by Kathy Hardess
Skincare is a booming industry, bringing in more than $55 million per year. We are a skin-obsessed culture, and rightfully so: it’s the first thing that people notice about us. We want it to be glowing and free of impurities like pimples. We want our skin to look young and ageless. These simple tips for a better skin are easy to follow and will lead to a significant improvement in your complexion in no time.
Moisturize Twice A Day
Believe it or not, you might be breaking out due to dry skin. Experts now believe that when the skin is dry, it overcompensates by producing an excess of oils which clog your pores. Therefore, be sure to moisturize once in the morning and once before bedtime.
Dry skin is also less radiant and can appear ashy. Be sure to tackle this problem from both sides. For one, use moisturizers, but on the other, make certain you drink six to eight glasses of water per day.
Water is best natural skincare product, and even mild dehydration will ultimately affect your skin.
Change Your Pillowcase Once A Week
Your pillowcase can be the culprit behind unwanted breakouts. Each night when you sleep, your skin emits oils and dead skin cells onto your pillowcase. It also collects various bacteria from your hair and hands. By pressing your face against your pillowcase for several hours at a time, you’re ensuring that these oils, germs, and dead skin cells remain on your face, which leads to breakouts.
Washing your pillowcase at least once a week is the best way to avoid exposing your face to these unwanted contaminants.
Wash With Lukewarm Water
We all love our hot showers, especially in the cold winter months, but constant exposure to excessively hot water can significantly dry out your skin over time. Lukewarm water is much better, as it won’t burn your face but will still keep your pores open while you clean out skin impurities. Fruits are also an excellent natural remedy for making sure any potential impurities and blemishes heal properly.
Anything that contains vitamin C is an incredible antioxidant that will aid with the health of your skin. This includes strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, oranges, blackcurrants, guava, and more.
Stop Picking Your Face!
It’s tempting to pick at bumps on our face, trying to get rid of them with our fingernails. However, our hands actually hold enormous amounts of bacteria, and while you may successfully pop a pimple or extract a blackhead, the germs on your hands will refill those pores.
When it comes to extracting pimples and blackheads, it’s best to leave that to a professional.
Find A Skin Product That Has Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA)
For overall healthier, better skin, invest in some products that have beta hydroxy acid listed among their ingredients. Beta hydroxy acid works as a topical exfoliant that non-aggressively removes impurities from your skin. This ingredient does wonders when it comes to gently removing dead skin cells from your skin’s pores and keeping your skin soft and glowing. Avoid cleansers that use beta hydroxy acid and go for something that stays on your skin longer, as cleansers are washed off too soon for the beta hydroxy acid to work very effectively.
Vegetables that contain beta-carotene also contain powerful antioxidants that encourage normal skin cell development. Try eating pumpkin, carrots, and sweet potatoes. These will efficiently remove the damaging effects of free radicals, such as smoking, pollution, and sunlight.
Wear Sunscreen Every Day
That’s right, every single day. Many of us forego sunscreen when it’s cloudy out, or in the winter. The truth is that just because you can’t feel the sun doesn’t mean that it isn’t doing harmful, permanent damage to your skin.
In addition to the very serious risk of skin cancer, constant sun exposure causes premature and irreversible aging to your complexion. Make sure your sunscreen is above 30 SPF to be really effective.
Remove Your Makeup Every Night
There’s simply no excuse for not removing your makeup every night before you go to bed. Cosmetic products such as foundations and blushes clog your pores when they are on your skin for too long.
This results in an array of impurities, from whiteheads to skin irritation. With several gentle makeup removers on the market, taking off your makeup before you go to bed should be an important part of your nightly routine.
Avoid Harsh Scrubs
Sure, we love how smooth our skin feels after using an aggressive face scrub, but the truth is that these products ultimately do more harm than good. Many popular scrubs on the market use hard, jagged ingredients like nuts and seeds which are in fact too rough for our delicate skin tissue. These products tear tiny, microscopic holes in our pores, which allow bacteria to get in, leading to major breakouts. Stick to a gentle exfoliant instead.
Tie Your Bangs Back Before Bedtime
If you’re prone to lots of localized breakouts on your forehead, it’s possible that your hair causes it. If you have bangs, they may be pressing against your forehead while you sleep, and the natural hair oils may be clogging those pores. Tying your bangs back each night may stop those forehead pimples for good.
Take Your Vitamins and Drink Lots Of Water
It’s a bit of a cliché, but it can’t be emphasized enough: staying hydrated is good for your skin. When you’re dehydrated, your skin loses its natural glow and looks dull. Wrinkles become more visible, and you are more prone to breakouts as your skin is too dehydrated to fight them off. Staying properly hydrated will keep skin plump and radiant. In addition, vitamins like C and E can seriously reduce the effects of aging on your skin.
While the former can be found in citrus-filled fruits, you can get your supply of vitamin E through almonds, hazelnuts, and pine nuts, or fruits like avocado. It’s a vital protector of your skin.
As you can see, healthy and beautiful skin starts with good daily habits. These steps are incredibly simple, and by following them, you will have better skin in no time.
(Kathy Hardess is a nutritionist who is taking a break from practising. She takes care of her kids and enjoys spending her time teaching them what benefits nature has for us.)
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I loved this post! Some really great tips, especially about moisturising twice a day!