Feed Your Skin with Superfoods
Feed Your Skin with Superfoods
Super-foods have now found their way into our skincare routines, too. Almost a third of products launched in the past five years with the words ‘superfood’, ‘superfruit’ or ‘supergrain’ in the product description were cosmetics
Chia Seed Oil
Argan, coconut, rosehip: there are many contenders for the best beauty oil. So what sets chia seeds apart? Rich in antioxidants and load skin with omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. These fats aren’t made by the skin naturally, but when ingested or applied topically, they have strong anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent ageing and soothe conditions like rosacea and acne. In fact, chia seed oil has been reported as the richest source of omega-3s currently known. As inflammation is reduced, the omegas get to work repairing damaged skin and its natural protective barrier, and balancing moisture levels by reducing the amount of water that evaporates from the skin’s surface,
Honey
Glossy, golden and a natural sweetener, this bee by-product is more than just a porridge topping. Honey’s natural enzymes release hydrogen peroxide, flavonoids and phenolic acids, which have been clinically proven to prevent bacteria from growing and, along with its low pH, make it ideal for acne-prone skin. But instead of stripping skin, honey appears to nourish as it neutralises. Honey is a humectant, which means it can bind water to the skin, leaving it with a moist glow. Even better? It contains anthocyanins, which boast next-level anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanins promote circulatory integrity, which boosts the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the skin. Dark New Zealand manuka is also one of the richest in its purifying and antioxidant capabilities. Sweet.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C can have serious anti-ageing effects, especially in the fight against free radical damage. Why that matters? When free radicals enter the skin, they cause tiny breaks in the amino acid chain. The more breaks, the less supported skin is. That’s when you begin to see fine lines and sagging. Skin superhero vitamin C plugs those gaps with collagen. It’s needed to help produce and maintain healthy collagen to encourage skin-strengthening. It also acts as a brightening agent for sun-induced pigmentation by inhibiting melanin formation and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) enzymes that contribute to collagen degradation.”The result: brighter, more evenly toned skin. So what should you look for on the label? Ascorbic acid has the most skin-related research of any form of vitamin C. Studies show concentrations as low as 0.6 per cent provide antioxidant and antiageing benefits.
How To Use Facial Massage for Firmer Skin
How To Use Facial Massage for Firmer Skin
Another tool for better skin that also feels lovely? You can see why we’re big fans of facial massage. Facial massage not to be confused with its cousin, the facial makes skin look younger and healthier by increasing circulation, relieving tension and smoothing out wrinkles.
First, get ready
Decide on a routine time. Facial massages are most effective if done daily, and ideally when you wake up or just before bed. Choose your oil or moisturiser, based on what your skin responds well to; that is, if you’re acne-prone, avoid anything oil-based. Finally, with clean hands, wash your face and gently pat it dry.
Wake up your face
Stand up, lean forward just a tad, and put your hands to your cheeks like you’re the kid in Home Alone. Now release everything but the lower part of your fingers. Using that part of your hands, gently pat your cheeks, moving up and down a little as you go, for about half a minute. This circulation-boosting massage is particularly useful in the morning to brighten skin and reduce puffiness that’s accumulated overnight.
Turn up your smile
Put your ring fingers to the corners of your mouth and make little arcs upwards. We say arcs instead of circles, because the key is only moving up. Gravity is handling the downward part just fine, thank you very much.
Smooth your forehead
Put your hands over your face as if you’re playing ‘peek-a-boo.’ Notice how your fingers line up next to each other on your forehead? Begin rubbing your forehead by moving one hand up while the other moves down. Now, work your way to one side and then the other, your hands constantly moving in alternate directions
Soothe your eyes
Begin with your ring fingers lightly touching either side of the bridge of your nose, just beyond the corner of your eyes. Imagine you’re tracing your eye socket, circling up gently over your brow bone, along the outer edge of your eyes, underneath and back to where you started. Repeat this ten times. Take care not to pull at your delicate under-eye skin — we’re not looking to cause new wrinkles here!
Lower Your Stress Level
Lower Your Stress Level
Stress causes skin to turn red and can exacerbate inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
Plus, Japanese researchers recently found that the skin’s barrier may be compromised during high-tension times, which opens the door to dryness.
Short-term solution: Soak a cloth in equal parts skim milk and cool water, then wring out and drape over skin. Air-dry, then apply moisturizer. But nothing will really change if you don’t alleviate anxiety. A tip: Stay off social media after a crazy day. A new study found that frequent Facebook users who surfed the network after feeling under pressure sustained higher levels of cortisol (your stress hormone) than those who read quietly. Proof that it’s worth logging off for future #nofilter selfies.
Cleanse, protect, repeat
Cleanse, protect, repeat
Although not much happens if you skip your beauty routine for a day here and there, serial offenders may experience
bigger issues than clogged pores and dryness.
More than 40 percent of us live in areas with unhealthy air quality, according to the American Lung Association, and a significant amount of research links air pollutants with skin damage.
These invisible particles and gases cling to the skin’s surface, attacking lipids and proteins, damaging the barrier, and possibly triggering a domino effect of inflammation, sensitivity, and redness if the pollutants aren’t neutralized or washed off. In fact, Chinese researchers attributed an increase in doctor visits for contact dermatitis and eczema to rising levels of ozone.
Every morning, arm your skin with an antioxidant arsenal to fight off the damage produced by pollutants. Sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, as well as foundation and mineral makeup, can also act as a physical barrier. At night, wash your face with whichever gentle cleanser you like most, massaging it in to loosen debris. Then wipe skin with an alcohol-free toner to remove even more environmental waste.
Did You Know !
Skin should never get worse before it gets better. Ease into a potent routine to stay clear and even.
Detox Your Body Everyday !
Detox Your Body Everyday !
Immediately after a workout, your body is focusing more of its energy on recovery than on skin cells, making skin less able to take full advantage of anti-aging creams. Wait a few hours before you apply them
As we get exposed to increasingly more toxins, the liver struggles to remove them all and starts storing them in our body fat. We quickly notice the results in our energy levels, in our lack of youthful appearance – and surprisingly, on our waistlines.
A detox, like a water or juice fast, is an excellent way to rid the body of stored toxins, but it is often difficult to abide by, and involves days or even weeks of feeling tired and sick.
Did You Know !
The liver is an important fat burning organ. Experts claim that if the liver is sluggish or clogged with waste material it will be less able to work, and fat can start to build up, under the skin, as belly fat and even inside the internal organs. Making sure your liver is working well, they say, will help you flush fats from the body.
Boost Skin From The Outside In
Boost Skin From The Outside In
Immediately after a workout, your body is focusing more of its energy on recovery than on skin cells, making skin less able to take full advantage of anti-aging creams. Wait a few hours before you apply them
The ideal anti aging workout
Any exercise has positive effects on skin, experts say, but research shows that only cardio, not resistance training, generates IL-15. The specific type—walking, jogging, cycling, swimming— doesn’t seem to matter. As you know, getting your heart thumping faster boosts your circulation. That means more nutrients and oxygen reach your skin cells, and your body more efficiently carries away the by-products of normal cell repair and turnover. The small amount of g-force that the skin endures may actually help ward off wrinkles. That little bit of intermittent stretch in skin could stimulate repair mechanisms and trigger collagen growth