Skin. It’s the first thing we see in the mirror and what we get most hung up on when we see imperfections. Even the smallest pimple, whitehead, discolouration, dryness or lack of colour in our cheeks can be enough to ruin an otherwise good mood. For many women, makeup and commercial skin care products have offered a painstakingly disappointing quick fix for our skin issues, leaving us to wonder if there really is any solution to this problem….
Sadly, this only proves that there is no ‘magic pill’ to be found. However a growing amount of research and anecdotal evidence suggests that a more holistic and natural approach may just be the answer to our skin care prayers…
And so here are 5 Of Our Best Skin Care Hacks For Healthy, Glowing Skin…
1. Ditch The Sugar
That’s right, you have probably heard this from us before but it seems that sugar may be doing just as much damage to your skin as it may your waistline. In fact even Dr. Harold Lancer. – dermatologist to Kimmy K and Queen B – steers his clients well clear of sugar due to it’s disruption of collagen – the springy substance that makes your skin look plump, youthful, and lifted. This disruption can result in pimples, oily skin, premature ageing and puffiness in the face.
While the idea of ditching sugar and processed carbs can be enough to bring us to tears, our saving grace has been the number of healthy, sugar free, nasty free alternatives available to us nowadays. Craving something cold, crisp and fizzy? We don’t have to miss out! Naked Life Beverages Sugar Free Sodas are everything we want them to be and more – with less calories, carbs and nasties. Craving something sweet but satisfying? Reach for a Blue Dino bite size bar packed full of natural sweetness from dates and satiating fats from coconut and other tree nuts. And if you’re craving something…chocolatey – because lets face it, we all do – we’re all about our latest find – the raw, organic, fair trade choccie from Chow Cacao.
2. Drink More Water
We have all heard our favourite celebs attribute “lots of water” to their flawless and youthful complexions, and it seems science is right there with them. This is because scientists and dermatologists understand that the skin is an organ made up of cells, made up of water and like any cell, would not function or look its very best without proper hydration. If our skin is not sufficiently hydrated for example it becomes dry, tight, flaky and more prone to wrinkling – and nobody wants that! Much like nutritionists, dermatologists recommend a minimum of 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day, plus additional water per hour of exercise. We find the easiest way to keep on track with our water consumption is to keep a water bottle handy at all times; on the desk, in our handbag, in the car and sip consistently throughout the day.
3. Consume More Omega 3s
We have likely all heard about the nutritional benefits of Omega 3 Fats but guess what? They’re also a skin care powerhouse that reduces inflammation, lowers the risk of acne and psoriasis. These fats are especially abundant in cold water fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, mackerel and tuna. Vegan and vegetarian sources also include Chia Seeds, packing almost 5 grams of omega 3 fatty acids per ounce.
While the Aztecs ate Chia Seeds by the spoonful we prefer ours soaked and a little tastier. This is why we fell in love with Chia Pods by The Chia Co. Small but mighty in nutrition and flavour, these grab-no-go Chia Pods are our go to breakfast, snack or treat on the go.
4. Up Your Nutrient Intake
They say the skin is the window to the entire body and we couldn’t agree more. We all know the feeling after a weekend of indulgence – we feel sluggish and often find one or two new ‘friends’ on your chin. When we are eating well however this is also reflected through our skin with a youthful glow. This is likely because we have been consuming foods rich in antioxidants that fight the signs of ageing, healthy fats that enhance our complexion and a whole host of vitamins and minerals that make our insides so happy that we’re glowing from the inside out! One of our healthy hacks to add more nutritional punch to our smoothies, bowls and almost everything else are the Foodie Fee whole food Smashed Orbs that bring with them some crunch and taste.
5. Ditch The Chemicals And Go Au Naturel
Natural is always best in our opinion and skin care is a prime example. Did you know that our skin absorbs 60% of all contaminants it comes in contact with? Well when we think of all the chemicals in our commercial skin care products that we can’t pronounce, we find that quite a scary statistic. It is for this reason exactly that we overhauled our bathroom cabinet, replacing all chemically laden products with natural alternatives. Commercial toothpaste for example was replaced with Grant’s Natural Toothpaste, chemical cosmetics were replaced by organic La Mav beauty products and store-bought face masks traded in for pure Aussie ingredients that will leave your skin hydrated, plump and with what a glow!
So in case you haven’t noticed, there seems to be a running theme here…that is: what’s good for your insides is just as good for your outsides, and if you take good care of what goes inside it will shine through.