Skin Health
There are two main aspects to good skin health, what you put on your body, and what you put in your body.
1. What you put on your body
Makeup
This is basically a pore clogger. Along with potentially containing heavy metals (like aluminum) and other plastic derivatives (like PBA), the act of covering your skin in it of itself can be harmful. Check how toxic your makeup products are (and find better alternatives!) through the environmental working group’s Skin Deep Database http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Body soaps, body sprays, and perfumes
Many soaps contain irritating and clogging compounds in the form of “fragrance” and “parabens”. “Fragrance”: The word "fragrance" or "parfum" on the product label represents an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants such as diethyl phthalate. Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system (EWG.com)
“Parabens” (i.e. methylparaben): Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors. Look for unscented and/or hypoallergenic. My favorite natural soap line is Camamu Soaps, made in Portland Oregon. http://camamusoap.com/
Use essential oils instead of perfumes. They don’t last as long but have medicinal benefits as opposed to being toxic hormone disruptors.
Lotions
Many lotions contain “lanolin” which is actually a natural product, but clogs pores. Try to find lotions that are free of fragrance, parabens, and lanolin.
Dermatologists recommend Cetaphil lotion. This is a hypoallergenic, non scented, medium weight lotion. It is good for most skin types. They offer a heavier version for those with particularly dry skin. You can find this at any drugstore (and sometimes Costco),
Detergents
We don’t think about the soaps we use in our laundry, but our clothes are often in more contact with our skin than any makeup, lotion or perfume we use. Try to buy hypoallergenic or fragrance free if possible. There are many options available from leading brands, along with eco friendly options. Same rules apply, look for detergents without fragrance and parabens.
Dryer sheets
These are basically plastic sheets that liquefy under the dryer heat and coat all of your clothes with a thin layer a hormone disruptors and irritants. If you do nothing else, replace your dryer sheets with better alternatives to decrease unwanted itching, skin reactions, and hormone disruption. Trader Joes sells lavender dryer bag. Drop essential oils onto an old (clean) towel and use that as your dryer sheet.
Touching your face with dirty hands.
We don’t think about this much, but our hands get into everything. Even if our hands are relatively clean, continuously touching your face can be irritating in it of itself. Start to take notice how often you are touching your face (or scratching other areas of your body). This includes picking at acne. I know it’s hard to resist, but you will only make matters worse by introducing new bacteria from your dirty fingernails to you now open zits. Facials are a better way to go.
Try mixing some bentonite clay with warm water to make a nice face mask. This is particularly great for oily skin.
Don’t clean your face excessively.
On the other side of the spectrum is excessive washing. Our face and skin need oil in order to function as a protective barrier. Limit washing to once per day and definitely avoid harsh facial cleansers, toners, and the like. Dermatologists recommend Cetaphil face wash. You can find this at any drugstore (and sometimes Costco). A great toner is witch hazel. Do not use in excess as this is very drying.
2. What you put in your body:
The skin loves high quality fats and oils. Fish oils, flax seed oil, hemp oil, and all of the omegas are a great place to start. Aim for 2-5g/d. Cod liver oil has the added benefit of vitamin A, something that can help certain skin conditions. Do not take if you are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant without consultation with a physician. Coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, and avocado oil are also wonderful, both internally AND topically. These are the medium chain triglycerides and help to hydrate and replenish our skin topically and also aid our liver and the lipid bilayer present in almost every cell in our body. Replace your normal cooking oil with these great alternatives.
Some vitamins/minerals to consider are vitamin A, vitamin E, and Zinc. Consult with your physician before beginning any supplement regimen.
Liver (organic, free range, high quality) is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, and the omegas.
The skin also loves to be hydrated. Drinking at least 64oz of water a day will help make sure your skin is well replenished, along with making your kidneys happy.
We excrete many of our toxins through our skin, via sweat. If you want to give your skin a detox, make sure to exercise daily or hop into a sauna (15-45 minutes, 2-3x/week). Make sure to always stay well hydrated, before, during, and after your sauna time.
Eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables, meanwhile limiting (avoiding) processed and packaged foods will decrease our body burden of toxic compounds and increase our availability of antioxidants. I ALWAYS promote a whole foods, plant based diet, no matter what the condition may be.
There are two main aspects to good skin health, what you put on your body, and what you put in your body.
1. What you put on your body
Makeup
This is basically a pore clogger. Along with potentially containing heavy metals (like aluminum) and other plastic derivatives (like PBA), the act of covering your skin in it of itself can be harmful. Check how toxic your makeup products are (and find better alternatives!) through the environmental working group’s Skin Deep Database http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Body soaps, body sprays, and perfumes
Many soaps contain irritating and clogging compounds in the form of “fragrance” and “parabens”. “Fragrance”: The word "fragrance" or "parfum" on the product label represents an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants such as diethyl phthalate. Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system (EWG.com)
“Parabens” (i.e. methylparaben): Parabens mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) system disruptors. Look for unscented and/or hypoallergenic. My favorite natural soap line is Camamu Soaps, made in Portland Oregon. http://camamusoap.com/
Use essential oils instead of perfumes. They don’t last as long but have medicinal benefits as opposed to being toxic hormone disruptors.
Lotions
Many lotions contain “lanolin” which is actually a natural product, but clogs pores. Try to find lotions that are free of fragrance, parabens, and lanolin.
Dermatologists recommend Cetaphil lotion. This is a hypoallergenic, non scented, medium weight lotion. It is good for most skin types. They offer a heavier version for those with particularly dry skin. You can find this at any drugstore (and sometimes Costco),
Detergents
We don’t think about the soaps we use in our laundry, but our clothes are often in more contact with our skin than any makeup, lotion or perfume we use. Try to buy hypoallergenic or fragrance free if possible. There are many options available from leading brands, along with eco friendly options. Same rules apply, look for detergents without fragrance and parabens.
Dryer sheets
These are basically plastic sheets that liquefy under the dryer heat and coat all of your clothes with a thin layer a hormone disruptors and irritants. If you do nothing else, replace your dryer sheets with better alternatives to decrease unwanted itching, skin reactions, and hormone disruption. Trader Joes sells lavender dryer bag. Drop essential oils onto an old (clean) towel and use that as your dryer sheet.
Touching your face with dirty hands.
We don’t think about this much, but our hands get into everything. Even if our hands are relatively clean, continuously touching your face can be irritating in it of itself. Start to take notice how often you are touching your face (or scratching other areas of your body). This includes picking at acne. I know it’s hard to resist, but you will only make matters worse by introducing new bacteria from your dirty fingernails to you now open zits. Facials are a better way to go.
Try mixing some bentonite clay with warm water to make a nice face mask. This is particularly great for oily skin.
Don’t clean your face excessively.
On the other side of the spectrum is excessive washing. Our face and skin need oil in order to function as a protective barrier. Limit washing to once per day and definitely avoid harsh facial cleansers, toners, and the like. Dermatologists recommend Cetaphil face wash. You can find this at any drugstore (and sometimes Costco). A great toner is witch hazel. Do not use in excess as this is very drying.
2. What you put in your body:
The skin loves high quality fats and oils. Fish oils, flax seed oil, hemp oil, and all of the omegas are a great place to start. Aim for 2-5g/d. Cod liver oil has the added benefit of vitamin A, something that can help certain skin conditions. Do not take if you are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant without consultation with a physician. Coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, and avocado oil are also wonderful, both internally AND topically. These are the medium chain triglycerides and help to hydrate and replenish our skin topically and also aid our liver and the lipid bilayer present in almost every cell in our body. Replace your normal cooking oil with these great alternatives.
Some vitamins/minerals to consider are vitamin A, vitamin E, and Zinc. Consult with your physician before beginning any supplement regimen.
Liver (organic, free range, high quality) is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, and the omegas.
The skin also loves to be hydrated. Drinking at least 64oz of water a day will help make sure your skin is well replenished, along with making your kidneys happy.
We excrete many of our toxins through our skin, via sweat. If you want to give your skin a detox, make sure to exercise daily or hop into a sauna (15-45 minutes, 2-3x/week). Make sure to always stay well hydrated, before, during, and after your sauna time.
Eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables, meanwhile limiting (avoiding) processed and packaged foods will decrease our body burden of toxic compounds and increase our availability of antioxidants. I ALWAYS promote a whole foods, plant based diet, no matter what the condition may be.
