Many people want healthy and well-cared-for skin. Unfortunately, incorrect washing habits often lead to unwanted skin problems. This is because people often use a lot of care products, some of which are aggressive. This is not necessarily effective. Rather, it requires targeted care that is individually tailored to the skin type. In this article, we would like to show you the most common mistakes when washing your skin and give you practical tips on how to clean and care for it properly.
- SOAP : Less is more - soaps and shower gels attack the skin's protective acid mantle. The less soap you put on your skin, the less likely it is that its natural function will be destroyed. Experts advise against thoroughly lathering your body every day. Ultimately, cleaning with water is completely sufficient. Only make-up residue and grease need to be removed with soap! Hands in particular should be washed with soap. It is best to make sure that soaps and shower gels for the body do not contain sodium lauryn sulfate. SLS acts as a surfactant and binds oil-based dirt, which can then be rinsed off with water. People with skin diseases such as eczema or neurodermatitis in particular should avoid it.
- WASHING : If your skin is dry or very sensitive, the protective mechanism is usually unstable. Too much care can be harmful here. If you have hardly sweated in a day or have not come into contact with dirt, you can skip showering for a while without a clear conscience. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, you can of course still clean certain parts of your body every day, such as your armpits, hands, face, the sweat trough on your chest and back, and your intimate area. “Cleansing Reduction” is the latest trend, which involves adapting your body hygiene routine to your skin type and actual needs in order to protect the skin's natural protective layer. If you shower for too long, your skin softens, loses moisture, and dries out more quickly.
- TEMPERATURE : Doctors recommend that the water temperature when showering should be lukewarm - that is, similar to your own body temperature or slightly higher. People who struggle with irritation or dryness should especially pay attention to the water temperature to protect their skin microbiome.
- TIME : The recommended shower time is five to ten minutes. Showering for too long can dehydrate the skin. This happens because the moisture in the water softens the skin and in turn allows moisture to escape from the body!
- PRODUCTS : People with allergies or skin problems in particular should use mild cleaning products with a pH value of 5.5 to 7. The pH-neutral care should not contain fragrances, artificial colors or other dangerous ingredients. The skin care industry is constantly revolutionizing itself. Innovative trends such as probiotic cosmetics are effective because care products are produced with living microorganisms. This means they reach the skin and its own microbiome and can continuously strengthen the balance of the skin flora.
Would you like to support your skin even more? Then do so by supporting your gut! It is very closely connected to the gut-brain axis! Would you like to find out more about this? Then click through our article about the gut-skin axis
In short: What does our gut have to do with our skin?
Our skin reflects the health of our gut. If our gut is healthy, our skin glows, ages more slowly, is less dry and is less prone to pimples and irritations. The doctor Dr. Michaela Axt-Gadermann explains:
"Through a healthy intestinal flora and the targeted addition of certain bacterial strains, moisture retention can be improved, hyaluronic acid production can be stimulated, pimples and eczema can be alleviated, the skin's UV protection can be improved, or sensitive skin can be made less sensitive. Even the aging process is delayed by a healthy intestine, and wrinkles can be reduced by the bacterial strain Lactobacillus plantarum."
In addition to the 5 tips mentioned above, the health of the intestines also plays a very important role and can be "cared for" like the skin. One way to support your intestinal flora is to take synbiotics (a combination of probiotics and prebiotics). Would you like to try our synbiotics? Then click on the button and discover which mybacs product is right for you!
