On the Pursuit of Healthy Skin

I strongly believe that the skin is a reflection of one’s inner health. The cosmetic industry make us believe that by applying a “magical” face wash or cream, we are going to get rid of acne or wrinkles, and end up having a glowing and clear skin to die for. All of this sounds very promising and attractive, however the reality of it is that the cosmetic industry is a money-making industry and they are going to sell you a product no matter how harmful it is to you.

The truth is, there is a far easier way of having clear and glowing skin. The skin is the largest eliminating organ in the body. The toxins you ingest through the processed and refined foods you eat, will come creeping out through your skin and they can manifest themselves as pimples, wrinkles or dull looking skin. A clean and nutritious diet is the base of any healthy skin.

In this modern-day, we have become very accustomed to eating processed and refined foods. Foods coming out of a package full of ingredients that we can’t even pronounce have become part of our daily intake. It is as if it has become part of the norm to eat these unhealthy and unnatural foods, and whoever is consciously making the decision of not eating them is considered as strange. However, it should be looked at the other way around.

Whatever happened to eating natural foods, coming from nature in their purest form? Food has to be looked at from a healing point of you. As a way to nourish your body, feed it health. If you nourish your body with all the healthy and natural foods, your body is going to thank you and you will be thanking yourself. Through my own practice, I have noticed that it is only when I eat processed and refined sugar foods that my skin will break out.

If I stay away from them and focus on eating wholesome, natural foods my skin will be glowing and clear. According to the nutritionist and New York Times best-seller author, Kimberly Snyder, these are the simple ways to have luscious and healthy skin.

Detoxify:- 

When you eat toxic foods, it is naturally reflected in your skin. By detoxifying, your body will get rid of the toxic waste.

Nourish: As I have mentioned, nourishment is very important for healthy glowing skin. Nourishing your skin begins from the inside through your diet and consequently is reflected on the outside. These are the foods you should incorporate into your diet and the ones you should try to avoid:

The Do’s:-

Drink hot water with lemon first thing in the morning
Drink smoothies rich in fibre and nutrients such as the Green Smoothie I’ve mentioned in a previous post. It doesn’t have to be that recipe, but following the same kind of recipe
Drink water throughout the day (around 2 litres)
Try eating a high-plant based diet such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds and nuts
Stick to organic if possible

The Dont’s:-

Avoid processed foods
Avoid refined sugars
Substitute coffee for herbal teas
Avoid refined grains such as wheat (pasta, rice..) and substitute them with whole grains such as quinoa
Try to minimize your animal protein intake

Cleanse:-

As much as it’s crucial to eat clean to have lustrous skin, cleansing your skin is very important as well. However, the products you choose to clean your skin with play a vital role. Using harsh cleansers can strip your skins natural oils and leave it dry. That’s why choosing the right cleanser is important. I recently discovered a natural skin care brand called Sukin and so far I’ve been very pleased with it. The picture below is one of the products I use. All of their products are free from harmful chemicals.

Exfoliate:- 

Exfoliating your skin is very important to remove dead skin cells. In addition, its great to promote healthy blood circulation. By not doing so, you’ll find your skin looking dull. The best part of exfoliating your skin is making homemade exfoliants made out of natural ingredients. Not only will you save yourself money, but also natural exfoliants are chemical free and work wonders on your skin. I tend to explore different ingredients when I make exfoliants, however, two of my most consistent ones are:

*Reusing coffee grounds.
*Combining coconut sugar (you can use any brown sugar) with coconut oil and the juice of half a lemon or orange.

These two natural exfoliants are super easy to make and are great for the skin. Try them out if you haven’t already!

It may seem like a long list of things to do to have healthy skin, but from personal experience, I find that it really isn’t hard, and once you get used to it, it becomes a lifestyle. It is always so satisfying witnessing the results first hand and that in itself is a motivation to continue a healthy lifestyle.

Doing the 7 day detox I posted about last Friday can be a way for you to test the waters and experience for yourself the positive effects of taking care of your skin from the inside out.

All you need to know about facial oils:-

We’ve spent countless hours and more money than we care to admit in pursuit of flawless, healthy skin. From fancy creams to homemade masks and grandma’s totkay, there is no stone left unturned in our quest for perfect skin. Along the way, we discovered facial oils. Facial oils are like hydration supplements for your skin. Usually derived from plant extracts or created synthetically, facial oils, when combined with a regular regime have the ability to uplift skin. But if you’re stumped by facial oils and what they can do for you, we’ve got the lowdown right here.

1. Protect:

Facial oils, particularly those that are derived from plant extracts like jojoba oil, tea tree or even argan oil, have high antioxidant content and can protect your skin from the harmful pollutants encountered on a daily basis. If your skin isn’t acne prone or oily, you can massage a drop or two into your skin as soon as your step out of the shower in the morning, wait two minutes, and then continue with your usual skincare regime. The oil will form a protective layer on your skin and help fight agents that cause dullness.

2. Hydrate:

While we wouldn’t recommend ditching your regular moisturizer for face oils, they can supplement your skincare regime, particularly during the dry months of winter. Natural oils are high in Omega, which are essentially fatty acids that help keep the skin hydrated. You only need a couple of drops of something like rosehip seed oil layered under your moisturizer before going to bed at night to see what plump, glowing, well-hydrated skin actually looks like.

3. Supplement:


Here’s something you didn’t know the effectiveness of a cream isn’t based on ingredients but on how well it is absorbed into your skin and penetrates the dermis layer. The deeper a formula is absorbed, the greater its effect. A lot of ingredients like retinol, which is associated with anti-ageing are absorbed by the skin better when applied on skin prepped with oil.