Infusing grapefruit into your diet, along with following a balanced lifestyle can keep you looking lovely:

· Watch your waistline.

If you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight, consume fruits and vegetables with high water content, like grapefruit to feel satisfied. One-half of a Florida grapefruit is fat-free and contains 60 calories. Grapefruit juice is fat-free and has fewer calories than most fruit juices at less than 100 calories per 8-ounce glass.

· Great for glowing skin.

Studies have shown the natural vitamin C found in fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice is essential for collagen production. With more than 100 percent of the recommended Daily Value of vitamin C in each serving of fresh grapefruit or 100 percent grapefruit juice, regular consumption can contribute to a radiant glow.

o Fountain of youth.

Collagen breakdown in the skin can lead to the formation of wrinkles. The natural vitamin C in fresh grapefruit and 100 percent grapefruit juice supports collagen production to fight signs of premature aging, such as wrinkles.

o Ease seasonal skin woes.

The vitamin C in fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice can actually protect your skin from sun and wind burn. The nutrient is essential for collagen production, which promotes smooth, supple skin tone. To recharge after a day outside, add a few cups of 100 percent grapefruit juice to your bathwater to smooth skin.

· Marvelous mani’s and pedi’s.

The natural ascorbic acids in grapefruit help to exfoliate and smooth skin on hands and feet. Sweeten your next at-home manicure and pedicure by soaking hands and feet in a mixture of warm water and 1 cup grapefruit juice to soften cuticles, calluses and heels. Jennifer Iserloh also recommends rubbing fingers with a slice of grapefruit dipped in sugar to brighten nails.

· Sassy smile.

Gum health is essential for a bright smile and strong teeth. Grapefruit is loaded with vitamin C, which keeps teeth healthy by strengthening gum tissue by protecting against gum disease.

· Healthy hair and scalp.

Grapefruit extract has been shown to help fight dandruff by moisturizing the scalp. Mix ¼ cup of your usual conditioner with grapefruit juice to add extra sheen and softness to your locks.

Grapefruit Salt Scrub

Salt scrubs mixed with fragrant oil exfoliates and moisturizes at the same time! My version can be quite inexpensive compared to some store bought brands, though it is just as fragrant and keeps in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients

1/2 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest, yellow or pink
1 cup almond or sesame oil

Directions
Stir all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container. Use all over body but not on the face or freshly shaven legs, ouch!

Image: Florida Grapefruit

Post from: Pretty by Nature

Everyone has something, some little guilty pleasure that makes them feel just oh so good. Some have more than one. I have a few but I’ll just talk about the only acceptable one; pedicures. There is just nothing that makes me feel so happy, so feminine and lovely as getting a pedicure. When I walk out of there I practically float. Behold my dainty, painted toes peasants! Ok not really but I sure do like it. I don’t get them that often because, well, it’s a coordinated event just to get out of the house sans kiddo and hubs and two, I can give myself a pretty decent pedicure at home. It’s just not the same though. The salon I go to, where the technician lets me know when I am getting fat in a chipper voice with a smile. I can’t tell if , “Oh you look so much fatter now” is a compliment or an insult but I roll with it. They also use O.P.I nail polish and I was feeling pretty bad about it but I figured it looked pretty so what’s the big deal if my future children have a couple extra arms. Lots of snark there.

Lo and behold I researched it and O.P.I nail polish is DBP, Toleune and  Formaldehyde free. Yippie! Formaldehyde is a possible carcinogen adn doesn’t easily break down during the water treatment process. DBP or dibutyl phthalate has been linked to cancer as well and underdeveloped genitals in newborn boys. I know they say you must suffer for beauty but there are limits ya know. Anyway this is a great alternative and O.P.I is available in stores so you can pick some up and give yourself a home mani/pedi. Be sure to check the label though because the older versions still contain the above ingredients. Now if I could just figure out how to beat my own calves and feet with the same disgruntled fervency I will never have to go elsewhere again.

Via Amazon

Post from: Pretty by Nature

Ooh, ooh take it off. That’s to be sung really annoyingly like a bridal party at Chippendale’s after they’ve had too many Mai Tais. Anyway I’m actually referring to nail polish remover. I found some great nail polishes but wondered what I would do when I wanted to take it off. I don’t want to use the normal acetone based removers anymore. I have used Nailtiques in the past but I wanted to go a step farther.

Two natural nail polish removers that caught my eye were Suncoat and Honeybee Gardens Odorless Remover. I ordered them both so I will have to let you know which one works best. Has anyone tried either one of these before? Please share with the class.

Photo via Suncoatproducts.com

Post from: Pretty by Nature

I absolutely LOVE InStyle Magazine. I have been addicted since I was in high school. While I am neither fabulous nor particularly “in style” , I still love to read the articles and look at the beauty products. This month they have a little blurb in the What’s HOT NOW section about nail polishes from Nubar. Their nail polishes are formaldehyde and toluene free. They also do not contain dibutyl phtalates. The fact that formaldehyde is in most nail polishes is kinda gross. It gives me the creeps and it stinks. Literally. I can’t imagine having to breathe that stuff in all day. Does it ever make you nervous when the person doing your nails is wearing a mask?

So right about now I’m itching to get a pedicure. It’s my guilty pleasure but I just can’t rationalize or sell the hubs on going to a salon every month to pay for something I can do myself. Except for when I was pregnant when I couldn’t actually reach my toes long enough to paint them and my husband was too afraid of my psycho hormones to object. Now there’s an idea. Is it selfish to have another child for the pedicures?

I think I’m going to get the Vineyard Collection. I like to change it up so there are enough colors in there to feel like I have options. Next time I do happen to get into a proper salon I can even bring them with me. Wouldn’t these colors look great with Korres Nude collection we were talking about the other day? Hurry up Spring damn you!

Post from: Pretty by Nature

To brighten up my dull hands, I head to my very own cupboard now and then. I make my own rich exfoliating hand paste by using two very commonly found, natural ingredients.

The recipe:
2 teaspoons White Granulated Sugar.
1 Tablespoon Honey.

Simply mix the two in a small bowl to form a paste. Rub the honey paste over your hands and nails to aid in the removal of dead skin cells. Rinse off, and follow with your favorite hand cream.

I do this almost every week in the drier winter months, and a few times a month the other time of the year.

Try it and let me know how you liked your little simple sugar mix.

Post from: Pretty by Nature