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Simple Habits for Healthier Skin

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by Michelle Whittle | Spa therapist

The trick to creating simple habits for healthier skin is to start them early. But of course, it’s never too late to start. We all know that a good skin care regime involves good quality skin care products and tailored skin treatments. Yet it is so easy to overlook simple actions that we take each and every day. It is consistency that will make all the difference to your skins health. Here, I have listed some of the simplest habits that you can try and adapt into your daily routine. See how it helps your skin glow and feel alive.

Stay Hydrated

I know, you’ve heard this one before and you’re about to hear it again. Healthy skin NEEDS water! Drink at least 2 litres of water a day. Your body, mind and skin will thank you for it. It’s the most basic habit but for some it can be the most difficult (yep, my hand is up here). Try keeping a water bottle by your side, or a water jug in eye view. Don’t like the taste of water? try some adding some slices of fruit or fresh herbs that will infuse a subtle flavour.

Cleanse Daily

Start your day with a facial cleanse to freshen up the skin. Finish your day with a double facial cleanse. This will not only remove makeup but also harmful bacteria and impurities that build up on your skin throughout the day. A good cleanse is also important in creating a fresh blank canvas for the thorough absorption of any other skin care products. The cleanser you use is vital to your skin health also, so don’t be tempted to reach for the bar of soap! If you are unsure on what cleanser is best for skin type, your therapist will be able to assist you. We love Ikou Recovery Face Cleansing Creme.

Simple cleansing habit
IKOU Recovery Cleansing Creme infused with organic floral extracts for a gentle cleanse.

Sun Protection

I have three letters for you: S-P-F. SPF everyday be it summer or winter, rain, hail or shine. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can be detrimental to your skin’s health causing fine lines, pigmentation, age spots, benign growths and skin cancer. There are two different types of sunscreen; physical sunscreen and chemical sunscreen. Physical sunscreens contain specific minerals that reflect the UV rays away from the skin where as chemical sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb UV rays before they penetrate through the skin. Both types are wonderfully effective and should be chosen according to your skin type and the personal convenience of application. After all, the best sunscreen is the one you actually wear! We love the IKOU Phyto+Antioxidant Day Crème. This contains the natural SPF Raspberry seed leaf. If you are spending prolonged time in the sun always up the ante with further sun protection such as a hat, umbrella or staying in the shade where possible.

Pillow Talk

One of the seemingly easiest things we can do for our skin is ensure that we are getting enough sleep. During sleep the skin has a chance to rest and repair itself so aim for at least the recommended 7-9 hours per night to help achieve a fresher complexion. Try switching up your cotton pillowcase for a silk pillowcase. Silk is a soft fabric and is much gentler on the skin than other linen fabrics. Silk is also non-absorbent so it won’t draw moisture from the skin nor will it absorb the skin care products you applied before bed. If you suffer from breakouts, congestion or acne, try changing your pillowcase more frequently. Oils, dirt, sweat and bacteria build up on your pillowcase and undo all that hard work you did cleansing. Try for one side one night, flip your pillow the next, then a fresh pillowcase for the third night.

Ageing Gracefully: Top 7 Tips

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The graceful agers aren’t ageing better, they’re just ageing smarter. The secret isn’t necessarily in what they’re doing. It’s in what they aren’t doing.

If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, it may be time to evaluate some of your daily routines. The foods you eat and even the way you sleep can add years to your face and may shorten your lifespan. Here are 7 tips age-accelerating habits and ways to reverse the process.

Care and protection for ageing skin

To some extent there’s no avoiding the lines and wrinkles that accompany ageing. The first wrinkles begin to appear at the tender age of 25!

The traditional three-step regimen of cleanse, tone and moisturise may not be the best choice for ageing skin. Focus instead on cleanser, treatment and moisturiser targeted for mature skin. With advances in skin care, radiance can be regained by using the right skin-care products.

Gentle Cleansing

Ageing skin tends to be drier skin than in our younger years.  A good choice is a gentle cleanser that does not strip the skin. Opt for cream or lotion formulas that can be rinsed or tissued off. As a result hleave the natural lipid (oil) layer of the skin in tact. Double-duty cleansers that exfoliate with jojoba beads or mild alpha-hydroxy acids are a good bet for occasional use. These are best used at night.

Treatment Serums

Fine lines, hyperpigmentation (dark spots), loss of elasticity and dullness are all characteristics of ageing skin. To effectively address these skin-care concerns, a more potent skin-care product than a moisturiser is needed. Enter serums.  Concentrated treatment formulas work to target individual skin issues. Incorporating a serum into your daily regimen for day and night allows for individualised attention to the skin issues that affect you most.

Effective Ingredients

For fine lines, look for a retinoid (vitamin A), which works to resurface the skin. Best used at night, retinoids also increase cellular activity in the dermis (lower levels of the skin) thereby helping with loss of elasticity. Hyperpigmentation responds well to the chemical hydroquinone. Also look for natural ingredients like licorice extract, kojic acid (from fungus) and vitamin C. To improve sagging skin, vitamin C is a good option.  This also helps with collagen production. Alpha-hydroxy acids, better known as AHAs exfoliate, resurface and unclog pores, leading to radiant skin and relieving dullness.

More Moisture

Perhaps the most important step in your anti ageing skin-care regimen is moisturising. Moisturiser replenishes the lipids (natural oils) on the surface of the skin which typically are diminished as we age. Today, moisturisers multi-task with added treatment benefits. Best moisturisers for day include vitamins like C and E as well as other antioxidants like green tea, exfoliants like alpha-hydroxy acids, humectants like hyaluronic acid and SPF. At night look for lotions with retinoids (vitamin A) and alpha-hydroxy acids for their ability to exfoliate and improve skin tone.

Consistent SPF

Last, but certainly not least, wear an SPF anytime you are outside during daylight hours. If you’re getting too many rays without protection, you may be severely damaging your skin. Your best choice is a broad-spectrum sunscreen which protects skin from UVA (aging rays) and UVB (rays that burn). If you don’t have an SPF included in your moisturiser, use a minimum of SPF 20-30 on a daily basis.

 

Wearing Too Much Makeup

As you age, you might be tempted to overdo the makeup to emulate a more youthful appearance. But there’s nothing attractive about cakey foundation or spidery lashes. Hence, less is more! Makeup should only enhance your natural beauty not mask it.

Look for micronised mineral makeup for healthy, radiant skin. These provide four important functions in one: foundation, concealer, sunscreen and active skin care benefits.

Diet

 

Exercise

A critical factor in combating ageing is exercise. The health benefits of exercise are plentiful. It improves heart health, boosts brain power, controls body fat and enhances our mood. You don’t need to take extreme, sweaty measure to gain benefit either.

Choose an activity that you love to do. This might be walking with a friend or partner, doing a yoga or tai chi class, dancing in the kitchen or spending an afternoon in the garden. Just get your body moving! Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. The National Heart Foundation  recommends 2.5 – 5 hours of moderate exercise per week, and do muscle strengthening exercises on at least 2 days per week.

 

Get Your Beauty Sleep

Rem sleep, also referred to as Rapid Eye Movement sleep, is a critical part of natural anti aging.