Discover the difference between

Moisture & hydration to prevent crepey skin.

Here is the key difference between moisture and hydration. The skin barrier is in charge of preventing water loss. A strong skin barrier reduces the so called trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), meaning the skin retains moisture for longer. So if our skin can hold moisture in, it means it can stay hydrated and looking plump.

The skin in adulthood can weigh almost 5 kgs and cover an area about the size of a large dining room table. Although is so large, it can be as thin as ½ mm. Yet is the only one solid protection we have against the environment.

Hence, the skin is our ultimate overcoat. it’s waterproof, regulates heat, gives us immunity and protection from physical trauma, bacterial invasion, dehydration, ultraviolet radiation, chemical and thermal damage.

What is creepy skin?

Crepey skin is thin and looks finely wrinkled like crepe paper.While crepey skin is similar to common wrinkles in many ways, the condition tends to impact larger areas. As a result, It is most common under the eyes, hands, knees and on the upper inner arms looking noticeably more fragile and thin.

Sun damage is the most common cause of crepey skin, however it is not the only one. Crepey skin can also result from aging, a lack of moisture, excessive and rapid weight loss, or any combination of these.

Collagen and elastin are the fibres in charge of making the skin looking supple and smooth, and we produce less as we age.

Pollution, toxins, stress, and smoking all take a toll on skin over time and can contribute to visible signs of aging.

In addition, as we age, our skin produces less oil than it did when we were younger. These oils create an important lipid barrier that protects your skin and helps seal in moisture. Hormonal changes can also lead to drier skin and less natural oil production.

So how can we help our skin to hold moisture in, stay hydrated for longer and looking plump?

How to prevent creepy skin naturally ?

👉 It’s incredibly important to wear sunscreen to properly protect your skin from sun damage to prevent crepey skin. The sun’s ultraviolet light breaks down collagen and elastin. Once these fibres break down, the skin can loosen, thin, and wrinkle.

👉A well-balanced diet, high in antioxidants (colourful fruits and vegetables) may help support the health of your skin. Vitamin C, in particular, is beneficial for skin health because it plays a role in collagen production. Therefore, it does help prevent the breakdown over the years.

If eating dark chocolate is your guilty pleasure, this potential skin elasticity fix is for you. Studies have found that daily intake of cocoa flavanols, a compound in chocolate, improved skin elasticity, and reduced wrinkles. Cocoa flavanols are naturally occurring, dietary flavonoids found in the cacao bean. Cacao beans are gently roasted before becoming Cacao powder. Cacao powder is rich in copper which nourishes energy levels and magnesium which supports an active mind. It’s also a source of zinc which contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. You can create a delicious hot chocolate dairy-free drink, or cold shakes adding “collagen protein supplements” to prevent creepy skin from within.

👉A simple sugar scrub may help remove dry, dead skin cells and improve the appearance of your skin overall. However, in between the exfoliation days the best thing to do at home is make sure you’re using face and body cleansers that don’t strip your skin of its natural lipid and protein barrier.

Ideas for a home-made scrub:

✔️1/2 cup of brown sugar: ideal ingredient to gently exfoliate dry feet,

✔️60 ml oil of your choice like olive, almond or Coconut Oil

✔️5 drops of Essential Oil: Peppermint for quick me up! , Roman Chamomile or Lavender for calmness , Frankincense: for stress, Geranium or Juniper Berry to fight cellulite skin

Strengthen the skin barrier with carriers oils :

✴️ Safe, inexpensive, and widely available, sunflower oil is a good ally as long as there is not a known sunflower seed allergy.

✴️ Coconut oil helps to strengthen the skin barrier, which minimizes irritants from entering the skin and maintains skin hydration. In addition, both of which work to reduce potential inflammation.

✴️ Jojoba oil works to seal your skin with a protective barrier to keep it from losing moisture. This may help prevent bacterial infections, acne, and dandruff from forming.

✴️ Borage oil’s high GLA (Gamma Linoleic acid) and LA (linoleic acid) content make it a fantastic rebuilder of the skin’s barrier. This in turn leads to the skin looking smoother and more elastic.

✴️ Organic Argan oil has high levels of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids (Oleic acid and Linoleic acid) which penetrates the skin to boost moisture and activate natural lipids (fats) to protect the skin barrier.

✴️ Evening Primrose oil is another example plus it is a hormonal balancer.

How to use carriers and essential oils?

After sun exposure , sunburn or as a daily moisturiser, you can add to a good organic moisturizer carrier oils such us: Jojoba, Sunflower, Borage to strengthen the skin barrier, and specific essential oils:

Geranium essential oil: to re-hydrate and balance the skin after sun exposure. It has astringent properties, which makes it useful for treating bruises and wounds of thin skin. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory effects which are beneficial for psoriasis and eczema which usually appear more with warmer days.

Other good options are Lavender, Cedar wood , Roman chamomile, Copaiba, Frankincense or Helichrysum, because they are highly anti-inflammatory and calming oils.

Juniper Berry or Cypress to detox and to combat cellulite.

Peppermint to combat hot flashes.

To ease the itchy sensation of mosquitoes bites and for an anti-inflammatory effect you can add some drops of Tea Tree. It is analgesic and antibacterial.

Enhance your daily face and body moisturisers with carrier oils plus specific essential oils based on your needs. They strengthen your skin barrier delivering additional health benefits.

Additional recipes :

👉You can make a natural spray for your children:

with 25 ml of water plus 4 drops of tea tree and up to 6 drops of Geranium or Lavender.

Its effective, mild and you are protecting their skin barrier for the future.

👉Taking about insects and nasty bites we can protect our skin before walks naturally (less toxins to protect the skin barrier) :

“Tick’s season” repellent

In a 60ml Spray bottle:

6 drops of Lemongrass

6 drops of Eucalyptus

Top off with distilled water

Shake well, spray on dog’s legs, your shoes, socks and trousers cuffs.

👉DIY Insect repellent & home cleaner:

We are always cleaning and these toxins are not making our hand’s skin happy.

You can use a 500-ml spray bottle and prepare a homemade chemical-free repellent and home cleaner. You can clean your kitchen tops, hobs, dining table and window frames. Insects dislike lemongrass and peppermint, while these blends of Essential Oils are highly antibacterial too. Shake well before use and wipe it off thoroughly.

👉Diffusing lemongrass, Lemon, Lime or Tea Tree allows you to leave everything open and avoid flies and bees without the use of nasty chemicals, reducing the toxic load, as this will also impact our skin barrier.

Hope you found these tips doable and simple to hydrate your skin naturally

… Invest in your skin …

Its going to represent you for a very long time.😊

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