5 Teas for Clearer Skin

We all know that drinking tea is good for us. But did you know that some teas help fight acne and can give you glowing skin? That’s right! Drinking tea isn’t just a great beverage to have, it is packed with antioxidants and has powerful anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. What’s even more exciting, that it is one of the cheapest beauty staples to have in your cupboard… that won’t hurt your wallet! So which magic teas have super skin powers?

Green Tea

Green Tea, is a powerful acne fighter that holds powerful antioxidants and immune boosting properties, which help kill acne causing bacteria and protects the skin from harmful toxins. These antioxidants, in particular EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) encourages skin regeneration and helps reduces inflammation .So how do you use green tea for acne? Green tea can also be consumed orally or topically to treat acne. Drinking 2-4 cups daily can help reduce breakouts and clear up your skin. For skincare containing green tea check out SkinB5’s products that help manage all types of acne whilst helping you to maintain healthy skin, naturally.

Rooibos

This caffeine free tea is another popular choice for acne suffers. It is packed with many antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which help protect your skin from harmful free radicals and helps promote for a healthier skin, especially zinc and vitamin D. It is suggested drinking more than 4 cups daily will help build up on these antioxidants and can regulate the immune system when fighting acne (by reducing inflammation and redness) .Like green tea, rooibos can be either consumed as regular tea or be used topically to reduce acne. Take a cotton ball and apply rooibos as a toner or over any trouble areas. You can start reaping the full benefits right now!  Not only will you feel good by becoming a regular rooibos tea drinker, but your skin will also look good.

 

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is excellent for people with sensitive skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties which helps calm the skin from any skin irritations like rashes, acne, eczema, and rosacea. Aside from the skin benefits, chamomile tea is known to calm and relax your body, which in turn can reduce stress and help balance out hormones – leading to naturally calmer, happier skin. So next time you have trouble sleeping sip on a calming cup of chamomile tea or reap its skin soothing properties.

Dandelion Tea 

This skin purifier tea is known to help eliminate toxins from the body and help purify the blood, both of which are essential for clearer and healthy skin. It works wonders for acne suffers, due to its antibacterial properties, which helps reduce acne outbreaks and relieves the skin from any redness. It is also packed with antioxidants, which helps fight the free radicals that cause many signs of ageing. So, by drinking one cup of this skin purifying tea, you will keep your skin looking plump and ageless!

Spearmint Tea

This tea is not to be confused with peppermint tea, it is rich in antioxidants and antifungal properties that helps prevent blemishes of any kind and it is excellent for balancing hormonal levels. This tea is a superb choice for those who suffer from oily skin since it prevents the sebaceous glands from producing excess sebum and instead leaves your skin feeling soft and oil free. Drinking spearmint tea regularly may lead to better hormonal levels, which can considerably reduce recurrence of acne and give you clear skin. In order to see improvement in the skin’s appearance it is suggested to drink 2 cups of spearmint tea daily. And if you do suffer from hormonal acne, I suggest taking SkinB5’s Acne Control Caplets, each caplet contains powerful blemish fighting antioxidants which work from within to treat facial and body acne and help balance the hormones.

The right tea is predominantly good for the skin, it can help diminish inflammation, balance hormones, and help combat poor digestion that may contribute to poor skin. So the next time you crave a hot beverage you might want to reconsider the latte and grab one of these great teas for skin instead.

 

Farah has been using SkinB5 for two years now. She is an advocate for natural and organic beauty products, healthy living and a self-proclaimed whole foods enthusiast.  Her passion for health and beauty stems from her personal experiences dealing with problematic skin and now she wants to help others learn her secrets to flawless skin from the inside, out.

With the warmer weather, we all become more active, this can have some excellent benefits for our skin. Exercise can be beneficial for clear skin, however being active is a double-edged sword. Exercise combined with the increased temperature and humidity is a recipe for acne breakouts should we not take care to maintain our clear skin.

Exercise is said to detoxify your skin by removing impurities, which isn’t entirely true, however it does help. Increasing blood flow around your body will contribute to the regeneration of skin cells as the liver processes and detoxifies the blood supply to your skin. What’s of greater benefit to your skin from exercise is the reduction of stress, which you’ve seen in other blogs is a contributor to acne.

Whilst exercise provides for a great opportunity to reduce the factors contributing to acne, it also proves to be a risk to clear skin. I’ve devised tips below on how to enjoy the benefits of exercise whilst avoiding the risk to your clear skin.

When going to the gym, do not wear make-up. I would even go as far as to suggest avoiding hair product. I never see the logic in doing yourself up before going to the gym, because if you are going to do anything properly there, then your makeup and hair will look a mess anyhow. The risk is that these products can block your pores and cause acne.

When exercising, avoid tight fitting clothes. It sounds stupid initially, but with the trend in thermal sportswear, it’s increasingly common to see people in these. The risk is that this will rub and irritate acne prone skin, contributing to breakouts.

After exercise, get changed out of your gym clothes and shower. The warm water will open the pores of your skin, and showering with acne control cleansing mousse.

Just as how you’d take a protein shake after the gym, have your Acne Control Tablets. Ensure that you’re taking acne control tablets with each meal. Just like exercise, it takes time and consistency to get results!

There are growing cases in America of acne that’s difficult to treat due to staph infection. Staph has been found to be spread not just in hospitals, but also gyms and hot yoga studios. To avoid staph, wipe down gym equipment before you use it. After the gym, get changed out of your gym clothes and shower (funnily enough – as I’ve already suggested!), but ensure you also wash the clothes from the gym – don’t put them on again the next day!  

Being outdoors during the warmer weather can often lead to sunburn. There’s a persistent myth that this will help acne, however it is not the case. Sunlight is understood to have anti-inflammatory properties which would reduce the redness of acne, however it does not treat acne. Much greater is the concern of skin cancer.  Protect your skin from the sun, use oil-free or skin sensitive sunscreen when outdoors and be sure to shower it off after your time outdoors.

So get outside, get active, but take care to keep your skin clear.

 

Who is Nick Bell?

Nick joins SkinB5 as a writer, contributing monthly to the blog.

A mid-twenties Melburnian cliche, the bearded student suffers wanderlust, a soft spot of his city's cafe culture and a love of cycling. He writes from experience, having suffered acne himself throughout both high school and university,  and it's something he still battles today. Nick also writes a personal blog where he is documenting his journey for clear skin with SkinB5, having previously given up after years of ineffective products and medications.

Mindful Eating: What is it and how can it help our complexion?

Who’s ever found themselves opening the fridge or cupboard just because they’re bored, or bought some food because they are upset or tired? In fact who has only realised that’s what they’ve done after they’ve eaten that chocolate/those chips, or have only just realised what is happening when you have read it right now?

You’re not alone! Many people (myself included) have been guilty of emotional mindless eating. But the days of turning to a king size bar of Galaxy Chocolate have gone - thank goodness, because I know that had a huge impact on my skin problems, my energy and my self-worth.

So what’s mindful eating and how can it help?

A mindful eating approach helps us with the decision of what we eat and why. Food full of salt, sugar, processed and readily available might taste good in that moment of sadness/ stress/ excitement, but it isn’t actually good for you.

Eating mindfully is being aware of this and being able to choose a more positive, healthy choice instead of just shoving the first thing you see down your throat.

Eating with intention:

The intention of offering yourself the best nutrition possible; for your skin, your mind and your energy.  Will this food nourish your body and leave you feeling satisfied, clean and positive?

Eating with awareness:

Awareness of the look of your food on your plate.

Look: picture the deep red colour of a cherry

Smell: I can tell you I never savoured the aroma of my Galaxy bar before I devoured it!

Texture or feel as you eat: imagine the warm, smooth texture of pumpkin soup or crisp crunchy texture of Vietnamese cabbage salad.

If you have emotions like stress or sadness recognise that these emotions are there but try to express them in other ways rather than eating them into a food coma. Chat to someone, go for a run, write in a journal...don’t let that stress lead you to make a food choice that we all know will result in your feeling “blah” :(

So how to start?

It’s easy to live our lives on autopilot, but that leads us to never really thinking about what we’re doing or why we’re doing it. So in the end we’re doing a lot that isn’t worth it.

Starting to pay attention to what we’re doing helps to trigger a realization in us and to spot unhealthy habits when they pop up. If we can spot them we can stop them! The more aware we become of the emotions that send us to the fridge the stronger we are to take ourselves to a yoga class or health coach to help, instead of relying on our good old friend Galaxy chocolate.

*Skin problems can be a result of incorrect nutrition, hormones and stress.

If you need a hand with any of these problems contact. Stress reduction, Increased Energy & Motivation, Mindfulness, Yoga, Pilates & Nutrition to help bring vitality to your life:  info@skinb5.com to get in touch with me

 

Venessa Nickless Yoga, Health Coaching & Pilates Practitioner in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Her adrenal exhaustion, terrible skin problems and digestion issues led her to taking steps to revitalise her health & energy by changing diet; which includes daily use of SkinB5 supplements and skin products to this day.

She changed her fitness regime; focusing on Yoga and Meditation to increase energy and changed career so that she could help people to achieve the clear skin and confidence that they deserve.

Stress Less

Who knew that stress could seriously affect almost every area of your life? Everything from health to beauty, from relationships to sleep! I learned that lesson in my senior year at secondary school.

Senior year, or Year 12 as it’s known here in Australia, was definitely the most stressful year of my life. In contrast, I’m two years into University and it’s still a breeze compared to the suffocating pressure and constant demand Year 12 imposed on my life. Thank goodness it’s done and dusted!

Aside from learning good study habits, a healthy sleep routine and many other lifestyle lessons, Year 12 did teach me something else very profound… Acne has another cause! Stress!

The ironic thing about having acne because of stress is that it often leads to more acne because you are stressed about the original acne, which leads to more acne, which causes you to be more stressed, which… you get my point. #thestruggleisreal

Now this isn’t just something that happened to poor little ol’ me! SkinB5’s blogging Naturopath Haley Yates wrote in a post about stress and acne, that this very dilemma stressed students experience, is in fact very common!

Haley’s post also touched on the fact that unfortunately suicide rates are increased with people who suffer from a skin condition. This, combined with the already high rates of teenage suicide, is a very dangerous and frightening mix. The emotional impact of not looking your best is overwhelming, but there is an out. As tough as it is, insecurities is something everyone deals with. I still do. It’s not something you can break out of easily, but it can be done. I do urge that if you are experiencing feelings of extreme insecurity and/or suicidal/self harming thoughts, please seek the advice and counsel of a medical professional. If that’s a bit out of your reach, a trusted mentor or even a school chaplain are really great go-to’s to have. The most important thing is; tell someone! You are not alone.

As unfortunate as it is, having a skin condition like acne can have vicious cycles, including the previously mentioned stress = acne which = stress which = acne… there I go again! In the instance of acne due to stress, learn what it is that makes you stressed, for me, this was learning that getting behind in work and not understanding what was happening in class, then work out how to stop that stress. Yes. I stopped procrastinating and just got all my study done - much better! It’s also important to learn what helps you relax. Music? Exercise? Friends? Use these outlets to stay sane during stressful times. This could almost be seen as prevention is better than cure because if stress = acne, then less stress must = less acne!

 

Jemma is a second year commerce student and Marketing Assistant for SkinB5. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Jemma wants to travel the world with her degree. She is passionate about the youth of today and is often nicknamed ‘Mum’ because of her passion for young people. As a youth leader at her local church and a previous school captain for her secondary college, Jemma has seen the various struggles many teens have had to go through. She helps these teens overcome these struggles driven by a desire to see them succeed and be confident in their own skin. As an acne sufferer, Jemma empathises with young acne sufferers and hopes to help these teens overcome this struggle that is still very fresh in her mind!

Acne friendly sugar alternatives

It’s common knowledge that sugar causes horrors on our well-being (hormonal balances, obesity, cholesterol, diabetes and more), but what about our skin health? Recent studies show that sugar and refined carbs (a high-glycemic diet) aggravates the two most important causes of acne: hormones and inflammation, which are reflected in our skins sturdiness. Here’s the lowdown on what exactly sugar does to your skin and what you can do about it!

Let's start with the basics. Foods that are “high glycemic” such as refined carbs like sweetened baked goods, white bread, pasta or even soda drinks can increase your insulin levels. And what does that mean? Well when you ingest these high-glycemic foods they rapidly convert to sugar, which leads to a burst of inflammation throughout the body that trails to acne. And if that wasn’t bad enough, sugar also leads to premature aging, dark circles and more!  Yikes! But this doesn’t mean you have to quit sugar just yet, the most nutritious, antioxidant packed foods (fruits and vegetables) all contain natural sugars. Don’t believe me? Read on.

What sugar should you eat?

Opt for ‘’low glycemic foods’’, like whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruits they break down more slowly in your system, and help you avoid sugar and insulin spikes. Low-glycemic options have shown to improve acne and help balance out the hormones linked to it and will fast track your journey to clear skin.

Some tips to offset sugar's effects on skin

• Go gourmet: Use raw honey or coconut sugar as the sweetener (but in moderation of course), this is a healthier alternative to regular sugar especially for making homemade treats or hot drinks. And if you simply have to indulge, treat yourself to dark chocolate (anything over 60%) to reap the antioxidants benefits.

• Drink water: From time to time those sweet cravings can actually be a sign of dehydration. So, opt for filtered water, coconut water or add fruit to your water instead of the sugary sodas!

• Add some spices into your life: Certain spices will add natural sweetness to your food like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Cinnamon is also known to lower the blood sugar.

• Include foods that help acne problems: Certain foods have been linked to improve acne .These include fish oil, turmeric, ginger, green tea, nuts, dark purple and red foods such as berries, green foods like dark green leafy vegetables, and omega 3-eggs. These are just some of the anti-inflammatory foods that help minimize toxic buildup in your system, fight free radicals, and promote health and well-being.

• Remember diet is just one small part of eliminating acne: Cleansing, and moisturizing, are also essential for clearer skin.  I always recommended SkinB5 products to all my friends and family. SkinB5 products are natural and effective that help you manage your acne whilst helping you to maintain healthy skin. The Cleansing Mousse is very gentle on the skin and works deep down to remove excess oils and problem causing bacteria. I love to follow up with their Acne Control Moisturizer. This keeps me hydrated all day long (without the shiny residue hallelujah) and glowing!

• Take acne-fighting supplements: Lastly some supplements are critical for skin health. Antioxidant levels have been shown to be low in acne sufferers. I totally recommend: SkinB5’S Acne Control Tablets- Extra Strength. These bad boys are suitable for all skin types and each tablets contains powerful blemish fighting vitamins and minerals that work from within to treat facial and body acne, including blackheads and whiteheads. Oh and did I mention it’s all natural? To find out more on what they contain click here  http://www.skinb5.com/en/ingredients

The bottom line is this: Try to limit processed foods that contain sugar. Don’t forget to read all the ingredients! Sugar is hidden in unlikely foods, do a quick scan of the ingredients and keep in mind sugar can be disguised as glucose, evaporated cane juice, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), fruit juice concentrate, fructose, dextrose, caramel or syrup. Remember moderation is key and an occasional soda or sugary snack is nothing to worry about. But expect trouble if you eat them frequently, as it increases hormones and inflammation. Hope you liked this post and if you did please share it! For more information please don’t hesitate to contact us! We would love to hear from you. Until next time

Farah xoxo

 

Farah has been using SkinB5 for two years now. She is an advocate for natural and organic beauty products, healthy living and a self-proclaimed whole foods enthusiast.  Her passion for health and beauty stems from her personal experiences dealing with problematic skin and now she wants to help others learn her secrets to flawless skin from the inside, out.

7 things worse for your skin than acne – a male perspective

When you have acne, it’s hard not to think negatively of yourself. It isn’t flattering and it deflates your self-esteem like nothing else can. So I offer you a silver lining – there are worse things for your skin. In fact, I’ve devised a list of 7 things that will cause damage to your skin.

 

Ink – particularly when there’s lots of it

Which kind of sucks. I’ve contemplated tattoos for years and had been toying with different design ideas, waiting until I knew I had the right one. Reading that various inks used in tattooing (10 out of 11 black inks in a European study) contain the carcinogen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon at levels that exceeded European safety recommendations. Good. Whilst this sounds like a recipe for disaster there isn’t yet a clear link between tattoos and cancer, largely because the carcinogens are stable particles and therefore don’t enter the bloodstream.

 

Laser treatment

Laser treatment can be undertaken for a range of conditions – largely cosmetic. Side effects of laser treatment include changes in skin pigmentation, redness and swelling, sun sensitivity, infection, scarring, blistering and can cause acne breakouts. Beside these risks, it is understood that in the laser removal of tattoos the breakdown of carcinogenic particles can cause them to enter the bloodstream. Sounds scary?

 

Botox

It seems like a cliché to talk about the side effects of botox, however by the same token it’s now widely accepted as a standard cosmetic procedure. We tend to forget the risk of allergic reaction, rashes, headaches, itching, neck or back pain, muscle stiffness, nausea, diarrhea, weakness, cough, fever, difficulty swallowing or shortness of breath amongst others. This is all in addition to the long term health risks which are yet to be fully understood for their impact upon the brain, nervous system and muscles.

 

Dehydration

We all suffer dehydration – the moment you feel thirsty your body is experiencing dehydration. Should it persist you can then enjoy dryness of the mouth, dry skin and headaches. It’s also not unusual to feel tired, which can lead to irritability and a short temper. Severe dehydration can cause sunken eyes, low blood pressure and severe dryness of the skin will result in redness and irritability.

 

Poor Diet

It’s nothing new, and we all know it – a poor diet is poor for not just our waistline, but our skin too. Sugar is the biggest no-no as it damages your collagen and elastin, which keep your skin looking youthful and vibrant. Alcohol is also problematic as it dehydrates your body and unfortunately can cause (or inflame) acne. My other beverage of choice – coffee, is just as good at dehydrating you. What’s better is that it contains cortisol which in large volumes can accelerate the aging process which will show in your skin. The other traitors to your skin are the fries with your burger – as oil will trap bacteria in your body – particularly skin (hello breakouts!) and salt for swelling and the aggravation of acne.

 

Roaccutane

After years on Roaccutane, I’m well versed on its side effects. Dryness of skin, sensitivity to the sun, and mood swings. There are a number of reported cases of severe depression and tragic suicides connected to Roaccutane (Accutane). I do often wonder whether I’d still have my hairline if I hadn’t started Roaccutane during high school and continued it on-and-off for several years.

 

Benzoyl Peroxide

I used to wonder why my bed sheets and pillowcases were covered in funky looking stains. Upon the realisation that they only ever occurred on my side of the bed I realised it wasn’t due to anything you’d expect if you have a wicked sense of humour. I’d noticed it on some clothes too and it wasn’t until I was told about the effect of benzoyl peroxide that I realised it was the topical acne treatment cream I’d been using which was literally bleaching my bedding and clothes. Aside from this we can also enjoy mild burning, redness and irritation and skin dryness. There are plenty of healthy alternatives, I use Skin B5’s Skin Purifying Mask as a topical solution on problem spots several times a week as it dries out acne without the harmful side effects.

 

Who is Nick Bell?

Nick joins SkinB5 as a writer, contributing monthly to the blog.

A mid-twenties Melburnian cliche, the bearded student suffers wanderlust, a soft spot of his city's cafe culture and a love of cycling. He writes from experience, having suffered acne himself throughout both high school and university,  and it's something he still battles today. Nick also writes a personal blog where he is documenting his journey for clear skin with SkinB5, having previously given up after years of ineffective products and medications.

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So who'd have thought my partner would ever suffer from pimples spots and cystic acne!?

Recently he's really been suffering from spots that are deep, inflamed and just keep coming. He's usually got beautiful clear skin and it's horrible to see him so frustrated with it. Funny how you get used to those frustrations yourself and hate yourself for them, but when you see someone else with the same problem your heart really goes out to them - you definitely don't love them any less.

Apart from helping my partner with some of the stress he's going through, I've popped my favourite tried and tested SkinB5 products into his morning and evening routine and this is what's happened:

Blocked Pores: Have reduced, spots have risen to the surface and the skin underneath is smoother and more refined.

Exfoliation: It seems as if the skin is actually renewing more efficiently. The products are removing dead skin, which leaves his skin free to breathe.

Moisture: His skin easily absorbs the SkinB5 Acne Control Moisturiser, which is light and prevents future breakouts.

These products have soothed and calmed his skin in no time at all, I could see a difference in just a few days and then each day that passes his skin improves even more.

*Skin problems can be a result of incorrect nutrition, hormones and stress. If you need a hand with any of these problems contact me for some coaching advice.

Stress reduction, Increased Energy & Motivation, Mindfulness, Yoga, Pilates & Nutrition to help bring vitality to your life. Contact me on info@skinb5.com

 

Venessa Nickless Yoga, Health Coaching & Pilates Practitioner in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Her adrenal exhaustion, terrible skin problems and digestion issues led her to taking steps to revitalise her health & energy by changing diet; which includes daily use of SkinB5 supplements and skin products to this day.

She changed her fitness regime; focusing on Yoga and Meditation to increase energy and changed career so that she could help people to achieve the clear skin and confidence that they deserve.