Naturally Radiant

We all have spent money on the right skincare products, cosmetics and invested in costly facials and skin treatments. While these products often help, but sometimes don’t, there’s a better way. Women seeking healthy skin often need not look further than their cabinets or the local natural products store!

“There’s so much good stuff out there!” says Arlene Campos, co-founder and beauty therapist at the SQEEZE Cream Spa in New York City. Arlene says one of her favorites at her own spa is 100 percent organic shea butter. “We use it during our facial massage and as a finishing creme. It is a healing creme very high in vitamins A and E which help the skin look younger and healthier. It is also anti-inflammatory and contains a natural SPF.” She says they also love Vitamin C, in any form. “It is one of the most powerful anti-aging, antioxidants out there. Good for sun-damaged, acneic skins.

Vitamin C is also a natural skin lightener giving everyone who uses it an even skin tone and glow!” Manuka Honey from New Zealand is something else Arlene has found to be beneficial for all skin types. “It has an anti-bacterial, hydrating effect on the skin making it an excellent alternative for acne prone skin. We use it as a massage oil and a yummy masque!”

Joanna Vargas of Joanna Vargas Skin Care, a lauded celebrity esthetician, is presently engaged in researching the most advanced products and natural ingredients so as to bring about immediate results by combining technology and nature. She advises the following must-haves:

* Enzyme Exfoliant:
“Natural enzymes from things like pumpkin and mushrooms exfoliate the skin really well. I love Anakiri’s Activating Enzyme Mask. Peels and harsh chemicals will make you red whereas an enzyme exfoliant will get rid of the dead cells and surface dirt without damaging your skin. I find the skin to look radiant and glowy right after. Also, it has carrot oil which calms overactive sebaceous glands. I would always do an enzyme mask before a date! Also, exfoliating often helps your other products penetrate better!”

* Toner:
“The right toner can change how your skin looks and feels in an instant. Anakiri Mineral Mist is amazing because it delivers vital nutrients right to the skin while keeping it hydrated. It literally boosts the skin’s immune system with sea algae extract from Hawaii. Oat beta glucan stimulates collagen, hydrates and protects against UVA stress on the skin. The best thing is you can carry it in your purse and spray your face during the day to freshen the look and feel of your skin.”

* Alpha Lipoic Acid:
“It’s the super antioxidant as it is said to be more effective than vitamins A, C, and E combined. It helps cell metabolism and stimulates collagen and elastin production, so it helps with fine lines and wrinkles, as well as elasticity.”

* Aloe Vera Gel:
“Tons of vitamins, minerals and enzymes so it’s good for hydration, softening and soothing, while being a collagen producer. It naturally has salicylic acid in it, which is an anti-inflammatory.”

* Antioxidants:
“The sun, pollution and even the air we breathe contains free radicals. They cause damage on a cellular level, creating sagging skin, blemishes and worse—skin cancer. We need to ingest thru vitamins and food A, C and E. But also these are key ingredients in any skin care product.”

Skin, a mirror of your body, needs to be given the same consideration. Remember, your diet is reflected from the outside-in. Vitamin E keeps skin young by slowing the aging of cells resulting from the interaction of oxygen with other chemicals in the skin.

Omega-3’s are a protein great for healthy skin, hair and nails. Their anti-inflammatory response to toxins that enter the body may improve and maintain the integrity of the skin texture and radiance by preventing collagen breakdown. Collagen is a fibrous protein found in skin tissue that helps control skin strength and elasticity. Inadequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids can lead to dry skin, eczema, dermatitis and premature wrinkling. As well, collagen breakdown can cause the skin to lose its suppleness and cause it to wrinkle or sag.

According to skin care expert Marion Simms, founder of Skin Sense Wellness Center in Los Angeles, there are many excellent options when it comes to your skin’s needs: “We now have some excellent facial treatments like ultrasound, oxygen and micro current that address the loss of elasticity and tone in the skin. And there are certain plant extracts and vitamins that can address the skin’s special needs at this time, too. These supplements can be taken internally, applied topically or both.”
No matter what your dermis’s appetite, there’s a natural ingredient to satiate its needs:

* Firming: Anti-inflammatories:
* Grapeseed Green Tea
* Pine Kola Extract
* Blackcurrant Bisabolol (chamomile)
* Passionflower Aloe Vera Gel
* Vitamins A & C
* Texture/Color Clarifiers: Barrier Repair Agents:
* Licorice Extract Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Linoleate)
* Kojic Acid Lactic Acid
* Glycolic Acid Glycolic Acid
* Malic Acid Linoleic/Linolenic Acids
* Lactic Acid Whey Protein
* Ascorbic Acid
* Hydroquinone

To continue optimum skin care, Simms also recommends:

* Water. Moisturizers do not add moisture to the skin; they lock in existing moisture — so drink lots! (Ten 8-oz. glasses daily)

* Minimizing your sugar intake, because sugar causes inflammation of the skin. As estrogen is an anti-inflammatory and levels of estrogen drop during menopause, menopausal skin can become quickly irritated by too much sugar in the diet. This natural process of aging is called glycation and results in excess sugar sticking to the protein fibers making them rigid and brittle. This in turn causes wrinkling. By minimizing your sugar intake and using anti-glycation products, like soy and grapeseed, you can help to slow this process down.

* Adding oil to your diet. During menopause, your body needs the extra support of healthy vegetable oils like safflower, sunflower, grapeseed and flaxseed. By including these with your daily supplements, you will notice a renewed elasticity and flexibility in the skin. These oils also help to maintain the health of the nerves and muscles.

* Moisturizing. After cleansing your skin, use a toner to transition to a suitable moisturizer. It will keep the skin’s texture refined, add a little extra humidity to the skin surface and depending on the formulation, have some corrective benefits for menopausal break-outs. When using some of the more active treatment creams at night make sure the skin is thoroughly dry before application. Ingredients like oxygen, peptides, hyaluronic acid and ATP offer excellent support mechanisms for menopausal skin.|

* Rest. Get plenty of sleep. It really supports the skin and body at this time of transition. “Finally, when you have established a regime that suits your skin, be consistent and stick to it. Hydrate and protect in the morning and treat at night,” says Simms.

Epsom Salt is another great at-home spa treatment that is easy to use, easy to afford and easy to find. As a gentle face mask, an exfoliating skin treatment, or a bath salt, it can leave skin radiant and glowing. Some homemade beauty recipes recommended by the Epsom Salt Council include:

* To exfoliate:
Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with 1/4 cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches.

* Facial:
Mix 1/2 tsp of Epsom Salt into cleansing cream for a deep-pore cleansing. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.

* For a relaxing soak:
Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.

The National Academy of Sciences estimates the average American female gets just 70 percent of the magnesium required for good health. Magnesium, the main component of Epsom Salt, is easily absorbed through the skin, which means bathing in Epsom Salt can also help with everything from reducing inflammation to flushing toxins. Another natural powerhouse is Hemp seed oil — it contains a perfect ratio of poly-unsaturated essential fatty acids, known for their excellent moisturizing and healing properties.

For centuries, Asian cultures have consumed a large amount of green tea and espoused its health properties. Green tea is one of nature’s strongest anti-oxidants and possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties that have a profound impact on the skin. Antioxidants are more and more getting plenty of airtime in everything from our teas to our moisturizers. A new kid on the block we are super excited about is the recently launched Anti-Oxidant Hydrating Cream with Astaxanthin. Created by Dr. Kenneth Mark – this is a new breakthrough anti-oxidant that Dr. Mark has combined with 7 other anti-oxidants including vitamins C and E, green tea, superoxide dismutase, and lipoic acid. Astaxanthin is 1000 times more potent than Vitamin E, AND it has been shown to inhibit collagen breakdown and melanin production. (PS: It is what gives salmon its pink color. We love pink!)

There’s an escalating demand for products that are made of natural goodness — not chemicals. Better diet, better products, better you — and radiant skin people will see from blocks away!

By SheKnows Editors