South Africa: This past week at the launch of Nivea ’s new product that highlights the importance of celebrating the skin we were born into, Longevity had the opportunity to speak to South African presenter and icon Bonang Matheba.
At 35, Bonang has built an incredible legacy for herself over the past few years. However, being one of South Africa’s most popular exports and being in the public eye can definitely affect your perception of yourself. As such, we spoke to the published author about her journey with self-love, as well as what she does to keep her skin looking so healthy and fresh.
Bonang Matheba: Self Care is Skin Care
“I realised that if I take care of myself from within, in terms of how I eat, how I feel about myself, the rest that I get – it impacts my skin. As I grew up, I realised that a healthy skincare regime starts from inside.” – Bonang Matheba
Kandee Media for Nivea
Bonang Matheba emphasizes how poor lifestyle choices can shine through from the inside out and through the skin. As such, it’s important to adopt habits that will improve your overall health, as well as that of your skin. In fact, she added that the more she adopted healthier lifestyle habits, the simpler her skincare routine became.
Self-care hacks for healthier skin
1. Eat healthier
While the media personality didn’t go into detail about her eating habits, it’s clear from how healthy her skin looks that Bonang makes sure to consume foods that nourish both her body and her skin.
If you’re hoping to consume a skin-friendly diet, then the first step would be to consume foods rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants will not only nourish the skin, but also protect it from the aging effects of free radicals. As for which antioxidants are the best for your skin?
- Vitamin A – Protect against sun damage and alleviate signs of premature aging. Foods include carrots, spinach, and sweet potatoes.
- Vitamin C – A powerful antioxidant that encourages the production of collagen and combats free radicals. Vitamin C brightens skin, reduces the appearance of dark spots, and keeps skin youthful and plump. It can be found in citrus foods, as well as avocados and red or yellow bell peppers.
- Vitamin E – This antioxidant is great for your skin as it helps to keep it moisturized and protects it from free radical damage. It can be found in fatty fish, avocados, and walnuts.
The antioxidants mentioned above are found in foods that host other benefits for your body. By consuming them, you’ll improve the health of your body, which will improve your mood, and this too can have a beneficial effect on your skin.
2. Drink a lot of water
We’re constantly bombarded with articles advising us to drink more water and with the skin being the largest organ in the body, Bonang understands that adequate hydration is of paramount importance.
Drinking enough water can alleviate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by helping the skin maintain both moisture and elasticity.
If you’re not drinking enough water (at least 6 glasses a day), then might we suggest walking around with a glass bottle of water? You can also add slices of fruits or vegetables if you feel that a change in taste will improve your drinking habits.
3. Get enough rest
“The happier you are, the more confident you feel, the more content you are, the more peaceful you are – I’ve become more peaceful since COVID because all I did was rest.”
As busy as the multi-faceted media personality is, Bonang Matheba makes sure to get enough rest. While people practice rest differently, it is important to ensure that you do it. Stress can exacerbate existing skin conditions like acne and psoriasis. Additionally, it can also prematurely age the skin.
Whether it’s catching up on sleep, reading a chapter of your favorite book, taking a walk in the park, or even meditating, it’s essential that you rest your body and your soul.
4. Wear sunscreen!
While women of color are often guilty of opting out of using sunscreen, Bonang is undoubtedly not one of them, “It delays aging, it delays wrinkles. Even as black girls, we need to wear sunscreen.”
Yes, sunscreen is intended to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, but in doing so, it provides so many benefits for your skin. Not only does sunscreen prevent sun damage, but it can also prevent premature aging, as well as sun spots and hyperpigmentation, regardless of one’s skin tone,
Self-love is skin care
While the aforementioned tips are effective for healthier skin, it’s essential to remember that you’re not going to wake up with healthier skin overnight. These things take time and that’s why it’s great that brands like Nivea South Africa are encouraging self-love and acceptance. This is a message that Bonang truly believes in.
“We need to be nicer to ourselves and allow time to happen. Your body changes, how you feel about yourself changes, anxiety and environment changes, experiences changes. It’s important to take care of yourself in the world before you worry about taking care of the world.”
MAIN IMAGE CREDIT: Kandee Media for Nivea
Want to know more?
Bonang Matheba is not the only South African prioritizing self-care. South African actress Thuso Mbedu recently starred in The Woman King alongside Viola Davis and John Boyega. Speaking to Longevity, she opened up about how she takes care of her mental and physical health.
Plenty of useful tips and tricks. Great article!