DIY Natural Beauty with Carol Alt

When you think about putting something on your skin or hair, how often do you consider what ingredients are held in those products?

Many health and beauty products actually contain harsh chemicals and other ingredients which have been shown to cause damage -- not only to the outside of your body, but the inside as well.

Think about it: you wouldn't fix a meal with ingredients like "phalates" or "petrolatum."

So why should you be OK with putting those types of ingredients on your skin?

Supermodel Carol Alt joins Andrea and Lisa to share some really healthy foods that can also double as health and beauty products.

Top on her list?

Yogurt or kefir. On the inside, these foods help repopulate the good bacteria (probiotics) in your digestive system, which is essential for overall health. Yogurt also makes a great mask. It is extremely moisturizing and the lactic acid helps keep your skin smooth and soft.

Raw honey. Not only is raw honey an anti-allergen, but using it will soften your skin. Manuka honey, which is from New Zealand, can stave off infection in cuts or scrapes.

Avocado and bentonite clay. When combined, these two elements make a great mask. The avocado moistens the skin and the bentonite clay draws out toxins. Additionally, if you're experiencing heartburn or other digestive woes, a tablespoon of bentonite clay a few times a day can provide relief.

Raw coconut oil. Coconut oil is great for oil pulling, which helps remove bacteria from the body and the blood. Coconut oil is also good for your skin when taken internally, because it provides raw fat. Externally, coconut oil keeps your skin soft and supple. (Sesame oil is also great for oil pulling).

What about foods that can help keep your hair healthy and shiny?

The great thing about using food on your hair is that you're saved from chemicals or harmful ingredients irritating your scalp.

One of Carol's favorite recipes for a hair mask is rosemary, avocado, egg, and olive oil. Rosemary helps your hair grow. Avocado and olive oil moisturize your hair, and the egg provides protein.

Finally, Carol suggests that if you're going to do a natural scrub, use brown sugar instead of white sugar. It's a bit gentler, and people tend to over-scrub. Too much scrubbing can damage the skin, even if your scrub contains natural ingredients like nut shells or coarse salt or sugar.

Tune in to Carol, Andrea and Lisa for more information on these foods that can double as beauty products, as well as tips for eliminating the risk of harsh chemicals.