how to be naturally beautiful

Bare face. Untamed hair. Open heart. Naturally beautiful.

For me natural beauty is denoted by not being afraid to walk down the street with an abundance of confidence just like that. 

My beautiful cousin and I

I've shared my thoughts with you about natural beauty in weighty matters, growing your nails, vocal health and beauty, dental hygiene, and many other areas relating to beauty such as nutrition, love and self-care.

But I think I need to spell it out more clearly, especially as a young woman living in a world where your worth is often based on how you look. Am I young enough? pretty enough? thin enough? tanned enough? waxed enough???

Our worth is not defined by our looks.

Our beauty is not defined by the makeup on our faces, the way we wear our hair or the designer clothes on our figures (which do come in all shapes and sizes). 

My concern is and always will be the state of my health. Did you know our skin is the largest organ in our bodies? And it is the last organ to receive nutrients from the food we eat and assimilate, inside to out. If we are healthy on the inside, our skin will be vibrant and glowing. Beauty that lasts comes from the inside out. We need to start to examine what we are feeding ourselves - what thoughts we allow into our minds, what beliefs we allow into our hearts and what foods we allow into our mouths. 

On my long journey to better health I've started to use more natural "beauty" products, without the chemicals and the preservatives. I've also cut down on how many products I use - less is always more! What else, you say! I don't always wear makeup or brush my hair. I don't dye my hair. I rarely wear nail polish. My wardrobe is not full of designer clothes. But I mostly have clear skin (after dealing with recurrent adult acne for years), my hair is naturally lightened by the sun, my nails are strong and shiny, and my clothes are being swapped for breathable fabrics and eco-friendly production. Yes, I'm less "done up" but I'm more healthy and more naturally beautiful than ever before. 

Here are my tips and tricks for a more naturally beautiful you:

• Eat more plant-based foods (hello fruit and vegetables!).
• Drink more water, preferably spring water or filtered water. 
• Use natural beauty products (check out this list of brands).
• Replace your synthetic makeup with mineral makeup.
• Experiment with using oils on your skin (my all-time favourite is coconut oil!). 
• Try pelotherapy - use superfine green clay to clear up acne and to draw toxins out of your skin.
• Rest your hair from the heat of hairdryers, straighteners and curling irons. 
• Swap your toxic deodorants for natural deodorants. 
• Swap your loofah for dry skin brushing. 
• Go bra-free (sorry guys, it's a girl thing!!!).
• Never apologise for your appearance. 
• Love yourself - there's only one of you.

I'd love to hear if you have any natural beauty tips and tricks that work for you. You can connect with me on Facebook or leave a comment below. And to finish, let me encourage you, reach for health, for natural beauty always comes from the inside out. 

Quote for the Road…