Radiant Skin Starts at Home
Originally published in the Keene Sentinel on August 27, 2020.
The end of summer is near and if you’re like me, you’re clinging to every last sunny, golden day, wishing you could have just one more month of this glorious Monadnock region summer.
Knowing the wisdom of yoga and being a curator of wellness, I followed my own advice and launched into a season of self-care, which has meant getting myself back to more time outside.
Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, includes time in nature and creative projects prescribed as part of a wellness protocol specific to one’s imbalances needing correction. Spending time in nature is recommended for one to absorb the “prana” (life force or energy) of the earth.
Since I had been inside so much over the past few years, I was going to the fullest extent to recharge, de-stress and heal my body, mind and spirit during this opportunity of free time I had this summer. My time outside also means my skin gets a lot of sun. I follow the basics such as wearing a hat, avoiding prolonged exposure between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and using a safe sunscreen as needed. As an esthetician, I also understand the results of years of sun worshipping on my skin.
There is nothing like good, quality botanicals and a holistic facial to leave your skin looking and feeling its best. Taking the time to properly cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin is an important aspect of your skin wellness.
We can focus on caring for our sun-kissed skin by creating a good skincare routine — a weekly at-home facial. One of the most important aspects of your facial in the spa or at home is the exfoliating cleanse. To keep your skin looking its best, I highly recommend using an exfoliant one to three times a week, depending on your skin. My favorite brand of exfoliating cleanser is made by Suki. I love this brand’s natural sugar-based and coconut oil exfoliating foaming cleanser. It is an award-winning, super-potent yet surprisingly gentle exfoliant. I use it religiously as part of my skincare routine.
Exfoliating is an important part of regular skin care because it removes a build-up of old, dull skin cells and allows the new skin cells to the surface to offer you a renewed, more radiant glow. These new skin cells will better absorb your toner, serum and moisturizer. All aspects of your skincare routine are enhanced with using a safe exfoliator. Exfoliating your skin will also help jumpstart collagen production.
As we age, collagen production slows as well. The sun is damaging to collagen and elastin. Sun exposure leads to what we refer to in the world of esthetics as photo-aging. The effect on your face that you now see began long ago in your teen years. You can’t stop aging, but you can lessen its affects by taking care of your skin. Seeing an esthetician and using strong yet safe botanicals combined with essential oils is one of the best gifts of radiant wellness you can give yourself.
Essential oils are an essential part of my self-care. They are not only good for wellness, they also enhance skin’s appearance. It was eight years ago I began to fully understand the benefits of using CPTG (certified pure therapeutic-grade) essential oils. Essential oils are effective because they are whole plant compounds, not isolated botanicals. In part, essential oils are effective because they easily pass through a cell wall due to their oily nature, making them an unparalleled addition to your at-home skin care routine. My favorite essential oil to use during the summer is frankincense because its powerful anti-aging benefits nourish my sun-soaked skin. Lavender, a beneficial skin soother, is another top summer oil for me. I love combining it with frankincense and mixing them into my face moisturizer for enhanced skin rejuvenation.
One important thing to note: Do not use citrus oils (lemon, wild orange, bergamot, lime, etc.) directly on the skin if you plan to be out in the sun within the following 12 hours.
Remember, the sun is the number one factor in the appearance of aging skin, and as a sun-loving skin care professional, I am balancing my sun exposure with potent CPTG essential oils to keep my skin looking radiant. Another essential oil must for me is peppermint because of its cooling properties. This essential oil goes in my beach bag because of its skin-cooling benefits. If I feel a little too hot, I simply spritz it over my belly, neck and back. The invigorating aroma of peppermint is also enjoyable on hot summer days. Tea tree accompanies me wherever I go. I love its gentle immune-supportive and cleansing benefits. Tea tree essential oil is also very helpful with bug bites and stings, making it another summer must for me.
I have shared with you some of my top summer essential oils, but let’s not forget the fall is near and with fall we find ourselves needing to shift into seasonal immune and wellness support. CPTG essential oils can offer many benefits to support your wellness as you transition from summer into fall. Some of my favorite essential oils for immune support are wild orange, cinnamon, clove, oregano, lemon, frankincense, tea tree and thyme. If you’re interested in learning how to safely use essential oils for your skincare and wellness, email me at info@messentialwellness.com and receive 20 percent off a 60-minute essential oil consultation, which includes three 10-millileter custom roller blends made for you.
Quick, Easy Coconut Oil and Sugar Body Scrub
This recipe is my standard base for body scrubs. You can use it daily in the shower. Sugar granules are rounded and gentle on the skin, combined with the nourishing benefits of coconut oil. Your skin will look dewy and refreshed.
Combine two cups of sugar with two cups of coconut oil and mix until you get a mashed-potatoes consistency. Add more sugar to thicken if needed. Add four to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Store in a glass container at room temperature in a cool spot or refrigerate.
Michelle Davis is an esthetician, Reiki practitioner, and yoga instructor.