With the closure of aesthetic clinics and lack of outdoor exposure, some poor skincare habits are creeping in. Dr Michael Barnish – Head of Nutrition and Genetics at REVIV, has put together a straightforward guide on how to keep your skin in tip-top shape until the clinics reopen.
Ditch the Washcloth
Using a washcloth to wash the face can be detrimental to your skin health. When damp and moist, washcloths can provide bacteria with the perfect environment to settle and multiply.
Bacteria multiply remarkably fast and usually within 20-30mins. Therefore, after 24 hours, there soon could be a germ metropolis living in the fibres of your flannel.
If this is not washed after every use, it is easy to introduce these bacteria into the skin, particularly if you firmly use the cloth for exfoliation.
If your health or immunity is compromised, this could actually lead to infection, but more often than not, it’s a chance for bacterial settlers to settle in those blocked pores, resulting in the feared acne.
If you are still fixed on using a washcloth, then make sure it is a soft, gentle material. Wash the cloth each time after use on a high wash to help kill bacteria, and finally, avoid heavy use of fabric conditioners and fragrant detergents when washing as the face is sensitive and can easily react to these chemicals.
Supplements to benefit your skin
We will readily invest a large part of our earnings in the latest beauty cream and rub powerful nutrients into our skin, but the oral route is just as good and benefits all of the skin and tissues in the body as well. It can be an easier and cheaper way of ensuring you get the nutrients your body needs.
Which nutrients should help our skin look healthy and fight signs of ageing?
Vitamins A, C and E are potent antioxidants, and the skin uses them to help neutralise toxins that build up from our external environments and excessive sun exposure. You will often find these ingredients in skincare products; however, taking them orally is more effective and should be added to any skincare regime.
Other antioxidants and minerals that should be on your radar are selenium, alpha-lipoic acid and coenzyme Q10. These are great at keeping the skin cells functioning normally and ridding them of harmful particles.
Hydration
Proper hydration is the essential natural go-to method to help reduce fine-line appearance and improve skin firmness and rigidity.
Dry lips, dry skin or dull-looking skin, can all be a sign that we are not well hydrated. Aim for 2-3 litres of water a day. However, drinking drinks such as tea, coffee or alcohol can trick the body into losing more water, so these should be limited.
Sleep
Good sleep hygiene is vital to help improve the appearance of the skin, especially the skin under the eyes. We don’t fully understand why we sleep, but we know that, through our experiences, that tiredness shows in the skin. This is possibly due to detoxification that occurs as we sleep.
Chronic lack of sleep can lead to deeper lines and wrinkles. Aim for 8 hours of sleep per night. There are many studies also that suggest the hours before 12 am are much more beneficial for sleep than the hours that follow. So, an early night, rather than a cheeky lie-in, would be the gold standard.
What to look for in skincare products
Although there are many free top tips to care for your skin that everyone can use, there are certainly some other tips to really give your beauty a boost during the lockdown. The first is to invest in some good skincare, but what should you be looking for? The key is not to think of moisture but to think of nutrients.
The skin moisturises itself, so moisturising it daily can trick the skin into being lazy, and once the moisturiser is absorbed, the skin can look dull and dry.
I recommend serums and creams that are not moisturising but more based on introducing proper nutrition directly to the skin. Those essential antioxidants and vitamins A, C, E, COQ10, etc., are more beneficial to the face and body.
Your gene’s skincare secrets
Finally, if we really want to get the best results and outcomes in terms of beauty, we can look to our genes. New scientific techniques have made genetic testing cheaper and more accessible, and the genes that influence ageing and skin health can be unlocked easily via a swab test.
If you really want to fine-tune a beauty regime, then understanding exactly how your skin works, how it fends off environmental exposures and what its exact micronutrient requirements are will help to fine-tune regime treatments and plans.
The beauty of this is that now, this type of test can be done via just an oral swab; these tests can be done at home. Isolation is a perfect time to get to know your skin better.
Always go for a trusted genetic provider with the highest accuracy, and preferably doctor-led, to get the most out of the information revealed.
“Feeling good is essential for mental health. A bit of self-maintenance, love and attention goes a long way to improve mood and confidence and to break up these long-isolated days.” – Dr Michael.
For more information on REVIV and Dr Michael Barnish, visit www.revivme.com.
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