Be Beautifood.

For me, and I’d guess for many others reading this, yoga is not only an expression of physical and mental discipline and balance, but it’s also one of inward compassion. You know, that self-love stuff we all dig. We leave our yoga practice with a sense of calm, a sense of having cared for every bone, every muscle and every fiber of our being. For me, I leave my practice with a sense of wanting to continue to do what’s right for my body and mind.

It probably goes without saying that the practice of caring for oneself begets the further desire to care for oneself.

So then it probably does not make much sense to leave our beautiful yoga class to shower and promptly apply chemical-laden shampoos, makeup and beauty products to our faces, scalps and bodies, right? After having cared so sweetly for ourselves, it would make little sense to apply products that hurt our health and the earth.

When we care for our bodies and minds through a yoga practice and then go pollute it with common store-bought body paints and fragrances, we only really serve to negate the good we did for our inner and outer beauty.

But, I know we’ve gotta use something—most of us want shampoo to cleanse our hair, moisturizers to smooth our skin, toothpaste to clean our mouths and scrubs to freshen our body. What we do not need, however, is to spend extra money and possibly hurt our bodies by using conventional products.

I’ve long since given up most of the conventional beauty products found in stores. At first, I transitioned to buying natural products. Unfortunately, even some of these natural companies are being bought out by corporate conglomerates who are sneaking in not-so-desirable ingredients to save a buck or three. And, on that note, the natural stuff still tends to be incredibly expensive. While I like to support the little guys as much as I can, I must, of course, financially support the littlest guy of them all, first and foremost—me.

By making my own beauty products with the foods I love and consume daily, I’ve learned to become what I like to call Beautifood. It’s beauty obtained through the use of the food; you are what you eat, after all.

I’m pleased to share that my beauty regime has not suffered by making my own products. What’s more, my wallet is fatter and I’m doing my part to help fight the buildup of plastic waste that accumulates in landfills when we toss away a used plastic product container.

Since we’ve now entered the winter season, I’m sharing one quick and easy Be Beautifood recipe that replaces the countless facial masks you may have lying around your bathroom. This Chocolate Almond Milk Coffee Facial will save you time, money and product overload. And, the best part—it’s so healthy you can eat it!

In my mind, there is nothing better than coffee. But then, there is nothing better than chocolate too. Oh, wait…let’s not forget about almond milk lattes.

Okay, since we know these three amazing things can’t possibly trump one another, why not mix them all together for one amazing, non-toxic beauty product? People, meet the Chocolate Almond Milk Coffee Facial. If your skin has felt a bit drab lately, combine these three powerhouses into one deliciously healthy, awesome, anti-oxidant full, skin-awakening facial mask.

Be Beautifood: The Chocolate Almond Milk Coffee Facial

Photo by author

You’ll need:

> Two tablespoons fresh ground coffee

> Two tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

> Four to five tablespoons cool almond milk

> Three tablespoons sweet almond oil

Note: Buy as many of these products organic, if possible.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until a light paste forms. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Then, spread on face and let dry (about 15 minutes). Rinse off with a warm washcloth or warm water.

The coffee works to awaken cells, the cocoa powder packs antioxidants right into your pores and the almond milk and sweet almond oil smooth it all together. Now, enjoy your freshened face.

Erin Trauth lives in incredibly beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she spends her time working on her graduate degree in communication and rhetoric, teaching writing courses at a local university, practicing yoga, hiking the gorgeous mountains, reading a whole lot of books and cooking and eating her weight in vegan fare. She writes about her vegan cooking adventures at vegangood.com.

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Ed: B.B.
Assist: Amy C.