What immediately springs to mind when you think of a tropical destination is the warmth of the sun, the clarity of the ocean water and the exotic bounty of a lush landscape. A visit to Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa on Little Corn Island, 70km off the coast of mainland Nicaragua, has us turning the spotlight on tropical ingredients and the benefits they can bring to our beauty routine.
Cacao
A revered superfood, raw cacao boasts many complexion-enhancing properties for glowing skin. Containing one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any food and chock full of amazing skin-protecting vitamins and minerals, adding cacao to your diet can help block harmful free-radicals, promote cellular repair, increase blood flow to the skin and improve the skin’s overall hydration. It is becoming more and more common to see cacao as an ingredient in skincare products as well and when applied topically, “has the incredible ability to help heal and calm the skin as a result of its extremely high mineral content” says Seanna Cohen, Skin Care Therapist and Holistic Beauty Expert, Elodie Beauty. She goes on to point out that before you rush out and buy cacao for your next face mask, note that the cacao you find on shelves of every baking aisle will not carry much weight when it comes to skin care, “raw cacao on the other hand, made from cold-pressed, un-roasted cacao beans, retains all of the incredible skin-loving properties it is known to possess.” Ground cacao beans also make a great exfoliate to slough off dead skin and when added to things like yogurt and honey leaves skin feeling polished and soft. We like Giddy Yoyo’s range of cacao products, a brand that goes to great lengths to ensure the pureness of their cacao, www.giddyyoyo.com
