As well as your skin being your largest organ, it’s also your biggest asset. The skin plays a vital role in how we sense, respond to and survive the environments we encounter day in, day out.
This primary function means it’s the biggest organ of perception your body has. As the title above suggests, your skin can sense more than all of your other senses combined.
Yet, much more attention is paid to the function of the eyes, ears, and nose, particularly when it comes to the information they bring into the body to help us navigate the ever-changing world around us.
We adapt our diets to ensure our eyes, ears, and nose have all they need to function well, we have our eyes tested regularly to make sure our sight is on-point and if our sense of smell or hearing diminishes we quickly seek the medical help we need to ensure function can be restored.
So, what are we doing to enhance the function of our skin to guarantee it can sense all that should and help us experience so much more?
Here we take a closer look at the skin’s ability to sense changes and how the power of perception can be enhanced so we can live life to the full.
Understanding your skin’s incredible sensory power
The skin is an amazing organ that serves as so much more than a protective physical barrier between those vital organs, muscles and tissues and the outside world.
Your skin is charged with fulfilling multiple functions, with protection, heat regulation, excretion of waste materials, secretion of substances from the glands, absorption, and synthesis of vitamin D just some of the many roles it undertakes. It’s also in control of sensation.
The skin contains countless sensory receptors in its dermis, which transmit sensations of pressure and touch. These receptors provide that all-important interaction with your surroundings to influence your body’s fine and gross motor activities. The sensations your skin relays to the brain also pave the way for stimulation, whether that’s pleasure or pain.
How your skincare regime defines perception
Unbeknown to most, you have an integral part to play in unlocking all of your skin’s sensory power, and it all starts with your skincare routine.
Without a solid skincare routine, your skin can easily succumb to the dryness, sensitivity, oiliness, sun damage, and congestion that prevents it from functioning to the best of its abilities.
Your skincare regime should also enhance your skin’s barrier properties. A moisturiser for example not only works to prevent and treat dryness, but it also protects skin by holding water in the outermost layer. This acts as a temporary barrier to safeguard your skin against damaging UV rays and pollution amongst other environmental factors.
It is however important to remember that not all moisturisers and skincare products are created equal. It is often the case of ‘less is more’ when defining a skincare regime that supports skin perception as specialist dermatologist Dr Stefanie Williams explains:
“Applying too many products with different textures suffocates the skin, so I’m sceptical about the current trend of applying layer upon layer of skincare- sometimes more than 10.
This will compromise optimal absorption of active ingredients and could put the interaction products at risk… Always use the lightest formulations you can get away with without your skin feeling dry.”
Fluid state skincare helps, not inhibits, perception
Avoiding the use of heavy skincare products is the name of the game when choosing a routine that works for you and your skin.
Heavier products disrupt skin function, preventing the skin from acting as a natural barrier and leaving you more susceptible to damage.
Fluid state products that flow as easy as water are the answer, especially if your skin is particularly dry. Fluid state products are absorbed more easily, and work with your skin to enhance perception and hydrate.
Our fluid state products are also free from emulsifiers. Emulsifiers are found in many skincare products as well as shampoos, shower gels, toothpaste, and washing up liquids and are toxic and irritating. They also diminish your skin’s ability to act as a barrier, and sense, react, and defend itself against the wider environment.
By choosing our emulsifier-free, zero alcohol and fragrance, fluid state, all-natural formulations, you’re giving your skin the nourishment it needs and enabling it to do what it does best.
Discover a skincare solution that’s as unique as you are and enhance your skin like never before right here at Organic Apoteke.
Image: Mark Nazh / Shutterstock.com