A few weeks ago, we wrote a blog about being aware of what you put into your body – making sure that you are putting the right nutrition into your body for the results you want to see on your skin. We tried to avoid talking too much what to “avoid”, because, really, who wants to hear about that? Unfortunately, as much as we would wish that sugar, gluten, dairy, fried foods & all the delicious treats we love were good for our skin & our bodies, we must face facts. Avoiding all the foods that effect our skin can seem impossible, depending on lifestyle, family and availability of whole foods.
Foods that create inflammation in our bodies also create inflammation in our skin. And as we are taking care to help our bodies heal, the skin is one of the last areas to see noticeable results.
So, with that, we come to the end of the bad news.
If you are seeing rapid aging, stubborn acne, rosacea, and other skin care concerns, our first recommendation would be to see a professional to find the root cause of the problem. Healing, if it doesn’t go to the root, will only help superficially. Our estheticians are trained to help you decipher what the root of your skin concern may be.
From there, wherever possible, try to eliminate known triggers. If stress is your trigger, then try some meditation, yoga and other techniques to bring that back under control. Every reduction in triggers is a good reduction.
Finally, we come back to filling your body with good, whole foods & supplements. Healthy fats and oils in balance with proteins, veggies and carbs. Look for foods that are high in antioxidants to combat free radical damage. Choose supplements with a focus on healing. This doesn’t mean you must fill your kitchen counter with bottles of pills and take handfuls several times a day. A good supplement that combines foundational nutrition and inflammation support will go a long way.
Many people will see a noticeable difference in their skin within a few days of making some minor changes to diet, lifestyle, and nutrition. If you don’t see results, then take some time and look a little deeper. The answer is within your body and within your control. We would love to partner with you to help you find it!
Ever heard the saying, “you are what you eat”? What you put into your body is revealed both in your overall physical health and the health of your skin. With our busy lifestyles, getting the proper nutrition for beautiful skin is becoming more and more difficult. We grab our meals on the fly. In an effort to be healthy, maybe it’s a salad from a restaurant, or a protein shake while sitting at our computer working on a project. Quick convenient meals unfortunately do not provide all of the nutrition our skin needs; we inevitably miss out on bits and pieces of the well rounded diet.
Most articles we’ve read focus on what to avoid. I’m sure you’ve seen them: fried foods, oily foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other inflammatory (yet delicious!) munchies. But what does our skin need? Quite simply, vitamins and minerals are the building blocks of healthy skin.
Desiring beautiful skin is not enough. A good skin care routine is not enough. Incorporating facials and professional treatments is not enough. Our skin needs the proper fuel to heal, regenerate and perform its natural functions. If we can’t get skin enhancing nutrients from food, then we need to look further.
When looking at supplements to correct specific skin issues, each client’s needs are as unique as their body. But the building blocks we all need are the same: anti-oxidants, vitamin C, healthy oils such as Evening Primrose Oil and others that are high in Omega-3 and Omega-6, etc.
We realize that chugging handfuls of vitamins every morning is not on the “to do” list of everyone who wants a healthier body. We have worked and researched to provide a single product that will meet many of the nutritional components that clients seeking healthier skin desire, with the additional benefits of helping to combat unsightly discolorations that many of our clients come see us to correct. Our new Whitening Capsules are full of ingredients to provide gentle whitening, superior hydration and deep protection. Here is a quick overview of the ingredients:
- BioCell Collagen II increases the body’s store of Hyaluronic Acid, a powerful hydrating agent crucial for skin and joint health.
- Collagen tripeptides provide amino acids of mini-peptides important to the production of collagen for youthful, hydrated skin.
- Grape Seed Extract (95% OPC) are powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidants that combat free radical damage – the source of aging.
- Vitamin C is the building block of most functions of our body – and we cannot synthesize it, it must come from our diet.
- Red Algae Extract protects the skin from the inside from dangerous UV-radiation.
While supplements will never replace a healthy diet and proper water intake, we can see results with time and the nutrients that support our body’s natural functions.
Hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and uneven skin tone are a concern for many women, no matter their ethnicity and no matter the cause. There is hope beyond harsh chemicals or playing the make-up-cover-up game. Natural alternatives provide safe and effective help to even out skin tone and heal the underlying cause.
Peels are an under-utilized option in the battle against scars and skin discoloration. A good peel regime derived from natural and botanical ingredients promotes deep skin healing and reduces the appearance of unsightly hyperpigmentation. Peels work through a process of deep exfoliation, removing more than just surface dead skin cells, going deeper to remove layers of skin to reveal clearer, smoother skin beneath. As skin regenerates after the removal of melanin-containing corneocytes, the appearance of dark spots is decreased. When you discuss peels with your esthetician, also ask them about natural peel options that contain gentle acids that inhibit the formation of tyrosinase. These power-packed acids take the power of a peel to a new level in the battle against hyperpigmentation.
Take skin whitening home with you – don’t leave it at the spa. Your daily skin care regime should be consistent with your goals for your skin. If you want a whiter, more even complexion, choose every skin care product with that in mind. The even skin tone you desire is within your reach, but achieving those results naturally and gently does require time and persistence. Harsh chemicals like hydroquinone are effective, but the damage they do to skin is not worth the visible results in whitening. Your goal in every aspect of skin care should be to nourish skin.
And, as always, when discussing the correction of any skin concern, we will remind you of the importance of prevention. The sooner you start protecting your skin, the less correction will be necessary. Even if you already have hyperpigmentation concerns, start today with an eye to prevention with the use of smart sun exposure, one of the leading causes of skin issues. Make a high-quality SPF product a staple of your daily skin care. We see many clients who skip this step unless they are headed out for extended time in the sun – unfortunately, every minute of sun exposure is “extended” when your skin is receiving UV rays.
Stay tuned for the release of our newest line of skin care products, coming soon! This line is designed specifically for our clients with concerns about hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and discolorations. Used in conjunction with professional peel treatments, you’ll want to toss heavy foundations and bare your skin for the world to see!
You know the cliché, “I need my beauty sleep”? It turns out, that beyond just providing the energy we need to get through the day (minus several gallons of coffee), pure beauty from the inside out depends on sleep! So, when you feel like you are being “lazy” by sleeping in or going to bed early, you aren’t – your body, and your skin, are hard at work regenerating cells, absorbing the nutrients of the products you use at night, and waking up refreshed, rejuvenated & luminous.
If you still aren’t convinced, here are more reasons to schedule in 7 – 9 hours of sleep a night:
- Blood doesn’t flow efficiently when we are tired, which creates dull skin. Simply getting enough rest regularly refreshes the skin with healthy blood flow.
- While you sleep, your body produces an essential element of collagen production (aka, wrinkle reduction) human growth hormone. The first three hours of sleep are the deepest and contain the highest production of human growth hormone.
- Facial muscles relax and skin cells regenerate overnight – this is key “anti-aging”, “anti-wrinkle” time.
And how this knowledge should impact your skin care regimen:
- The products we place on the skin at night penetrate deeper while we sleep because of the higher cell turnover – this is why skin care professionals recommend different products for night than day.
- Metabolic activity below the surface of your skin causes the skin to lose 25 percent more water at night than the daytime. This is why the right night moisturizer is crucial for beautiful skin! (Our CoQ10 & Peptide Hydrating Complex is designed for ultimate hydration, both daytime & night-time.)
- Bags under the eyes are not a sign of “lack of sleep”, rather they are a result of fluid pooling while you are laying down at night. Skip overly salted foods and excess alcohol in the evening to reduce these effects. And apply a hydrating eye cream before bed to treat the tender eye area. (Try our Eye Repair Complex to reduce puffiness, dark circles & amp up the hydration!)
An extra little trick – try applying your favorite eye cream to your lips at night. They need hydration too & eye gels & creams are designed to hydrate delicate skin!
With changes in seasons should come changes in your skin care routine! Spring is here (even in Hawaii!) and more than your home needs a good spring cleaning – your skin and skin care routine need to be freshened up as well. With events and wedding season coming upon us, this is the time to start working on skin care that will help clear and hydrate skin.
We have many clients who come to our Honolulu spa during the changing seasons, confused about the condition of their skin and why what they’ve been doing doesn’t seem to be working. They’re seeing breakouts and oily skin and have eliminated skin care steps or think they don’t need moisturizer. Not true! No matter what type of skin you have, dry, normal, combination, oily or acne-prone, we all need hydration – and just drinking extra water is not enough.
One of the secrets to clear, healthy skin is proper hydration for your skin type. For dry to normal skin, a slightly more robust moisturizer is great, but for those with breakouts and excess oil, the best hydration is water based. (If you’ve visited www.pureskinbymaggie.com to look at our products, the water based hydrating pure skin care products we recommend would be any of our serums, Hydrating Mask, and Perfect Matte Moisturizer.)
Winter. Spring. Summer. Fall. With each change in the weather comes change to our skin. Don’t be caught without the proper tools to keep your skin clear, hydrated and radiant.
