Nature provides us with many natural ingredients that are beneficial for the skin. I cannot mention them all here, but I will mention some of the best known and the ones that I like the most, since they are basic but at the same time very effective.

1.- CAROTENES

Beta-carotenes are the active components of fruits and vegetables that are mainly orange, yellow and red in color. Among them, we can highlight carrots, pumpkins, orange sweet potatoes, apricots and even tomatoes. Beta carotene “converts” in the skin into vitamin A, really one of the best natural ingredients to fight against photo-aging, and stimulate cell renewal. Improves the problem of melasma in the skin and stimulates the production of melanin when you are in the sun, improving the natural protection of the skin against the sun.

HOME USE

Almost all of us know that carotenoids are the key to get darker and to make our tan look beautiful. Drinking carrot juice will provide carotenoids and a more tanned skin tone thanks to these pigments, but it is not just the skin tone, internally. we will benefit from the antioxidant power of these components. Another option is carotene capsules.

If we want to prepare a cosmetic with carotenoids at home, I advise simply using carrot oil. It can be added to a basic face or body cream, it will turn it into a much more nourishing and anti-wrinkle cream for skin that is very damaged by the sun. Depending on the type of skin, I recommend adding more or less of this oil.

2.- VITAMIN C

This component is the antioxidant par excellence, vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen, which is essential in the firmness and smoothness of the skin. It is also one of the best scavengers of free radicals, responsible for skin aging.

Fights oxidation of the skin due to toxins such as pollution or the most harmful, tobacco. I usually advise taking extra vitamin C at least 1 gram when you are a smoker, or feel a lot of stress. Topically, vitamin C is essential to give luminosity to the skin, skin that has a dull tone greatly improves the radiance of the skin with a vitamin C serum.

Vitamin C can be found in most fresh fruits and vegetables, although the best-known and richest foods are citrus fruits with a very high content of vitamin C, as well as cherries, apricots, kiwi, red fruits, the truth is that we already know All foods that contain vitamin C.

HOME USE

In addition to adding foods rich in vitamin C to our diet, orange juice in the morning or a piece of fruit for breakfast is a good option. As a cosmetic, vitamin C has a slightly acidic Ph and therefore it will help to exfoliate the skin. We can use lemon juice, in typical home remedies, for example for skin blemishes, turmeric lemon juice for blemishes.

But if we are going to prepare a serum or another type of cosmetic, I think it is better to buy ascorbic acid in a pharmacy, and not add it to more than 15%, we must take into account that vitamin C oxidizes very easily and is very labile by What better to prepare a small container and always in a topaz color that is protected from light.

We can dissolve the vitamin C with a little water to make a slightly thick liquid, add a little glycerin until a thicker consistency remains, and finally we can put a little vitamin E, for this you can put a soft capsule, by poking it and dropping the content. Another option is to add a small amount of rosehip oil, for example, although another may be worth it. Be careful, if we have put a lot of vitamin C content it will be more acidic and can irritate the skin.

3.- OATS

This ingredient is one of the most appropriate when suffering from irritation, extreme dryness of the skin, eczema, or insect bites. Oats contain proteins and lipids that help repair the epidermal barrier, as well as being highly anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Colloidal oatmeal baths are the most suitable for atopic skin or skin with eczema, especially in children.

HOME USE

Most home remedies with oats are masks mixing them with honey or yogurt, but I love the exfoliating power of oats. We can take a handful of natural oat flakes and grind them in the mortar, but not to the consistency of flour, but rather a grain similar to sugar.

I like to mix it with oil, a mixture of coconut oil or sweet almond oil and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Pass the oil with the oats with the fingertips in the form of circles more or less intensely depending on how we want to exfoliate the skin. The remains of oats can be removed with a fine towel, leaving the oil on the skin as a tonic, to hydrate.

4.- GREEN TEA

It has a high content of antioxidants, especially catechins such as epigallocatechin, and flavonoids such as Camferol or theaflavin. These are specifically active to act against photoaging of the skin. But it is also highly anti-inflammatory and calming of irritated skin. Even after a sunburn. Orally, drinking green tea is highly antioxidant and purifying the body in general, it will help to eliminate toxins, and small pimples or skin eruptions on the skin and reduce the pore.

HOME USE

As it is very calming, the ideal is a tonic with green tea, it will give tone to the skin and keep it hydrated. You can prepare green tea, let it cool and put it in a spray bottle using it as a calming tonic, but I always recommend drying it afterwards, covering it with a tissue.

If we want to use it as a tonic, we can put a little aloe vera gel, which when dissolved will thicken the solution very slightly to later apply it with a cotton pad. This toner, for sensitive or rosacea skin, can help soothe it.

-Simply moisturize the skin

5.- PROBIOTICS

What does a probiotic do in a cosmetic? Stimulates skin exfoliation. This eliminates dead cells and increases regeneration in the same way. They rebalance the PH of the skin by reinforcing the epidermal barrier, improves skin hydration, and reduces inflammation of the skin, they are specifically beneficial in rosacea or acne problems.

HOME USE

We can prepare a very moisturizing night cream or lotion with half yogurt with probiotics or kefir (it will be thicker), a few drops of argan oil for drier skin, you can also add a few drops of rose essential oil, if it will last several days, it should be kept in the fridge, when it is kept for many days the acidity of the cream or lotion will increase and therefore, the PH will decrease.

If we have very sensitive skin, I advise checking with some PH strips (found in the pharmacy) before applying it. If it is very low, it should not be used on very sensitive skin or simply leave it on the skin for a short time.

6.- AVOCADO

It is one of the components rich in fatty acids, mainly omega 9 and vitamin E, more suitable for dry skin, in addition to vitamin C and the carotenoids that I have already mentioned.

These ingredients give it both regenerative and protective capacity for dry skin.

HOME USE

In fact, the internet is full of home remedies with avocado, thanks to its natural lipids and its creamy texture it is ideal for preparing masks. The ones that I prefer are those that are used for hair, especially hair that has suffered more from treatments such as bleaching or permanents.

To do this, the ripe avocado is crushed to make a paste, we can also add coconut oil to make it a creamier and lighter texture, you can also add honey and with this you make a mask that is applied for at least half an hour. Wash the hair.

7.- ROSEHIP OIL

I could mention many oils, jojoba, coconut, argan. However, I especially like this oil for its great regenerative capacity, and its soft aroma, it is almost neutral. Ideal for skin healing, to apply after more aggressive treatments or simply as a lipid base for other products. I also recommend it when you have stretch marks, especially if they are pink and in pregnant women to nourish the skin.

Put a few drops directly and use it as a regenerative if you have a scar, a light massage is important when applying it. It can be applied from the moment the scar is closed, although it is pink. Put it daily, two or three times a day, for at least a month until the scar is properly closed. Helps prevent the formation of keloids and improves healing.

Another use that I usually advise is to use it as an eye contour, although never directly on the skin to avoid getting it into the eye, it is preferable to put a few drops on the fingertips and massage in a circular motion. It is ideal for dry skin and especially its use at night to avoid crow’s feet.

This food is not as popular as the others could be, however papaya contains papain, pineapple also contains bromelain. These enzymes work by removing dead skin cells, thus achieving better skin hydration, firmness and closing the pore.

From the papaya, both the oil from the papaya seeds and the pulp itself are used, both contain vitamins C and A, in the form of carotenes. The papain enzyme removes dead cells, refining the pore and with it the skin appears finer and smoother. Especially luminous, this enzyme is gentle enough to be used by the most sensitive skin or even problem skin such as adult acne.

Similarly, pineapple contains bromelain and although it is a different fruit, the keratolytic action of pineapple is similar to that of papaya, but it is also very rich in vitamin C.

HOME USE

A piece of papaya can be used, if we blend it and use the pulp to make an exfoliating and cleansing mask for the skin. To the pulp of the papaya, you can also add pineapple in the form of juice. And a few drops of lemon juice if the skin is very oily, leaves the skin clean, bright and taut.

As a natural whitening toothpaste, add baking soda and a few drops of papaya seed oil, use with the toothbrush, leaving it on the teeth for a minute or two before rinsing to remove stains from the teeth.

Categorized in: