Food for Beautiful Skin: Avocados

Following on from the Skindividual post about my avocado face mask, I thought it would only be right to talk about how amazing this fruit is (yet I always think of it as a vegetable!) when incorporated into your diet.

Anti-Inflammatory properties
The phytonutrient compound found in avocados, such as polyphenols and flavonoids have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties. This will help to reduce any sort of rashes or acne on the skin's surface

Antioxidant Carotenoids for healthy skin
Alpa carotene, beta carotene, beta cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein are free radical quenching compounds found in the avocado. These compounds provide significant protection for your skin from the environmental damage that can lead to fine lines, wrinkles and other visible signs of ageing. They have also been thought to improve skin's density, thickness, tone and general appearance. 

The 'good fats'!
The monosaturated fats in avocados help to regulate blood sugar levels. These fats, along with the fruit's high fibre content will ensure that that blood sugar levels stay steady throughout the day when incorporate regularly into your diet!

If you're new to avocados....

Personally, I can be a little scared when introducing new foods into my diet, especially when I'm not exactly sure what dishes I can throw them into!

One thing I like to do with avocados is simply mash them up (basically guacamole!) which I serve with various things I eat, like omelettes, fajitas, sandwiches, etc.

Method

• Scoop out half the flesh of a firm (so it's easy to mash) avocado 
• Mash on a chopping board with a fork (it's fun!)
• Sprinkle in some black pepper and the juice of half a lime, tasting as you add them. (Add whatever other seasonings you like!)
• Scoop into a bowl and serve as an accompaniment to any dish!

Sinéad

Avocado Face Mask

Recently, my friend Susan introduced me into the world of avocados. Don't even ask how I had never ventured there before, because now I can't get enough of them! The next Skindividual blog post will talk about the many reasons that they are one of the best foods to include in your diet for healthy, glowing skin. But for now, let's look at how amazing they are to put onto your face! By creating your own avocado face mask, you can pamper your skin with a simple, natural and affordable beautifying treatment at home.

How will applying avocado onto my skin help?
Avocados are packed full of healthy fats and skin loving vitamins (such as Vitamin E!), which intensely moisturise the skin and also contain anti-inflammatories to help combat acne. Because of these properties, avocados will be suitable for any skin type- dry, combination or oily.

How to make the mask

• Use half of one ripe avocado (ripe=will be more soft and easy to use) and mash well on a chopping board. Transfer into a bowl and whisk well with a hand whisk until you no longer see any large lumps, like in my picture above!
• Add a small teaspoon of honey and mix again.
• Apply the mixture onto freshly cleansed (and slightly damp) skin. Clean skin will absorb the avocado's oils easier than skin with excess debris/dirt/oils.
• Leave on for at least 15 minutes. You will notice that the mask will begin to dry and start to feel a little tight.
• Wipe excess avocado off with a tissue and throw away (You don't want all that green mush clogging up your sink!)
• Rinse the remnants of the mask away with lukewarm water. Apply moisturiser straight away to seal in the goodness!

This leaves my skin baby soft and plump. I've been using it twice a week and absolutely loving it. You could use it as often as you like, as it does not dry out the skin!

Sinead x

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Food for Beautiful Skin: Oats

As you may know already, I adore using oats as part of my skincare regime! I stopped using them for a while, and have recently began again in the past couple of weeks and I've been loving them so much. The main reason I'm using them more for my skin recently is actually because I've started to eat them again every morning for breakfast. I'm trying to eat as clean as I can, and we all know that breakfast cereals (even those marketed as being healthy) can be full of additives, preservatives and sugar. So oatmeal is a tasty, nutritious and delicious alternative.

How can eating oatmeal benefit our skin?
Oats are an amazing source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are absolutely one of the best things you can feed your skin! These fatty acids can help to regulate oil production in the skin, while also keeping it hydrated and plump. They can also work as an antioxidant that helps to protect your skin from UV damage and radiation from the sun. Omega-3 fatty acids also work to repair the skin, supporting and building up collagen which can ward off saggy skin and wrinkles. Compared with other whole grains on a per gram basis, oats have one of the highest concentrations of zinc, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, thiamine and vitamin E. These are all skin loving ingredients that can help to boost a glowing, healthy complexion.

For breakfast or a snack
As I have mentioned, recently I've been eating oatmeal every morning. Because it keeps me full for a long time, I find that I'm far less likely to want to snack on something sugary a couple of hours later. For me, when I eat a lot of sugary food, it shows on my skin. It can become blotchy or prone to acne. So, when I'm craving something bold to eat in the evenings (like crisps or chocolate!), I've been having oatmeal with a squeeze of honey, and it really does satisfy any cravings. Don't get me wrong, I will still have my sugary/salty snacks, but because I know they can affect my skin, I try to eat them in moderation!

How to make creamy oatmeal without using milk
When I drink milk, it can aggravate my skin, so I always make oatmeal with water. I used to always hate the way it would never be creamy when made with water, and would look more like gruel, which was quite off putting! My new trick is to pop the oats with the right amount of boiling water over them into a pot and just leave them there to steep for about twenty minutes/half an hour. That way, the oats become soft and mushy and when you cook them they end up being lovely and creamy, ta-dah! I pop a bit of honey in with mine and it's a lovely tasty breakfast/snack.

When buying oats, check that there is no added sugar or syrups. Opt for steel-cut oats or rolled oats over instant ones. Instant oats can be quite processed in order to speed up their cooking time, making them more convenient. However, this reduces their health benefits and they contain considerably less nutrients and fibre than regular oats. I usually buy organic oats from a health-food store, just be sure to keep an eye on the label!

Sinéad

Coconut Oil (Part 2): How to use coconut oil for your skin

My previous post on coconut oil was all about the 'why' and this one will be all about the 'how'! I literally cannot live without my beloved coconut oil now as I've been adoring using it for the past six months. I use it every single day, for my skin and also for cooking (I'll talk about this in a future post).

As a make-up remover

Long gone are the days of trying out various different store bought cleansers, only to find that they would aggregate my skin. Or if they didn't, they wouldn't remove my make-up very easily, resulting in me having to use a lot of product and do a lot of scrubbing on my skin, which would result in redness and irritation. And even if they were good, I couldn't help but notice all of the ingredients on the back. Surely products that have this many ingredients cannot be totally gentle and kind to skin.. and it's true, they are not! (Check out my previous post on why I changed over to a more natural skincare regime) And then my beloved coconut oil came along... The condition of my skin has vastly improved since adding this to my skincare regime!

• To remove your make-up, simply scoop out a small amount of coconut oil with a clean teaspoon, and massage it into your face and neck with your fingers. Coconut oil melts at skin temperature so it will glide along your face while melting. It smells divine and feels incredibly soothing!
• Massage the oil in for a couple of minutes (it can be used on and around the eyes with no irritation and works as an unbelievably effective eye make-up remover also). Then, simply wipe away with a cotton pad.
• Take another very small amount of coconut oil and repeat these steps again. Keep doing it until you can see no more make-up on the cotton pad. It doesn't take long for this to happen as the oil is amazing at breaking down foundations, powders, mascara, and lipstick.
• Afterwards, I get rid of the excess coconut oil by massaging in oatmeal (read about why I love oatmeal for skin so much here) onto my face for a minute, and then rinsing with water. Or you can spritz a cotton pad with rosewater and sweep across my face and neck, which also removes the oil.
• I find that coconut oil can be a bit heavy to apply to my face overnight, so I use sweet almond oil afterwards instead for overnight moisture.

As a moisturiser for the body

I can honestly say that I will never buy any other moisturiser for my body again! Coconut oil is the best one I have ever used, and I'm really not exaggerating! After a shower or bath, I apply the oil and it just sinks into the skin. Leave it a few minutes before putting clothes on so it can fully sink in and work its magic. Your skin is baby soft afterwards and smells divine (it's only a light scent and isn't too strong). Coconut is one of my favourite scents, it's so clean and fresh. Read coconut oil part 1 to find out why this oil is so beneficial when applied to the skin.

I get very dry lips and I find that applying a small amount of coconut oil on them before going to sleep leaves them hydrated by morning time.

As a shaving oil

Coconut oil makes an excellent shaving oil. Applying it to any areas of the skin you want to shave before removing the hair and it will give you a really close and non irritating shave. Afterwards, apply some oil to the to the area. This will prevent razer burn or any redness of the skin.

At the moment, I am experimenting with different ways to use this oil, so watch this space for more updates!

Sinéad

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