Aidilfitri is a time for celebration, welcoming the new year, self-reflection, catching up with family and friends and of course strengthening ties with the Almighty. We’re excited to meet family and friends we haven’t seen in a long time, and everyone has prepared the best dishes to serve to those that come to visit. With all this going on, some of you might feel a tad bit stressed about looking your best during Raya. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! We’ve prepared four simple steps to internally and externally cleanse yourself so you look your very best during the festivities.
Four Step Internal Cleanse:
1. Drink plenty of water – toxin flusher
Water flushes out the toxins while also delivering key nutrients to cells, so staying properly hydrated makes for an overall healthier body and it has a positive impact on the skin - providing a younger-looking, radiant complexion. This is the cheapest yet most effective skincare solution as it will naturally keep your skin moisturised so drink at least 2 litres of water per day.
2. Dose up your Vitamin C – collagen builder
One of the most powerful functions of vitamin C is its role in the production of collagen, a protein that gives your skin its elasticity. As you age, collagen breaks down and wrinkles begin to form. Stabilising your skin’s levels of vitamin C can help to counteract wrinkle formation by increasing collagen production. While young skin is full of vitamin C, ageing skin naturally loses this nutrient over time. So dose up your vitamin C. Dosage recommendation 1g - 3g per day away from food.
3. Zinc before bed – tissue repair and cell-regenerator
Zinc is an essential mineral. It is an imperative part of many physiological functions including structure in certain proteins and cell division. Therefore it helps to heal and rejuvenate the skin, as it plays a major role in skin repair and wound healing. Zinc is great for skin especially those with problems like acne, spots, scars that won’t heal, among others. Certain food such as oyster, scallops, and pumpkin seeds are also high in zinc. The best time to take this mineral is usually at night or before bed, about 25mg to 50mg daily for skin health.
4. Get Plenty of Good Fats – Combats wrinkles and lines
Omega-3 fats is one of the key ingredients to our cell membrane; it prevents dehydration in the cells so that the skin cells are strong and full of moisture. So, Omega-3 fatty acid is also a key ingredient for beautiful skin, not just helping combat wrinkles and lines, but other skin problems as well, including acne, eczema, psoriasis - even dry flaking or very oily skin. Mercury tested Salmon oil, fish oil are good sources of Omega-3. If you are a vegan, you can use hemp, linseed and chia seeds.
Four step external cleanse:
1. Clear your dead skin with natural DIY exfoliate
Exfoliating your skin weekly is an important step in maintaining glowing skin. There are toxins in the air that can attach to our pores and all that accumulated dirt makes your skin look dull and gives it an uneven tone. Exfoliating the skin weekly can remove the dead skin from the surface leaving the skin refreshed, clean and glowing. Sugar is a great exfoliate for the skin, as it is a natural source of glycolic acid. Glycolic acid boosts new cell production and breaks down the protein that keeps the dead cells hanging onto your skin.
Here’s the recipe for a sugar exfoliate:
½ cup organic brown sugar
½ cup Olive, jojoba, almond or coconut oil
Optional (1 drop of lavender essential oil)
Mix all the ingredients to make a paste, scrub on your face in a circular motion, rinse and wash as usual - it will leave your skin feeling smooth as silk! For those who have sensitive skin, oatmeal & honey may be more gentle and soothing for the skin.
2. Nourish your skin with a Yummy Strawberry Yoghurt Mask!
A face mask is one of the best and fastest ways to nourish your skin allowing it to glow naturally. Making a homemade 100% natural mask is cheap, quick and easy. You’re likely to find the ingredients already available in your kitchen! The two main ingredients that make for a perfect base for every skin type, is raw honey and natural yoghurt. Yoghurt helps to refine the pores, and honey will always leave your skin moisturised and soft to the touch.
Here is a simple recipe with three delicious ingredients (so good you might want to eat it instead!):
- 2 very ripe strawberries
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- 1 teaspoon probiotic yoghurt
Mash the ripe strawberries using the back of a fork in a small mixing bowl, add the raw honey and yoghurt and mix thoroughly. Using clean fingers, apply a thick coat of the mixture onto your clean face, rinse off after 15 minutes. Always do a patch test on your hand before applying onto your face to see if you have any allergies.
3. Coconut oil - Nature's Perfect Moisturiser for skin
Coconut oil is nature's oldest and most popular moisturisers and youth restorers. Coconut oil keeps the skin strong and supple, preventing sagging, wrinkled skin. It protects from free radicals and is a natural sunscreen. It prevents dry skin, blemishes and liver spots. It even has the ability to restore and rejuvenate damaged skin. Take a bit of coconut oil and massage all over the face, it absorbs very well into the skin.
4. Sleeping beauty – It isn’t just a fairytale
There’s evidence that lack of sleep shows up on your face. Night-time is considered a good time to allow your skin to replenish itself and reap anti-ageing benefits, and it allows your skin a reprieve from the ‘trauma’ of the day. So lack of sleep makes your skin look tired, especially around the eye area. So, make sure you get a good night's sleep every night, not only will you look radiant, but you will also have lots of energy to really enjoy and celebrate your Raya!
Selamat Hari Raya! Have a great time with your family and friends!
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