Leading Australian skin expert Sharon McGlinchey of MV Organic Skincare, offers six vital techniques for naturally beautiful skin.
With twenty years experience in gently treating difficult skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea and chemical sensitivity, it’s no surprise that Sharon’s award winning organic, vegan MV skincare is beloved by celebrities such as Maggie Gyllenhall, Emma Watson, Poppy Delevinge, Melissa George, Francesca Versace and beauty professionals worldwide. Here are Sharon’s tried and tested techniques.
Tip 1 – Cleanse from the inside out
Start your day with a glass of warm water with lemon (juice half a lemon per glass). It’s a great way to stimulate digestive function and cleanse the liver. This will lessen the load on the skin as an organ of elimination. Also, by supporting digestive function you enhance the absorption of nutrients which is essential for healthy skin, as well as health generally.
Tip 2 – Always remove your make up
Sleeping with make up on means your skin has an occlusive film over it from the moment you apply it in the morning until you cleanse the next morning. 24 hours without the skin breathing, secreting and excreting properly leads to dull, congested, lazy skin! Cleanse thoroughly with a gentle nonstripping cleanser in the evening so all traces of makeup and grime are removed.
Tip 3 – Exfoliation: use a gentle touch
We are constantly advised that we should exfoliate more to remove dead layers of skin, deep cleanse and detoxify. Yet most of us will have found our skin red and irritated after an acid peel or granular scrub and assumed this to be a normal part of the exfoliation process. This is, in fact, irritation.
That doesn’t mean we have to give up exfoliation altogether. Daily warm compress cleansing achieves clearer, healthier and smoother skin without the irritation so often associated with peels and scrubs.
Tip 4 – How to cleanse perfectly
Smooth a gentle, natural cream based cleanser over your face. Wet fingertips, then massage your face and neck for 10-15 seconds. Then, hold a warm-to-hot damp muslin cloth or washer on the skin for five seconds and wipe away excess cleanser. The steam from the warm cloth stimulates the circulation, increasing blood flow and, therefore, the flow of oxygen to the surface of the skin. The cloth also warms and moistens the cleanser, helping it to dissolve makeup and grime so that it can easily be wiped away. At the same time, the muslin cloth lifts away any surface dead skin cells, gently exfoliating without the need for a granular scrub.
This very gentle but extremely thorough method of cleansing has the effect of a mini facial as it ‘exercises’ the skin, and two minutes, twice a day, is all it takes.
Tip 5 – Intense nourishment instantly
Moisturise immediately after cleansing while the skin is still warm and damp. This will help the moisturiser to penetrate quickly, provide additional hydration by locking in a layer of moisture and reduce the amount of product required.
Tip 6 – Avoid toxic products
Nowadays we buy organic fruits and vegetables due to the knowledge we have of pesticides and their possible effect on our body. Yet we continue to cover ourselves in petrochemicals, carcinogens, neurotoxins and skin irritants on a daily basis.
Research indicates twice as many toxins can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin as the digestive system, potentially producing harmful long term effects.
Here are some toxic ingredients you should look out for and avoid when shopping for beauty products:
- Mineral Oil sounds innocent but it’s actually liquid petroleum, a byproduct in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline. Cheap mineral oils actually prevent skin from functioning normally and are most likely carcinogenic.
- Propylene Glycol: This cosmetic form of mineral oil is commonly found in skin and personal care products, as well as household cleaning products. It is an eye irritant and an ingestible poison and can cause numerous skin reactions.
- Parabens: The most frequently used chemicals in cosmetics, parabens such as methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl paraben are used as preservatives and antibacterials but they mimic oestrogen and upset the hormone balance, with potentially significant side effects.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS): Used as a surfactant (foaming agent) in body washes, bubble baths, foaming cleansers, cream cleansers, shampoos and toothpaste, SLS is a common skin irritant and rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver.
- Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES): The alcohol form of SLS. Both SLS and SLES may react with other ingredients, causing potential carcinogens, such as nitrates, to form and enter the bloodstream after just one shampooing.
- DEA (Diethanalomine): This readily absorbed detergent and emulsifier is frequently used in both cosmetics and shampoos, despite warnings of carcinogenicity and chronic toxic effects in organs such as the brain.
- Artificial Fragrances: These often contain carcinogens such as methyl chloride. Unless an essential oil is specified on the label, the chances are it will be synthetic.
- Colours: Colours made from coal tars have been found to be carcinogenic in varying degrees and can cause nausea, mood swings, headaches and fatigue. Check for artificial colour ingredients in your shampoos, eye colouring, mascara, nail varnishes and lipstick.
This article first appeared on ninemsn.com.au.