What are some natural beauty tips?

The essence of natural beauty techniques that are truly reliable and have been proven by ordinary users for a long time is to gently utilize the native activity of edible/common herbs and avoid the extra burden of unnecessary chemicals on the skin. It took me three years to get started with folk remedies, but they are not as useful as what beauty bloggers say.

My cheekbones were red and hot when I was out in the field in midsummer. I went home and grabbed a piece of aloe vera grown on the balcony for three years. I peeled off the outer hard skin and scraped out the transparent gelatinous part in the middle. I cooled it for 10 minutes and then applied it to the reddened area. Most of the redness faded in about 15 minutes, which is faster than many repair masks I stocked up. After checking the information, I found out that the polysaccharides in aloe vera itself have anti-inflammatory and repairing effects. However, many people said that fresh aloe vera should not be applied directly to the face. My best friend did not do an allergy test before and applied it to the entire face. It swelled for three days and was still itchy. She said that the emodin that was not removed could easily irritate sensitive skin. If you really want to try it, it is best to apply a little behind the ears and wait for 15 minutes. If you feel no discomfort, apply it to the face again, and do not leave it on for more than 10 minutes.

I also have a little habit that I have stuck to for almost two years. After washing my face every morning, I take a small spoonful of pure linden honey and mix it with warm water of about 30 degrees Celsius, stir it up, pat it on my face for 30 seconds and then rinse it off. In winter, I no longer dry out the powder with just a blow of air like before. I was chatting with a friend who is a dermatology nurse, and she also said that the oligosaccharides and antioxidants in honey can indeed help maintain the microecological balance on the skin surface. However, some netizens with oily skin said that they were bored after trying this method. It works just fine for me with dry skin. Friends with oily skin can reduce the frequency if they really want to try it, just use it once or twice a week.

I have also encountered a lot of nonsense. A few years ago, there were rumors on the Internet about using white vinegar to cleanse the face and whiten it, and apply lemon slices to the face to lighten spots. I tried it for a little half a week, and my face turned red and sensitive for almost half a month. Later I learned that the pH value of these acidic substances is far below the tolerance range of the skin. If it is not diluted to a safe concentration and used directly, it will only gnaw holes in the skin barrier, and there will be no whitening effect.

Last week I stayed up late to catch up on project plans, and my face turned yellow and rough. Before I went out, I took two tablespoons of unsweetened Greek yogurt, mixed it with a little finely ground oatmeal powder, and applied it for 15 minutes. After washing my face, it brightened up by a degree and felt soft to the touch. Later, I asked Fa Xiao, a formulator, and found out that the lactic acid in yogurt is a very mild keratin metabolism component, and the beta glucan in oatmeal powder can soothe fragile skin after staying up late. It is just right for the symptoms. However, don’t be greedy for this method, no more than twice a week, otherwise frequent exfoliation will make the skin sensitive.

Anyway, my biggest feeling after so many years of hard work is that natural beauty has never been a metaphysics, and don’t believe in the nonsense that “natural beauty must be mild”. It only works if it is adapted to your skin type, with the right concentration and frequency. Don’t use your own face as a test field for folk remedies.