Staying Clean and Clear While Cooking

Standing over a hot stove for hours on end will wreak havoc on your skin. But, regardless of the type of food you are cooking and the setting you are cooking in, there will always be skincare issues the average person won’t experience.

Changing skin due to the different ingredients you use, proximity to heat, grease, oils, and more, along with fluctuating energy levels and changes in your diet, can all play a part in your skin looks and feels. So how can you combat these strains on your skin and help it look and feel fresh every day?

Drink Plenty of Water

You need to be drinking plenty of water regularly regardless of where you work, but to combat the dehydrating effects of working in a kitchen for long periods, your skin needs water. Every action you do causes your body to lose water. Without replenishing water, your body will become even more hydrated impacting other areas of your life, such as your sleep and energy levels. Your body also needs water for cell function too.

Cleansing

You want to make sure you are using the right products for your face. Already oily skin will experience higher oil levels depending on the type of foods you are cooking and how often your hands touch your face. Check out this OSEA review to see the different ranges of products to help you cleanse your skin.

For during your shift or mid-cooking session at home, keep refreshing cleansing wipes to your hand. You can make your own wipes using a strong kitchen towel, water, tea tree oil, and baby lotion. All you need to do is soak your kitchen towels in a solution of 2 cups of water,  two tablespoons of baby lotion, and four drops of tea tree oil.

Regular face masks or beauty treatments can remove any dirt and debris from pores and are available for a wide range of skin types.

Avoid Touching Your Face

Did you know, on average, we touch our faces 16 times an hour. Add that up over the course of your shift or time cooking, and that is a lot of contaminants that will come into contact with your skin. Most of the time, we are unaware of our habits, but focusing on not touching your face is a more hygienic habit for the kitchen and life in general.

If you do need to touch your face, try to wash your hands both before and after to remove the risk of transferring anything from hand to face.

Reduce Make-Up

If you regularly cook while wearing makeup, it may be time to evaluate what you wear when in the kitchen or at work. Of course, there is nothing wrong with wearing makeup in the kitchen, but if you find your makeup is too heavy for your skin or the surroundings, then swapping to lighter-weight makeup can help your skin breathe easier. 

Try a BB cream or tinted moisturizer instead of full coverage makeup or one that offers your skin the chance to breathe and doesn’t clog your pores.