Nourish dry skin with 3 Ayurveda tips for skin that glows with good health!
If you'd like to boost your body's defenses, discover Amla, the Queen of Vitamin C!
Though a wide array of nutrients work to keep us and our skin healthy, Vitamin C is a skin defender loved by all. Here’s how it helps, and how to put it to work for you.
Mother Nature has given us so many natural ways to support our health, and keep our skin looking and feeling good. One of the amazing nutrients we’ve been gifted is Vitamin C, a.k.a. ascorbic acid.
This handy natural nutrient is what our bodies use to:
It also can help to lighten and brighten the complexion, reducing the appearance of age spots and evening out skin tone.
Nutrition is a building block of good self-care. And obviously Vitamin C is a critical piece! Fortunately, it’s also in many of our most-popular fruits and veggies.
Start by making sure you’re getting the recommended levels of Vitamin C. (It can be challenging, and time consuming, to keep track of nutrition, so sometimes tracking our meals and snacks with one of the many apps available can help.)
Best sources of Vitamin C: Citrus fruits (like oranges), red or green peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes and potatoes.
Vitamin C can also help you from the outside, in. One reason that vitamin C in skincare products is helpful to your complexion is that it brings the benefits right to the skin’s surface. And since the skin’s outermost layer doesn’t have any blood vessels to carry nutrients to it, serums or other products can help close that gap.
Skincare products that incorporate Vitamin C can help skin look more plump, and have a nice glow, quite quickly after applying. Over time you may even find dark spots begin to be less noticeable, too.
As with most self-care practices, balance is key. Too little vitamin C can leave your body less able to do the work it needs to keep you healthy, and make you tired, slower to heal, have puffy gums and more. Too much is no good either, often leading to stomach problems or, in topical skincare products, skin irritation. When in doubt, follow your physician’s recommendations.
It’s easy to see how Vitamin C is a skin defender for us all! Yet exploring the ways that this and other ingredients affect your skin is a smart practice. We each have a unique make up, and getting to know how the variations in your environment, stress, nutrition, and type, impact you is the best path to your best skin, and overall health.
Are serums good for your skin? For every skin? Here we take a look at facial serums…
We’re excited that we are all paying closer attention to how our skin feels, as well as how it looks—no more layering up in thick, sticky or stinging lotions and potions! And more and more, we also want skincare solutions that help our natural good looks to shine bright.
This is one of the reasons that serums have grown in popularity. But what are facial serums, and are they really that good for your skin? Here’s a closer look!
A serum is a liquid that contains a high concentration of beneficial ingredients, designed so that your skin can absorb them quickly.
When you start looking, you’ll find a variety of serum types available, each designed to provide certain benefits through their primary ingredients. Vitamins (and their derivatives, like retinol), fatty acids, collagen, and a variety of antioxidants are the most common agents.
Because they’re so concentrated, just a few drops of serum go a long way—the tiny molecules in them make each drop very rich in benefits.
Usually they’re best applied right after you cleanse your face, before you smooth on your moisturizer’s protective barrier. The combination often makes your skin look plumper, and help makeup go on more smoothly.
Yes! Many reputable studies have shown value in serums’ ability to deliver a helpful punch of ingredients that can minimize common skin concerns, from wrinkles, to dryness, to blotchiness and more.
While they come in many types (and price ranges), the quality of the serum is heavily dependent on the quality of the ingredients. According to Dr. Abigail Waldman, a dermatology instructor at Harvard Medical School, “How well they work depends on the…ingredients, the formulation, and. the stability of the compound.”
Much like anything you put on your skin (or ingest!), not every product is for everyone. Finding the right serum for you is more about matching the benefits you want, vs the skin type you have. Here are a few tips for finding the right serum for you:
Remember that your skin changes, too. Stress, diet, exercise, environmental conditions, hormones are just some of the many factors that can affect your skin cells—and that can change the type of serum you need.
The nourishing ingredients in serums can be a wonderful addition to your skincare routine, bringing out the best in your natural glow. Monitoring how your skin feels, as well as how it looks, can help you choose the right serum for your skin’s needs. Our Daily Glow Serum is one to look at for dry or stressed skin.
Tattoos are more popular than ever right now, with up to 40% of people under 35 having at least one (and 36% of those 36-54)—and a similar number then wondering how to keep tattooed skin healthy.
One important tip we’ve heard from many reputable artists is that you’ll get the best results when your skin is healthy to begin with!
So, moisturize regularly for a few weeks before your tattoo. In the days before your appointment, be sure to drink plenty of water (and avoid drinking dehydrating alcoholic and caffeinated beverages). Arrive at your appointment with a clean skin surface. And of course, choose a reputable artist with a good reputation, and clean studio and equipment.
Here are more things to know about keeping your tattooed skin healthy:
To help maintain skin health at the tattoo site, you’ll want to give it similar care to any open wound… plus a few extra steps over a longer period:
Hopefully you will have started a healthy skin ritual like our Joy to the Skin Collection even before your tattooing, but if not, now is the ideal time to begin one! Caring for your skin will not only help your body’s protective organ withstand infections, it will help your fine art show at its best for years to come.
If you’ve started to explore natural approaches to caring for your skin, you’ll probably have come across this term and may be wondering “what is ayurvedic skincare?”—and how might it apply to you… This intro will get you started!
Mark Twain once said that the finest clothing ever made is a person’s own skin. We couldn’t agree more!
Your skin, the largest organ in your body, plays a surprising number of roles in your body. Its primary function is to act as a barrier. But besides protecting your body from harmful things in the outside world, the skin also helps the body maintain the right internal temperature and allows us to sense the world through nerve endings.
It goes without saying that taking care of your skin is essential to your overall well-being. If you take good care of your skin, it can help take care of you. A good skincare routine leads to great, healthy skin. If you’ve ever looked into natural skincare approaches, or the science of eastern medicine, you may have come across a practice known as Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic skincare is one of the oldest and most practiced skincare routines. But what exactly is Ayurvedic skincare? And how can it help you maintain healthy, naturally glowing skin inside and out?
Based on ancient Indian medicine, Ayurvedic skincare emphasizes the use of herbs and other natural ingredients to treat and nourish the skin. The Ayurvedic system underscores the philosophy that true beauty comes from within.
It’s the internal foundation of wellness that helps you look better on the outside.
Ayurveda entails nourishing your mind, body, and soul. Eventually, practicing Ayurveda will help you become in tune with your body’s needs and take better care of yourself. You can use Ayurvedic principles to shape and tone your skin and body. When you apply Ayurvedic principles to your skincare routine, it’s known as the Ayurvedic skincare routine.
Ayurveda sets a pretty high standard for the concept of natural skincare. The typical Ayurvedic skincare routine uses food-grade ingredients only. In other words, if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.
The Ayurvedic skincare routine can include herbal formulations designed to nourish the skin based on your unique combination of the three doshas, or Prakruti. What are these?
Doshas are one of three life forces that make up the constitution of the body and mind. Ayurveda believes that every person has a dominant dosha. Identifying yours can help guide you to an optimal path for health, lifestyle—and your skincare routine. Together it forms a personalized approach to health.
The three doshas are:
• Vata (wind). Vata dominant individuals have sensitive skin that’s dry or rougher in texture.
• Pitta (fire). If you are a Pitta, your skin tends to be freckly and prone to acne and sunburn.
• Kapha (water and earth). People who fall under the Kapha skin type tend to have thick, naturally oily skin.
According to Ayurveda, every individual has a unique proportion of each dosha, usually with one being more dominant. Your unique combination of the three doshas (Prakruti) affects the health and appearance of your skin.
So, Ayurvedic skincare is an approach to living that starts with caring for your unique needs. It’s also a skincare routine built around the herbs, extracts, flowers, minerals, and essential oils that best nourish your skin’s harmony with nature and Prakruti. A good skincare routine from Srida Herbals can give you a healthy, happy start to a naturally healthier glow.
Often dry skin is caused, or made worse, by factors we’re unaware of, but that are actually under our control—so to help your skin feel more soothed, here are 5 things to avoid if YOU have dry skin.
Dry skin isn’t always the easiest to maintain, but it’s also not something to fear! With just a little extra care you can help your dry skin feel good and be healthy and at ease all year.
Skin is called “dry” when it doesn’t hold moisture—it might feel tight quickly after washing (and even after moisturizing). If your skin is severely dry it can crack, peel, and/or become red and itchy.
Staying well hydrated by drinking plenty of water is the first step in caring for your dry skin. While fruits and vegetables contain water too (along with plenty of skin nurturing vitamins and minerals), you need more. Most nutrition experts recommend adults take in eight 8oz glasses of water throughout the day.
Once you have that habit in place, here are some of the top things to avoid if you have dry skin.
Caffeine has a diuretic effect—meaning when you drink it you lose hydration. And the more of it you have, the less effective your body is likely to be in flushing out toxins. It also has an aging effect: caffeine reduces collagen in your skin cells.
Note that you’ll want to check on more than your coffee and tea, since many OTC headache medicines contain caffeine too!
A cup of coffee could run anywhere from 70-200+ mg… tea 32-42mg… colas 32-70mg and energy waters 50-125mg. But you’ll find 65mg in Excedrin — so check the label!
What do we mean by harsh treatment? Anything that scruffs the surface of your skin.
Fragrances and deodorants are all around us. You’ll find them in what we put on our bodies, in laundry and household cleaners, air fresheners, and many more. They may smell nice, but they can also dry the skin, and cause irritation, especially if yours is prone to allergies or sensitivity.
And while you’re scanning the labels of your favorite lotions and creams, you’ll also want to look out for products labeled “unscented.” These often indicate that they contain additives that neutralize or hide odors. Instead, choose those marked fragrance-free.
As the weather cools, most of us love to get cozy; we may crank up our heaters and cuddle close to the fire. All of which pulls moisture from the air in our homes, and, in turn, makes it more difficult for our skin to hold moisture, too. You can combat both with a humidifier in your bedroom. Another option, if you have a flat top wood-burning stove or radiator, is leaving a saucepan of water on top, open to evaporate into your room air. Just be careful to keep an eye on the water level though, so you don’t burn the pot or cause a fire hazard!.
Parabens are preservatives that are very common in a wide range of products you’ll find in stores. They’re designed to help products last longer on the shelf. But they can cause irritation, and some have been shown to be hormone disruptors and even increase cancer risks. Look for ingredients with “paraben” in the name, and make a different choice. As with fragrances and other additives, our preference and recommendation at Srida Herbals is to go natural!
As you gradually adjust your environment for these 5 things to avoid if you have dry skin, you may find it easier to manage common discomforts like itchiness. Moisturize regularly with a natural product designed for dry skin, especially while your skin is still a little damp, and use a gentle cleanser—like our Daily Melt Cleanser. These steps will go far to help you love your beautiful skin!
Is laundry detergent harmful to skin? If you're experiencing rashes itchy skin or bumps, it's a question worth asking. That's the topic we cover in today's article.
If you have days where you wish you could stop the itch from skin irritants in your home, and the visible or invisible rashes they cause, you’re not alone. Contact dermatitis—where your skin reacts to a substance either due to an allergy or an irritant, is extremely common. In fact, nearly everyone faces this issue at some point in their lives.
Worse, chronic conditions like atopic dermatitis (a.k.a. eczema), have been steadily rising for decades. Imagine trying to sleep or concentrate when you have what feels like dozens of mosquito bites on top of a sunburn, and you’ll get a sense of what eczema can feel like. Not fun.
And today, 10% of American residents report experiencing eczema in some form—and 1 in 4 developed it as an adult!
Results of many studies, over many years, tell us that much of the blame goes to environmental factors. High on the list: chemicals in our home and workplaces, and irritants and allergens overall.
Interestingly, children born outside the U.S. have a 50% lower risk of developing atopic dermatitis; and that risk actually increases after they’ve lived in the U.S. for 10 years*. One of the main differences may be that many other countries have stricter regulations on a wide array of residential, commercial and industrial toxins.
We’re immersed in a chemical soup, so finding ways to avoid as many of the triggers bothering our skin as possible, can really help!
In many cases, particular allergies or reactions can develop because of repeated use, or are associated with a particular person’s sensitivities. There are also products that are just downright dangerous and you must take extra care when using them. You likely know some of the main ones: bleach, ammonia, drain cleaners, paint and varnish or acids (including those in batteries).
But there are likely to be many other substances known to be common skin irritants in your home — many you may NOT think of. Here’s a sampling:
Because the cumulative effect of multiple chemicals can contribute to worse effects for your skin, do what you can to eliminate unnecessary chemicals like these from your home and personal care routine. (Of course, we recommend choosing natural and organic solutions, like those from Srida Herbals to care for your skin and hair!)
For more detailed information on how to stop the itch and manage skin irritants in your home:
*Silverberg JI, Simpson EL, Durkin HG, Joks R. Prevalence of allergic disease in foreign-born American children. JAMA Pediatr. 2013;167(6):554-560.
Spending time in the sun is one of the best ways to harness vitamin D. In fact, doctors recommend exposing your skin to direct sun rays so they can activate your natural ability to create vitamin D. The catch? Direct exposure also leaves you at risk of skin problems such as premature aging, sunburns, and in the worst cases, can increase the risk of skin cancer.
So, how can we protect our skin while also enjoying the benefits that come with sunlight exposure?
Slathering on sunscreen is one of the most common options for protecting your skin. There is no reason why you shouldn’t grab a hat and go out in the sun as long as you’ve applied a protective sunscreen layer on your skin. Sunscreen protects your skin against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, both of which are responsible for sunburns, age spots, skin cancer, wrinkling, and other long-term effects on your skin.
Lathering up on sunscreen protects your skin from these rays, allowing you to spend time in the sun safely. How does this happen? There are two types of sunscreen: chemical sunscreen and mineral sunscreen.
Chemical sunscreen works by absorbing UV rays before they penetrate the skin and damage your skin cells. The active ingredients of this chemical filter form a protective film that acts as a barrier, absorbing the rays and converting them into heat before releasing them away from the skin. Common active ingredients include aminobenzoic acid, avobenzone, octinoxate and oxybenzone.
There have been a few concerns raised in the media about oxybenzone, but research shows “no conclusive evidence that oxybenzone is harmful to humans,” according to Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing.
Mineral sunscreen are essentially physical blockers that sit atop your skin and reflect UV rays away from the skin. Unlike chemical sunscreen, they don’t penetrate the skin. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are common active ingredients. These tend to be thicker, and not always the best choice for oily or acne-prone skin.
Sun protective clothing offers extra protection for people who are more sensitive to the sun, such as those with fair skin, children, and people who are on medication, as some drugs can increase sun sensitivity. Such apparel comes with Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) ratings indicating its effectiveness against both UVA and UVB rays.
While most people will rarely go out in the sun without their favorite sunscreen, research shows that excessive exposure to UV rays can be hard on your hair too, fading or drying out your hair and causing breakage. Proper sun safety means protecting yourself from head to toe by investing in sunscreen for your scalp and hair in addition to your go-to-sunscreen and facial Sun Protection Factor (SPF).
Spray or powder sunscreen will protect your scalp from sunburn, while formulated sunscreen designed for hair and scalp will offer total protection for both. You can also invest in a good hat for a much needed physical barrier.
UV radiation also poses serious damage to your eye health and is associated with an increased risk of developing cataracts, macular degeneration (which causes vision loss), corneal sunburn, and conjunctival cancer. That said, you can still enjoy the great outdoors by investing in proper eye protection. Some simple strategies to protect your eyes include:
Your skin plays a vital role by protecting all your internal organs. Taking simple measures to protect yourself from the sun before heading out can help prevent cancer, sunburns, and lots of other skin problems. Do you have more questions on skin care that we can help with? Contact us!
