I have been using rosehip oil for over 10 years now, and have been a lover of Pai’s rosehip oil for 4 of those. I have created followers out of many of my friends. There is no substitute for this power-house of Omega goodness. I use it as a night treatment, I use it to heal skin when it is feeling stressed or recovering from a breakout, I mix it with Argan oil or Pomegranate oil in the winter months. I will never be without it.
So, when I heard that Pai’s founder, Sarah Brown, would be giving a talk* on how to manage sensitive skin, I jumped at the chance to hear more from this brand**. And guess what? Her advice was pure common sense, so much so that it got me questioning why I don’t work harder to find skin balance and aim for healthy skin?
Her advice? Avoid stress, sugar, harsh detergents/fragrance/preservatives and keep skin clean with the right cleanser. A cleanser that doesn’t strip skin of its natural oils, therefore confusing it into producing more or less sebum, and that isn’t harsh or irritating. This will allow skin to find its balance. Fortunately for me, their goodie bag contained a full size bottle of my fave Rosehip oil and a full size bottle of their award winning Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, which I am going to try once my DHC Deep Cleansing Oil runs out. I am not entirely convinced of changing my routine too much – I still believe oil based cleansers are great for taking off make-up, followed by a wash or micellar water to remove the last of the residue of the day’s grime. If you don’t wear much make-up then I guess one cleanse would probably be enough, but not for me. Regardless, I will give the Pai cleanser a try before passing final judgement.
More common sense prevails – being aware of what you are putting on your skin is as important as what you are putting inside your body. Healthy skin is as attainable as a healthy body. I know my skin reacts to stress and a poor diet. It’s a constant balancing act, which has got tougher as I’ve gotten older. My skin reacts very easily now, compared to my 20s and 30s, when I could burn the candle at both ends and still be able to look fresh and healthy. And Sarah’s advice on what to do when you have a reaction/breakout is what I have been following for years – simplify everything and let skin find itself again. It’s great to hear that I’ve been doing it right! Learning what to eat so that you don’t upset your tummy is hard work, but once you find that balance, you find bliss. It’s the same for skin. Learning what to use in order that you can find skin balance, and sensitive skin can become healthy skin. Omega oils are an important part of this. I take Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil which has a high 7 & 9 content, and an oil blend such as Udo’s 3-6-9 blend which has these essential fatty acids in the right 2:1:1 ratio.
So, what am I going to do about attaining healthy skin balance? I am going to check out ingredients lists more closely and try to educate myself on what the long and sometimes unpronounceable words mean (I already avoid brands who do not list all their ingredients, or use parabens, sulfates, silicones and alcohol), and I will avoid detergents, not just on my face but also on my body. I have always thought my Decléor Hydra-Radiance smoothing & cleansing mousse is detergent free, but there is a slight tightness to my skin after I use it which apparently indicates that there is some in there. I can’t be throwing full tubes of cleansers out so I shall have to run them down before changing! Opting for a micellar water for the second cleanse is probably the way to go for me, as it is gentle on skin and doesn’t contain any detergents.
Softly does it. Healthy skin, here I come!
* Part of Soil Association’s Organic Beauty Week at Whole Foods in Kensington 8-14, Sept 2014
** I paid for my own ticket
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