I asked my mom what I should write a blog post about. She said. “I always like new tips and I like to know I am taking good care of my skin.” Well, when I think about how best to encourage someone to look after their skin, the inner nutritionist in me comes out. Because our skin is our largest organ, and other than our digestive system, it is our most vulnerable organ when it comes to toxins and chemicals, proper care of your skin definitely goes beyond the realm of makeup. Skincare and makeup are like the icing on the cake. I think one of the most important tips is that you need to make sure that every day you are staying hydrated, trying to manage stress in the most positive way, and getting good quality sleep most of the time. We are not perfect so our habits are the same. We sometimes drink too much coffee and not enough water, but the most important thing is that you are making a good effort to stay in balance. I have a relative who does not even drink water, she just drinks pop! I cringe when I think about that. You cannot expect to have healthy skin or even healthy anything if you do not properly hydrate yourself.
but first….water
Think of what you need to survive, really just survive. Food? Water? Air? Instagram? Naturally, I’m going to concentrate on water here. Water is of major importance to all living things; in some organisms, up to 90% of their body weight comes from water. Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%. Each day humans must consume a certain amount of water to survive. Of course, this varies according to age and gender, and also by where someone lives. Generally, an adult male needs about 3 liters per day while an adult female needs about 2.2 liters per day. Some of this water is in food. Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water and it is in the purest form. If you do not like the taste of water, try adding freshly squeezed lime or lemon!
Just like the other organs of our body, skin is also made of several cells. Skin cells like any other organ cells require water to function properly. Some of the benefits of water to the skin include:
1. Water is essential to maintain the optimum skin moisture and deliver essential nutrients to the skin cells. It replenishes the skin tissue and increases its elasticity. This helps delay the appearance of signs of ageing like wrinkles and fine lines.
2. Water is a perfect replacement for your expensive anti-ageing treatments. It keeps the skin well hydrated and glistening, thereby, enhancing the complexion.For soft and supple skin, drinking an adequate amount of water is more important than applying topical creams.
3. Drinking enough water combats skin disorders like psoriasis, wrinkles and eczema. It also increases the metabolic rate and improves digestive system to flush out toxins from the body. This in turn gives you a healthy and glowing skin.
4. A nice cold shower and a relaxing bath calm the nerves and reduces the stress related damage to the skin. Soak your entire body in cold water for 2 to 3 minutes to rejuvenate the skin. Long exposure of the skin to water can strip off the natural oils, so don’t stretch your bathing or shower duration.
5. Cold water bath eliminates redness of the skin and sets the skin for better makeup application. After opening the pores by washing them with warm water, you can seal them by splashing with cold water. Cold water tightens the pores and prevents them from getting clogged. It reduces the appearance of acne.
6. A cold water compress can also help to reduce under-eye inflammation. As the water evaporates from the skin, the surface becomes cooler. Splashing cold water on the eyes can also reduce eye puffiness. There are plenty of water-rich eye gels which you can use for a long-term solution.
7. In earlier times, people in Eastern Europe would visit bathhouses to detoxify and tighten the skin. The process involves a steam-room session, followed by a cool water plunge to tighten the skin. A facial sauna will have the same benefits. Try applying our GLACIAL CLAY CLEANSER as a mask first.
- To do water therapy at home, soak a washcloth in steaming hot water, and then lay it on your face.
- For the “plunge”, splash your face with cold water for around 15 times. This therapy invigorates and tightens the skin.
exfoliate
You can do this in a lot of different ways. There are fruit acids in our COCONUT CREAM MOISTURIZER which encourage natural exfoliation. Our GLACIAL CLAY CLEANSER is also wonderful at sloughing off dead skin cells. Even our BIO-FOUNDATION does this because it contains a blend of gently exfoliating clays. As we age, the cell turnover on our skin’s surface becomes a little sluggish. So when you are exfoliating on a regular basis, you encourage the speeding up of this process which brings back the glow to skin, even in colder, dry months. I am also very pro dermarolling and dermablading. These are two more aggressive forms of exfoliation and getting nutrients into the deeper dermal layers Because they are more aggressive, they only need to be done maximum once a week. The results are smoothing of scarring and brightening hyperpigmentation as well as toning skin. Apply our PURIFYING PRIMER serum immediately after to soothe and nourish skin.
layers of moisture
Think of it like layers of clothing when you are bundling up in the Fall + Winter. Once your skin is properly exfoliated, you want it to be able to breathe, while also protecting it. I recommend once you exfoliate, start with the purest form of moisture and the most anti-inflammatory, which is our RASPBERRY ELIXIR. Wait a couple minutes and then layer the RE application with your COCONUT CREAM MOISTURIZER. Then follow with your HAUT coverage. Always start with your cream foundation, then bio-foundation stippled all over face and neck lightly, then more cream foundation and brightener where needed. Lastly, take a quarter dime-size amount of COCONUT CREAM and tap gently over makeup to cheekbones, bridge of nose, browbones, just above upper lip, and chin, as well as anywhere you are experiencing dry patches. Do not forget your lips. exfoliating with your toothbrush lightly works well, and then apply a generous application of CLEAR or a favorite shade of BIO-COCOA BALM followed by LIP PLUMPING GLOSS or CUSTOM TRANSDERMAL NUTRITION LIP GLOSS. My glosses contain an amazing blend of superherbs that, when ingested, have a wide array of health benefits for the mind, body, and skin.
whole food supplements
I also recommend our WHOLE FOOD WELLNESS PATCHES to feed skin from within. In an ideal world we would have fertile soil which would grow vegetables and fruits which are packed full of nutrients. It is important that we eat our fruits and veggies but it is also important to keep in mind that when our soil is devoid of nutrients, so are the things which are grown in that soil. So that is why plant based supplements can be helpful. Find our supplements HERE. One of my favorites for skin is our TURMERIC patch. I also sometimes add turmeric and my favorite superherbs + supergreens blend to my water for extra nutrition and alkilinity. I hope this info helps Mom (and everyone else who needed it)!
