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Vitamin C helps skin health

Vitamin C is a Skin Defender

Srida Herbals

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. 

WHAT MAKES VITAMIN C SO IMPORTANT? 

This handy natural nutrient is what our bodies use to: 

  • make collagen (a protein that helps cells heal, and also makes our skin look plumper and be more pliable, so lines are less noticeable);
  • reduce the effects of free radicals from pollution, UV light and cigarette smoke;
  • repair and maintain cartilage, bones and teeth.

It also can help to lighten and brighten the complexion, reducing the appearance of age spots and evening out skin tone.

VITAMIN C IN YOUR DIET 

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.)  

  • 75mg/day for most women (15mg more if you’re pregnant)
  • 90mg/day for most men. 
  • And if you’re a smoker, you need even more: 35mg more than non-smokers.

Best sources of Vitamin C: Citrus fruits (like oranges), red or green peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, strawberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes and potatoes. 

VITAMIN C IS A SKIN DEFENDER

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. 

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healthy scalp care

A Healthier Scalp for Healthier Hair

Srida Herbals

Good looking hair starts from within, so start here to learn more about nurturing a healthier scalp for healthier hair.

The hair products and tools we use to manage our tresses can create quite a bit of stress for our scalps—the skin that, along with our hair, protects our heads. As we clean and condition our hair, change its color, secure the latest styles with heat, sprays or lotions, our scalps are largely hidden, so any effects are often “out of sight, out of mind” – at least until we feel discomfort there! 

It’s so easy to forget the impact our hair care can have on our scalp, and the follicles within. But the scalp is an important part of maintaining a healthy mane. Here’s what you need to know about scalp care:

Why does having a healthier scalp matter?

A healthy scalp is an important contributor to healthy hair. You see, just below the scalp surface is where your hair growth begins, one hair per follicle (or shaft). Along the walls of each follicle are glands that produce oily “sebum” that help condition the hair, and lift up dead skin from inside the shaft. 

It’s important that hair follicles remain clean and open so there’s good blood flow and the hair, follicles and scalp thrive: nurture a healthier scalp for healthier hair!

If your scalp is coated with too much oil, dead skin, or unhealthy bacteria, that can make it harder for your hair to stay healthy, and can even cause it to thin or fall out. Like most elements of good health, the goal is to maintain good balance: clean, hydrated, moisturized.

How do you know whether your scalp is healthy?

The short answer is that It should feel good — no dryness, flakes, redness, pain or irritation. When it’s healthy, the skin on your scalp shouldn’t really feel like anything. 

But if any of these sound familiar, your scalp may need some care:

  • FLAKING is sometimes due to dandruff—most often seen as visible white or yellowish flakes. Dandruff can stem from a simple build-up of oil on the scalp that makes it hard to shed skin cells (instead they flake off in tiny patches). Or, it can also be due to a skin condition like eczema, psoriasis or similar. And of course, just like with any skin, a sunburned scalp will eventually peel and flake!
  • DRY OR ITCHY SKIN can also cause flakes, but they tend to be lighter and almost powdery. Your scalp could be dried out from a cold, arid environment or not staying hydrated enough overall. Or, you could be having an allergic reaction to something you’re using on your hair.
  • HAIR LOSS happens when hair follicles shrink, causing the growing hairs to become thinner—and eventually to stop growing at all. Hair loss is sometimes associated with a medical situation like chemotherapy or medications. It can also be triggered by too much stress on the hair follicles from pulling or twisting the hair too vigorously. Sometimes dietary changes, hormonal changes, or stress, can throw your body off balance. 

How can you help your scalp stay healthier?

Good nutrition, staying hydrated, and stress management will all give your body, scalp, and hair roots the best chance of good health. On top of these, there are some hair-specific tips to help your scalp stay healthy:

  • Use fewer products overall. Many hair products are designed to last—which means they don’t always respond well to a quick wash and rinse. Instead they build up around your hair follicles and cause trouble. Dry shampoo, sticky sprays, and heavy oils are top offenders, so try to use as little as you can in your day-to-day styling.

TIP: Unless your scalp is feeling itching, or your hair is visibly oily, there’s no need to wash your hair daily. Every 2-3 days is often enough. 

  • Free your hair to flow naturally. Choose a hair style that holds its beauty with less pulling, twisting, spraying and heating. Find a stylist who will enhance your hair’s natural gifts and let your hair be itself!
  • Choose products that suit your hair type.  Fine hair is better off with lighter products that won’t build up; coarse or very long hair may benefit from shampoos or conditioners that offer more moisture and protection. A lightweight scalp oil massaged in before washing can help those with dry scalp. And if any conditioner is not designed to be leave-in, be sure to rinse it off.
  • Avoid products with artificial ingredients and perfumes. There are many beauty products available commercially that reputable studies have shown can cause irritation, and even be toxic. Your best choice is to use products with fewer, and all-natural, ingredients known to be safe for humans. 
  • Eat a good balance of healthy nutrients. Just as its important to eat well to keep our skin looking its best, good nutrition from a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and quality proteins, will support your scalp’s health too.

Our hair is our natural beauty accessory, showing off our personal style and framing our faces to draw attention to our eyes, lips and expressions. Follow these tips and begin the journey to a healthier scalp for healthier hair! Tap here to read more about hair care.

Category:

How to Keep Tattooed Skin Healthy

Srida Herbals

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: 

The main concerns to ask your artist and doctor about (Before):

  • Allergies—this would be to ingredients in the inks. Some reds appear to be the most likely to cause a reaction, but if you are allergy prone, the risks are higher no matter which colors you use. 
    • As tattooing has increased in popularity, one of the developing areas of inquiry is what actually IS in tattoo ink. Believe it or not, there are few regulations or guidelines about what is or can be included—and sometimes even the manufacturers are unsure. 
    • What they do know is that tattoo ink ends up in a variety of different glands and organs; it doesn’t just stay put in the skin cells (which, of course, constantly shed anyway—your whole skin surface is replaced roughly every month—constantly pushing new cells to the surface).
  • Infections from bacteria or a virus—either from some getting under your skin during the tattooing, or while your skin is healing. (If your wound becomes red, hot, inflamed, has pus, or you have a fever… these should prompt a call to your doctor.)
  • Hepatitis B, C or HIV—which can occur if the equipment is not cleaned properly and residual blood from an infected person is transferred to your blood during the tattooing process. 
    • You may not know it, but because their work puts them (and you) in contact with blood and potential blood borne pathogens, tattoo artists must be certified by OSHA. This gives them guidelines for how to keep their equipment and studios clean, and you, protected!
  • Keloids—not harmful, but these are bumps that can develop around th tattoo site, caused by scar tissue.

How to Keep Tattooed Skin Healthy (During & After)

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:

  • Keep the area clean—wash with antibacterial soap for the first 2 weeks, then your regular gentle soap. Pat dry, and keep covered until it’s fully healed. This will also help prevent you from scratching the scabs off, which can increase chances of infection!
  • Moisturize the area—once the wound has closed, keep the skin conditioned by moisturizing twice a day—keep the care up for 6 months, at least. Choose something that’s completely fragrance free. An ointment or thick cream are your best choices.
  • Use a high SPF sunscreen, always—and not just because of the protection from cancer-causing rays; the inks in your tattoo can be prone to fading in UV light., so it’s good for your art too!   
  • Natural, nourishing oils—consider applying a light coating of a natural oil each night, like Vitamin E oil (which may help scars be less apparent) or Tea Tree Oil (not just a good moisturizer, but also a plus because of its antibacterial properties).

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. 

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