How To Jump Start Your Healthy Skin Care Journey

Adopting a healthy lifestyle on your quest to healthy skin can be overwhelming. Where do you start? And what if you can't do it all? We have found that finding balance is key. It's not just what you put on your skin; it's about diet and exercise, too. Doing what you can in these three areas can impact your skin's health and produce results that you may not have seen before.

• Be conscious of the products you use. We would be remiss not to make this number one on the list. Your skin is the body's largest organ, and it acts as a tissue, absorbing most everything that you slather on it. The ingredients in your products will enter into your body and your bloodstream. Seek out skin care products that are made with organic, natural, and other good-for-you ingredients. And don't just stop with skin care products. The laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, candles, and air fresheners in your home can come in contact with your skin and lungs and affect your health as well.

• Use products made with organic ingredients. Choosing an "all natural" product is not always enough these days. Consider poison ivy. It occurs naturally in our environment, but not something we would ever put on our skin. Bismuth Oxychloride is another naturally occurring ingredient and very commonly used in makeup products, but can cause severe skin irritation and even acne. Ensure that the ingredients you're using are gentle and beneficial to your skin and have been grown organically. If they haven't, any number of pesticides used in the growing process could still be lingering with the ingredient.

• Minimize Your Sugar Intake. Sugar might give you a much-needed energy rush, but it can also wreak havoc on your skin. It can attach itself to collagen and cause skin to become tough, inflexible, and ultimately lose its elasticity, which can result in wrinkles and fine lines. It can also manifest itself into rosacea, acne, rashes, or even increase pore size. Read more about how sugar affects skin and how you can avoid it.

• Pack your diet with leafy greens. Spinach and kale are packed full of essential vitamins and fiber and are potent antioxidants, which, in terms of your skin, help to fight the signs of aging and prevent wrinkles. Plus they are a great way to get a healthy dose of Vitamin A. Learn more about these green super foods here. 

• Drink Plenty of Water. Keeping yourself adequately hydrated allows your body's systems and cells to function at their very best. When properly hydrated, your body is working at its best: it is prime to absorb, digest and benefit from all the nutrients found in your food and skincare products, while your blood can circulate efficiently and rid the body of nasty toxins.

• Minimize Your Time In The Sun.  Too much exposure can result in burning, free radical production, and moisture loss. Powerful UV rays can cause cancer, as well as wrinkles, dark spots, and other signs of aging. Sunscreen can help shield your skin from UV rays, but be warned, most traditional brands of sunscreen are full of harmful, chemical ingredients. Read more here about how to protect your skin the healthy, non-toxic way.

• Get plenty of sleep, regular exercise, and reduce stress. Your lifestyle choices play an essential role in your skin health, so don't minimize the importance of good sleep and exercise, including yoga. Both will increase your oxygen flow to the skin to help keep it clear and free of toxins. Since unhealthy levels of stress can affect the appearance of your skin, you can use diet, exercise, yoga, and meditation to keep your stress levels low and balanced. 

• Exfoliate Regularly.  Dead skin cells naturally accumulate on skin, and when they build up, they can give you a dull or muddy complexion. They can also clog pores and interfere with your skin's natural oil production, which can lead to enlarged pores, blemishes, acne, and even wrinkles. The frequency in which you exfoliate depends on your specific skin type, but we give you the run down on the different ways to exfoliate here.

• Wash Your Face Morning and Night. You might have heard that washing your face twice a day can strip your skin of essential moisture and nutrients, but we believe that when you're using the right product, like our gentle Tamanu Luxury Facial Cleanser, cleansing twice a day is safe and beneficial. Not only is it a superb cleanser, whisking away dirt and bacteria, but the organic Tamanu Oil has anti-inflammatory properties to calm any puffiness or redness from the stresses of the day.

There are so many other wonderful things you can do for your skin, but these are the everyday skin-loving fundamentals that we have found to work. No gimmicks here, just a healthy balance of feeding your skin from the inside and out while incorporating healthy lifestyle choices.

Visit our website to read our blogs, shop our sales and browse our pure nontoxic skin care products formulated to beautify skin without harming overall health!