The alkaline anti-ageing secret
What do Elle Macpherson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham all have in common? They swear by the benefits of ‘alkaline’ eating. Celebrity make-up artist and beauty expert Sarah Jagger road tests the ‘Alkaline vs Acid’ craze creating a storm in Hollywood.
I’m not a fan of ‘diets’ but the good news is, this isn’t one: it’s about eating your way to a PH-balanced body and choosing skincare with the right PH levels, too.
According to alkaline chef Natasha Corbett, author of Honestly Healthy for Life, £25, it takes 21 days of eating alkaline foods and eliminating acidic culprits to see results. If the blood is too acidic, it stimulates your sebaceous glands resulting in acne, rosacea, rosacea and flushing. Acidic foods also put pressure on the liver and kidneys, which can severely dehydrate and prematurely age the skin.
I enlisted the help of Elle Macpherson’s new alkaline supplement, The Super Elixir from £39, a blend of 45 bioavailable alkalising super greens, Chinese herbs, digestive enzymes and miatake mushroom.
I thought the rules would be hard to stick to, because I was going to have to avoid some of my favourite (acid-forming) things like coffee, alcohol, meat and starchy grains! But while the first few days were hard, towards the second half of the week I began to feel lighter, more vibrant and generally more energetic.
And my skin? At the end of the first week I broke out in big, angry, sore spots, a clear indication that I was detoxing. Three weeks on I feel like I might be starting to emanate that ‘healthy glow from within’ look that all my alkaline–eating clients radiate.
SkincareSo, while alkalinising your skin from within is important, when it comes to what we use on our skin the rules differ slightly: skincare products are actually more effective when they are ever so slightly more acidic (ideally a PH of around 5.5).
CleansersIf a cleanser is too alkaline it will strip away natural oils causing dryness and irritation, as well as leaving it more susceptible to acne. Choose a mild cleanser like Nude Perfect Cleansing Oil £28, which contains jojoba and meadow foam seed oil to thoroughly remove makeup; Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser £25, which is great for sensitive complexions or Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil £7.33, for a fantastic affordable version, packed with active essential oils.
ExfoliatorsHarsh, grainy scrubs can be too rough for the top layer of the skin so most dermatologists recommend acid based exfoliators. While these are extremely effective they should also be used cautiously - if overused they can weaken the skin's natural defences. I recommend the very gentle Indeed Labs Facial Powdered Exfoliator £12.66 – a water-activated enzyme micro-powder to lift dead skin cells and boost hydration. Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads £8.66 are also terrific at retexturing the complexion.
MoisturisersAs we age, the amount of oil or sebum naturally produced by our skin decreases, affecting the acid mantle and its ability to protect the skin. Use moisturisers with rose essential oil and hydrating hyaluronic acid gently boosts moisture levels and helps to protect this important barrier.
I like Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Jelly £16.66 – a lightweight formula that locks in moisture, leaving skin super soft. Weleda Wild Rose Day Cream £12.50 also naturally balances the skin’s PH levels and strengthen the protective function of the epidermis.
ProtectVitamins A, C, E, and green tea protect skin cells from environmental stresses and oxidation. Caudalie Anti Wrinkle Defense Serum £35 defends skin against free radicals, UV rays and pollution, while Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum £15.33 uses a peptide for additional anti-oxidant power.
The daily use of SPF defends the acid mantle of the skin by shielding cells from sun damage and increasing the skin’s ability to protect itself. I prefer mineral sunscreens as they protect the skin immediately as opposed to chemical sunscreens, which need to be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied every hour. La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF50 Ultra-Light Tinted Fluid 50ml £14.45, which has a subtle tint that suits all skin tones, or for those that dislike the sticky feel of sun cream, Jane Iredale Powder Me SPF Dry Sunscreenis a finely milled mineral powder with subtle coverage that can be used instead of foundation or over the top to set and mattify.