As a naturopath, nutritionist and medical herbalist, I love to ensure I keep my skin clear through healthy eating and lifestyle habits, but also using certain natural ingredients on my skin to promote suppleness, retain elasticity and keep the signs of ageing at bay. However, as a science geek, I’m also very pedantic about separating fact from fad. 

My top 3 essentials for healthy skin and lips have all been highly researched and have shown great results for many different areas including anti-ageing, skin rejuvenation, lip care, hair care and even acne treatment. 

Let nature take care of your skin and feel the difference these 3 beautiful ingredients can make when added to your beauty regime. 

HONEY

One of the oldest medicines in the world, raw honey, has been used for its healing powers for at least 8,000 years. Shown to inhibit around 60 species of bacteria, some species of fungi and viruses, honey is a valuable medicine. 

Not only is honey anti-microbial, it’s also a powerful antioxidant, has a softening and soothing effect on the skin, keeps wrinkles at bay, helps you remain looking young, regulates pH and even has conditioning effects on the hair. Honey has fantastic wound healing abilities making it a cheap, easy, and above all, delicious treatment for chapped lips! 

For these reasons and many more, honey is a fantastic ingredient to have in your skin, lip and haircare toolkit, especially when in facial cleansers, moisturisers, hair conditioners, lip balms and any pimple treatment product. 

JOJOBA

Jojoba oil has become more popular in recent times for its desirable effects on the skin. First and foremost, jojoba is anti-inflammatory to the skin, but has also been known to have anti-fungal properties, much like honey. 

Jojoba is a fantastic choice for acne, problematic and blemish-prone skin, but also a valuable ingredient in any anti-ageing product such as facial masks, serums or moisturisers. 

COCONUT OIL

Coconut is well known for its benefits to the skin and hair – for good reason! Studies show coconut oil helps reduce protein loss in hair, keeping it healthy and full of life. It contains beneficial fatty acids which have a linear molecular structure, allowing them to penetrate the hair shaft. Using coconut oil as a post and pre-wash treatment is an ideal habit to form if you are interested in preventing damage to your hair.

As a moisturiser, coconut oil has shown promise for skin hydration, suppleness and due to its wound healing capabilities, may be helpful in the treatment of acne. This glorious oil also seems to encourage collagen formation and antioxidant enzyme activity in damaged tissues, whilst also lowering oxidative stress and cell damage, typically occurring with tissue injury and wound healing.