Unbronzed and Beautiful in Cape Town

May 2014

By Hanni Heinrich, Cape Town

More sweat, please! Cape Towners know that the more we push our bodies, the better skin we have. Having soft skin is top priority amongst locals, and the city’s wide offerings for outdoor exercise make this dream easily true. Running along the promenade, hiking, surfing, walking – all these dynamic activities are free in Cape Town, and our skin benefits from all the outdoors has to offer.

The righ prodcut regimen also boosts skin health and appearance, and many local brands have sprung up in the recent past, focusing on eco-friendly and natural ingredients coming from indigenous plants. Of course, protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful rays is a never-ending issue to everyone in South Africa too.

The Baobab tree extracts are used for vitamin C and antioxidants, while Devil’s Claw treats inflammation and irregular heartbeat when used internally. The famous Marula oil is an antioxidant 10 times more resistant than olive oil used topically for skin care and hydration.

One of Cape Town’s most popular skincare lines is Esse. They divide their products according to skincare concern– oiliness, acne, pigmentation, sensitivity or dryness– and advise you on the proper regimen. Their products focus on the extraction of active compounds from African plants, and are accredited by Beauty Without Cruelty and registered with the Vegan Society. Founded by two sisters, Oh-lief, is a line inspired by nature, beeswax and, as the name suggests, olive oil.

Of course, beauty always starts below the skin, so it’s important to watch what you eat. “The healthier the foods, the better the skin will look,”  says Forage to Feast co-founder Alex Glenday.

A concept, vegan pop-up dinner establishment, Forage to Feast encourages Cape Towners to try organic and regional food as well as learning new ways of preparing the unique cuisine. A combination of food and yoga builds the heart of Forage to Feast, as the awareness between a healthy body and good food is their cornerstone. There is also a heavy focus on eating raw, regional, properly combined and organic foods and they promote local, urban and sustainable farming.

A similar project that heavily supports local foods is the City Farm in Oranjezicht. They motivate the community to grow their own health, right in the heart of Cape Town City Center. The Oranjezicht City Farm celebrates local, natural and seasonal foods through urban farming. Like-minded residents are welcome to spread the love for good foods, share knowledge and create a portfolio of abundance by sharing knowledge towards the optimum of beauty and wellbeing.