Well yes it's right there in the title, the big L word and if you live under a rock you probably still know today is Valentine's Day (or as it's know in Egypt B for Balantine! ha! Get it?) . So in honor of this uber-cheesey lovey- dovey day I have decided to give you the 5 foods that your skin and hair will love. These food are not only great to put into your body but are also incredible to put directly onto your skin and hair. Keep reading for tips and recipes!
#1 Eggs: Not just for Omelets Anymore
Eggs and egg whites specifically are a great source of protein and both your hair and skin love a good boost of protein; it makes for stronger hair and healthier skin. Try this homemade hair mask recipe that I've tried and tested and L.O.V.E.D
Mix 1 whole egg, 1 eggs white, 1/4 cup of whole fat yoghurt and 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil (you can use almond as well but Olive oil is just more readily available). If the mixture is too heavy to handle, you can add just a dash of water to thin it out. Distribute the mixture evenly through your hair and leave on for 15-20 minutes then rinse it out with a gentle shampoo (I'll write a post soon about what to avoid when buying shampoos). This mask works wonders for dry, frizzy or over processed damaged hair. Your hair will be more manageable, look smoother and appear shinier.
#2 Oatmeal: Breakfast and More!
Continuing with the breakfast theme that seems to be taking over this post, Oatmeal is another amazing food that is great to incorporate in your daily diet because it's rich in fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower your cholesterol. For your skin, it can act as a great exfoliant, natural acne treatment and soothing agent for irritated skin.
Using it as a skin treatment can be as simple as cooking the oatmeal (makes sure it's natural unsweetened unprocessed) according to package directions, letting it cool and then applying it directly to your acne prone spots. You could also make a great natural exfoliator by grinding up 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a food processor or blender, add enough brewed and cooled green tea to make a paste and then add a tablespoon of warm honey (you can warm it for 10 secs in the microwave). The green tea has amazing antioxidant properties that will make your skin look younger and healthier, and the honey is a natural antibiotic that will remove bacteria that creates acne and spots.
Gently rub the mixture on your face in circular motion just as you would any other exfoliant, leave it on for about 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water. It will leave your skin supple and glowing.
#3 Bananans: Your Hair will go Ape for them!
As you may already know Bananas are a great source of potassium, fibers and B12 vitamins which give you an energy boost, improve digestion and promote good cardiovascular health (big word alert!! it's basically good for your heart). Imagine what they can do for your hair! Bananas help seal split ends, restore moisture and detoxify your hair from the constant exposure to pollution and dirt. There are several ways to use bananas in hair treatments out there but this is mine which I have tweaked after severalmishaps trials.
Puree a banana until completely smooth (you can use more than one depending on the length of your hair of course) make sure there are no lumps in your mixture or else they will be difficult to wash out at the end. Add 2 tablespoons of whole milk , 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of your choice of essential oil (just to make your head smell less like baby food but that's an optional step). Make sure hair is completely tangle free and then apply the mask evenly through your hair masking sure you get to your scalp, put on a shower cap and then a towel over your head. Let the mask sit for 30 minutes then wash your hair thoroughly with COOL water so you do not end up with cooked banana pudding on your head.
This mask is not just a one time thing: keep using it once a week for optimum results.
#4 Tomatoes : Go Red!
Chock full of Vitamins A and C tomatoes are in my opinion one of the most underrated super foods for your skin. Tomatoes absorb excess oil, minimize pores and brighten up the dullest of complexions. Using them is as easy as just cutting a ripe tomato in half and rubbing the flesh on your face, neck and décolletage! If you are consistent and do so at least once a week you're golden (literally!), you'll notice a brighter sunnier complexion with less breakouts.
#5 Avocados: Power to the Guacamole!
This is definitely not a very widely used fruit in the Middle East but it is readily available in most supermarkets and fruit grocers. The benefits of avocados range from helping the body fight and prevent some types of cancer to better eye health. In our case it is one of the best sources of vitamin E out there. Vitamin E is essential in maintaining skin , nail and hair health (did I just sound too much a like a medical journal? Dr. Farah has a nice ring to it, don't you think?) .
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For your hair mash one avocado with one egg yolk and one teaspoon olive, castor or wheat germ oil (زيت جنين القمح which can be found at most pharmacies in gel capsule form, you can pierce the capsule to get the oil out). Apply the mixture to your hair and let soak in up to 40 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water. The high fat content in the avocado and the protein from the egg will seal your cuticle and make for shinier, smoother strands.
As always if you have any questions about any of the info in this post just let me know BELOW or email me at farah.dessouky@gmail.com and if I have the answer I'll be sure to get back to you or write a post for your specific request.
#1 Eggs: Not just for Omelets Anymore
Eggs and egg whites specifically are a great source of protein and both your hair and skin love a good boost of protein; it makes for stronger hair and healthier skin. Try this homemade hair mask recipe that I've tried and tested and L.O.V.E.D
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| http://www.flickr.com/photos/princessactivist/3565047069/ |
Mix 1 whole egg, 1 eggs white, 1/4 cup of whole fat yoghurt and 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil (you can use almond as well but Olive oil is just more readily available). If the mixture is too heavy to handle, you can add just a dash of water to thin it out. Distribute the mixture evenly through your hair and leave on for 15-20 minutes then rinse it out with a gentle shampoo (I'll write a post soon about what to avoid when buying shampoos). This mask works wonders for dry, frizzy or over processed damaged hair. Your hair will be more manageable, look smoother and appear shinier.
#2 Oatmeal: Breakfast and More!
Continuing with the breakfast theme that seems to be taking over this post, Oatmeal is another amazing food that is great to incorporate in your daily diet because it's rich in fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower your cholesterol. For your skin, it can act as a great exfoliant, natural acne treatment and soothing agent for irritated skin.
Using it as a skin treatment can be as simple as cooking the oatmeal (makes sure it's natural unsweetened unprocessed) according to package directions, letting it cool and then applying it directly to your acne prone spots. You could also make a great natural exfoliator by grinding up 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a food processor or blender, add enough brewed and cooled green tea to make a paste and then add a tablespoon of warm honey (you can warm it for 10 secs in the microwave). The green tea has amazing antioxidant properties that will make your skin look younger and healthier, and the honey is a natural antibiotic that will remove bacteria that creates acne and spots.
Gently rub the mixture on your face in circular motion just as you would any other exfoliant, leave it on for about 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water. It will leave your skin supple and glowing.
#3 Bananans: Your Hair will go Ape for them!
As you may already know Bananas are a great source of potassium, fibers and B12 vitamins which give you an energy boost, improve digestion and promote good cardiovascular health (big word alert!! it's basically good for your heart). Imagine what they can do for your hair! Bananas help seal split ends, restore moisture and detoxify your hair from the constant exposure to pollution and dirt. There are several ways to use bananas in hair treatments out there but this is mine which I have tweaked after several
Puree a banana until completely smooth (you can use more than one depending on the length of your hair of course) make sure there are no lumps in your mixture or else they will be difficult to wash out at the end. Add 2 tablespoons of whole milk , 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of your choice of essential oil (just to make your head smell less like baby food but that's an optional step). Make sure hair is completely tangle free and then apply the mask evenly through your hair masking sure you get to your scalp, put on a shower cap and then a towel over your head. Let the mask sit for 30 minutes then wash your hair thoroughly with COOL water so you do not end up with cooked banana pudding on your head.
This mask is not just a one time thing: keep using it once a week for optimum results.
#4 Tomatoes : Go Red!
Chock full of Vitamins A and C tomatoes are in my opinion one of the most underrated super foods for your skin. Tomatoes absorb excess oil, minimize pores and brighten up the dullest of complexions. Using them is as easy as just cutting a ripe tomato in half and rubbing the flesh on your face, neck and décolletage! If you are consistent and do so at least once a week you're golden (literally!), you'll notice a brighter sunnier complexion with less breakouts.
#5 Avocados: Power to the Guacamole!
This is definitely not a very widely used fruit in the Middle East but it is readily available in most supermarkets and fruit grocers. The benefits of avocados range from helping the body fight and prevent some types of cancer to better eye health. In our case it is one of the best sources of vitamin E out there. Vitamin E is essential in maintaining skin , nail and hair health (did I just sound too much a like a medical journal? Dr. Farah has a nice ring to it, don't you think?) .
.jpeg)
For your hair mash one avocado with one egg yolk and one teaspoon olive, castor or wheat germ oil (زيت جنين القمح which can be found at most pharmacies in gel capsule form, you can pierce the capsule to get the oil out). Apply the mixture to your hair and let soak in up to 40 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water. The high fat content in the avocado and the protein from the egg will seal your cuticle and make for shinier, smoother strands.
As for your face avocados make my favorite face mask of all time: mash an avocado till really smooth with 1/2 cup of plain yoghurt and a teaspoon of honey. Apply the mask to your face and if you have under eye circles I would recommend also adding a couple of cooled cucumber slices to your eyes for ultimate pampering and double duty benefit from the mask. Just relax for 10 - 15 minutes with the mask on and then rinse it off with warm water.
These are only a few of the super foods (that I LOVE) that are amazing for both your body as well your skin and hair others include almonds, peaches, papayas, cherries and the list goes on and on. The key here is to know that there is no right or wrong when it come to these recipes. Since they are all natural and unless you are allergic to any of these ingredients you can tweak and alter them to match your skin or hair type. Add more of a moisturizing ingredient for dry hair or skin and add less if it's not just not right for your combination skin. It's all in your hands and out of your own kitchen. Hassle free beauty!
Go on, try the recipes and share your experience in the comments box below. Also I would love to hear about any of your natural beauty tips, what works best for you? Or has been in your family for a long time?
As always if you have any questions about any of the info in this post just let me know BELOW or email me at farah.dessouky@gmail.com and if I have the answer I'll be sure to get back to you or write a post for your specific request.
P.S. I couldn't resist the valentine's day themed heart shaped pictures this week! too cheesy?
Come back for more every 'beauty tuesday'!
Lots of Love!
Aww, love these photos!
ReplyDeleteI have tried once this egg mask and I have to say, the smell made me puke :/ I want to try this oatmeal mask, though!
Yea anything natural with egg in it takes a strong stomach i must say! But the results are well worth it trust me! :)
DeleteThe oatmeal mask is incredible try and let me know chica! xx
the only problem is deciding what to try first! :)
ReplyDeleteYAY! :)
DeleteBEAUTY TIP:
ReplyDeleteIf you get a pimple coming up, get some table salt & put some in the palm of your hand. Add a few drops of water to make a paste. Apply to pimple, the salt dries it out & draws it back in. Why at my age I still get the occasional pimple is beyond me, but this works really well! :-)
Great tip thanks for sharing doll! xx
ReplyDelete