The 10 Commandments of Skin Care

In my real life, I am an expert on natural body care. I work for a natural food retailer in the Puget Sound region, who pays me to advise customers on the proper care and natural products to maintain healthy skin. Throughout 15+ years of experience, research and training, I've gained a little bit of expertise on how to maintain healthy skin using nutrition and product. I talk to people all day long (mostly women) who want to either solve acute skin problems, or want to maintain their youthful, healthy skin without the use of chemicals, surgery or injections. So here, and in posts to come, I want to share my opinions on this subject. Here is my list of absolute basics for anyone who wants to start or continue a facial care regimen and prevent the damage that occurs slowly and insidiously to age us!

(A little disclaimer here: the following suggestions result from my own personal observations and opinions and are not necessarily the policy of my employer.)

Mind the sun.  Sun is the biggest factor in aging the skin. Wear sunscreen and/or a hat on sunny days. Be mindful of ground reflection; we are exposed to solar radiation even when we wear a hat, because of rays bouncing off the sidewalk, snow, or sand! . Be extra careful if you have fair skin or are at high altitudes or at latitudes closer to the equator.

Your skin is grateful if you live in the Northwest (or any other place where it rains nine months out of the year.) 
                                                                            

Drink water. Water facilitates collagen production, decreases pore congestion, flushes toxins.

Be gentle. Lukewarm water always; heat damages collagen. Don’t scrub your face! Don’t squeeze it! Don’t use harsh exfoliants. More is not necessarily better.

Cleanse. Use gentle natural cleansers, either foaming or creamy. Creamy can be used to remove eyemakup, too. Exfoliate once or twice a week if possible, with jojoba beads, sugar scrub, clay or enzymes. Avoid high-AHA products.

Cleanse daily, with a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water

Tone. Toner is for a) balancing skin pH b) extra cleansing c) therapeutic herbal delivery d) prepares skin for moisture & treatment preparation. A good toner should have both water and alcohol, in order to penetrate the skin.

Toner can be applied with a pad, or simply misted on to the face with a spray bottle

Moisturize. Usually an oil-based product. Helps retain water/moisture in skin. Protects from drying effects of weather. Beneficial oils and herbs in a moisturizer can be therapeutic.

High quality, hand crafted infused oils such as these can be used simply and effectively as facial moisturizers; without any added ingredients.

Proper nutrition. Consume lots of fresh, organic fruits & vegetables that are high in anti-oxidants. Lots of omega3 and omega6 fatty acid-rich foods or supplements. Healthy fats: unrefined fresh olive oil & naturally saturated fats.

Great skin starts with proper nutrition.

Balanced lifestyle. Alcohol, smoking, & stress all effect skin negatively.

Clean your skin at night. And in the morning (if you have time.) Night time cleansing washes off all the dirt and/or makeup from your day, and gives your skin 8 hours to rest, clean & nourished.

If you can only care for your skin once a day, do it at night.

Treat your hands like you treat your face. If you are interested in a more youthful appearance, remember that the skin on your hands reveals your age just as much as the skin on your face does… and even if you treasure your hard-earned wrinkles, know that your  hands are exposed to the elements, and to cleaning products, repeated washing, etc. even more than the face; which can result in painfully dry, cracked hands. Save a little of that facial love for you hands!

When time permits, I'll be creating a new blog devoted entirely to body care, with more details on the 10 Commandments, and other skin care subjects that come up in my daily interactions with customers. I will provide a link to it here, so keep an eye out! Don't know yet what I will name it... maybe "I Love Your Skin." Thanks for reading!