superfoods for beautiful skin

If you want beautiful skin, you need to maintain your lipid and hydric levels. If your skin isn't getting enough nutrients, it soon dries out and becomes fragile.



B Vitamins
All the B Vitamins aid metabolic reactions to repair and build collagen and elastin fibre. Feed your skin: Whole grains and cereals (bread, pasta, rice, wheat and bulgur wheat), animal protein (meat, fish and eggs) and brewer's yeast (live yeast).

Essential fatty acids
Omega 3 and Omega 6 limit water loss in skin cells. Feed your skin: Oil (olive oil, walnut oil, soya oil, rapeseed oil and peanut oil), oily fish (anchovies, sardines, herring and tuna), nuts (almonds and hazelnuts), avocado and olives.

Water
Water is essential to healthy skin, for deep-down hydration. It also gets rid of waste, which causes dull skin. Feed your skin: Aside from drinking water, get your fill from tea, soup, herbal tea, fruit and veg (they're 90% water on average!).

For a glowing complexion

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© Mary Cohr Shining morning faces need their daily dose of antioxidants. Vitamin C Aside from being essential to collagen production, Vitamin C protects your skin from UV damage and helps scars heal. Feed your skin: Fresh fruit and veg, especially citrus fruit (lemon, orange and grapefruit), kiwi, cabbage vegetables and parsley. Vitamin A Vitamin A is the most important skin vitamin for supple, radiant skin and also protects against UV damage. Feed your skin: Liver, eggs, butter and butter for Vitamin A, and brightly-coloured fruit and veg (mango, melon, pepper, carrot etc) for Provitamin A, which the body converts into Vitamin A. Vitamin E Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant with an unrivalled ability to repair sun damage - sun-worshippers take note! It traps ageing free radicals and acts alongside Vitamin A and Vitamin C to protect cell membranes, which are the main target of those nasty free radicals. Feed your skin: Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds), whole grains, cereals and vegetable/plant oils. Selenium The trace element selenium is the best weapon there is against free radicals, and in recent years it has been recognised as a major player in anti-ageing. It's particularly effective at fighting the effects of UV rays, and also aids the elimination of toxins such as tobacco and alcohol through urine. Feed your skin: Meat, fish, seafood and eggs.

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For clear skin

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For perfect nails

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Like our hair, our nails reflect the state of our health. If your nails break easily, are weak or have white marks on them, they're trying to tell you something: you have nutritional deficiencies! Keep an eye on your nails and adjust your diet accordingly if you're missing out on these nutrients:

Calcium
Calcium strengthens nails and makes them grow. Feed your nails: Dairy produce, fruit and vegetables and some types of mineral water.

Iron
Iron is a fortifying trace element that enriches red blood cells and increases oxygenisation of tissue, especially in nails that break easily. Feed your nails: Red meat, shellfish and pulses.

Sulphur
Sulphur is a misunderstood mineral that's vital for strong nails (it strengthens the nail structure). Feed your nails: Seafood, asparagus, onion, garlic and cabbage.

A day's beauty food

Fancy a day of beauty food to get you into good habits? Here's a menu to try!

Breakfast
A hot drink
A glass of fresh fruit juice or a piece of fresh fruit
A fermented milk yoghurt or soya yoghurt
2 slices of wholemeal bread with Omega-3 rich butter (butter made with vegetable oil is better than animal fat butter)

Snack
A piece of fresh fruit

Lunch
A plate of raw veg or mixed salad (containing shallots, chives, parsley and other herbs with lemon juice and a drizzle of rapeseed oil)
Around 150g oily fish
Steamed vegetables and whole grains/cereals with a drizzle of olive oil
A piece of fresh fruit

Snack
Green tea (left to infuse for less than 2min)
A yoghurt or a piece of fresh fruit

Dinner
Mixed vegetable soup
100-150g steamed fish and steamed vegetables
A yoghurt or fresh fruit salad

Discover the make-up that suits your eyes the most

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Enhance round eyes

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© L'Oréal Paris

You have round eyes.

Your face type: a full face, round cheeks and soft features.

Your assets: a youthful look that needs sophistication.

Your make-up strategy: emphasise the iris, which has a lot of presence thanks to your eye shape. After applying a light cream to the eye contour area (avoid textures that are too rich as they'll puff up the area) and neatly tidying up your eyebrows to add character, go all out with eyeliner.

What products suit your eyes? Cyril Nesmon at Nivea Beauty reveals his secrets. "Using thick eyeliner (for a lighter version, use a fine brush dipped in black powdered eyeshadow), trace a horizontal line along the length of the upper and lower lashes and extend horizontally. This makes the eye appear much wider."

Your other "stretching" ally is mascara. Apply it in particular to the external corner of the eye to draw it out, and not over all your lashes, to accentuate the roundness of your eyes. Again, if you're tempted by false lashes, always look to enhance the outer corners of your eyes

Illuminate almond eyes

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© Helena Rubinstein

You have almond eyes.

Your face shape: a slightly triangular face, high cheekbones and a thin nose.

Your assets: a feline, naturally sexy look and big intense eyes that light up your whole face. You've got a lot going for you eye-wise, so make the most of it!

Your make-up strategy: your eye shape gives you an enormous range of options, as long as you make up wisely.

After smoothing the area round your eyes, start with a lengthening mascara, applying to the whole length of the lashes, upper and lower, to enlarge your eyes. Don't overload them though - you don't want to drown your eyes.
Work the shape of your eyebrows, leaving more volume at the inner corner than the outer to go with the shape of your pupils, and apply eyeliner with a strong, thick line to the base of your lashes and up to the centre of the eye. Make sure you don't extend out to the temples or you'll get OTT cat's eyes! But do try out false lashes for a fun touch that tones down dramatic eyes

Intensify deep eyes

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© Dior

You have deep eyes.

Your face type: a face with strong character and a well-defined jaw line.

Your assets: a powerful, intense look. Your deep eyes need enhancement to bring out their best.

Your make-up strategy: the fragile skin around your eyes tends to look puffy and show signs of fatigue. You should make sure you always pamper the area round your eyes with smoothing, brightening creams. Also apply a bit of eye cream or light-coloured eyeshadow to the inner corner of each eye near your nose, where the skin sometimes looks dark.

Your best ally is mascara. Go for brown (it's less stark than black) and don't be afraid of applying several coats: well-covered lashes make your eyes stand out and not look too deep-set. Only apply mascara to your upper lashes, though.
Your eyebrows tend to be quite thick and need TLC: your eyes need to look relaxed and the area around them shouldn't weigh them down. Don't go overboard with eyeliner and false lashes: these could easily make your eyes look overdone and tired!

Soothe a dry, itchy scalp: 5 easy expert solutions

Good hair days start with a healthy scalp. Its job, after all, is to grow strong shiny strands. But dry indoor air can zap moisture and dissolve protective oils from the skin on your head, leaving it itchy and flaky--and your mane dull and unmanageable. Help keep the skin you rarely think about (but should) in top condition with this advice from Valerie D. Callender, M.D., clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine.

The basic facts

Like the skin on your body, the scalp renews itself every 28 days by shedding dead cells and allowing new, healthy ones to emerge. Cold temperatures and low humidity, a reaction to harsh chemicals (like those used in permanent hair color), or a buildup from styling products can interrupt this natural exfoliating process--causing cells to pile up and turn into fine flakes. This accumulation can clog hair follicles and block secretion of sebum, further exacerbating dryness.

What to look for

* An itchy, red scalp after coloring hair or using hot tools.

* Small powdery flakes These are telltale signs that your scalp is dry, as opposed to having dandruff, which is triggered by a fungus and results in white, oily clumps.

Simple solutions

These easy steps will help ease the itch, fast:

* Avoid scratching. It's irritating and can cause hair breakage.

* Use a moisturizing shampoo. Look for ingredients that help lock in moisture, such as sea-buckthorn oil, found in Aveda Scalp Benefits Balancing Shampoo ($12; aveda.com).

* Gently massage conditioner into your scalp after every shampoo to hydrate it and lift away some of the flakes.

* Lather up with clarifying shampoo weekly. These deep-cleaning formulas rid hair of product buildup and help loosen dead skin cells on the scalp.

* Turn down the heat. Hot water can zap natural oils from your scalp, making it ultra dry and sensitive; also choose the lowest heat setting on your blowdryer.

EXPERT STRATEGY If these tips don't alleviate the problem in four weeks, see a dermatologist. She'll check your scalp for a fungal infection, such as dandruff or ringworm (ringlike marks on your skin), and will most likely prescribe a topical steroid cream or shampoo, which will calm irritation and itch within a few days.

* The bottom line "Dry scalp is common, especially this time of year," says Valerie D. Callender, M.D. "But it's easy to fix. It's just a matter of deep-cleaning the scalp and adding plenty of hydration."

DRY SCALP

1. piled-up cells

2. fine flakes

3. clogged hair follicles

The Ten Best Lipsticks

1 Chanel 16

A deep raisin-pink, sheer and shot through with grown-up glitter, Wild Tulip picks up on this winter's trend for moody shades of aubergine and berry. Because it's sheer, it's subtle enough for paler skin tones.

www.chanel.com; 020-7493 3836

2 Yves Saint Laurent 16.50

Red Desire is a diva-class cherry-red lipstick that looks fantastic on cooler complexions. To avoid a hard look, apply using a brush, and work from the middle of the lips outwards.

www.ysl.com; 01444 255 700

3 MAC 11

ou won't walk away with a desperate-divorcee shade of wine-pink if you buy MAC. It lives up to its reputation for innovation, and a great new colour from the brand is the vibrant, berry-violet Rebel, which looks just as striking on fair and dark complexions.

www.maccosmetics.com; 020-7534 9222

4 Estee Lauder 15

The golden case (first used in 1984) is as classy as this nude- brown colour, Toasted Walnut, especially if you're olive-skinned. Moisturising and subtly shiny, this is well-mannered lippy for grown- ups who aren't into eye-popping colours.

www.esteelauder.co.uk; 0870 0342 444

5 Organic Glam 16.95

The Organic Pharmacy on London's King's Road now has its own make- up line, using organic extracts and mineral coloursand leaving out synthetic preservatives and fragrances. Of its seven shades of lipstick, Red is pure Hollywood glamour.

www.organicglam.com; 020-73512232

6 Clinique 12

Honey Nut is one of those colours that simply can't look bad on any lips. Its texture is sheer, creamy and long-lasting, and its brownish-pink hue is understated enough for the office.

www.clinique.co.uk; 0870 034 2566

7 Bobbi Brown 14

For the make-up artist Bobbi Brown, the ideal lipstick is the colour that matches that of your lips, and her bestseller is the creamy Sandwash Pink, a sophisticated brownish-pink.

www.bobbibrown.co.uk; 0870 034 2566

8 RMK >15

It's called Orange Red, but this is a true red with a matte finish by the Japanese brand. Good for darker skins/warmer complexions - if nervous, tap colour on with a fingertip.

www.rmkrmk.com; 020-7318 3538

9 Lipstick Queen 15

Poppy King's cult brand splits colours into "Sinner" (90 per cent pigment) and "Saint" (sheer), and Berry Sinner is a deep, matte brown, only recommended if you have very white teeth.

www.spacenk.com; 020-7 8740 2085

10 Boots 17 3.99

The teen brand teams up with fashion designers for limited- edition ranges, and it's Jonathan Saunders' turn., whose fashion MO is graphic prints. In its cute stripy tube, his Elia is a pretty nude-pink for the teenager in all of us.

www.boots.com;

0845 070 8090

The Ten Best is edited by Rebecca Armstrong r.armstrong@independent.co.uk

Copyright c 2007 Independent Newspapers UK Limited. All rights owned or operated by The Independent.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

get better looking lips fast

With a little loving care, your lips can be perfect in no time. Just follow these seven steps - and then pucker up!

Take a water bottle with you wherever you go. Drinking enough water (the equivalent of at least 9 cups of fluids daily) will keep the body, skin and lips hydrated.

Lick the smacking habit. Licking your lips damages the protective barrier, which can dry out the lips, says Robert Brodell, M.D., a dermatologist in Warren, Ohio. (Saliva contains digestive enzymes that can break down this barrier.) Instead, regularly apply lip balm like La Mer The Lip Balm (S40; at Saks Fifth Avenue Stores).

Know thy balms. Look for hydrating ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, vitamin E and almond, jojoba or coconut oils. Good old petroleum jelly (think: Vaseline) works well too. If you have sensitive skin, use camphor-based medicated lip balms sparingly. (They can be irritating.) Instead, opt for the camphor-free Aesop Rosehip Seed Lip Treatment with shea butter ($15; 888-223-2750). But if you have hearty skin, try ChapStick Medicated lip balm ($1.69; at drugstores) with camphor and menthol.

Plug in a humidifer. It can replace moisture in dry indoor air, keeping your lips (and your skin) hydrated. Editor's favorite: Bionaire Digital Cool Moisture Humidifier ($80; bionaire.com).

Exfoliate when necessary. Lip exfoliators (products that contain fruit-acid-based alpha or beta hydroxy acids) slough off dead skin - much like the ones you'd use on your face, says New York dermatologist Dennis Gross, M.D. "But if you have sensitive skin or your lips are severely chapped or cracked, use these products cautiously [no more than once weekly) as they do contain acids that can irritate skin," says Gross. (Signs of irritation: intense stinging and/or persistent redness.) Try Blistex Lip Revitalizer with AHA and vitamin E ($1.89; at drugstores) and Lancome Primordiale Lip Revitalizing Treatment with Gatuline, an AHA alternative ($29; lancome.com).

Protect, protect, protect. Lips are susceptible to sunburn since they lack melanin, the pigment that helps shield skin from the sun. Apply a layer of a sun-protective product daily like Neutrogena Lip Moisturizer SPF 15 ($3; at drugstores) or look for a lipstick with SPF like Estee Lauder Futurist SPF 15 ($17.50; esteelauder.com), which comes in 22 shades.

Don't make matte forever. Matte lipsticks can be extremely drying (which helps these lipsticks stay put for so long). That's why you should use them sparingly when your lips are extremely chapped. Instead, alternate use of them with hydrating lipsticks (as indicated by ingredients like vitamin E and/or glycerin) or add a layer of moisturizing lip balm underneath. Opt for the nonmatte, hydrating Ultima II Ultimate Edition Lipstick with primrose oil and vitamin E ($15; at drugstores) or layer Prescriptives Lip Specialist ($15; gloss.com) underneath a matte.

TREAT YOUR LIPS RIGHT

Follow this guide to treating common lip problems.

CUT IN THE CORNER OF THE MOUTH Keep your lips hydrated with a balm and apply a small dab of an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream.

PEELING LIPS This could be an allergic reaction to a lipstick, toothpaste, food, beverage or medication you're taking (Accutane is one drug that can severely dry out lips). Related symptoms include itching and a persistent rash. Your dermatologist can prescribe a mild topical hydrocortisone cream to help decrease the irritation.

WRINKLES AROUND THE LIPS Caused by sun exposure, age and smoking, these wrinkles should be treated like wrinkles on the rest of the face -- with chemical peels and creams that contain anti-aging ingredients like retinol. One to apply: Avon Anew Retinol Lip Treatment with vitamin C and retinol ($10; 800-FOR-AVON).

THIN LIPS If you want fuller lips, the best temporary option right now is collagen (Zyderm) injections, which cost about $300 per treatment and last about six months. (Possible side effects include temporary redness and excessive swelling of the lips.)

SHAPE TESTED

best lipsticks and balms

We tested hundreds of colors and moisturizing balms to pick these favorites. Best vitamin-enriched lipstick Almay One Coat Lip Cream with vitamins A, C and E ($8.75; at drugstores).

Longest-lasting lipsticks It's a three-way tie between Cover Girl Outlast All-Day Lipcolor ($9.50), L'Oreal Endless Lipcolour ($9.75) and Max Factor Lipfinity ($12.75), all at drugstores. They all last up to eight hours.