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Chocolate letters, Christmas wreath biscuits and doughnuts with icing sugar… We can't get enough of them, and especially during December the shops are full of sugary products. And we often find it hard to stay away from them.
Too much sugar is not healthy, we all know that. But it can be so difficult to resist.
Sugar is addictive for our bodies. When we eat sugar, the brain gets a signal to produce dopamine (the happiness hormone). And of course we all want to feel happy! So your body has quite a 'good' motivation for wanting to eat sugar.
And once you've started with sugar, you want more and more. Otherwise your blood sugar level takes a big dip. The chance that you'll leave that sweet or biscuit alone is then virtually nil. And before you know it, the entire biscuit tin is empty.
But what does sugar actually do to the skin?
Sugar can contribute to skin ageing through glycation. Glycation is a complicated name for a chemical process in which sugars bind to proteins in the body. It is also known as 'sugaring'. This can cause damage to collagen and elastin, two proteins that are very important for the elasticity and firmness of the skin. The elastic fibres harden and become less elastic. This leads to wrinkles, fine lines and dry, dull skin. And that is exactly what we don't want!
Eating a lot of sugary products can cause spots. Foods that affect blood sugar levels (including fast carbohydrates) can make the development of spots worse.
Don't panic! Preventing it 100% is of course impossible. After all, sugars are found in a great many products. And your body of course also needs sugars to have enough energy throughout your day!
Skin ageing, including through glycation, is a natural process in the skin. It is, however, true that too high a sugar intake will speed up the process. Because the more sugars in your diet, the more sugars in your body that can cause glycation.
The best way to reduce the effects of sugar on the skin is of course to limit sugar in your diet.
It also helps to get enough nutrition that is rich in antioxidants. Berries such as blueberries and raspberries in particular are rich in antioxidants, but so are nuts and seeds such as walnuts. Make sure that the largest part of your diet consists of these foods. Certain vegetables and fruits can even give your skin a lovely glow straight away. Such as peppers, carrots and broccoli.
Okay, so eating sugar is disastrous for beautiful, firm skin. But using sugar on the skin is actually recommended.
Cane sugar is extracted from the juice of the sugar cane stalk. The juice is boiled down and then crystallised and sieved. Because cane sugar is centrifuged only briefly, a small amount of dark brown syrup remains. This gives the sugar its (brown) colour.
Cane sugar is great to use as a facial scrub. Did you know that glycolic acid also comes from cane sugar? Cane sugar has exfoliating properties. It removes dead skin cells and improves blood circulation in the skin. This results in radiant, even skin!
Step 1: Mix cane sugar with an oil. Use Coconut Oil for dry skin or Safflower Oil for oily skin (or use your own favourite oil)
Want something completely different? Then whip up a little shea butter and mix it with cane sugar.
Step 2: Optionally add your favourite fragrance (note: use a maximum of 1% Essential oil).
Step 3: Cleanse your face. You can do this with a bar of soap (such as African Black Soap) or with a cleansing oil (such as Castor Oil or Jojoba oil)
Step 4: Scrub the skin. Gently rub the sugar scrub over the skin. Rub very gently for about 2 minutes in circular motions over your face.
Tip: gently scrub your lips too, then afterwards they'll be as soft as velvet again!
Step 5: Rinse off. Rinse the scrub off your face with warm water.
Step 6. Care for your skin with a hydrating oil or soft butter. Rosehip Oil is very suitable for this!
Tip: making a larger batch of sugar scrub? Then add a few drops of vitamin E oil so it keeps for longer.
Enjoy wonderfully soft and radiant skin!
Written by: Helena Laarman
Sugar causes wrinkles. An excess of sugar damages collagen and elastin. These proteins in the skin provide firmness and flexibility. Sugars can therefore contribute to rapid skin ageing!
