Your complexion can be a fickle thing. One day your skin may be clear and smooth, and the next it may not. Worse still, after a lifetime of ideal skin, you could find yourself in the middle of an uphill battle trying to get back what you have lost! Don’t lose heart! Here are some tips to improve and keep your skin looking its best!
One of the most basic things that you can do for great skin is to drink plenty of water. Make sure that you get in 8 glasses a day so that you can flush your system out, which will allow for your face to look clearer and more healthy looking. It will help present a nice glow from the inside out.
In the winter, you will notice that the air is very cold and dry, making moisturizing integral to your routine. Moisturizing your face reduces the formation of dry skin cells, which can clog your pores and cause cysts and lesions. Additionally, moisturizer improves flexibility of your face, so that you are comfortable during the day.
In order to have healthy, clean skin, you must stay hydrated. That means drinking around 8 cups of water every day. If you don’t drink enough water, your face will become oily which will lead to pimples, acne, and other unpleasant things. Not only will you look better by staying hydrated, but you’ll feel better too!
Excessively dry skin benefits from a nighttime moisturizing treatment two to three times a week. Apply an emollient moisturizer that is enriched with antioxidants, plant oils, skin-identical ingredients, and cell-communicating ingredients. Leaving these nutrient-rich creams and lotions on your face overnight allows them to be fully absorbed by dry skin, and will produce noticeable results within a few weeks.
Limit your alcohol intake to improve your skin quality. Drinking in moderation is fine, but don’t overdo it. Alcohol has a tendency to make the skin oily. Thus, the pores are more prone to clogging and you will suffer breakouts.
If you want baby-soft skin, it is important to exfoliate the skin to better prepare it for moisturizer. You need to apply exfoliator to wet skin and work from your shoulders down. Gently rub in circular motions to remove the dead skin, and pay close attention to your knees, elbows and heels. Rinse everything off, and then apply moisturizer. This should be done once or twice per week.
If you have sensitive skin, avoid facial scrubs that feel gritty or grainy; they will only make your skin retreat in pain. Instead, wash with a gentle castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s is a quirky but reliable brand) and pat gently dry after rinsing. Your sensitive skin is very reactive to its environment and needs the gentlest of treatment. Using grainy scrubs, or especially any products containing AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) will further aggravate your skin’s sensitivity, creating redness and irritation.
Rosacea is a skin condition that affects millions of people, causing redness and bumpy patches. If you have Rosacea, the watchwords should be: First, do no harm! Rosacea leaves the skin extremely tender and susceptible to further redness. So, when washing, for example, use a non-soap cleanser and never scrub. Just wash with the fingertips in a lightly circular motion.
If you are prone to under-eye circles or acne breakouts, use a mineral foundation instead of a liquid concealer. Mineral foundations make great concealers, but they will not clog up your pores or add excess oil to your skin. Mineral foundations come in a variety of tones that can be matched to any skin color.
If you suffer from allergies or skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, you may want to try hypoallergenic skin care products. Hypoallergenic skin care products, are specially formulated for those with sensitive skin and provide all the cleanliness that regular skin care products offer, without the possibly of irritating skin.
Buy your skin care products from Europe. If you are interested in using natural products on your face, European companies actually have legitimate organic items for sale. These corporations have to show where their ingredients came from, so you can feel secure in the knowledge that you have purchased a product that does not have any known health risks.
Avoid tanning machines if you can. The artificial rays from a tanning bed can accelerate skin aging and even lead to cancer. If you must use them, do it infrequently. Sunless tanning lotion is a viable option, but remember to check the label on the bottle for dangerous or harmful chemicals.
When using a mist spray to freshen up the face, ensure that the product is not water based only. This is because the water will evaporate on the skin and leave it dry and dehydrated. A mist spray that incorporates a moisturizer component will have the dual action qualities of hydrating and nourishing the skin.
Treat your child’s dry, itchy skin by applying a moisturizing lotion twice daily. Do not use scented lotion that were formulated for adult skin. If you find they still have dry skin a couple of days later, you may need to get medicated moisturizers or perhaps see their doctor.
Everyday household soap can contain alcohol and/or excessive fragrances which can harshly strip the skin of its essential oils. When using soap, do so sparingly and look to purchase products which are mild and low alkaline. Moisturizing soap bars and liquid cleaners are also a great alternative to the traditional soap block.
One of the best fruits that you can consume for healthy skin is plums. Plums taste great and contain a lot of antioxidants, which destroy the free radicals and bacteria that is stuck in your body. Have a plum in the morning before work to kick start your skin clearing regimen each day.
Now that you have the intel on how to fight the battle for ideal skin, apply what you know. Skin care all comes down to proper maintenance and good daily habits. Keep that up, and not only will your skin’s condition improve, it will stay that way!
