7 tips for optimal skin & a face-mask you’ll love

Summer is prime time for glowing skin but also the time when it can come to most harm, if not looked after. In the sun your skin needs extra nourishing and protecting and we’re not talking about slathering on a load of sunscreen!

And it’s not just about what goes on your skin, there are many things you can do to leave you gleaming from the inside out … so if you’re heading for the sun this August then check out our 7 tips for optimal skin care.

1. SPF diet? Did you know that what you eat can also help shield your skin from the sun’s harmful rays? Adding the healthy foods listed below to your diet can help lessen your chances of burning. And a good diet with plenty of healthy fruit and vegetables will ensure maximum benefit from antioxidants which also help to strengthen skin.
2. Cocoa – Studies have shown that cocoa can make skin up to 25 percent less sun sensitive! Its high levels of antioxidants can actually stop the skin from reddening after sun exposure and can help keep it moist and less scaly – good news for all you chocolate lovers!
3. Carrots and sweet potatoes – they are both rich in beta-carotene which again can protect the skin from burning and increase the strength in your pigments so your face will be glowing with a natural colour!
4. And oily fish is great too
5. Hydration is key to youthful-looking skin. Using a good moisturiser helps, of course, but you’ll need to ‘moisturise’ from the inside as well. Aside from drinking plenty of filtered water, we’re huge fans of the hydrating properties of coconut water. And don’t forget, you can eat water too … by consuming lots of water-rich vegetables such as raw cucumber, celery, salads and fruit
6. Sunscreen is important but getting sun exposure (ie without sunscreen) is actually very important for your general health. Sun exposure allows your body to naturally produce your own supply of vitamin D, and experts now agree that this is the best form of vitamin D available. So the safest way to do this without getting burnt, is to bare your arms and legs to the sun for about 20 mins a day, but avoiding the sun at its hottest. You never know, you might actually enjoy it! But if you are out in the sun for longer periods, then you do need a safe, but chemical-free sunscreen, to avoid burning and over-exposure.
7. Aloe Vera juice – nature’s botox! 
8. Drinking a slug of aloe vera juice regularly can have a dramatic effect on the quality of your skin, will benefit your digestive system and increase your energy levels, no end. Healing from the inside out is the sure way to improve health permanently with a guaranteed younger healthy glow, what a bonus!
9. Aloe Vera gel – don’t leave for the sun without it!
10. Coconut oil – a natural multi-purpose moisturiser for face, body and hair!
11. Astaxanthin – Have you even heard of this powerful age-defying antioxidant? High in vitamin C and E, both of which your skin loves, it’s been identified as being profoundly useful in protecting against skin damage when taken as a daily supplement.

And finally, we all love the Zen of homemade rituals from time to time, so forget the expensive chemical laden, shop bought masks, and make your own hydrating mask, which your skin will absolutely love!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of oats, milled (ground into a powder)
• 1 tablespoon of organic milk
• 2 teaspoons of pure honey

Method

1. Combine the milled oats and milk together in small bowl until blended into a semi-smooth paste. 
2. Add the honey into the mixture and blend together. 
3. Apply mask to your clean face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes, then rinse off with warm water. 
4. Follow with coconut oil.