Feed your Face

By: Heather Garrod

Customers often ask me what they can do about their dry skin. I always tell them the answer is in their kitchen.

There are several skin nourishing ingredients that are in everyone’s pantry. Olive oil is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants. It does wonders when applied to the skin just after a bath or shower during the winter months. In the spring, our skin is able to hold more moisture, so grape seed or sweet almond oil are perfect because of their lighter consistency.

What else is in the kitchen? Fruits and vegetables! Avocados are easily absorbed into most skin types, are smoothing and soothing to the dermis and are packed with nutrients. Avocados make the ideal moisturizing mask for chapped skin by applying some of the fruit directly onto the affected area and leaving it for about 10 minutes. Cucumbers are cooling and the peel has anti- inflammatory and firming properties. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, cucumbers will help keep your skin healthy. Cucumber sections also help revive tired eyes. Other fruits like papaya, pear and apple contain enzymes that help exfoliate dead skin cells, while providing nourishment to the skin. Adding bananas to your treatment helps moisturize dry skin, while strawberries help with acne. Strawberries contain high amounts of Vitamin C, excellent for skin stability. It’s best to use organic fruit, especially with fruits that may be heavily sprayed with pesticides and do not have a removable skin.

There’s more! Yogurt is alkaline in nature, and applying it to the skin can help with conditions like acne and eczema- use a plain yogurt without added flavours or sugar. The naturally occurring probiotics in yogurt are a real boon to the skin, as well as the gut. What else is good for acne-prone skin? Honey! I recommend this as a spot treatment, a lot. Honey is drawing and antibacterial in nature, so it is a very gentle way to address acne inflammation. And it is a humectant, bringing moisture to the skin. I stay clear of alcohol-based treatments because they can cause the skin to produce more oil by their drying nature, setting up a vicious cycle.

Oatmeal baths have been used for hundreds of years to soothe irritated skin. They are especially nice for children suffering from chicken pox or diaper rash. Just make sure to use a cheesecloth or muslin bag to keep the oatmeal from messing up the tub. Apple cider vinegar is another household skin remedy. It restores the skin’s acid mantle, which helps protect it from infection. A diluted vinegar rinse in the hair will remove all shampoo residues, tone the scalp, and leave your hair feeling silky soft. It is also fantastic as an after-sunburn remedy!

©2013 Heather Garrod is a Certified Aromatherapist and owner of Planet Botanix at 301 Bank St in Centretown. She gives workshops on creating natural bodycare and has been creating natural bodycare for over eighteen years. The shop offers natural alternatives to commercial products and features a holistic therapy clinic.