Homemade Beauty Rituals - Avocados; don't just eat them!

Avocado is actually a fruit as it has a seed. It is one of the best beautifying ingredients Mother Nature has given us; feeding the skin from inside and out. It has unbelievable benefits containing everything we need to keep our skin cells healthy and smooth and helps the skin cells regenerate. It is jam packed with Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), B Vitamins (maintains healthy skin), Vitamin E (antioxidant), Beta Carotene (anti-ageing), Potassium (helps the growth of new skin cells) and the pulp nearest to the skin holds the most vitamins.

Image via http://www.garnier.ca

It contains rich oil which penetrates deeply into the epidermis. It is one of the best oils for soothing dry or dehydrated skins - look for darker oils as they have gone through the least processing. Studies have shown avocado oil increases collagen in the skin significantly, helping our skin stay younger for longer - I'm hooked!

Here's an interesting fact via http://www.takeourword.com

The word avocado comes from the Spanish word aguacate, which in turn is derived from the Aztec word ahuacatl which meant "testicle"... Nice!

Image via http://www.el3mentsofwellness.com

It is also fantastic for relieving the dryness and itching of psoriasis, eczema and is great for nourishing and softening mature, dry, dehydrated or sun damaged skin. All that in a big green testicle - who'd have thought it hey?!

Here are some ideas for including Avocado in your beauty rituals at home:

Amazing and Cheap Body Exfoliator 
Rub the inside of the avocado skin all over your body to remove the dead skin cells. Do this just before you take a shower, otherwise you'll look like The Incredible Hulk! Your body will be left feeling super smooth!

Image via http://hairtreatment2011.com

Nourishing and Smoothing Avocado and Honey Face Mask
1. Mash up half an avocado
2. Add 2 teaspoons of honey*, mix well.
3. Spread over your face, neck and decollate (chest area).
4. Lie back, relax and leave for 15-20 minutes.
5. Why not pop a couple of slices from the other half under your eyes - great for reducing puffiness (lie still mind!)
6. Result - a face as smooth as a baby's bot!
*Honey is soothing and also a mild antiseptic so pesky bacterium can't survive in it!
If you are allergic to honey, just leave it out.

Arghh childhood nightmares coming back!!

Image via http://scifimafia.com 

Here are some great tips from Super Food Profiles on the benefits of Avocado Oil for Eczema and Psoriasis sufferers: Treating Eczema With Avocado Oil and Psoriasis, Avocado Oil and Fish Oil – A Topical Treatment.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Would love to know what you think and if you try any of the recipes xxx

Hero Product – Eve Taylor’s Ultra Soothing Cleanser - Much More Than Just a Cleanser

Suffer from very dehydrated, extremely sensitive skin, Eczema, Psoriasis or Rosacea? Then this wonder product is perfect for you. And if you don't suffer from any of these, read on as it has lots of 1st aid uses too. Image via http://gtbnatural.co.uk

Now I know I use Eve Taylor for my face and body treatments and sell home care products in my salon, I don't want you to think I will be constantly harping on about them... BUT I've had so many people recently asking me for advice for their ultra sensitive skin that the timing was just too good.

Eve Taylor's Ultra Soothing Cleanser really is amazing, a real de-stresser for the skin. I can’t rave about it enough! It’s a big hit in my salon and with my family and friends.

This gorgeous creamy gel formula contains anti inflammatory and soothing Organic Colloidal Oatmeal and ultra hydrating and healing Camellia. It gently cleans away debris and impurities and doesn't dry, strip or irritate the skin. As it is ultra hydrating it's also perfect for mature skins to cleanse and nourish.

Image via http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com

It can be used daily to cleanse the skin and also as a 'flash masque' first aider for any skin irritations anywhere on the body including the scalp! A little goes a long way.

I use in facials on for ultra sensitive clients or if anyone’s skin has an unwanted reaction to a product. I had a lady in for gel nails whose eczema was irritating her finger – needless to say she ordered a bottle after literally experiencing this product first hand!

Times when Ultra Soothing Cleanser has come to the rescue:

• I had very sore, red and chaffed skin after using hair removal cream - ouch! It was soothed and the pain and redness cleared after applying as 5 minute flash masque.  I put it on few more times over the next few days and my skin was healed, no scarring and smooth as a baby’s bot!
• I used it on my little boys mysterious itchy legs and hey presto – a full night’s sleep!
• Colds – soothes and heals sore noses from the constant blowing!
• I often reach for this to put on my face and hands when I’ve mistakenly used an anti bacterial hand wash in a shop or restaurant – my skin hates these products and breaks out in dermatitis. As many of my clients do too.
• Calms and soothes redness after shaving.
• Soothes and heals sore cracked lips.
• Soothes minor burns.

The list is endless. Even if you don't have sensitive skin it's definitely worth keeping a bottle in your First Aid Kit. Why not try some and see for yourself? At only £18.49 for a large 200ml bottle, it won't break the bank either.

To order any product from Rituals Beauty, call 0789 4120073 or email hello@ritualsbeauty.co.uk. If you aren't local, I offer a postal service for a little extra cost. Now taking Paypal.

I will be delving deeper into Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea and Colloidal Oatmeal in future blogs.