A signal of healthy skin is a natural glow. Many factors, such as lack of sleep, bad diet, stress, or age, can affect skin appearance. These things can steal your glowy complexion and make the skin look dull. The good thing is that you can transform your skin into healthy and radiant again with some simple yet very effective tips.
Remember these hacks, tips, and suggestions every time you feel your skin is a bit dull and dry. It is not about the expensive products but more about finding what is best for you and adding those ingredients to your daily skincare routine.
Keep Your Phone Screen Clean
Believe it or not, your phone can get more germ-infested than a public toilet. Touch screens are so good at spreading bacteria and viruses, and the skin is not spared either. All those germs from the screen land on your cheek and jawline and can cause irritation and breakouts. Keep a pack of anti-bacterial wipes in your bag.
Shorten Your Hot Showers
A long and hot shower might be relaxing but also very bad for your skin. The heat strips the natural oils and creates mild burns. Make your showers short and avoid hot water for both hair and face.
Use a Muslin Cloth for Cleansing
A morning cleanse is important whether you have oily, dry, or normal skin. While you can simply use a cleanser to wash your face, add a muslin cloth to your routine. After you have rubbed a gel or oily cleanser to the skin, use a muslin cloth to remove the excess. At the same time, it will gently exfoliate the skin, leaving it smooth and silky.
Always Cleanse Before Bed
Don’t skip the cleansing before bed, no matter how tired you are. Leaving makeup on won’t only clog your pores. It can also cause dryness and sometimes skin breakouts. Use an oily makeup remover for your face, and don’t forget to remove makeup from your eyelids.
SPF Is Necessary
You have probably heard it a million times but SPF is necessary to wear daily. It is one of the best ways to promote healthy, glowy skin, even in winter. According to all skincare experts, you should apply SPF daily as the last step of your skincare routine. It is easier to prevent the damage than to fix it later.
Cut back on the Alcohol
Summer is coming, and it means more cocktails. However, cutting back on the booze will also mean you can protect your skin glow. While vitamin A revs up skin cell turnover, alcohol is the main cause of depriving the skin of this vitamin. Alcohol prevents the absorption of vitamin A and causes skin dehydration.
Add Acids to Your Skincare Routine
Enlarged pores are one of the most common skin concerns. They look that way when filled with dirt, oils, dead skin cells, and keratin. When you remove those plugs, the pores will shrink. For those purposes use a cleanser or exfoliator that contains beta-hydroxy acid (BHA). This will chemically exfoliate dead skin cells as well as dissolve dirt.
Berries for the Glow
One of the strongest anti-aging products is lurking in your fridge. Raspberries are full of ellagic acid. This antioxidant is very powerful in preventing wrinkles by protecting the collagen. You can also add in honey, which is a natural humectant, and get a recipe for a glowy, luminous, and healthy complexion right from your kitchen.
Apply a Detox Mask
It is nice to do a little pampering in the house. While we usually associate face masks with spa treatments, they can do so much more than just unwind you from a long day. If you have problems with acne or oily skin, try clay-based masks such as kaolin. It will absorb all the excess oil and impurities.
Try Hyaluronic Acid
When your skin is looking dry and feeling thirsty, try to add a serum or moisturizer with a hyaluronic acid. Products rich in hyaluronic acid hold up to 100x their weight in water. This means hyaluronic acid will draw water to every skin layer and, most importantly, stay there.
Go for Vitamin D Supplements
While UVB rays naturally produce vitamin D, it is still not a reason to lie under the sun for a long time. Instead, use an SPF and add an oral vitamin D supplement. It is great for forming the body’s natural antioxidants. They will further protect the skin and give it a radiant glow.
Exercise
Good physical activity can impact every aspect of your life – from sleeping to posture, your well-being as well as your skin glow. Outdoor exercise will keep the blood circulating, giving the skin a healthy look and natural radiance. Don’t forget to hydrate while you do your training.
Clean Your Makeup Brushes
Makeup brushes collect all the dirt and makeup excess that can cause skin breakouts. This is not something you want for your radiant skin. You should wash the brushes regularly, depending on which makeup you are applying. Opinions are divided, but everyone agrees you should wash loose powder brushes every two weeks. Wash those brushes that serve for applying foundation once a week or every three to four days.
Include Serums in a Skincare Routine
Since serums are more concentrated than creams, you will only need a small amount to see the results. They are great for fighting skin stress. Serums are light, so they can penetrate deeper into the skin. When you look to buy a serum, make sure it contains antioxidants – they are great at defending skin from free radicals.
Stop Touching Your Face
It is quite tempting to touch the face while we are out or at work. Aside from hygienic reasons, dirty fingers on your face can also affect the skin complexion. If you notice spots on the jaw or cheeks, touching your face might be the reason.
Wear Your Sunglasses
Buying another pair of good-quality sunglasses might be a smart idea. Not only because you have found some new fashionable pair, but also to protect your under eye area from premature aging. While eyes are equipped to handle sunlight, the skin under the eyes is very thin and can show off the first signs of aging. Choose a pair of sunglasses wide enough to protect the under-eye area.
Try Gua Sha
Many women claim that gua sha helped them maintain that healthy face glow. This small but effective tool comes from traditional Chinese medicine. It presents a flat surface stone or crystal you scrape across your face. It increases blood circulation and volume, which speed up collagen production. There are many guides on how to use a gua sha that you can find online.
Don’t Touch Your Pimples
Picking or even lightly touching pimples and spots can damage skin. Some people have solved their acne problems because they stopped touching and picking their spots. Whenever you pick a pimple, it can potentially cause inflammation. Bacteria is pushed deep inside the pore, so the oil glands burst and cause even more acne. It is better to leave your acne and spots to the pros.
Use a Jade Roller for Eye Bags
If you find eye bags every morning when you wake up, be sure to use a jade roller to chill them out. Gently massage the roller over the contours to keep lymph flow, and drain any fluid that has build-up under your eyes or jaw.
Add Retinol to Your Routine
If fine lines and wrinkles bother you and you have more than 25 years, then you should include retinol in your skincare routine. Both retinol and retinoic acid are derivatives of vitamin A.
When used correctly on the skin, these ingredients can boost collagen production and cell turnover, and treat wrinkles and fine lines. However, you need to be cautious when applying products with retinol. They can cause irritation and dryness. Retinol should be applied at night and it is essential to apply an SPF the morning after.
Hydration From Inside Out
Drinking more water is one of the easiest ways to keep your skin healthy. Water cleans toxins that usually cause inflammation and redness, as well as prevents dehydration and premature aging. It is recommended to drink at least two liters of water each day to maintain healthy radiant skin.
Try Healthy Snacks
Instead of fast food incorporate healthy mixed nuts into your daily diet. They can be a great snack while also keeping your skin looking great. Brazil nuts are rich in selenium which keeps skin elasticity. Walnuts are loaded up with omega-3 fatty acids, which lower inflammation processes. Moreover, add some macadamias for glowy complexion.
Order of Applying Products Is Important
The right order of applying skincare products is even more important than choosing expensive products. Reach for toners, then serums, and finally apply a moisturizer or an SPF (or both). Anything that is water-soluble should go first, followed by thicker and creamier products.
Don’t Forget Your Neck
Most people consider skincare only for the face until they hit their jaw. This may not be a problem if you are in your early 20s, but when you are older, you shouldn’t forget your neck. The signs of aging are visible on the neck more and more as you get older. You can use the same product on your neck as you apply on your face.