit’s brand new They’re Real! Push-Up Liner. The first ever gel formula inside a pen applicator, this wunderkind liner combines the precision of a traditional gel with the ease of a pen applicator. Even more impressive, the geniuses at Benefit spent five years developing the patent-pending AccuFlex pen tip, which is engineered specifically to hug your lashline. Because it’s so goofproof, the liner can be used a myriad of different ways, but we tried it out with one of our favorite makeup artist tricks and saw major success. Behold: The easiest cat-eye you’ll ever create.

Step 1:

The goal here is sleek and sultry—not I-just-watched-a-Nicholas-Sparks-movie-marathon sloppy. To that end, get the perfect canvas for your dramatic eyeliner with Benefit’s Stay Don't Stray primer. It adds a light wash of nude pigment that conceals darkness and makes you look instantly more awake. Best of all, the formula ensures that your liner will stay put. Dust on a light shimmery shadow to really make eyes pop.

Step 2:

Holding the liner tip vertical to your lashline, trace a thin line out from the outer corner of your eye. The line should point upwards towards the tip of your brow and stop right underneath your crease. Tip: Follow your lower waterline to help guide placement.

Step 3:

Next, draw a line back toward the middle of your lid. You should create a small V-shape at the edge of your eye.

Step 4:

Then, starting near your tear duct, draw a slim straight line above your upper lash line until it connects with your V. Now pat yourself on the back because the tricky part is over.

Step 5:

Go back and fill in your outlines with color.

Step 6:

Finish with two coats of long-lasting mascara. Play matchy-matchy by opting for Benefit’s original They’re Real! Mascara. The smooth formula glides on easily, while the unique definition-enhancing brush lifts and separates each and every lash.

13 Simple Tricks to Get Clear Skin Overnight

Even if you’re eating right, getting enough sleep and a bit of exercise, those breakouts can be super sneaky. Nothing is more frustrating than having a big event like a wedding or job interview and having to deal with bad skin. If you are pressed for time and are looking for options to get glowing skin overnight, here are 13 tried and true ways to get your best skin ASAP!

1. Wash Your Face: Always wash your face before bed! If you’re not washing away all the dirt and sweat from the day, you’re asking for a breakout. Stash cleansing wipes on your nightstand for nights when you’re too tired to move.

2. Face Mask: Whip up a spa-worthy mask right in your own home using strawberries and yogurt to help smooth bumps and unclog pores.

3. Hydrate Your Skin: A dry face is much more prone to wrinkles and aging. Simply washing your face before you sleep and applying a rich, non-pore clogging lotion with anti-aging properties will make a huge difference in the texture of your skin.

4. Spot Treatment: Before bed, use a spot treatment containing a combination of sulfur and salicylic acid. Try Mario Badescu Drying Lotion for $17 to kill bacteria and clean out the pores. After cleaning your face, use a Q-tip to apply a spot treatment directly to any budding blemishes.

5. Use a Clay Mask: The ingredients will penetrate deep into your skin and clean out excess oil and bacteria. This can also double as an exfoliator to open pores and get rid of the gunk clogged inside!

6. Oatmeal Mask: Combine cooked oatmeal with lemon juice and egg. The oatmeal’s antioxidants will bring down swelling, while the acid in the lemon kills bacteria in your pores and the vitamin E in the egg will tighten skin so it appears perfectly smooth.

7. Don’t Pick It: Whatever you do, resist the urge to squeeze. It is tempting to pick and pop at a pimple, but that can lead to permanent scarring and further breakouts.

8. Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera is famous for treating wounds and scars and also acts as a remedy to rid of acne fast. Apply Aloe Vera juice or gel on spots and let dry for about one hour before washing it off with warm water.

9. Honey: A great natural solution for sensitive skin, honey moisturizes skin and is non-irritating. It also helps to soothe skin and reduce irritation.

10. Toothpaste: Apply a non-gel toothpaste before going to bed. For the most significant improvement, wake up a few times during the night and check whether toothpaste is still covering the spot. If it is not, add more.

11. Steam It Out: Put your face over a bowl of boiling water and let the steam moisturize it for two to three minutes. This helps in removing dirt, dust and oil from the pores of the skin without aggravating pimples.

12. Aspirin Or Baking Soda: Dissolve an aspirin in a little water and then apply the paste to the spot for no more than five minutes. The reason this works is that aspirin and baking soda contain the same acid that many acne treatments use to exfoliate dry skin and decrease redness.

13. Ice It: Rub an ice cube all over the area for about two minutes before applying an acne cream or a DIY face mask.

Get Styled

Top 5 Foods to Feed Your Face

How to Get Rid of Blackheads

Homemade Coconut Milk Leave in Spray on Conditioner

Natural Alcohol Free Oily Skin Toner