HOW TO BATTLE A HANGOVER ... WITH HOMMAGE
Dr Samuel Van Eeden is the head of clinical research for HOMMAGE, a skincare company that is taking men's self-care to the next level. The company constantly tests and retests, ensuring that every new discovery in anti-aging is at the forefront of the products they offer. We sat down with Dr. Van Eeden and got this tips, tricks and thoughts on battling the dreaded hangover. It's not only your liver that suffers, after all.
Tell us about skin hydration … and why it’s important alongside drinking water?
The natural protective physiology to sustain optimal health to the vital organs like the brain, liver, heart, kidneys and lungs will always optimally divert fluids to these organs for optimal hydration and the non-essential organs like the skin will always be last to benefit from intake of water and fluids. This means the skin is constantly subjected to dehydration, especially during the day when doing intense activity and sport. Dehydrated skin means increased oxidative stress and accelerated aging. To counteract this inevitable daily situation, the use of a high-quality rehydration cream with anti-oxidants applied directly to the skin is critical.
If we are just out in the sun a lot and working out a lot, can we also see signs of dehydration?
Absolutely, regular dehydration of the skin due to sun or work out exposure accelerates the aging processes of the skin with increased wrinkle and line formation or pigmentation of the skin such as irritation and blemishes.
How do we know if we are dehydrated?
Most see the symptoms through dry or flakey skin but the simplest measure and test for dehydration lies in the color and concentration of the urine. When you are in the sun, or working out a lot you increase fluid loss especially through sweating and breathing and this results in a loss of optimal fluid balance or dehydration and concentration of urine. Keeping a good eye to retain a light-yellow color will ensure optimal water intake and protect your skin.
Is regular exercise dehydration different than dehydration from drinking alcohol? Does it affect your skin differently?
The mechanisms of dehydration due to alcohol and normal exercises differs indeed. A critical hormone called Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH), produced in your pituitary gland, stops you urinating when you exercise or sweating a lot to reduce loss of fluid during these activities. This is a natural defense mechanism of the body. This keeps the volume of fluid in the bloodstream optimal during times of stress, injury, exercise or heat exposure. However, when you take alcohol this blocks the pituitary gland ADH release and this allows more urination and loss of fluids leading to excessive dehydration in a very short period of time. A regular alcohol intake, therefore, leads to excessive dehydration of the skin and the acceleration of skin aging. Make sure you apply additional skin hydration cream before and after a night out and drink plenty of water throughout to counteract the skin damage done by dehydration.
What’s the worst thing you can do to your skin after a hangover?
Not eating, drinking water or hydrating the skin. Restoring hydration, electrolytes, salt and mineral levels in the body are essential on the road to recovery. Drinking at least a liter of water before bed, and the next morning with a hearty meal and an extra amount of good quality skin hydration product will help you well on your way to recovering the damage caused the night before.
What’s your favorite product to combat the after effects of a night out from Hommage?
If I could pick only one product to re-hydrate the skin, it would have to be our Face Moisturizer Fortify. A light face moisturizer packed with a heavy punch of hydration. Our patch technology locks in the moisture throughout the day/night and enhances cellular repair to combat the signs of ageing. Infused with our signature Monaco Scent, it also makes you smell great!
If you’ve got minimal time in a day, what’s the No. 1 thing you recommend doing for your skin above all else?
Wash your face thoroughly morning and night with a pH balancing skin wash to clear your skin from chemical pollutants, grime and sebum production. In a time of increased environmental pollution effects and awareness, it is important to take note of the effect of these factors. Your skin is exposed every day to these oxidative stressors, causing acceleration of aging and skin diseases. Most shampoos or soaps for hair or face ‘degrease’ the skin and strip it of its natural protective barriers, leaving it even more exposed. A healthy clean skin barrier protects the skin naturally against most pollutants and Ultraviolet light and therefore the No. 1 rule is always to optimize the skin barrier health for optimal protection. All other skin treatments following are designed to enhance this very first step.
What are you excited about from Hommage for 2019?
We are growing at a rapid pace at the moment, so there’s plenty to be excited about! I have been heavily involved in some new product development to enhance our skin regimes as of late, which I believe will really put us firmly on the global stage. We have also had some excellent feedback on our signature scent too, so there will be lots of new product development to compliment this in the near future.
Face Moisturizer Fortify Face Cleanser Purify