Be Whole

As a child and throughout my teens, I had really good skin. I didn’t have any pigmentation, dark circles, pimples or other skin concerns. But by my 22^nd birthday, I’d developed bouts of acute acne that I didn’t know how to treat.

A lot of people told me that the contraceptive pill would improve my skin dramatically so I decided to try it. I went to a reputable dermatologist who prescribed Yaz, which improved my acne within a month. By month three, there were no visible signs that I had ever had a skin concern – only now, I was suffering from shortness of breath, depressive moods, fatigue and mild nausea. I had just begun progressing my fitness goals and these symptoms were holding me back. Aside from that, my shitty mood swings were influencing my productivity and relationships –  so I stopped taking it and went back to my dermatologist, who agreed that I was right to discontinue use of the pill. She then suggested Roaccutane – said to be the god of acne treatments – but wanted to me to write a letter saying that I understood all the symptoms which were potentially lethal. I wasn’t going to do that. I can live with pimples if it means I’m not killing myself.

Next, I consulted a homeopath – such a lovely lady. I went for a bio-resonance screening and was able to view all my body’s ailments.

My homeopath advised of some home remedies that were quite useful and some interesting facts about food that I never knew. This is now I look after my skin now:

Cut down on meat and dairy

I would never have pegged meat for an unhealthy food source but when you think about steroid hormone implants used for growth in food-producing animals, it’s great cause for concern. Animals are injected with hormones to grow quickly and once they are slaughtered for food products, where do those hormone implants go? Correct, into our bodies. The same goes for by-products like milk and eggs. It’s really hard to cut down on foods that you’ve been eating your entire life but I for one am not keen for a prolonged hormonal imbalance. I get most my protein from Veg and fish and opt for either rice or nut milk.

Get enough sleep

A lack of sleep literally makes you unattractive, you look tired and fatigued, your skin is dull and you’re not always in the best mood when you haven’t slept enough. Some people train their bodies to operate of little hours of sleep but there is no better cure for your body than a good night’s sleep. Beauty sleep is just an old wives tale. Ensure that you get up to 8 hours of sleep every night so that you are functioning at your full potential. Your body will also be able to fight any bacteria better when you are rested and recharged.

Exfoliate once or twice a week

Depending on your skin type, you should exfoliate once or twice a week. Exfoliation is the process of using a coarse material (gentle enough to use on your skin) to scrub and remove your dead skin cells. You’re shedding skin every day – a little gross fun fact about your skin: according to Howstuffworks.com, you can shed up to 3.6 kg of skin per year. Actually, it’s natural, not gross, but imagine that. You can find an exfoliator at any retail store or make one from ingredients you have at home. A great home exfoliator that I usually use is my ground cinnamon and honey mix. One the days when I’m too lazy to make my two-ingredient exfoliator, I use Lush Dark Angel charcoal scrub – it’s amazing.

Moisturise religiously

During my years as a beauty consultant, I would always stress the importance of moisturising to my clients. If you need to hydrate just as much as you wash your face. Every time you cleanse your face you are not only removing dirt but moisture from your skin as well. Failure to moisturise can lead to your skin feeling tight, dry, dull, prone to wrinkles and even stretch marks. Hydrating your skin helps to improve your skin’s elasticity so that you continue to look younger for longer.

Embrace a no-makeup day once in a while

I know exactly what it’s like to see your skin looking dull or wanting to conceal an unsightly pimple but there are times when you seriously need to allow your skin to breathe. That means no makeup. At all. For at least a full day. It’s one hell of a task for some women, especially my friends in the beauty industry – makeup has become like clothing for us, we feel naked without it.  Working out is a great way to open your pores as you sweat, your body will unblock any pores.

Drink green tea

Drinking Green tea is by far the cheapest, most effective way to detox. The tea contains essential antioxidants that promotions the flow of oxygen and blood in your system. A lot of people don’t enjoy the taste of green tea but you can camouflage the taste with some lemon or honey or both, otherwise, allow yourself to become accustomed to the taste.

What are you doing to maintain or improve your skin? Please share your tips with me in the comment section below. Let’s connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – and pop me a comment to follow back <3