Every day we shed thousands of skin cells. Give your body the nutritional and antioxidant support it needs to replenish your skin for a healthier, more youthful look from head to toe.
The importance of skin
Our birthday suits cover approximately two square metres and weigh about 3.6 kg, making our skin the largest organ in our bodies. It plays an important role in our immune and nervous systems and protects all the organs it wraps around. And just like a real suit, our skin goes through a lot of wear and tear.
If your suit is starting to look a little worn out, creased and tired, think of your local health food store as an all-in-one launderer and tailor whose shelves offer some of nature’s best options for ironing out those wrinkles and revitalising your look.
Antioxidants
Throughout the day, free radicals—from UV light, pollution, toxins in our food and more—bombard our skin. The damage this creates can lead to poor skin tone, discolouration, wrinkles and other signs of ageing and even more serious skin disorders such as cancer. Skincare products enhanced with antioxidants may help capture and neutralise these free radicals, defending our skin’s appearance and slowing the ageing hands of time.
One of the most popular antioxidants for skincare is vitamin C. Studies have shown that topical use may help protect against damage, minimise small lines and wrinkles and even smooth out rough skin.
“Almost anybody can use a vitamin C serum unless they have an allergy to citrus fruits”, says Lynn, an aesthetician. “Vitamin C is a mild skin exfoliant and a great free-radical controller.” While health food stores sell products with varying vitamin C concentrations, she recommends starting with a product with a low percentage of this antioxidant and working your way up in strength as your skin gets used to it.
Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant, with research noting that it’s the predominant antioxidant in skin. Studies show that vitamin E-boosted skin creams specifically target the reduction of wrinkle depth and fine lines in the face.
Moisturisers
As we get older, our skin has a difficult time retaining moisture; dry skin conditions promote wrinkle formation. Regularly using a body or facial lotion helps trap wrinkle-reducing moisture, and nature offers several hydrating solutions.
“Moisturise and plump out fine lines with natural oils such as avocado oil for essential omegas and hazelnut oil for building skin protein and nourishment”, says spa owner and aesthetician, Julia Linford. Other natural moisturising ingredients include coconut oil, sunflower oil, shea butter (for very dry skin) and aloe—the latter of which has antioxidants that may have particularly positive benefits on skin health.
Exfoliants
As we age, skin cell turnover rates decrease. This creates a build-up of dead cells that leaves our complexions dull. Exfoliants boost our skin’s glow and may also reduce roughness in notorious spots such as elbows and heels. Exfoliating may also help reduce signs of ageing such as wrinkles.
Natural ingredients in skincare products that exfoliate and freshen up the skin include tartaric acid from grapes and malic acid from apples. There are also scrubs formulated with smooth beads or similar particles such as sugar or oatmeal grains that polish away dead skin cells.
Botanicals
While the antiageing skincare industry is built around synthetics, the earth offers numerous traditional botanical remedies. A prime example is soy. When used topically in natural skincare products, it’s been shown to help with signs of ageing such as hyperpigmentation, skin elasticity and dry skin.
Other botanical extracts in topical skincare that studies suggest may help keep skin looking youthful include coffee berry, which is high in skin-benefitting polyphenols; green tea, which a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found may help with skin elasticity; and camomile, which isn’t just rich in antioxidants but also contains levomenol—an essential oil that moisturises and may help reduce damage from the sun.
Younger from the inside out!
You are what you eat. Research on nutrition’s effect on skin appearance goes back hundreds of years. To turn back time for your skin, focus on antioxidant-rich supplements and foods that may promote healthier skin.
- Essential fatty acids (EFAs), such as those found in fish oil softgels or linseed (flaxseed) oil: research shows that high EFA intake may boost skin health and create younger-looking skin while also protecting against photo-ageing.
- Vitamin E, found in sunflower seeds and almonds: studies suggest that this antioxidant may help protect skin from damage and minimise wrinkling.
- Green tea: drinking it regularly has been shown to reverse signs of sun damage in skin—likely due to the tea’s polyphenols.
