NewAfricanWoman Issue 49 - Flipbook - Page 66
BEAUTY & WELLBEING
GIVE YOUR SKIN THE
TLC IT DESERVES
…THE SIMPLE &
HOLISTIC WAY
It is human nature in all of us to desire beautiful, healthy skin, and there is so much
that we do to our skin in the quest of beautifying it. However, according to the
skincare “gospel” from the award-winning holistic beauty brand Dr Hauschka,
sometimes all that our largest body organ needs, are these simple, yet effective tips:
♥ Skip the night cream, your
skin will thank you.
While you sleep your skin
is actually hard at work
regenerating itself, balancing
oil production and expelling
impurities. regular application
of night creams interferes with
these essential tasks, and over
time skin becomes less able
to care for itself. Covering the
skin with moisturiser 24 hours
a day sends a signal to the
sebaceous glands to cut down
on moisture production, resulting
in even drier skin that becomes
dependent on moisturising
products just to appear “normal”.
♥ Like treats like.
Though it might seem
counterintuitive to apply oil to an
oily complexion, it’s actually the
most effective solution. The skin,
when it’s sufficiently protected,
produces more of its own oil
64l New African Woman l March 2023
when skin is dry, and less when
it’s balanced. Drying, soapbased products and oil-free acne
treatments can rob the skin of its
defences, leaving it vulnerable
and triggering the sebaceous
glands to produce even more oil.
♥ Stop scrubbing — your skin is
not the bathroom floor.
“Keep it clean.” That’s step one
in any healthy skincare regime.
It’s common knowledge that
dirt and impurities can cause
breakouts and clog pores. Not
so commonly understood is how
easy it is to damage your skin
by over-cleansing, scrubbing, or
using harsh drying or exfoliating
products. It is important to
remove excess dirt, oil and
make-up without disturbing the
skin’s natural line of defence
— the balance of oil and water
on its surface layer known as
the acid mantle. Soaps, scrubs
and exfoliants can strip your
face of this natural protection,
resulting in dry, irritated skin and
premature signs of ageing.
♥ Your skin is smart.
Smarter than it’s often given
credit for, that’s for sure. Our
skin has an absolutely amazing
ability to balance and heal
itself, responding constantly
to changes in our internal and
external environments. It needs
a little help along the way, like
protection from overexposure to
harsh elements, or support when
it gets thrown out of balance
by illness or stress. The key is
to encourage and strengthen
your skin’s own natural selfhealing processes rather than
suppressing symptoms or
interfering with the skin’s natural
rhythms.
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