Natural Tips For Clear Skin
Acne. It’s just something that happens when we’re younger. It’ll go away on it’s own. Right? But on my 26th birthday, when my acne of 13 years was at its worst to date, I must say… I begged to differ.
It seems that we’re taught that acne has 2 causes: a hormonal imbalance, or an improper skincare routine. We’re taught that, as long as we keep our skin clean, acne should subside once we hit adulthood. But what I think people often fail to realize is that acne many times develops as a product of your body expelling toxins from within. Your liver can only handle so much, and when it’s hit with more impurities than it can take on, it often pushes them out through your skin in the form of blemishes.
So what do we do? We change our angle. No longer is the focus on slathering our skin with products in an attempt to diminish red bumps. Let’s go straight to the roots and start from within.
I recently made a bunch of changes with what I’ve been ingesting in order to better my health in other ways, and I have been so psyched to find my skin clear itself right up. It’s almost unbelievable! A pleasant surprise to say the very least. Here are my tips on clearing your skin naturally. My one additional piece of advice, though, is not to take these on all at once – it might be too much detoxing for your body to handle. Just do it a little at a time – and don’t get discouraged if your skin worsens a bit at first. When you detoxify, the initial surge of toxins are known to make matters worse as they’re being expelled – just for a bit!
Ditch the damn chemicals. No more benzoyl peroxide. No more salicylic acid. No – stop it – no. I used to be addicted to these chemicals – my skin actually seemed to build up a tolerance to them, so I’d have to use more and more to see any results at all. But that all changed once I had a little revelation. Not only are “skin-clearing” chemicals like these incredibly drying, they’re also… chemicals! They’re toxins. As soon as you put them on your skin, they’ll be absorbed into your body for your liver to process and get rid of – likely in the form of acne – which is essentially the whole reason you’re using them to begin with. A vicious cycle.
Use natural topical solutions. Instead of using chemicals to clean your skin, use gentle oil cleansers that come from the earth. Yes, oil. I was freaked out at first thinking that my skin would break out from the oil, but it did just the opposite. Oil combats oil by mimicking that which is produced by your skin, causing your body to stop overproducing it. Plus, it leaves your face feeling incredibly soft and hydrated. I use the ayurvedic facial cleansers by Aromabliss, which are made in small batches in Philadelphia. You can also use tea tree oil as a spot treatment – it has properties that kill fungus and bacteria, as well as reduce some allergic reactions on the skin. Coconut oil and apple cider vinegar are two other incredible natural skincare products to try!
Juice, juice, juice. Fresh vegetable juice is an incredibly efficient way to treat your body with a wave of beautiful nutrients. I’ve been juicing 2-3 times a day for the past few weeks, and it feels incredible. In addition to clearing your skin, you’ll be offering your body a multitude of other amazing benefits, depending on the vegetables you use! Try to focus on leafy greens like kale and dandelion greens, as well as those with a high water content like cucumber and celery.
Cut back on sugar and dairy. I’ve had to temporarily remove these things from my diet for other reasons, but to my delight, it turns out that a dairy-less, sugar-less diet is an excellent recipe for clear skin! Both dairy and sugar (including starchy carbs) cause spikes in certain hormones that cause acne. You don’t necessarily need to avoid them altogether, but you should certainly experiment with limiting your intake. If you find yourself craving carbohydrates, go for organic whole grains, or natural sugars in the form of fruits – but be sure not to overindulge.
Drink water. Just drink it. A lot of it. Dehydration is often a contributing factor to acne, so make sure you get your fill of water every day. Aside from hydrating your body, water helps carry nutrients to your skin cells, and it helps excrete toxins from that beautiful body of yours.
Detoxify further. Sometimes toxins need a bit of a push to be removed from your body, and you can use calcium bentonite clay or activated charcoal to help with just that. When ingested, these will soak up toxins like a giant sponge and help move them out of your system. Just be absolutely certain that what you’re using is food grade, and do a bit of research to make sure you’re taking them properly! Oh yeah, you can use both of these in homemade skin-clearing face masks, too. 🙂
What are your tips for clearing skin naturally? Please share the wealth!
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