Dry skin, lacking radiance, showing signs of stress

Dry skin lacks plumpness and radiance, has an uneven texture, and accentuates fine lines and wrinkles. Skin dryness and stress lead to a compromised skin barrier - a skin unable to do its job of defence and repair.

Cleansing is an important step in skincare. If you wear oil-based makeup or sunscreen during the day, use a gentle oil-based makeup remover or jojoba oil to remove makeup, then follow with a cleanser. A gentle cleanser is half the battle won in skin health, so choose your cleanser wisely.

Daily Skincare Routine

For dry skin that lacks radiance and shows signs of stress

AM:

1. Rinse face with cold water. Gently pat dry leaving some moisture for the next step.
2. Apply Cellular Hydration Serum on the whole face. The serum boosts skin hydration, restaures skin microbiota, and stimulates cell regeneration. It helps improve skin health, making it more resilient.
3. Massage the whole face with Vitamin C Serum in Oil. This serum will repair skin barrier, hydrate, boost the collagen, unify skin tone and add powerful antioxidants.
4. Take Skin & Stress Food Supplement (3 capsules in 1 go) to replenish shortages of radiance-boosting antioxidants and minerals, as a booster for 2-3 months.

PM:

1. Cleanse face with Triple Action Cleanser + cold water. This concentrated cleanser doesn't foam and only a small amount is needed. It mildly exfoliates and adds probiotic. Remember, a stripping cleanser will require more serums and creams to balance the hydration and repair the skin barrier.
2. Apply Cellular Hydration Serum on the whole face.
3. Apply a light hydrating cream (avoid rich creams).

Nutrition

Based on the new science of nutrition, healthy eating now has a new purpose. Given the overarching importance of our gut microbiome in overall health and skin health, we should be choosing foods to feed our gut microbiome.

Foods that help feed our microbiome are:
- Fibre-rich fruits and vegetables such as oats, broccoli, bananas, apples, cabbage, etc
- Diversity of plant based foods - aim for a minimum of 30- 35 different foods (including herbs, spices, seeds, fruits, vegetables) per week to improve the diversity of the gut microbiome

Foods that help restore hormone balance are:
- Healthy fats such as olive oil, flaxseed, crushed hemp seeds, avocado, nuts
- Omega 3s (fish oil or omega 3 supplements)

Reduce sugar:
- Higher sugar (including simple carbs) produce more insulin. More insulin leads to more androgens. More androgens lead to more sebum and potentially to acne or spots.
- In ageing skin, sugar leads to premature ageing in a process called glycation. Glycation damages collagen and elastin and can't be reversed, leading to sagging skin and wrinkles.

Drink plenty of water. As we age, the changes in body composition, including body temperature regulation, use more water.

Lifestyle

Exercise increases blood flow, and blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells around the body, including the skin. Any form of exercise works, from fast walking to resistance training like weightlifting. Find an activity you like to do, and you're more likely to stick with it.

Managing stress is another key element of heath and healthy skin. Incorporate some kind of breathing exercises into your life, even if it's just a few minutes each day. Yoga is a great way to combine physical and breathing exercises.

Improve your sleep and take time out to relax. Stress is an aggravating factor in premature skin ageing, and many people suffer chronic stress without recognising the symptoms.