Connecting to the Skin’s Rhythm
Our skin has a rhythm all its own, echoing the wider rhythms of life, and when we tap into that pulse, we tap into deep beauty.
On a daily basis, the skin’s natural regenerative cycle oscillates between two fundamental functions. During the daytime hours, skin actively protects us from environmental stressors, including UV light and toxins. But at night, its focus changes, and during the first half of the sleep cycle the skin works at full capacity to make cellular repairs, undoing the day’s damage.
Time and again I’ve seen that when we give the skin exactly what it needs, it performs at its best, and especially when we boost the skin’s natural capacities with formulas that harness the Pure Living Energy®of the botanical world. I love the way skin absorbs botanical remedies so effortlessly. Getting in sync with the daily rhythms of this continuous cycle, a rich supply of natural antioxidants helps combat pollutants during the day, a phase that tends to peak between 7 – 11 am. At night, however, skin needs essential nutrients to rebuild collagen, ideally between the hours of 10pm – midnight, when the body’s natural anti-inflammatory levels are often at their highest. With this in mind, It’s easy to see how skin can become extra-stressed during travel, when jet-lag sets the natural cycles topsy-turvy.
That said, healing is not an overnight affair. It takes intention and time, with our skin replenishing itself slowly over the course of about 27 to 35 days. Just as when preforming a cleanse, or joining a new exercise class, it’s useful to approach long-term skincare goals with this timeframe in mind. Some have found that linking up with the lunar cycle offers a sense of momentum. For example, according those who study our biorhythms, when the moon is waxing—that is, growing from crescent to full—it can be a great time to initiate rejuvenating and replenishing treatments. After the full moon, during the waning period, we can best tap in to the skin’s ability to detox, with exfoliating and purifying treatments.
And yet, beyond all the practical benefits of stepping in time in this way, I think you’ll find that getting more connected with the skin—the body’s largest organ—just feels right, full of wonder and surprise, but also so beautifully simple.
Related: Aging Gracefully
