In these winter months (although there is some doubt as to what season we are in seeing as it is about 60° F in Indianapolis in the middle of February), I find that there are two constants: shocking yourself on the light switch and having dry skin. And, in my humble opinion, dry skin is far more annoying than the perpetual shocking of oneself. Thankfully, I have found a few skin care tips for both men and women that I will share with you so that you also may remain annoyance free. There are three tips to maintaining good skin health for all types of skin: cleanse, moisturize, and nourish.
Cleanse
Cleansing the skin is vital to skin health for a few reasons. Regular cleansing of the skin washes away all of the dead skin cells that accumulate on top of the skin. This accumulation may lead to clogged pores which may impede the absorption of nutrients and the secretion of sebum (natural oils that keep your skin healthy), sweat, and grime. If the body is unable to secrete sebum, the skin is vulnerable to being attacked by bacteria which cause inflammation which may result in acne breakouts often leading to the end of the world for most teenagers (and their parents).1
To prevent the world from ending, why not just wash your skin regularly? Young Living has made it so easy with a few products that are ideal for cleansing your skin. My favorites are Satin Facial Scrub™ and Morning Start™ Bath and Shower Gel.
Satin Facial Scrub™ Mint is a refreshing exfoliant that gently scrubs the grime, makeup, and dirt from your face. Free of nanoparticles and other undesirable chemicals that so often show up in personal care products, this facial scrub is one of my favorites to soothe and invigorate my skin. A word of caution, this is an exfoliant intended to be used only 2-3 times a week, not daily.
Morning Start™ Bath and Shower Gel contains the essential oils of peppermint, lemongrass, and rosemary to energize and juniper essential oil to purify the skin. This bath gel is ideal for both men and women to cleanse and refresh the skin and to jumpstart the day.
Moisturize
When cleansing, it is easy to wash away the natural oils that hydrate the skin. Therefore it is very important to moisturize after washing to prevent the skin from drying out (even for those with a tendency towards oily skin). For hand and body moisturizer, my favorite product is Lavender Hand and Body Lotion. Infused with lavender essential oil, this lotion is very thick and keeps the skin hydrated for long periods of time. Because the lotion is so thick, not much is required and the bottle lasts for at least a few months.
Young Living sells quite a few different moisturizers for the face, as well. Sandalwood Moisture Cream™ is wonderful for the face as sandalwood has long been used to improve the appearance of healthy-looking skin. Shutran™ Aftershave Lotion is an excellent option for men’s facial moisturizer. It can be used at any time, not only after a shave, and the Shutran™ essential oil gives it a very woodsy and earthy fragrance. For those with extremely dry skin, a few drops of Essential Beauty™ Serum mixed with any of the lotions or moisturizers (or used neat) may help restore the skin’s natural moisture balance.
Nourish
A nutritious diet is also vital to maintaining healthy skin. Besides the obvious idea of not eating junk food, some of the most important nutrient factors to consider when speaking of skin health are collagen, vitamins, and water intake. Collagen is the natural support structure of the skin that gives it its elasticity, but, unfortunately, it is also easily broken down through aging or toxic chemical exposure. The good news is that you can easily boost your collagen levels by eating foods collagen rich foods such as bone broth or taking supplements containing un-denatured collagen such as Young Living’s AgilEase™.
There are also a plethora of vitamins that are vital to skin health, some examples being vitamins A, C, D, and E. All these vitamins work together to maintain skin health, but vitamin C is of particular interest. It is key in the stabilization of collagen!2 (Remember, I said that collagen is easily broken down?) Vitamins are easily obtained in the diet by eating a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables; however, since many of us are not able to obtain enough vitamins through the diet, Master Formula™ is a great multivitamin option.
Finally, water helps to maintain the correct pressure in the cells. Dehydration causes the cells to shrink, giving the appearance of sagging or wrinkly skin. Adequate water intake ensures that your skin cells look plump and healthy. Water also helps flush out toxins that might cause more skin damage.3
I hope these tips were helpful! If you have any other skin care tips that you have found helpful, especially for the winter months, please send them my way.
References
- WD Staff. (2014). Skin Cleansing 101: Why Washing Your Face is Important. Westlake Dermatology.
- Schagen, S. K., Zampeli, V. A., Makrantonaki, E., & Zouboulis, C. C. (2012). Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermato-Endocrinology, 4(3), 298–307. doi: 10.4161/derm.22876
- Bowers, E. S., (n.d.). Healthy Diet, Healthy Skin. WebMD.
