The skin is an extremely sensitive organ that is kept healthy due to a constantly regenerating, ingenious circulatory system of water, lymph, blood and fat. Due to the complexity of the skin, to understand how the skin is built up and how this organ works, it is useful to watch one or more educational videos about it. I have compiled these in a video list.
How to maintain healthy skin?
Since the skin is nourished in the skin itself via the body’s systems and not on the surface, it is important to eat healthy food and drink enough water (1-2 litres per day) in addition to other liquids such as coffee, tea, soup, juice, etc. Coffee and black tea dehydrate the body. Breathing fresh air, while being physically active, contributes to optimal digestion and thus also to healthy skin. Daylight is also part of natural skin care. Daylight creates a natural vitamin D that is absorbed and transported by the skin into the body. Maintaining the skin from the outside is part of daily hygiene to keep bad odours, bacteria, viruses and fungi away, to avoid diseases. Skin-friendly body oils moisturise the skin, and, together with exfoliation and massage, they are a way to keep it vital, elastic and shiny.
1. Soap
It is astonishing that soap manufacturers of, for example, the very popular Aleppo soap Savon de Marseille and Castile soap do not provide information about the pH value. The pH value of all natural soaps is 9. Cretan Garden soaps are natural soaps, comparable to Aleppo soaps, and also have a pH value of 9. This pH level is related to the formula of handmade natural soaps according to ancient traditions. There are manufacturers of the so-called neutral soaps, or so-called ecologically degradable soaps, who also do not provide any information about them. There are natural soap manufacturers who add natural acidic substances from, for example, aloe vera to lower the pH level. For me, it has been a conscious choice to follow the old traditional methods and formulas. Although the Cretan-Garden olive soap is alkaline, the skin only needs 15 minutes to return to its own pH. The benefits of olive oil, herbs and essential oils in the soap are still present in the thin film that remains on the skin, nourishing, protecting and keeping the skin elastic.
*Advice. If the soap is used for scalp and hair washing: use rosemary soap, and argan oil after washing, on towel-dried hair if you have dry and/or curly hair. Grey hair can also be very dry. Argan oil is also used in the so-called Moroccan oil, but argan oil is pure oil and does not contain perfume or other chemicals. To make argan oil more yours, you can mix a drop of essential oil with argan oil in the palm of your hand before spreading it over your hair, and rub it into the hair and scalp for about a minute.
*Advice for using soap on the skin on the face: Do not use soap too often. Use lukewarm water and dry the facial skin.
2. A skin friendly body oil
Cretan-Garden: Recipes for a skin conditioner
Note: the recommended amount of drops of essential oil per 200 ml of olive oil for a body oil is a safe total. On the Aroma Therapy Foundation website it is written that the total depends on the power of each individual essential oil: they are all different in weight, which means that a drop of lavender is lighter than a drop of oregano, for example. They recommend 20 – 40 drops per 100 ml of olive oil. I recommend a maximum of 20 drops per 200 ml of olive oil, for use on the body and face. Your skin may react to it anyway. Advice: test your homemade body oil on a small spot on your arm, and wait to see how your skin reacts before using it on your entire body.
Do not use body oil as a sun oil. You can use it as an after-sun treatment. Protect your skin from the sun with a cream with a high protection factor. However, the best protection is to avoid direct sunlight, by wearing a sun hat or sitting in the shade.
3. Exfoliation of the skin
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin cells from the outer layer of your skin. If done well, in a way that suits your skin type, it creates a bright, healthy complexion because the circulation in the skin has improved. The correct way to exfoliate allows for better absorption of body oils and creams. See also the Cretan-Garden blog post: Exfoliating the Skin.
*Tip: the skin on your face should not be exfoliated in the same way as the skin on your body. Because the skin on your face is constantly exposed, dealing with temperature variations, air pollution, an overdose of aggressive sunlight, dry indoor air in the winter, air conditioning in the summer and winter, the skin on your face needs gentle care. No form of exfoliation is gentle, unless you use a washcloth carefully.
4. Therapeutical massage
Since Wikipedia offers a very excellent article on massage, types of massage, massage in history and massage therapies, I will just add a few notes.
Massage stimulates muscles, blood circulation, organs, metabolism in the cells, balances the body systems, removes blockages of chakras, creates a bridge between your mind and body, and also activates the skin, because the skin is the medium between the hands of the therapist and the body under the skin. To get used to a therapeutic massage, one can start with a foot massage. Videos: playlist 1, playlist 2
A professional and therapeutic Thai massage is a possible next step: you wear comfortable clothes. Videos: playlist.
The professional and therapeutic Abhyanga (“oil massage”) is a form of Ayurvedic therapy that involves massaging the whole body from head to toe with Dosha-specific warm herbal oil. Self-massage is also possible. Abhyanga massage improves skin health. Healthline published an article about it. Video: Abhyanga self-massage. Video: Abhyanga massage India
5. Fresh air
The skin is our natural boundary between our inner physical body, our inner world, our Self and the outside world. Human development, linked to so-called civilisation, led to changes in habits, and in clothing. Our ancestors did not wear clothes, they used the skin and fur of the animals they killed for food, to protect against the cold. They did not live in closed houses, but in caves, huts or tents. Fresh air was a constant factor. The air was not polluted at that time. The skin could bathe day and night in clean air. Fresh air and oxygen are necessary to keep the skin in good condition. Opening windows, at least an hour or two per day, is a must to keep air hygiene optimal.
Going for a daily walk, also in winter, in an environmentally friendly area, creates healthy blood circulation. The blood is enriched by breathing in pure oxygen. The blood system also transports oxygen to the skin.
6. Daylight
We are the descendants of humans who lived in the open air, with an abundance of daylight. We must realise that our skin did not change as much during evolution as our habits in clothing and life. We live almost constantly in a closed house, office, workplace, car or any form of public transport, with artificial light. Natural light, daylight, is essential for our well-being, and for maintaining healthy skin. Note: daylight is created by the sun, but being in the full heat of a scorching sun is not healthy. The shade also provides natural daylight.
7. Water and healthy food
What you eat and drink can significantly affect your skin’s health. Drink at least a litre of water per day, in addition to any other liquids like coffee, tea, juice, or soup. Healthline has excellent information on good foods for healthy skin.
Related information
- Skin rash – Blog Cretan Garden
- Effect of olive oil on skin – Blog Cretan Garden
- Essential oils and their aroma – Blog Cretan Garden
- Skin and pH – Blog Cretan Garden
- Exfoliating the skin – Blog Cretan Garden
More:
- Cretan Garden: Scientific research on olive oil, the use of olive oil on the skin, essential oils, cold-processed olive soap and herbs.
- Medical News Today: Benefits of olive oil for skin and face.
- Mayo Clinic – a non-profit American academic medical center focused on integrated healthcare, education, and research – Does drinking water give hydrated skin?
- Healthfully: The effects of sunlight[daylight, admin] and fresh air on the body
- Healthfully: Vitamin D & Extreme Sweating
