When the seasons change, so do the demands on the largest organ of your body - your skin.
Like your gut, your skin has its own microbiome - a delicate mix of good and bad bacteria which are directly impacted by:
- The state of your internal health
- The environmental elements your skin is exposed to
The ancient wisdom of "house cleaning" with every change of season, can be applied not only to internal detoxification, but also for the benefit of restoring balance, beauty and glow to your skin as well.
1. How Gut Health Impacts Skin Health
Any kind of skin inflammation is usually a sign of toxicity in the gut that needs to be eliminated.
That's why a cleanse or detox for a few days is a great way to both reset the gut and clarify the skin.
Fasting on juices (fruit, vegetable and/or green blends) is an easy way to support the elimination of toxins from the body over a period of several days and to bring your skin microbiome back into balance.
Several times a week, it also helps to lightly exfoliate your face and body to help rid your skin of waste residue, dead skin cells, to stimulate circulation and encourage the production of healthy new skin cells. The best way to do this is with a DIY salt scrub you make yourself at home from ingredients such as; nature-made sea salt, aloe vera gel and essential oils, or for convenience, choose our popular handcrafted Renew Salt Scrub.
Every now and then or with every change of season, it's a good idea to do a detoxification face mask to strip all of the impurities from beneath your skin's surface. Create your own DIY face mask from Food-Grade Bentonite Clay, raw honey, water and pure Lavender or Tea Tree essential oil, or choose our beautiful, handcrafted Radiance Face Mask.
As a natural chelator, Bentonite Clay is very effective for binding and drawing out impurities not just inside the body, but also beneath the skin's surface, which is why we recommend it also as a natural skin detoxifier.
You can also use Bentonite Clay as a bath soak to pull out toxins in the skin of the body as well. Add 1-2 cups to a hot running bath, add 10-12 drops pure Tea Tree or Lavender oil and soak for 30-45 minutes.
Eat More Skin Foods
While you’re at it, clean up your diet too and emphasise plant foods that are renowned for promoting healthy skin.
Opt for a diet rich in plant whole foods, with a particular focus on yellow and orange fruits and vegetables. The best foods for nourishing and rebalancing the skin include:
- Mangoes
- Papaya
- Apricots
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Bananas
- Carrots
- Leafy Greens
- Avocados
- Raw Nuts (Almonds, Macadamias, Walnuts & Pecans)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Finally, now is the time to minimise soda, fast food, refined sugar and carbs, alcohol and highly processed foods, as these can drastically affect your skin. Be sure to eat a diet rich in plant foods that are in their natural unrefined state.
2. Listen To What Your Skin Is Telling You
Most of us have no idea what type of skin we actually have, and therefore no idea how to take care of it. When it comes to restoring and rebalancing your skin care, it’s crucial to know what your skin actually needs. This means listening to what your skin is really telling you.
If your skin is dry and flaky, it’s telling you it needs more hydration.
If you have constant under-eye circles, you likely need more sleep, a good eye cream, and an eye roller. If you’re breaking out or seeing redness and irritation, it’s a sign that your skin doesn’t like an ingredient in one of your skin care products.
For blemishes, try our Skin’s Love Potion Aloe Vera Clean Up Gel.
Changing seasons are a great opportunity to reassess your skin care products and routine, and make sure they’re still working for you.
3. Moisturise Every Day
A nourishing plant-based moisturiser is one of the secrets to great skin, but it's vital to feed your skin the right kind of nourishment.
Your skin craves nutrients just as your internal body and cells do.
As seasons change, so does the composition, softness and appearance of your skin, so it's important to pay close attention to the type of skin food you're using every single day to ensure suppleness, hydration and glow.
In warm, humid weather, a lightweight moisturiser is often more than enough, like our Nourish Daily Moisturiser. Our popular Divine Face and Body Butter is a little richer and is ideal for particularly hungry skin or skin that is more susceptible to dehydration.
In cold, dry weather, a quality moisturiser like either of these two products is a must to allow your skin to protect against the elements.
The bottom line is to ensure you pay close attention to your daily moisturiser routine, especially as your skin adjusts to seasonal weather changes. Avoid chemical-based moisturisers as these chemicals end up in the blood stream which can cause disruption to the immune system over time and distance.
4. Improve Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is vital for your overall wellness and the health of your skin. Skipping sleep can lead to mental and emotional irritability and stress, but also skin imbalances.
Your entire body, including your skin, needs those 6-8 hours of restful sleep to assimilate nutrients and recover and heal. Your skin also uses that time to produce new collagen, which is important for preventing the effects of ageing on your skin. If you’re tired, your skin shows the effects immediately.
Lack of sleep can lead to fine lines and wrinkles, eye bags, inflammation, breakouts, and more. If you have trouble sleeping, it's all the more reason for you to do a detox cleanse to help your body and mind reset.
Other tips for supporting a good nights sleep include:
- Avoid eating within 2 hours before bed
- Turn off your electronic devices an hour before you retire
- Ensure there is moving air in your bed room (not air conditioning, but open windows, or a ceiling fan or box fan to electrify the air while you sleep) and;
- Diffuse essential oils next to your bed.
Learn more in How to Sleep Better With Essential Oils.
5. Drink More Water
Your body is mostly made up of about 70% water. And this constantly needs replenishing in order to keep you and your skin hydrated and to flush out waste.
If you don't drink enough water, your skin will look dull or may even be more susceptible to irritation, toxicity and blemishes.
A good rule of thumb is to drink 1 litre of clean water per 22 kilos of body weight per day to ensure adequate replenishment, healthy digestive function and to flush out accumulated waste from your body and skin.
If you find it challenging to drink water throughout the day, here’s a few tips to make it easier:
- Each morning when you rise, drink 1 litre of chilled water before you eat or drink anything else
- Aim to drink a glass of water per hour
- Take a water bottle with you wherever you go
- Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice or 2-3 drops of lemon essential oil to your water
- Sip organic herbal teas
- Eat hydrating fruits
Your skin needs water to stay hydrated and to increase elasticity. If you’re noticing dull, flaky, dry skin when the seasons change, upping your water intake is a good place to begin.
6. Help your skin to sweat
Since your skin is the largest organ of elimination, it's really important to include activities in your self care routine that allows your pores to open and your body to sweat and release toxins.
This is why exercise that boosts your heart rate and encourages your body to break a sweat is key at least 3-4 times per week if you want to have vibrant, healthy skin. Great examples include:
- Hiking
- Cycling
- Hot Yoga
- Interval Training
- Jogging
- Tennis
Traditional Hot Rock and Infrared Saunas once or twice per week are also wonderful ways to open up your pores and the vital channel of elimination that is your skin, to release toxins and to boost circulation and cellular renewal.
Learn more in 5 Reasons Why Infra Red Saunas Boost Your Health
Conclusion
Pay extra close attention to your skin care routine with every change of season i.e. at least 4 times per year. There's a reason why mother nature moves in seasons, changing her composition and temperature with each cycle, and your skin is no different.
The most important thing is to look for any signs that your skin needs your help to return it to a healthy state. If so, your job is to notice these signs and to adjust your routine to allow this process.
Internally, a few days cleansing on either fresh juices or raw food can help release any offence or backed up waste in your digestive tract. And then on the outside, your job is to take stock of your daily skin care habits - detoxifying, cleansing and moisturising, as well as the activities that you're doing that support waste elimination from beneath your skin's surface through the channel of perspiration.
Your skin care routine should be minimal and it should only include natural, chemical-free products that won't disrupt your immune system. That's why we go to the trouble of handcrafting a small handful of plant-based products that give you everything you need for healthy, happy, glowing skin. You can browse them here in our store.
Tolman Self Care.
