Web Exclusive—Winter Beauty Secrets

By Barbara Hey
The myth of chocolate as damaging to the skin takes a 360-degree turn: chocolate‘s new reputation suggests that it might function as a potent skin protector. Acccording to a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition, the flavonoids (antioxidants) in chocolate improve skin quality. After 12 weeks, the women in the study who drank about 3 ounces of cocoa fortified with 326 mg of cocoa flavanols a day had thicker, denser, better hydrated skin with less roughness. The women‘s skin also demonstrated more tolerance to ultraviolet violet exposure. Before adding a daily bar of chocolate to your diet, beware-not all chocolate is created equal. Stick with dark, all-natural cocoa free of refined sugar and emulsifiers. And even though the news looks promising, moderation-alas-still applies.

For those tired of dark under-eye circles, relief can be found in the kitchen. Try this do-it-yourself remedy. Grate one potato - by hand or in your food processor - and divide the potato shreds into two pieces of cheesecloth. Lie down, and apply a cheesecloth-wrapped potato compress to each under-eye, being careful to keep potato juice out of the eye itself. Relax for 15 to 20 minutes. The rationale for applying hash browns as a beautifying agent? Potatoes contain an enzyme called catecholase, which is used as a skin lightener. Source: www.free-beauty-tips.com

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