NATURAL SKIN CARE AND BEAUTY TIPS FOR AGELESS SKIN
NATURAL SKIN CARE, NONTOXIC SKIN CARE, AND AGELESS SKIN (ESPECIALLY FOR DESERT DWELLERS)
More and more we’re seeing the very real effects of living in a world that is increasingly toxic. We’re exposed to toxins in our food, our water, our homes, our clothes, skincare and makeup products, even our air can provide doses of toxins large enough to build up over time and cause real damage.
Reducing the amount of toxins we’re exposed to every day goes really far in reducing our overall burden.
WHERE TO START?
When I talk with patients about reducing their toxic burden, I always start with the basics: food and water.
Eat organic.
Drink filtered water.
There are a lot more simple daily switchouts you can do that, over time, make a huge difference.
Use nontoxic cleaning products.
Use clean, natural skincare and body products.
Let’s dive into this topic: what does natural skin care even mean?
WHAT DOES NATURAL SKINCARE MEAN?
Many companies claim that their skin care products are natural, and by this they generally mean that their products are plant-based or that they contain plant-based ingredients. However, the term “natural” is not regulated by the FDA, so anyone can use it for just about anything.
“There’s no formal system that regulates ‘natural’ or a legal definition of what this term means,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, a dermatologist at Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery in New York City. “This gets complicated for consumers, as companies can make a claim that a product is natural while still containing ingredients that don’t constitute as natural,” she says.
NATURAL SKINCARE VS. NONTOXIC SKINCARE
“Nontoxic” is another skincare label that is intended to mean that the product is free of known toxins. However, the skin care industry is not well regulated by the FDA and many chemical ingredients are routinely added to products to prolong shelf life, or improve a product’s appearance, smell, or texture. Unfortunately, some of these ingredients have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm, and/or allergic reactions.
Some, but by far not all, toxic chemicals that can still be found in personal care products include
Formaldehyde and chemicals that release formaldehyde: formaldehyde releasers are used as preservatives in products. While companies say that the small amount in beauty products is safe, this does not take into account the accumulated exposure of applying a product once or several times a day.
MIneral oil: a crude oil derivative; untreated and mildly treated oils are considered human carcinogens and can accumulate inside our bodies.
Mercury, which can damage the kidney and nervous system.
Fragrance: we don’t know what this really means (it can refer to many, many chemicals), but too many ingredients labeled “fragrance” contain phthalates, which are a family of liquid plasticizers used in products to prolong the life of a fragrance.
Lead, a potent neurotoxin.
The paraben family: isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben and propylparaben. These also accumulate inside our bodies and have been linked with the development of breast cancer. A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2015 showed that certain parabens drove the development of breast cancer in vitro.
The ethanolamine family: DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamide) and TEA (triethanolamine). These ingredients are often used as foaming agents, or ingredients that help a product feel more creamy. However, high doses are linked with liver cancers and may actually promote precancerous changes in the skin.
Toluene, which is toxic to the brain and nervous system.
Triclosan, which affects the thyroid.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR LABEL READING TO ENSURE YOUR NATURAL SKINCARE PRODUCT IS HEALTHY
In general, the hope is that you will be able to understand and recognize all of the ingredients in your product. Look for products that list plants, oils, vitamins, minerals that you recognize.
HERE ARE SOME INGREDIENTS THAT YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO AVOID:
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde releasers: if the label says quaternium-15, diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, Bronopol, or imidazolidinyl urea, you know you’ve got a formaldehyde releaser in your hands. Don’t put it on your face or body!
Mineral oil
Fragrance/Parfum
Parabens: isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben and propylparaben
Ethanolamines: DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamide) and TEA (triethanolamine)
Toluene
Triclosan
Mercury, Lead, Aluminum
Another good trick is to look for products that aren’t tested on animals: while this may not ensure that your product is clean, the odds are good that if a company is confident enough in the safety of their product that they do not feel the need to test on animals, then you likely have a safe (and hopefully a clean) product in your hands.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR NATURAL SKIN CARE AND NATURALLY GLOWING SKIN
Drink plenty of water: our skin reflects our hydration status. Dehydrated skin starts to look gray, sallow, and crepey. Drink up, and drink often: this is especially important for people looking to optimize desert dwelling skin care routines. Skin care for desert climates absolutely requires ample water as a foundation for glowing skin!
Get plenty of sleep: rested skin is renewed skin. When we sleep is when our body goes to work of repairing daily damage. Again, this is really important for Desert Dwellers who are exposed to the harsh desert climate with excess sun exposure, wind, and an increasing toxic burden.
Minimize stress: stress promotes release of the stress hormone cortisol. Initially cortisol has an anti-inflammatory effect, but over time excessive amounts of cortisol cause immune dysregulation and can promote acne and outbreaks of immune-driven rashes including psoriasis, rosacea, and vitiligo. Plus, it boosts our blood sugar which further disrupts skin health and drives abdominal weight gain.
Fruits and veggies, and lots of them: I love the phrase, “eat a rainbow!” It compels the visual of a brightly colored plate, the kind you want for yourself and yet almost don’t want to eat because it’s so beautiful. Those colors are your vitamins and antioxidants, and they will keep you young. Fruits and veggies are superfoods for a reason. Enjoy!
Wash your face every evening: washing your face with a gentle cleanser and/or a, oil-based cleanser is important to “wash the day away.” This includes makeup, dirt, dust and toxins pollutants found increasingly in our air. Desert Dwellers, this is especially true for you: the best skin care routine for a desert climate starts out with a clean face. From there, it’s about layering the best products for your desert living needs.
After cleansing, apply an oil-based serum: applying a high-quality serum with essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants helps restore your skin’s moisture and provide protection against skin damage. Because many toxins are fat- or oil-soluble, choosing a clean natural skin care product with recognizable ingredients is so, so important. The right skin care serum should be a well-balanced highly restorative product. This is especially true for Desert Dwellers, who need to focus their desert dwelling skin care routine on products that focus on regenerating skin cells and collagen, and preserving skin tone and elasticity in a clean, natural base.
Cool, calm and tighten skin with chamomile tea ice cubes: this is such a great at-home remedy for calming red, inflamed and angry skin. Make chamomile tea and freeze in an ice cube tray. As needed, grab an ice cube from the freezer and gently trace the cube over your face, focusing it over areas of puffiness and/or inflammation. This is a great at-home remedy after a day in the sun (another desert living skin care tip!), or first thing in the morning to reduce nighttime puffiness.