Guest blogger: Eucerin Skin First Council Member/Supermodel Veronica Webb
My awareness of skin care started with my family. My mother was a registered nurse, and she always said, "Someone's skin will tell you everything you need to know about them." So I grew up being very cognizant of both the health and beauty aspects of my skin.
In my years of modeling, beautiful skin was an important factor in my life, and perhaps I lost sight of skin as a health issue. I always tried to take care of myself, but I wasn't always as aware that my skin was just as important as my liver, my kidneys or my heart.
When I got pregnant, everything changed. I really became aware of skin as my body's first defense, not just as the way the world viewed me. Also, being pregnant creates the biggest changes in a woman's skin since childhood. Those changes show all over your body, most significantly on your face.
When I was pregnant, I got in the habit of putting moisturizer on more frequently, and I really noticed the difference in the overall quality of my skin. I was also constantly thirsty, and I began keeping a bottle of water by my bed and taking a drink the second I woke up. I carried water around with me every morning, and by the time I left my house, I'd had four glasses, half of what I needed for the day.
Once my kids were born, of course I pampered them. My mother had always taught me to use unscented glycerin soap, which I used on my children as well. I kept them moisturized and tried to avoid diaper rash and all of the skin issues that happen with babies. Through this, I continued to treat myself as healthily as I did my children because I wanted to be there for them. You have to stay healthy so you can keep your entire family healthy, too.
Even with all of my skin care knowledge, once I took Eucerin's Skin First Pledge. I saw there was a lot I didn't know. I learned that skin is the front line of the body's immune defenses, and once it is breached through a cut or crack, viruses and allergens can get it. It's something I constantly have to be aware of having two children! I make sure they take care of the most vulnerable parts of their skin, and I make sure they get to play as much as possible. Sweat helps get the toxins in their bodies out, and the more active they are, the better off and healthier they'll be.
As women and mothers, we have a lot to do, a lot to balance, and we often put ourselves last. Through what I've learned, I now know it's important to treat myself with the same care I treat my children, and to take care of every aspect of both their health and mine, with how we exercise, what we eat, even how we clean our home. I treat my skin care with the same importance and concern as my health care. I hope that other women will join me in taking care of their skin, because it's taking care of them.
Veronica Webb is a broadcast journalist and international fashion icon. She has worked for the most prestigious fashion magazines, including Elle, Vogue, Essence and the New York Times as both a model and a writer. Her greatest roles to date are as a mother to her two daughters and the work she does as a spokesperson for AIDS organizations and Eucerin's Skin First Council.
