How To Treat Your Skin With Home Remedies During Lockdown
BY DESI VALENTINE
Home remedies can do amazing things for the health and glowing appearance of our skin. We can decide which ingredients to tailor to our own needs, and most importantly we are aware of what goes into them. Skincare specialist and Founder of mobile beauty treatment app Skinned, Desi Valentine shares her tips for making the most out of our kitchen cupboards during lockdown.
Our skin should be at its healthiest, and nature offers many secrets that enhance and improve our complexion and help to transform the health of our skin. Many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are found in fruits and herbs and when used properly, these natural sources can contribute to beautiful and healthy skin, as the ingredients gathered in herbs, flowers and fruits emulsify and hydrate the skin, repair and improve its complexion.
Feeding the skin with the right foods
Just as our digestive system takes in food, processes nutrients and gets rid of waste, our skin takes nutrients from the blood, and produces by-products, such as oil and dead skin cells, sending what it doesn’t need back into the bloodstream. Skin has its own metabolism, and how it functions is definitely related to the fuel it receives – mainly food that we eat.
As we age, the body’s natural collagen production slows, so it can’t keep up as more and more of the existing collagen gets broken down by stress, free radical damage and UV light. Since you can’t replace your body’s natural collagen by applying collagen creams because the collagen molecule is too large to penetrate the skin, eating the right foods is the key.
Foods essential for collagen formation include:
Protein – pork, lobster, crab, shrimp, scallops, cottage cheese, cabbage
Magnesium – spinach, whole grains, almonds, peanuts, cashews, soybeans, brown rice, lentil, kidney beans, avocado
Copper – cherries, whole grains, soybeans, shellfish, prunes
Zinc – beef and lamb, shellfish, kidney beans, lentils, eggs
Omega-3s – olive oil, almonds, walnuts, fish
It’s beneficial to remove sugar from your diet as glucose actually eats away at your skin’s collagen and elastin in a process called “glycation”. The consumption of simple carbs like white bread, white flour and rice, high fructose corn syrup found in sodas, salad dressings, ketchup and some cereals should also be reduced. Also, watch your saturated fat most commonly found in animal products like milk, butter, cream, cheese, lamb, beef and pork.
Certain high fructose fruits can make the skin age too, so if you want your skin to look younger, you’ll want to eat those fruits in small quantities and only when paired with proteins or healthy fats. Anti-aging fruits include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, lime, orange, or lemons. From vegetables, tomatoes have a powerful anti-aging effect by protecting the skin from UV damage.
Treating the skin with home remedies
Skin has its own rhythms which can change on almost an hourly basis in a single day, therefore fresh ingredient-based products should always be used on the same day. It is best to use our fingers as this allows us to control the pressure and movement, which then tighten and tone the skin. This way we also keep the facial muscles toned and younger looking.
No one can reverse the ageing process, however understanding the basics of skincare can bring on long lasting changes that come from knowing and using lots of fresh herbs in our daily skincare routine. Here are some natural remedies to keep our face skin organically healthy and glowing during lockdown and beyond:
Avocado – maintaining moisture in the epidermal layer of the skin and keeping it soft, full of oleic acid which regenerates damaged skin cells, reduces redness and irritation of skin.
Rose petals – helping to fight the signs of premature ageing. Rose produces a nourishing oil that has long been valued for its ability to lift the spirit, as well as calming the breathing too. Simply float the petals in water and use it as an excellent skin toner to minimize the appearance of pores.
Sunflower – repairing and protecting the skin. Rich in vitamin E, sunflower oil can help prevent scarring and smooths the appearance of existing wrinkles. The flowers produce a multitude of black seeds, which have diuretic and antioxidant properties, and are a tasty source of protein and vitamins B,D and K.
Chamomile – with inflammatory properties, chamomile can repair, soothe and heal the skin. We can apply moist chamomile flowers to tired eyes to sooth them or use fresh flowers to make teas. Buy tea bags that contain whole flowers, and when you add lavender, lemon and rose you will combine a delicate calming fragrance.
Rosemary – the refreshing aroma clears the mind, having a reviving effect – perfect to relieve jet lag. Rosemary combats the signs of aging and its abundant antioxidants help to reduce inflammation and prevent oxidative damage that leads to premature ageing.
About the author
Desi Valentine is an advanced facialist and skincare expert, and is the founder of mobile beauty salon and app SKINNED.
