The rapid turnover of the epidermis or surface layer, occurs because the skin is the body’s outer protection and is exposed to injury as well as pollution. despite this constant renewal, we still get wrinkles as we get older. That’s because the skin loses collagen.
The skin cell turnover varies individually and age plays a major role. Baby skin renews every 14 days, teenagers skin takes about 28 days. Adults skin between 28 and 40 days. In the older group of people, 50 year old and over, the skin renewal process can take up to 85 days.
WATER AND GOOD FOOD
Drinking lots of water is not only the most basic skin care habit but a key habit for maintaining general physical health as well. The cells in our body are mostly made up of water and water plays a critical role in maintaining physiological balance.
Keep a bottle 1.5 litre of pure clean water with you at all time.
Well-hydrated skin is clear with barely visible pores, almost no imperfections, and radiant. So instead of consuming coffee, juice, or other sweetened drinks, it’s best to drink water.
Your skin condition is a reflection of what is going on inside your body, which means to have a gorgeous and radiant complexion, you should properly nourish your body. This fact had long been established as many nutrition experts have shown the positive connection between good nutrition and young-looking skin.
Given this fact, you should include eating skin-friendly foods in your skin care routine. Such foods include fruits and vegetables that are in vitamin C. This vitamin is known for its potent antioxidant that protects the skin from harmful effects of free radicals. Vitamin C is also known to promote faster skin healing and in improving skin texture.
Other nutrients that will do wonders for your skin also include
- vitamins A from sweet potatoes and carrots
- vitamin E from wheat germ sprinkled on food
- vitamin K from dark green leafy vegetables
- selenium from Brazil nuts
- omega-3 from fatty fish such as salmon and tuna
- zinc from meat, legumes and eggs
- monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from seeds, avocados and olive oil
SUPPLEMENTS
Eating your way to a fabulous skin is effective; however, you must admit that it is difficult to consume all the nutrients your skin needs from the food you eat alone. Your skin is the largest organ of your body, which is why it demands more vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.
Your skin is readily exposed to numerous environmental factors that cause premature skin aging. So, apart from increasing your daily vegetable and fruit intake, it can be helpful to take supplements that benefit the skin. Popular supplements:
- vitamin E
- biotin
- antioxidants like resveratrol
- hyaluronic acid to retain hydration
- collagen to provide the building blocks for repair
Many researchers showed that both oral and topical beauty supplements can help improve the quality and health of your skin. One study on the effects of an antioxidant supplement on skin radiance of women revealed positive effects. The women who underwent the trial have reduced skin imperfections, increased skin firmness, and more glowing skin after given a continuous daily dose of an antioxidant-rich oral supplement.
CLEANSING AND MOISTURIZING ROUTINE
An essential part of any skin care routine is cleansing. Since ancient times, people have been cleaning their skin to improve its health and appearance.
You may not be aware of it, but your makeup is a carrier of free radicals in the environment. Even if you don’t wear makeup, skin collects dust and dirt throughout the day that sit on skin along with your sweat and sebum.
When you fail to clean skin before going to bed, your skin is basically “sleeping with” free radicals. Exposure to free radicals damages the healthy collagen in your skin resulting in fine lines and wrinkles.
Apart from subjecting your skin to the damage, your facial pores can also get clogged because of makeup and oils. When this happens, your skin becomes susceptible to acne break outs, enlarged pores and other skin issues.
Facial cleansing is crucial to maintaining healthy and flawless complexion.
Classic recipe to cleanse your skin: Baobab face cleanser
- 1 tablespoon baobab powder
- 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
- Stir until pasty
- Rub gently to cleanse your face
- Rinse with lukewarm water
- Do a final rinse with 2 cups of lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar mixed together
Application of herbal teas compresses like chamomile are very useful in cases of irritated skin.
Applying a moisturizer is a vital part of skin care. Your skin is the most exposed part of your body and this exposure can lead to dryness and loss of moisture.
Applying moisturizer is needed to replenish the skin’s lost moisture and natural oils, especially after cleansing, toning, or exfoliating. Skin that is well-moisturized is soft, smooth, brighter, and more youthful-looking. Skin that is lacking in moisture, on the other hand, is dry, dull, and scaly.
Homemade moisturizing cream:
- 1/2 cup (115 g) organic coconut oil
- 1/2 cup cocoa or Shea butter
- 1 tsp Vitamin E oil or almond oil
- 7 drops lavender oil
- Using a double boiler, melt cocoa or Shea butter and coconut oil together until liquid.
- Remove from heat and let cool for about 30 minutes
- add the 7 drops of lavender oil
- Wait for the mix to partially solidify in the fridge for 10 minutes
- Then, whip it with your hand mixer for a few minutes until it has a butter-like consistency.
- Store in a wide-lid glass jar. This should keep up to 6 months.
Sunscreen is any substance or product that protects your skin from the damaging effects of sun’s ultraviolet rays. While the sun’s rays can make you feel more energetic and attractive when you get a tan, you should avoid going out without wearing sunscreen.
UV rays damage the skin’s elastic and collagen tissue which results in skin sagging, stretching, and wrinkles. It also causes freckles, skin discoloration, age spots, and even skin cancer. Imagine what your skin must go through when you go out under the sun without sunscreen protection.
For many years, sunscreen has been known primarily for effectively protecting the skin from developing premature signs of skin aging. A recent study, however, revealed that continuous application of sunscreen even provides beneficial effects on the photo aged skin (or damaged skin due to sun exposure). Researchers discovered that subjects who continuously wear sunscreen for 18 months experience significant improvement in their skin condition. Make sure to apply a generous amount of sunscreen to all exposed skin 15 minutes before you go out and to reapply every two hours to stay protected.
GOOD SLEEP
Sleeping is important for a healthy complexion because it is only during deep can your cells regenerate, and damaged cells get repaired. Interrupting this process means your skin hardly regenerates, resulting in visible signs of aging skin.
Christine Gozlan
B.H.Sc. Naturopathy
Dip. Herbal Medicine
Dip. Nutrition