A while ago, I was sent an article, based on scientific studies, which turned my skincare world on its head. In a good way.

Formulating skincare for the human body’s largest organ – the skin – is a huge responsibility. We apply products to the skin’s surface, but I regard skincare products as ‘food for the skin’, as a large proportion of the ingredients are absorbed into the body. I have always formulated skincare with the aim of improving people’s skin. I have great faith in nature and like to say that “I bottle nature” – the natural affinity with our skin; the use of ingredients that the body “understands” is the only type of product that makes sense to me.

The article I’m referring to is this very informative article from the BBC, which highlights how researchers have documented that healthy skin is essential for your lifespan / longevity – yet another of my great passions:

How can we live longer and better?

Previously, we have regarded the skin as a reflection of how we live our lives: sleep, hydration, nutrition, joy, stress, sensuality, sun/light, smoking, alcohol, etc. However, many studies document that it also works in other ways, whereby damaged skin can lead to poor health.

Before I go any further, I’d like to emphasise that we’re not talking about unique ingredients. There are three main elements in particular that are essential: hydration, nourishment and SPF protection.

We can all help to prolong our health by ensuring our skin functions well and is balanced. In turn, this will help protect us from developing age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Type 2 diabetes.

The article highlights the studies that support this claim:

The Baltimore Longitudinal Study is America’s longest-running scientific study of human ageing. The study began in 1958, and thousands of men (and later women) were followed over decades to see how their health developed, whilst information on genes and the environment was incorporated into the research. The BLSA is world-renowned and has generated thousands of scientific articles, as well as making major contributions to our understanding of what it means to grow older.

The BLSA has studied many different aspects of ageing, and one of the most interesting findings for someone like me, who is so interested in skincare at every level, is that how youthful you look is also a reflection of your inner health. People who looked older than their actual age at the start of the study were more likely to have died 20 years later than those who looked younger.

This may come as no surprise, as we have always regarded the skin as a mirror of our lifestyle, but the study highlights how the skin plays an active role in our physical wellbeing; unhealthy, unbalanced skin causes ageing from within us. In other words, we need to start viewing skincare in the same way as, for example, dental care – as a means of preventing disease processes from starting.

There are so many things we can do to maintain our health: donate blood, sleep, floss our teeth and do cardio exercise, to name but a few. The list seems endless. Yet skin health appears to be somewhat overlooked in the conversation about longevity in many health circles, even though it plays a major role in our health.

As mentioned at the start, SPF protection, hydration and nourishment (lipids) are essential for maintaining good skin health.

A 2013 study states: “UV exposure appears to be responsible for 80 per cent of visible signs of ageing on the face.”

Protecting our skin from overexposure to light is important, both to avoid premature skin ageing and collagen breakdown, but also to prevent photodamage to the skin. From a longevity perspective, it protects the skin against most of the inflammation that occurs when the skin is exposed to the sun. The chemical transformation in damaged skin is the negative trigger for the aforementioned disease processes. Applying broad-spectrum SPF protection is therefore a true knight in shining armour when combating these inflammatory processes.

In an international study mentioned in the article, researchers followed two groups of elderly participants for one month.

Group 1 applied moisturiser twice a day. Group 2 did not.

The researchers found that Group 1’s skin had improved significantly, with lower levels of three different classes of inflammatory chemicals.

The same research team then began a new study in which a group of people aged 65 and over cared for their skin twice a day for three years, whilst another group did not. The results of the study showed that the ‘skin-care group’ had not experienced any decline in cognitive function, whilst the ‘non-skin-care group’ had experienced a marked decline in cognitive function.

Dry skin is probably the biggest contributor to ‘inflamm-ageing’, says Mao-Qiang Man in the article, as dry skin tends to have higher levels of inflammation, which leads to itchy skin. And if you scratch your skin, the inflammation gets worse.

Hydrating the skin is primarily achieved with the help of moisturising ingredients, which attract water from the air or from deeper within the skin, such as glycerine, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, etc. A serum is a good example of a moisturising product.

Nourishing the skin is primarily achieved using emollient ingredients, such as plant oils and plant butters (in natural skincare). These help to maintain the skin’s moisture levels whilst softening the skin and keeping it supple, and they form a protective film on the skin’s surface. Facial oils, body oils and balms are examples of deeply nourishing products.

Good creams, lotions and moisturisers are formulated to both hydrate and nourish the skin. Remembering to use them – not just for beautiful skin – is crucial for keeping the skin barrier intact and warding off inflammatory chemicals.

The skin isn’t just skin; it’s an integral part of us as human beings. Skincare isn’t vanity – it’s common sense.

We have a slogan at Karmameju that goes: If you have a bathroom, you have a spa, and all the scientific evidence on the importance of skin health only makes me even more passionate about inspiring you to prioritise time in the bathroom with a nice cup of tea, a candle and some soothing music.

Remember, when you’re thinking of skipping your body lotion or body oil in the morning, just think of the incredible benefits it brings to your health. Especially as the body has the largest surface area of skin. If your skin feels dry and itchy: think about the chemical cocktail and the inflammatory process at work, and come to your skin’s rescue.

Skincare plays a crucial role in overall health and longevity, beyond just appearance. Healthy, well-cared-for skin acts as a barrier against inflammation, which can trigger various age-related diseases. Key elements such as hydration, nourishment and SPF protection are essential for maintaining skin health, helping to reduce inflammation and prevent disease processes. Recent scientific studies have shown that skincare not only improves the condition of the skin but also supports cognitive function and general wellbeing, making skincare an integral part of the journey towards longevity.