A Minimal Skin Care Regimen for Maximum Glow
Let’s talk skin. It’s our first line of defense against the outside world, keeping bacteria from penetrating our bloodstream. It’s also a great indicator of our internal health, showing us allergies, food intolerances, and dysbiosis of the gut. But a lot of factors play into skin health, namely what we put ON our skin, IN our bodies, how many zzz’s we catch, hormones, and our stress levels. While a certain level of stress and hormones aren’t completely in our control, there are simple lifestyle tweaks that can produce some serious differences in skin appearance.
In the photos you’ll see me pre-pregnancy, fighting a constant battle of bumpy acne. When I became pregnant I wanted to reduce chemical exposure as much as possible, so I decided to try minimizing my skin care routine and take it back to nature. Literally. I had been hearing the buzz about the antimicrobial and hydrating effects of coconut oil, and while I usually resist and push back against the latest “fad”, I figured in this case I could stand to gain more than I could lose. I switched out my facial moisturizer for coconut oil, and stopped applying daily foundation. Within the month, my red acne and dry skin was no longer a problem. In fact, my skin was more moisturized than it had been in years. Then, about a year later, I added a rose water witch hazel toner to decrease pore size and add an extra layer of hydration (the rosy smell is a plus too!) Occasionally, I’ll use aloe from my own aloe plants to reduce redness and even out my complexion.
I knew that my skin appearance had improved and my acne was no longer a problem, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that I realized just how dramatic the change has been. I was scrolling my phone’s photo stream from years back and I found multiple pictures like this “before” picture here. I forgot that my forehead and cheeks had bumpy acne best visible in sunlight, and that I used to battle acne around my mouth, chin, and t-zone. My heart leaped at this transformation. Yet, I still wasn’t completely happy with how I felt my skin had “aged” since becoming a mother. I started a search for an anti-aging solution.
Shortly after, my best friend asked me to host a Beautycounter social. She recommended to me their overnight resurfacing peel to combat the “age” I feel like I see in my face. It’s definitely the missing product I was looking for to soften my skin and further minimize my pores. I use it 2-3 nights per week.
While I changed what I was applying to my skin, I have also dramatically increased my vegetable intake, decreased my consumption of sugar, and processed fats and carbohydrates, and I try to catch as much sleep as possible. I strive to keep my life as stress-free as I can (which let me say, it is impossible to be 100% stress-free). I take daily measures to calm my mind, center my spirit, and live as love. This is just as important to our skin health as topical products, because if you haven’t yet noticed the correlation, high stress oxidizes our cells, changes our pH, and creates the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, thus equaling breakouts.
Going from a constant battle against acne to having smooth, clear skin is every person’s dream come true. While your story varies greatly from my own, let my testimony fuel your drive to clean up and simplify another segment of your daily life: skincare. By acknowledging that what we do for and to our bodies is just as healing and necessary as what we put in and on them. Good luck, mama. May your journey to health leave you glowing.
*DISCLAIMER: Not everyone may have the luck I did with this exact regimen, as all skin types are different. As with all parts of well-being, play around with various products that best suit your desires and goals.