In naturopathy, beauty isn’t only skin deep. The appearance of your skin is intrinsically tied to a lot of different processes that happen deep within your body!
From a health perspective, how your skin looks and behaves is actually an important signal of what’s going on inside you. That’s why, when it comes to holistic skin care tips, naturopaths always look at the big picture first.
In this post, I’ll explain how your overall wellness and beauty are interconnected, and discuss the lifestyle factors that are most important when it comes to your skin. Then, I’ll explain the basic principles of natural skincare and give you some tips for building your own routine.
What is Holistic Skincare?
Holistic skincare is the naturopathic approach to promoting healthy skin, and it goes far beyond skincare products. The skin is your body’s largest organ. How it looks is directly related to your overall health, and especially to the balance of hormones in your body.
For example, acne and blemishes are often associated with the overproduction of testosterone while an underactive thyroid gland can lead to dry skin. With holistic beauty, the focus is on making sure that your body is healthy and that your hormonal system is balanced, which often corresponds with healthier skin. Here are the main things to keep in mind to improve your holistic wellness.
Nutrition
Balanced nutrition is one of the key ways of keeping your body thriving and your hormones balanced. What you eat can definitely show itself through your skin!
Vitamins C and E are essential for the processes that keep the skin youthful, zinc can help with issues related to inflammation, and healthy fats can help maintain skin hydration. On the other hand, a lacking diet can contribute to gut issues, inflammation, and hormonal imbalance which can manifest as skin problems.
When consulting new patients, one of my main focuses is on finding out how they eat and helping them improve their diet, because it’s so relevant to every concern.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is just as important as having a good diet. When it comes to the skin, lack of sleep can speed up the aging process and reduce skin barrier functions, while good sleep keeps the skin strong and more resistant to damage.
Serenity
Your mental health has a major impact on how your skin looks. Stress is a huge hormone disruptor that also leads to inflammation, which worsens the condition of the skin. Reducing stress and cultivating good mental health isn’t just something that’ll help you feel good, but it’ll also help to protect and maintain your skin.
A Natural Skin Care Routine
Your overall health is a much more significant contributor to the well-being of your skin, but following a natural skincare routine is still useful. It’ll help boost and protect your skin from the outside, and it’s also a wonderful way of practicing self-care, which can have benefits for your mental health.
When choosing skincare products, I always counsel my patients to stick to clean or natural formulas that are made without synthetic preservatives and fragrances.
Cleanse
Cleansing gently removes impurities and oil buildup from your skin at night. It’s especially important if you wear makeup and it can be useful if you’re acne prone. It’s very important to avoid harsh sulfate or soap-based cleansers, as those can dry out your skin and compromise its barrier functions. Instead, I recommend looking for gentle, lightly foaming cleansers made with naturally derived surfactants.
Nourish
One of the skin’s main jobs is to keep bad pathogens outside your body. Keeping it moisturized is the best way to boost its barrier functions. Look for natural moisturizers formulated with nutrient-rich plant oils, water, and humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
Protect
My most important holistic skin care tip is to wear a quality mineral sunscreen whenever the UV index is above 2. Sun protection is a must for preventing skin cancer, but it’ll also keep your skin looking youthful. Look for sunscreens that offer broad spectrum protection with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Contrary to popular belief, using sunscreen doesn’t correlate with vitamin D deficiency.
Healthy Skin From the Inside Out
The holistic approach to wellness and natural skincare is all-encompassing. By improving your overall health, you can also improve your skin! But, you don’t have to go at it alone. Each person’s physiology is unique, and there are also underlying health conditions that can affect the condition of your skin.
Everyone can benefit from the dedicated care of a naturopath, whether you’re suffering from a specific skin concern or you’d just like to pursue a healthier lifestyle. Schedule your consultation, and together we can get you started on your holistic wellness journey.