Nutrition and the Skin

Nutrition and the Skin

In October of 2000,
Valarie Hurst, the founder and President of Pink Lasso began extensive research to develop a skincare and cosmetic line for Rodeo Women. Understanding the skincare needs of women of Rodeo began to take form as we realized the active lifestyles these women portrayed, the amount of exposure to the sun and other harmful elements, as well as the extensive travel involved in your role. We also recognize the importance of appearance in representing the Rodeo and how your wardrobe plays a part, so we wanted to offer a wide range of color cosmetics to compliment you. Pink Lasso fully supports the sport of Rodeo, it's mission and values. The founder and President of the company is a Licensed Esthetician through the Texas Cosmetology Board and a Professional Makeup Artist as well as having several certifications in skincare and Makeup Application. Some of those certifications include: Effectively Treating Acne, Facials and Body Treatments, Ingredient Formulations, and Makeup Techniques. A former cosmetic consultant for other cosmetic lines has also given me the opportunity to listen to consumers needs and what they would like to achieve in skincare and cosmetics. I also have the pleasure of being a local representative of The Makeup Institute, which is a Makeup Artistry school based in San Diego, California that educates on many aspects of makeup, such as: Photography Makeup, Airbrush Makeup, Advanced Makeup Techniques, Bridal Makeup, Film, and Television, and Hair Styling for the Makeup Artist, to name a few. Pink Lasso's mission is to educate customers on the importance of skincare, complimenting color selection and makeup application. Though there is a wide area to cover on these topics, one must understand, that we all have individual beauty and it comes from within first.

Today, women are searching endlessly for a remedy to beautiful and youthful skin. Healthy skin begins with healthy eating habits. Though it is important to maintain a good skin care regimen, it is just as valuable to understand how nutrition can affect the nourishment and appearance of our skin. The skin reveals a lot about what is going on internally with our bodies. Healthy skin cannot be achieved by product application alone.

Let’s start with what nutrition is and why it is important to the health of the skin. I would like to touch on some anatomy and physiology, so you can visually see the whole picture.

Take a look at the picture showing a sample of the skin and it’s layers, and note the blood and lymph vessels. The skin is nourished by the blood and lymphatic systems of the body (the circulatory system). A major part of the circulatory system is devoted to the nourishment of the skin. Essential nutrients for growth, nourishment, and repair are circulated through the blood and lymph. Now let’s take another look at the picture and notice the subcutaneous skin layer. There are numerous networks of arteries, capillaries, and lymphatic throughout the subcutaneous layer, which supply nutrients to the glands and tissues of the skin. The illustration provides a good understanding why consuming nutritious foods has a significant role in the skin. Good nutrition helps the skin to function in a normal way.

The nutritional needs of an individual depend on such factors as age, physical build, and the amount of activity. For most people, the simplest and probably the most practically feasible way to adhere to a balanced diet is to follow the recommendations of the Daily Food Guide developed by the US Department of Agriculture. (www.usda.gov).

Water is also very important to our skin. Water makes up one-half to two-thirds of the human body. So, it only makes sense to replenish and maintain that level. Consuming plenty of water throughout the day ensures proper hydration of the body and helps reduce skin dryness. Experts usually recommend drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. For some people, drinking plain water is boring. Try adding a twist of lime or lemon. Water assist in digesting waste and toxins in the body. Try avoiding caffeine if at all possible. Caffeine depletes vitamins and nutrients in our body. So, that one cup of coffee or soda you had, it takes 3 glasses of water to replace what that one soda or coffee removed.

Nutritional experts have noted certain foods in the case of acne to be beneficial. Such as eating a diet high in fiber, raw foods, foods rich in zinc (zinc is an antibacterial agent and a necessary element in the oil producing glands of the skin), and low fat yogurt. Foods to avoid would be butter, caffeine, cheese, chocolate, eggs, fat and fried foods, and hydrogenated oils, to name a few. If you notice acne flare-ups upon consumption of dairy products, try eliminating the dairy products one at a time for about a month. After the month is over, add a dairy product one at a time and make note if this is the cause. Another item to avoid is sugar. Sugar is known to impair the immune function. Acne patients that have had biopsies taken, glucose was detected in the tissue. This is commonly known as “skin diabetes”.

Dry skin has attributed to lack of vitamin A&B. Eat a balanced diet that includes fresh vegetables, fruit, grain, seeds and nuts. Increase your intake of raw foods. Eat foods high in sulfur and consume plenty of yellow and orange vegetables. Drink plenty of water daily, at least 2 quarts to keep the skin well hydrated. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. These substances have a diuretic effect, causing skin cells to loose fluid and essential minerals.

Sensitive and Rosacea skin types are known to be aggravated by certain foods such as, spicy foods, alcohol, hot liquids and extreme temperatures. Try to eat raw vegetables and grains. Avoid fats, especially saturated fats. Saturated fats promote inflammation. Keep a food diary for one month to explore the possibilities of which foods seem to be aggravating the condition.

For someone with combination skin types, drink plenty of water. Again, water rids the body of toxins and hydrates the skin. The goal to achieve in this skin type is to bring the skin into balance. In cases of combination skin, such as oily T-zone and normal cheeks, these skin types vary in degrees. Such as, very oily or very dry, slightly oily or slightly dry. For example, when people describe the skin as having been oily and all of a sudden being dry, they are referring to an oily skin type that is losing moisture because of over drying. This is usually caused by excessive use of astringents, soaps, and or scrubs in an attempt to reduce the amount of oil secretion. While this skin is an oily skin type, this dryness should be considered a skin condition and is referred to as dehydration, having a lack of water moisture rather than oil. So, this is really a matter of treating the condition and understanding what is going on with your skin, knowing how to determine your skin type accurately, in effort to know which foods to avoid and those that would benefit your skin type.

* (This information is not intended to be substituted as a diet plan, please consult with your physician, registered dietician or nutritionist).