10 Things You Should Do for Your Skin

10 Things You Should Do for Your Skin

Have you ever looked down at the ingredients on the back of a product tube or bottle, only to realise that it’s basically in another language or that you haven’t yet gotten a degree in Chemical Cosmetics? Yeah, same. We’ve all been there. It’s always good to know what’s making its way into your body (via your pores), so making your own skin products or using natural brands allows you to not only know what ingredients are in your product, but to also understand the direct source of where each substance comes from and what it does.

 

1. BROWN SUGAR FACE EXFOLIATE:

• 3 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp of water or olive oil (depending on your skin type)

Place all ingredients in a small dish and mix. Once combined, scoop a small portion onto fingers and rub into face. The sugar exfoliate is slightly challenging to apply to face without it sliding off so, to avoid messes, use this product once you’re already in the shower. The perks of using sugar exfoliate is that it’s great for you as the brown sugar cleanses your pores and leaves your skin feeling smooth and clear. It’s also brilliant for the environment. Other exfoliating products tend to use parabens, which are small plastic particles that once absorbed into the skin, could lead to some types of cancer. Parabens are super toxic and bad for the ecosystem. So avoid parabens at all costs.

*If you were to use the brown sugar exfoliate for your body, use olive oil rather than water as the oils replenish your skin and leaves you feeling silky smooth. (FRIENDLY TIP/ADVICE: exfoliate with the brown sugar combination before shaving your legs.)

2. AVOCADO FACE MASK:

• 1 tbsp. avocado (or more, depending on your preference)
• ½ tsp plain yoghurt
• 1 tsp honey

Blend all ingredients in a small bowl and apply to face. Leave the mask on for approximately 5-10 minutes, or whatever is efficient for you. Normal face masks use chemical ingredients and are quite harsh for your skin, so it is advised you rinse immediately after your time is up, but with a natural face mask, there are no ingredients that could cause harm. The avocado face mask will leave your skin feeling smooth and help return moisture back into your skin. It is said that a face product containing a dairy product can increase face elasticity by 20%, which is what the yoghurt is for. Also, avocado is known to be an anti-ageing treatment which can help reduce wrinkles. As well as this, it assists in battling dry skin helps the face regain moisture (thanks to its high content of Vitamins A and E.

3. DRINK LOTS OF WATER!!!

Humans need water to survive/function, so it’s no secret that water is super beneficial for you as well. Water helps fend off breakouts by decreasing the concentration of oil on your skin and helps your skin to look hydrated, plumper and less dull. It is recommended that you drink an average of about 2L a day, so stay hydrated and keep a bottle with you wherever you go.

4. ROSE-HIP OIL:

Use rose-hip oil to help repair damaged tissue like scars and stretch marks. The trans-retinoic acid (just acid guys… just acid) in rose hip seed oil delivers a natural boost to the healing ability of your skin cells. This means, when applied twice daily to scars, the oil can help your body repair the marks. Rose-hip seed oil can be bought in chemists or natural health stores. Just apply to affected areas and massage in.

5. EGG-WHITES FACE MASK

• 1 egg white, beaten till fluffy

Apply to face. You don’t need much, just a thin layer will be ok. After a while your skin will go super tight and it will be hard to move your face, but don’t panic, just hold a bit longer, for about 15 minutes. Afterwards, rinse off in shower. Your skin will feel like heaven, looking clear and glowing. Egg whites have astringent properties that help shrink pores by tightening the skin. So apply to large pore affected areas.

6. FRANK BODY COFFEE SCRUB

This Aussie brand and their brilliant coffee scrub can be purchased through the internet (hop online to http://au.frankbody.com/) for around $15. Just scoop a handful of this and scrub away in the shower. The roasted ground coffee is natural and will stimulate blood flow and help target stretch marks, cellulite, acne and scarring, whereas the almond oil helps with the skins healing process.

7. AESOP HAND CREAM

This amazing product is to die for. Aesop is an Australian brand (support your local’s guys) founded in Melbourne back in 1987, whose main objective is to create skin, hair and body care products of the finest quality. Their hand-cream is full of natural healing oils including coconut, rosemary, almond, orange and a long list of ingredients that are labelled to understand. The hand balm is a concentrated cream that will moisturise your hands and cuticles, and will leave your hands hydrated, but is matte and greaseless so you are still able to do everyday jobs. Head to www.aesop.com and grab yours today or locate the store closest to you. 

8. AROMATHERAPHY FACIAL SAUNA

• 2 litres of boiling water
• Two drops of lavender essential oil
• 1 chamomile teabag
• 1 peppermint teabag

Pour the boiling water into a large, heat-proof bowl. Let the tea and oil steep, uncovered for 2 minutes. After the two minutes is up, make a tent over your head and the bowl using a towel to capture the steam. Stay under the towel for ten minutes, breathing deeply and take care not to burn yourself. Finish by rinsing your face with tepid water and following up with your favourite moisturiser. An aromatherapy facial sauna after a long day at work or school (or just a long day in general) has the same effects as a sauna would, and allows your pores to open up and your senses to breathe in the soothing scents and calm your mind.

9. HONEY AND YOGHURT FACIAL SCRUB

• 1 tsp finely ground almonds
• 2 tsp finely ground oats
• 1 tbsp. plain low fat yoghurt
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 drop lavender essential oil

Mix all the ingredients together. Dampen your skin with warm water and then gently massage the scrub onto your damp skin. Rinse your face with warm water and then follow with a moisturiser. This honey and yoghurt facial scrub can be used on all skin types. Yoghurt contains a skin-smoothing lactic acid, the honey is for moisturising and healing and the finely ground almonds and oats add a gentle exfoliate. The lavender essential oil is balancing for all different skin types. What is great about face scrubs with natural ingredients is that once it is back into the ocean or lakes, the chemicals don’t affect the natural wildlife or coral reefs. If fish or other animals were to eat these ingredients, they would not be harmed as none of the ingredients are poisonous, for they have all been derived from nature.

10. VITAMINS A AND C

Vitamin A: helps rebuild tissue, therefore increases the rate of a healing wound. It also reduces sebum production, which is skin oil, hence why Vitamin A treats acne brilliantly. Foods rich in Vitamin A are:

• Cooked sweet potato
• Carrots
• Dark leafy greens such as kale
• Dried apricots
• Capsicum

Vitamin C: Is an antioxidant and immune system booster. This vitamin is used to make collagen which is a part of your body’s connective tissue. Vitamin C shields your skin from damaging free radicals, which are molecules that assist in premature ageing. The biggest causes for these free radicals are environmental factors that we can’t actually escape. This includes the sun damage and pollution. So making sure that Vitamin C has a bigger role in your diet can help your skin reduce the appearance of brown-spots and other types of sun damage, and help boost collagen production (firmer skin- yay!) Foods that are rich in Vitamin C are:

• Kale
• Strawberries
• Broccoli
• Kiwi fruit
• Oranges
• Tomatoes