NATURAL SKINCARE FOR A RADIANT GLOW

Skin is your protective barrier against the outside world and is your body’s largest organ, accounting for about 15% of your body weight. The plethora of skincare options available on the market make it difficult to see past the plush packaging and separate the good from the bad to decide what is best for your skin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) don’t require ingredients be approved before they are added to consumer goods and hit the shelves. The absence of stringent regulation means that harmful substances are seeping into your skincare routine and slowly but surely causing damage to your skin. Many of the ingredients deemed to be ‘safe’ by the skincare corporations are endocrine-disrupting phthalates or paragons which are linked to increased cancer risk. These disruptors throw hormones out of balance and can trigger side effects such as anxiety, loss of sleep, skin issues and weight gain.

Your skin is constantly battling the elements, from the urban water that you wash your face with, pollution, and chemical laden products. Estimates suggest that everyday we are exposed to anywhere between 700,000 and 2.1 million different toxic chemicals from our food, water, the air we breath, clothing and household products. The average woman uses 12 products with more than 168 chemicals in them every morning. Shunning the chemical laden products and adopting a more organic, natural skincare regime can bring your skin back to life, enabling you to glow from the inside-out.

Skin Fundamentals

Cleanse

Your skin produces natural oils that help to keep your body moisturized and supple. Opt for a gentle natural cleanser that removes impurities but doesn’t strip your skin of all its natural goodness. Go super natural and use raw manuka honey to cleanse, it’s antibacterial properties help fight acne and blemishes whilst still being gentle on the face.

Moisturize

Skin ages faster when dehydrated, so keeping your face moisturized is your first line of defence. Natural oil provides your skin with essential moisture and nutrients, and can most likely be found in your kitchen cupboard. Raw, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil has been used as a moisturizer for centuries because its antioxidants and natural acids help strengthen the skin, creating a natural barrier against sun damage. Castor oil is also a great option due to its high concentration of fatty acids which absorb quickly into the skin, nourishing the skin with long lasting moisture. Why spend a fortune on pre-packaged consumer goods when your olive oil will do the job perfectly. How you apply your moisturizer is just as important as the moisturizer itself. All skin types benefit from regular pressure point massage as it sends freshly oxygenated, nutrient rich blood to the skin’s cells, promoting tone and glow and reducing puffiness by releasing fluid.

Exfoliate

Exfoliating promotes a radiant appearance by aiding the peeling off of dead skin cells from the upper layer of your skin. Using a gentle, all-natural exfoliator once a month encourages natural cell turnover and keeps skin hydrated. The natural humectants found in sugar help to maintain levels of hydration and natural oil in the skin, making it the perfect ingredient for exfoliation. You can make a scrub at home by combining basic brown sugar, olive oil and a few drops of essential oil for fragrance.

Hydration

If you don’t drink enough water, this lack of hydration will make your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dehydrated skin has less resilience in the face of irritating elements and is more prone to premature ageing and appearing dull. Drinking 2 litres of water throughout the day helps to make your skin glow, moisturizing both internally and externally is essential for healthy skin.

Nutrition

There is so much emphasis on finding products to salvage your skin and this blurs the importance of feeding your skin from within. Diet and exercise play a vital role in maintaining a radiant glow, so be sure to pack your plate with healthy fats such as omega-3-rich fish oils and flaxseed oils, proteins and antioxidant-packed fruits. Nutrient-rich food supports skin tissue growth, regeneration, and encourages the smooth looking skin of your dreams. Antioxidants help protect the skin against damage from free radicals by neutralizing the molecules and preventing signs of ageing

You are what you eat and if you gorge on processed, unnatural, low-nutrition food your skin will suffer.

When meandering through the beauty aisle try to resist the sleek bottles of creamy chemicals that are neatly stacked on the shelf, selling you nothing but false hope and disappointment. Head to the organic shop and pick up some of natures gifts, your skin rejoice and so will your purse.

Image courtesy of @madeofmargate and @grownalchemist