If your toner is a spritzer, close your eyes and gently mist on face and neck. Dab any excess gently with a ball of cotton. Alternatively, apply toner to face and neck with a ball of cotton, using smooth, gentle upward strokes.

Moisturizing: All types of skin need a moisturizer. Moisturizers seal in surface moisture and help keep skin soft and supple. If enriched with skin-friendly herbs and essential oils, moisturizers also nourish skin and enhance skin immunity. Natural ayurvedic moisturizers contain herbal extracts and essential oils in an oil base—richer oils for dry skin and light oils for oily skin. Gotu kola, Shatavari, Turmeric, Sandalwood, Brahmi, Amalaki, Tulsi and Neem are examples of nourishing, ojas-building herbs that are considered skin rasayanas in ayurveda.

Apply moisturizer immediately after toner, while your skin is still slightly damp. If using a facial oil, all you need are 3-4 drops. Gently massage moisturizer into facial skin with smooth upward strokes. For extra-dry areas, use a little additional moisturizer. Additional care, once or twice a week

Exfoliation once a week for Kapha skin and once every other week for Vata and Pitta skin adds that extra glow.

Facial Mask: All types of skin benefit from periodic deep-down exfoliating treatment; if you have really oily skin, you may want to exfoliate at least once a week. At its most basic, a facial mask is a little oatmeal or chickpea flour mixed with water and a touch of honey. You can add almond meal and a couple of drops of wheat germ oil for dry skin, almond meal and pure aloe vera juice for sensitive skin and Bentonite clay for oily skin. You can also enrich mask with pure essential oils suitable for your skin type. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, embedded dirt and toxins, and stimulates skin, making it receptive to nutrient-rich facial mask that should follow.

Wash your face with lukewarm water. Apply mask with smooth upward strokes with your fingertips or a ball of cotton. Wait a few minutes in a relaxed position while mask dries. Rinse off with plenty of warm water and follow with a moisturizer appropriate for your skin type.

Note: This information is educational and is not intended to replace standard medical care or advice.

About the Author

Garlic Hot chilies Horseradish Oregano Apple cedar vinegar Mustard Turmeric Onion powder Oregano basil Dried Yeast Cloves Ginger Curry Paprika Unmodified sea and earth salts Almost all spices except Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) *note-fresh is best These are superfoods Compared to Sugar:

Honey Molasses Steva (very sweet tasting natural substance) Real Maple syrup *note- non-organic produce is best bought frozen; all other foods are best fresh, second best is frozen

Studies of these foods have revealed that they fight: viruses, fungus, bad bacteria, heart disease, diabetes and mental health disturbances. Coconut oil has even been shown to raise IQ and ease aggression because it contains DHA and AHA. These fatty acids are also found in human breast milk and are now being extracted from coconut oil and added to infant formulas. Dr. Steven Pratt, whose list of recommended foods is less extensive than this one, says "The right foods can actually change course of your biochemistry. They can help to stop damage at cellular levels that can develop into disease." Dr. Steven Pratt is a Californian Plastic Surgeon.

World-renowned researcher DDS Weston A. Price also promoted these foods based on his worldwide study of indigenous societies as well has his laboratory findings. Dr. Price's Foundation has recommended these foods since his death in forties and his recommendations continue to be validated by scientific studies.

References & Resources: -Weston A. Price Foundation -"Let's talk turkey about longer life" Michelle Pountney, science reporter, Feb. 25, 2004 heraldsun.news.com.au. -National Database of Grassfed Beef and Free-Range Poultry -National Database of Organic Produce