Holistic Skincare

There are a lot of misconceptions about how we should care for and treat our skin. The most common one is that skincare is only Topical.

The skin is our largest organ. The part that we can see and touch is just the outer layer. That means applying products to our skin is not enough because that only treats one part of the skin, temporarily. The skin has to be nurtured from the inside as well.

Like health, skincare should be tackled using a holistic approach (looking at and treating something as a whole). The parts of a whole are interrelated and interdependent so, we need to take everything into account if we would like to restore balance to our skin.

When we look at the causes instead of focusing on the symptoms, we have to acknowledge that our environment and inner imbalances (physical, emotional, and mental) can greatly impact our skin’s health. Healthy skin is achieved when all the factors that can affect our skin are taken into consideration and addressed individually to create an overall balance.

Some of the things to consider are the ingredients we apply to our skin, lifestyle choices (diet, exercise), our mental and emotional wellbeing, and environmental factors.

Skin Care Tips

Eating for your skin/ Gut Health

How we eat is probably just as important when it comes to skincare as what we put onto our skin. Many of our skin issues can stem from what we feed ourselves. Nourishing your body with good minerals, fatty acids, and leafy greens will not only make you feel great but will also promote a brighter, clearer complexion. The healthier and more balanced your diet is, the more it will show on your face. A healthy gut microbiome has a fatty acid outline and this results in the skin being extremely hydrated, moisturized, and supple. Alternatively, imbalances in the gut or digestive system may cause inflamed and sensitized skin.

For gut health, it’s essential to eat foods with antioxidants, probiotics, and phytonutrients, because these naturally reduce inflammation in the body. If there is an overabundance of harmful bacteria in your gut, it's likely rearing its ugly head on other places in your body, like your skin.

What your plate should look like: Leafy greens, grains, and protein.

What should be in your cup: Lots of water!

There are so many health benefits of drinking water. Like preventing headaches or boosting your energy. A lack of enough fluid in your diet will be visible in the skin. You’ll be able to see the difference between well-hydrated and neglected skin. When you are hydrated, your skin looks and feels plumper and more vibrant.

One Free Pass for people who find it hard to add enough fluids: If you have a hard time drinking enough fluids per day, make sure you consume plenty of water-rich foods such as cucumbers, lettuce, watermelon, celery, zucchini, and peaches.

Less Sugar

Sugar causes inflammation in the body as it's being processed. That inflammation then creates the enzymes that are responsible for diminishing collagen and elastin in your skin.

Try to stay away from refined (white sugar) and steer clear of alcohol.

What to Eat That's Sweet: If you have a sweet craving, try raw honey, squash, carrots, watermelon, apples, bananas, agave nectar, dates.

Beauty Sleep

A good night’s sleep (at least 8 hours) is one of the anchors of good all-around health and can affect the appearance of your skin. Our bodies thrive on consistency. So, even if you're not able to get a full night of rest as you may wish for, your skin and body will respond positively to a sleep routine. Lack of sleep can result in higher levels of cortisol and stress hormones. This results in inflammation and may worsen conditions like eczema or psoriasis. No sleep also means no restorative period for our body and skin, when they could rejuvenate, renew, and regenerate.

Avoid wrinkles by sleeping on your back.

Say Goodbye to Caffeine

Caffeine can easily increase your body's stress response by activating your stress hormones, putting it in a state of proverbial chaos after just a large cup of coffee. Caffeine can cause you to lose sleep which we already know is a problem. Research indicates that bad skin can be exacerbated by stress.

How to survive without caffeine: Try swapping your coffee for decaf or a black tea and see how your skin responds.

Oil Is Not the Bad Guy

Natural Oils can work as a cleanser and hydrating serum. Coconut oil is one of the best to try because it contains antibacterial and cleansing properties but won't dry out the skin. Coconut oil can also remove makeup, help heal scars and even work on those suffering from dermatitis.

Toss Your Acne Creams and Inorganic Masks

There are natural ways to handle pimples.

The proof: Dip a beauty pad or q-tip in organic apple cider vinegar and gently dab it onto the affected area. The vinegar acts as an astringent and gently dries out a pimple without damaging the surrounding cells.

You may notice a little redness around a pimple at first and some slight tingling, but that just means it's working!

You can make your own moisturizing face mask at home with ingredients from your local market or holistic care professional.

How: A mask filled with Vitamins E, D, and A will help boost collagen, heal sunburns and minimize age spots.

Use Natural Cleaners

Sprays and wipes used for cleaning can trigger irritation because they are loaded with chemicals.

What to do: Create your own all-purpose natural cleaner.

How: Pour ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda, and 2 quarts of water into a plastic bottle spray. When you’re ready to use it, shake the bottle lightly before spraying.

Read Your Labels

Reading labels is crucial to your holistic health. Keeping track of everything that is bad for you can be overwhelming but there are a few red-flag ingredients you should always try to avoid.

If you can steer clear of parabens, synthetic colors, and fragrances, you're doing better already. Most products with those three items will be chock full of other bad ingredients that you don't want to put on your face. But chances are, if they're already without those top three, the rest of the ingredient list won't be as scary.

Less Is More

Keep it clean and simple. Use a natural cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF during the day then follow up with the same cleanser, a toner, and a nighttime moisturizer.

The more products you use, the more likely your skin is to become irritated, inflamed, or break out.

As a rule of thumb; the more ingredients, the more chemicals, and toxicity. Look for ingredients that are plant-based.

Trick: Look for names you can actually pronounce!

Regulate Weight loss

When you lose weight too quickly your skin loses elasticity which makes skin sag. In addition, you might not look as young since you’ll lose the weight on your face first.

Exercise

Exercise can help ease stress and release feel-good hormones, like endorphin that regulate the bad stress hormone cortisol (also responsible for acne-causing oil production and inflammation). Sweating during exercise can also help clear out the skin – provided you wash it well afterward.

It also greatly improves circulation and blood flow, which is vital for carrying away waste products and transporting oxygen and nutrients to skin cells. It also promotes better sleep, which brings us back to better skin.

Pamper sore feet using reflexology or by getting a Foot Detox

Feet are sometimes taken for granted, they are viewed as the supporters of our body weight that take us from point A to B on a daily basis. Most people will only think about their feet if they develop problems. The truth is that problems with your feet are great indicators of when there are underlying conditions elsewhere in the body. This is why the feet are so useful as diagnostic tools, which may reveal a host of overall health issues.

Skincare Tip: Reflexology is a great way to pamper your feet. Usually, after your reflexology treatment, tension may be reduced which leaves you feeling relaxed. You may also find yourself sleeping better. Your mood and sense of wellbeing can also improve. All of the benefits of reflexology are essential to healthy skin. Ionic Foot Detoxes are also a great way to use your feet to draw toxins from the body which leaves your feet and body feeling refreshed.

Fragrance-free is better than unscented

If you’re sensitive to certain aromatic essential oils choose fragrance-free versus formulas that claim to be unscented.

Be gentle with your face

When washing your face avoid abrasive hand mittens or puffs. Your skincare routine should include a fresh washcloth, preferably a low-loop terry one designed for newborns, and a cleanser that contains pineapple and/or papaya extracts which will give you a deeper cleanse.

Stop smoking

Smoking has been shown to make acne worse and deplete moisture, making your skin lose its luster and look wrinkly.

These tips are a great way to start your Holistic Skincare journey. We are here to support you all the way. For help with long term plans and treatments, please visit Princess Akeema Holistic Care