SHIMMERING and Sun Kissed - Cracking the secret to glowing skin

DR TARRYN JACOBS reveals the science behind skin radiance, and imparts her expert tips on how to get your glow back.

- DR TARRYN JACOBS

The quest for radiant skin is centuries old, dating as far back as 51 B.C. when Cleopatra reigned as the last pharaoh of Egypt.1 Cleopatra has always been, for the most part, portrayed as a great beauty. But what were her beauty secrets? Well, according to historic accounts, Cleopatra so believed that milk was an essential moisturizing component for the skin, that she often bathed in it.1 This bath-time ritual was then followed by an application of aloe vera to her skin to keep it soft and free from sun damage. Yet while Cleopatra’s beauty regime played a significant role in her life, it was of equal importance to the ancient Egyptians (as they deemed beauty to not only be fit for queens but a key part of Egyptian court life too). Indeed, the ancient Egyptians had many cosmetics developed to keep skin soft and supple (such as applying various chemicals to their skin), in order to protect it from the harsh desert heat.

The evolution of skincare

Now, fast-forward a few thousand years and we see this much-desired skin property has been hugely magnified in popular culture, mostly due to social media and all its platforms. In fact, thanks to applications such as Instagram and Snapchat, the opportunity to digitally enhance our appearance is just in the palm of our hands. Built-in filters and photo editing features allow us to smooth skin texture and tone while softening wrinkles and brightening skin – thus allowing us to visualize ourselves with the most luminous skin ever. The paradigm has shifted in that these self-altered photographs have now become our personal skin appearance goals.2

K-Glass