5 Basic Skincare Tips to Clear & Healthy Skin
Here are 5 tips to ensure you do the best for your skin.
Tip 1:
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Skin as we know it is the largest organ of our body and covers a surface area of 2 square metres. It also accounts for 16% of our body weight. As we also know, over 60% of our body weight consists of water. Although it is recommended that we should consume at least 2 litres of water a day, can we honestly say that we actually follow that recommendation?
When our body is lacking the amount of hydration it needs, it will show some signs and symptoms. One of them being dehydrated skin. This also causes fine lines and premature ageing shows at an early age.
You probably would have seen some YouTube videos on those who have done some challenges to drink water and eliminate caffeine source from their daily hydration needs. They have mostly noticed how their skin was clearer and brighter at the end of the week.
Try to start the week off by using a water bottle with marked lines to set your goals on how much water to finish by a certain hour of the day. By setting a goal, this helps keep you on track and this will give you a sense of achievement at the end of the week to see how far you have come.
Tip 2:
Create Good Habits
Skincare routine is very often overlooked by many due to the busy lifestyles we have come to lead. Very often we have prioritised work, socialising, lifestyle and diets, but how many of us can say that we actually MAKE time for our skin?
Start the day by washing your face with tepid water after waking up. Continue with good quality products for your skincare routine. In some countries, the skincare regime is taken very seriously. A good example would be Japan. They have a minimum of 7 steps for their skincare regime in the morning. They are widely renowned for their skincare regime worldwide and deservedly so due to the guaranteed results they provide.
Make time to follow the skincare regime you are comfortable with and make sure you don’t take any shortcuts!
Tip 3:
Be like a vampire
And I don't mean go around biting people’s necks! Try to have as little sun exposure as possible. The effects of prolonged sun exposure can cause DNA damage at a cellular level. This also causes premature ageing – pigmentation, fine lines, sun damage and dehydration.
The sun rays are good to provide you with much-needed Vitamin D (especially during the winter months) however, if you are fortunate enough to be living in a country that gives you plenty of sun, be sure to take those Vitamin Ds anytime before 10 am during the day.
Many of us enjoy basking in the sun at the beach over summer and enjoy sun-downers at a rooftop bar, forgetting that the sunlight is actually causing a slow irreversible damage to our skin. Always prioritise and apply sunscreen to protect yourself from the harsh rays of the sun!
Tip 4:
Diet Culture
In this age of fashionable diet trends, Atkins, Keto, Dash, Mind, etc – The only diet you should be worried about is moderation. The key to having a balanced diet is to ensure that you don’t overeat, eat healthy foods in moderation and try to avoid foods that are high in saturated fats.
Ensure that you fill your diet with more natural foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh foods have a lasting effect on our skin and make us feel better.
Take your time eating and let your stomach process the foods you are consuming to avoid bloating, G.E.R.D. or any gastrointestinal issues.
Tip 5:
Don’t Touch Your Face!
In the current unprecedented times that this pandemic has caused, more people are aware of the number of times they touched their faces in a day. Many people are unaware of the germs that their hands carry and tend to rub their eyes, scratch the itch on the cheek where their hair brushed against, cusp their cheeks for that Instagram selfie.
This is a subconscious action done by everyone on a daily basis. From personal experience, I have learned that it takes practice to stop touching your face with your hands. It took me years to gain that habit and found that it helped keep my skin clean and healthy.
Practice mindfulness by counting the number of times you touch your face in a day, (you could also get a friend to spot you when you do it) and try reducing the number of face touching day by day. Soon enough a habit will be born and you're less likely to touch your face, keeping it clean, and acne-free!
So there you have it! Our Top 5 Basic Skincare Tips for clearer and healthier skin!