I have a thing for my skin. It’s the largest organ in the world, and the only one people can see. If it looks lustrous and supple, then I’m probably quite healthy. I don’t want to look younger; I want my skin to look the same as how it feels from the inside.
There was a time when I didn’t do anything to it. I was super healthy, but my skin never glistened as brilliantly as I thought it should have. I experimented, learned what my skin loves. Turns out it doesn't need much to shine.
Myth: You need a lot of money and time to get results from your skin.
Truth: Expensive day spa experiences, face masks made from placenta or bee sting venom, slithering snails or crawling snakes over your face, even standard variety facial treatments might make you look like you’re twelve, but such freakish results aren't easily maintained. Like any industry, spas want to expand their market and create ‘must have’ experiences to hawk. Spas can be heavenly places, and your skin can feel gorgeous and healthy without you ever setting foot inside one.
Here are five things you can do today that will turn your skin into a lustrous dewy meadow of, um, skin.
1. Cleanse, moisturize every day
Plastic Surgeon Dr Ian Carlisle observed that people who have a daily skin care regimen achieve the same results as some of his clients who come in for minor plastic surgery.
I cleanse, tone and moisturize every day. My favourite skin care companies are Eminence Organics, and Phyts (L’uvalla in the USA). Sodashi smells divine too, but I need to test it more before I can recommend it. These companies use only organic ingredients.
You don’t need to buy the full range. I know people who buy a good cleanser and toner, and swear by organic rosehip oil as a moisturizer. I use this occasionally (on wet skin) and love how my skin feels the next day. I definitely use it before I fly.
2. Exfoliate
Your skin might be awesome – underneath all those dead skin cells. Skin frequently renews itself. Exfoliating the skin has a double effect. First, sloughing off that dead layer will reveal shiny young skin cells. Second, exfoliating is a great massage moment which tonifies facial muscles and stimulates lymph flow.
I use an exfoliating facial masque once a week. My personal favourites are masks that heat the skin using ingredients such as cayenne pepper.
3. Hydrate
Who drinks like that?! I’ve also got this thing for water. Am I the only one who takes pause to marvel at how incredibly unique water is? You might cleanse and moisturize and exfoliate, and not see results – if you’re dehydrated.
Beware coffee’s diuretic effect; compensate following your caffeine sesh', drink two cups of water to each cup of coffee.
Alcohol and cigarettes are beautiful-skin haters.
I noticed I make better dietary choices when I'm hydrated. I recommend that you never walk into a restaurant thirsty. Start each day with a few glasses of water; do the same before you sleep. Drink half an hour before meals, and of course, never during.
Iced water is Grim Reaper to your stomach fire. Raaaarrr!
4. Alkaline diet
Anyone who’s been on a cleanse will go on (and on) about how amazing their skin and eyes look when they cleanse. I agree, it happened to me too, and I put it down to the alkalizing of my entire system. When I cleanse I eat mostly raw, and drink a mother load of juice daily. I get so hydrated. My skin has this cathartic experience, I think it evolves into some new indigo child skin for its few short weeks of pure alkaline existence.
After years of cleansing experience, I see how different my skin looks and feels if I'm running acidic or alkaline.
5. Sleep
When 18 year old supermodels are asked what is their secret to looking so gorgeously young (because it's a secret), their answer rarely strays past ‘sleep’.
Not all sleep is the same. Chinese Medicine explains best why sleeping early has a completely different effect on the body than sleeping late. If we sleep early, before 11pm, vital energy nourishes the gall bladder. The gall system controls the activities of the 10 other organs, and if it’s nourished while we’re asleep, our chance of inner harmony and balanced health is greatly increased – all of which will reflect in your skin.
Now it’s your turn. Is there an ingredient or treatment you swear by? Let me know in the comments.
