Why You Should Trust Cocoa For Your Skin

From antioxidants to nourishing vitamins and minerals, cocoa proves quite capable in the quest to achieve beautiful skin.

You might have heard about the benefits of chocolate in your diet, but cocoa benefits for skin can be just as sweet.

From antioxidants to nourishing vitamins and minerals, cocoa proves quite capable in the quest to achieve beautiful skin.

You may be quite keen on discovering the amazing things cocoa can do for your skin.

That’s why this piece offers some exciting knowledge on the properties of the cacao plant and how it can enhance the radiance and vitality of your skin.

Cocoa helps with a youthful appearance

One key reason to apply cocoa to the surface of the skin is to tackle UV damage done by the sun. How does this work?

One of cocoa’s constituents is theobromine which is known to act as a vasodilator that helps to increase the flow of blood to the skin’s surface.

This increased blood flow helps to stop the skin from drying out and this is similar to the same way the skin reacts when it’s sunburned.

The resulting blood flow tends to reverse the aging effects of UV rays by promoting healing and renewal, making the skin more radiant and giving it a more youthful appearance.

Cocoa fights wrinkles and scars

Helping to mitigate wrinkles is only one benefit of cocoa.

Topical application is also known to help reduce the appearance of scars, particularly the type of scars known as contracture scarring.

And it isn’t simply the antioxidant effect of cocoa; the cacao plant contains vitamin C and magnesium, both of which help to keep skin healthy and protected.

Cocoa is packed full of minerals including calcium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc.

Cocoa is also is rich in omega 6 fatty acids which are known to assist skin healing at the cellular level – one of the ways it helps heal scars.

It also boosts blood flow and hydration of the skin, which aids in improving the skin’s radiance, critical to achieving a younger-looking complexion.

Cocoa increases blood flow

Many people are using a cocoa powder face mask to increase blood flow to the skin and deliver antioxidant power and numerous benefits toward skin health.

The increased blood flow results in a healthier, more radiant complexion while helping to heal the damage caused by constant UV exposure.

Though many people derive benefits by ingesting cocoa powder, applying it topically using a face mask will bring faster and more impactful results.

Using a cocoa powder face mask to increase blood flow will help to hydrate the skin and mitigate the cellular breakdown that typically comes with aging.

Another benefit of cocoa is that it contains a high volume of vitamin E, which is known to boost collagen production.

Collagen is what keeps your skin firm and gives skin its elasticity. The aging process depletes collagen levels, and skin ends up losing elasticity, resulting in wrinkles.

Vitamin E helps to stimulate the body’s natural collagen production, giving you smoother, younger-looking skin.

The sooner you start taking advantage of the many benefits of cocoa powder, the sooner you’ll begin to see improvements in your skin.

Those benefits include a more youthful, radiant appearance with fewer wrinkles.

Here’s the best part: you won’t gain a single ounce of weight indulging in chocolate this way, you’ll simply be receiving and enjoying the incredible cocoa benefits for healthy skin.

Natural Deodorant Hacks You Can Try At Home

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to smell good. Unless you’re particularly lucky and have no body odor, you might rely on deodorant to do so.

The good news: it doesn’t have to be the traditional stick. There are other options out there if you want to be intentional about what you put on your body.

If you want to opt out of some ingredients while still smelling sweet, natural deodorant might be the choice for you.

Alternative deodorant options

You might be able to find some of the ingredients below in your kitchen cabinet, and they make great alternatives to deodorant.

Witch hazel

Witch hazel is a versatile ingredient to keep in your cupboard. It’s a natural astringent and it’s anti-inflammatory, meaning that it removes excess moisture from the skin and kill bacteria.

It’s also a popular deodorant alternative because it doesn’t leave residue on the skin. Plus, it gets rid of odor fast.

The main downside to this method is that it wears off quickly and needs to be reapplied throughout the day.

How to use

Simply place witch hazel on a cotton swab or reusable cotton cloth and rub it on the underarm area.

Baking soda or cornstarch

These typical kitchen ingredients are used for more than just baking or cooking. They also make great natural hygiene products.

How to use

Mix 1/8 teaspoon with a little water and then rub it under your arms.

You can also use a mixture of baking soda and cornstarch to fight odor and perspiration. Mix one part baking soda with six parts cornstarch and dust the powder under your arms.

Lemon juice

When life gives you lemons, use it as deodorant?

You may be surprised to know that applying lemon juice to your armpits is a simple way to eliminate odor. Lemon juice is full of citric acid, which naturally gets rid of odor-causing bacteria.

How to use

Cut a lemon in half and squeeze out 1 teaspoon of juice. Dip a cotton ball and apply straight to your underarms. Keep the lemon in the fridge for an extra soothing effect.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has a number of uses and benefits, such as being an alternative to deodorant.

How to use

Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon of water. Use a cotton pad or reusable cloth to apply the mixture to your underarms.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is incredibly versatile for hair and skin needs. It’s also antibacterial and antiviral, meaning it can eliminate odor-causing bacteria in the underarm area.

How to use

Take 1/4 teaspoon of oil and rub it under your arms with a cotton cloth or your fingers. Let it dry completely before dressing, as oil can easily stain clothes.

Baking soda & coconut oil

Baking soda is one of the easiest ways to replace store-bought deodorants. It’s simple, effective, and inexpensive.

However, if you don’t want to use a straight powder deodorant, you can mix it with coconut oil. This will create a soft bar that can be applied daily.

How to use

Combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda and cornstarch each with 6 tablespoons of coconut oil. Place in the refrigerator to set and apply as needed.

Forgot your deodorant? Try these hacks

Hand sanitizer

If there’s one thing most of us carry around consistently these days, it’s hand sanitizer. Just squirt some onto each armpit to remove bacteria and get rid of smell.

Essential oils

Maybe you forgot to put on your deodorant before you left the house, but you happen to have some skin-safe essential oils in your bag.

No problem! Blend up your favorites and apply to your underarms. You can keep reapplying throughout the day as it wears off.

Aloe vera

Not only is aloe vera one of the hardest plants to kill, but it’s also incredibly useful.

Aloe has natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties, which means it can get rid of odor-causing bacteria.

How to use

Break off a small piece of aloe vera from your plant and apply the gel directly to your armpits. You can also use pure aloe vera gel from a prepackaged bottle.

Dangers Of Organic Skin Care Products

Credit: Kimia Zarifi via Unsplash

Often times, we feel good about making the switch to organic skincare. This is because it seems to be a most logical thought since they are free of parabens, preservatives, and other skin-loving nutrient or so we think.

Most women who have solely transformed their skincare routine find that cystic acne, milia, and a variety of other skin disorders are the price they have to pay. But why is this the case?

Although we usually blame this as an allergic reaction, or simply due to the harsh nature of most skincare products, there is a bigger explanation on why this is happening so frequently.

Why do these reactions occur?

Statistics show that anything you put on your skin enters your blood stream within the first 20-30 seconds of contact. While we all can’t escape using products sans-preservatives or harmful chemicals, it is important to take note of your skin type, and which ingredients don’t agree with the skin you’re in.

The hidden reality with organic skincare is that they actually contain larger molecules which the skin finds difficult to break-down. As a result, they usually sit on top of the skin, and cause additional irritation, redness, and dry patches. These molecules are larger than usual because they contain no preservatives and don’t react the same way as other products.

How can you tell if a product is 100% organic?

A large amount of harmful ingredients are often concealed under different names.

Toxic synthetic chemicals are found in a number of natural products, and this could be the route of all your negative skincare reactions. Even the words ‘organic’, ‘natural’ and ‘all-natural’ don’t mean that your skincare products are free from harmful chemicals.

If you’re unsure of what an ingredient means, you can always look it up.

Invest in skincare which uses natural preservatives instead of harmful chemicals. These include hops oil and grapefruit seed oil which are both certified organic. These products are free from synthetic chemicals, and are substituted with a natural counterpart.

What are some harmful ingredients found in organic skincare?

Nanoparticles

The tiny particles are often found in natural sunscreens, lotions, moisturisers, and certain makeup products. Upon contact, there are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream, and can cause long-term damage since they are mostly untested.

Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben)

These just a few different variations of common preservatives which are used to prolong the life of skincare and beauty products. While their safety is always at the centre of dispute, they are added in most products to subside the growth of bacteria, and keep products looking and feeling brand new.

Triclosan

Similar to the use of parabens, they are used mostly to act as an antibacterial agent in skincare cleansers and toning solutions. Despite being named as a probable human carcinogen, it is still widely used in the beauty and skincare community, although under a different term.

Which ingredients offer the best benefits for skin?

Anything with plant-based essential fatty acids (EFA’s) will be the best product on any skin type. Antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, and E are all natural and won’t give your skin any nasty side effects – ever! They are also antibacterial, and will keep any unnecessary dirt from seeping into your bloodstream.

Beauty

Top Tomato Skincare Hacks You Can Try

You might already know that tomato is a superfood for many reasons.

It isn’t just great for your gut health but works wonders for your skin too.

They are loaded with vitamins A, C and K. Most of which you find in the beauty products that you use. These vitamins are very healthy for the skin.

Tomato has the kind of acidity that unclogs the pores of your skin and helps treat acne.

It can even be used to do away with free radicals that pollute healthy skin cells.

There is a lot more to what you can do with tomatoes for your skin and so, we’ve got you some DIY recipes to try on your skin.

Tomato face mask for acne

For this, you need 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp tomato pulp and 2-3 tbsp of oatmeal flour.

Now, whisk the tomato pulp and lemon juice all too well. Then, add the oatmeal flour slowly until you get a nice paste out of the mixture. Apply this mask on your face and let it sit for another 15 minutes.

This mask will help unclog pores and fade acne scars over the period of time. It even works well to combat pigmentation.

If you are dealing with sensitive skin, you need to patch test this mask before you use it on your face.

Tomato face mask for brightening skin

For this, you need 1 tbsp tomato pulp and 2 tsp Greek yogurt.

Mix both the ingredients nicely and leave no clumps. Apply this smooth paste on your face to cleanse and exfoliate your face skin for 10 minutes. Rinse it off with cold water once you are done.

This mask will help in hydrating the skin and reducing the pigmentation appearance as well. Yogurt helps in hydrating the skin and gives you rather smooth and supple skin with time.

Tomato and papaya face mask for combination skin

For this, you need 8-10 cubes of papaya and tomato pulp.

Make a paste of the papaya cubes by blending them and then add equal amount of tomato pulp in it. Mix it well and apply it on your face.

Give it 15 minutes to do its job before you rinse it off with lukewarm water. This mask works great for blemishes and it even gives your skin the much needed glow.