Super foods to help your skin

IT's coming to the end of September which means summer is officially over and Autumn is setting in *sigh*
I'm sure most of you, like me, gave your poor old skin a good sun bashing over the last few months, which, although you can't see it at the moment, has probably caused a lot of damage to your largest organ (the skin) in the long run.
But never fear, there are certain foods you can eat to rejuvenate your skin and even help prevent further sun damage — skin superfoods.

Tomatoes — These little babies are possibly the best food to help skin damage. Tomatoes are filled with  a powerful anti-oxidant called lycopene, which especially when cooked, helps to combat the damaging effects of UV rays. Tomatoes can be used in so many different ways when cooking so why not try to incorporate tomatoes into your meals a few times a week? (or indulge in a Bloody Mary!).

Colourful fruits and vegetables — yes we've all heard about needing our five a day but there is reason behind this. A rainbow of fruit and veg have a number of substances in them to add protection against the sun's harmful effects, such as apigenin (found in broccoli, cherries and celery) and resveratrol (found in grape skins). These are not only anti-oxidants but they also have structured water, which penetrates cells better to better hydrate you when you drink water. Eat Fruit and vegetables in their raw form as often as possible as they lose nutrients when cooked.

Coffee — Yes rumour has it that coffee not only gives you an energy boost but it also may help to protect your skin. Research has shown that the anti-oxidant in coffee destroys sun-damaged skin cells before they turn cancerous. But before you start bouncing off the walls after drinking copious amounts of coffee - I did say it was rumoured. But it is nice to know that our favourite mid-morning beverage could be good for us!

Even if you eat all these super foods, it is best to remember that prevention is better than cure so ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS use sun cream to stop your skin cells getting damaged in the first place! And sun cream isn't just for the summer, as the winter sun can be just as harmful, be sure to use moisturiser or foundation with a decent SPF to avoid sun damage and prevent wrinkles and sun spots.

Manths xx

(images from google)

Wash away the winter blues...

Skin looks amazing in the summer - soft, smooth and glowing, but as soon as the cold weather sets in, out come the tights and long sleeves and it's bye bye bare skin!
But just because your skin will be covered up for the next few months doesn't mean you have to completely forget about it — believe it or not now is the time to start getting your skin prepared for summer! (yes I know Christmas hasn't been and gone yet so why am I thinking about the summer already?)
Think about it, if you look after your skin throughout the winter, then when the summer does come along all the hard work has already been done — no last minute frantic scrubbing to get rid of all that dull dry skin!
My skin is not naturally soft like some lucky people have — I tend to have tiny little bumps all over my arms and legs which, if left unattended, make my skin feel like sand paper! yuk. So for me there are only two rules for soft winter skin — 1. exfoliate 2. moisturise. That's it.

There are loads of body scrubs and exfoliating products on the shelves at the moment depending on your skin type — mine needs quite a bit of scrubbing so I opt for scrubs quite densely packed with beads or 'gritty bits'. The best one I have found so far is super on the skin and perfect on the pocket — Superdrug's own Vitamin E Exfoliating Body Scrub which at the moment is on sale for just £1! www.superdrug.com (I love the Vitamin E range it smells like summer, all the  products are under a fiver and they do make your skin feel soft!!)

The only downside to this is that because it is so packed with 'gritty bits' that it leaves quite a mess in the shower and especially in the bath!!
At the moment I'm addicted to these exfoliating body gloves....

Ok so they're not too glamorous but who's going to see you in the shower?! From Superdrug again, these are just under £2 but you just use them with your normal shower gel and they last for ages! (You can put them in the washing machine to clean them too)
Personally I think these are AMAZING! (They also exfoliate your hands while your at it!) No mess and no fuss!

When it comes to moisturising I must be the fussiest person on the planet! I want a moisturiser to make my skin soft, but can't stand when you feel sticky or greasy for hours after you apply it! (I usually moisturise before I go to bed and the boyfriend hates cuddling me in bed when I'm sticky or greasy!)
I have a whole box full of moisturisers that I have used and not liked but the one I seem to keep going back to is Vaseline's Aloe Fresh Hydrating Body Lotion

It's thick enough to make your skin feel soft but sinks in after a couple of minutes leaving your skin dry to touch but fresh and moisturised.
I tend to exfoliate and lather myself in moisturiser two or three times a week — any more than that and your skin will be over scrubbed and feel more delicate.
If you start now and make it part of your weekly routine, by the time the summer comes your skin will be soft, glowing and ready to soak up the sun!
Happy scrubbing! xxx