Skin Care tips for Holistic skin
Kari Gran encourages a holistic
routine for optimum skin health and appearance. Here, Kari shares her top tips
— many are common knowledge, but worth repeating and sticking to.
Learn
To Read Labels
Many beauty products are full of
ingredients potentially harmful to your health. Parabens and toxins can mess
with the body and are known hormone disruptors. Remember, what you put on your
skin is absorbed into your bloodstream. Key ingredients to avoid include
anything that ends in “paraben”, phthalates , polyethelene glycol (PEG) and
propylene glycol, just to name a few.
Mineral
and Petroleum Oil – Stay Away!
Manufacturers use mineral oil and
petroleum in products because it’s dirt cheap. However, mineral oil can cause
numerous skin problems and interferes with the body’s own natural moisturizing
process. Mineral oil molecules are large, and do not easily absorb into the
skin — instead, the oil just sits on top, clogging pores, preventing skin from
absorbing water and oxygen, and not allowing it to eliminate toxins. Always opt
for products with natural plant and essential oils instead.
Sugar, Out. Essential Fatty Acids, In
Skin is built from the inside out,
so what you eat impacts your “glow factor.” Sugar breaks down collagen and
elastin, the proteins that make skin look radiant and youthful — avoid excess.
Skin loves essential fatty acids like omega-3s so gobble up salmon,
blueberries, flaxseed and walnuts whenever you can. They are the building
blocks for healthy skin membranes and also help produce the skin’s natural oil
barrier, critical to keeping skin hydrated, plump and youthful.
Cleanse
and Moisturize Every Day
It’s essential to implement a daily
cleansing ritual to remove dirt and bacteria from skin. Moisturizing skin is
also important to maintain your skin’s natural moisture levels while keeping it
soft and fresh with a healthy glow.
Manage
Stress
Stress hormones inflame the skin.
Over time, those stress hormones can cause acne and accelerate wrinkles. Yoga,
meditation, walking or any form of exercise are great ways to manage stress,
lower blood pressure and, in turn, help your skin.
Eat
Your Vitamins
A diet rich in vitamins and minerals
helps combat the natural aging process that decreases the skin’s elasticity and
alters pigmentation. The best way to consume vitamins and minerals is in their
natural state. Buddy up to nuts and berries, which contain antioxidant vitamins
that speed up the skin’s natural repair system and inhibit further damage.
Protect
Skin from the Sun
Simply put, sun exposure wreaks
havoc on skin. Use sunblock every day, with an SPF 15 minimum. Kari Gran
ideally recommends a sunblock that is 100% mineral based broad spectrum UVA+B,
unscented and free of nano-particles.
Hydrate
and then hydrate some more
Water helps keep skin looking and
feeling great.
Get
Your Beauty Sleep
