Botanicals - Nature's Skin Solutions

The use of botanicals in skin care products dates back decades, and even centuries. Many botanicals indeed have been proven to have powerful medicinal benefits.

Botanicals are extracted from plant parts through a process of harvesting, grinding, distilling and so on. The beneficial properties of the final product vary according to the time and place the plants are harvested, the consistency and quality control during the extraction process.

So select your beauty botanicals from trusted sources.

What botanicals are great for the following problems:-

Reduce skin redness – cucumber, thyme, witch hazel, chamomile, evening primrose oil

Hydrates skin – grape seed, rose hip, coconut

Soothes flaky scalp - olive oil

Plumps skin – allantoin , soy, centella asiatica

An all-around salve – aloe vera

Shields and protects from sun – coffee-berry, silymarin, grape seed, green tea extract

Antibacterial - manuka honey

Foods for Great Skin!

Moisturizing Mavericks

Achieve the perfect moisture balance to allow the beauty of your skin to shine through.

Avocado, Coconut oil, Olive oil, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Watermelon

Tightening Titans

Eat your way to firmer and more rejuvenated skin.

Asparagus, Papaya, Soy, Brazil Nuts, Chickpeas, Eggs, Mangos

(P.S Results vary. However for instant results, you may need to see your doctor for a non-surgical tightening procedure)

Brightening Beauties

Had too much sun, smoke and sleep(lack of) resulted in dull, spotted or blotchy skin? You can complement your dermatologist-prescribed skin care regime with these beauty foods.

Multigrain, Oysters, Mackerel, Mangosteen, Strawberries, Mushroon, Sesame sees, Pumpkin seeds

Wrinkle Warriors

Strengthen your skin with these foods which delay wrinkles. We can grow older without looking old.

Apricots, Apples, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Tomatoes, Kiwi; Almonds, Flaxseed, Sunflower seeds; Carrots, Garlic, Spinach, Brussels sprouts; green tea, oats, tuna

Vitamin D deficiency - The Silent Enemy



5 - 10min of sun provides more than
daily requirement of vit D



Did you know that vitamin D was not only important for bones, but also for nearly all other tissues in our body? Yet, unknown to many of us, we may be suffering from the effects of Vitamin D deficiency!

So vital is the vitamin for normal cell function, a lack of it can result has been linked to cancer, heart disease, and immune system abnormalities. Chronic insufficiency of vitamin D in your diet also results in feeling of tiredness and fatigue.

Increase your vitamin D intake and reduce the risk of cancer by 60 to 77% - is a compelling reason to be vitamin D–sufficient.

The main natural sources of vitamin D are oily fish and sun. Salmon contains the highest amount, among the fishes. Humans also get abundant vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. The minor sources of vitamin D are found in fortified foods such as milk and yogurt, and vitamin supplememts.

Despite these, deficiency in vitamin D is occurring more frequently than previously expected. A study showed that individuals who were drinking a glass of milk and taking a multivitamin daily and eating salmon at least once a week were still vitamin D-deficient.

What should we do to ensure that we keep our vitamin D at the health-friendly level?

Go into the sun! Yes, one of the most efficient (and free) way to ensure that you get more than your recommended daily dose. 10 minutes of sun exposure to the arms and legs can produce the equivalent amount of vitamin D found in 1 kg of salmon, or 100 egg yolks!

Wait a minute, we know that too much sun causes skin cancers and skin aging. How then can we get our vitamin D fix safely?

The key is sensible exposure to sunlight. 5 to 10 min a day is sufficient. No need to bake under the sun.

Despite this, dark skinned individuals will not be able to absorb sufficient UV because of the blocking effect of the pigments in the skin. Societies which dictate that large part of the skin be covered by clothing, contributes to vitamin D insufficiency.

Unless a person eats oily fish frequently, it is very difficult to obtain that much vitamin D on a daily basis from dietary sources. Excessive exposure to sunlight, especially sunlight that causes sunburn, will increase the risk of skin cancer.

Therefore, we would still have to fall back on vitamin D supplements to meet our body’s needs.

Recommendations for adequate daily intake of vitamin D are 200 IU for children and adults up to 50 years of age, 400 IU for adults 51 to 70 years of age, and 600 IU for adults 71 years of age or older. Without adequate sun exposure, children and adults would require more supplementation at approximately 800 to 1000 IU per day.

Sensible sun exposure and the use of supplements are needed to fulfil the body’s vitamin D.

Do You Want To Transform Your Skin?

Do you want to transform your skin?

Have to noticed the fine lines creeping up on you? Blotchy pigmentation and sun spots? Dull tone, sallow appearace with no glow in sight?  

All of these are the result of the effect of environmental stressors on your skin over the years. One too many sun tan, perhaps? Photodamage, caused by the sun’s harmful rays, is the main cause of wrinkles and age spots that you may already see on your face.

As our skin ages and is exposed to UVA and UVB rays, the turnover of skin cells slows significantly, throwing off the balance between growth of healthy new cells and the sloughing of old, damaged cells. Collagen and elastin fibers begin to break down, causing the skin to lose resilience resulting in fine lines, wrinkles and sagging.

Daily exposures to UV light then accelerates this aging process and may cause uneven colouring.

Turning back the clock

If you have experienced sunburns, daily sun exposure, hormonal changes, stress and environmental pollution, then your ski will likely show signs of premature aging.

What is skin transformation?

After a detailed consultation, an individualized skin treatment regime will be prescribed for you.  The treatment regime will restore the cellular turnover, increase collagen and elastin production and remove unwanted pigmentation; to reveal clearer and firmer skin.

If you are looking to turn back the clock, look no further!

Skincare routine: Step it up, or not?

1)    How many steps should my skincare routine have?

Youthful, problem-free skin should do just fine with a cleanser and sunscreen, says Dr Jean Ho, consultant dermatologist with Jean Ho Skin and Laser Clinic. However, Kati Kasza, founder and managing director of Evolu, says that as skin ages, its natural rnechanisms become less efficient, so expanding your skincare routine helps to compensate for the skin's reduced ability to rccover and regenerate.

Dr Nicholas Perricone, clinical and research dermatologist and founder of Perricone MD, adds that needs vary with age, the environment, sun exposure and many other factors. "Fragile, mature skin needs more nutrients and more help than the skin of a person in their teens or twenties," he says.

2)    What should I look out for when introducinq new products into my skincare regimen?

It's not a good idea to use an indiscriminate assortment of skincare products without first finding out more about the products in question. If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, Dr Ho suggests starting on a simpler routine and adding on products for targeted concerns like pigmentation, acne or wrinkles, if necessary.

3)    Why are some creams used only at night, and one before the other?

Retinoid products degrade rapidly when exposed to UV rays, so they should be applied only at night.

Some products like alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) when applied first, enhance the penetration of a secondary product such as lightening cream. If time permits, it's best to wait five to 10 minutes before applying the next product, says Dr Ho.

4)    Why one product cannot do everything?

"The skin is a living organ and constantly changing, so having individual treatment products allows you to customise a routine to best suit your skin," says Kati.

Dr Perricone adds that separate serums or creams are created to tackle specific concerns because certain active ingredients function best in tailored carrier systems that can deliver the optimum level of nutrients to the skin. "It is impossible to dissolve all the ingredients into a solution without the cream being so thick it would be

unusable," he says.

Excerpt from Simply Her, Feb 2011