There is a classic Simpsons episode where Nelson yells at Bart that his epidermis is showing. Bart gets all flustered, falls out of his treehouse, breaks his leg, and condemns himself to a summer in a wheelchair and a cast. It is a brilliant homage to Hitchcock’s Rear Window, and is one of my favorites. After Bart falls, Nelson says “epidermis means your hair, so technically it’s true”.
Well, I have an inkling poor Nelson won’t be getting full marks in biology. Epidermis is not hair, but rather the outermost layer of skin. It is the most visible part of the largest organ in the human body – our skin. On average, the surface area of our skin measures between 16 and 21 square feet. It has three layers: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous.
Our skin protects our inner organs from external attacks, helps to regulate the temperature of the body, and provides us with a way to sense and interpret the physical world. There are tons of products devoted to making skin look younger, smoother, cleaner, and more vital. And why is that? Well, because time, stress, diet, sun exposure, our close environment – and possibly Doritos… – all have a real effect on how our skin looks and feels.
Regardless of any external influences, our skin has its own genetic predisposition. Skin can be naturally oily, dry, neither, or a mixture of the two. The body’s natural oil, by the way, is called sebum. It is produced by special glands which are located all over our body, except for the palms and feet. Some products do contribute to the skin, but are also laden with chemicals and harsh ingredients. Substances which, in the long run, could cause more harm than good.
Forget those pharmaceutical products. There are some all-natural solutions to perfect-looking skin. There are actions and substances which will provide you with the healthiest and clearest skin of your life, and which carry a lesser probability for negative side-effects, in the short and long term. It’s a win-win.
This is by no means the only way to achieve this, but here are just a few of those healthier solutions. Things you can choose to implement on your day-to-day.
Sleep
‘Beauty sleep’ is not just an expression. It is a real thing, and it has real consequences. No need to get into anything too scientific here. This is something so obviously plain, it is almost mundane. Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for proper development at any age and any stage, and the quality of our sleep helps determine our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Skin cells die and fall away from us all day, every day. Skin cell regeneration kicks into high gear when you are asleep, because it is at night that our body is at its most relaxed state.
Diet
“Let thy food be thy medicine”. One of the oldest tricks in the book, as it were. This statement is incontrovertible. Natural preventive medicine is the best kind, and a healthy diet is a big part of that. You want your skin to shine? Start by eating right. What you eat and drink gets into your system, and has a visible and noticeable effect on you, inside and out. Try more avocados, pomegranates, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and other foods which are high in vitamin E, Omega-3, keratin, and antioxidants. There are many other skin-friendly foods out there, all aching to be eaten.
Proper Rinsing
While this solution may appear to be absurdly obvious, you’d be surprised at how many people carry it out in a way which is counter-productive. In order for the skin to be clean and stay clean, you should use fresh water, a cleanser with no harsh elements (fragrances, detergents), and a towel which has not been previously used. A designated face towel can make a very big difference. Those other towels in your bathroom? The bath and shower towels? The hand towels? They have been used for a lot of things. The face can be a sensitive area, because of the amount of sebum-secreting glands it has. Better have several small-ish towels on hand. One which are strictly meant for facial use. Use in the morning, possibly that evening (should you rinse twice a day), and put in the hamper.
Jojoba Oil
Well, many essential oils are good for your skin, to be honest. Coconut, rose, lavender, sandalwood, to name a few. I am simply biased towards jojoba because of my own positive experiences with it. I used to know it as a hair-styling gel ingredient, but it turned out there is a lot more to it than that. The jojoba plant – or more specifically, its nuts and that nut’s oil – has been used for skin and hair care for thousands of years, and it goes by the name simmondsia chinensis.
Jojoba is unique because of its striking resemblance to the sebum. It is a natural skin conditioner and moisturizer, and can be used for healing or beauty purposes. Anything from hydrating chapped lips and cracked feet to controlling acne and eczema.
You know those people with perfect skin? The kind where you look at them and go “wow, that is gorgeous-looking skin”. And no, I am not talking about some photoshopped model in Vogue or Cosmo. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I wholeheartedly agree. And what our eyes behold, other than a person’s clothing, is first and foremost their skin.
It is precisely for this reason that so many skin-care products have been formulated, manufactured, and sold all over the world. We all want to look younger, and our skin plays a big part in that. Do yourself a favor, and give some more natural solutions a try. They won’t provide results overnight, but they will put you on a path to a healthier and younger-looking you, from the inside out.
Bio: Caleb is a writer and researcher for Maple Holistics, a provider of Jojoba Oil. Maple Holistics provides industry leading, all-natural hair, body, skin, and food products. The company offers a natural, holistic range of premium products which can enhance hygiene, health and daily living. Company products are made in the USA.
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