Brought to you by My Clarins
Flawless looking, glowing skin has always been a telltale sign for health. Even with the strictest beauty product regime, this effect is very hard to achieve on a poor diet and lifestyle.
Gut health is crucial for healthy skin
Healthy skin meets five criteria:
- It is radiant and luminous
- The complexion glows
- It is ideally hydrated
- It is plump
- Its texture is smooth
Sounds easy, right?
It's not that simple…
All those hours spent working at the computer, stalking social media and ever-searching for the 'perfect' burger, not to mention, enjoying a good party… all of these are important, and you can't give any of them up. But the oxidative stress they provoke seriously impacts cell membranes' assimilation of nutrients as well as lysosomes' digestive activity, the cellular recycling and removal system.
Poorly nourished, cells are not purified well.
While most of us have tried many different brands and products, only a few reap the benefits of the synergy between natural beauty products and a healthy diet.
Don't be fooled
It is never too early to start eating healthily and adopting a good skincare routine.
I want you to think about what you are putting into your body as well as what you are putting on to your body.
The skin absorbs ingredients much quicker than your gut and many ingredients are able to enter the bloodstream without any filtration. Therefore, you want to make sure that both your food as well as your beauty products are as natural as possible.
Natural skincare
My Clarins is a range of new generation skincare products specially made for young skin that deliver the best nature has to offer.
The range is made of nine day/night products that hydrate, balance and enhance all skin types for healthy looking skin.
The products contain fruits, floral waters and plant extracts with energising as well as detoxifying qualities.
88% of the ingredients are completely natural and best of all, the products are vegan and the packaging is fully recyclable.
In and out complex
In (feeds)
My Clarins uses organic coconut water taken from (still green) coconuts. This natural water is a wonderful reserve of minerals and moisture that makes it possible for young plants to develop.
Its rich mineral content, especially in potassium and magnesium, make this ingredient an amazing hydration concentrate that balances and remineralises to promote healthy skin.
It optimizes the supply of vitamins, minerals and trace elements while enhancing the assimilation of these nutrients by cellular membranes.
Out (detoxifies)
Alpenrose extract: Watch out, this plant isn't afraid of anything!
It climbs the highest summits (between an altitude of 1700 and 2400 meters) and can thrive in extreme conditions (wind, cold and UV exposure responsible for oxidative stress). And that doesn't prevent the plant from fully flowering as soon as the weather turns warm.
In fact, there is nothing else quite like it to protect the skin from oxidative stress while stimulating lysosome activity to deeply purify the skin.
Healthy Diet
Do's and Don'ts for a Healthy Skin
Do's
Eat the rainbow - lots of different coloured vegetables, fruits and foods with a low glycemic index such as pulses, beans & porridge. The best diet is a varied diet.
Opt for whole foods (brown instead of white, e.g. rice or bread).
Include anti-inflammatory herbs and spices such as turmeric, ginger, cumin, fennel, rosemary and garlic in your diet.
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Don'ts
Don't eat lots of highly processed food - foods high in sugar and oxidised fats (e.g cookies, fries, crisps) cause inflammation and infection of the sebaceous glands resulting in acne.
Don't expect overnight miracles; on average it takes six weeks for changes of the skin to become apparent.
What nutrients will give your skin that Insta-glow?
Collagen: The Spiderman of skincare
You can imagine it as some kind of spiderweb and, as long as it is intact, your skin looks nice and plump. Once your body starts producing less collagen the first wrinkles will start to appear.
To build collagen your body needs amino acids (glycine and proline), Vitamin C, zinc and copper.
Proline and glycine are found in bone broth, chicken skin, meat with connective tissue. You can find small amounts in plant-based sources such as beans, spinach, kale, cauliflower, cabbage and pumpkin, plus fruits like banana and kiwi.
Antioxidants: Fight those free radicals
Antioxidants protect your skin from free radical damage such as too much sun exposure (I know it is really hard to get that perfect tan), smoking, or walking along exhaust fume-filled streets.
Vitamin C and E
The antioxidant properties of wholefoods vitamin C and its role in collagen synthesis make vitamin C a real skin health hero. Dietary and topical vitamin C have beneficial effects on skin cells.
Good sources of whole food vitamin C are sauerkraut, mulberries, black currant, blackberries, strawberries, broccoli, oranges and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin E is also an antioxidant and works along vitamin C to help reconstruct collagen, keep your skin youthful and able to retain moisture and firmness.
Eating excess amounts of processed, fried and fatty foods can lead to vitamin E deficiencies.
Eat foods such as nuts, avocado, spinach, whole grains and seafood to up your vitamin E intake.
Zinc
Zinc is particularly important for young skin because it regulates the function of the sebaceous glands which can cause acne in case of an overproduction. It also helps to make those nasty spots heal quicker and repair skin damage.
Good sources of zinc are almonds, spinach, asparagus, salmon, red meat, cacao, oysters, chicken, liver and pumpkin seeds.
Magnesium: Get the zen
Stress has negative effects on your body and the appearance of your skin.
Work on reducing your stress levels and eat foods rich in magnesium: green leafy vegetables, whole grains, avocado, almonds, banana and maca.
Vitamin A
Alcohol consumption and smoking cigarettes can lead to Vitamin A deficiencies, therefore, it's important to make sure you are getting enough in your diet.
You will find carotenoids in fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A. Carrots, spinach, tomatoes, mangoes and apricots are all good sources of beta-carotene. Vitamin A is found in butter, liver and eggs.
Healthy Fats: Yes, the right fats can be really good for you
Omega 3 fatty acids contain anti-inflammatory properties.
Good sources of omega 3 fatty acids: oily fish (wild caught Alaskan salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines, anchovies), walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds, eggs.
Other healthy oils (not omega 3): extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil & coconut oil
Stay hydrated
Your skin needs moisture to stay flexible. Even mild dehydration will cause your skin to look dry, tired and slightly grey.
Try to drink six to eight glasses of water a day. If you find its flavour boring, infuse it with berries, cucumber, lemon, mint or rosemary. Herbal teas also count towards your six to eight glasses goal.
It is never too early to start looking after your skin and if you combine a good skincare routine with a healthy diet and lifestyle, your skin will be glowing in no time.
The My Clarins range is the perfect accompaniment to skin health. Reboost with Comfort Hydrating Cream RRP €25, Mattifying Hydrating Cream RRP €25 and Refreshing Hydrating Cream RRP €25. Recharge with the Relaxing Sleep Mask RRP €27. Refresh with the Hydrating Beauty Mist €19.50. Get the poreless look with the Blur Stick €17. Become spotless with the Blemish Targeting Cream RRP €17. Remove the day with Purifying Cleansing Gel RRP €19.50 and Purifying Micellar Cleansing Milk RRP €19.50.
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My Clarins is available in Brown Thomas, Arnotts and pharmacies nationwide. Also available on Clarins.com.
