This post is all about the best habits for healthy glowing skin you need to know about!
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At some point in our lives, I believe it’s safe to say we all have dealt with some sort of skin issue. Whether it be blemishes, acne, dryness, rosacea, atopic dermatitis, you name it, it has reared its ugly head for some period of time.
Most of the time we get stuck and don’t know what to do about it so we just throw on our nearest face mask or blemish treatment hoping it’ll fix the issue only for it to come back again in full force. However, there is so much more to skin care than topically treating it.
Sure, your serums and moisturizers for sure make a difference in the health of your skin, but there are other factors that play an important role that you may be missing completely! Remembering that beauty starts from within and how having healthy habits contributes to the overall skin on your skin will set you up for success in the long run.
Below are some tips and tricks that will help keep your skin clear and radiant.
Best Healthy Skin Habits
1. Refraining From Picking Your Skin
I get it! We’ve all been in the situation where we have that one blemish (or two) that is just waiting to be squeezed out. It becomes to be an annoyance so we take it upon ourselves to remove it. However, it’s strongly recommended that you don’t do this.
Most likely, you’re trying to pop that blemish with improper tools or with hands that haven’t been washed. Even worse, you are using the wrong technique which could leave you with acne scars or an infection. Because of this, it’s best to leave it to the professionals like your esthetician when you get your facial.
2. Icing Your Blemishes
Now you may be wondering if you shouldn’t pick your blemishes, how can you get rid of them? One way is by icing your pimples. When you have a blemish, it’s usually red or inflamed. Applying ice or an ice pack on it for 2-5 minutes helps the inflammation decrease and makes the blemish less noticeable without the irritation you would get from picking your skin.
3. Having A Consistent Skincare Routine
With so many skin care products coming out, it’s easy to develop shiny object syndrome. We want to try the latest and greatest even though what we have right now is working perfectly fine. However, when it comes to skincare, it takes weeks, even months to see a true difference in your skin. If you are constantly switching products in your routine, you’ll never know what works and what doesn’t. Because of this, it’s important to have a good skincare routine and be consistent with it to get the best results.
4. Getting Enough Sleep
Getting the right amount of sleep is crucial to the health of your skin. When you sleep, your skin repairs itself. Because your blood flow increases during your sleep, your skin cells turnover faster, and collagen production happen more quickly at night. If you don’t get enough sleep and skip out on hours of it, this disturbs the reparative process, and instead of you waking up glowy and brightened, you are going to look dull and sleep-deprived. Getting 7-9 hours of beauty sleep every night is key.
5. Not Smoking
Smoking ages you rapidly. Because the chemicals in cigarettes deprive your skin of oxygen, this causes your skin to develop wrinkles and the elasticity gets damaged as well. You will also start to see uneven texture and discolored spots form, bringing your skin health to an all-time low. When you protect your skin from smoking, it will eliminate these effects and keep your skin in good shape.
6. Staying Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated can do wonders for your skin. Since it helps flush out toxins, your skin tone can improve leaving you with a brighter complexion and less puffiness. In the same regard, your skin’s elasticity increases keeping you looking firmer and youthful longer. Not only that, but getting in your daily intake of water throughout the day may help you heal faster.
7. Eating Healthy
have you ever heard the phrase, “You are what you eat?” Well, this couldn’t ring more true. If you’re only eating junk food like chips and candy, it’s going to show up on your skin in the form of blemishes and irritation. However, when you nourish your body with a healthy nutritious diet that consists of proteins, fatty acids, and antioxidants, it translates into beautiful healthy anti-aging skin.
8. Reducing Stress
Being stressed has a negative effect on the overall health of your skin. When your stress level increases, your cortisol levels rise as well. This causes issues like inflammation, redness, and acne to occur. Other skin conditions you may have going on like psoriasis or rosacea, may get aggravated even further or cause it to flare up. Keeping your stress levels low through meditation, therapy, or removing yourself from stressful situations, is essential for glowing skin.
9. Consulting Professional Help
There are only so many things you can do yourself for the health of your skin before a professional needs to step in. If you are having issues where nothing you are doing is helping your skin condition, you need to seek professional help. Whether that’s a dermatologist, holistic practitioner, or esthetician, you owe it to yourself to have the glowing skin you desire.
10. Changing Out Your Bedsheets Regularly
Sleeping on bedsheets that haven’t been washed in weeks can affect your skin. Think about it. If you are doing your skincare routine every night and putting your face on your pillow some of that skin care residue stays on that pillowcase. Pair that with daily sweat and the product and oils that are coming from your hair, and you’ve got a breeding ground for bacteria. This then causes breakouts and irritation that could’ve been avoided if you just washed your bedsheets every 5-7 days.
11. Decreasing Sugar Intake
I know you love those cookies and brownies staring at you lovingly from your kitchen, but put them down. Not only does sugar exist in baked goods but it also exists in many other foods like granola, yogurts, condiments, and cereals. Eating too much sugar can actually cause harmful free radicals called AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) resulting in premature aging where you will start to see fine lines and wrinkles form earlier than normal. This is why decreasing your sugar intake is essential for healthy skin.