What do you get when you combine the skillset of both an excellent pharmacist and an expert dermatologist? One talented, humble genius is the answer. Enter Doctor Howard Murad, also known as the Godfather of internal skin care, having treated thousands of patients over the past fifty years. With half a decade of skin expertise under his belt, he's someone I'll always pay attention to. Murad's whole ethos - and you may recognise his name from his inimitable product line - is that we live our lives defined by 'cultural stress'.
He educates us on a few salient points:
1. Every cell in your body is connected. By applying your SPF, you protect not just the skin, but the blood and even the muscle. This is a concept we need to be aware of, and it further highlights the importance for SPF. SPF, SPF, SPF - I'll keep saying it until it sets in stone as the ultimate skincare essential. He urges that we think 'city smart', and his Murad City Skin Broad Spectrum SPF 50 prevents the city's pollution from affecting the skin.
2. Dr Murad believes that every illness and malfunction in our bodies can be rooted back to the problem of dehydration. And it was this concept that formed the basis for his award-winning book, Eat Your Water.
3. Murad's philosophy is about more than consuming your 8 glasses of water per day, but eating foods that are super high in water content, as the water is within the structure and is absorbed more efficiently into the cells. When was the last time you considered the water content of what you're eating?
4. For Dr. Murad, aesthetic benefits are merely a happy side-effect of good skincare. As far as he's concerned, good skin isn't something we desire, it's something we need, and he's a major advocate for advanced skincare.
5. It's no surprise to any of us that we live pretty sedentary lifestyles. Murad - and me! - believes that we need to awaken the body through exercise. If we go from the car or the bus to the desk and back again, finishing off on the couch, our muscles are not being built or engaged. The more muscle we have, the more water we have. Did you know that your muscles are 70% water? Fat, on the contrary, is only 10% water. So you can guess which one we need more of.
6. He knows well that the mind affects the body, and therefore the skin. For any naysayers or non-believers, next time your mind is racing, notice that you get sweaty palms. There's your proof.
7. Murad's not all serious, however. His common theme is to embrace yourself, letting go of the inhibitions that hold us back. We need to remind ourselves how carefree a toddler would feel, and allow ourselves to let go of the stresses keeping us upright. He wishes deeply for us to connect with people, and take our heads out of our phones. Okay, that last part I myself struggle with, but he's got a point.
8. Lastly, Murad believes that everything we do, we should do it with joy. Do you? Murad's philosophies are a break from the norm for sure. But I'm so thrilled to have come across a refreshing doctor who assesses the whole Hooman and not just the symptoms. It's a very important holistic approach; there is no other way.
I was lucky enough to be invited to an event where Dr. Murad himself, creator of the brand, flew over from the States to educate both the press and those in the field on his products. Surprisingly to some, he spent the majority of his time discussing our health and its direct links to the skin.
As a brand, I choose to have Murad's range on my site. I believe wholeheartedly in his philosophy, efficacy and innovations. And he's the first doctor to introduce AHA into the retail realm! With Murad, we have seen and witnessed amazing physical and psychological (as a result) effects through our nerdie trials.
