Each month your skin undergoes a regenerating 28-day skin cycle, putting you firmly in the driving seat when it comes to a glowing complexion.  

Did you know, our skin renews and regenerates itself every 28 days? Depending on our age (this number changes slightly – with cell turnover happening more quickly when we’re  younger), our skin undergoes a natural, regenerating cycle, giving us the opportunity to make changes in our diet, herbal supplement routine and skincare routine that can make a visible difference in just one month. Read on to find out all about the 28-day skin cycle and what you can do to achieve an even more glowing complexion.  

What is the 28-day skin cycle?  

Taking an average of a month — depending on factors like age, health and hormones — the 28-day skin cycle is a natural process of skin regeneration or ‘cell turnover’ in which new skin cells, formed in the basal or deepest layer of the epidermis, work their way upwards to replace older ones.  

Understanding this cycle empowers us each month to create healthier skin naturally, for more clear skin days.   

How to get a clear complexion by understanding the 28-day skin cycle  

The rate at which our skin cells renew has a major impact on the health and look of our skin. A slower turnover causes dead cells to build up, which, in the case of acne, creates the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive.  

This accumulation of cells also disrupts the skin’s natural barrier, exacerbating dryness, redness and sensitivity. Improving our skin turnover can reduce blemishes, breakouts, and mild acne and eczema, for visibly clearer skin.  

How can I help my skin regenerate? 

A healthy 28-day skin cycle depends on internal and external factors, some of which we can’t completely control (like age and hormones), and some we can (like diet and lifestyle).  

1. Design a clear skin diet

Adding more vitamin C, other antioxidant-rich foods and omega-3s (from either fish, flax and/or algae) helps our skin in its hard work of renewal.  

Eating more citrus fruits, berries, nuts and seeds, and dark leafy greens is a fantastic way to support skin at a cellular level.  

Orange and yellow vegetables play a big role in skin regeneration too, because of their high beta-carotene content. Mixing more carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, squash and mangoes into your diet helps protect the skin and boosts the 28-day skin cycle.  

Try making a delicious antioxidising, clear skin smoothie from frozen berries, kale and (plant) milk. 

2. Boost circulation for clear skin

Boosting our circulation boosts our skin regeneration too. Besides flushing out toxins through sweating, cardio exercise delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the cells, which is invaluable for skin repair and maintenance.  

3. Prioritise rest for a clear complexion

It’s called beauty sleep for a reason. When we sleep, the body repairs and renews itself at a cellular level. While we’re in the land of nod, our body busies itself replacing damaged or dead skin cells with new ones. Getting a good night’s rest can be aided by regular bedtimes, and natural sleep remedies.  

If sleep doesn’t come easily, anything that makes you feel calm and grounded can indirectly help improve skin cell turnover when repeated.  

4. Avoid scrubbing the skin

It can be tempting to scrub away the dead skin cells ourselves, but harsh treatment of the upper layers can make the situation worse.  

Use gentle products to avoid damaging skin’s delicate barrier with excessive, multi-step cleansing and scrubbing. These approaches can unfortunately cause the symptoms we are trying to avoid.  

A dual approach — one that supports the skin’s natural renewal process from the outside, and treats its deeper layers from the inside — can help us to get naturally glowing skin and a clearer complexion.  

5. Help skin from within

Taking clear skin supplements to support skin in its renewal is one of the most active things we can do to support the 28-day skin cycle.  

HRI Clear Complexion™ uses two brilliant, below-the-soil herbs to target spots and blemishes, and mild acne and eczema, based on traditional use, helping to keep skin clear and spot-free. 

A unique blend of blue flag rhizome and burdock root, HRI Clear Complexion is one of our best-selling licensed traditional herbal medicines, drawing on ingredients with vital antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties.  

As with all herbal medicine, it’s important to take clear complexion tablets consistently to feel the benefits in as little as 28 days, and see visible results after 2-3 months. 

How does blue flag rhizome help skin regeneration? 

The rhizome or underground stem of blue flag (iris versicolor) has a wealth of antioxidant benefits. Recognised for its beautiful blue flower, the plant genus is named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow.  

Used since antiquity, blue flag’s potent cleansing properties make it an invaluable treatment for persistent skin disorders, particularly where constipation and gut issues play a role. Blue flag is also renowned for reducing inflammation, which is responsible for exacerbating conditions throughout the body.  

How can Burdock root help with a clear complexion?  

Burdock’s antiseptic properties help reduce the bacteria that cause acne. The herb can also help flush out toxins and reduce inflammation, which causes redness and discomfort in acne and eczema. Burdock also aids in the functioning of the liver, which plays a major role in skin health.  

Improve your 28-day skin cycle and get clear skin naturally   

A balanced, clear-skin diet, gentle skin care, and rest and exercise make for a healthier 28-day skin cycle and clearer complexion. Taking a clear skin supplement like HRI’s Clear Complexion helps problem skin at a deep level by treating issues at the source.  

These changes — plus drinking plenty of water (ideally two litres a day) and using an SPF 30+ in all weathers, will help cell turnover and make for healthier, glowing skin. 

How should I take HRI Clear Complexion?  

Take 1 easy to swallow tablet, two or three times a day to improve problem skin. If symptoms worsen or persist after two weeks, consult your doctor.   

Like all of our herbal medicines, HRI Clear Complexion with blue flag and burdock root is licensed under the Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) scheme.  

This is the regulatory approval process for herbal remedies in the UK and EU and means the product has been through years of technical investment and testing in order to gain approval from the government regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure the highest quality and safety available. 

Precautions: Do not take if you are pregnant or breast feeding or under 12 years old. Please read the patient information leaflet.