Protecting Your Skin With Natural Skin Care

While nutrition and exercise are vital to healthy skin, it is equally important that we protect our skin to ensure it remains healthy and radiant. Increased awareness for protecting our earth has resulted in revolutionised products from the beauty industry. Natural urban skincare products made from organic ingredients are gradually replacing potentially harmful chemical-laden products. They are made without artificial fragrances, colorants and preservatives and thus can be used safely without worrying that they will cause breakouts or irritations.

Our skin falls into 4 main categories - dry/combo, normal-to-dry, dry and sensitive. It is important to select natural skincare products which are specially formulated according to the various skin types to suit their specific needs. No matter what skin type we belong to, our skin needs basic skincare - cleansing, toning and moisturising.

Cleansing removes dirt and makeup and reduces oiliness. This helps to keep our skin healthy looking. It is important to select a cleanser that is able to thoroughly cleanse our skin without stripping it of its natural moisture. Secondly, toning reinstates our skin's pH value. Antioxidants in the toner help to calm our skin and lightly moisturises it. Lastly, moisturisers are applied day and night to cleansed skin as a protection against free radicals and other harmful elements in the environment. Since they are loaded with natural vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants, they also nourish and preserve the skin's elasticity to produce a firm, healthy and younger appearance. Night moisturisers usually contain different types of nutrients from day moisturisers. Usually, they help reduce fine lines and wrinkles while our cells are regenerating at night. Cells which are damaged in the day are also repaired to revive the skin's radiance and elasticity.

Other than the basic cleansing regime, additional attention should also be given to exfoliating and detoxifying our skin to protect it from urban stresses such as the damage from the sun or makeup products. Organic marine or clay masques penetrate deep pores to perform a deep-cleansing function, and at the same time, hydrate and nourishes the skin with vitamins and antioxidants. Non-abrasive exfoliation products gently remove dead skin and cells, encourages circulation and collagen production to improve the skin's vitality. Sunscreen is a daily necessity against UVA and UVB rays which is the leading cause of premature skin aging.

While we place emphasis on our faces, we should not neglect other parts of our skin. Our hands, feet, and neck are areas which are also exposed to free radicals and harmful elements in the environment which can easily cause premature aging. Therefore, it is important to use natural skincare products that are specially formulated for use on our body. We probably do not want a radiant looking face with dry and wrinkled hands. Skincare experts advise that facial products should also be applied to our neck and collarbone area, while our hands and feet are sufficiently moisturised to prevent aging and to maintain their suppleness.