How to Heal your Skin ‘Naturally’?
❝ The most ‘natural’ way in which you can heal your skin is by giving it what it truly needs. ❞
– Dermitecture
Ask yourself – does my need my aloe vera? Does it need turmeric powder? Besan? Chandan? What else? Rosehip oil? Sweet almond oil? Coconut oil?
By this point you might have realized that there is no definite answer to what your skin truly needs, in terms of ingredients.
But in terms of the care you give it, sure, if you stick to the 5 basic steps we have outlined ahead for you, your skin may be able to heal most ‘naturally’. If truly followed with consistently, you wouldn’t need a targeted ‘treatment’ to deal with the concern/s you’re struggling with. They are as follows:
1) Cleansing.
Cleansing is important because it gets rid of bacteria, dirt, sweat, product build-up, etc. from the skin. If you do not cleanse your skin adequately, it may lead to worsening of your pre-existing skin condition and lead to fresh problems such as formation of blackheads, whiteheads, acne, etc.
At the same time, if the cleanser is too harsh, it may strip the skin of its natural oils and disrupt skin barrier function. When this occurs, the skin is more prone to bacterial and UV attack, which again may lead to concerns as associated with under-cleansing.
Use a well-rounded cleanser which is pH-balanced, non-stripping and adequately cleansing.
2 Hydration.
Well, oily skin folks might deem this unnecessary but hydration is key when trying to achieve healthy skin (oil is not the same as water). Skin that lacks hydration (water, basically), is unable to heal and repair itself.
Whether you suffer from acne, hyperpigmentation, any other concern or no concern at all, ensuring you’re incorporating humectants somewhere in your routine would be immensely helpful.
Now you know why we rave about our hyaluronic acid serum so much. We’re so confident your skin would benefit from it!
3 Occlusion.
To ‘occlude’ in English means ‘to block’ or to form a barrier. When you have hydrated your skin, you do not want this water from evaporating. Using a moisturizer or face oil seals this moisture and is an absolute must in a well-rounded skincare routine. And no, this barrier will not stop your skin from ‘breathing’. Stick to one your skin is happy with and you will be happy, yourself. Failure to do so will make your skin suffer long-term.
4 Protection.
Cosmetic formulators might disagree on the efficacy of different ingredients but they all universally agree that protecting the skin by means of wearing a sunscreen is important. Consider this as a shield or mask for your face that protects it from damage.
5 Exfoliation.
Exfoliation is important because it ensures your skin cell turnover is operating optimally. What this means is that your pores are remaining clear and free i.e. not getting ‘clogged’. This can be achieved physically or chemically. Exfoliating the skin 2-3 times a week can keep several problems such as uneven texture or tone, whiteheads, blackheads, acne, hyperpigmentation, etc. at bay. Different ones may work for different people, but that’s a topic we will leave to be discussed another day. For now, keep these 5 key steps for achieving healthy skin in mind.