Our skin mirrors our overall health and wellbeing. Most of us will experience dull, lacklustre skin at some point in our lives, and you guessed it – it only gets worse with age. That’s because our skin cell turnover slows down as we get older meaning dead skin cells build up on the surface and prevent the light from bouncing off the skin.
Beautiful, healthy skin is something we can all achieve with good habits and careful choices. The key is to kickstart your skin turnover with good habits and careful product choices to bring fresh, new cells to the surface.
The great news is that using natural products, and maintaining a proper diet consisting of nourishing foods, bright and radiant skin can be achieved. However, it’s worth noting that it can take between four and six weeks to see an improvement, so give your new regimen enough time to work. The key here is perseverance!
Daily Habits
#1 – Cleanse
The first step to flawless skin begins with a proper cleansing routine. Use either a wash-off cleanser or a cream cleanser to remove dirt and make-up. A good cleanser leaves the skin feeling clean, but not dry or ‘tight’.
Cleanse at the beginning and end of each day to remove all traces of make-up.
#2 – Tone
Use a toner to refresh the skin, refine the pores, remove any cleanser residue and prepare the skin for moisturising.
Firstly, a toner will help shrink the appearance of pores. Wiping your face with toner removes oil build up, which gives the impression of smaller pores.
Secondly, it balances out your skin’s pH, making your skin work overtime to try and balance it again, and can result in excess oil. Using a toner stops this in its tracks.
Thirdly, it can be a great moisturiser – toners these days have humectant properties, which means they help bind moisture to the skin. A good toner should refresh the skin, without causing dryness.
Apply to cotton wool and sweep over the skin, especially over open pores, after cleansing.
#3 – Apply Serum
Serums, also known as concentrates, supply special nutrients to the skin, such as anti-oxidants or anti-ageing botanicals.
With a much lighter consistency than face creams, they contain a higher concentration of active ingredients. The smaller molecular weight can penetrate the skin much deeper than a heavier cream. In fact, serums are the ones that do all the hard work. If you could only use one skincare product for the rest of your life, grab a serum.
They help combat many skin issues, everything from dehydration and wrinkles, to dullness and pigmentation, and a good serum is absorbed quickly without any tingling.
Apply before your moisturiser and/or make-up by patting gently on the skin and allow it to sink in.
#4 – Moisturise
A well-moisturised face looks more translucent and glowing, so it’s important to include this step. How rich your moisturiser is will depend on your skin type. You could use a simple nut oil, or a creamy lotion and skin should feel soft and hydrated, not oily or tacky.
Use a light cream in the morning before you apply make-up and a nourishing one in the evening after cleansing. Dab gently onto to dry areas, and always avoid the delicate eye area.
Every Week
#5 - Apply a mask
Here’s why you should use a face mask: A mask deeply cleanses the skin, removing any grime. Beautifying ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and retinol, are able to penetrate further into your skin where they can impact cell turnover, collagen and elastin production and, ultimately, have a huge impact. That’s because face masks literally hold these ingredients captive against your skin for 10-minutes or so, and your face has no choice but to suck all that goodness up.
Use a slightly astringent mask for oily skin, and a moisturising mask for dry skin. It should leave your skin feeling clean and radiant and ready for a nourishing serum or moisturiser.
After toning, apply to your face, avoiding the delicate eye area. Leave according to the instructions, typically around 10 minutes, and then rinse off.
#6 – Scrub
Moisturising regularly is key to helping keep skin supple, but it loses its efficacy when it can’t penetrate through layers of dead skin cells. It also means new, and brighter skin cells are hidden which can make your complexion look dull.
Exfoliate your face to remove dead skin cells and refresh the skin, leaving it ready to absorb a serum or moisturiser. A good scrub or polish uses small granules to exfoliate the skin gently, without causing redness.
After toning, apply using your fingertips in small, circular movements, avoiding the delicate eye area, and rinse off.
Key Botanicals
This variety of natural plant extracts has stood the test of time and helps to promote radiant, healthy skin.
Rose – this helps skin to retain moisture, has a soothing effect, and adds radiance, along with reducing any redness.
Almond oil – A light and easily absorbed oil which helps to balance the moisture in your skin, making it a natural moisturiser for all skin types. It can help to improve your complexion and gives you that “youthful glow”.
Argan oil – This contains high levels of vitamin E and fatty acids – perfect for healing most skin ailments and protecting your skin against premature ageing. Compounds in almond oil improve skin metabolism, reduce inflammation, and promote moisture retention.
Cocoa Butter – This is incredibly good for dry skin – both on your face and your body – and adds a rich, creamy, and thick consistency to your lotions and creams. It softens, lubricates, adds flexibility, and reduces dryness.
Skin Saviours
Cleansing and moisturising are important for healthy skin, but true beauty comes from within. A balanced lifestyle contributes to a radiant complexion.
Create good daily habits – cleanse, tone, and moisturise every day to keep skin youthful and avoid spots.
A simple way to freshen your skin in the morning is by splashing with cold water before applying moisturiser.
Eat healthily: It’s great for your body and your skin!
There’s a reason why virtually every model and celebrity swear by drinking plenty of water for great skin – it works. Water helps clear the toxins from the skin that cause inflammation and blemishes, and it also helps transport nutrients and oxygen to skin cells. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep skin clear and hydrated from the inside.
Physical exercise can help to improve your skin tone and maintain elasticity. It can also increase the blood flow to your skin giving a healthy glow.
Facial reflexology, although primarily a method for balancing the body systems and process, will also have a similar effect to exercise. The treatment massages the face, bringing increased blood flow, oxygen and nutrients to the skin.
Find out more information about Facial Reflexology …
"Healthy skin is a reflection of overall wellness." - Dr. Murad
Sharon Cole
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