Glowing Skin Might Start With Your Genes: Your DNA plays a key role, but there are still many things you can do for your skin!
Throughout history, beauty rituals and traditions passed down from generation to generation have had an influence on the extraordinary mother-daughter/son connection.
Like mother, like daughter. Like mother, like son. For many of us, it's a phrase that holds true in a number of ways, especially within the realm of beauty. Sure, inherited traits, with no doubt play their part; afterall, nature has a major part in the 'beauty' and skin equation, but nurture is just as much of a driving force.
While genetics play a large role, they do not exclusively determine your skin condition.. Our bodies house between 20,000 to 25,000 different genes, which characterise just about all of our traits, including skin behaviour. Genetics can be responsible for our skin type (our skin’s overall characteristics or tendencies: dry, normal, sensitive, combination or oily), our skin tone (genetic heritage of our skin makeup), our inherited susceptibility to various skin conditions, and, to some extent, how we age. But all of these genetic or ‘nature’ factors are dependent on how our genes function, i.e. ‘nurture’. When our genes function the way they’re supposed to, they regulate skin cell production - sending signals to the body to regenerate skin cells. Genes influence everything from the ability of the skin to repair and rebuild itself following injury, to it’s irritation and inflammation response. Interestingly, research has found a link in which, individuals who have amazing skin also maintain healthy lifestyle habits.
So what does this all mean?
Even if you won the genetic lottery in some respects, environmental factors directly change how your genes function—ultimately influencing your skin’s overall health and appearance. So technically, it is incorrect to put all the blame on your genes for what is ‘wrong’ or problematic with your skin. The lifestyle choices that you make play an important role in determining your skin health, meaning you can take certain actions to help improve its overall condition. To put the gene influence in perspective, the combination of over 200 genes control how your skin defends itself against free radicals, (these can damage the skin by speeding up the natural ageing process). The environmental influence of turning these genes on or off, can ultimately influence your skin's outcome.
Adopting just a few healthy lifestyle habits can improve your skin health dramatically:
- Drink enough water throughout the day! Staying hydrated keeps your skin hydrated, making it appear plumper and more supple. It also helps to remove accumulated toxins and impurities collected throughout the day.*Regardless of whether skin cancer runs in your family or not, using daily sun protection is absolutely key and one of the best anti-ageing protocols.
- Stop smoking! Smoking is bad for your skin as toxic chemicals in cigarettes can seep into pores, causing congestion and damage due to the free radical accumulation. Smoking also leads to premature wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity.
- Eat a healthy, balanced, and whole-food diet complete with foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Remember to also incorporate plenty of healthy fats and omega-acids!
A personal note from the founder
“My mother was a natural beauty for the most part. On occasion, she would wear a little makeup - a touch of mascara and a whisper of blue eyeshadow - but I remember how perfect she looked with, or without makeup.
She was a natural Japanese beauty - her skin was always glowing and even into her early 50s, she had no wrinkles. She did not use botox or have any other cosmetic procedures. She believed in good skincare, not complicated skincare. Using the right products that worked for her. Of course, having my father around, our personal Dermatologist, helped, but she didn’t rely on it.
She taught me a lot about health, exercise, happiness, balance, as well as eating well. I learned the importance of always being aware of the ingredients that you incorporate into your life, I still use this in my lifestyle today. Sadly, my mother is no longer with us, however, all of her incredible life lessons are beautifully woven into my adult life. These continue to influence the decisions that I make, not only for how I strive to build MOSAIK, but also within my personal, day to day way of living.
My mother has passed on a lifestyle philosophy that extends itself to beauty (a sort of ikigai). Just like her (and my father), I believe in encouraging natural beauty, never transforming it. With MOSAIK, I hope to encourage and inspire others to feel beautiful just as they are…”
Emi (founder, MOSAIK)