From making our hair look great, to wearing stylish clothes, to doing our makeup every morning, a lot of time and effort goes into making ourselves look great.

When you take all of those factors it’s easy to forget about what’s really underneath it all: our skin.

Why it’s important to get gorgeous skin?

It’s easy to forget that our skin is an organ, as vital to us as our kidneys or our heart. It is important to know that your skin is the first organ that fights against the intrusion of an infection such as elements or germs. Further, the skin protects the body against the effects of ultra-violet rays of the sun.

The outermost part of the skin, the epidermis, protects the second layer of our skin and is the part of the skin that contains some important structures such as hair follicles and sweat glands. The outer layer of the skin is actually what defines what we are, and if you cannot care for it properly you might start to  look so old that people might not recognize you.

It’s important to care for our skin because when we do we are protecting all of the above functions.

I’m sure you’re convinced now, what with the prospect of destroying one of your vital organs, or possibly giving yourself early wrinkles. So what should you do to avoid these horrible fates?

Always read the ingredients. 

Your objective should be to find a product made of few ingredients.

Make sure that you are avoided brands containing the following ingredients:

• Propylene glycol.
• Sodium lauryl sulfate.
• Paraben and Phthalates.

Make your own. 

The best way to avoid dealing with beauty products? Make them yourself.

This will help you avoid harmful ingredients as well as saving other costs.

You can purchase simple recipes and real ingredients and then prepare them in your own kitchen. Simple ingredients like lemon juice, orange, yogurt ,and other ingredients can be purchased from ordinary food stores at your location.

Re-think your need for chemicals! 

You need to have a second thought when it comes to beautifying your skin.

Make sure you have avoided chemicals as much as possible. For instance, getting a dry brush costing only $10 can be more effective than going for a $75 bottle of cellulite cream. Use your dry brush for 10-15 minutes per day so as to stimulate the blood circulation in the skin and tone it.

Replace the toxic stuff with natural stuff! 

The natural stuff is the way to go, it’s  more effective and has no side effects when compared to chemical products. Start replacing your chemical products with more natural and organic products and you won’t regret it. Start this process slowly and after a few months everything will have worked to plan and you won’t dream of going back to those harsh chemical-laden creams!

Remember to watch what you eat! 

Knowing the kind of food you eat is very important when it comes to your general body health. When your body is healthy, your skin is guaranteed to shine and maintain a young and youthful appearance.

The following is a list of key foods that you ought to include to your daily diet:

• Kiwis: Eating kiwi will give you vitamin C, which is an essential ingredient in making your skin shiny.
• Avocado: Avocado contains lots of vitamin A, E, and B, as well as biotin. This delicious fruit will help hydrate your skin as well as cleanse and detoxify your body.
• Cucumbers: Cucumbers contain lots of silicon, which is good in fighting wrinkles and elasticity of the skin.
• Eggs: Eggs contain high protein content, which is good in building strong and healthy hair. In addition, they contain vitamin E which hydrates and strengthens the skin.
• Greens (I.e. spinach romaine, swiss chard, kale,and collards):  These are good sources of essential minerals and vitamins, most of which act as antioxidants and work great towards protecting the skin against the sun.
• Tomatoes: They are rich in lycopene, which is an antioxidant that helps prevent oxidative damage to your skin.
• Salmon: This fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This acid is good in creating a strong skin, one that can withstand effects from infection and the sun.

When you decide that you are serious about knowing the best ways of managing your skin then these tips will be the best for you. When you maintain these kind of tips you will be assured that your skin is healthy, meaning that your natural beauty will be a guaranteed without the stress of chemicals. Let your natural beauty shine through!

**Edited for repurpose by Taylor Brown, Associate Editor of Goddess Connection’