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Yoliswa Dube

I SPENT longer than I should have at a till at one of my favourite supermarkets the other day because the till operator was amused by my body oil purchase.

She asked a lot of questions about the oil and I could see her interest peaking with each response I gave her.

I think she was mostly stunned by the price tag; $20 for a 200ml bottle. It could’ve been a lot to spend on one item but well, you only get “one skin”, right?

So the conversation went on and she finally remarked, “…And uyazithanda hanti”. In my mind I replied, “Hell yea I do!” but I was polite and explained how important the oil was for my skin especially now that we’ve been experiencing harsh weather conditions.

One minute it’s blazing hot, the next it’s cold and before you know it, it’s raining!

The skin really can’t keep up without a little extra care and the beauty of it all is that your skin will tell you exactly what it needs. All you have to do is pay attention and oblige it.

I first learnt about tissue oil a couple of years ago when my skin had started drying out. I’d apply the oil, which has Q10 and caring oils, on my face and body soon after each bath and with time, its texture started to improve.

I’ve noticed how my skin sometimes gets too oily and at times under moisturised depending on the weather and I adjust the frequency and amount of oil I apply accordingly.

Whenever you realise that your skin feels rather tight, then you know it’s dry and needs a bit of extra moisture.

While you also don’t want an oily skin; that may lead to breakouts which need extra managing, dry skin is easily affected by changing weather elements.

When your skin is dry, it is vulnerable. It becomes susceptible to pigmentation, uneven skin tone and generally loses its lustre and natural glow.

I know lots of women love to walk around with mattified or made up faces but that vanishing cream or make-up could be what’s drying out your skin. I would rather walk out of the house with a glowing skin and made up brows and lips than strut around in malnourished skin.

If you really must wear make-up or use that vanishing cream every day, make sure you moisturise your skin before you go to sleep every single night. At least twice a week, make sure you scrub your skin gently. There’s no end to what our hands come into contact with. Make sure you moisturise your hands whenever you wash them, finish doing the dishes or anything that involves water.

It’s important to rehydrate your skin after moisture is lost when you come into contact with water. This may sound cheesy, but whenever you can, wear protective gloves when doing chores that require them like gardening or washing the dishes. I know, but it’ll help in the long run. Keep a small tube of lotion in your handbag for when you’re on the go.

Dry chapped feet are embarrassing when you decide to wear open shoes. Your feet are what will tell us how much of a hygienic person you are, so they say. So take care of them. At least once a month, soak your feet in warm water, scrub and remove dead skin from underneath them.

Make sure you moisturise well afterwards. On a daily basis, pay attention to your feet and make sure your lotion spreads evenly throughout. Never be in a rush when applying moisturiser on your feet. A lot of us have generally tolerant skin on the rest of our bodies so we don’t pay much attention to it. But it’ll help to know the skin on the rest of your body requires an equal measure of attention.

Depending on your skin type, invest in a moisturiser that will adequately hydrate your skin.

One important aspect to understand about your skin is that it requires patience. Once you start on a new skin regime, give it time to work unless if you react adversely. Please abort mission if you develop rashes, pimples or any other irregularities.

It’s key that you also realise that a lot of what your skin appears like is as a result of your diet and intake of water. Drink lots and lots of water, it’ll clear your skin in ways you won’t believe! Watch your intake of sugar and fatty foods; they have a way of messing up your skin.

Another number one enemy of good skin is fast food, try limiting yourself on that. Remember always, your skin will react to how you treat it. Treat it with respect and you’ll enjoy it.

Until next week, flaunt your pattern and style and don’t forget to catch up with me on Twitter handle @Yolisswa, visit my blog, www.stayera247.blogspot.com or like my Facebook page Pattern & Style.