Having great skin is on most people’s wish list. We spend a lot of time, effort and money in the quest for the perfect complexion. The worldwide skincare industry was estimated to be worth $123 billion last year alone.
Good quality, effective skincare products can have a major effect on the look and feel of our skin, but what about the effects of our lifestyle?
While certain skin conditions do need specialist products, there are many things we can do to improve the appearance, texture, and feel of our skin.
The good news is, by following this advice you’ll also see huge improvements in your overall health and wellbeing too.
Get Some Shut-Eye
They don’t call it ‘beauty sleep’ for nothing. Sleep is the ultimate restorer of our body and mind. While you’re asleep, your body is working to repair your skin. Too little sleep can cause a rise in hormones, putting stress on your body and causing flare-ups of acne or flakiness.
If you’re someone who struggles to get their eight hours, consider supplements to help you sleep and take a good look at your sleep routine to see if you can make any improvements.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking sufficient water is one of the best ways to improve and maintain your health. Dehydration has a huge effect on your skin too. No moisturizer is going to do a better job of hydrating your skin than getting your 2 liters per day.
Water is great for our circulation, digestion and flushing toxins out of the body. Dehydrated skin is dull, dry and flaky. It is also less resilient to aging.
Carry a water bottle with you everywhere so you can top up on the move.
You Are What You Eat
A poor diet will show itself in the quality of your skin. Foods that have been processed or are rick in refined sugar and carbs can trigger acne or sensitivity. Some people are also sensitive to dairy and caffeine.
Fuel your body and your skin by filling your diet with colorful fruit and vegetables, oily fish and lean proteins. Naturally red or orange foods are naturally rich in carotenoids which the body converts into Vitamin A, which great for cell renewal within the skin.
Not only will your skin thank you for a healthy diet, but your body also will.
Don’t Be A Sun Worshipper
Exposure to the sun’s rays is one of the fastest ways to age and damage your skin and raises your risk of skin cancer considerably. Make sure you get into the habit of wearing sunscreen all year round and in hot weather, stay out of the sun when it’s at its strongest, between 11 am and 3 pm.
Don’t forget that the UVA rays from the sun can also cause damage through the windows in homes, offices, and cars.
Keep Your Home Temperature Consistent
During the summer months, we blast the AC round the clock, then, when it gets colder, we have the heating on for hours a day.
Constantly changing between temperatures and humidity levels can have a huge effect on the skin, causing it to become sensitive, break out and become flaky.
Try and keep the temperatures in your home as consistent as possible. A humidifier is great to put moisture back into the air and keep it from drying out your skin.
Review Your Medications
Certain medications can affect our skin. Various antibiotics can make it extra sensitive to the sun, the contraceptive pill can cause acne.
If you think that your medications might be causing skin problems, don’t stop taking them, but discuss it with your doctor. They may be able to prescribe an alternative or recommend something to counteract the effects.
Lower Those Stress Levels
Prolonged or severe stress can have a devastating effect on your entire body, causing anxiety and depression, increasing the risks of various heart and immune disorders. It also can cause a lot of damage to our skin.
When we’re stressed, we produce more of a chemical called cortisol, which can make our body produce more oil and cause breakouts.
By making some simple lifestyle changes, you’ll be able to improve the look, texture, and tone of your skin without even picking up a skincare product. You can then choose your skincare routine based around your actual skincare needs, rather than trying to make up for a bad diet or dehydration. Your body, and your skin, will thank you for it.