Naturally beautiful - Rachel Holland

I’ve reached a new stage in my life as I’ve just turned 30 and I’ve realised just how lucky I am to actually look much younger than my actual age.

People always ask me how I’ve achieved this and so I’m going to share my secrets with you and give you the knowledge of my years spent looking for the answers to staying young and vibrant. 

As the owner of online magazine, La Luminata I’m in an extremely lucky position where I get to try out all of the hot new products on the market before they even hit the stores. I find out about inspirational health ideas and I meet the most radical people making waves on achieving positive optimal health. 

That way I get to test and find out what actually works and what doesn’t which I can then pass onto my readers, saving you time, money and hassle. Here’s my list of how you can use my knowledge to maintain optimal, youthful radiance! 

To start with I’m an avid believer in keeping the inside of our bodies well, nourished and regenerating to maintain optimum health. Because if we are physically tired, this can also make us feel old, exhausted and lethargic. I always make sure that I detox three times a year, specifically I do a kidney cleanse, a liver cleanse and a colon cleanse. 

I’ve also just started having colonic hydrotherapy and my gosh…what an increase in energy it gives. Find a reputable clinic and maintain these treatments at least yearly to keep your systems clear and your skin fresh and glowing. 

Part of my daily routine involves drinking between 3 – 5 cups of green tea a day, rarely drinking normal tea or coffee and avoiding alcohol as much as possible. The antioxidants in the green tea mean that my body is in a constant state of removing harmful waste and keeps me ticking over nicely. 

Vitamin-wise, I take Chlorophyll, Wellwoman multivitamins designed specifically for women, psyllium husks (for colon clearing) and Q10 daily. 

I will also start taking St John’s Wort now we are entering the winter months, as living in the UK, I like so many other people tend to get low moods from lack of sunshine, this coupled with walks in the sun whenever possible will keep my energy levels balanced. 

It’s the simple things that count, so eating organic, locally grown fruit and vegetables means that you keep your carbon footprint low and support your local farmers. 

If you must eat meat and fish, make sure that it’s organic, has had a naturally reared life and it’s source is traceable. It’s also a good idea to alternate meat with purely vegetarian meals to allow your body time to digest these proteins. 

I’m personally a big believer in raw food eating as much as possible, this means that a vegetables nutrients are undamaged through the process of cooking and more easily released into the body. 

Clean and pure - MOP shampoo

You only have to look at the skin of people that follow this way of eating to see how vibrantly healthy they look. You can find out more about this movement here. Stress is a constant in all of our busy, modern lives nowadays and coupled with pollution in the air, toxins in our food and chemicals in our cosmetics it becomes harder for our bodies to achieve optimal health. 

Exercise is really important to feeling good, whether it’s jogging, yoga, dancing in your living room, tennis or the gym – it’s important to keep our bodies moving, regenerating and producing those feel-good endorphines. 

At home, I make sure that all of the products I use contain no harmful chemicals, parabens or toxins. I use Ecover for cleaning, chemical-free beauty products and mineral make-up. 

This is possible to achieve over a period of time, by slowly switching your products to organic and paraben-free versions which you’ll find are actually superior in quality. 

I have tried face creams that cost over £200, shampoo’s with the most obscure ingredients and anti-ageing masks which promise the Earth in a tube. 

However these are the tried and tested (and surprisingly cheap) products that I use and continually go back to using: Weleda Skin Food, which I use as a night cream (rrp £8.50), Baldwins Pomegranate, Bilberry & Rose Eye Cream (rrp £7.99), Boots Botanics Organic Skin Cleansing Balm (rrp £6.49), Akamuti Rose & Marshmallow Face Mask (rrp £7.95), A’kin Rosehip Serum (rrp £15.99) which I use daily as a serum, Madara Deep Moisture Fluid (rrp £23.00) and Madara Tinted Moisturiser (rrp £21.50). 

On my hair I use MOP’s paraben-free products with Aveda Smooth Infusion gloss. The cosmetic brands that I use are Lily Lilo bases (rrp £12.00), Korres eyeshadows, Christoper Drummond glow enhancers, Green People mascara (rrp £13.99) and N’vey lipsticks, eyeshadows and blushes. 

Jo Malone fragrance

The only fragrance I really use now are Jo Malone’s as the quality and purity of the scent is unbeatable. My favourite’s are, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, Honeysuckle & Jasmine and Vanilla & Anise. 

I also make my own jars of body scrub using two parts dead or Himalayan sea salt mixed with 1 part olive or coconut oil mixed with a dash of essential oil such as rosemary, lavender or Jasmine. Divine! 

This can also be used as a face scrub…be very gentle though! As a body lotion I use sweet almond oil, or a ready mixed body oil such as this one by Lavera. I generally find oils to be more nourishing and contain less complicated ingredients than a standard body lotion. 

Once a week I will have a sea salt bath, this is made using two handfuls of dead sea salt or himalayan sea salt, a few drops of an essential oil and possibly a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil for moisturisation. I’ll then scrub my skin like mad using a body massager to aid detoxification and relaxation. 

Finally surround yourself with plants for air purification, flowers for lifting your spirits and perhaps indulge in some meditation music to make your home feel really zen. 

Most importantly surround yourself with happy, positive people who are committed to health and wellbeing and make you feel good about yourself! These are my secrets to remaining young and feeling fantastic! 

 

Image of Rachel by David Fazackarley