Got dry skin? Getting more moisture into your body is the key. Eat your fruits and veggies and drink plenty of water – every day. If cold water doesn’t strike your fancy in the winter, try a mug of hot water with fresh-squeezed lemon every morning. It helps the body release toxins and keeps you hydrated. Soups are great, too, especially homemade ones since they often contain less sodium than canned varieties.
Water is a paradox for skin. We need to drink plenty of it and when we bathe or wash our hands, we need to then seal in that moisture. However, if we wash our hands or bodies too often, our skin becomes drier and drier. We end up stripping away our body’s natural oils and protective layers and evaporation leads us down that dry path, especially if we use harsher products.
Climate plays a part in all this, too. Changing your beauty routines to match the season is a good way to ward off certain skin issues.
For further thirsty skin relief, here are three easy steps for beautiful skin:
STEP 1: Washing your face with honey is an excellent way to cleanse your face and maintain good moisture levels. Honey body wraps are popular at fancy spas, too. Include your feet. Raw honey adds goodness to your skin and heals it. Crystallized honey is wonderful for gentle exfoliation. For your daily face care, use about ½ teaspoon of raw honey on clean, moist fingertips and gently massage in small circles. Let it sit for 20 seconds to 20 minutes. Honey makes an excellent facial when you have the time. To remove the honey and all the dirt and grime with it, splash with tepid water. Two splashes results in clean, moist, lovely skin!
STEP 2: Follow with a spritz of rosewater all over your face. Rosewater is particularly good for women. It is associated with balancing female hormones, which can also be an underlying cause of skin issues. Rosewater can be used in your hair and all over your body to add moisture and a light, natural fragrance. Test a few brands to see what you like best.
STEP 3: Lastly, immediately seal the rosewater in with a little coconut oil or jojoba oil (or an oil blend a.k.a. face serum). The oil works by trapping the moisture and preventing rapid evaporation. Choosing the best oil depends on your skin. If your skin is very thirsty and it is a dry time of year, then unrefined coconut oil can be an excellent choice. It is healing and works in harmony with the honey to repair damaged skin. Coconut oil is solid at 75 degrees Fahrenheit and below — liquid at 76 degrees and above. It is especially good for lips and feet. Slather it on thick and add a pair of cotton socks before bed. Jojoba oil is technically a liquid plant wax and similar to human sebum, which makes it particular well suited for normal-to-oily skin types. Contrary to popular belief, oily skin needs moisture, too. Often, oily skin is merely unbalanced skin due to the vicious cycle of washing with strong cleansers to remove oil, which confuses the skin so it creates MORE oil. Oil dissolves oil, which can solve certain oily skin issues. For all skin types, use any oil sparingly until you know how much your skin soaks up.
For a lovely honey face wash, you can infuse your honey with rose petals. Collect rose petals from roses that have not been treated with any pesticides. Dunk them in cool water to remove dust and bugs, then allow to air dry in a single layer on a towel. Pack a clean, clear glass jar with the dried rose petals and cover completely with raw honey. Cap the jar and place it in a sunny windowsill for two weeks. After the two weeks, strain the rose petals out and use a dark-colored glass jar to store your new face wash. Make a cup of hot tea with the honey-coated rose petals and enjoy!
(Published on Natural Parenting and Simple Lives.)