SKINtervention 101

Chia seeds

I am 43 years old.  Just turned 43 earlier this month and I didn't blink an eye, cry into my pillow or run to the plastic surgeon's office to have myself oddly altered in any way.  Instead, I looked in the mirror and thought, "you could stand to lose a few pounds, but you're holding up well lady!"  The confidence I have gained along the way and into this new part of my life is endless.  I have lost the self consciousness that kept me from enjoying life in my youth.  There was a time when I wouldn't swim in a pool for fear or ruining my hair or causing my mascara to streak.  These days I can (soberly) fall into a certain famous celebrity's pool, have everyone laugh at my goofiness and laugh also as streaks of mascara run down my face.  Who knew I wouldn't end up taking myself so seriously at 43?  I had a lot to prove in my youth or so I thought and now...it's about enjoying the moment as it comes and laughing as often as I can.

This newfound breezy attitude doesn't mean that I'm going to sit back and let the wrinkles take over my face or body.  Oh, I'm going to fight alright, just not with scalpels and botox injections!  I prefer fruits and vegetables and the occasional sea algae.  I have learned that olive oil and avocados, roses and marshmallow root pack an antioxidant punch that can really transform my skin.  Wish I would have learned this some years ago because I believe my skin would be in even better shape, but I'm grateful now nonetheless.  I have also recently been aware how much my actions affect my skin.  I recently spent a weekend with my girlfriends in New York City and man did it show up on my face!  My skin appeared sallow, circles formed under my eyes and dry patches formed all from living it up, eating street food, staying out late and having a few too many cocktails with the ladies.  I needed a skintervention and needed it fast! 

Raw coconut cream

The first thing I did when I came back home was to exfoliate.  The dry patches were caused by dehydration from the alcohol.  Alcohol is very bad for your skin in large quantities.  (A little wine has proven to have skin protecting benefits and resveratrol found in red wine is actually beneficial in anti aging.)  I used a superseed mix of organic brown rice, chia and flax and blended it with raw coconut cream (the flesh of the coconut and oil) with a few drops of fennel oil and used this to gently exfoliate the dry patches into submission.  I prefer a gently seed exfoliator rather than walnut or apricot shells because they can "break" delicate skin and cause capillary damage.  My skin was instantly soft, dry patches gone.

Next, I needed to open my pores with a gentle facial tea steam.  I have formulated my own facial tea, but at home you can heat water in a kettle, add a few drops of essential oil for an aromatherapy effect and pour right into your bathroom sink.  Carefully, put your face over the sink with a damp washcloth over your head and allow the steam to open your pores.  You only need to do this a few minutes.  Once your pores are open, apply the damp washcloth over your face and let your skin rest.  This only takes a minute or two as well. 

While my skin has soothed and tissue has been softened by the exfoliation and facial tea steam I apply pure, Vitamin E rich argan oil to gently heal any abuse I have caused my skin.  Argan oil also contains rich polyphenols that protect skin cells and quickly fight free radical damage.  For my delicate eye area I apply Decouverte under eye repair serum, which contains barbary fig seed oil.  Barbary fig seed oil has a higher contentration of Vitamin E than argan oil and a unique composition of high linoleic  acids.  Decouverte also contains lycopene, natural retinol (from plant derived Vitamin A) found in rosehips, caffeine from cold pressed green coffee oil and azulene, a powerful anti inflammatory.  This serum is a super healer and just one night time use was all it took for the puffiness and dark circles to disappear. 

These tips, along with healthy eating of fruit, vegetables and lean protein and replenshing lost electrolytes with coconut water, plain water and antioxidant rich juices help to aid my partying ways.  This is a skintervention in the healthiest form and highly recommended after your girlfriends attempt to convince you that you are 25 all over again.  Thanks, but no thanks ladies!  I'll take confident and self depricating at age 43 over insecure and not as fun 25.   Although, that weekend was surely fun and I have the pictures to prove it.