Week 11 – Protect what’s vulnerable
Welcome to Week 11 and thank you for continuing this journey.
The skin around our eyes and above our upper lip are the most vulnerable parts of the face. The skin is so thin that it’s susceptible to damage, and if like me you’ve had salon treatments in the past, this may also have caused damage and discolored pigmentation to this fragile area. The reason fine lines and wrinkles appear here first is because of a loss of collagen to these areas. Thinner skin also fills easily with fluid, which can lead to puffiness around the eyes. That’s why the stronger and thicker we can keep these areas the better the protection and the fewer the wrinkles. This is why we developed our Dr Au Concentrates – Superfruit Eye Serum. It will help you keep the fine lines at bay, combining Ribrose, a sugar that occurs in all living cells and which accelerates a cell’s energy recovery and enhances its overall function. Ribrose restores energy to the skin and provides the optimum condition for skin cells to fight the signs of aging.
Au Natural Skinfood chose this complex nine berry cocktail because of how all the berries take up sometimes distinct, but always complementary duties — including deep moisturizing, antioxidant activity and restructuring activity. Extremely rich in phenolic compounds, thanks to the richness of each berry forming the complex.
The complex berries present high antioxidant capacities and in no particular order, here they are:
- Acai berries. Highly nutritional and best known for its antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Bilberries. An antioxidant, astringent (the contraction of skin cells), antiseptic and tonic.
- Strawberries. Traditionally used as an astringent and tonic, and often utilized against acne and eczema. It helps remove freckles and preserve complexion — should you want to.
- Cherries. Like Bilberry, it has been used as an antioxidant, astringent, anti-inflammatory and tonic.
- Black mulberries. Mulberries have been used in Chinese medicine for its numerous antioxidants, antiseptic, astringent, analgesic and emollient properties.
- Wild blackberries. Blackberry is traditionally employed for the treatment of skin infections and to soothe inflamed mucosa. Ripe blackberries are an excellent restorative.
- Cranberries. The small cranberry has always been known for its antioxidant properties.
- Raspberries. Traditionally used for its astringent and stimulant properties
- Lingonberries. Well known for containing antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
There are four elements to building perfect bowl food – otherwise known in our office as ‘bountiful bowls’. This includes adding high-quality grains, powerful proteins, a generous serving of greens and veggies and then topping off with your favorite dressing.
Hot, cold or a mixture, there is no hard and fast rule to a good bountiful bowl but the one thing it must be is packed to the brim with healthy ingredients so it has a full, rounded appearance.
Typically your bowl should look like a rainbow, seasoned to your liking and power-packed with filling nutrients and vitamins that aid weight loss and overall health and wellbeing. Below is a glossary list of 20 great ingredients for your bountiful bowls that will help you repair and care for your skin.
Salmon, avocado, quinoa, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, lemon, honey, almonds, olive oil & flax seed oil, broccoli, apple cider vinegar, yogurt, beetroot, berries, kumara, tomato, red or yellow peppers, chickpeas & lentils, eggs, Parmesan, Feta, Neufchatel cheese
Bees talk by dancing!
When it comes to having a conversation, honeybees are movers and groovers. Bees dance to communicate with one another and they use the non-verbal cues to understand how to work and build their hives together as a community.
As a recap, our four essentials are: Remove Gentle Facial Cleanser, Prepare Spray on Brightening Lotion (toner), AM Day Serum and PM Night Cream.
Step 1:
Remove Gentle Facial Cleanser – Rich in Manuka Honey & Avocado Oil
When it comes to our Remove Gentle Facial Cleanser, a little goes a long way.
- Simply squeeze out a bit the size of an almond, add a drop or two of warm water.
- Warm by rubbing the cleanser in your hands.
- Apply cleanser to the face neck and decollete. (safe to use around the eye & lip area)
- Gently massage the cleanser around the area being cleansed.
- Use a clean warm flannel to compress the skin and then remove the cleanser.
- I recommend repeating the above step, if you’ve been wearing make-up.
Mindful removal
I sometimes also add a little lemon juice or lemon oil to my warm water. If you have a busy life, then those couple of minutes of mindfulness practicing ‘slow beauty’ really makes a difference to your life.
Step 2:
Prepare Spray On Brightening Lotion (toner) HERO PRODUCT – Rich in Manuka Honey & Kiwifruit – Antibacterial
- Either spray directly onto your face or spray a little into clean hands.
- Gently pat into your face, neck, decollete, avoiding the eye area.
- Leave the skin to dry and then apply your favorite moisturizer.
Hydrate well
Our Prepare Brightening Spray On Lotion (toner) helps to tone, tighten and even out the skin.
If you have very dry skin on your arms and legs, then you can use the brightening lotion to spray, rub in and feel soft and hydrated.
Step 3:
AM Day Serum – Rich in Manuka Honey Moisturizer & Ponga Fern Seed (Apply after cleansing and toning). You only need a small amount as it will spread easily and will deliciously soak into your skin
- Dot the moisturizer over the area to be treated.
- As it warms to your skin, gently rub in.
PM Night Cream – Rich in Manuka Honey and Bee Venom Moisturizer (Apply after cleansing and toning). This is a thick moisturizer designed for night-time replenishment.
- Dot, night cream on your face, neck and decollete.
- As it warms to your skin gently massage in, allowing your skin to repair and regenerate whilst you sleep.
Suitable for all skin types
Our Manuka honey moisturizers are suitable for all skin types, focused on strengthening the skin natural barrier function.
Tracy Ahern
This is not a solo mission, I’m here to help!
I’m here to give you advice on how to mix up our skinfood offering to best suit you. Be assured, that after four weeks your skin should be accustomed to natural products, settled and problem free.
If you have problem skin or a skin issue, I would love you to fill in our skin consultancy form and I will send you a product recommendation.
Our skin whilst we are all effectively the same, does have its own unique personality just like we do.
About our skin…
Our skin is an organ and is as important as our heart or lungs. Our bodies are so clever and aim to repair damage as it happens. However, we rely on being healthy to support our skin and other organs as nature intended. Having healthy skin can be compared to going to the gym. We need to establish healthy habits and daily routines to get the results we desire.
Our skin is the largest organ in our body, performing many vital tasks; it provides a barrier to infection, pathogenic threats and harmful pollution. Despite this, our skin nutrition can often be overlooked and our good intentions to cleanse and fight bad bacteria can go amiss.
Our skin is a microclimate of ‘good bacteria’ necessary to regulate our skin, fight infection and retain moisture. However, with the increasing use of synthetics, preservatives, parabens and sulphates in traditional skincare, our skin’s natural healing and pH balancing abilities can be dramatically decreased, as good bacteria are stripped, and moisture levels depleted.
