"Skinification" Is The Beauty Trend Taking Skincare All The Way To Your Hair

What I Dig So Much About Skinification

So, here’s the thing about skinification: If I were to use one word to define it, it would probably be “holistic.”

That’s because holistic means “incorporating the concept of holism, or the idea that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts, in theory or practice” and, at the end of the day, that is what skinification is all about — not focusing on just one part of your skin (like your face) but your skin in its entirety. Because if you really stop to think about it, when it comes to the skincare routine that most of us have, it pretty much includes our face (and hopefully, the neck) — and that’s about it.

The problem with that approach is, our skin is literally the largest organ that we have and so, it’s important that we don’t neglect any part of it. Doing so can lead to all kinds of skin-related chaos including premature aging; sun damage (which happens to us too, chile); irritated skin; dry skin; hypersensitive skin; (more) breakouts; uneven skin tone; hyperpigmentation, and so much more. Meanwhile, skinification is about proactively preventing these issues by applying products, tips, tools and hacks that will help to bring out the best in ALL of your skin.

And that’s what I like so much about skinification; when it’s utilized properly, it helps to — reduce fine lines and wrinkles; soften the appearance of skin scarring; deeply hydrate your skin; balance your skin; restore the pH balance of skin and even slow down the aging of the scalp (since your scalp is a part of your skin), which can ultimately (and significantly) improve the health of your hair.

And since skinification covers so much ground — well, skin — that is why it’s broken up into categories:

• Skin
• Scalp and hair
• Nails
• Oral hygiene
• Preventative sun damage
• Smell goods

Yep, if you’re someone who wants to commit to a skinification routine, you’ve got to make sure that your regimen covers all of these areas. Oh, and if you’re wondering why “smell goods” are on the list, that’s because many perfumes, colognes and even deodorants oftentimes contain chemicals that can dry out your skin which can lead to premature aging and skin damage…which is a part of the reason why I have been sold on essential oils for years now.

How To Incorporate Skinification Into Your Skincare Routine

5 Ways to Add Skinification to Your Skincare Routine

So now that you know what skinification is all about, what are some things that you can do to make it a part of your own skincare routine?

1. Get into some body oils. 

Personally, I left body lotions alone a long time ago. Not only can they clog up your pores, many of them contain ingredients that can dry out and even harm your skin (check out “Moisturizers May Be Turning Your Skin Into ‘Swiss Cheese’” sometime). Instead, I nurture my skin with body oils. That’s because ones like marula, turmeric, rosemary, avocado and grapeseed have properties in them that will deeply nourish and hydrate my skin without any side effects in the process.

And, as a bonus, while you shouldn’t lotion your scalp (it’s not really the best for your nails either), you can use these same oils to that part of your body without any issues or drama (unless you are allergic; test the oils on a small part of your hand or wrist beforehand for about 24 hours or so, just to be sure).

2. Apply masks that are good for you from head to toe. 

If you wish to deeply hydrate your skin and/or soothe inflamed skin and/or indulge your skin with nutrients — face masks are able to do that. And these days, there are things known as sheet masks that can do this for every part of your body from head to toe. If you’d like to try one, check out Allure’s “11 Sheet Masks for Every Part of Your Body, From Your Butt to Your Feet” for some pretty solid recommendations.

3. Pamper hands and feet in between salon visits. 

Massages. Cuticle oils. Body butters. Certain essential oils like geranium, lemon and frankincense. All of these things play a role in not only keeping your hands and feet looking great, while keeping them looking younger for a longer period of time, they also help to keep your nails strong, longer and healthy in the process too. Try ‘em. Pretty sure that you will like them.

4. Use make-up that is actually good for your skin. 

Have you ever read the label of standard eyeshadow or blush? Chile, the amount of chemicals that are hard as hell to pronounce are endless — and all of that stuff is sitting on your skin for hours on end? Uh-uh. That’s why it’s a good idea to look for cosmetic brands that are designed to nurture and pamper your skin. Vogue’s “These Makeup Products Can Actually Replace Your Entire Skin-Care Routine” and The Good Trade’s “10 Best Natural Foundations With Non Toxic Ingredients” have a few recommendations.

Same thing goes for your oral care products (because teeth age like everything else). Some non-toxic toothpaste brands are located right here.

5. Be open to making some of your own skincare products. 

There was a season of my life when I was all into making body washes (check out “Love On Yourself With These 7 All-Natural DIY Vaginal Washes”) and body butters (check out “What You Need To Know About Shea, Mango, Kokum & Other Body Butters”). As I’m writing this out, I need to get back into that because it was fun, rewarding and my skin really liked it. Anyway, since skinification is all about giving your skin your absolute best, what’s better than DIY’ing (some of) your skincare products; especially since you know exactly what you are putting into them?

If you go to your favorite search engine or YouTube and put “homemade body wash” or “homemade body butter” recipes into the search field, you’ll find all types of options to choose from.

How To Incorporate Skinification Into Your Hair Routine

3 Ways to Add Skinification to Your Hair & Scalp Routine

Remember how your scalp and hair were on the skinification list? Let’s get into a few ways that you can take better care of both when it comes to this specific approach.

1. Be super proactive about the health of your scalp. 

It was around this time last year that I penned an article for the platform entitled, “Your Scalp Ages Six Times Faster Than Your Face. Why It Matters.” A big part of the reason why this is the case is because many of us aren’t hypervigilant about taking care of our scalp — which is the foundation of our hair.

So, if you want to bring skinification into your hair routine, definitely cultivate a scalp regimen. You can learn more about how to do that by checking out “10 Things Your Scalp Has BEEN Waiting For You To Do.”

2. Use shampoo bars on your wash days. 

From a practical standpoint, off top, shampoo bars are awesome because they take up a helluva lot less space than shampoo bottles (and conditioners) do. Not to mention the fact that they typically contain less chemicals; some are a shampoo and conditioner hybrid; they don’t need as much water to lather your hair up, and they are usually cheaper than traditional shampoo brands are.

Another thing that I dig about shampoo bars? Some are a 2-in1 deal which means that you can shampoo your scalp and hair and turn around and wash your body with them as well. Etsy tends to have plenty of those. Go to the site and put “shampoo bars” in the search field.

3. Prioritize moisture at all costs. 

No matter what your hair type may be, your scalp and your tresses are going to need hydration — and dry scalp can ultimately lead to an itchy and irritated scalp, dry and frizzy hair, flaking and, over time, even hair loss. The key to hydrating your hair properly is knowing what your hair type is and also drinking lots of water and consuming foods that contain lots of water (like watermelon, cucumbers, berries, tomatoes, broccoli, peaches and bone broth); that way, your scalp and hair can also receive moisture from the inside out.

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