Nature's beauty fluid

The popular saying that an ounce of prevention is better than pound of cure is never more accurate than when it comes to your skin.

Especially during the summer, more attention needs to be paid to the body's largest organ. The beauty industry is saturated with products that promise to keep you looking younger longer, but one of the most effective ingredients for great skin is actually way cheaper that anything you could buy in a beauty supply store. It's simply H²O, aka water.

According to dermatologist Dr Dian Robinson, water assists with proper circulation which brings oxygen and nutrients that maintain the proper cellulite function of the skin. It helps flush impurities, toxins and free radicals from the skin at an optimal pace. When we are not properly hydrated the circulation slows down and causes a build-up of these toxins. "The normal exfoliatory process slows down and the skin begins to look dull, scaly, dry and shallow." The skin loses its elasticity and accelerates the aging process. Dr Robinson notes that the daily intake of water will depend on your activity. However, the average that is recommended is eight 8oz glasses within a 24-hour period.

Especially during the summer months, her recommendation is moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. "Daily sun protection is key,"she notes. The sun's ultraviolet rays is what is damaging to our skin. There are two kinds: ultraviolet A and B. A Is more damaging and causes cancer. B is what we feel which gives sun burn and causes wrinkles and darkening of the skin. These rays are most intense during the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. So if possible we should limit or avoid sun exposure during these hours.

Moisturiser and sunblock are what we should have in our arsenal to protect our skin. For persons with dry skin or eczema, she recommends moisturisers with an SPF of at least 15. For persons who are indoors all day, applying once a day is sufficient, but for those outside, they need to apply every two to three hours.