Beautiful Skin

Changing seasons, exercise, nutrition and stress, all contribute to how your skin looks and feels on a daily basis. Keeping all of them in check isn’t always easy, and the way your skin looks day to day can change dramatically. There are more than a few things you can do, though, to keep your skin looking smooth and feeling healthy, which won’t take up too much of your time.

We’ve compiled a list five simple ways to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy, which you can put into practice today. If you like these suggestions, don’t forget to check out the rest of the blog, for tips on how to take care of your hair and get into the best shape of your life.

For healthier skin, drink more water

Your skin is made up from almost 65% water, which means if you’re dehydrated, one of the first places you’ll notice a change is in your skin. Dry, cracked skin which has lost its elasticity, can be further hampered by a lack of proper hydration, so keeping a glass or a bottle of water handy can only be a good thing.

It’s free, and in our opinion, it’s one of the best places to start if you’re looking for super simple ways to get healthier looking skin.

Some believe that drinking more water helps to flush out toxins from the skin, too. There’s very little evidence to support this, but it certainly won’t harm you. Plus, if you’re someone who exercises a lot, then you’re probably losing a lot of water through sweating. Replacing that lost water by drinking more throughout the day, can help to keep your mind focused, and your skin radiant.

How much water should you drink?

The common belief is that eight glasses of water a day are what’s required for healthy bodily maintenance, but in truth, everyone’s different. Some people need more, some people need less, and there’s no point downing all of your water in one go, because you’ll simply pee it out! Instead, keep water with you and sip throughout the day for better retention.

Try a Humidifier, especially during winter

If you are prone to dry skin, and you live in a dry environment, it is possible you could benefit from a humidifier.  This could be particularly important during winter because cold air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air, and air heating systems can magnify the problem further reducing the moisture in the air.

If the air is dry this can zap moisture from the skin leading to cracks and irritation.  A humidifier will pump moisture back into the air helping to reduce this process.

Use a gentle exfoliant in the shower

If you’re someone who suffers from dry, cracked or dull looking skin, it could have something to do with the layers of dead skin still clinging to your body. Gross, right? Well, it happens, and a gentle exfoliant is one of the best ways to rid yourself of old, dead skin.

Always avoid exfoliants with synthetic beads, since these are bad for environment. Instead, choose natural scrubs, made with ground almond shells, sea salts, sands and so on. The most gentle exfoliant scrubs can be used all over the body and on your face, and when paired with a loofah or sponge, can help to reveal a more radiant skin in just a couple of days. A real quick fix with a lasting effect.

In addition to natural exfoliating elements, keep an eye out for synthetic chemicals in your body washes, as these can be harmful to your skin in the long run.

Avoid chemicals, choose natural soaps

Always check the ingredients in your skin products to make sure that they’re free from the kind of chemicals which may cause irritation or more harm than good in the long run.

Look out for labels which say things like, ‘Free From Parabens’ to be sure that you’re getting only natural ingredients. Avoid plastic beads, as mentioned, and if you’re going for something with a fragrance, look for essential oils.

Exercise more — sweat is your friend

Just like water, sweating could help to flush out any toxins or nasties from your skin, leaving it looking and feeling softer, smoother and healthier. Working up a daily sweat can help to bring those impurities to the surface, before flushing them out. Just remember to replace what you lose by drinking plenty of water.

Use a quality moisturizer

Your skin has its own natural lubricants, but sometimes it needs a helping hand. A quality moisturizer can help to lock in your skin natural moisture, which in turn helps to repair and prevent dryness and cracking.

The best time to moisturize is right after washing your face with warm water, or right after drying yourself off following a shower. This gives the moisturizer the best chance of sealing in as much of the water your skin has absorbed, allowing it to stay plump, firm, soft and smooth.

Quick summary for healthy skin:

  • Drink more water — Doesn’t need to be eight glasses a day, just some.
  • Exfoliate — Use a natural exfoliator to remove dead skin cells
  • Avoid chemicals — Choose natural products and essential oils
  • Exercise — Work up a sweat to flush out toxins
  • Moisturize — Seal in moisture with a quality moisturizer.

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