Non-Toxic Skin Care - By Kim Otteby

Not sure about everyone else, but my skin certainly doesn’t like the cold weather. Instead of its normal healthy glow, it becomes dry and taught. Although it’s really tempting to just continue putting on more intensive moisturiser several times a day, this rarely solves the problem, especially if you’ve bought it from one of the local shops. The reason is because most commercial creams and moisturisers don’t work with the skin to regain balance. Instead they give the impression of softness and moisture through the chemical residue that they leave on the skin, although the effects are often short lived.

If you suffer from dry skin, then the first thing to do is make sure that you are drinking enough water (2 litres per day). It sounds so simple (because it is), yet it is one of the main ingredients for beautiful, healthy skin. Remember, all coffee and other caffeine containing beverages act as diuretics, and hence you will need to consume even more water. For your skin to retain proper moisture balance it is also vital that you keep topped up on your essential fats, particularly omega 3. Either supplement with a high quality fish oil or flax seed oil, or make sure to eat plenty of flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and/or fatty fish.

Up to 60% of what we apply to our skin is absorbed, 80% if the skin is wet. Indeed, this “transdermal” route into the body is used to deliver drugs such as nicotine or hormones in patches stuck to the skin. No one in their right mind would take a spoon and start eating from their pot of face cream, but that is in fact what you are doing when you put it on your face! 
Some researchers estimate that each year, most of us absorb two kilos of the 75,000 industrial chemicals from our skin care products.

Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to buy skin care products on the high street that don’t contain potentially dangerous substances. Ninety-nine percent of skincare products, for example, contain preservatives shown to have “gender-bending” effects on mammals, not to mention increase the risk of various cancers. And remember, nature sells, so in a world of cosmetics, soft-focus images of flowers and claims to be natural, organic, calming or detoxing, are abound. Since there is no regulation on these claims and very few guidelines on what constitutes organic in cosmetics, many claims are virtually meaningless. Many “natural” products may simply have plant extracts added to their standard base formula. Always check ingredients listings.

Until recently you could not find any truly natural, organic, non-toxic skincare products in Zambia. These products are now available, but you can also make your own safe skincare products. For instance, for a wonderful dry skin moisturiser combine 1 vitamin E capsule (prick the capsule and then just squeeze out the contents), with 2 tbsp or sweet almond or grapeseed oil and add two drops of either frankincense or sandalwood essential oil. For a great moisturising mask try mixing 1 very ripe banana, 1 very ripe avocado, 1-2 tbsp thick natural yogurt and 1 tbsp of honey. Leave it on for at least 10min before you gently wash it of.
Good luck!