Belmondo Skin Care is now available at Room6 Boutique in Deep Cove, the best block in the Cove and so close to the water. If you haven't spent time in the Cove, I suggest a visit on a sunny afternoon, maybe a short hike, mountain and water views and stop in at Room6, they say it best 'special things for nice people' Shop for contemporary gifts and clothing boutique.
Here is a great little video to get a sneak peek in the shop - we love it!
Now you can now shop for Belmondo online at Anthropologie.com and if you're in Vancouver visit Anthropologie on South Granville Street at 2912 Granville Street and shop Belmondo along with other fabulous items for house and home, accessories, gifts, shoes and clothing.
You can only imagine how giddy with excitement we were when we saw this!!
Thanks New York Magazine!
It’s no secret that we at Belmondo Skincare love using nature’s ingredients in our healthy skin regimen. Teaching our clients, customers, and readers about the benefits of using earth-grown ingredients in their skin care regimen is the heart and soul of what we do.
In Part 7 of this 10-part series on the benefits of natural skincare, we’re talking about the best diet for healthy skin, including which foods to eat because they reduce inflammation and which pro-inflammatory foods to avoid.
P.S. Look for Belmondo’s Favorite Tips scattered throughout this series. There’s one in each article. We’re giving you the inside scoop on how we enjoy the things of earth, naturally, for beautiful skin and a greener planet – and how you can, too!
Where does your skin’s beauty start?
Not in the bathroom cabinet that holds your cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. Not even in the refrigerator. (Although that’s a great place to look.)
Your skin’s beauty starts in fields and farms, under the oceans and in the orchards. And in the air, filled with rain water.
We believe that natural beauty is what it sounds like: natural. This means creating a healthy lifestyle, including choosing organic whole foods whenever possible and drinking plenty of water. This leads to a radiant inner beauty which glows from the core of your cells out through your skin.
Eating well -- which means a diet of nourishing, anti-inflammatory whole foods and plenty of water -- is easy and satisfying. And it will almost immediately improve your skin’s complexion, tone, elasticity, and overall vibrancy. We’ll show you how.
After years of research and pursuing a passion for healthy, clean eating in my own life, I’m convinced you can pretty much eat your way to great skin. Not only does your skin thrive with quality nourishment, but so does your whole body, and you get to enjoy the most delicious food the earth has to offer. I call this a win-win-win.
Eating well starts with educating yourself about the benefits of a healthy diet, followed by making a decision to luxuriate your body with whole foods. Please note that while I’m no doctor, the information I’m sharing here is the result of my own extensive research into the field of natural health and nutrition, as well as what I practice in my own lifestyle and recommend to my skincare clients. That said, please always consult the healthcare professional of your choice before making significant dietary changes, especially if you take medications.
For starters, how exactly does food affect the skin?
Food itself doesn’t affect your skin (unless you apply it directly to your skin in the form of an egg or honey mask), but the nutrients in food do once you’ve consumed it and your body has metabolized it. Nutrients make their way to your skin to protect, repair, rebuild, and replenish it, according to their functions.
Your skin needs constant regular input of nourishing foods to help itself regenerate, hence the call for a ‘balanced’ diet featuring a variety of whole foods from all food groups.
And contrary to popular belief, you can’t get the same quality of nutrients from supplements as you can from the real, whole foods.
What you put in your body is reflected through your skin. Fuel your body with high quality nutrients from whole foods and you’ll have an overall look of radiance and health on your skin.
How does stress affect the skin?
When you’re under stress -- going through a divorce, having financial challenges, adjusting to a new job, pregnant, or treating a serious illness -- the need for optimal nutrition is even greater, as energy stores are depleted and hormones are propelled differently through the body in response to emotional and psychological triggers. Good nutrition during these stressful times acts to support and promote healing throughout the body and mind.
What to eat for clear, glowing, well-hydrated, smooth and healthy skin.
Most of us are familiar with the term ‘superfoods.’ Superfoods are foods that have been shown, through years of scientific studies, to promote overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Superfoods and Super Spices
Fruits & Vegetables
You can train yourself to eat more fruits and vegetables -- and learn to crave them, actually -- by eating one at every meal. Another way to up your fruit-and-veg intake is to enjoy a big salad or vegetable-based soup everyday. This TED Talk by Dr. Terry Wahls is an impactful primer on the healing power of fruits and vegetables.
Healthy Fats
When it comes to beautiful skin and better brain functioning, healthy oils are your friends.
Animal Proteins
Choose high-quality lean proteins, grass-fed when you can. Eating moderate portions of lean animal protein helps to balance your energy and glycemic levels.
Wild Caught Fish
Super Spices
These spices are found to help regulate blood sugar, speed up metabolism, as well as other benefits. Make ample use of them as seasonings or garnishes.
Other Excellent Choices
Water
Belmondo’s Favorite Tip No. 7: I love to drink warm water first thing in the morning with some fresh lemon. This is seriously the elixir of life and I love it; it jumpstarts my system and I feel best when I incorporate this ritual in my morning routine. Try it and see what a difference it makes for you. Also recommended by Sara Avant in her book, The Way of the Happy Woman.
Inflammation looks like what it sounds like: inflamed, red, tender, and swollen cells and tissues. Picture what happens when you cut yourself: the area around the cut grows red due to blood rushing to the wound, and the tissues become swollen due to the increased bloodflow. Inflammation occurs inside our body, too, in our joints, blood vessels and around our cells. Chronic inflammation can increase joint problems and exacerbate skin conditions.
We can fight inflammation with good nutrition. Research shows that a diet based on anti-inflammatory foods is the best approach for overall health and glowing, balanced skin.
Most skin conditions -- from acne to rosacea to general dryness -- are triggered or worsened by inflammation. Inflammation literally turns up the heat in your body. It revs up your metabolism, churns out cortisol (the stress hormone), and increases the temperature in your body. Each time we subject our body to the stress of inflammation, our body is left with debris in the form of free radicals and other by-products that damage our cells, leading to premature wrinkles and skin dryness.
An anti-inflammatory diet features the highest quality foods from all major foods groups, including all of those in the list above.
Here is an additional list of particularly anti-inflammatory foods to help keep your skin healthy and clear:
Avoid these, as they do nothing of value for your body, your brain, or your skin:
Eating well for natural beauty is a lifelong proposition, and a pleasurable one at that. I’m so glad to share with you today what works well for me, in the hopes that you will receive benefit and increased vitality, too: a diet that helps to reduce inflammation and promote total wellness and healthy, clear skin. I hope you enjoy eating the things of earth, naturally!
Like Belmondo on Facebook for more skin-friendly tips to promote your healthy lifestyle and longterm beauty.
*We at Belmondo Organic Skincare are natural skincare professionals, not medical professionals. If you have a skin condition you feel needs medical attention, please consult a physician.
It’s no secret that we at Belmondo Skincare love using nature’s ingredients in our healthy skin regimen. Teaching our clients, customers, and readers about the benefits of using earth-grown ingredients in their skin care regimen is the heart and soul of what we do.
In Part 6 of this 10-part series on the benefits of natural skincare, we’re sharing our knowledge about preservatives and how they work in skincare products. We’ll fill you in on the internationally accepted preservative we use in Belmondo’s own line and why we believe this is the safest and most skin-friendly choice for you available on the market today.
P.S. Look for Belmondo’s Favorite Tips scattered throughout this series. There’s one in each article. We’re giving you the inside scoop on how we enjoy the things of earth, naturally, for beautiful skin and a greener planet – and how you can, too!
If you’re anything like us, your eyes light up at the sight of ‘preservative-free’ on a product label. But when it comes to skincare products, the use of some preservatives are well-advised. We’ll tell you why.
Our readers always want the scoop on preservatives in skincare products: what’s safe, what’s not, and whether the particular formula they’re considering using needs a preservative to be effective longterm.
To answer these questions, we first need to give you the lowdown on what preservatives are and why any skincare company would want to use them in products.
What is a preservative? Why use them in skincare products?
A preservative is a substance used to kill and inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast. While bacteria are part of nature, yes, there are some bacteria you don’t want any part of, for example, the dreaded Escherichia coli (also called E. coli) and Staphylococcus (known as ‘staph’).
Bacteria, mold, and yeast grow in the presence of water and cannot thrive without water. Why do you need to know this? When you’re evaluating skincare products, check to see if ‘water’ or its Latin equivalent (‘aqua’) is listed as an ingredient (the Latin-sounding ingredient names on cosmetic labels come from the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients [INCI] list). If it is, the product should also contain a preservative in order to kill and prevent the inevitable growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast. If water is present in a product, it’s an invitation for microbial bodies to breed.
Preservatives are necessary for keeping skincare products fresh and free of bacterial growth.
Water-containing lotions and other cosmetics are a breeding ground for unwanted microogranisms, especially considering that we usually store these products in warm, damp environments such as the bathroom. Now can you see how an unpreserved skincare product could be potentially dangerous to you? No preservative + the presence of water in a product = microbial bodies = ugh!
Note: Some skincare products, such as balms or salves, are made without water, and therefore wouldn’t normally require a preservative, except that a user could introduce water into it via wet or unclean hands. In this case, a preservative could be a great protector.
A world of skincare without preservatives?
It’s important to note that preservatives need to be used in products that contain oil and water mixtures in order to prevent bacteria, mold, fungus and yeast. Most all-natural lotions will last only about one week in the refrigerator.
Every natural skincare producer, including Belmondo, has to weigh the ‘cost’ to its clients of creating products with preservatives versus keeping them entirely preservative-free. Too many preservatives or those of the chemical variety can lead to unwanted skin conditions, while no preservatives can lead to unwanted skin conditions brought about by the presence of microbial bodies in the products.
As a natural skincare practitioner, I (Daniela) am well-aware of the overuse of preservatives, chemicals, and synthetics in most skincare products. I hold my own skincare line to a higher standard. However, a nightmare scenario for me would be having a customer open up a jar of our luscious cream, only to find mold and bacteria growing inside -- not a safe or sexy experience for our dear customer!
As a skincare product creator, I weigh the two scenarios and settle on the solution that assures the highest quality, safest products for my customers, and the deepest integrity in my product line.
At Belmondo, we use an ultra-minuscule amount of an internationally approved food-grade preservative to prevent microbial growth in our products.
Belmondo’s preservative of choice is called Optiphen Plus. It’s a broad spectrum antimicrobial preservative that is paraben and formaldehyde-free. Optiphen-Plus contains a mixture of three parts: Phenoxyethanol, which prevents microbial growth and has a broad range of anti-fungal properties; Caprylyl Glycol, which is naturally derived from coconut (which is food-grade) and protects against microbial growth from bacteria and yeast, and Sorbic Acid, which has anti-microbial properties and is derived from the berries of the mountain ash. Optiphen-Plus, at the time this article is being written, one of the most widely used paraben-free preservative options on the market. We make our products in small batches with shelf lives of 6-8 months and use the tiniest amounts of preservative possible.
While I (Daniela) by no means advocate for the use of preservatives and chemicals in skincare products, I am sensitive to customers’ desire to prolong the life of their products and am invested in customers having a consistently positive experience with each use of our products. In my own research and my conversations with chemists and herbalists on this topic, I find that the tiny percentage of preservatives used in cosmetics is less likely to cause harm to humans than the preservatives we regularly ingest through our food supply. Greater harm is actually caused by not preserving skincare products to protect you.
So how do potentially harmful preservatives show up on product labels?
Parabens, essential oils, and grape seed extract: common preservatives you need to know about.
A common preservative found on many cosmetics labels are ‘parabens.’ Parabens are often the first choice preservative for product manufacturers as they are FDA- approved across Food, Drug, and Cosmetics categories. Commonly, parabens are listed as ‘methylparaben,’ ‘propylparaben,’ and ‘butylparaben.’ Typically, these parabens are used to preserve liquid colorants in products, such a colored shampoo or facial mask. If these additives are present in a minute enough percentage, they may only be listed as ‘Flavors,’ ‘Fragrance,’ or ‘Natural Flavors.’ Parabens are known endocrine-disruptors, upsetting the hormonal balance in humans. They’re also known to have mild estrogen-mimicking effects, which is believed to have an effect on the development of breast cancer.
Other commonly used preservatives are essential oils, which keep other oils present in a product from going rancid. Essential oils are not, however, great at preventing the growth of bacteria and mold. Essential oils do not stand up against the presence of microbial growth-encouraging water in products. It’s true some essential oils do have antibacterial and anti-fungal qualities and in order to successfully preserve a product containing water, you must use these oils in their fully concentrated forms which is completely unsafe.
Thirdly, natural healthcare-conscious consumers may have noticed the popularity of grape seed extract, or GSE, as a highly touted preservative. While ‘grape seed extract’ sounds healthy, pure, and ‘all-natural’, the truth is that in most cases GSE contains synthetic preservatives and it’s the synthetic ingredient that’s doing the preserving, not the GSE. (GSE is an antioxidant by nature, not a preservative.) Should the products you're using contain this ingredient, ask the creator/manufacture where they're being sourced from to best educate yourself and to understand if the ingredient has a 'paraben' added in order to make it a preservative or if it's strictly the ingredient being used as a preservative.
Belmondo’s Favorite Tip No. 6: Our clients frequently ask us, what should I apply my face toner with? Cotton balls? A facial tissue? A couple squares of toilet paper? (Don’t laugh! You know you’ve done this.) Click here for our money-saving answer.
Belmondo’s last word on ‘all-natural’ skincare preservatives: ‘natural’ doesn’t always translate to safe. Selective, minimal preservative use in skincare products is safe, wise, and advisable.
The risks of using an unpreserved product outweigh the appropriate use of preservatives in our book, which is why we will continue to use the minimal advisable amount of safe preservatives in our products. At least until the market comes out with something even more natural that is backed up by sound science.
We’re committed to constantly furthering our education on the issue of safe preservative use in skincare products. We’re prepared to alter our current position should a better alternative to what we use today arrive on the market. Meanwhile, we stand fully behind our brand and products. We’re confident what we're using is a good paraben-free alternative.
While we can't promise that everyone will always agree on what's best, we can promise we will always head in the direction of what we believe to be the highest quality.
For our reader’s further edufication, here is a post describing the ingredients we at Belmondo avoid putting in our products.
You can converse with me, Daniela Belmondo, on Twitter.
*We at Belmondo Organic Skincare are natural skincare professionals, not medical professionals. If you have a skin condition you feel needs medical attention, please consult a physician.
Some people think they have sensitive skin because they begin to get skin irritation due to harsh product. I'd like to caution you it may be the products you're using that's causing this irritation. Just something to consider especially if the products you're using contain chemicals in the ingredients. Go through your products and see if they contain any of the ingredients listed below, if so, we'd really suggest not using them.
Mineral Oil & Petrolatum : pore-clogging and suffocating to the skin
SD Alcohol 40 and Denatured Alcohol : the solvent alcohols commonly found in toners. They are extremely drying and irritating to the skin.
Synthetic dyes : can be a skin irritant
Synthetic fragrances : the #1 cause of allergic reactions to products. Avoid products containing the word "fragrance" or "parfum" on the ingredient listing unless it specifically states what the fragrance is.
Sodium or Ammonium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate : extremely drying and irritating to the skin
Apricot kernels, or seed/shell powders : naturally made particles found in facial scrubs can scratch and irritate the skin causing bacteria to spread
Imidazolidinyl Urea and Diazolidinyl Urea : These are the most commonly used preservatives after the parabens. They are well established as a primary cause of contact dermatitis (American Academy of Dermatology). Two trade names for these chemicals are Germall II and Germall 115. Neither of the Germall chemicals have a good antifungal, and must be combined with other preservatives. Germall 115 releases formaldehyde at just over 10°. These chemicals are toxic.
Methyl and Propyl and Butyl and Ethyl Paraben : Used as inhibitors of microbial growth and to extend shelf life of products. Widely used even though they are known to be toxic. Have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Methyl paraben combines benzoic acid with the methyl group of chemicals. Highly toxic.
Petrolatum: Petrolatum is mineral oil jelly, and mineral oil causes a lot of problems when used on the skin photosensitivity (i.e., promotes sun damage), and it tends to interfere with the body's own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dry skin and chapping. You are being sold a product that creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate. Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap.
Propylene Glycol : Ideally this is a vegetable glycerin mixed with grain alcohol, both of which are natural. Usually it is a synthetic petrochemical mix used as a humectant. Has been known to cause allergic and toxic reactions.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate : This synthetic substance is used in shampoos for its detergent and foam-building abilities. It causes eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, and allergic reactions. It is frequently disguised in pseudo-natural cosmetics with the parenthetic explanation "comes from coconut."
A common question we often get asked :
What should I apply my face toner with?
We suggest applying your face toner with cotton rounds instead of cotton balls. Cotton balls are too thick and absorb too much liquid product, wasting the excess product your skin doesn't absorb. To save product use this tip when applying face toner and make-up remover. You'll notice you won't go through as much product.
It’s no secret that we at Belmondo Skincare love using nature’s ingredients in our healthy skin regimen. Teaching our clients, customers, and readers about the benefits of using earth-grown ingredients in their skin care regimen is the heart and soul of what we do.
In Part 5 of this 10-part series on the benefits of natural skincare, we’re busting the myth of the one-size-fits-all, three-part skincare system. We’ll tell you why you may not need to use three products, and tell you how so-called ‘anti-aging’ skincare products may be anything but.
P.S. Look for Belmondo’s Favorite Tips scattered throughout this series. There’s one in each article. We’re giving you the inside scoop on how we enjoy the things of earth, naturally, for beautiful skin and a greener planet – and how you can, too!
You’ve heard it before. We’ve all heard it: we need a three-part skincare system to reveal healthy, gorgeous, balanced skin.
Every major cosmetics company is peddling a ‘system.’ So is every pharmaceutical company with a skincare line. The mystery question I’m left scratching my head over is, why three parts? Why is three the magic number? And how likely is it that any one uniform ‘system’ will improve the skin of any individual who buys into it?
Today we’d like to give a gentle nudge to our readers: don’t believe the hype. Three steps to better skin. Three steps to younger-looking skin. Three steps to 24-hour moisture. They’re myths.
Read on to find out why.
Less is more. Use as many or as few skincare products as you want. Or use no products.
There’s no science to substantiate the claim that using three products in succession in a given order will improve, enhance, or effectively treat skin. In fact, natural skincare wisdom reveals that when it comes to product use, less is often more.
Each of us has a unique skin composition, with varying levels of oiliness, propensity for dryness, and other elemental aspects. Not everyone needs to cleanse, tone, and then apply a serum and/or a face cream every day. For some people, cleansing means applying a steamy warm washcloth to their facial skin in the morning, and then applying a face moisturizer, especially in the Fall and Winter seasons. For others, use of an actual cleansing product might be necessary to remove debris on the skin from night perspiration, or perspiration from workouts, yoga, etc.
The bottom line: know your skin type and lean on your intuition each day within each season when it comes to how, how much, and whether your skin needs to be cleansed, moisturized, and/or toned. Use a product, or two, or three, or none, that makes your skin look and feel healthy, balanced, and clean.
‘Anti-aging’ skincare products? They’re a myth, too.
The bottom line on ‘anti-aging’ skincare products: they don’t work. Before using any product, educate yourself on its ingredients and ask yourself if a chemical or manufactured ingredient is a better alternative than an all-natural ingredient. Unfortunately, one side effect of using products with harsh ‘anti-aging’ ingredients is that they can often cause further damage to skin, exacerbating certain skin conditions, or bringing about skin conditions that weren’t present before the product use. Then we need to use another skincare product to help alleviate the new condition -- and the cycle continues.
Belmondo’s Favorite Tip No. 5: Your skin loves to rest. So give it a break. If you’re using a skincare product and begin to have a reaction to it – redness, peeling, excessive oiliness, blackheads, dryness, rash – the best thing to do is to stop all use of products and just let your skin breathe.
Adopt an all-natural perspective on your health and wellness, including your skincare, and let your skin age gracefully.
While the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries are obsessed with keeping women (and sometimes men) focused on anti-aging remedies, the truth is there is very little science to support the effectiveness of anti-aging products. Instead of playing the odds with your skin and possibly creating unwanted side effects, I encourage you to embrace your natural aging process and your innate beauty.
At the end of the day, there is no hope in a jar.
But there’s plenty of hope in a consistently clean diet and a healthy lifestyle. Together, these approaches work wonders to transform and renew the body and your skin naturally.
The best anti-agers in our book? A big fat smile, a diet of whole foods, moving your body everyday, plenty of sex, lots of water and sleep, and focusing less on aging and more on living with joy, peace, and vitality – because whatever we focus on expands.
So there you have it: two common skincare myths busted. The three-part skincare ‘system’ is not as necessary as we’ve been told, and there is no one-size-fits-all skincare solution. Embrace your skin type and a healthy lifestyle and do what makes you look and feel beautiful – naturally.*
Connect with Belmondo Skin Care on Facebook for natural skincare tips and healthy lifestyle perspectives from our owner, Daniela.
*We at Belmondo Organic Skincare are natural skincare professionals, not medical professionals. If you have a skin condition you feel needs medical attention, please consult a physician.
We're featured on Beauty Huile today. A beauty blog focused on finding the best of beauty oils. It shares some of the best oils from varying beauty brands and The Dew Nourishing Face Oil received a glowing review.
It’s no secret that we at Belmondo Skincare love using nature’s ingredients in our healthy skin regimen. Teaching our clients, customers, and readers about the benefits of using earth-grown ingredients in their skin care regimen is the heart and soul of what we do.
In Part 4 of this 10-part series on the benefits of natural skincare, we’re giving you the lowdown on rough, cracking skin – one of the less beloved signs of Winter – and what you can do to replenish moisture and get back to looking and feeling balanced and smooth.
P.S. Look for Belmondo’s Favorite Tips scattered throughout this series. There’s one in each article. We’re giving you the inside scoop on how we enjoy the things of earth, naturally, for beautiful skin and a greener planet – and how you can, too!
Nature Walks. Sparkling snow. Gatherings with family and friends. And dry, rough, cracked skin.
Not exactly your Winter Wish List this year, we’re guessing? We thought not!
Along with the natural beauty of Winter come a few, shall we say, seasonal drawbacks. Wintry elements such as low humidity in the air can easily lead to moisture loss in the skin, which manifests itself as rough, cracked, dry, flaky, or scaly skin. (It sounds lovely, we know. Wink.) Read on to learn more about the conditions leading to skin dehydration and how to prevent and treat it.
What causes skin dehydration? How do I know if my skin is dehydrated?
In short, skin dehydration is caused by moisture loss and the removal of sebum (naturally occurring oils) from the skin. When moisture evaporates and sebum is stripped, the skin becomes dehydrated. What does dehydrated skin look like? Think dry, red, rough, scaly, itchy, lustre-less, and sometimes even cracked. (Ouch!)
What causes the skin to lose moisture? During the Winter in most climates, the atmosphere is the culprit. Osmosis (absorption of water) occurs anytime a climate’s humidity drops to below 80%, which we know is very typical in the Winter.
Low moisture in the air equals low moisture in the skin. Healthy skin usually contains about 20% water content. In cold, dry climates, the skin’s water level can drop to 10%, which is a dehydrated state. This causes a disturbance in the skin’s Ph balance and this affects the flow of fluids and nutrients within the skin’s cell structure. If dehydrated skin is left untreated, these thirsty cells can become permanently damaged, leading to premature aging.
In addition to environmental factors, skin dehydration can be brought on by use of harsh, drying soaps and other stripping, astringent products. At Belmondo, we advocate for the use of moisturizers that contain all-natural ingredients such as olive oil.
How can I avoid skin dehydration in my day-to-day life?
As with anything, it’s easier to prevent dehydration than it is to treat it. We recommend a holistic lifestyle approach that’s easy on the earth and easy on your skin.
Lifestyle tips for keeping your skin well-hydrated and looking and feeling as youthful as possible: get plenty of rest, avoid caffeine and alcohol, and drink lots of water, especially after exercising. Also vital: proper nutrition, meaning a diet filled with organic green vegetables and fruits and other foods with high water content. Healthy fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, organic butter, and wild fish are all welcome components of a skin-friendly diet. We also like supplements containing essential fatty acids (EFAs), which replenish your skin from the inside out and provide additional healthy lubrication to the tissues. And of course, we recommend manual exfoliation of the skin 1-2 times per week with an all-natural exfoliant for optimal cell turnover.
What to avoid: long term exposure to air conditioning or heaters, overexfoliating, and soaps and chemical detergents that contain sodium lauryl sulfates, as all of these are very drying to the skin.
How can I best treat my dehydrated, rough, flaky Winter skin the all-natural way?
To treat dehydrated skin, invest in a good quality, all-natural moisturizer that contains lipids (healthy fats) and other moisturizing elements that are already present in the surface of the skin. (The skin welcomes in what it recognizes to repair and renew itself.) Plant-based oils such as olive oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, apricot oil, jojoba oil, sesame oil, and safflower oil mimic the skin’s natural lipid content. For a terrific trio of products containing healthy plant-based oils, try The Dew Face Oil, After the Rain Face Toner, and The Cloud Face Cream,
We also are proponents of using skin-friendly butters, such as mango butter, cocoa butter, and shea butter, as well as 100% pure essential carriers oils, such as olive oil, apricot kernel oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, and jojoba oil. All contain lipids that will replenish and revitalize dehydrated skin. The Nectar Hand and Body Butter will get the job done. Avoid oils manufactured with high percentages of synthetic ingredients (read the labels), as they will irritate and dry out the skin.
Belmondo’s Favorite Tip No. 4: Your sweet lips deserve extra special treatment in cold weather. They’re even more prone to dehydration than the rest of your skin due to their special cell structure. Best moisturizers for lips: look for all-natural products with ingredients such as olive oil, beeswax, hemp oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and other rich healthy oils. Around here? We like The Balm.
Special note about dehydration for Retin A users . . .
We commonly see skincare clients who have experienced tremendous dehydration due to use of Retin A, a frequently-prescribed topical solution that claims to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Problematically, the ingredients in Retin A strip the skin so finely that it becomes unable to react normally to environmental effects, thus intensifying dehydration. (No wonder the usual side effects of Retin A are dryness, flakiness, and irritation.)
If you’ve been using a Retin A product, note that it will usually take about a year for your skin’s full health to return after stopping application.
Needless to say, we at Belmondo are not in favor of Retin A and its dramatic drying effects on the skin.
So that’s the scoop on Winter dehydration and how you can both prevent and treat its oh so lovely side effects such as redness, scaliness, and flaking. We advocate a holistic lifestyle approach that promotes cell turnover and replenishing the skin with lipids and other natural elements. We want you and your skin to glow all Winter long!
Follow our founder Daniela on Twitter for juicy all-natural living and skincare updates.
*We at Belmondo Organic Skincare are natural skincare professionals, not medical professionals. If you have a skin condition you feel needs medical attention, please consult a physician.
Belmondo Skin Care is now available at Room6 Boutique in Deep Cove, the best block in the Cove and so close to the water. If you haven...
The Belmondo organic skin care line is designed around the daily rituals of caring for yourself. This natural skin care line uses organic ingredients, sourced fair trade whenever possible, that are brimming with the earth-grown goodness your body recognizes and uses to heal and beautify itself.
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