Natural Beauty on a Budget - No-Cost and Low-Cost Techniques For Beautiful Skin

Ok, no matter WHAT the ads tell you, the BEST things you can do for your skin are:

1) Drink plenty of water

2) Get enough quality rest

3) Minimize Stress - and don't STAY stressed - breathe, Meditate, dance, whatever it takes to de-stress (and always remember to laugh!)

4) Good nutrition - you'd think this would be a 'duh' - but it really is one of the most often over-looked must-do's

5) Exercise - yes, exercise - walking, running, aerobics, Yoga - heck I blast my 80s rock and 70s disco while the kids are at school and dance like an idiot while no one is home to watch! No one says exercise has to be boring, ritualized nor uniform. And, dancing has the added benefit of being FUN.

6) Take a quality Multi-Vitamin and Mineral supplement and please don't forget to supplement with Omega-3 Fish Oils and Flax Oil. You'll be amazed at the difference in your skin.

7) LOVE YOUR SKIN - ok, this sounds silly, but I'm serious. Thought creates reality. What the mind professes, the body expresses. Love your skin. Massage it, caress it, LOVE IT.

Now, for some no- and low-cost solutions for your skin....

1) Facial massage. Forget the creams for a minute. The single thing (besides general good health) that will benefit your face? Massage. Seriously. Wrinkles? Massage them. Sagging jaws? Massage them. Double chin? Again, Massage. Now, you can do this with your finger tips, with your favorite *rounded end* crystal or even with an electro-acupuncture device. But, bottom line is, massage!

You can combine the following facial exercises with your Skin Care program. Due to the fact that skin responds well to this type of stimulation, you will see results in lines, complexion, tone and elasticity. As an added bonus, this type of massage strengthens the underlying muscles and results in the signs of aging becoming diminished.

Use the balls of your fingertips as well as the palms of your hands. For all exercises, use gentle, but firm, pressure - this is not supposed to hurt!

If you notice that some spots you massage are tender this means you are probably hitting the precise spots. Tenderness will diminish and disappear altogether with time.

Toning around the eyes

Using your favorite Moisturizer or essential oil blend, use your middle fingers to work around each eye simultaneously. Use slight pressure - be gentle with the eye area - and circle the eyes from the inside corner of your eyebrows, following the entire eyebrow, and back around to where you started.

Repeat this circular massage 30-35 times (in one sitting) each day.

This type of stimulation of the facial muscles will tone, relax and increase Circulation to the eye area, which in turn results in diminished signs of aging.

Revitalizing the Eyes

In this exercise, the Acupressure point at the side of your face, approximately 1/4 inch past the outside corner of your eye (this is right on the outer curve of the bone around the eye), is stimulated. The second point to stimulate is directly in line and under your pupil on the top edge of the cheekbone.

This massage can soften lines and Wrinkles in the eye area. Starting with the corner points, press each simultaneously for 3 seconds and then release for a count of three. Do this 30 times and then move on to the point on the cheek bone. Do all of this in one sitting and repeat these sets 3 times a day if possible.

2) Water - yes, yes, I know I spouted off about water before, but it's important. Internally AND externally. Make SURE you wash your face twice a day - finishing the wash with a cool water rinse. And, when you have a few spare minutes....don't just hastily put the cleanser on and rinse off - take a couple minutes to massage your face - during the wash and during the rinse.

3) Oxygen - I know this sounds silly, but oxygen is important - as a matter of fact, it's crucial. So, BREATHE - breathe deep and long. Start by breathing in for a count of 4 and out for a count of four - do this five times. See if you can work your way up to a count of 15 - practice it throughout the day, but do it at *least* once a day. Sun and free radicals aren't the only things that cause Wrinkles, ya know - stress does too. And what do we do when stressed? We breath more shallow, our heart rate goes up, our digestion stops, our blood pressure goes up and blood is diverted to the limbs from all 'non-essential' body systems. Bring the blood and oxygen back - BREATHE. Speaking of oxygen... try to get some fresh air each day too!

We all want to believe the marketing hype - that we can find eternal youth in jars and tubes. But really, the secrets are so much more basic. Good nutrition, exercise, attitude and simple, natural techniques which can improve your health and take years off of your appearance.