10 HoliDAYS of Self-Love: Day 2

What are the 10 holiDAYS of self-love? Well, it's very simple! During this very stressful holiday time, especially for those of us who struggle/have struggled with eating disorders, social anxiety, and low self-esteem in general, the abundance of food and holiday parties can be very stressful. So join me in the journey: 10 days, 10 challenges each day to improve your self-esteem and make this holiday season more pleasurable. Enjoy!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…or is it?

Cramming for final exams, watching your bank account dwindle due to Christmas shopping while your weight takes a hit from all the delicious holiday treats; this time of year sure can be stressful.

But you don’t have to let it take over your entire life, especially not your health and beauty. So sit back, pour yourself some hot cocoa, and treat yourself to some homemade, all natural face treatments! Here are some ingredients you can’t go wrong with:

1.    Sea Salt

If you don’t have sea salt in your beauty cabinet, you better get yourself to a supermarket-quick! Mix this secret ingredient in with a bit of water, honey or olive oil to create a gooey consistency and gently use as a scrub. Not only does it act as an exfoliator when removed, scraping off dead skin cells and leaving your skin silky smooth, but it also has numerous health benefits. It controls blood pressure, regulates sleep patterns, detoxifies skin, but most importantly during this hectic season; it relieves stress! Ancient Greeks and Romans used warm sea salt baths to help them relax-why can’t you?

*pro tip: leave the scrub on your skin for a few minutes to let your body truly absorb the sea salt

2.    Avocados
This fruit is the holy grail of DIY beauty treatments. In these cold winter months, the natural oils of avocados can work miracles on dry patches and flaky skin. Plus the amino acids and antioxidants with which this creamy fruit is packed target fine lines and crow’s feet! Slathering this mask on your skin also helps you to calm down: rich in glutathione, a substance that combats internal oxidative stress, avocadoes wash those worries down the drain!

*pro tip: avocadoes also make for a great hair treatment: pair it with olive oil or eggs and you have an instant parched-hair solution!

3.    Blueberries

Jam packed with antioxidants (one of the highest rate in all foods!) and phytochemicals, a blueberry face wash helps protect skin cells from damage, making the skin look younger for longer. Mash a few dozen fruit in a bowl, mix with water or yogurt, and apply to the skin and wash away to find radiant skin. And when it comes to stress, the vitamin C levels in blueberries are hard to beat! In fact, German researchers tested this by asking volunteers to give a speech, and then do hard math problems. Those who had been given vitamin C had lower blood pressure, hence less stress! What’s not to love?!

*pro-tip: Try to mix in other types of berries to find a texture that works for you; most berries have high vitamin C concentrations!

I hope this helps some of the anxious butterflies out there!

Have a lovely day,

Gabby

From The Fudge Perfection Project

fudgeperfection.blogspot.com

sources: 1.  http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/healthy-foods-reduce-stress-and-depression/berries

2. http://www.livestrong.com/article/156225-benefits-of-sea-salt-for-the-skin/

3. http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/top-10-superfoods-for-skin-and-hair/

4. http://healthiestfoods.co.uk/the-top-4-avocado-skin-benefits