Did you know that the skin is the body’s largest and fastest-growing organ? Keeping your skin healthy is very important as it has several major functions. To name a few basic functions: it protects you by keeping pathogens and other harmful agents out, it helps you to eliminate toxins, it regulates your body temperature, and it allows us to sense the world through nerve endings. Other extraordinary functions of the skin continue to emerge today…
We know from experience that many people only focus on the skin once there is a perceived problem or an abnormality but trust us when we say a basic regime is needed to help keep your skin healthy. Read on to find out what this basic regime should consist of at least:
Nutrition
Nourishing yourself with balanced and varied nutrition will deliver you better, healthier looking skin. Pack your plate full of colorful fruits and vegetables as they contain so many vitamins and antioxidants that help your skin gain that healthy glow!
Over time, the environment, and ageing reduce your body’s ability to produce collagen and elastin. Collagen is the most plentiful protein in the skin and provides strength & tone to the skin. Elastin is the elastic component of the skin and gives your skin (and other organs) the ability to go back to their original form after being stretched. Together, collagen and elastin are responsible for warding off wrinkles, fine lines & other signs of ageing.
Each year of age after maturity (about age 21), collagen production decreases by approximately 1%. This leads to a loss in firmness and elasticity of the skin. The good news is that if you want to improve skin texture and boost the hydration of the skin, you absolutely can, despite your age by using a high quality marine collagen supplement to replenish your skin’s collagen levels. Our new fave collagen supplement Nourished is:
+ Optima Nutricosmetics – Complete Skin Food Elixir
A therapeutic dose of ingredients including collagen, vitamins and minerals that will help to make your gut happy and your skin look radiant and healthy.
Natural Sunscreen
When your skin is exposed to UV light from the sun, melanocytes start producing the pigment “melanin”. Melanocytes are cells that are present in the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Melanin’s primary role is to protect ourselves from the harmful effects of sunlight, such as the development of skin cancer. However, melanin alone is not enough to protect yourself from the sun. Melanin has a sun protective factor (SPF) around 1.5 to 2, so it is necessary to apply natural sunscreen on your skin.
In addition, the sun damages the skin cells in the dermis, the layer that gives your skin its fullness and plumpness. Sun exposure accounts for up to 80% of signs of aging in the face, such as lines and wrinkles. So, when someone asks us the most important anti-aging skincare product, we say natural sunscreen for sure! Remember to apply sunscreen every day, even if it’s cloudy out!
Two of our favourite natural sunscreens that protect from both sunburn (UV-B) and premature skin ageing (UV-A):
+ Nourished Daily- Daily Face + Body Sunscreen Lotion SPF50
+ Little Urchin Natural Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 50+
If you’re looking for a foundation or BB cream with SPF then look no further than the following beautiful options from two of our fave Aussie brands:
+ Little Urchin – Natural Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30
+ INIKA Organic – Loose Mineral Foundation SPF 25
Strengthen your skin’s barrier properties
Your skin barrier needs to be protected in order to function properly. To maintain a healthy skin barrier, we recommend using products containing antioxidants and niacinamide that both help prevent against future damage. Rich creams are best used to repair a damaged barrier. Some Nourished recommendations include:
+ Ere Perez SOS Papaya Marmalade
+ Biologi Bf - Hydration Serum
+ Sans [Ceuticals] Cellular Repair
It’s important to remember that a healthy skin doesn’t necessarily require all of the creams, lotions & serums in the world… a healthy skin mirrors a body in good health. This means that your skin benefits from the same general advice that the rest of your body relies on to stay healthy: take good care of yourself. Keep moving, make sure you get enough sleep and relax your mind. During the upcoming months and the months thereafter!
Read more about the structure of your skin and how to support great skin health in our article 'Your Skin Under The Microscope'
Explore the complete Nourished natural skin care collection.
This article was written by guest contributor Dr Coco Dekkers. Coco lives in Amsterdam and is a PhD medicine - dermatology student.
References:
+ Losquadro WD. Anatomy of the Skin and the Pathogenesis of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2017 Aug;25(3):283-289.
+ Marzvanyan A. et al. Physiology and Sensory Receptors. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan.
+ Mohania D. et al. Ultraviolet Radiations: Skin Defense-Damage Mechanism. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017;996:71-87. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-56017-5_7
+ Asserin J. et al. The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015 Dec;14(4):291-301.
+ Loden M. Role of topical emollients and moisturizers in the treatment of dry skin barrier disorders. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2003;4(11):771-88. doi: 10.2165/00128071-200304110-00005.
