In honor of National Healthy Skin Month, we asked the professionals to weigh in on skincare. Britta Aragon, entrepreneur, safe cosmetics expert and author, has dealt with skin complications firsthand from her father’s eight-year battle with cancer to her own survival of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Her interest in targeting “sensitive skin” over the years led her to found CV Skinlabs, a safe, non-toxic range of products that repair and revive sensitive to fragile skin. Here, Aragon and CEO Pamela Friedman break down the four steps to attaining beautiful and healthy skin.
1. Choose Safe, Nourishing Products
First, take a look at your products and read the tiny print that starts with the word “ingredients.” This is where you’ll find what’s really in the products beyond the marketing hype. If you see words including synthetic fragrance (chemically derived), parabens, silicones, sulfates, EDTA and mineral oil/petrolatum, look for a safer option next time around. The easiest way to choose safer, more nourishing products is to look for more
natural ingredients like butters, oils, extracts and vitamins.
2. Set Up A Healthy Skincare Routine
Once you start stacking your medicine cabinet with healthier products, you can begin using these in a routine that will help your skin become healthier and stronger. Regular cleansing, toning and moisturizing are the basics (all with natural, alcohol-free products), but you should also add in exfoliation one to three times a week, an anti-aging serum before your night cream and an eye cream to help ward off fine lines and wrinkles.
3. Adopt An Overall Healthy Lifestyle
Recent research has shown that when we’re healthier overall, our skin is healthier, too. Eating more fruits and vegetables, for example, helps skin better resist sun damage. Exercising regularly stimulates circulation, pushing important vitamins and minerals into the cells where they’re needed. And daily stress-relief helps to ease the strain that can literally show up on our faces.
4. Limit Sun Exposure
As Floridians know, the sun is enemy No. 1 when it comes to youthful skin. Protection is a must and includes not only a daily sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher), but physical blocks as well, including hats, scarves and umbrellas. The question is, what type of sunscreen is best? Your best bet is zinc oxide, with titanium dioxide as a close second. Both are less likely to penetrate skin or cause any toxicity inside the body.
Facebook Comments