From head to toe, skin care is important, especially for seniors.

Newtown resident Maria Sabla, of Maria Sabla Wellness Studio, specializes in diagnosing the needs of people’s skin and remedying it with treatments that focus on using natural products.

What is natural, you might ask?

For Ms Sabla, it is ingredients that can be found in nature, such as herbs, vegetables, fruits, and minerals, that undergo zero processing and are not genetically modified.

For example, she explained that when a person does not eat nutritiously, the results can be seen in brittle and dry hair, nails, and skin.

A great way to start caring for your skin is to be mindful about eating more natural foods.

The direct relationship between diet and skin care is like “being best friends,” Ms Sabla explained. The two go hand-in-hand and complement one another.

Body Care

Ms Sabla finds that foods that are ingestible and nourish a person’s body internally can also be used externally to nourish from the outside in.

“The benefits of herbs are so incredible,” Ms Sabla said, while standing in front of a variety of jarred herbs she showcased at her Skincare for Seniors program at the C.H. Booth Library on September 19.

Herbs, such as peppermint and spearmint, when found in tea and oil, can help produce collagen and to slow the aging process.

Also, in her body and face creams she includes shea butter and cocoa butter because they have proven to be an important ingredient for replenishing moisture into aging skin.

Face Care

Ms Sabla does seasonal facials at her studio to cater to what people’s skin needs at different times of the year.

For seniors interested in general at-home skin care for their face, she recommends using a sloughing cream called “bio peel” every other day or every day, depending on the skin’s needs. A bio peel can be applied to dry skin, massaged in, then gentle rubbed to peel off dead, dry skin.

The bio peel is important, Ms Sabla says, for opening up the skin, softening it, and allowing the skin to absorb all the nutrients of a moisturizer applied afterwards.

“Moisturization is very important,” she said.

For a daily face routine, after using a bio peel, Ms Sabla recommends using a cleanser, applying a vitamin C serum to the face, then applying a 12-hour daytime moisturizer. The vitamin C serum will help stimulate collagen and slow aging.

Ms Sabla also is a believer in treating adult acne with bee propolis, which is a sticky brown goo that bees produce when building their hives. Bee propolis, she says, are anti-bacterial and not only good for clearing acne, but also for healing cuts (the bee propolis should be applied around the cut, not in it).

As for natural skin remedies that can be done at home with everyday produce, she says using crushed avocado can be used to calm skin; sliced, then squeezed, cucumbers can be applied to the skin under the eyes to remove dark circles; and lemon juice can be rubbed on to lighten melasma and other dark spots. Each of these options can be applied and left on for a few minutes before rinsing off.

“There are lots of things you can do without spending a lot of money,” Ms Sabla added at the end of her program.

Those interested in receiving a consultation and finding out what natural products would be best for their skin needs can e-mail to Maria Sabla at sablam61@aol.com or call/text at 203-512-2401.