Get Naturally Clear Skin: Healthy Habits and DIY Skin Care Recipes

      Doesn't it seem that an endless array of skin products exist today that promise to give flawless skin? If there was even one truly miraculous product that existed of such nature, every woman's search for gorgeous, clear skin would be over. Because overwhelming your skin with chemicals from products can do more harm than good, I'm going to provide a few do-it-yourself all-natural skin care recipes as well as a list of habits that you can incorporate into your daily life for unforgettable, clear skin. Note that for the recipes listed, I highly recommend organic ingredients since they're not loaded with harmful pesticides and toxic chemicals that could manifest on the skin in the form of unsightly pimples, or other ugly skin enemies.

     First thing's first: There are important healthy habits you must build into your life and dirty little habits you must avoid like the plague to get healthy and clear skin. The following list gives you the essentials.

• Knowledge: Learn what the triggers are to dull, acne-prone skin and avoid them. Great resources are on the links below:
  
  - 5 Surprising Things That May Be Clogging Your Pores (pt. 1)
  - 5 (More) Surprising Things That May Be Clogging Your Pores (pt. 2)
  
  

• Prevention: Without these, your efforts of achieving clear skin will be futile:
  - Avoid touching your face at all times, unless absolutely necessary (i.e., to wash face, or scratch a stubborn little itch), as long as it's done with freshly cleaned hands.
  - Don't rewear worn clothes; wear fresh clean clothes everyday if you're prone to back or chest acne.
  - Reduce stress levels: Exercise often, do yoga, meditate, or do something that relaxes you daily.
  - Practice diaphragmatic breathing: If there is one thing that could improve anything in the quality of your life, it is this! Diaphragmatic breathing aids to remove toxins from your body in the simplest way. Because toxin buildup is a big cause of acne, this type of breathing will help to eliminate some toxins from your body.
  - Do not wash your face with a bar of soap, especially the one you use on your body. Use a facial cleanser formulated for your skin type that is noncomedogenic (won't clog pores). You may even use the cleanser on the areas of your body where you break out.
  -Avoid processed, chemicalized foods such as fried fast foods, and those found in boxes, bottles, canned containers, or wrapped in foil.
  -Eat organic foods: They're better for your health, skin, and for the Earth that supports your existence.
  - Aside from eating vegetables and fruits high in Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, Zinc, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids, supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin in a gummy, chewable, or gelcap form, since they are more readily absorbed by the body than the tablet kind. One great Vitamin A supplement for clear skin is Borba Clear Skin Capsules. Also, add probiotics to your diet, found most in plain yogurt or in supplement form, which balance out bacteria levels in the body and greatly help reduce acne.
  - Most importantly, drink 8-10 full glasses of filtered water daily. Drinking that many glasses will flush out excess toxins that build up in your system and produce acne. It will help you maintain clear skin and have better health.
  
  
  
• Treatment: Treat already existing pimples with a dab of tea tree oil, a highly potent acne-fighter enriched with antioxidants containing anti-bacterial properties.
  
  
  
• Removal of hidden dirt and oil: A toner is the answer for fresher, cleaner skin. It is an important product to have in your beauty arsenal. Using it, you will see the removal of the nasty residue of trapped oil and dirt your cleanser can't remove on its own. It is among my #1 must-haves and here I show you a recipe so that you can make one on your own without the cost of a product brand!
  
  
  • DIY Toner
    - Combine 3 drops of rosemary oil, which contains proven acne-busting salicylic acid, with three tablespoons of organic, unfiltered, undistilled apple cider vinegar (this kind has not had all the natural enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and toxin-neutralizing malic acid destroyed through processing). Add a 3/4 cup of filtered or distilled water and mix well in a bowl. Add mix to a clean screw cap bottle. Apply to skin with a cotton ball or cotton pad and press and rub against skin the same way you would to remove makeup. You can use it as often as once a day, just after cleansing skin before going to bed at night. You may keep the leftover toner in the bottle and use it for as long as it lasts, but not exceeding more than a month, to keep it staying fresh.
    
    
• Exfoliation: Regular exfoliation of the skin is essential for removing dead skin cells that trap new, smooth skin under a layer of dullness and dry flakes. It is recommended to exfoliate at least once a week and not more often than twice weekly. The best exfoliation strategy is to exfoliate skin before washing it with a cleanser. It removes the dead skin first so that you can clean the skin closer to your pores for better, deeper cleansing. Check out the all-natural exfoliators/masks I created for all you beautiful people who want smoother, clearer skin! Make sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients prior to testing!
  
  
  • DIY Exfoliators/Masks
    
    - Normal to Dry Skin: Mix 4 tablespoons of honey with lemon juice from half a lemon. Add one tablespoon of natural/raw brown sugar to the mix. Combine well in a bowl and apply mixture to entire face. Rub in gentle, small circles all throughout the face for 60 seconds. Leave on for 15 minutes and wash off with warm water. Wash face with a facial cleanser for another 60 seconds and wash off with warm water. Rinse with cold water to tighten pores, pat dry with a clean towel, and apply a facial moisturizer.
    
    - Oily/Combination Skin: Cut 5 slices of cucumber and combine with the juice of half a lemon and set on a bowl. Add a cup of filtered water and two tablespoons of baking soda. Add mixture to blender and blend until it forms a thick paste. Finish off with adding a tablespoon of a thick grain salt such as sea salt or kosher salt. Mix well and apply to the entire face. Rub mixture in gentle, small circles for 60 seconds. Leave on for 15 minutes and wash off with warm water. Wash your face with your facial cleanser for a full minute before washing off with warm water. Splash face with cold water to close pores, pat skin dry with a clean towel, and apply moisturizer.
    
    - Sensitive Skin: Warm a cup of milk in a saucepan (don't microwave) for a few minutes until lukewarm. Remove from pan and add to bowl. Add a half cup of oatmeal and two tablespoons of honey. Combine well to form a thick paste. Add mixture to face and rub for 60 seconds in small circles with gentle pressure. Leave on skin for 15 minutes and wash off with warm water. Wash face with a gentle facial cleanser for another 60 seconds before rinsing off with warm water. Splash face with cold water for tighter pores, pat dry with a clean towel, and apply a gentle moisturizer.
    
    
    (Caution: For all skin care recipes, ensure that you have no allergy to any of the ingredients listed before using.)