Last week the New York Times ran an article that boldly proclaimed "Foundation is Dead!"

The piece refers to the decline in numbers of women wearing full coverage foundation for makeup and opting to show their skin instead.

When you think about it...COVID had a dramatic impact on how women wear makeup. For women that worked from home, many broke the habit of full coverage makeup as part of their daily routine. Then, many needed to wear face masks where makeup often smeared on the mask, making it less and less appealing.

The article says, "The shift away from foundation comes at a time of increased knowlege of skin care. While many women are going barefaced or touching up spots with concealer, others have found foundation alternatives that act as an entire skincare wardrobe in one swipe. Such products offer a slew of ingredients--Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and sunscreen--to rival traditional serums and glow--y finishes can make users feel confident enough to go without heavier coverage."

The focus shifted from foundation to create the appearance of healthy, radiant skin to creating it naturally. The skin can be like a thermometer telling you more about what is happening inside your body. 

While many women wear less and less makeup as they age, this is not an anti-makeup manifesto. Of course, women should wear whatever they would like on their skin. If you feel more comfortable with full makeup, wear it!! If you prefer to wear nothing, or just a touch of mascara--great! There is no "right way".

But there is real power in the fact that ALL of these options are being seen in our culture. And there is power in the fact that there is a rising trend that encourages confidence and health. 

How has your makeup and skincare routines changed over the years? I would love to hear from you!

xoxo,

Jan

Real Raw Beauty

PS Thank you so much to RRB customer Patty for her review of the Radiant A,

Patty A. 

 United States

 

The sun is out in North Carolina, and although it isn’t officially summer, it sure feels like it! Things seem to just be more alive and beautiful in the summer.

If you have been around here for a while, you know that I am fascinated by the aging process. Essentially, I believe that it doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Often I will do research into fitness, nutrition or mindset that helps me understand how to make aging a more positive experience. 

And lately…I have found some new research about DNA and aging that is a bit of a DOOZY! Of course, this impacts how your skin looks, but it goes so much deeper!

Let me share what I recently discovered…

Deep within the heart of our cells are telomeres, repeating segments of non coding DNA that live at the end of our chromosomes. They form caps at the ends of the chromosomes like caps on a shoestring and keep the genetic material from unraveling. 

Telomeres shorten with each cell division, they determine how fast a cell ages. 

Short telomeres are the major reason human cells grow old. 

Get this..telomeres are listening to you. 

The foods you eat…

Your response to challenges…

How much exercise you get…

There are so many factors that appear to influence your telomeres and can prevent premature aging at a cellular level. One of the keys for enjoying good health is simply doing your part to foster healthy cell renewal!

Scientists believe that the length of telomeres is also dependent upon your thoughts.

Yes–you read that correctly!

Scientists have learned that several thought patterns appear to be unhealthy for telomeres.

One of the worst offenders is an attitude of pessimism. 

In the clinical trials, the research team conducted a study of pessimism and shorter telomeres. The tests showed that pessimism is a risk factor for poor health! When a pessimist develops aging related illnesses, like cancer or heart disease, the illness tends to progress faster!

Also, they determined that people who frequently ruminate over negative events have shorter telomeres. Rethinking a story over and over again. (I have been so guilty of this in my life!!) Something can happen once, but if we ruminate, we keep it alive in our mind. 

When we ruminate, stress stays in our bodies long after the situation is over. Consistent rumination leads to prolonged high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, higher levels of cortisol, depression and anxiety and shorter telomeres. 

Being conscious and aware of our thoughts can promote stress resilience. With time you learn to encounter ruminations and say, “that was just a thought. No more than a thought. 

Science has proven that the reason our cells die off and don’t replicate is because of shortened telomeres, and that is also what makes us age. 

What we Think and Feel influences our telomeres. 

So my conclusion is if you don’t want to age at a rapid rate, slow down and take a look at your thought patterns, lifestyle choices, exercise routine. Are you shortening your telomeres, or doing your part to keep them healthy?

Change your thinking to support healthy telomeres, which in turn supports healthy beautiful skin. 

XOXO,

Jan

We all  know that fiber improves gut health, contributing to better digestion, right?  But did you know that fiber can benefit your skin as well? 

Happy gut equals happy-looking skin. Taking in the right amount of fiber per day can improve your skin.

There are plenty of studies and trials confirming that there is a link between gut health and skin. It is referred to as the gut-skin axis. Get this–studies have shown that people with Rosacea are 10 times more likely to have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth-(SIBO)!

The gut-skin axis is also responsible for our diet impacting the appearance of our skin. That is why we sometimes break out when we eat fatty food, or dairy. Such foods can actually create free radicals in the body, causing oxidative stress in the cells, which releases harmful substances that cause acne and premature aging.

So what can we do to keep our skin and gut healthy?

Take in the right amount of fiber per day! Women need 25 grams of fiber per day, and men need 38 grams. Most people don’t take in enough fiber.

Sources Fiber:

Insoluble Fiber

• Oatmeal
• Beans
• Nuts
• Cauliflower
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Prunes

Soluble Fiber

• Chia Seeds
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Flax Seeds

For me personally, my favorite fiber is psyllium husk powder, which goes in my smoothie, with blueberries, strawberries. I also love dried prunes!!

Overall, fiber fights inflammation, which helps prevent, (even reverse) everything from acne to rosacea to eczema to visible signs of aging like wrinkles.

Are you getting enough fiber in your diet? Could skin issues you are having come from the fact that you need to heal your gut? Then begin to add more fiber in your diet and try to get at least 25 grams a day in order to look and feel your best.

What are your favorite sources of fiber?

XOXO,

Jan

When I come across something that is great for my health and my skin….all I want to do is share! 

A few months ago I was visiting my son in Memphis.  I hadn't seen him in over a year, and I couldn’t get over how healthy and fit he looked. His skin glowed. So I asked him to break down what he was doing and what supplements he was taking.

He is a true athlete, a competitive cycler on a racing team. And because he likes to win, he is always researching the best supplements for endurance and muscle recovery. 

Since he loves his mom:) he sent me a list of the supplements he took everyday. My list looked a lot like his, except for two differences. He takes Garlic and K2 supplements. Of course, I ordered them to see if they made a difference in my workouts and my skin. 

Soon, I was so pleasantly shocked at how great I felt from taking the Garlic and K2 along with my regular stash of vitamin C, cinnamon and bitter melon, niacin, etc.

If you have never taken these two supplements before here is some great news for you:

Garlic is fabulous for your immune system. The American Institute for Cancer Research reports that taking in garlic frequently lowers the risk of certain cancers. It also helps with DNA repair and it slows down the growth of cancer cells while decreasing inflammation. WOW!!! Yes, please!

As far as for the skin, garlic is known to have pro-aging and pore minimizing properties.The strong antioxidants present in garlic help in reducing the free radical build-up in the skin, thus keeping it firm and youthful. It also contains sulfur, which helps the body produce collagen and helps fight wrinkles. Consuming a daily garlic supplement works great to protect the skin from damages caused by free radicals, oxidation, and environmental pollutants that eventually result in wrinkles.

If you do try this and open the garlic supplement jar and you do not smell garlic, you are wasting your money! Make sure to get a high quality supplement that smells fully like garlic.  And if you wonder if you will be tasting or smelling like garlic all day, the answer is no!

The second supplement that he recommended is K2.  It is especially important for post-menopausal women because of falling levels of the hormone oestrogen can lead to losses of up to a staggering 20 percent o their bone density leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. 

Clinical studies have shown that taking 180 milligrams of K2 in 3 separate doses throughout  the day could help reduce bone loss and improve cardiovascular health through the reduction of arterial stiffness. Regular small doses of K2 are best as this helps with calcium adoption throughout the day.

As far as the skin benefits of K2, it prevents the calcification of skin’s elastin. K2 is absolutely necessary for inhibiting calcium from being deposited in elastin fibers and keeping these fibers from hardening and causing wrinkles. 

If you take medications, always make sure that any supplement you take does not interfere with your medication. 

Check out these two supplements and see if they are right for you. I can say for me they have been a great addition to my daily supplement routine with visible results for my skin.

xoxo, Jan

Cold weather has finally set in and winter is always a tough time for our skin. Our skin endures a lot in the winter months–from freezing outdoor temperatures, to whipping winds then the dry indoor heat. All of that can take a toll on our skin! 

Our skin tends to be more dry, dull and can stay irritated this time of year.  Sometimes just adding in or changing a couple things can make all the difference. 

Here are 6 Tips to Keep Your Skin Radiant in the Winter:

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Stay hydrated on the inside to keep your skin looking moist and dewy on the outside.  I know I say this a lot, but drinking 8 glasses of water at least per day can help you keep from getting dehydrated, and keep your skin glowing. 

2. Exfoliate regularly

Exfoliation helps keep your skin hydrated and moisturized. When you exfoliate you gently remove dead skin cells and new cells come to the surface and absorb your moisturizers much better. Better absorption means better results.

3. Pile on the Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Hyaluronic Acid serum is intensely moisturizing. It absorbs into your skin instantly making it a beautiful foundation for layering your other products. It retains up to 1,000 times its weight in moisture. So this is a must for winter months.

4. Turn the heat down at night while you sleep

When we turn down the heat at night we sleep better, the cooler temperatures help our body to produce melatonin, which helps us sleep deeper and longer. The cooler temperatures at night are also great for the skin. This helps your blood vessels in the skin to constrain, which helps reduce redness and inflammation, and keeps the skin from drying out while you sleep.

5. Moisturize!

After you get your Hyaluronic Acid Serum applied, make sure you add your moisturizer for the next layer. You might even want to keep a bottle in your purse for those times when you are out and your skin starts to feel dry in zero temperatures. Moisturizer is a great barrier between your skin and the elements.

6. Don’t forget the lower half!

If the skin on your body is dry and flakey, using

after you shower or bathe is a great way to moisturize the body. I use body butter at night and put on my warm PJ’s and snuggle in!  There is nothing better than feeling hydrated from head-to-toe. 

So even if the heat is blasting and the cold is creeping in a bit, your skin can still glow, even in the winter!