7 Plants You Can Grow At Home For Younger-Looking Skin

Seeking healthy, beautiful skin? Step away from the drugstore and into the nursery—a plant nursery, that is.

Plants you grow in your own garden or on a windowsill can ease many skin issues, from acne to toenail fungus. Growing them yourself not only gives you control over quality and purity, but it also enhances the treatment experience, says herbalist and acupuncturist Antonia Balfour, clinical director of Yin Yang Dermatology in Pacific Palisades, CA

It's very fulfilling to see the process from fresh plant to homemade product to healing the skin," she notes. "You'll have a deeper, soulful connection with the product itself." (Want a healthier diet and better skin? Then check out The Good Gut Diet to start healing from the inside out.)

While Balfour sings the praises of aloe for sunburn, bug bites, and itching, she says the aloe plant is just one of many dermatologic remedies you can find among your indoor or outdoor flora. Here, her top picks for home-harvested skin relief:

 Thyme

Like other plants in the family Lamiaceae—a branch of mint that includes rosemary, sage, and lavender—this aromatic herb is rich in beneficial plant compounds called phenols. In a head-to-head study by researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK, thyme killed more of the zit-causing bacteria Propionibacterium acnes than benzoyl peroxide, the active ingredient in most acne-fighting creams, did.

Reap the benefits: Thyme enjoys full sun and dry soil. Soak the leaves in apple cider vinegar for 2 weeks, then strain. You can use the resulting liquid as a spot treatment for pesky pimples or as an all-over, daily toner to battle widespread breakouts.

Bay Leaf

This flavorful addition to soup may help speed wound healing by boosting the production of collagen cells and by calming inflammation, found an animal study in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The same antibacterial, antifungal powers that healed rodents can help humans, too, by preventing insect bites and cuts from getting infected.
Reap the benefits: Plant bay leaf in a spot with lots of sunlight and keep soil moist. Dry the leaves in a warm oven for 12 hours, and then soak in olive oil for 1 month. Strain and apply directly to the injured area. (Here are 8 plants you can grow to repel mosquitoes naturally.)

German Chamomile
You may have turned to tea made from this herb—among the most popular in the Western world—to fall asleep at night. But the white-and-yellow, daisy-like flower also possesses anti-inflammatory powers that reduce facial redness and ease the irritating skin condition dermatitis. In a Brazilian study published in Phytotherapy Research, the German strain of chamomile (there's also an English variety) sped wound healing even more than treatment with corticosteroids.
Reap the benefits: A hearty, drought-tolerant plant, German chamomile requires little care if left in a sunny location. Once it blooms, dry the flowers in a warm oven for 12 hours, then soak them in oil for as long as a month. Olive oil works well, or, if you're acne-prone, try jojoba oil. Strain, then apply. Depending on your genes and taste buds, cilantro might have a pleasant citrus tang or a disgusting soapy flavor. But regardless of whether you like the taste, you can harness the herb's antiseptic and antifungal properties to banish skin blemishes. In one Scottish study, essential oils from the plant—also known as coriander—effectively reduced the growth of 26 kinds of microorganisms.

Reap the benefits: Grow cilantro in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Blend equal parts fresh cilantro leaves and lemon juice into a paste to use as a spot treatment for whiteheads and blackheads. Leave on 3 to 5 minutes before rinsing clean.

Impatiens Balsamina
Nail fungus is not only super embarrassing, but it's also notoriously difficult to treat. These annual garden flowers, which also go by the names touch-me-not, garden balsam, or rose balsam, offer natural relief thanks to fungicides known as naphthoquinones.

Reap the benefits: Grow rose balsam in moist soil and full sun or partial shade. Soak the flowers in vinegar for 2 weeks, then soak nails daily in the resulting solution. For the fastest possible relief, soak just before bedtime, cover nails with plastic wrap, and seal with tape to allow the solution to continue working overnight. pply.

Calendula

A recent Australian study showed that extracts from this plant, commonly known as pot marigold, protect skin cells from the wrinkle-producing ravages of free radicals. The researchers credit the antioxidants—called phenolic acids and flavonoid glycosides—in the plant's bright orange and yellow petals.

Reap the benefits: This one grows best in full sun or partial shade and moist soil. Dry the flowers in a warm oven for 12 hours, then soak in rose hip or meadowfoam seed oil for 1 month. Dab the resulting serum under and around the eyes daily to ward off crow's feet.

Almond Face Mask

How to Prepare Almond Face Mask
Here is an easy almond face mask beauty recipe for aging and dry skin.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp honey
1 egg yolk
½ tsp almond oil
1 tbsp yogurt

Mix all ingredients and blend well.

How to Apply Almond Face Mask:

Apply the mask on your face and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water and gently wipe the residue with a damp cloth to reveal a much softer and suppler skin.

Apart from using these natural beauty recipes, drink lot of water and eat a balanced diet to keep your skin healthy and beautiful.

Note: Do not use this face mask if you are allergic to any ingredient.

A double border in misty colours

This informal scheme mixes plants of different heights for a more naturalistic take on the traditional double herbaceous border. With the exception of the single atriplexes, all the plants are grown in groups of three, four or five, mingling soft mauves and blues with plums and dusky purples. Given fair weather, the borders could look good into November and beyond, when frost highlights the stems and seed heads.

1. Any fairly neutral soil is suitable for this plan. Mark out borders at least 2 m deep and 6 m long. Remove any turf.
2. Dig the borders deeply (or clear existing ones of plants), taking care to remove any perennial weeds. Fork in plenty of compost or manure.
3. Ideally, plant the borders in autumn or spring. If you choose spring, be prepared to water as necessary.
4. Stand the plants in their pots on the soil and arrange them according to the plan. Plant the cotinus and the hydrangeas first, then work from the back to the front of the borders, watering each plant as you go.
5. The atriplex is an annual which can be planted out in late spring and in subsequent years allowed to seed throughout the border.

1. Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'
2. Hydrangea villosa
3. Molinia caerulea
var. arundinacea 'Transparent'
4. Aster 'Oktoberlicht' (light blue)
5. Salvia farinacea
6. Perovskia 'Blue Spire'
7. Aster ericoides 'Blue Star'
8. Aster novae-angliae 'Violetta'
9. Aster laevis (violet blue)
10. Atriplex hortensis

How To Care For Your Nails

Have you ever wondered why some women seem to have such gorgeous nails? Could they possibly be real? Of course they can! All you have to do is remember that gorgeous nails need to be pampered and if you remember these simple tips, you could be in possession of gorgeous nails yourself.

1. Your nails are going to reflect what you eat. If you are living on burgers and fries, don't expect your nails to be strong and healthy. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way. Add a tub of yogurt and you are on your way!

2. Get into the habit of wearing rubber gloves as often as possible. You often forget the abuse your nails actually take. Consider how often they are in water... just for starters.

3. Gardening is another seemingly harmless activity that all the summer magazines suggest to you. While I agree that the exercise is a plus, it's not so great on your nails. I use gardening gloves and my nails still get dirty, but it's better than nothing and I have no broken nails at the end of the day.

4. While watching tv, moisturize your hands AND nails with your favorite hand lotion. It's not only relaxing, it helps strengthen the nails.

5. Cuticles can also use a little attention, but go gently. They need to be pampered and dry cuticles also contribute to hangnails, so be sure to spend a little time on them daily.

6. Luckily at the moment, nails are fashionably short. That means that there is less nail to snap off and that is a bonus. Keep them trimmed and your nails will last longer.

7. While some nails benefit from not using polish, mine seem to love the stuff. If they are polished, I seem to notice them more and devote a little more attention to them. They really seem to like that.

8. Keep emery boards everywhere. The worse thing that can happen to pretty nails is a snag and your teeth.

Homemade Facial Mask for Dry Skin

Why spend a ton of money on products when you can do the same things at home for much less? Here’s one of my favorite recipes for when my skin feels parched, which is usually around this time (when the cold weather starts to kick in!).

Here’s What You’ll Need

2 oz/60g ripe avocado flesh
1 oz/25g orange juice
1 tsp/5g pure acacia honey
1 tsp/5g molasses
5 drops chamomile essential oil

Start by mixing all the ingredients in a blender. You can also mash them in a bowl if you fish. If you see that the consistency is too thick, add a little bit of orange juice. Apply to your face and neck using your fingers and leave on for 30-40 minutes. Once time is up, gently remove the mask using lukewarm water or a warm washcloth.

This homemade facial mask is great for dry skin because it cleanses the skin but moisturizes it at the same time, leaving your face feeling nice and soft. If you don’t use the entire mixture, you can store it in the fridge for about a day or two.

3 Tricks to Getting Gorgeous Eyebrows

Going to get your eyebrows done on a regular basis can empty out your wallet pretty fast, but if you know how to do them right, why spend a fortune and get them done by someone else? Here’s how you can do your own eyebrows in just a few simple steps. No money, no fuss, no pain

1.Start by brushing your brows upwards using a brow brush. Then snip off the long ends of any hairs that might stick out using a pair of brow scissors and continue brushing downwards. Doing this will ensure that you trim off the bulk of the hair, plus will reveal your natural brow shape.

2.Hold a pencil parallel to the side of the bridge of your nose: that’s where the inner edge of your brow should start. To determine the highest point of your arch, place the pencil parallel to the outside corner of your iris. To find out where your brows should end, just hold the pencil diagonally from your nostril to the outside corner of your eye. You can also just look in the mirror and find the highest point of your brow. From there, you can tweeze right underneath the high point to maximize the

3.Using a brow pencil, mark the spots you just found and begin tweezing accordingly. Be sure to remove no more than 2 rows of hair so your brows still maintain a natural shape and look. You may need to remove just a few hairs from the top of the brows to make them look neat and shaped.

Easy Ways for Women to Lose Weight

Yo-yo dieting is bad for you; it can lower your good cholesterol levels, decrease the function of your immune system and slow your metabolism. The easiest way for women to lose weight and to keep the weight off is to eat healthy, exercise regularly and set realistic goals that are easy to live with. Here are some tips for losing weight easily.

Plyometrics
Plyometrics is a type of training that involves jumping, hopping and bounding. It uses the principals of interval training--short, high-intensity cardio exercise alternated with longer periods of low-intensity cardio--to help women lose weight. This type of training was developed by the Eastern Europeans in the 1970's to build greater strength for the Olympics. Their program was based on scientific evidence showing that if you stretch your muscles before contracting them, it helps enhance your muscles' power. This high-intensity cardio training helps you lose weight and strengthens your muscles.

Pyramid Weightlifting
Pyramid weightlifting involves using a light set of weights for a warm-up round, then progressively increasing the weight in each set thereafter. For example, perform 15 repetitions at 55 percent of your maximum weight for your first set. With only a brief pause, perform 10 repetitions at 60 percent of your maximum, then six to eight repetitions at 65 percent of your maximum. According to Jillian Michaels in "Making the Cut," pyramid lifting helps build muscle by breaking the muscle down in order to build it back up. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body can burn, meaning more lost weight.

Diet
Eating a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, which are packed with nutrients and fiber, helps decrease bloating and assist with weight loss. The American Council on Exercise recommends you eat two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables daily for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. You diet should also include lowfat food choices that are low in calories. Be consistent throughout the week rather than dieting strictly on certain days and then taking other days off. You should also try to reduce your portion sizes by about 10 to 15 percent.

High-Intensity Cardio Activity
According to the American Council on Exercise, higher-intensity exercise burns more calories than lower-intensity exercise. Additionally, it helps to increase your caloric deficit and keeps your metabolism elevated even after you are finished working out. You can combine this with interval training, which alternates short bursts of activity with intense bursts of activity to help your body burn more calories.

Teenage Skin Care - Make a Clean Start

Some teenagers are so active, they don't have the time to even consider their skin. Factor in hormonal changes, and you have a breeding ground for a variety of different skin problems. The good news? With a proper and simple routine, a couple of changes (avoiding bad habits), teenagers can achieve clear and radiant skin.

Firstly, let's consider some quick and dirty tricks teens can incorporate into their daily lives. Some of the most simple changes can make all the difference.

Always wash your hands before cleaning (or touching) your face. Our hands come into contact with an awful lot during the day. The dirt that builds up on our hands can lead to clogged pores, and as a result cause breakouts. Washing your face with dirty hands can be absolutely counterproductive.

Check the cleanliness of everything that touches your face. Peaked caps and mobile phones are regular culprits. Be particularly cautious with any areas of the face where breakouts are common. Could you be touching those areas with grubby objects throughout the day? Take care to check that your skincare lotions or makeup don't contain ingredients that are known to restrict pores. Ingredients to avoid include:- lanolin, mineral oil, SD alcohol, fragrances and colour.

And eat healthily. Many experts think there is a correlation between your diet and skin. When we eat unhealthy foods, our skin tends to show it in the region between our foreheads, as well as on the chin. Wearing a quality SPF15 every day can really help. Of course, this is good advice for all ages, but teens should especially wear a moisturiser that has a full-spectrum sunscreen. The suns rays break down our collagen and elastin, which can lead to sun spots. These results don't tend to surface until years later, so an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The most beneficial way to optimise your skin health in the future is to start protecting it during the younger years. For instance, remove makeup every night. Most young women are guilty of not doing this in their teenage years, but sleeping in makeup is just not good. Especially, if you put up with an oily complexion. Congestion can build up in your pores and cause breakouts.

Using too many drying products is also likely to cause disappointing results. When the skin is oily, most teenagers tend to buy face wash, moisturisers and spot treatments that promise to remove oiliness. At first, you may see some results, but in the long run, the oil glands will begin to over accommodate for the lack of oil by producing even more oil than in the first place! Everything starts with good intentions, initially teenagers say they love drying skincare regimens. But after a while, they suddenly cease to be effective. Any creams with SD Alcohol are unquestionably part of the 'drying out' category.

Avoiding no, no's, such as using plain soap on the face. It is alkaline, and our skin is acidic. Meaning that it can make skin feel tight, dry and itchy. Taking hot showers is another tactic to be avoided. Whilst tempting, the heat can actually draw moisture out of the skin. This can cause your skin to either produce surplus oil (or look dry and flaky). We're sure that everyone can recollect being told not to pick spots, but picking really isn't a good idea. Infected and angered spots spread infection to other areas of the face when picked. Instead, try applying products containing Sulfur or Salicylic Acid to problem areas, just as you feel them starting. So, how do you develop a good skincare regimen in your teens? The answer is keep it simple but effective.

Choose a high quality cleanser. Dermalogica Clean Start is recommended, as it includes all of the ingredients necessary for a total regimen. For instance, a foaming wash containing salicylic acid, which reaches deep into pores to help exhaustively clean the skin.

For active teenagers, ensure any routine includes the body. Don't over exfoliate, usually 3 times a week is good enough. Excess scrubbing can lead to any infection spreading across the surface of the skin. You may consider using a leave-on exfoliant, containing salicylic acid. This can clean up the pores and cut through oil. When the pores are clear, breakouts are much less likely to occur. Treat breakouts as and when they take place.

Choose a spot treatment that is well regarded and has proven results. Some use sulfur to dry out infected areas, and some contain Benzoyl Peroxide to get rid of bacteria. You should apply as soon as you suspect a breakout forming. One common myth is that moisturising restricts pores. There are moisturisers available that will hold oil on the surface of the skin at bay and looking matte. The same applies with SPF protectors and sunblocks.

With the best will in the world any campaign to keep skin healthy can be met with the odd congestion or breakout. Utilising quality products and staying up to date with professional advice will go a long way to saving your skin in optimum health.

Weight Loss after the Pregnancy

Rebecca Romijn (36) claim to have lower body weight was 27.2 kg since the birth her twin daughter, Dolly and Charlie, four months ago. This is done without the exercise. According to the stars of Ugly Betty, her weight loss secret is out. “It’s like we have to eat 5000 calories a day. If not, we can not provide enough food for them (children). Thus, the process is also fun,” the wife of Jerry O’Connell say this.

Rebecca felt even in the first three weeks she has lost 16 kg without doing anything. “I can not too many sports because my twin children. It is not possible to return to the training schedule as before,” she added. However, she realized that she can not hope to return to the form of the body first. “There is still excess weight that must be removed.”

Rebecca how this can be effective for all new mothers who give birth? We know not all women are given the ability to trim back quickly after the birth. Basically, the weight will go down after birth, but not all. During pregnancy, body weight generally increased between 11 and 16 kg. After birth, the amount of body weight down around 5-7 kg. So, there is still excess weight is behind.

Breastfeeding is to be a good way to accelerate the decrease in body weight. It is evident that provide breastfeeding issue certain hormones in the body for the first 12 months after the birth to help the uterus return to form before the pregnancy. When breastfeeding, everything we eat will be processed into breast milk and the baby will take food from you.

In addition to breastfeeding, there is no other way to reduce body weight except diet and sports. However, we must ensure that this is done both in a manner that is healthy and safe. You can begin exercise 40 days after birth. Of course, select the sports that are not too heavy. These are any tips of weight loss after pregnancy:

1. Lay down in position with your back flat and the second knee buckling. Keep the foot flat on the floor (or bed) and knee meetings.
2. Slowly, move the knee bend to the right thigh right up to touch the outside floor. Make sure the top of the body (stomach and chest) remains straight upwards.
3. Then turn back to the top of the knee and to the left so that the outside of the left thigh touches the floor.
4. Repeat this movement several times. This movement of relax will repair joints and stiff joints that will ease back pain after childbirth.

After your condition is quite strong, you can walk for 30 minutes every day. After the better, do jogging effective as running to burn calories. Treadmill you can use to find out how many calories are burned. Another way is to burn the calories by handle your baby alone and reduce the help of family or servant.

What about diet?

You have often heard that healthy eating patterns, including

1. Stop consumes food and drinks that too sweet. Reduce sugar from which you enjoy a drink, stop drink-drink cans, and avoid cake, brownies, chocolate, and so forth. Consumption more white water.

2. Reduce carbohydrates because carbohydrates can turn into sugar in the body and keep your weight on during pregnancy. If you’d like better (because you are still producing breast milk), find the recipe books that offer food combining eating pattern that is also useful to streamline.

3. Add fiber to food in the menu, such as fruits and vegetables. Do not forget to keep drinking milk, but select the product or even low fat milk and yogurt is fat free.

4. Reduce the portion you eat. How many portions are enough for us? Take meat, fish, or chicken, as many as 85 gr, 28 gr cheese, and 1 tsp butter.

So that hard work is successful, there are three things we need to remember: patience, motivation, and trust that you will come back healthy and slim.

How To Make Your Breast Looks Tight And Beautiful

For many women, having breast condition that no longer as tight as a young is fair happen. Moreover, the age you have already spread increased, so that the breast is starting down a little. What happens is, the network fastener joints which holding the breast start to sag, so that your breast will looks down a bit. In addition, the skin is not rigid anymore, so that the breast gland will contract and the fat will replace it. But you don’t need to worry. For woman’s affairs, there are ways to prevent or improve this. At a minimum, maintain the breast shape and tension. So you can have breast care regularly:

1. The first thing that can be done to prevent the form of a breast change is to set the sleep position. Do not get yourselves to sleep prone, because the body will press your breast for hours at the top of the mattress. It Better to get a recumbent or italics sleep.

2. Apply conditioner containing a moisturizer regularly, such as sea butter or vitamin E oil, to maintain skin elasticity or breast elasticity. This cream will seep into the skin perfectly; helps maintain the appearance of breasts looks young. Although your skin sensitive, you can still use it.

3. Want to try the other ingredients? Mix one teaspoon of vitamin E oil (you can get it from vitamin E capsule) with one teaspoon of yogurt and an egg. Apply this herb and squeeze your breast with play movement, and wearing bra for about 20 minutes. After that, Rinse in warm water.

4. Mix one cucumber in big size, fatty cream cake, and egg white (1 grain) into a blender. Apply this dough leave for 15 minutes. The use of natural products should not give side effects, but should not apply it if the skin is being injured. Rinse in warm water.

5. Take two Ice Cube and then paste in the breast with rotating half-circle movement. Make at least 1 minute. Do not make this technique more than 1 minute, or if the ice is making you feel uncomfortable. Ice will act as a maker a network under the skin.

6. Best exercise for chest muscle strain is a push up. Expand yoga mat or mats, and do push-up 10 times in 4 sets, at least 3-4 times a week. See how the changes.

7. Folding your both hands in front of the breast, handheld the palm each other as such as to pray. Then, press both of them. Feel how the chest muscles will stretch when both palms press each other. This movement does not need a special room, you can do while sitting in the bus to the office.

8. Take two dumbbell ( 1 or 2 kg ). Lie down on the floor, each hand holding a dumbbell. Pull the both arms in shoulder-high with the palm facing up. Lift both arms up, bend the elbow a little, so that the weight meet to your chest. Then, lowering the arm to the second side of the shoulder again. Repeat this exercise 8-12 times, 1 minute a rest. Make for 4 set.

9. Another exercise which also good idea to tighten breast is swimming. If you have left this hobby because you are busy in the office and manage children, come on, take to the swimming pool immediately with your children.

10. Use the right bra, according to the form of your breast. Sometimes we choose the wrong bra model, so that the bra does not lift the breast and even let it hang. Sport bra can also be used if your breast size is medium.

Tips to keep the breast tight with breast care:
1. Apply and massage breast with cream before bed. Do not forget to wear a comfortable bra.

2. Avoid activities such as bow to the front, jogging, or running. This will make the breast decreased. Make sure that you sit down with the correct position (vertical).

3. Do not expect that the results of all the ingredients or physical exercise can be seen in a week. Do regularly every day, and need not calculate the days when you can see the results.

Top 3 Supplements Often Found In Natural Hair Loss Products

1. Saw Palmetto

If you want the main ingredient that's in 90% of the natural hair loss treatments out there then get Saw Palmetto.

Saw Palmetto has become a popular hair loss supplement because of it's reputation for promoting prostate health by reducing DHT. Since prostatic disease and hair loss are connected in several different ways many herbalist have begun marketing Saw Palmetto as a hair loss treatment.

Propecia (Finasteride) was originally marketed as a prostatic treatment as well. It became a hair loss treatment after patients started noticing changes in hair growth.

Saw Palmetto, like Propecia, will help you lower the amount of DHT produced in the body. However, it's debatable whether or not it will work quite as well as Propecia.

You should also know that Saw Palmetto does have side effects and drug interactions. Pregnant women should avoid Saw Palmetto because it could be dangerous to unborn babies. It might not have any hair growth benefits for women at all.

In a few cases Saw Palmetto has caused hemorrhages, difficulty urinating, swelling of the prostate, and blood in the urine.

2. Nettle Root

Nettle Root is a another supplement that's often put into natural hair loss treatments. It helps block 5-Alpha-Reductase which causes testosterone to be converted to DHT.

This supplement is often included in the top tier natural hair loss treatments. Nettle root is considered a stronger DHT blocker than Saw Palmetto by some herbalist.

In most cases natural hair loss treatments don't have any nettle root in them at all. The ones that do have nettle root often don't have enough.

However, like saw palmetto nettle root does have some negative interactions with prescription drugs. Be careful if you are taking blood pressure medication, diabetes medicine or sedatives.

Unlike, Saw Palmetto women with hair loss can use it as well.

3. Dong Quai

Dong Quai is another DHT blocker. It has phytoestrogens which block androgen-receptor sites that help convert testosterone to DHT.

Since it works to block DHT many people believe that it will also help prevent hair loss.

Dong Quai can also be used by women. If you combine Dong Quai with Nettle Root then you will probably have a regimen that's stronger than most natural hair loss treatments on the market.

Combine all three and you will have the best possible supplement regimen at a much more affordable price.