Beauty starts with having great skin. You can add oomph to your look with a stylish outfit, or enhance your features with skillfully applied makeup. But glowing, youthful, gorgeous skin will always turn heads, no matter what clothes you are wearing and even better with a bare face.
While there are so many products in the market today promising to banish all sorts of skin problems, nothing still beats having a healthy, regular routine that protects the skin from the sun, toxins and other unhealthy elements. The key is to take care of your skin from inside and out. Here are some guidelines to remember:
Invest in sun protection. The right dose of Vitamin D does good to your health. But make sure to carefully monitor and limit your exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays. Too much sun exposure can be bad for the skin, and may cause problems such as sunburn, wrinkles, age spots, melanoma and may increase skin cancer risk.
To protect your skin, always use sunscreen, especially if you’re going to be out and about for the day. Doctors recommend to choose a sunscreen with at least SPF 15, and to re-apply the product every couple of hours. The SPF level should be higher if you’re going to sunnier spots such as the beach.
It’s best to schedule your outdoor activities and errands wisely so as to avoid the sun when it’s at its hottest, which is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If going outdoors can’t be avoided, at least wear clothing and accessories that protect the skin. Wear sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats to shield your face and the delicate skin around the eyes. Choose clothes with lightweight, breathable material that provide ample coverage on your arms and legs.
Give up your cigarettes. If you’re a smoker, skin protection is another weighty reason why you should work on kicking the habit now. Smokers’ skins tend to age prematurely because of extreme dryness and wrinkles. This happens because smoking affects the blood vessels in the outer skin layers and breaks down collagen and elastin, which results in loss of skin elasticity. Even if you try to eat well and drink lots of water, smoking depletes skin of nutrients and oxygen, leaving it looking dry and sagging.
Simple is always better. It can be tempting to try the various beauty and skincare products available today. But dermatologists always say that simple is best when it comes to your skincare routine. Unless you have a certain condition that requires special or specific care, the classic cleanse-tone-moisturise is still the most effective route. Natural and organic products won’t overwhelm the skin and will be most likely free from harmful fillers and toxic ingredients that clog up pores and cause irritation and breakouts. The lesser and simpler the formulation, the better.
Nourish your skin from within. One of the best secrets to great-looking skin is to eat a healthy diet. Avoid junk and processed food and food with too much white sugar. Choose whole, fresh, nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and good oils. Look for yummy, easy alternatives so you get to enjoy the taste, textures and flavours of the food that you’re eating and not feel deprived or making a sacrifice.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Stress is one of your skin’s biggest enemies. While some moments of stress are unavoidable and may even push you to be at your very best, prolonged or long-term stress can be highly harmful not just to your skin but to your overall well-being. Manage stress by maintaining a schedule that allows you to balance all your responsibilities effectively. Invest in moments of relaxation and release, such as doing yoga, meditations, walks or low-impact exercise. Loving life is the number one secret to gorgeous skin.