BEAUTY WITH NICOLE--FOODS THAT FIGHT AGING

photo by Glysiak

Many foods, along with being good for our general health, are especially good for our skin. More and more we’re seeing these foods as ingredients in beauty products. For a double-dose of anti-aging, you should eat these foods as well as apply beauty products using them.

Soy is rich in hyaluronic acid, a substance that attracts moisture and keeps skin looking plump. Along with using soy-based products in your beauty regime, add edamame and tofu to your diet.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so the saying goes, but it’s also full of vitamin A which your body coverts to retinoic acid. Retinoic acid helps with skin cell rejuvenation. Serums infused with apple will even out skin tones.

Grapes have anti-inflammatory properties and can calm redness and soothe skin, and grape seed oil helps shrink pores. That’s why you’ll find it in many facial toners.

photo by Sakurai Midori

Environmental stressors, such as pollution and the sun, break down collagen, causing skin to thin and sag. Guava is high in vitamin C, an anti-oxidant that helps counter these stress factors. One food very high in vitamin C is guava. You’ll find it in some body creams.

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- WINTER SKIN CARE TIPS

Winter means dry skin. Beauty editor Nicole Emmerling is here today with some tips for keeping your skin moist and healthy throughout the winter. -- AP

Winter can wreak havoc on exposed skin, Anastasia. Cold temperatures cause skin to chafe. So my first tip is pretty much a no-brainer: cover as much exposed skin as possible when you venture outside.

Because winter is also cold and flu season, we all tend to wash our hands more often. This is great for keeping germs at bay, but it also tends to dry out our hands. To counter the drying effect of all that hand washing, use hand cream after each washing. Use moisturizers that contain natural products such as avocado oil and camellia seed oil. If your hands are extra dry, apply cream before bed and wear a lightweight pair of gloves while sleeping.

The same can be done for your feet. (Except wear socks!) And speaking of feet, wash dry, cracked heels with warm water and sea salts to remove the dead skin.

Avoid hot baths, showers, and saunas. Lukewarm water is best.

Don’t forget to wear sunscreen, no matter how cold it is outside. Sunlight reflects off snow and ice, intensifying the sun’s radiation.

Use a home humidifier to counter the drying effects of your home heating system.

Hydrate from the inside by drinking an adequate amount of water each day, and cut down on alcohol and caffeine. Both work against your skin.

Exercise! Staying in shape helps skin stay healthy.

Thanks, Nicole! All great tips, except for the caffeine. There’s no way I can get through my day without it. I’ll just have to drink more water to compensate. What about you, readers? Post a comment to enter the drawing for books plus a special gift from our Book Club Friday author this week. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- EAT YOUR WAY TO BEAUTIFUL SKIN

Beauty editor Nicole Emmerling is here today with a snack recipe to keep our skin looking young, beautiful, and wrinkle free. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia. According to dermatologist David Colbert, “Skin is a matrix of proteins, water, and fats that need a non-processed food supply for replenishment.” So the next time you have the munchies, grab something that will not only crave your hunger but also help you maintain your skin’s health.

When you were growing up, were you told to stay away from chocolate because it causes acne? Lots of us were, but it turns out that’s an old wives tale. Dark chocolate with 72% or higher cacao content is full of antioxidants that are good for your skin. 

Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant that helps prevent UV damage. A handful of almonds will supply you with a one-two punch of both vitamin E and the fat your skin needs to stay healthy.

 Then there’s the blueberry, full of both antioxidants and vitamin C, which protects collagen.

So mix up a batch of your own very special, skin protecting snack mix -- equal parts almonds, blueberries (dry or fresh) and dark chocolate chips. Your skin will thank you.

Sounds like a great recipe. Thanks, Nicole! Maybe Cloris can whip us up some chocolate-almond-blueberry muffins. -- AP