Healthy skin starts in the connective tissue

Healthy skin starts in the connective tissue, but why is skin health a reflection of the condition of the connective tissue? What effect does skincare have on connective tissue, and what exactly is connective tissue? Get under the skin with Yrolí's beautician and connective tissue nerd Katja Kunimori Hollnagel.

Healthy skin starts in the connective tissue "It's in the connective tissue that the magic happens. The surface of the skin itself simply consists of many layers of dead skin cells, whose primary function is to protect us from the intrusion of harmful bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms" If our connective tissue is not healthy, the skin is not nourished, cellular waste is not effectively removed, and there is insufficient fluid for these processes to function effectively. Therefore, skin with poor, underlying connective tissue will not appear healthy and vibrant on the surface. It simply cannot be done.” – Katja Kunimori Hollnagel, cosmetologist, facial zone therapist and yoga teacher.

The body's internal network

In simple terms, the body consists of bones, organs, muscles and skin. Blood circulates throughout the body, and we have a nervous system that is activated when, for example, we get shocked, get angry or are relaxed. What is missing from the simplified explanation of the body is your connective tissue.

Connective tissue is what connects the entire body. The nervous system lives in connective tissue, and the skin gets its structure and support from connective tissue. All muscles and organs are also wrapped in thin membranes of connective tissue. Your connective tissue comes in many shapes and structures, but what they have in common is that your connective tissue throughout your body forms one large, interconnected network.

“Think of a spider’s web. When the fly is caught in one corner, the spider feels it in the other corner. It’s the same in your body. When your connective tissue is tight in one place, it will affect another part of the body. If you care about having energy, creativity, great skin and a happy body, you have to be best friends with your connective tissue.” – Katja Kunimori Hollnagel

What kind of tent is your connective tissue?

“Imagine a tent with canvas, tent poles, and guy ropes. Your connective tissue is the entire tent. The connective tissue membranes are the canvas that wraps it all up. The ligaments are the guy ropes on the tent. The bones are a kind of tent poles, but the bones of the body are far more alive than many people assume. Like tents, your connective tissue exists in several different forms and variations depending on the task it is designed to perform. The question is, therefore; what kind of tent is your connective tissue? Ready for Polar expedition or post-Roskilde festival? ” – Katja Kunimori Hollnagel

A layer deeper The skin can never be healthier or more beautiful than the condition of the connective tissue. Connective tissue is to the skin what good soil is to a gardener. Within the connective tissue is the vascular system that provides nourishment, the lymphatic system that cleanses and the nerve pathways that sense and transmit important information. It is also in the connective tissue that we have our collagen-producing cells and our fluid system. How is your connective tissue doing? “You have connective tissue that is located in places where you can’t immediately reach it. You also have connective tissue that you can grasp and work with for example, on your cheeks, thighs, arms, stomach and face. If you press firmly, you can feel the quality of your connective tissue. If you have soft and supple connective tissue, it will feel comfortable to the touch. Tight, dry and stressed connective tissue will make you say Ouch!” – Katja Kunimori Hollnagel

Superficial beauty

At Yrolí, focusing on the skin through the connective tissue has always been a natural approach, as we have a holistic skincare philosophy, where the path to beauty is through health. Too many skincare products and traditional facial treatments focus on making the skin beautiful. We consider this a quick fix. That is why we have chosen to concentrate instead on all layers of the skin and aspects that directly or indirectly have an effect on the skin. This is why connective tissue is a central part of our 360-degree view of skincare.

Fewer products. Greater effect. Healthier skin

Our products are composed of ingredients that work at a deeper level. They do this because the molecular size of the active ingredients is so small that they can penetrate the connective tissue. This is the reason why our products are so effective. At the same time, the formulations are adapted to ensure that the skin’s surface is also nourished, so that the skin remains soft, intact, healthy and radiant.

"The skin does not benefit from more, but from the right things. The skin can do a lot on its own, and we should continue to let it do as much of the work as possible. If you override your skin and overload it with products, the skin becomes lazy. You will see this when your skin becomes dull and depleted.” - Katja Kunimori Hollnagel Instead, we need to support our skin and work with it. We can do this by providing the skin with essential ingredients that help it retain moisture so it doesn’t dry out, by supporting its natural collagen production, and by protecting it from sunburn. A healthy skin barrier on the surface is also important for protecting protecting the body from harmful bacteria. We simply need to let our skin do what it does best and support it with fewer products with greater effect. That’s the way to healthy skin.