Welcome to Week 2 of our Skin Detox Challenge. Following on from last week, we have now established what our four essential base products are that will support you in developing an effective skincare routine so that you can enjoy and celebrate a fearlessly healthy face in just 12 weeks.

This week we’d like to focus on how to repair your skin gently and continue to glow – follow these simple steps …

Step 1: Eat for improved health

In a perfect world you will have completed seven days of cleansing and moisturizing twice a day and will have been looking at eating foods that can really help your skin repair and glow. The key to this is good gut health. Adding a little raw sauerkraut or a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) to your daily diet has great health benefits too. Au Natural Skinfood’s – Hair.Skin.Nails Collagen Powder has been designed with our skin in mind, daily use helps to support your skin from the inside out.

Step 2: Engage your skin’s memory

Have you heard that our skin has a memory? Over years, our skin reacts cumulatively to wounds that have not healed, change in climate, temperature, pollution, sun damage, smoking, diet and much more. The cell memory factor can play a significant role in skin lesions and common skin concerns. Constant care strengthening our skin’s barrier function is the key to keeping our skin at optimum health.

Step 3: Understand the road to healthy skin is a journey

I understand that switching from a cosmeceutical skincare line to a natural skincare line is not easy and that it can have challenges. Having been in the Medi Spa world for many years and enjoying products that smell beautiful, and use nanotechnology to deliver results, I understand more than most. I’ve tried to bear this in mind when creating Au Natural Skinfood products. As our skincare has not been chemically altered and we do expect from time to time that a member might have unexpected results. If you have a history of sensitivity or allergies, you have a higher chance of reacting to natural products, especially when the ingredients have not had the allergens removed. If you have an oily skin and have been using skincare that strips the oil, there may be an adjustment period whilst you skin regulates the oil production naturally. It is natural to have 3-4 weeks of reactions from breakouts on an oily skin, to shedding on a dry skin.

Step 4: Increase the omegas

At Au Natural Skinfood we have chosen ingredients that aid in skin barrier function, are high in Omega 3 fatty acids that our bodies need for cell health but cannot produce on their own. We’ve tried to use ingredients that smell good, naturally and that will have a positive effect on the skin. If your skin is not settling and you are struggling, we would love to hear from you and be there to support you whilst your skin adjusts. We have an online Consultancy Form that you can fill out and I will be in touch with you.

Step 5: Take it slow

For me, a practical approach worked. Honestly, I was worried that if I changed everything at once my skin, body and hair might just all freak out (my husband may have freaked out at the cost too 😊). I started slowly, one product at a time. It takes time, trial and error to work out what works for you. Don’t give up, it’s worth the effort and slowly it creeps into every aspect of your life and the end result is win/win for you and the planet that we all share.

Step 6: Maintain the skin’s pH balance

For the odd hormonal spot I recommend, cleanly extracting the sebum, and putting a small amount of our On The Spot – Spot Gel directly onto the problem area. Sleep with this on overnight, the bee venom in the mask will trigger a response, bringing collagen and elastin to the area for repair. Whilst the New Zealand Glacial Clay is rich in cleansing minerals, the Manuka honey acts as a humectant, holding in moisture. Remove the mask in the morning and continue with your normal routine. Great thing is that your surrounding skin will not be compromised.

When working in my clinics, clients just loved using Vitamin C on their skin. I wanted to create a product that was natural, but rich in Vitamin C – who would have thought the answer was right here in New Zealand. Kiwifruit ticks all the boxes including sustainability as we use bruised or damaged fruit that people would not eat.

Rich in antioxidants and Kiwifruit extract, Prepare Spray on Brightening Lotion (toner) helps eliminate imperfections on the skin’s surface, absorbing deeply to target and reduce the appearance of redness, age spots and freckles.

It does this by harnessing the power of New Zealand Kiwifruit. We use Kiwifruit extract from fruit that is grown organically and harvested sustainability in the Bay of Plenty in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
The reason we use Kiwifruit for this product is because it contains an abundance of essential fatty acids and hardworking antioxidants, making it a wonderful anti-aging extract.

Due to its high levels of Vitamin C, New Zealand Kiwifruit extract has been scientifically proven to inhibit melanin production and deliver brightness with its unique lightening and whitening action. It helps to restore clarity and reduces redness, dark spots and skin pigmentation caused by the aging process.

The enzyme in New Zealand Kiwifruit extract is Actinidin, this speeds up the process of desquamation (the management of dead skin cells) allowing new skin to come to the surface. New Zealand Kiwifruit extract is a fruit acid which works to help balance the skins natural pH balance and restore a healthy barrier function. Also rich in Vitamin E, this extract allows existing collagen and elastin cells to be supported and with regular use will allow the skin to appear thicker and healthier.

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

Founder, Au Natural Skinfood

Remember, 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.