It’s easy to spend a fortune on skin care products, but how many of them are worth the money? If you have sensitive skin, it’s even more of a conundrum – you need to protect your skin, but you may be buying something that will cause irritation. You could try some of these simple, age-old skin care treatments at a fraction of the cost.
Live for your skin
It’s easy to get into bad habits – too much coffee, alcohol, fatty foods, sugar. You don’t have to live like a saint, but try to keep these foods to a minimum. Instead, replace with healthier alternatives like herb teas, fruit or nuts. Rather than spending money on beauty products, spend time finding recipes for meals that will do you good and that you want to eat. The effect on your skin can be tremendous.
Water it
Two litres a day is recommended – that’s two medium-sized glasses four times a day. It’s not hard at all, but so important for your wellbeing!
Natural ingredients
Coconut oil is great to use, either as a mild cleanser or as a moisturiser. Rich in vitamin E, it works as an antioxidant. If possible, use organic, cold-pressed and unrefined coconut oil.
Steaming is great to open the pores before cleansing. Either use a steamer or simply enjoy a hot shower.
Use porridge oats mixed with water as a simple facial scrub. This is very mild, particularly suitable for people who suffer with eczema.
Another lovely, refreshing scrub is made by mixing 2 or 3 strawberries with 1 tablespoon of honey, or try a face mask made from 1 peach or nectarine (peeled) mashed with 3 teaspoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of yoghurt. Honey is well-known for its healing properties and is a very popular ingredient in skin care products.
If your skin is very dry, you may need to buy a moisturiser. Fortunately, there are great brands on the market which are suitable for even the most sensitive skins, and they won’t break the bank. Eucerin Aquaphor soothing skin balm is a long-established, trusted product for very dry or even damaged skin (http://www.lifeandlooks.com/eucerin-aquaphor-soothing-skin-balm.html).
Otherwise, a good moisturiser is shea butter. It comes from the nut of the African shea tree. It’s rich in vitamins A and E, so it’s particularly good as an antioxidant.
