“We are designed whole; our emotions are not a separate part of our bodies that we can detach, the body cannot function without the emotions we feel.”
Alexandra

We are all too aware of how our emotions directly affect our skin, especially during the obvious direct skin-mind connections, for instance, when we feel embarrassed our skin does not really help the situation by blushing. But are there other connections that we are not aware of?

Let’s talk about stress for a minute…

Acne, alopecia, eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, hives, and other skin rashes – all can be either stress-related skin conditions or conditions exacerbated by stress.

These manifestations of stress through the skin are not always associated with our emotions. This is because they usually manifest a few weeks or months after the stressful period or they are manifestations of underlying stress that we are not so aware off… such as the feelings we supress, anxiety being the main culprit.

This issue is vastly covered in my book 'Perfect Skin, Unlocking the Secrets', in the meantime here are a few things I recommend for calming those stress levels…

 THREE BREATHS A DAY

Day or night, having a candle lit in the home has a wonderful calming effect. Just the act of lighting, is you making time for yourself.  Sit quietly by the candle and take three deep breaths. Inhaling softly and deeply through the nose into your belly and exhaling softly and fully out of the mouth until your stomach muscles are contracted.

MASSAGE

Breakouts on neck and jaw are commonplace in times of stress. Lymphatic drainage is an incredibly effective tool for helping with this. Massage the face everyday, even just for a minute.

Take a look at this tutorial of me sharing tips on a quick face massage

 

OILS

The therapeutic effects of essential oils work simultaneously on skin and mind. Mother Nature has perfectly designed these natural skin remedies that also have a powerful effect on the emotions, which in turn will benefit the skin.

 Antidote is our pocket-sized pulse point oil to comfort, protect and revive. The antidotal blend is inspired by an ancient formula of alpine sacred oils to ward off disease from the body and protect the soul from negative energy.

In ‘Perfect Skin’ there is a lovely Anxiety blend oil that can be created at home and has the most wonderful fragrance that lingers blissfully from day to night. 

Anxiety Blend Oil

25ml carrier oil
5 drops Bergamot essential oil
3 drops Clary Sage essential oil
2 drops Vetiver essential oil

 The body oils have all been hand blended for to nourish the skin and soothe the senses. Workaholics Blend is a particular favourite, the synergetic blend of Neroli, Lemon, Lavender and Geranium is a real tonic when stressed.

Top Tip –

For very busy people, apply body oil on just showered damp skin and pat-dry with a flannel, et voilá, beautiful soft skin with zero effort.

 TIME FOR TEA

The link between the emotions and the gut is well known. We will go into this another time, but a cup tea, herbal in particular, is such a lovely remedy for unsettling times. Pop the kettle on and feel better from the inside out.

 Above all else, especially during such surreal times as this, be kind to yourself. Practice the art of self-acceptance and go a little easier on yourself. Failing that, a cup of tea and a good deed for others will help no end.

 If you, or someone you know, need a little extra support during these times, here are a few organisations that are here to help:

MIND
Shout
Mental Health Foundation

 

Recipes for natural remedies

A few simple ingredients in your kitchen that will comfort the soul and boost your immunity in equal measure… 

Momma Soveral's cough syrup

Carrots are rich in vitamin A and other antioxidants that support to immune system.

Here's a simple remedy from Alexandra’s mother to soothe a cough and sore throat, or to boost the immune system…

What you will need:
One carrot
A little bit of brown sugar

• Thin slice a carrot into a ceramic or glass bowl.
• Cover the carrot slices with a dusting of brown sugar.
• Cover and leave overnight (out of the fridge).
• A lovely syrup will form that soothes and heals.

A teaspoon a few times a day will work wonders.

Jorj's Smashing Avocado

• Take one semi ripe or not too soft avocado
• Cut in half with sharp knife, piece skin and press knife blade until you hit the stone
• Rotate knife & avocado in tandem so that start point becomes one with finish
• Twist and behold, two halves. Removed stone
• Sprinkle with salt to taste
• Take one half and cup in hand, with tea spoon procedure to eat

Done!

  

Perfect Skin's Soups

There are numerous soup recipes in Alexandra’s book, ‘Perfect Skin’, but it all begins with a good base – a lovely way to use up any leftovers or vegetables that might be on the turn:

 What you will need:

1.7 litres water

1 large white onion, cut into quarters

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

Any extra or leftover vegetables

A pinch of salt

A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

         Bring water to the boil

• Add all the ingredients in the above order (leave the leftover vegetables out)
• Take off the heat and blend until smooth
• Return to heat and add leftovers. Cook until tender
• Season and serve
  
  

 Root Vegetable and Watercress Soup

 This is Alexandra’s “all-time favourite” soup, so we had to include it here!

 What you will need:

1.7 litres water

1 medium chilli, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 large white onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

½ medium swede, peeled and roughly chopped

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red pepper, roughly chopped

1 turnip, peeled and roughly chopped

A pinch of salt

A large bunch of watercress, washed

A drizzle of olive oil, to serve

 

• Bring water to the boil
• Add all the ingredients, except the watercress, in the above order
• Take off the heat. Add the watercress and cook for a couple of minutes
• Check the seasoning and drizzle with the oil before serving

 Enjoy!

 

For more delectable recipes that feed the soul and leave you glowing, look no further…

 

Do all skin types suit oil?

Some people believe their skin will breakout at the sight of a face oil, for the most part they are right, here is why:

Reason 1        They may be using an oil that is not actually an oil.

Reason 2        The oil they are using is unsuitable for their skin, it may be too fatty.

Reason 3        Their skin truly cannot cope with oil.

Reason 1
Not all oils on the market should be called oil, they are products cashing in on the known oil benefits. The products I do not consider to be true oils are:
Synthetic polymers – They are essentially plastic
Mineral oils – Petrochemicals
Processed Oils – The oil’s various components are separated and then processed in a multitude of ways, the end result is something that does not have the same properties as the original oil but ends up on advertising of the product with the same name. This is done for getting a longer shelf life and of course it is a much cheaper ingredient as it can be extracted from inferior produce. You will find them in almost all your skincare products under the name of ‘Caprylic’ or ‘Capric Triglyceride’.

When it comes to oil, the only oils that should be used on the skin should be pure vegetable oils.

Reason 2
For those whose skin loves oil, life is a wonderful journey of oil discovery. With so many skin health benefits on offer from vegetable oils, we can pick and choose depending on what we are aiming to address and improve. Skin feeling a little dry? A little jojoba will fix that. Been out in the sun too much? Avocado oil will replenish and soften the skin in no time.

However, for those with the tendency to breakout, life is not so easy. Even pure vegetable oils need to be carefully considered, to ensure no adverse reactions.

We know that good bacteria thrive on oxygen whilst harmful skin bacteria feed on, amongst other things, rancid oil. Bearing that is mind, bringing oxygenated blood to the skin is therefore a good thing (this can be done through exercise and face massage) and ensuring oil does not oxidize on the skin is also smart.

There are oils with very low oxidizing qualities that also bring great benefits to problem skin, oils rich in linoleic acid and various natural vitamins. A good example is Pomegranate seed oil. 

To avoid any oil from going rancid on the skin all Soveral face oils are reinforced with naturally effective antioxidants. 

Reason 3
Acne prone skin is high in oleic acid, which is an Omega 9, and the skin over produces oleic acid to make up for the lack of linoleic acid. This extra production of oil by the skin makes the sebaceous glands enlarged and often ends up in pores being clogged and inflammation. The trapped oil inside the pores oxidizes, making it a perfect food for the bad bacteria to feed on.

The skin needs linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids (Omega 6 and Omega 3) to properly function and build its natural barrier against bacterial invaders.

The problem is that all oils that contain the beneficial acids also contain oleic acid, so what can we do about it?

Jojoba is not an oil but a liquid wax that has a very similar composition of that of sebum. Because of that similarity it is recognised in the skin as sebum, the bonus here is that another great benefit of Jojoba is that it is very stable, it does not easily oxidize, so it will not become a food source for the harmful bacteria.  Jojoba does contain a very small amount of oleic acid, but this is in balance with how much the skin should contain. Its sebum-like structure allows this oil to blend with the sebum inside the pore, thus dissolving it and this is a great way to get antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of essential oils into the pores. Simply dilute acne fighting essential oils into jojoba and either use as a skin cleanser or as a moisturising face oil. Take a look at the blending instructions on the Soveral website under Aromatherapy. 

For those with very acne prone skin, you may want to remove the jojoba oil after massaging the skin with a warm damp cloth. Do this a couple of times per week to get the skin gradually used to the skin. Once you feel confident your skin is not reacting, you may try leaving the oil on the skin but removing excess oil with a tissue once the face massage is over.

Shop the blog: 

Midnight oil face oil

Forever Young Face oil

Jojoba Oil

Avocado Oil