Reverse ageing: Skin healing
- Mums Tips
- Fashion & Beauty
- Published on Sunday, 02 August 2020 11:06
- Last Updated on 23 February 2022
- Monica Costa
- 0 Comments
We can reverse ageing if we treat our body like a temple. Skincare and skin healing need to happen from the inside out. Hydration and a healthy diet is essential to maintain a young and glowing skin. Here are some of my own routines and tips to keep my skin looking radiant.
I am passionate about reverse ageing maybe because I am in denial of ageing although I am happy with the way I look. Recently I came across the book Skin healing expert – Your 5 pillar plan for calm, clear skin by Hanna Sillitoe which really resonated with me as the author went through an interesting huge body and skin transformation.
Since she was a teenager, she struggled with acne and other skin problems. Although I never suffered from skin problems, her journey and her skin tips fascinated me. All women get through a point in their lives in which they feel fed up of the way we look. Hanna tried conventional medicines and experimented inconsistently with acupuncture, Chinese medicine and so called ‘miracle cure’ creams she found online. Nothing offered decent results.
What did not help was her ‘addiction’ to an unhealthy diet of carb filled, sugary junk. What is more surprising is that nobody – not even doctors – suggested she should consider stopping this unhealthy cycle of rubbish she was fuelling her body with. I disagree with this because beauty comes from within. Eventually she transitioned to a healthy new lifestyle and she shared her successful results in her Radiant Retreats. The principle of her worldwide retreats is to take people out of their everyday environment and help them to change their diet, lifestyle and way of thinking. In her lovely new book Skin healing expert she shares recipes, lifestyle tips and natural skin care combinations.
This new book shows you how to apply Hanna’s skincare advice to your everyday life with small, achievable changes that yield long-term, sustainable results. Based around 5 key areas or pillars, Hanna covers Diet with delicious recipes to heal you from within, Mind with advice on meditation and self-care, Exercise with tips on how to get into a healthy routine, Sleep with advice and remedies for a good night’s rest, and Skincare with luxurious homemade lotions and creams. It’s everything you need to take control of your health and achieve calm, clear skin.
I love Hanna’s story that shows how important to treat our body with kindness if we want them to stay young for longer.
Home-made sugar scrub
Inspired by Hanna Sillitoe’s book Skin healing expert I have created my own DIY Sugar Scrub Recipe. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a decent scrub which costs pennies to make.
Face scrub
My new favourite exfoliating cream has to be Kimberly Sayer Gentle Almond & Lavender Facial Scrub (£23.40, lovelula.com).
The non-abrasive formula cleanses and exfoliates skin without causing micro scratches, a common side effect of most scrubs. Its almond fragrance is lovely. Ingredients include organic exfoliating grains of Almond Meal, Jojoba Beads and Oat Beta Glucan which protect skin against UV-A oxidative stress. This scrub is gentle enough to be used everyday and it has an anti-ageing benefit by gently removing the build up of dead cells. It leaves the skin clean, softer and noticeably brighter.
My favourite moisturisers
To treat my skin to glowing radiance and deep hydration I use award-winning anti-ageing moisturisers Skin Truffle and Truffle noir which for me are the best creams I have ever come across. They are not just great for their smooth texture, but they leave my skin super soft during daytime as well as nighttime. I alternate them as it is important not to use the same cream day and night for weeks.
When I swap creams for my daily skincare routines I use Baby Skincare brand PetitJovial.com which is very gentle because it was created with babies and pregnant women in mind and is 100% natural, containing no palm oil or palm oil ingredients.
What I love about this brand is the fact that it donates a proportion of profits to orang-utan conservation projects in Indonesia, a cause close to Founder’s Tania’s Heart.
Firming and Body Shaping Cream
Endor Technologies NEW Firming and Body Shaping Cream has an incredible 3 in 1 effect and really leaves your skin toned and firm. It has been clinically proven to promote the development of muscle and lower the expression of the genes involved in the accumulation of fat, smooth and firm the skin whilst also having an intense moisturisation effect.
Through the powerful combination of Endor Technologies Nano Gold Technology and a biotechnological active found in a special sea sponge found in the oceans of Bermuda, the Firming and Body Shaping Cream when used twice a day can decrease the size of the arms, thighs and abdomen, generating an overall improvement in the appearance and tone of the silhouette.
I also love the fact that it feels like a non greasy cream that absorbs magically and does not leave any trace. My new favourite body cream!
Beauty from the inside out
Hydration and beauty – Get more out of your water
Drinking water is vital to keep our skin constantly hydrated. I am not too good at drinking water but I have now started using Zerowater which helps filtering tap water and reduces 99.6% of all total dissolved solids in drinking water. It delivers the purest tasting water in minutes. It’s almost as good as my favourite water Volvic, which I struggle to find in my local supermarkets.
Research proves that Zerowater removes much more from tap water than other leading filter brands in the UK: it removes 97% of lead, 96% of mercury, 95% of chlorine and even 97% of asbestos which is often displaced from old and ageing water pipes, 95% of all metals compared to 68% from Brita. The full list can be found here.
Zerowater gets better results due to a 5-stage filter, most filters only have 2-stage. Its patented technology ensures that we can save money on buying bottled water and ensure tap water is pure. The 12-Cup Zerowater comes with a free TDS Reader (Total Dissolved Solids). Some areas of the UK have reading more than 300. When water is filtered through the Zerowater filter it will score 0. The Zerowater 12-Cup Filter costs £39.99 from Zerowater.co.uk
Beauty brew
It might not sound like the ultimate anti-ageing elixir, but research shows the humble artichoke could have an ability to help slow down our skin’s ageing process. Scientists looked at what effect cynaropicrin, a bioactive compound found in artichoke, has on skin cells and uncovered some surprising benefits. They found that the natural chemical was able to activate protective systems in skin cells, which had two main effects. Firstly the inflammation process in the cells was reduced (inflammation in skin cells can lead to redness and swelling) and secondly the production of ‘oxygen free radicals’ by the skin cells, when they were exposed to environmental stress, was lowered. Oxygen free radicals are thought to be the main culprit behind ageing skin and are produced when skin is stressed by things like pollution or solar radiation.
I am not a fan of artichoke but its extract appears to be able to reduce inflammation and ageing of the skin, with the scientists behind the study concluding that artichoke extract could have a role to play in reducing skin ageing. Artichoke is hugely popular on the continent, but rarely finds itself on dinner plates in the UK. I thought I might not like the brew flavour but actually this one is very pleasant and I cannot get enough in the day instead of or in addition to green tea.
Natur Boutique’s Organic Artichoke Tea, whose sole ingredient is pure organic artichoke and which is available from www.naturboutique.co.uk, Amazon and independent health stores nationwide for just £2.99 for a box of 20 tea bags.
Supplements
Tonic Health Elderberry & Blackcurrant (Available from Boots, RRP: £6.00 x10 sachets)
During the summer, we know that we can all be guilty of eating and drinking a lot more, especially as restrictions are easing and pubs opening (YAY!) Whilst it’s important to enjoy ourselves, indulging in rich foods and drink can play havoc with our digestive system and lead to the dreaded bloat.
To support our bodies, the supplement ‘One week flat’ OptiBac Probiotics, the UK’s most popular brand of probiotics, has been specially formulated to help beat the bloat and keep the gut healthy. This short course supplement contains natural good bacteria, proven to survive stomach acidity and reach the gut alive, helping to relieve bloating… fast! OptiBac’s Gut Microbiologist, Dr Kate Stephens, has provided three top tips on how to keep our gut healthy and any bloating at bay. Dr Kate’s top tips on how to keep bloating at bay during the summer season:
- Stay hydrated – Keeping hydrated (with water, not alcohol!) is essential for all aspects of health, including supporting our gut microbiome and immune system.? It helps to ensure that we are naturally flushing out toxins and helps our digestive system to work better, reducing the risk of constipation which may cause bloat and even poor skin as a result.
- Take your time while eating – Eating slowly allows foods to be digested properly. This means taking your time while chewing and not rushing, giving your stomach time to realise what’s going on. It’s also said that you feel more satisfied with your meal if you take time to enjoy it. The extra timing allows your brain to register that you’re full and signals to stop eating, hence helping to beat the bloat associated with over-eating.
- Take a probiotic – Bloating could suggest you have an imbalance in the gut. Probiotics are designed to help keep your gut healthy by rebalancing the composition of your gut microbiome, keeping those good bacteria levels nice and high. How do they work? Probiotics can form a helpful protective barrier (like a wall of soldiers) on the gut lining and protect you against bad bugs. Some probiotics may even help to break down foods such as gluten or lactose and aid in healthy digestion. Take a high-quality probiotic which has been specifically researched for beating the bloat.
Egmont’s New Zealand Manuka Honey MGO 70+ (250g, £28.33) is the perfect honey for when you’re feeling under the weather. With its great taste simply, mix it into a warm drink, add some lemon, or enjoy straight from the spoon as part of your supplement routine or to support immunity & wellness. Independently lab tested for MGO rating, this honey is certified 100% natural Manuka honey.
Founded by the Annabell family in 2008 (and now run by father and son team Toby and James in Taranaki, New Zealand), Egmont honey is made by the Egmont’s bees who are left in remote rainforests all year round, meaning its Manuka Honey is some of the purest in the world. From hive to home, Egmont Manuka Honey is able to pin every jar back to its original source and all honey is independently tested and certified for its levels of Methylglyoxal (MGO) and other unique properties. The level of MGO determines the grade and potency of the Manuka Honey. Egmont Manuka Honey is available from Holland & Barrett, in store and online.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
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