Top 5 Essential Skin Care Tips (Because No One Gives 20s to The Haggard Stripper)
Photograph by Amy McBride
Vibrant skin comes from a healthy body. Having a healthy body means you’re able to work harder, produce better results and stay on top of your game. Having vibrant skin means you’re able to charm more people into buying what you’re selling - your new album, your published book or your design services. Skin is skin, regardless of gender. Below are the top 5 things you can do to put your best face forward; because plain and simple, we're drawn to healthy, vibrant people.
1. BUY STOCK IN A TOILET PAPER COMPANY
Water is imperative for proper body functioning, or most simply: LIVING. Your body will begin to shut down a lot faster without water than it will without food. And for the skin, adequate hydration will lead to resilient skin with fewer wrinkles. Dehydrated skin wrinkles deeper, sags sooner and ages faster. And how much water should you consume? Assuming you’re not taking part in a triathlon or drinking copious amounts of coffee, you should be drinking half your bodyweight in ounces. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water a day. If you break it down, that’s roughly 5 pint glasses. If you’re a habitual coffee or alcohol consumer, for every mug or glass of that, you should have a mug or glass of water - on top of your regular ounces per day. Sorry that no one told you the fountain of youth was literally a fountain. Of water. To drink from.
2. FATTEN UP YOUR CELLS
Every cell in your body is comprised of lipids. Lipids are fat. Fat is vital to your health. Omega 3’s are imperative for cellular function a.k.a. good health. Omega 3 is from fish. Tell me who eats enough omega 3 rich seafood (not all seafood is created equal) aside from Inuits. Most of the foods we eat (such as meat, nuts, seeds and eggs) are all high in omega 6, which is just fuel to the fire - whereas omega 3s are the water to put the fire out. Ninety-nine percent of omega 6-rich foods are known to increase inflammation while 3s, 9s and a handful of 6’s reduce it*. Inflammation means the body is not healthy. Omega 3s support cardiovascular health, joint mobility, vision health, brain function and, needless to say, skin health.
*GLA from Evening Primrose Oil or Borage Seed Oil is an omega 6 that is metabolized differently in the body. It’s just as healthy as an omega 3 essential fatty acid!
3. COLONEL MUSTARD IN THE LIBRARY WITH THE CANDLESTICK
What’s happening on the surface is a symptom of what’s going on inside your body. It’s not the actual problem. For example, hives aren’t the problem - the allergic reaction you’re having that is causing the histamine levels in your body to rise is the problem, giving way to hives as the warning sign that something is wrong. Here are some other common examples of skin problems that aren’t the end-all, be-all - but clues to the bigger picture.
S K I N P R O B L E M + W H A T I T C O U L D B E T E L L I N G Y O U
Melasma - hormonal imbalances (often during pregnancy)
Psoriasis - pharmaceutical side effects, inflammation in the body, food intolerances, environmental allergies
Acne on the jawline - hormonal imbalance in the body
Acne on the forehead - GI tract issues, food intolerances
Dark circles under eyes - symptom of adrenal gland fatigue, stagnant lymph
Since I’m not a doctor, I’m not going into medical or scientific jargon to explain the ins and outs. But my point is, what you see on the surface isn’t always the final answer. Think about what’s happening inside your body - connect to yourself and pay attention. Bloating isn’t normal. Chronic acne isn’t normal. Eczema and psoriasis aren’t always genetic. Heal yourself holistically, look and listen to your whole body.
4. DETOX NIGHTLY (WITHOUT A TRENDY JUICE CLEANSE)
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. While you’re busy during the day, your skin is at rest. When you’re sleeping at night, your skin is working overtime purging toxins and healing itself. To allow your skin to breathe and function at it’s best, avoid applying creams or oils after your nightly face cleansing (and yes, you need to cleanse your face at night AND in the morning). Your skin may feel dry and tight for a week while it adjusts to the change, but once it does, your own oil will find it’s natural balance, allowing your skin to no longer be dependent on creams for hydration. Make sure you’re using a cleanser that is not stripping your skin of it’s natural oils (layer of defense against outside elements). Often, the first thing to look at if your skin care routine is failing you is your cleanser - everything else you use, and how your skin feels, circles back to your cleanser. When you cleanse at night, you’re ridding your skin of the day’s grime, pollutant exposure and bacteria-laden sweat. When you cleanse in the morning, you’re washing away the detoxed debris and dead skin cells that have accumulated during your sleeping. Don’t be lazy, wash your face. Winners don’t make excuses.
5. LEAVE THE SCRUBBING FOR CINDERELLA
Alright, folks. The skin on your face is really thin. I can’t remember the actual thickness from my esthetics textbooks anymore, but it’s not like the skin on your back or the bottom of your feet. Therefore, you don’t need to break a sweat washing your face. Don’t scrub. And don’t use automatic scrubbers or harsh exfoliants because they can bugger your pores and overly exfoliate your skin, stripping oils needed for proper hydration and bacteria prevention. Over exfoliating will thin your skin to a fault (hello premature aging), leaving your skin fragile, and unable to retain moisture. Put a quarter (25 cents) on your hand, feel the weight? Believe it or not, that’s all the pressure you need to sufficiently clean your skin. With your cleanser in your hand, gently glide your fingers over your skin. After cleansing, applying a clay mask will add vital minerals back into your skin and slough off dead skin cells without the harshness of exfoliants (acids/peels/enzymes/Clarisonic) you’re used to.
Here’s a quick video to watch explaining the appropriate face cleansing I’m talking about.
This signature “press and roll” cleansing method can work with any cleanser rich in oils. This technique supports your skin health by gently removing dirt and oil (like a suction against the pore head) while stimulating lymphatic flow to expel toxins from the body.
REMEDIES
Check out some of my choice selections. And P.S. I’m not paid to advertise these - recommending health related products is just in my blood.
Dr. Hauschka makes an oil rich, ever-so-gentle exfoliant face cleanser that is a perfect match for just about any skin. It’s made with luscious botanical extracts and pure essential oils and has a ground almond meal base to add a hint of texture. It won’t upset the oil levels of your skin, nor will it make you feel tight or dry, but it will cleanse your skin and leaving you feeling refreshed and balanced after. I’m a Hauschkaphile.
The next best thing to eating cod, salmon or sardines every day is taking an omega-3 pill that is virtually a fish in a capsule. Nordic Naturals makes omegas in every dosage, flavour and form for every age (babies to adults and even pets). Their fish oil is in triglyceride form, which is the same form as the oils in a real fish. Most other brands change the oil on a molecular level to something called an ethyl ester that isn’t absorb as well in the body. Plus, they use leftover oils for biofuel, fish responsibly and do every step of the process from boat to bottle themselves.
Enzymedica makes enzymes. THAT’S IT. They don’t have their hand in the trendiest superfoods or the best prebiotic fibers. All they do is enzymes. They’ve been pioneering the enzyme industry since the late 90s; and they make some of the highest quality enzymes around. They do something cool called Thera-Blending which, in short, allows the supplemental enzymes to be utilized in any part of your digestive tract, no matter the pH. Digestive enzymes assist the body in breaking down foods so that you can absorb the nutrients and avoid any uncomfortable after effects.
Alright, friends, now go drink some water!
