Sep 13, 20209 min read

How to take care of your skin

Updated: Apr 19, 2021

What do you understand by, when it is said that your approach should be holistic towards yourself and your skin?

The term “Holistic” is often misused and used as a synonym for luxurious (and pricey), organic, natural, free-from-everything skincare products.

Holistic skincare is not simply another term for organic skincare. It’s actually a lifestyle and a very comprehensive approach to health and balance that has nothing to do with buying exclusively natural products, and it’s only fit for people who believe natural things are the only way to go.

When we say “Holistic,” it means WHOLE-IS-TICK… Health, Beauty, and Spiritually - Simply treating something as a whole and not just parts of it.

The underlying philosophy is that these parts are interrelated and interdependent, and thus health can only be achieved if all the parts are balanced and working properly. If the whole is not functioning properly and there is a problem with one of the parts, the entire whole is affected.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and is a true reflection of how healthy your body currently is. This means that any skin conditions that you experience could actually be a symptom of something else that is going on within your body.

It’s not enough to treat ourselves from outside only. Simply treating specific symptoms with harsh chemical products, a holistic approach to skincare addresses any underlying root problems. Skincare may be a long-term game and no shortcuts work. The concept of holistic skincare must go deeper than simply the skin if sustainable results are to be achieved. It's a teamwork of the body, and we need to nurture it from within.

For example - our diet affects the quality of our skin and our body’s ability to breakdown, digest, use, and eliminate the things we ingest have a direct correlation to the quality of our skin as well as our sense of happiness.

Remember that our body needs to get rid of what it sees as waste, and if it struggles to do that, a reaction will follow. Consider someone who has difficulty breaking down dairy products; they are likely to suffer from a wide variety of reactions including stomach complaints and excessive sweating, spots or acne, rashes, eczema, and psoriasis as well as mood swings and, from time-to-time, emotional discontent.

Emotional discontent is often also reflected in the complexion, look and feel of the skin, i.e. have you ever looked at someone who is elated, happy, and smiling and noticed how radiant they look? Now compare that to someone who is struggling with digestive or abdominal discomfort, irritated, inflamed, or infected skin. If we can maintain healthy functioning, balanced, and restorative digestive system, the body is more easily able to breakdown, digest, use, and, more importantly, eliminate food which helps the body to be fit, well, healthy, happy, and in good working order; the effects of which will be seen on the skin immediately. Whilst it’s important to have a healthy and balanced diet that excludes food and drink that cause us problems.

The status and look of the skin depend on many factors – from ingredients we use, through our lifestyle choices (diet, exercise) and the environmental stressors we meet, to our emotional and mental well-being.

10 Basics of Holistic Skincare

Know your skin – It is the very first and important step for a Holistic approach towards your skincare. To choose the best ingredients and products for yourself, you must know what it likes and what it needs. If you know your skin well, you will be able to look at the root cause of skin imbalances, not just the symptoms. There are so many skin and beauty products out there with harmful chemicals, from parabens to fragrances, and these are not something that you want on your skin and your body. Aim for products that are as natural as possible keeping your own skin’s needs in mind. If some ingredients, like Tea Tree Essential Oil, does not seem to be helping your acne, do not be afraid to move on to something stronger.
Beauty Foods(Healthy and Balanced diet) – Eating habits play a significant role in supporting skin health. Imbalances in the digestive system can lead to inflammation and sensitive skin. To support healthy digestion, it’s important to consume foods with phytonutrients and antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation in the body. By eating a healthy diet that is filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats, your skin will be directly benefited, and it will not take long until you notice the improvements. What one eats is shown on his/her face. Our diet is just as crucial to the skin as we apply to it. Appoint a good dietitian to seek help. If you already know what a healthy and balanced diet is – great, your money is saved.
Water “Stay Hydrated” – Just like each different part of your body, your skin is formed of cells, and these cells consist primarily of water. If not enough water, the cells at intervals, your body won't be able to perform to their full potential. Our body needs to manage the water and electrolyte balance to maintain a healthy functioning system. Due to dehydration, the body finds it difficult to move fluid around and out of the body which results in trapped fluid, inflammation (swollen ankles, feet, hands, and fingers), cellulite, skin discolouration, and excessive sweating as well as general discomfort and sluggishness. Over prolonged periods of time trapped fluid and poor water retention can lead to more serious problems related to the skin, weight, mobility, muscles, joints, and bones, and the build-up of toxins which can cause infection, illness, and disease. Also, your body loses large amounts of water each day, and you need to be replacing this. Since your skin is on the surface of your body, water will travel to all of your other organs before it reaches your skin. This means that you need to be drinking the utmost amount of water daily so as for your skin cells to really stay hydrated. Water is really the nectar of heavens. Water is the end-all solution to all of the issues the body suffers from, which also includes unhealthy skin and cannot be left out of a good skincare routine.
Regular Exercise – Exercise is critical in relieving stress and also triggers the body to produce endorphins ( feel-good hormones ), which help to decrease the level of cortisol, (also responsible for acne-causing oil production and inflammation). It helps to bring toxins to the surface of your skin, preventing them from inflicting breakouts, so long as you wash them away as soon as you are done working out. When someone sweats while exercising, it greatly improves the circulation of blood, which is vital for carrying away waste products and transporting oxygen and nutrients to skin cells. It also promotes better sleep, which helps to clear out the skin to get better skin. So, Exercise for better health – and better skin.
Quality sleep each night – Probably it doesn't require an in-depth explanation for the correlation between skin health, beauty, and sleep. Unhealthy skin is probably in people who don’t sleep well — Sleep deprivation results in dark circles, as well as grey and saggy skin. We’ve all been there and seen the consequences. It can result in high levels of cortisol and stress hormones that can lead to more inflammation and the worsening of conditions like eczema or psoriasis. You may think, while you are asleep your whole body is resting, but this is not true… The time when you are asleep is when your skin cells repair and regenerate, and often do this up to three times faster than they do during the day or when you are awake. When you start to get sleepy… making the time between 9 pm and 11 pm the hours when your skin is best able to absorb topical products. Once you go to sleep, this is the time when your body releases a hormone, the Human Growth Hormone (HGH)… naturally. HGH helps in enhancing the rate at which your skin cells repair themselves depending on your quality of sleep. Our body takes time during rest to detox, rejuvenate, and accumulate dead cells. Without sleep, these functions cannot be performed and causing adverse effects on the skin. They call it “Sleeping Beauty” for a reason.
Stress Less – Stress shows on our skin as well. It can lead to acne flare-ups, hives, rashes, hair loss, or can increase and worsen existing skin conditions like rosacea and psoriasis because stress releases certain chemicals and hormones, like cortisol that boost oil production and disrupt our immune system. Stress can also crush hyaluronic acid production leading to dry and dull skin. Essentially stress is a good thing as well as a bad thing. Good stress enables us to achieve a lot in a short space of time, hit our targets, obtain results, achieve goals, defend ourselves, and flee from danger. It is both a protective force and a force that boosts action. However, when prolonged stress takes hold, the body receives fewer nutrients, eliminates less waste, purges fewer toxins, increases in temperature which produces excessive sweat, becomes dehydrated, doesn’t repair itself properly, the body is more prone to attack, and the defence mechanisms are stretched. I won’t be talking about the reasons for stress because for me the simple reason is …We are alive. We are in this world, so it’s part of life, and everyone has their own share and reasons to have stress. The other thing we can do is to get rid of everything and go to “The Himalayas”, which is not possible, so the practical approach is to think and make the ways to lessen them. We all know how to do it, but we somehow believe that things cannot be achieved without making them complex. We are experts in making things complex without realizing; there is another bright side of life…Simplicity. Let’s open ourselves, let’s not pretend, let’s trust ourselves and others, let’s count our blessings, let’s help each other, create a nature of acceptance, show gratitude and respect towards others. So Simple…isn’t it? Half of the stress will go away like snapping the fingers. There are so many other things we can do – - Breathing exercises and meditation - Physical activity - Socializing with friends and family - Having some “me time.” - Writing your thoughts down in a journal - Listen to music - Get a massage - Spend time with animals - Spend time in nature - Do something creative, such as cooking or make some art
Pamper yourself – Don’t be too hard on yourself by underestimating and criticizing yourself all the time. I know because I do it to myself all the time. When we know we too deserve to be happy for the things we do for the people we love. We fulfil our duties and understand our responsibilities. Pampering yourselves with exfoliation masks, and massages is also a great stress reliever. When our body gets the time to relax, it also gets the time to heal itself so get massages and exfoliation time to time as an important part of self-care as well as a holistic approach to skincare. Massages increase blood circulation, and ease muscle tension and exfoliation masks can provide the skin with all the vital ingredients needed to smooth and nurture the skin. Essential oil baths, steam will also work on clearing and smoothing your skin. Pampering activities will also reduce anxiety, lead to better sleep, help the lymphatic systems to function better, reduce inflammation, and trigger the release of feel-good hormones, like serotonin and oxytocin. So, take your pampering seriously if you care for your soul and mental well-being as well.
Protection against Sun Exposure and Environmental pollutants – Sun is an essential source of Vitamin D. It is beneficial for the skin to receive direct sunlight for 10-30 minutes per day, preferably before 11 am and after 4 pm. Precautionary measures to be taken for prolonged exposure to the sun to protect the skin between 11 am and 4 pm. Both UVA and UVB rays are responsible for cell damage, can lead to sunspots, and can also have severe consequences like melanoma and skin cancer. Sunscreen lotions, manage the harmful UVA radiations and help in providing the skin with the umbrella it needs to walk safely under the sun. City pollution is another important factor in premature skin ageing and deterioration of health by inhaling impure air. It’s best to be safe and prepare with the right defence.
Pay attention to the signs – Keep a check on the signs your skin and body is communicating. If you really understand your body, you will take no time to understand what’s wrong with it and the first sign the body gives is “UNHEALTHY SKIN” because what happens inside is often displayed outside. If your skin is dehydrated, increase your water intake and don’t just drown it in a moisturizer. If you have dull skin, take a look at your diet and whether it provides enough vitamins and nutrients. Consult a dermatologist if you have sudden breakouts, flares, or conditions if continue for some time. It can be the result of an allergy, digestive issues, or some deficiency, hormone imbalances, or other problems. Just rushing to the cosmetics shops to get rid of your dark spots or acne on the skin, can only offer momentary relief before the issue resurfaces with a vengeance.
Have Fun and Laugh a Lot – After taking care of all the above points, there is no way you can save yourself from having Fun and Laugh because it all comes naturally, from inside when everything is at its place. Keeping yourself Happy and Healthy, in every sense, is the only best thing you will do to yourself. You will not only oblige yourself, but you also be Thankful to God. And finally, the body works better when we are happy, confident, relaxed, and well-rested, so the feel-good factors of essential oils can indirectly affect the quality of our skin. This is partly related to the idea that our thoughts feed our body, but it’s also about combating the ‘stress-cycle’ when we are stressed.