Your health shows on your skin, so the healthier you are internally, the more beautiful the exterior.  And when we talk about health, we also mean stress levels and happiness. Our skin shows when those are effecting us too. Here are some favorite ways to enhance your beauty naturally.

1. Drink Water

Maybe you knew this was coming, but it has to be said. Dehydration makes wrinkles more apparent and keeps your body from doing the things it needs to do.

Drink water slowly throughout the day, every day. If you try to compensate by chugging a gallon of water after dinner, you won’t absorb it all (and you’ll have to get up to go pee while you should be getting your beauty sleep!).

If you drink beverages that make you dehydrated, such as coffee and alcohol, hydrate before and after to negate the effects. If you love your morning coffee, we are not saying you should give it up.  But challenge yourself to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, then reward yourself with your joe.

The body uses water to flush out toxins. If we can’t flush them out that way, they build up in other places or show up on our skin. 

2. Sweat It Out

About 20% of the body’s elimination occurs through perspiration. Keep things circulating by sweating. Sit in a sauna, exercise, or do both!

Bikram yoga, cycling, or going for a jog are great ways to work up a sweat. Do whichever suits you! Make sure to wash your face before working out, especially if you wear makeup. When you sweat, your pores open up and invite whatever’s around to come hang out. A.k.a., your makeup, dirt, and the other remnants of your day. Shower right after you work out to avoid reabsorbing everything you just sweat out.

Exercising also releases endorphins, and we know being happy makes you that much more beautiful! Plus, getting your heart rate up will give your cheeks some color, while keeping your heart healthy.

3. Brew Yourself a Bath

Taking a bath is uber relaxing, relieving the stress that wears on your whole being, including your skin.

Take your bath to the next level by brewing a big, strong pot of tea and adding it to the water. Of course, make sure the water isn’t too hot before you jump in.

This way, you can enjoy the benefits of herbs from head to toe! 

Try the following teas in your bath:

• Chamomile to promote skin repair, relax muscles, and help repair dry skin and wounds.
• Echinacea to stimulate and help regenerate the skin.
• Fennel to help fight wrinkles.
• Yarrow to open the pores and facilitate the elimination of waste, as well as help to fight acne and eczema.
• Coffee! You could even do this with coffee, which is a common ingredient in cellulite products.

4. Beauty Minerals

Overall, eating a nutritious diet promotes good health and good skin, but there are some nutrients that are especially beautifying.

Sulfur, though not usually included on nutrition labels or thought of as an essential nutrient, is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is vital to many of its processes.

Sulfur removes toxins from the body, heals scars, and creates new cells. It is necessary for collagen production. Having enough sulfur in your body keeps your hair and skin soft and smooth.

Eggs, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, and radishes are healthy sources of sulfur.

Zinc is another mineral that will make you glow by promoting cell division and repair, as well as the aiding the lymphatic organs and liver to eliminate waste.

Get your zinc from seeds such as pumpkin, poppy, or sunflower seeds, spirulina, or mussels.

5. Get Naked

The lovely Kris Carr (don’t know who she is, check her out) recommends going makeup-less one day a week. This will give your pores a chance to breathe.

If going without makeup doesn’t sound fun to you, make sure you use mineral makeup so your skin doesn’t absorb toxins.

6. Get in your Orange  

Dark orange foods high in beta carotene can actually warm your complexion. Winter is a great time for sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Peaches, apricots, and carrots are also good options.

Vitamin A is fat soluble, so eat some healthy fat around the same time to ensure maximum absorption. Eat a slice of avocado after your carrot juice or drizzle some olive oil on a roasted sweet potato.

7. Whiten Teeth 

Did you know that activated charcoal is used to absorb poison? It is actually administered at hospitals for patients who have ingested toxins. It’s that effective!

You can also use the black powder as a teeth whitening treatment. Add it to your toothpaste or put it directly on your toothbrush (do this over the sink to avoid a mess). This treatment, a couple times a week, will draw out toxins from your mouth and lift stains off your teeth for a whiter smile!

If this totally freaks you out, try oil pulling for similar results.

8. Take Care of Your Hair

Hair rinses are easy to make and can be used regularly to nourish your scalp, soften, and add subtle color to your hair. Brew a large pot of tea, let it cool, then rinse your hair with it after you shampoo. Leave on for 20 minutes and condition as usual. Try these:

• Black tea or coffee stimulate hair growth and deepen color, adding subtle reddish tones.
• Chamomile lightens hair and soothes the scalp.
• Rosemary stimulates hair growth and cleans the hair.

Maybe adding an extra step to your shower routine doesn’t sound too appealing. Another option is to simply add some ingredients to your shampoo. If you have brown hair, add cocoa powder and cinnamon to your shampoo to deepen your color. Cinnamon has the added bonus of stimulating hair growth! You can add honey to your shampoo to lighten hair, but make sure to wash it out thoroughly!

We religiously condition our hair but mercilessly ignore our eyelashes and eyebrows.

Swipe a gentle oil or organic eye cream on the tips of your eyelashes and over your eyebrows at night to keep them silky soft. This is especially important if you haven’t yet switched to a natural mascara!

10. Think Pretty

Thinking good thoughts and maintaining positive thoughts and intentions will truly make you more beautiful. Sadness wears on us, physically as well as emotionally.

Delight yourself by surrounding yourself with beautiful things. Keep a vase of flowers in your room, diffuse delicious and relaxing scents like neroli throughout your house, and adorn your house in decorations that inspire and please you. Wear comfortable clothing that makes you feel confident, keep your spaces clean to prevent confusion and distress, and pay attention to how the foods you eat make you feel.

Other articles that may be of interest:

Kris Carr- Video of Natural Skincare and Beauty Tips
Best Natural Beauty Products to Buy
You Can Whiten Your Teeth Naturally

Adapted from original reporting by Ann Marie Gianni.