My guess is that if you're a woman above the age of 20, you take care of your skin. Most of us want natural, glowing skin that is well hydrated, firm, and elastic. We don’t mind having a few lines and wrinkles, as long as they come from natural expressions and aging, and not from eating junk food or smoking.

The skin is an amazing organ — it prevents water, microbes, dirt, and other particles from entering the body. It regulates your body temperature by allowing you to sweat excess heat and to shiver during the cold to help the blood move faster. It harnesses the energy of the sun, and converts it into vitamin D — your skin can actually create energy on the highest level!

It's also a window into your body’s health. What you eat and drink, your digestion, your liver’s ability to detox, your stress levels and sleep patterns — all of these show themselves through your skin. Your skin works hard for you, so you should work hard for it.

Here are 10 ways to show your skin that you love and appreciate what it does for you:

1. Cleanse

You don’t want to clog your skin’s pores with dirt, bad lotions, or unhealthy makeup. When you clog the pores, they become irritated and cause inflammations in the forms of pimples and bumps. Clean your skin with a mild natural foam or cleansing lotion, and wash your face with water. Do this every morning and evening, and potentially use a mist spray after.

2. Exfoliate

This is a very important, but often forgotten, treatment. You can use a natural mild exfoliator such as glycolic or lactic acid. You can also exfoliate with balms and powders derived from oatmeal or almonds (such as Dr. Haushka Cleansing Cream), or other cleaning products that use acai or seed powders.

Try a few different ones and find your favorite. Don’t forget to exfoliate the whole body and not just your face. Use a salt and sugar scrub with coconut oil and add your favorite essential oil. These days, my favorite oils are ylang ylang and lemon.

3. Nourish.

Oils and serums from natural and organic plant oils do wonders for both dry and oily skin. Some great options are: pure acai oil, Moroccan argan oil, and rose hip seed oil. Use these after your morning and evening cleanses while your face is still damp. Use coconut oil on the rest of your body.

Also, make sure that you get oils and fats in your diet. They feed the fat layer of the skin (the hypodermis). The healthier your hypodermis is, the more filled and firm your skin will appear. Great sources for these oils and fats are butter from grass-fed cows, organic coconut oil, cacao butter, and olive oil. Remember, eating these fats will not make you fat!

4. Hydrate.

I love serums and Hyaluronic acid gel. These are the most hydrating products you can get. The second layer of your skin produces it on its own, but there is no harm in giving it a helping hand. Hyaluronic acid binds with water and functions as natural filler in your face, which is what you want. Make sure that you drink at least two liters of water a day, as water is crucial for a healthy biology.

5. Feed.

Make sure to use lotions and creams. You don’t need specific creams for day and night purposes, just make sure to use ones that are derived from natural and organic sources. However, if you suffer from very dry skin, you might want to use an oil-rich lotion on your body in the evenings. (Just make sure that your lotions don’t include any hormone disturbing substances like parabens!)

This is important when moisturizing the body, as the surface area is so much larger than the face. Structure and sculpt your face by including building components in your diet: proteins. These are excellent sources of protein that your skin will thank you for: fish, meat from organic grass-fed animals, eggs, whey and hemp protein powder, almonds and nuts.

6. Boost.

Vitamins and antioxidants are very helpful because of their anti-inflammatory effects. As you select your skin care products, make sure you include vitamin C, D, E (as mixed tocopherols), A and beta-carotene. They can also be found in extracts from green tea and pomegranate seeds.

Your diet should also include a variety of colorful greens and vegetables. Different colors communicate differently within the body, and your skin needs them all to work at its best.

7. Treat

Spoil your skin and get a proper facial every six weeks — face massages work as natural facelifts (and they feel wonderful!).

8. Love

Food can talk to all three layers of the skin. Eat some words of love by including the following in your diet: blueberries, pomegranate, spinach, parsley, turmeric, butter from grass fed sources, coconut oil, salmon, almonds, and kefir.

9. Detox

A logical step towards beautiful skin is to have a clean biology. If you don’t have healthy digestion, functioning detoxification of the liver and kidneys, then it will show on your face. Constipation and bad skin go hand in hand, so aim to have to easy bowel movements a day. It helps to consumer water, fiber, and probiotics — it’s even better to live a sugar-free lifestyle.

10. Rest


Sleep and relaxation — these are so much more important than most people think. Take time to focus on mindful breathing everyday. Slow down, you don’t always have to be in a rush. Make sure that you're getting at least seven hours of quality sleep every night. Go beyond and practice a form of yoga daily. Join a class, or do some at home in the evenings. This will make it easier for you to fall asleep and get fully rested. Exercise and making love has the same effect — stay active for the beauty of your skin!