Never scrub again and other skin secrets

If you're becoming a bit of an old codger, you know how important it is to take good care of your skin. You see everything: a few hours too little sleep, too many glasses of wine, and after lying on the massage table at the physiotherapist for half an hour, I have the imprint of the massage table on my face for the rest of the day. That's why I do everything I can to maintain a bit of a fresh complexion. But what is sense and what is nonsense? I asked the super attractive Josephine Alofs (47 years old), owner of my favorite skincare brand Abloom.

What does a beautiful skin mean to you? Can you give a definition?

‘The basics: a warm heart, a healthy body, and a fresh mind. People who are enjoying life simply look better. A smile on a face with a few wrinkles is much more attractive than someone who is not comfortable in their skin without wrinkles. After that: a skin that is in balance. Our skin is just an organ. An organ has functions, and you shouldn't disturb them. Once you disturb them, you get dry, sensitive, or oily skin. With healthy nutrition and the right organic skincare, you can support all the functions of the skin and keep them in the right condition, such as collagen production, which decreases as you age. Don't artificially supplement collagen, but make sure you give your skin the right nutrition so that function remains at level, such as with vitamins A, E, and C.’

What is the biggest ‘skin sin’? In other words: what should people never do again?

‘For me, it's the use of mineral oil. There are still so many people who don't pay attention to what is in their skincare products. Mineral oil has many names and is basically just petroleum. Petroleum is junk. Why would you apply this to your skin when there are so many beautiful natural oils available that your body recognizes and that don't clog the skin? We have the Miracle Treatment Oil. The most beautiful exotic oils mixed with an extract of wonderful ingredients that are also used in Ayurveda, such as Indian sarsaparilla, vetiver, blue lotus, patchouli, galangal, and so on. This combination is a complete nourishment for your skin. You can also apply it all over your body and it is even nourishing for your hair.’

Scrubbing or peeling?

‘I am against scrubbing because you either scrub with plastic beads or scrub with salt or sugar. Plastic beads end up in our water system and thus in our seas. Microplastics are a big problem for our environment. Make sure that what you wash down the drain does not harm nature. If you scrub with salt or sugar, you don't harm nature but your skin, and you don't want that either. Salt and sugar are too angular in structure, so they do more damage than good. If you really want to scrub, you could use a coarse glove (made of natural material) to go over your body to remove dead skin cells. Peeling is an option, but don't do this with chemical ingredients. You then unnaturally accelerate a process that your body doesn't actually ask for. Better to use fruit peels that remove dead skin cells in a responsible way.’

You have skincare products in all price ranges. Which skincare products can you best save a bit on, and which is it better to go for the more expensive option?

‘A more expensive product doesn't always mean it's better. Always look closely at what is in it. The base of our creams is organic aloe vera juice, not water. Water does nothing for the skin and needs to be preserved. Aloe vera is one of the most nourishing plants. That brings me to my saving tip: buy an aloe vera leaf, cut it open, and let it soak into your skin. Or make a mask of honey (works antibacterial, contains antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins) with herbs from your kitchen cupboard. There are many tips available online. You can also buy cold-pressed organic oils that are good for the skin, such as jojoba oil, olive oil, or shea butter. If you want to provide your skin with total nourishment, well, then you're better off with a more expensive product.’

How often do you go to a beautician and do you find this essential? And who do you go to?

‘I have too little time, unfortunately. I go too little. I find it especially essential because it is a moment of enjoyment where you can completely relax. People are too busy, have a lot of stress, and have to do too much. Stress is very bad for your skin and your body. I go to Annemiek from Mooiere Huid in the center of Amsterdam. She has a lot of expertise and the treatments are wonderful, or I look lovingly at our Barbara (Baars), our regular skin therapist, but she is now especially busy as a trainer for the new Abloom salons and giving skin advice. An occasional maintenance treatment for your skin and getting some (nutrition and skin) advice is definitely recommended.’

Does an older skin need a completely different care than a younger skin?

‘The older skin can use nourishment that stimulates cell renewal, and for the younger skin, it is important that the production of sebum is not disturbed and that it is not cleaned with too aggressive products. Both need antioxidants. At Abloom, we put all the nourishment that the skin might need into one jar; your skin then takes exactly what it needs. Our Barbara always says: ‘Abloom offers the skin a vegetarian buffet. All ingredients are organic and complement each other and do good for the skin in their own way.’’

I am a total fan of Abloom. Everything smells nice and looks good in the bathroom. What do you think is so good about your own skincare products?

‘We have a line of 12 products with more than 120 organic, food-grade ingredients (flowers, seaweeds, herbs, plants, nuts, oils, etc.) that we source from all over the world. Where it grows the best. So it is a small but very complete line. We still make extracts for our products in the old-fashioned way. We take the time to extract all the nourishment from the ingredient. After three months of extraction, the extracts are pressed out. What you then have left is a very powerful substance that we then mix with the other ingredients.’