Beauty News You Can Use

The dreaded “A” word… AGEING. Where beauty is concerned, many of us see ageing as our mortal enemy, particularly when thinking about our skin, as well as our overall wellbeing. Well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news…the bad news is that getting older is one of the unavoidable facts of life. But the good news is that it doesn’t always have to be as unpleasant as it’s made out to be! While we can’t turn back time, the good news is that we do have a degree of control over our biological age. Our diet, habits and even our sleep pattern can influence how our bodies age, both inside and out.

First things first, we know that our skin tends to bear the brunt of the less pleasant aspects of ageing; the outside reflects what’s happening on the inside. So, it is important to consider the multitude of factors that play into the way that our cells age and what we can do to minimise this, so that we can stay looking and feeling our best!

DIET

The things we do (and don’t) consume through our diets play a significant role in how our cells age. Many of us are unknowingly deficient in valuable vitamins and minerals that are fundamental to keeping our bodies young, fit and healthy. 

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential to many bodily functions, including but not limited to regulating our blood pressure, keeping our bones strong and aiding in restful sleep. However, magnesium’s importance extends beyond these functions to the cellular regenerative processes throughout our bodies, that influence how our cells age. A magnesium deficiency can accelerate ageing in various cell types, which can hinder their ability to divide and renew themselves. One of these cell types is the fibroblast cells. Magnesium also vital to preventing premature ageing in our fibroblasts, which are the cells that can be found in our connective tissues, for instance our bones, tendons, and cartilage. These areas are essential to our biological ageing and how this affects our appearance, as these cells are integral to the production of collagen.

Collagen is a key aspect of staying youthful, not only on the inside with respect to our bones and joints, but also in terms of our skin, as collagen is largely responsible for keeping our skin looking smooth, firm, and elastic. When our fibroblast cells are unable to replicate as quickly and as often as they should, their tissues experience changes that are very similar to what can be seen in the ageing process. This is often at least partially due to a magnesium deficiency, which has become increasingly common due to the large amounts of magnesium poor processed foods consumed today. To increase your magnesium levels, consuming magnesium rich foods such a dark green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate and nuts.

An interesting example that shows us the importance of magnesium in positive cellular aging is in astronauts’ accelerated aging that they experience in space. It has been observed over many years that upon astronauts’ return to earth, their cardiovascular capacity appears to be of somebody that is accelerating at 10 times the usual rate. This is largely attributed to the magnesium depletion that they encounter during their space flights.

STRESS

Stress is a major factor that can influence our biological age increasing. Stress is inevitable. We have jobs, families, and responsibilities, so a bit of stress from time to time is normal. However, much of what we stress about is maladaptive; we don’t know the cause, or it can be lurking deep within our psyches.

Yoga

Some natural ways to combat this low-level, underlying stress is to incorporate practices such as meditation, yoga, or exercise into your weekly routine. The ancient practice of yoga, for instance, is commonly used to combat stress and has numerous benefits that contribute to a younger biological age. Yoga is known to help with stress relief as it encourages mental and physical relaxation, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. This is done through grounding and centering your focus, with emphasis on your breathing and staying in the present moment when doing yoga poses. This allows you to let go of worry and anxiety that you may be experiencing in your life and give yourself some time out… let your brain chill.

A significant way that yoga helps us to combat stress is through the releasing of endorphins, which are feel-good hormones that can help you to positively manage your stress levels. The name endorphins comes from the words “endogenous” meaning within the body, and “morphine” a pain relief drug. So, think of endorphins as a natural stress relief your body can produce on its own!

Yoga also can help with physical stress blockages, such as muscle knots, so it can aid in alleviating pain and tension which are factors that put strain on our bodies and encourage biological ageing. When we carry out yoga poses, we are facilitating an increase in our flexibility, muscle tone and cardiovascular and circulatory health.

Managing stress through a healthy and mindful means such as yoga is a great way to help your cellular age on the inside, but also the outside too. Believe it or not, stress affects our skin. When we feel anxious or stressed, our sympathetic nervous system releases cortisol, causing an increase in oil production in our skin glands which can cause our pores to become clogged and lead to breakouts. Beyond breakouts, stress can also cause our skin to age by causing changes to the proteins in our skin, thereby reducing elasticity and leading to the emergence of wrinkles.

SLEEP

A further element to consider when looking at reversing our biological age is our sleep pattern. We all know that there are a whole host of benefits to be had from having a regular sleep schedule, and lowering your biological age is one of them. One way that our biological age is measured is through biomarkers like the length of our telomeres. Telomeres are the caps at the end of chromosomes that protect our cells, and these can get shorter due to ageing. Studies have found that individuals who sleep less, tend to have shorter telomeres, indicating an older biological age.

Furthermore, it is thought that sleep deprivation damages cell cycle processes and increases their susceptibility to senescence, which refers to a cells loss of ability to divide and grow. So, it’s clear that a lack of sleep is hard on our bodies internally, but about our outward appearance? Unfortunately, if we are getting poor quality sleep, this will show on our skin. Similar to the reaction we have to stress, when we aren’t getting enough sleep, our cortisol levels will rise. This rise in cortisol can trigger inflammation, which will cause the proteins that keep our skin smooth and glowing to break down.

Tackling matters pertaining to our diet, stress levels, and sleep can certainly help us to holistically and naturally minimize the ageing that takes place in our cells, that contribute to an increased biological age. Lowering our biological age is something that can improve our wellbeing in our bodies 

We’re always on the hunt for the best ways to achieve youthful, rejuvenated, glowing skin. With so many trends, products and treatments out there, it can be tricky to know where to start. A trend that has been around for a while now (and is totally worth the hype), is skin icing. This chilly facial has numerous benefits and can be done easily from the comfort of your own home, which is a definite added bonus. It is even known to be a staple in Korean women’s beauty routines, and we all know skincare in Korea is amazing. So what is skin icing? And what are its perks? We’ve investigated this beauty hack from top to bottom, so you don’t have to…

Skin icing is a form of cryotherapy treatment, in which our skin is subjected to very cold temperatures with the aim of producing a variety of positive skincare outcomes including reducing puffiness and inflammation, tightening the skin, reducing pore size and more. In the context of a clinic this is often done by way of liquid nitrogen, yet many top facialists and makeup artists swear by the humble ice cube to beautify both theirs and their clients’ skin. The theory behind facial icing involves the fact that when ice is applied to the skin, the cold temperature causes blood to rise to the surface, as well as constrict and tighten blood vessels, which subsequently brings about a variety of skin benefits.

Glowing Complexion

One of the main benefits of skin icing is glowing complexion. By improving circulation through cold therapy, we can achieve that youthful and rejuvenated glow that everyone is after. We can also see this effect when we go outside in the wintertime and get a rosy glow!

De-puffing Problem Areas

Let’s be honest, lots of us wake up with puffy skin, especially around our eyes. The contraction of dilated blood vessels under the skin through the use of ice on puffy problem areas helps to reduce swelling and inflammation, leaving your skin looking smooth and fresh. It can also have a lymphatic drainage effect, helping to release fluid build-up and drain toxins out of the area, according to aesthetician Lori Scarso.

Shrinking Pores

Pores are something we all have, but we don’t want to draw too much attention to them. Skin icing can definitely help with this! Giving yourself an ice facial can help to unclog larger pores that contain excess oils and sebum. The ice can also cause a positive reaction in your skin, during which the cold temperature forces the blood vessels under our skin to tighten, giving the appearance of smaller, less visible pores.

Reduced Signs of Ageing

Another big win that comes with icing your face is the reduced signs of ageing. The constriction and tightening of the skin that occurs when we ice it, helps to minimise signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles.

Acne

Skin icing is arguably one of the best at home remedies for dealing with inflamed acne and blemishes. Icing can also work as a preventative measure for acne, as it can allow for maximum absorption of our skincare products, helping the active ingredients in your skincare products to penetrate deeper into your skin.

Soothing Redness And Irritation

The low temperature of the ice can help to cool and soothe any irritation or angry redness your skin may be experiencing.

DO IT YOURSELF

How Can I Skin Ice At Home?

The great beauty of skin icing is how effortless, non-invasive and cost effective it is. Simply cleanse your face so you have a fresh base to work with. Celerity facialist Ole Hendriksen recommends wrapping an ice cube in thin cotton cloth and gently massaging it across your skin using circular motions for a few minutes. You can also switch things up, by freezing rose-hip seed tea, which is high in vitamin C, or even a simple green tea, which is loaded with antioxidants. We recommend using this icy facial with your usual skincare routine as according to aesthetician Renée Rouleau, the ice helps to seal in the product and help it penetrate deeper into the skin via a pulling effect, so it is a good idea to follow an ice facial with your favourite moisturiser.

However, if the thought of skin icing is a bit too chilling for you, there are still several other ways to reap similar benefits that won’t be as much of shock to your system first thing in the morning. Simply refrigerating your skincare or facial tools can give a similar effect. There are a variety of facial tools on the market that can come in handy for these at home facials such as face rollers, gua shas, and ice globes. Furthermore, if you don’t want to be dealing with dripping from ice cubes, tools like icing balls and facial ice cube moulds can help keep your fingers from feeling frosty! If you’re in a pinch and wanting to use what you have at home aside from a simple ice cube, using cold spoons or cucumber slices around the eye area can help to reduce puffiness and inflammation.

It is also important to note not to keep ice directly in once place on your skin as this can cause damage, and avoid using acid products directly afterwards as this can lead to irritation… so give your skin some time to chill out.

Home cryotherapy is definitely an easy addition to your skincare routine that is worth trying for an abundance of reasons. Glowing skin is always in, and facial icing is a great place to start.

It’s no secret that “you are what you eat”, and this remains true for our skin. Our body’s largest organ can often be our most problematic in the realm of beauty. We frequently find ourselves applying lotions and potions in attempt to deal with breakouts, pigmentation, inflammation amongst other issues, yet overlook one of the most fundamental building blocks of good skin; our gut health…

So, “what is ‘gut health?” I hear you ask… Gut health refers to the microbiome that exists within our gut that is combination of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Hold on… isn’t bacteria a bad thing? Many of us associate bacteria with dirt or germs, but this is not always the case. Certain bacteria are essential to our immune systems, heart, weight amongst other aspects of our health.

Why Gut Health?

Having a healthy gut microbiome is essential for balanced gut function, which aids in many bodily processes. Researchers have found that an unbalanced gut microbiome can cause a release in pro-inflammatory cytokines throughout the body, which can cause various reactions and irritations such as breakouts, redness, sensitivity and ageing to show on our skin. Our gut is also responsible for how we absorb nutrients, meaning that if it isn’t in optimal condition, our skin can miss out on the essential vitamins, minerals, nutrients and healthy fats it needs to flourish.

So this is the big question… we’ve compiled an easy list of tips and tricks to keep your gut in prime condition to allow your skin to glow!

Diet

We all know that our diet is important. As a rule of thumb, having a diverse gut microbiome is a healthy one. By having a range of species of bacteria in your gut, you open the doors to a range of benefits that they may bring about. One way to promote a diverse microbiome is to eat a diverse range of foods. This sounds easy to do, but our western diet is less diverse than one would initially think – an estimated 75% of the worlds food is derived from only 12 plant and 5 animal species! Celebrity nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson recommends eating whole foods including flax-seeds, leafy greens, and hydrating fruits to boost your gut health and keep your skin radiant!

In addition to consuming nutritious whole foods, healthy fats are a must. Foods high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, such as olive oil, avocado and chia seeds, are integral to the building of our cell membranes which helps keep the top layer of our skin strong, keeping out external pollutants and toxins. On the other hand, sugar and artificial sweeteners aren’t so kind to our gut health and skin. Consumption of too much sugar can create an imbalance of the sugar metabolism which can contribute to acne as well as accelerate ageing in our skin. This is because this can cause a depletion in collagen which changes the appearance of our skin, coming out as fine lines, wrinkles and dryness, as our skin loses elasticity and ability to maintain hydration.

Probiotics

Probiotics are minute microorganisms that have the ability to provide their host with a multitude of health benefits. Remember how we were talking about types of bacteria? This is the good kind! We absolutely want probiotics in our system, as they aid in healthy body systems and can control microorganisms that we don’t want in the body, such as germs. Having the right level of probiotics in the body is key, as this is when they can assist digestion and increase nutrient absorption. If you are looking to increase your intake of probiotics, the good news is that you’ve got options!

Probiotics naturally occur in some of the foods we eat, particularly in fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut and probiotic yoghurt. However, if that isn’t your cup of tea, there are also plenty of probiotic supplements that you can easily add to your daily vitamin routine! Whether you choose to add probiotics into your diet through whole foods or supplements, your skin will reap the benefits as probiotics are known to help to decrease inflammation in the gut that can cause skin issues.

Hydrate

Whilst this may seem an obvious one, staying hydrated is often easier said than done! Hydration is an integral part of having good digestion and a healthy gut. This allows water to move nutrients around the body to assist in the removal of waste and other toxins. Additionally, fluid that we ingest is used to carry acids and enzymes responsible for breaking down food in our small intestine. This is also related to inflammation, as when we are dehydrated, it is difficult for food to travel through the digestive system, causing our intestines to become irritated due to the lack of assistance that fluids provide. This irritation overtime can cause gut inflammation which can came out as inflammation in our skin.

Although there are some amazing topical skincare products on the market which we love to use, we can’t ignore the fact that beauty often starts on the inside, and this is certainly the case when thinking about the effect our gut health can have on our skin. Call it a gut feeling, but we recommend trying our tricks along with a great skincare routine, so that you can truly glow from the inside out!