We live in a body-conscious world where image is extremely important. The sad truth is that people often judge each other on looks and first impressions can be very superficial. This has led to a world of fad diets and short-cuts in order to appear healthy on the outside – however how is this really affecting our bodies, and most importantly, our skin?

Fad diets often consist of drastically cutting out fats from what we eat. Fat is responsible for giving us those love handles and double chins we cringe at the sight of. However, some fat is essential to our body to allow it to function properly. For example, our body needs a small amount of insulation to protect our internal structure. Without a small amount of fat, any knocks or bumps our body comes into contact with could damage us internally.

More importantly, however, our body needs some fats to enable our skin to function properly. Our sebaceous glands produce sebum (the oily substance which keeps our skin hydrated). Our sebaceous glands need essential oils provided by fatty-acids to enable them to produce sebum in order to keep our skin healthy. Therefore, without these fatty acids, our skin can become dehydrated.

The key to keeping at the correct weight and staying healthy is to achieve balance. This is not just in the things we eat but it is in what we do in our lives too. Our diets should contain a balance of all of the essential food groups, including fats, in order to allow our bodies to work at their optimum levels. Fad dieting may appear to give you the results you want in the short term, however it will be detrimental to your overall health in the long run.

For skin which has been dehydrated through a lack of essential fatty-acids, SkinAu's Dehydrated Skin Pack offers a Re-hydrating Mask to tackle very dry skin. This sumptuous product allows your skin to absorb welcome moisture and helps to stimulate oil production. Your body will thank you for it!