Introduction.

With the new year just days away, it’s the perfect time to set resolutions for healthier skin. Taking care of your skin is not only important for its appearance, but also for your overall health and wellbeing. In this post, I’ll go over some goals to consider for the new year that will help you feel good and achieve healthy, glowing skin in 2024!

1. Manage Stress Levels.

Healthy skin starts from within and if you are dealing with chronic stress, this can take a serious toll on your skin. Elevated levels of stress hormones, particularly cortisol, in your system, can cause your skin to produce excess oil, which can cause acne to flare up, especially if you are prone to breakouts. Stress also has a huge impact on skin aging, as stress hormones can break down collagen and elastin and impact cell turnover, which leads to premature aging in the form of more fine lines and wrinkles. In addition, your skin becomes more vulnerable to inflammation and itching due to increased production of histamines.

Finding healthy ways to manage stress is key to not only your emotional wellbeing but also your physical wellbeing. Engaging in regular exercise, whether that means yoga, strength training, or a walk, goes a long way towards reducing stress hormones. Seeking support and good conversation from loved ones, practicing meditation or mindfulness, and taking time for self-care are also hugely beneficial. I love to take an aromatherapy bath after a long day to unwind and I always feel so much better afterwards.

2. Get Enough Sleep.

When you are sleeping, that’s when your body is hard at work repairing and regenerating itself. If you are not getting enough sleep, your body cannot complete these processes, and your health suffers as a result. We have all experienced the effects of a sleepless night on the appearance of our skin- dark circles, puffiness, and an overall dullness to our complexions.

Getting 7-8 hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep will allow your body to recover from stress, repair muscles, organs, and skin tissue, and boost your immune function. Because your body is doing so much ‘clean up’ while you sleep, it’s important to have a good nighttime routine to prepare for it. Limiting screen time, avoiding eating right before laying down, and making sure your skin is fully cleansed before bed are great starts. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is also a great way to improve your skin’s appearance in the morning by reducing friction on your skin and, thus, reducing fine lines and irritation.

No matter how tired I am, I always make sure to cleanse my skin before going to bed. I use our Fountain Of Youth Cleansing Clay and spend a few minutes massaging it in to break down any surface oils and debris, as well as blackheads, so my skin is perfectly cleansed and ready for overnight repair.

3. Eat A Balanced Diet.

What you eat has a huge impact on the health of your skin. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and is responsible for elimination and protection, so any imbalances within can show up on your skin in the form of acne, redness, rashes, or irritation. The main triggers that I find with my clients are enriched wheat, dairy, and sugar. If a client of mine is experiencing issues with their skin, I usually suggest minimizing these foods from their diet to see what happens. Oftentimes, this can resolve ongoing skin issues within a short period of time!

It is also important to make sure you are getting enough healthy fats in your diet, which help to regulate your skin’s oil production, reduce inflammation, and strengthen your skin’s barrier function. Avocados, olive oil, and fish oil (I’m a big fan of fermented cod liver oil) are all excellent sources of healthy fats. In addition, antioxidant-rich foods, like berries, can provide extra support against premature aging and damage to your skin cells.

4. Stay Hydrated.

I’ve mentioned this in previous blogs, but staying hydrated is key to maintaining healthy skin! When your body is well-hydrated, your skin will have a softer, smoother texture, appear more plump with fewer fine lines, and have an overall brighter, healthy glow to it.

Ensuring you drink enough water is the best thing you can do to stay hydrated. Putting a pinch of sea salt (my favorite is Colima, which is free of microplastics) or electrolytes in your water will help even more so, and hydrating foods like cucumbers, watermelons, and citrus fruits are always great.

Topically, using an oil like our Holy Grail Face Oil to moisturize your skin will help keep it hydrated by creating a semi-occlusive layer on your skin that prevents water loss.

5. Develop a Skincare Routine.

Establishing a daily skincare routine is crucial for maintaining healthy skin. Applying products with harsh chemicals or too many ingredients can leave your skin irritated and imbalanced, while not doing anything can leave your complexion dull. I believe that the ideal skincare routine includes the actions of cleansing, exfoliation, toning, and moisturizing. When I designed our Flora Mirabilis products, I did so with that in mind and wanted to create a system that could achieve all of these steps using fewer products. The simpler you can make your routine, the easier it is to stick with it.

Here is an example of my ideal skincare routine, which is what I personally do for my own skin.

AM

• Wake up and cleanse your skin by splashing with cold water, and use a clean washcloth to scrub your skin gently. After washing your face in the evening, you should not need any cleansing products in the morning; water and a washcloth will suffice and will help keep your skin balanced. Over-cleansing can actually strip your skin of its natural oils.
• Apply your finishing products. For some, this may include serums, moisturizers, and eye products. I personally prefer to use our Holy Grail Face Oil as it does the job of all three of those products with only ten effective, all-natural ingredients. You may also apply sunscreen; if you do, it’s a good idea to use a natural one that contains a physical block, such as Zinc, rather than one that uses chemicals to block the sun.
• Perform a quick facial massage. You could use your hands or a Gua Sha tool, but spending at least 5 minutes in the morning massaging your skin goes a long way toward depuffing, contouring, and brightening your skin. I love to use my Beaty Tool because it’s stainless steel and won’t break if I accidentally drop it.

PM

• Deep cleanse to remove impurities from the day. You could use a cleanser, toner, and even an exfoliant, but I love to use our Fountain Of Youth Cleansing Clay because it takes everything off my skin, dissolves blackheads, and provides both a gentle exfoliating and toning action all in one. The physical act of cleansing with the Fountain Of Youth Cleansing Clay is similar to gommage- a cleansing technique that removes dead cells from your skin’s surface and smoothes out its texture, which provides an exfoliation gentle enough to be performed daily. The Fountain Of Youth Cleansing Clay also contains Apple Cider Vinegar, which does the work of a toner by adjusting your skin’s pH to a slightly acidic level and creating an astringent effect.
• Apply your finishing products. Again, here I am only using our Holy Grail Face Oil instead of serums, moisturizers, and eye products. It makes for such a quick, easy routine at the end of a long day and keeps my skin nourished overnight while it is hard at work repairing itself.

Remember, Consistency is Key!

Remember, consistency is key when it comes to achieving healthy skin. Stay committed to your skincare resolutions and make them a part of your daily routine. With time and dedication, you'll notice positive changes in your skin's texture, tone, and overall radiance. Let's make this year a healthy and glowing one for our skin!