Skin care is not just about warding off UV rays and preventing breakouts, it is also about the right diet and lifestyle. The food you eat is as important as the products you apply on your skin.

Crash diets and loading up on highly processed foods makes skin less supple and strong. Bad habits such as sleeping late and smoking cause premature aging and acne.

Here are our top 10 practical skin care tips to improve your skin’s appearance.

Wear Sunscreen Every Night, Three Weeks Before Your Beach Vacation

SunscreenA daily dose of sunscreen is a must when the sun’s out, especially during summer. While using sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is among the most common skin care tips, one dermatologist suggests prepping for the beach in a unique way.

Mount Sinai Medical Center Assistant Clinical assistant clinical professor of dermatology Jeannette Graf shares an interesting tip in Allure Magazine.

Graf’s piece of advice is to apply sunscreen two to three weeks beforehand. The sunscreen buildup on your skin makes it less susceptible to sunburn.

Beware of the Margarita Sunburn

SunburnLemons and limes which are mainly found in margaritas contain psoralen. This organic compound increases skin sensitivity to UV rays.

This means you are in greater danger from the condition called phytophotodermatitis. This causes rashes that look pretty similar to sunburnt skin. Most people are not aware of this.

So when you are out in the sun, skip margaritas to reduce your risks. However, the rashes fade away when treated just like the normal sunburn.

If you think you have margarita sunburn, visit your doctor. Anti-inflammatory ointments are often prescribed to minimize redness and irritation.

Reapplying Sunblock Every Two Hours When You Are Under The Sun

SunblockThe common practice people have when it comes to sunblock is not applying often enough.
Sunscreen’s ability to shield your skin from the sun’s harmful rays will not last all day long. Reapply your sunscreen at least every two hours.

If you are in doubt as to how much is enough, the general rule is to apply about a tablespoon of sunscreen on your face. Your body will usually require enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass.

Some of you might ask, so what constitute a good sunblock or sunscreen? Here’s my take…
When looking for a sunblock, make sure that it has the following:

Don’t Forget to Exfoliate

exfoliationYour skin needs ample hydration. Hydrated skin has a healthy glow which makes it look plumper and softer.

Dry skin which results from improper hydration is prone to acne, eczema, and other skin problems There’s no better way to provide enough skin moisture than to remove dead skin cells first. Toners and moisturizers can provide added skin hydration but they work best in clear skin.

Make exfoliation part of your morning ritual. Your makeup will also look better and last longer after exfoliating.

Exfoliating scrubs are widely available. If you want a natural scrub, you can mix brown sugar with lemon juice or baking soda and water. You can exfoliate once a week. Always apply moisturizer after exfoliating.

Cut Down Salt and Sugar Intake

One tip to ensure your face and skin looks fresh is to minimize your intake of sugary and salty foods. Salt can cause dehydration while sugar could trigger inflammation.

As noted by Shape Magazine’s health expert, too much salt in your diet makes you look bloated while sugar can break down collagen resulting to early wrinkle formation.

The recommended daily sodium intake is 1,500 milligrams to 2,300 milligrams, this is approximately one teaspoon. Sugar should only make up 100 calories or six teaspoons in a woman’s diet.

To retain youthful skin longer, ditch instant food and stick to a low sodium diet. To satisfy your cravings for sweets, pick dark chocolates instead of regular ones.

Follow a Strict Schedule: Daytime for Skin Protection, Night Time for Repair

sun ProtectionWhen it comes to protecting your skin, you need to be on a strict schedule. Protect your skin from harmful UV rays during the day. At night, focus on skin repair.

Most of you already know this. But I know some of my friends don’t keep to a strict schedule. And their results are often diminished.

During the day, always wear sunscreen when you are out under the sun to prevent UV rays from harming your skin.

At night, apply a rejuvenating serum or moisturizer to help prevent wrinkles and premature aging. If you are looking for a night rejuvenation serum, here are some useful tips to find a good one:

Serums containing retinol is best for preserving your youthful glow unless you are pregnant or nursing.

  • Vitamin C improves skin’s appearance
  • Hyaluronic acid is great for improving skin moisture

Ditch Magnifying Mirrors: Seeing Your Flaws Up-close is Bad for Your Self-esteem

Self-esteemWhile mirrors that can magnify your face up to 20 times seem impressive, it’s the ultimate confidence downer. Seriously! Seeing your skin magnified several times will allow you to see the smallest imperfections.

When you see your face at a closer range, the temptation to pick the smallest pimple barely visible becomes greater. Not to mention that you might cause inflammation as a result, if you are not careful.

Food is 25 Percent Responsible for Your Skin’s Condition

FoodStudies have inconclusive findings on how diet affects your skin. However, most skin experts would say ‘Yes, diet has an effect’ according to Ellen Marmur, a dermatology professor at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

When it comes to acne, Marmur adds, food is 25 percent responsible. While your diet is not entirely to blame, it plays a crucial role in your skin’s health.

The best way to maintain healthy and clear skin is to eat nutritious foods. The ideal diet for beautiful skin includes:

A Healthy Lifestyle Yields Great Skin

Healthy LifestyleThe right skincare regimen and food plays crucial roles in your skin’s health. It doesn’t end there though. Your lifestyle is also important. Exercise, sufficient sleep, and stress management are all contributory factors to your skin’s health.

Exercise improves blood circulation which results to healthier skin. If you are too busy to go to the gym, go for a walk or take the stairs rather than the elevator. Sleep is another requirement for glowing skin. When it’s time or bed, keep your gadgets out of reach to sleep faster and earlier.

Since you can’t eliminate stress in your life, find a way to manage it. Yoga, which happens to be a great workout routine, can help you deal with stress.

Loosen Up and Love Yourself

SmilingOne good advice on how to look beautiful is this –love yourself. Smiling and laughing can make you more attractive instantly. Set aside some time for your hobbies and interests.

Doing things you are passionate about helps relieve stress. Try to make time to appreciate nature. Breathing clean air helps keep skin healthy and give you a healthy glow.

Now It’s Your Turn…

With the right practices and these 10 skin care tips, you can look forward a more healthy and glowing skin. Note down these skin care tips and implement them today.

If that’s too much in one go, try working one tip every few days. We’ll love to hear from you how these tips benefited you.

Author bio:

Hi, my name is Jade Hong, founder of HiGlamour.com, a website that features practical guides on beauty and health for women. Having worked for a large nutraceutical company in Canada for years, I became well-versed on the relevant subjects and have produced many articles on health, beauty and wellness since. You can get more practical advice on skin care and beauty that you can immediately use today. Visit http://higlamour.com/sp/beauty/.