Natural Beauty

How many skin care products do you own? How many do you buy on a regular basis? And how many of those products do you actually use?

I have had clients tell me they use 3, 4, 5 or up to 10 skincare products in their morning routine. And on top of that - a whole different set of products for a night routine… Crazy!

What's crazier than using more than 10 skincare products is that what's happening on the inside of your body is reflective on the outside. Or more easily put, your skin needs to be nourished from the inside with the things we eat and drink to shine through to the outside ladies!

But NONE of these so called 'wonder' products, will address this issue.

It is also unfortunate that these products contain a heck of a lot of toxins that are absorbed into the skin only to directly enter into the bloodstream and wreak havoc on our bodies and health, which is not limited to issues on the skin.

Our skin has the ability to absorb double the amount of these toxins into the bloodstream than can be obtained via the oral route, which may give you something to think about when it comes to what you put on it.

Products such as parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS / SLES), are the most commonly known players and have been linked to many hormonal disruptions, infertility, breast cancer and other cancers, birth defects, allergies, skin irritations (how ironic!), liver damage, neurotoxins, Central nervous system damage and oxidative stress. And that is not all of them!

Here's a brief run down to explain a few nasties and how they can impact......

Parabens

Are a chemical that preserves shelf life, which are found in hundreds of skin care, make up, hair care, masks, body washes, shampoos and conditioners. Methyl parabens have a chemical reaction on skin with UVB which leads to an increase in skin ageing and possibly DNA damage.

Phthalates

These are chemicals that are commonly used in plastic to make it bend. It is used in skin care to help it stick to your skin. Like most other ingredients listed here, phthalates are also hormone disruptors. Additionally, they have been linked to negative effects on DNA, ovarian follicles and prostate stem cell differentiation among others.

Synthetic fragrances

We all know what these are however, the companies that use them in their products don't have to tell us what the fragrance is made from and simply write 'fragrance'. These have effects on the central nervous system and can alter behaviour.

SLS / SLES

Mostly found in shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand wash and bubble baths. It is basically included as a degreaser in these products. It is known to create skin drying. It also denatures the proteins found in your skin. This allows for the skin to be opened up to opportunistic bacteria and environmental toxins for easier access.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

These are basically synthetic antioxidants which are included to extend shelf life. BHT can cause DNA damage even at low concentrations. Some may even cause liver toxicity and be carcinogenic (cancer forming).

Synthetic colours

Literally serve no purpose other than covering up when a product spoils (ewwww!). Many are made from coal tars and aluminium. Some companies who claim to make products with natural colours called 'annatto' colours. But the truth is that annatto colours are water-soluble and therefore not compatible for making products such as lipstick. Subsequently, companies that use annatto colours admit to adding aluminium into the colour for it to be suitable to use.

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Your skin has many layers. They each require particular nutrients to thrive. There is a layer of fatty tissue that lies beneath these layers is nourishing to your skin's surface by providing these nutrients, leaving it smooth, moist and plump when properly supplied.

Want to know more?

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, lets balance it out with how to nourish your skin, the right way!!! Read on for a brief list of nutrients and foods you can eat to help the health of your skin:

Collagen

Has shown that it may reduce age-related changes of the skin by stimulating particular skin building processes. Skin has been shown to have higher elasticity and better moisture.

Main food sources: bone broth, meals cooked including bones (such as shanks), collagen hydrolysate in supplement form/protein powder

Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 is associated with reducing inflammation on the skin to assist with many skin complaints, including acne and dermatitis. Omega 3 has also been linked to decrease in incidence of skin cancer.

Main food sources: oily fish (tuna, salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, anchovies), nuts, seeds (particularly hemp, flax and chia seeds), flaxseed oils, nut oils.

Vitamin E

Is an antioxidant itself and promotes the function of other antioxidants too. It may reduce the reaction of sunburn in a synergistic reaction together with vitamin C. Vitamin E may also provide protective properties against skin damage by increasing skin elasticity and moisture.

Main food sources: almonds, sunflower seeds, avocado, peanuts, peanut butter

Vitamin C

Promotes Keratin production, antioxidant protection against UV damage, helps form the skin’s barrier and form collagen in the deepest layer of skin, the dermis.

Main food sources: tomatoes, kiwifruit, strawberries, potatoes, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, brussels sprouts, broccoli

Vitamin A

Has shown to be antibacterial, beneficial in wound healing, regulate the growth of many cell types within skin and its deficiency internally leads to abnormal keratinisation of skin. It can also enhance the production components like collagen, keratin and cells, which produce skin and decrease proteins that can degrade the skin’s matrix.

Main food sources: offal liver, fish, broccoli, bone broth, orange and yellow coloured fruits and vegetables

Zinc

Involved in wound healing and the regeneration of new cells, is an anti-oxidant, helps with DNA repair. Zinc is one of the ingredients in sunscreen due to its ability to block UV rays.

Main food sources: oysters, crab, sundried tomatoes, lamb, beef, poppy seeds, cacao powder, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), wild rice, sunflower seeds

Vitamin D

Promotes skin repair and modulates immune system responses they may cause skin complaints such as psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis.

Main sources: the sun, activated mushrooms

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And there are many more researched anti-oxidant compounds that play a role in skin health!

So does that make you think about what you’re putting in your mouth, over what you are putting on your skin?

So does that make you think more about what you're putting in your mouth before what you put on your skin?

If you are someone who has skin complaints, go to my book now page by clicking HERE and we can work together to get you a better outcome.

Alternatively, if you would like a free 15 minute chat on how Naturopathy can assist you with your skin complaints, feel free to submit your request HERE to arrange a chat with me!