Organic Beauty View

Those of you heading to the beach for the holiday weekend, take note. We’re running through a last-minute natural beauty regimen that will tackle the dull skin, rough patches and cellulite that you’ve been hiding since winter. It’ll take ten minutes- fifteen at most- and deliver substantial, albeit temporary, results (we all know that we’re not getting rid of our cellulite, right?). So, let’s begin. Our skin below the waist is the most likely to give us problems, so we need to knock it back into shape with a one-two punch of natural exfoliation and moisturizing massage. The result? Temporary glow and toning worthy of those high-priced spa treatments. Your regular natural body scrub will suffice as an exfoliant, increasing circulation and stimulating lymphatic flow as you deeply massage (toward your heart works best). If you’re looking for a new scrub on the cheap, go for the deliciously tropical Coconut Vanilla Sugar Scrub from Organics by Noah’s Naturals. If you’ve ever been swayed, even the tiniest bit, by a warm vanilla scent, you will fall over for this one! As a bonus, it contains Vitamin A to increase cell turnover. Follow with a lotion that boosts collagen to gradually thicken the epidermis of your skin, creating a buffer. REN’s Wild Yam Omega 7 Firming Body Repair Crème works (natural) wonders with lipid-boosting seabuckthorn berry oil and collagen-improving wild yam. And my personal favorite duo, for skin that’s silkier than you ever thought possible, is Nude’s Moisturizing Body Polish and Smoothing Body Refiner. The polish is made with sugar and hibiscus-infused monoi coconut oil (as luxurious as it sounds) and is applied directly to dry skin for serious sloughing. Follow this with the alpha-hydroxy Smoothing Body Refiner, a cult favorite for its fig and organic mountain ash that both slim and detoxify. Incredibly, testers who used this lotion twice daily for three months lost about six pounds! Who says natural beauty doesn’t work wonders? And if you’re still a bit self-conscious about skin exposure, nothing lends the appearance of slimming and toning quicker than a little self-tanner (check out our picks here). Happy 4^th! Writer :: Jolene Hart