Celebration Saturdays: The Quest for Perfect Skin

The quest for beautiful skin can be as elusive as the quest for the Holy Grail. Unlike Indiana Jones, I'm not one to go seeking solutions in hot deserts or have an unlimited cache of money set to achieve that goal alone. Sometimes I gotta eat too!

Searching the internet for products that cater specially to black skin is cumbersome, and although there are many companies and businesses out there that promise the goodness we all expect, how do we sort out the chaff from the wheat? Frankly I've given up on popular cosmetics on the shelf, but one thing I have learned from people with beautiful skin, simpler is better.

Here are a few things to remember:

1. Don't let your skin dry out. No matter what the season or the weather, excessive dryness is the quickest way to wrinkles and skin troubles. The cells of our bodies are turbid (or taut) when they are full of water. You CANNOT get water from a little bottle on the shelf! Drink LOTS of water and splash your face with water at least three times a day. Seal in the moisture with a good moisturizer (note again, they cannot ad water to your skin, just protect it from drying out) before applying your makeup.
2. Allow your skin to breathe. Our skin has lots of tiny little pores all over it. Sometimes the makeup we use clogs up the pores preventing the skin from "breathing". 
3. Remember the popular adage, you are what you eat? Vitamin E, biotin and folic acid are the skin miracle drugs. Don't believe labels of cosmetics that claim to have vitamin E in it. It cannot be absorbed by the skin. Instead INGEST these food groups. Nuts and dark leafy greens are your best bet for getting these nutrients into your body and all the way to your skin.
4. Keep your hands off your face and make sure you wash them whenever you can. We pick up germs from the most benign places. Door handles, elevator buttons, computer keyboards, shaking hands, picking up products in the store. All these germs get deposited on your skin with one touch. If you keep hand sanitizer and a hand moisturizer in your purse, you will be able to decrease what germs get to your face.
5. Finally, take some time to relax. Take a day off from your daily rigorous routine and listen to your favorite tunes, watch your favorite TV programs or have a girls day in and pamper yourselves. Stress can cause breakouts!

Enjoy your Saturday!