What is the secret to beauty and maintaining a youthful complexion? The answer to this is truly not as complex as one might believe. There are those who obsess with the desire for 'perfection' and will go to great lengths chasing it especially now that we have the nip & tuck beauty club & botox brigade at our disposal. For those of who are yet to succumb and I'm afraid we are becoming fewer and fewer, please read on.

I recently had the opportunity of listening to a presentation by Geraldine Cox of her plight to save Cambodian orphans from their war torn past. Many of the children she cares for have suffered severe disfigurement at the hands of the cruelty of war and as innocent pawn's forced into slavery for fear of starvation. With someone to love and care for them they have been transformed into thriving, happy children.

Having had first-hand experience with patients suffering from life threatening illnesses, I know that instilling faith in the knowledge that everything is already perfect is crucial to their acceptance of what is happening. By projecting calm loving thoughts and positive outcomes one can have a miraculous effect upon any individual. This unwavering faith can profoundly change one's life path from fear of death and loss to bringing about a miraculous recovery in severely immuno-suppressed patients.

You may be forgiven for wondering what the heck all this has to do with beauty and maintaining a youthful complexion. Quite simply, one needs to care for themselves in the same loving way as you would care for another. And so this how your Natural Beauty Regime should start.

1.By caring about yourself as well as those around you. In other words take care in everything you say and do. If you exploit others for your own greed and satisfaction or act carelessly with your belongings then how do you think that reflects on your relationships? What kind of person do you think would find this behavior attractive?

2.Focus on achieving balance in your day to day affairs and allow peace to enter. When your body and mind has peace and calm, stress is removed from the equation. Take time to pamper yourself a little. An holistic massage that relaxes and activates your own natural healing force can be incredibly calming allowing lightness and joy to enter. You will then know to what extent you were stressed in the first place and how, with a little effort and common sense health can reveal itself.

3.You are what you eat as well as what you think. If you continue to fill yourself with processed food then your body will surely suffer. There are very few minerals and vitamins in foods which are processed so if you are overweight and stressed from your lifestyle then bring back some discipline by exercising, eating fresh raw and lightly cooked vegetables and unprocessed nutritional food. Eat animal protein in small portions relative to your particular need.

4.Keep the intestines cleansed with plain yoghurt (especially the whey) and psyllium husk. Even Ancient Egypt`s Cleopatra exercised her own natural beauty regime. Part of that regime was to espouse to colonic cleansing through ingesting senna leaves, a mild herbal laxative. All of these suggestions will help keep your skin clear and create healthy, internal bacteria for absorbing minerals and vitamins but is a waste of time if you continue to add your daily addiction of processed coke and chips. In general we live in a society that is overfed and undernourished. So vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids are necessary for health and vitality. In fact, the break-down of collagen, caused by deficiency of vitamin C, is the main cause of deterioration in the processes and condition of the skin, consequently leading to premature aging. That means smoking is a no-no! Moderate exercise is naturally required to keep the body fit by improving circulation and tone.

It is important to understand what your body needs nutritionally as we all have differing requirements. Listening to what your body needs is often heightened during pregnancy and can often be seen in children who naturally enjoy healthy foods when not influenced and tempted by the all too frequent addition of sweets and processed convenience foods.

5.Finally, the body's largest organ, the skin, needs to be cared for. Use quality aromatherapy skin care products that do not contain chemical and mineral fillers. Organically derived essential oils, essential cold-pressed carrier oils and vegetable based ingredients are far more efficacious and they do not artificially plump up the skin as do some chemical formulations. Once you stop using chemicals for a time in your beauty routine and your household you'll wonder how you ever tolerated their distinguishable artificial scent.

Start by finding out what skin type you are eg. sensitive, normal, acneic/oily, dry or mature. Smooth onto your face aromatherapy cleansing lotion or facial cleansing scrub. Give yourself a facial sauna to help remove any built-up impurities in the skin pores. Add a drop of Roman Chamomile or Rose essential oil to a bowl of steaming hot water and inhale deeply to increase the relaxation physically and mentally thus enhancing the enjoyment of time-out! Following your facial sauna apply an aromatherapy toner suitable to your skin type by gently wiping it on with a cotton pad and then rinse your face with cold water to stimulate the circulation. A French Clay mask is also an effective way of toning the skin and contains natural minerals. Next, massage the face and neck with a facial treatment oil containing essential oils and cold pressed carrier oils specifically blended for your skin type. You can gently pat off any excess oil with a tissue and seal with a beautiful aromatherapy moisturizer.

As you care for yourself you are creating a discipline for life. Voila! Balance and beauty!