Easily Fade Dark Spots At Home

DISCLAIMER: I am not a dermatologist, this is simply what has worked for me for years and I thought it would be fun to share with you all.

If you've ever popped a pimple or a zit, you know what it is to have a dark spot show up on your face as a reminder that you've been naughty by popping it. There are a lot of products out there that claim to fade dark spots but most of the ones I encounter use some sort of bleaching agent. This can lead to stripping, flaking, redness, ashy-ness and/or dryness which is just adding to the problem of the dark spot and to uneven skin tone.

I thought I would share some tips about what I do to fade dark spots from acne naturally. These are the products I use:

L-R: Witch Hazel; Aveeno Daily Moisturizer; Tea Tree OIl; Vitamin E Oil; Vitamin E capsules

I picked up most of these items from Earth Elements which is an excellent place to get natural beauty and health products at affordable prices. See my post on their store and contact information by clicking here. These are the steps:

1. Calm The Skin: Zits and Pimples are really irritated skin. You need to apply something that will cool and calm the skin by getting rid of irritation. I like Witch Hazel for this because it doesn't dry out the area and works really quickly.
2. Get rid of Bacteria : Any bacteria will prolong the life of the pimple/zit. To make sure that it's the end of the nasty beast on your skin apply Tea Tree Oil to it. The good thing about this oil is that it's a dry oil (meaning it evaporates and doesn't make you look oily) and will not clog your pores.
3. Moisturize: The former zit/pimple is still skin and it still needs love so to encourage it regenerate/produce fresh skin you need to make sure it is moisturized, supple and healthy. I like this Aveeno Moisturizer because it doesn't have anything in it to irritate your skin and is specially formulated to help produce collagen
4. Supplement: Because we live in a very polluted world, the vitamins and nutrients we get from regular meals have a lot of work to do. If we want to take care of a specific problem with our skin usually we need to supplement our diets. I find that Vitamin E Oil or Vitamin E capsules give me a healthier complexion when I use/take them. Another great vitamin for skin is Vitamin C which helps to brighten your skin and Vitamin A which is great for collagen production and makes your skin look fresh and plump.

And that's it! I find that if I do this maybe two/three days in a row, the dark mark fades drastically and in its place instead of dealing with a dry patch I have healthy skin. 

What has worked for you in the past? Will you be trying this out? Leave me a comment and let me know

Til later,

*Jane

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Tortilla Fruit & Vegetable Pizza

Yes, I said fruit, vegetable on a pizza. Since I gave up all meat except seafood for Lent I've been trying to come up with meals that I regularly enjoy but that are hearty and healthy at the same time.

You will need:

• corn/wheat round tortillas
• tomato paste /low fat spaghetti sauce
• oregano flakes
• honey
• pineapples (fresh ones are best but tin ones in water NOT syrup are fine)
• tomatoes
• green peppers
• low fat cheese
• onions
• dried cranberries (un-sugared)
• (optional - lime juice/pepper)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven and lay with foil or flour/ spray a cookie sheet with pam
2. Mix the tomato paste with a teaspoon of honey and a pinch or two of oregano flakes and spoon onto the tortilla and spread around evenly
3. Chop all the onion, green pepper,tomatoes, and pineapples and sprinkle over the flat tortilla. Add the cranberries
4. Grate the cheese on top  of the tortilla and toppings then add a few dashes of lime juice or pepper if you like
5. Place in oven on foil or cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes
6. Turn off oven and EAT!

You can add spinach or another light veggie or fruit but remember the tortilla is thin and you don't want it to break. Hope you enjoyed this quick post!

Till later,

*Jane

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