5 Super Tips For Glowing Skin
One thing about my physical appearance that always makes me feel beautiful, is healthy glowing skin. If I haven’t been looking after myself as well as I should (or deserve) it often shows on my skin very quickly – dullness, dryness, lines or spots just to name a few symptoms. Although there are multitudes of skin products on the market that may assist with that elusive youthfulness and radiance that we desire, I truly believe that first and foremost, the appearance of our skin is determined by our internal health. It can be a great reflection of what is going on in there! Before you run out to buy the newest bottle of face cream or fancy body exfoliant, check out my tips below!
1. If your skin is feeling dull, dry, or even flaky, make sure you are drinking enough water!
Not only does water help inflammation and spots by clearing out toxins, it also helps deliver nutrients in our bodies and make skin appear smoother.
2. Re-evaluate your nutrition.
There are so many foods that can contribute to better skin. When our nutrition is out of whack, so is our skin. Two things to limit or avoid that effect our skin negatively, are sugar and dairy. They can contribute to a stimulation of enzymes that that ultimately breakdown collagen and elastin which leads to uneven skin tone and premature aging. Some of the best things to incorporate are antioxidants – particularly purple ones! Think purple cauliflower, blueberries etc. Other berries and leafy greens are also great. These foods increase circulation and blood flow to help deliver nutrients to form collagen and elastin (which gives your skin strength and elasticity) and generates new cells.
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3. Reduce chemicals.
Your skin is your biggest organ, and it soaks up everything – please think twice before lathering yourself in a chemical shit storm! We are so lucky to have an abundance of non-toxic products on the market, and you may even find once you start to consider the other tips here, that you might need as many products as you used to!
4. DIY.
Yes, do it yourself! Instead of fancy store bought products take a look in your kitchen for DIY alternatives that your skin will love. Things like coconut oil for your skin and teeth, ground coffee or sugar as exfoliants or honey and avocado for your face! A quick search on Pinterest and you will find a multitude of fab DIY ideas for glowing skin!
5. S is for shitty skin.
Sun, smoking, stress and sleep deprivation are all catalysts for less than ideal skin. Do your best to avoid the sun during the most damaging parts of the day, and be sure to cover up and be sun smart when you are outside. Smoking is bad news for so many reasons, but when it comes to your skin, your habit is probably doing more damage to your skin alone than you realise. It narrows your blood vessels resulting in decreased blood flow, and damages collagen and elastin. Stress plays havoc with our hormones, which in turn can play havoc with our skin. For example, when our stress hormone cortisol is activated which can increase oil production resulting in pimples or acne. And that is just the start. Stress can trigger an autoimmune reaction so has now been linked to many skin conditions including acne, psoriasis, eczema and vitiligo. Stress less beautiful! Lastly sleep deprivation. Again, this can lower circulation which is why we often wake pale and ‘dull’, or with puffy eyes when we haven’t had enough sleep.
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It’s important to remember that our hormones do play a big role with our skin, and there are certain times in our life where it may feel like you have no control of how it looks – pregnancy is a great example! Like anything to do with our physical selves, we need treat our body with respect, embrace it in the moment, and continue to love it as it deserves. The more we do that, the better it will respond, and by implementing the tips above hopefully your skin will glow more often than not!