With all the marketing aimed at selling beauty products, it’s easy to think that the answers to all of our skin woes are in a bottle. I can remember when products promised results in just 30-days. Then it was 14-days, then 7-days, and so on. Just yesterday I saw an ad on television promising younger, brighter eyes OVERNIGHT!
We’ve subsequently become consumers with pretty unrealistic expectations. Our common sense seems to go out the window when it comes to beauty product claims. Here are just a few of my favorites:
“The At-Home Alternative to Surgery”
“Rapidly Reduces Wrinkles in One Hour”
“Instantly Melts Away the Fatty Look of Cellulite”
Reading those claims out of context really emphasizes their absurdity, but we’ve all (myself included of course!) fallen for them in the right environment (beautiful store, big event coming up, a limited-time discount.)
I am most guilty of falling for ad hype during breakouts. I’ve tried just about every over-the-counter and prescription acne medication on the market, but, if I’m honest with myself, I know that none of them were truly fixes. The real answer is not so simple. The real answer is more complicated than one simple product (and it happens to be our mantra at Pilar’s): When health is the goal, beauty naturally follows.
In my experience my skin looks best when I eat whole foods, exercise regularly, and supplement that with a multivitamin and a basic, consistent skincare routine. Don’t get me wrong, my oily skin will always be more susceptible to breakouts, but I really notice a difference when I treat my body right. I’ve also learned that nothing causes me to breakout like stress and that’s where my yoga and nightly meditation in the bathtub come in.
Here are a few more health and beauty tips that work for me:
- Dark circles are intensified by dehydration. Drink a glass of water first thing every morning (coffee will only further dehydrate you.)
- Stress ages you! Chronic stress causes the body to forget how to repair itself. Meditate! Relax! Try valerian herb at night.
- A probiotic supplement like acidophilus seems to help me control dandruff and seborrhea.
- Essential fats are critical for health and beauty. If you’re not getting enough through foods like fish, try a supplement. And, if you dislike the smell of fish oil like me, try black currant oil instead.
- Avoid petroleum-based lip balms for chapped lips. Instead choose balms with ingredients like calendula that promote healing.
A healthy lifestyle should be complemented by an organic skincare routine. For my breakout-prone skin that means an effective cleanser, a treatment gel with naturally-derived salicylic acid, and a moisturizer with a bit of retinol. Whatever skincare regimen you choose, be patient and consistent. It can take up to two months (not one night!) to see results.
For more information on a more holistic approach to total health and beauty, check out Pure Skin by Barbara Close (the founder of Naturopathica, one of my favorite skincare lines.)
