HYDR8 ritual - Super Naturally Healthy€¦ · congesting Porefection and Mandelic + Herbal...

HYDR8

A M Y S A U N D E R Sw w w . s k y n t h e r a p y . c o m

ritual

3HYDR8 RITUAL / SKYN THERAPY2 HYDR8 RITUAL / SKYN THERAPY

HYDR8 RITUAL

“hydration plays an essential role in skin health

So you’re probably thinking what the

hell is this Hydr8 Ritual all about? Well,

the Hydr8 Ritual is my revolutionary

approach to promote clearer, calmer skin.

Inspired by beauty trends in Korea that

have been increasing in popularity with

bloggers over the past few

years, the Hydr8 Ritual in-

volves layering facial mists

and serums to increase

hydration in the skin.

I’d already seen great improvement in my skin

when I removed harsh acids from my routine

and included 4 Roccoco Botanicals serums

(Treatment Essence, Clarifying C Serum, De-

congesting Porefection and Mandelic + Herbal

Fusion), which at the time I thought was really

excessive, I mean - who can afford to use 4

different serums every evening? But actually, I

saw some real improvements in my skin in just

a few weeks so perhaps the multi-application

of serums everyday could benefit acne prone

skin? It got me thinking about whether it was

specific ‘acne fighting’ ingredients that were so

effective, or just the fact that simply hydrating

my skin with serums meant that I was suppor-

ting my skin barrier function rather than des-

troying it with acids and harsh exfoliators…?

If your skin is dry and flaky it’s lacking in

natural oils, fatty acids (aka lipids) AND

water/moisture

If your skin is dull the you’re lacking

ONLY water/moisture

If your skin is oily, then you have too

many lipids but lack water/moisture to

keep the balance and you skin will

actually produce MORE oil to

compensate.

a revolutionary approach to acne skin care

but my skin is oily, not dehydrated?

Just because your skin is oily, it doesn’t mean it’s not dehydrated! In fact, your skin probably IS dehydrated

if you have oily skin! Dehydrated skin hasn’t got anything to do with oil, it’s to do with lack of water in the

skin. Whether your skin if dry, dull or oily - hydration will play an important role in improving the tone and

texture of your skin.

If you’re over-using exfoliating

ingredients (glycol acid, retinol, lactic

acid, salicylic acid etc) you’re physically

dehydrating your skin so you need to

replace the moisture content.

dry/flaky oily

dullacid user

“Just because your skin is oily, doesn’t mean it’s not dehydrated!


The Hydr8 Ritual allows your skin

to absorb thin layers of hydrating

toners/essences at a time which

drastically improves hydration levels in

the skin. Our skin needs to be adequately

hydrated for it to look plump and glowy,

it’s also really, really important for skin

healing and reduced inflammation.

Chemical peels, acid exfoliators and

manual exfoliators all disrupt the skin

barrier and generating inflammation in the

skin. This inflammation and damaged skin

barrier function means that spots will be

bigger, redder and take a lot longer to heal.

By protecting the skin barrier and give the

skin what it needs to regenerate itself you

can see results in as little as 2 weeks.

TOP TO BOTTOM: YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE, EVOLE, OY!

You will first notice after

initially trying the Hydr8

Ritual is a warm, tingly feeling

on your skin from the 5 minutes of

continuous tapping your face had

endured! Like most of us, I’m a bit of a

lazy girl when it comes to my beauty

routine. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve

never gone to sleep in my make up,

but I do like to do it as quickly and

effortlessly as possible, which often

means I don’t give my skin the time

it needs. The simple act of vigorously

tapping layers of toner into my skin

means increases blood flow to the

area which promotes healthy cell

renewal leading to faster healing of

scars and pigmentation.

how can the hydr8 ritual transform my skin?

In a world where it’s common for acne skin care to be all about drying your skin

out to reduce sebum production and using harsh acids to clear pores, it might be

hard to understand how applying gentle floral waters and serums multiple times

to the skin will have a dramatic impact on acne. However, it’s so easy to get hooked

on harsh products and super powered ingredients that claim dramatic results against

acne, that we often forget about two really important factors when it comes to skin

health, acne prevention and healing.

hydration circulation

“We often forget about two really important factors when it comes to skin health


Keep it ph balanced: Our skin

is generally slightly acidic

with a pH of between

4.5 and 5.5. At this level, its

barrier function is most effective,

harmful bacteria are inhibited, and

beneficial bacteria are encouraged

so using skin care products with

similar levels of acidity maintains

this pH level and helps to keep

the skin balanced and healthy.

Traditionally, toners were used

to rebalance the skin pH after

cleansing. Our grandparents

would have likely used bar soap

to cleanse their skin which would

have been highly alkaline so a

slightly acidic toner was often

introduced to bring the pH back

into balance. Nowadays, Cleanser

formulations are much more

intelligent and are already pH

balanced so adding an acid toner

(think Clarins, Clinique, Pixi etc) on

top will make the skin too acidic

and more prone to breakouts.

Start slow: Depending on

your skin type, you may

be better off starting at 3

layers (instead of 6) for the first

week or so. This allows your skin

to acclimatise to its new routine

- you may find you want to stick

with the 3 layers for a little while

longer. Trust your instinct and go

with what works best for your

skin!

Green tea extract: Green

Tea Extract is undeniably

the best ingredient you

can use on your skin if you suffer

from acne. Green tea fights all

three causes of acne: hormones,

inflammation and bacteria making

it one of the most studied and

effective natural ingredients to

fight acne. Studies have shown

that Green Tea can cut sebum

production by up to 60% and

reduce acne count by 57%!

The studies that found

topical Green Tea to be

effective against acne

all used a high concentration

of Green Tea (2-3%) and it’s

practically impossible to find

beauty products with this high

amount of Green Tea extract in

so by using it in your Hydr8 Ritual

you can layer up products that

contain lower concentrations of

Green Tea Extract to reach the

desired potency. If you can’t find

a suitable facial mist that contain

Green Tea Extract you can always

decant your favourite mist into

a small 30ml spray bottle and

add 15 drops of this alcohol-free

Green Tea Extract! The reason I

decant the product into smaller

bottles is because by adding to a

formula may alter the efficiency of

the existing preservative system

you so should use the made up

product within 2 weeks just to be

on the safe side.

YOU

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hydr8 ritual: the do’s

“Green tea fights all three causes of acne: hormones, inflammation and bacteria - making it one of the most studied and effective natural ingredients to fight acne.

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Avoid mists with alcohol:

Stay away from toners,

tonics and facial mists

that contain alcohol, usually listed

as ethanol, ethyl alcohol, methanol

or isopropyl alcohol. Alcohol is a

terrible ingredient in cosmetics

and serves no benefit to the skin.

It’s massively irritating, damage the

skin barrier and leads to dryness

and irritation which can result in

the over production of sebum and

breakouts.

Keep away from acids: Some

tonics and facial mists

contain isolated alpha

hydroxy acids such as glycolic

acid, lactic acid and salicylic acid

to remove the surface layers

of skin to reveal brighter skin

and promote the production

of collagen and elastin. These

ingredients are fine to use once

a week AT MOST but I’m seeing

SO many people abusing the use

of facial AHAs and using them

on a daily basis which is causing

damage to the skin barrier,

resulting in sore, irritated and

super inflamed skin. As you are

applying several layers of product

it’s essential that you avoid ALL

isolated AHA’s (ingredients such

as Black Willow that contain small

amounts of naturally occurring

salicylic acid are fine unless you

have ultra sensitive skin).

Don’t use cotton pads:

Avoid using anything

BUT your hands when

performing the Hydr8 Ritual as

cotton pads or sponges could

be really abrasive when used

repeatedly on the skin. They also

absorb a lot of liquid so you end

up wasting more product.

EVO

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hydr8 ritual: the don’ts

“There’s no shortage of facial mists and toners on the market and the great thing about them is that they’re often safe for those with acne as they rarely contain heavy, comedogenic ingredients.

HOW TOapply theH Y D R 8 R I T UA L


01 After cleansing, spritz a fine layer of facial mist over your face and then lightly tap the product into your skin using an ‘up and out’ motion until your skin has absorbed all the product. My favourite mists include Apoterra Neroli Clarifying Toner, Green People Toning Hydrating Mist, Bioeva Japanese Green Tea Toner and Blissoma Peaceful Purity Tonique.

02Repeat the previous step another five times (6 layers of hydrating mist in total)

03Layers 7 and 8 are your treatment serum layers as your skin will now be perfectly prepped for absorbing awesome skin clearing ingredients. Look for serums that are full of key active ingredients such as vitamin C, B3, Peptides, Hyaluronic acid and Green Tea. Use the same tapping method for optimum absorption and blood circulation to the skin.

e, 04Complete the Hydr8 Ritual by sealing and locking in that moisture with your favourite moisturiser or a couple of drops of organic Rosehip oil. For oily skin types, my favourite moisturiser is the OY! Clear Skin Moisturiser.


Dehydrated skin is an

external problem that

is best treated through

an effective, deeply hydrating

skin care routine, but what you

eat has a major impact on your

skin’s ability to stay hydrated and

maintain moisture. Many people

believe that drinking lots of water

is a great tactic for dehydrated

skin but this is not the case!

Drinking water is not actually

that effective. Yes, drinking water

is essential for flushing out toxins

that can cause congestion and

inflammation, but it’s not going to

make your skin less dehydrated.

Foods rich in the essential fatty

acids found in salmon and olive oil

can help skin cells stay hydrated

while food groups such as sugar

can leave your skin dull, puffy and

more prone to dehydration.

Whether you’re

struggling with dull,

dehydrated skin,

acne, weight loss, digestive issues

or just want to improve your

health, switching your normal

sugar or sweetener with yacon

syrup is definitely something you

should consider! I believe yacon

syrup is the natural sweetener

everyone should have in their

kitchen cupboard to improve their

health from the inside out and

decrease their exposure to the

harmful effects of sugar.

Sugar is undoubtably the

worst type of food for your

skin. Not only does sugar

suck all the moisture out of your

cells, leaving your skin dull, puffy

and dehydrated, it also damages

collagen and elastin, the protein

fibres that keep skin firm and

elastic. This damage to collagen

and elastin will speed up the signs

of ageing and make those wrinkles

seem much more pronounced.

The good news is that experts say

it only takes 72-90 hours of sugar

elimination for your skin to start

regaining some of that lost glow!

It’s not just ageing and wrinkle

that sugar can aggravate… If

you’re struggling with acne, it’s

vital that you keep your blood

sugars as stable as possible. Too

much sugar over a long period of

time can cause a condition called

insulin resistance, which means

our bodies become de-sensitised

to the effects of sugar. The more

resistant to sugar we become,

the more insulin and IGF-1 our

pancreas has to produce to help

maintain the delicate balance of

blood glucose.

“ All this excess insulin and

IGF-1 circulating around

the body triggers a

release of androgen hormones! An

excess of androgens means that

our skin will produce too much

sebum, which will then oxidise and

lead to clogged pores, blackheads

and whiteheads!

Depending on the source,

yacon syrup has a

glycemic index between

1 and 5, meaning that it has very

minimal impact on your blood

sugar levels! To put this in to

perspective, refined sugar has a GI

of 65, honey has a GI of 50 and

coconut sugar has a GI of 35!

Not only is Yacon syrup

great for your blood

sugar levels, but it’s also

fantastic for improving gut health

and speeding up weight loss when

consumed regularly! Refined

sugar promotes the growth of

bad bacteria in the gut but Yacon

syrup actually does the complete

opposite of conventional sugar and

IMPROVES intestinal health. Yacon

contains an important prebiotic

called fructooligosaccharides that

feeds the good bacteria in our gut

and can help with digestive issues

such as constipation and poor

digestion.

When it comes to

weight loss, a 2009

study showed

impressive weight loss results

when Yacon syrup was included

as part of a healthy diet, with the

group consuming Yacon syrup

loosing 33 pounds and 3.9 inches

round their waist compared to

the placebo group who gained an

average of 3.5 pounds and neither

gained or lost any inches around

their waist. While Yacon syrup

is by no means a miracle natural

weight-loss solution, it does show

that it can have a beneficial impact

on your waist line when taken

as part of a healthy diet. The

reasons why Yacon is thought to

be benefit to weight loss is partly

down to the fact that Yacon syrup

contains only 40 calories per two

tablespoons compared to refined

table sugar which contains 96

calories, 128 calories in honey,

120 calories in agave and 110

calories in coconut nectar. Also, as

mentioned earlier, yacon syrup is

high in prebiotics, and is made up

for 40-50% fructooligosaccharides

(FOS). Fructooligosaccharides

(also found in chicory, jerusalem

artichokes, onions and garlic)

are soluble, non-digestible

carbohydrates that pass through

your digestive system completely

intact – this beneficial compound

keeps you fuller longer while also

improving your digestion to help

aid in weight loss.

While yacon syrup

can be great for

many things, it’s

recommended that you don’t

use it for baking or cooking at

a high heat. This is because if

Yacon syrup exceeds 120°C, the

fructooligosaccharides start to

break down into simple sugar

forms, making it sweeter, but

much less beneficial in terms of

nutrition.

Sugar is undoubtably the worst type of food for your skin...

sugarTHE INTERNAL SKIN DEHYDRATOR


AVOCADOCHOC POT

ingredients

method

2 ripe medium avocados1/2 C coconut milk1/2 C cacao powder1/3 C yacon syrup (or coconut nectar)3/4 tsp cinnamonpinch salt

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender till smooth.

Put into small bowls and leave in the fridge to firm for an hour.

This dessert is the best served with whipped coconut cream and eaten on the day it’s made


CHAITEA

ingredients

method

2 tea bags600ml dairy-free milk - I like to use Rude Health Brown Rice Milk8 cracked cardamom pods1 vanilla pod1 stick of cinnamon4 star anise2 cloves8 drops of liquid stevia

Heat up all the ingredients (except stevia) in a saucepan but avoid over-boiling as this can cause the nut milk to separate.

Simmer for 15 minutes to allow all the spices and to infuse the milk.

After 15 minutes, add the 8 drops of stevia (or more/less to taste)


CAROBTRUFFLESingredients

method

3 tblsp carob powder + extra for dusting (or cacao powder)400ml coconut milk (left in the fridge overnight)1/4 cup of cocoa butter3 tblsp yacon syrup (or coconut nectar)pinch of sea salt

Grate or chop up the cocoa butter and melt in a small bowl. You can melt in the microwave at 30 second intervals or over a saucepan of simmering water.

Remove the coconut milk from the fridge, open the tin and make a small hole in the coconut milk and drain away the coconut water (when left in the fridge overnight, the coconut cream will separate from the water). Scoop out the coconut cream and add to the melted cocoa butter, whisking till smooth.

Whisk in the carob powder, yacon syrup, cinnamon and sea salt

Pop the mixture into the fridge for 2-3 hours to firm up, whisking every hour to prevent the cocoa butter from separating.

Use a 1 tblsp scoop to take some of the mixture and roll into small balls and set aside on a tray. You will need to work quickly as the warmth from your hands will melt the mixture very quickly!

Once you have made up all the truffles, use some extra carob powder to dust over the truffles.

Store in the fridge and consume within 1 week!

20 HYDR8 RITUAL / SKYN THERAPY

Amy Saunders is an acne coach and natural beauty expert. Amy specialises in the natural treatment

of acne and is dedicated to helping others achieve clear skin.

@amy_skyntherapy

@amy_skyntherapy

/skyntherapyblog

[email protected]

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HYDR8 ritual - Super Naturally Healthy€¦ · congesting Porefection and Mandelic + Herbal...

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Transcript of HYDR8 ritual - Super Naturally Healthy€¦ · congesting Porefection and Mandelic + Herbal...