Secrets Of The Perfect Skin

    Garance Dore mentioned that Constance Jablonski's perfect skin has the perfect skin. I often see women wanting to know what she uses (they usually mention something really ordinary like Pond's cream). I was interested in her lifestyle: what does she eat? How does she exercise? Sure enough, she has been eating really healthy since she is a kid and it's still a top priority for her. It's not the first time that I have seen this connection: great lifestyle = great skin.
    In real life, the people with the best skin that I know were those who regularly do Yoga (fresh, energized skin even if the owner is in their 60s), and raw foodists (skin so clean it was almost translucent). (Of course there are freaks that have immaculate skin even though they never cleanse it and live on french fries, but then again I know someone who never ever brushes his teeth and has never had a cavity -- but these are lucky anomalies).

   So which are the factors that really influence how your skin looks like? Here are the most important ones:


   Sure genes are important -- but not that important. Obviously we do inherit skin and hair from our parents, but newest research has shown that environment and lifestyle can switch genes on and off -- in other words genes are possibilities, and you inherit all the different possibilities of your many ancestors . Your body determines which of them will be used.
    Besides, I wonder how many habits that have been passed from parents to kids get swept under the carpet of "it's in my genes". Our early years influence our tastes and habits much more than most people realise.


     This is one of the most important (and yet overlooked) aspects of having great skin. Skin is a mirror of what goes on inside the body. And a lot of what we put in is difficult for the body to deal with.
   I always know I have eaten too much chocolate because of breakouts on my forehead. Lactose intolerance (which is actually more common than people think) is often closely linked with acne. A friend of mine who had really bad neurodermitis on her hands decided to stop eating gluten and now her skin I almost clear again. Our skin is the mirror of our digestive system, and the way our body sends out distress signals.
     Basically, the things that are difficult for our body to deal with are: processed foods, refined sugar, lactose, and gluten. Add to that artificial food additives, hormones on meat (in the US and other countries that allows them), too much salt, as well as soy and peanuts added to almost every processed food out there. The body is not made to cope with all of that, and sooner or later it starts breaking down -- usually after the "invincible twenties" are over, or when a time of emotional stress comes up, or after an illness or having a baby.
   Remember, food is just a habit, habits can be changed.


      These are very overrated in the beauty industry. Sure, they can help a lot with the skin --- and it is easier to change your beauty regime than your eating and lifestyle habits. However even the best skin-care regime won't help if you eat junk and lead an unhealthy lifestyle. This blog is chock-full of great skin and hair care advice, but you'll notice that I write about eating healthy as well.


     Movement, being outdoors in fresh air and less stress -- all of this is very important if you want healthy skin and hair. Sports get your blood flowing and decrease stress levels. I also noticed that people who do Yoga regularly usually have a beautiful skin and a kind of vitality about them, even when they are older. Sleep is also very important for your skin. Stress takes its toll the skin and hair, and gives you an air of tiredness. Now I know that "avoid stress" is the least useful bit of advice that exist, as life isn't that easy. However it is really important that people find tools that help them deal with stress, and even more importantly: react with less stress to difficult situations. This could be running, yoga, EFT, journaling, meditating, autogenic training, painting, Aikido or whatever else rocks your boat.  If you don't have a de-stressing method yet (and no, TV, the Internet and eating don't actually relieve stress), try to find out which activities make you feel better at the end than you felt at the beginning. Also, try Yoga. Seriously, although life throws challenges at us all the time, it is ultimately up to us with which inner attitude we meet them.

    And of course eating healthy and leading a healthy lifestyle will make you feel good in your skin, which in turn will make you feel beautiful. And people who feel beautiful and like themselves are beautiful -- they radiate charisma.

   Over to you: what do you think makes people beautiful? What makes you feel your best?

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