Have you seen people with clean, clear and glowing skin, and wondered what their secret was? In today’s world the air is polluted, the water is not as pure as it once was, the summers get worse with each year; in such horrid times, how does one manage to look radiant with healthy skin? Apart from these horrible physical conditions, there so many things to worry about and stress over that our mental health isn’t as pink as it used to be. These triggers and stressors contribute to the fine lines around your lips and the dark circles around your eyes.
Best tips for glowing skin
1. Regular exfoliation
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If exfoliation is not a part of your daily skin ritual, then your beauty regimen isn’t right. The dead skin cells need to be scrubbed out or else the skin is ought to look dull, which in turn, makes you look old. To achieve clear and glowing skin, exfoliation is key.
Exfoliation will help remove the dead skin cells, the dirt and the excess sebum that clog our skin pores making it impossible for the nutrients and cream to reach the skin. In some cases, this might even cause acne. Therefore, after you cleanse your skin, and before you apply the moisturizer, you must exfoliate your skin.
What kind of exfoliation to choose depends on your skin type.
For people with dry skin, exfoliation is very important since patches of dead skin cells not only make you look less pretty than you are, but they also prevent any moisturizer from penetrating deep into your skin, and if that does not happen, you can never hydrate your it, right? Therefore, you need to give your skin its daily dose of scrubbing without overdoing it. Use an electric face brush that oscillates to exfoliate. For an extra dose of hydration use a cream or a non-soap cleanser.
If you have oily skin, then the pore-cleansing should involve a gentle derma-abrasive action that helps the skin get rid of the dead cells while dislodging the hardened oil from the pores.
For this, prepare a mixture of beauty grains and some skin tonic. Gently rub your skin with the mixture. Even stubborn blackheads can be removed through this process. Although they may not be removed at once, they will be loosened for sure.
Rub the mixture in circular motion, while paying extra attention to the nose and the chin areas. This will not only help you unclog the pores, and dislodge the dead skin cells, it will also allow you to stimulate your skin by causing blood to flow to your face. A skin tonic with rose base is the best since it has a therapeutic value. The healing action refreshes the skin by lending it a natural glow.
If you are not sure whether your skin is sensitive or not, you can try the scrub at the back of your earlobes. If it does not annoy your skin, you can try it on your face.
For your scrub, you need a cup of brown skin, a cup of ground oatmeal, and 5 tablespoons honey. Mix the ingredients, and rub the exfoliant using your fingertips. Scrub gently for 30 minutes, and then rise off with lukewarm water. You can also try mixing your brown sugar with two teaspoons of finely ground coffee beans, and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Again apply the scrub, and exfoliate for 30 seconds, after which, you can wash it off with lukewarm water.
2. Use a sunscreen may come what!
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Every beauty post has this tip, and for a good reason. Skin exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun does not only leave a tan, but causes photoaging. The sun’s harmful rays speed up our aging process, and can also contribute to the formation of red spots, rosacea, acne marks and scars. And if all this does not scare you, then you should know that UV rays also cause skin cancer.
What’s the solution then? Using a sun screen regularly, and toping that with a habit of using vitamin C and vitamin E based moisturizers.
Suggested read: 12 Super Effective Home Remedies For Anti-Aging Skin Care
3. Include vitamin C in your daily skin care regimen
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There are a number of benefits of vitamin C. It helps prevent photo-aging, it protects against the harmful effects of free radicals, it averts hyperpigmentation, and it works as a great antioxidant, thus slowing down the aging process.
“Vit. C, the most plentiful antioxidant in human skin, forms a part of the complex group of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants that co-exist to protect the skin from reactive oxygen species (ROS). As Vit. C is water soluble, it functions in the aqueous compartments of the cell. When the skin is exposed to UV light, ROS such as the superoxide ion, peroxide and singlet oxygen are generated. Vit. C protects the skin from oxidative stress by sequentially donating electrons to neutralize the free radicals. The oxidised forms of Vit. C are relatively non-reactive. Furthermore, they can be converted back to Vit. C by the enzyme dehydro ascorbic acid reductase in the presence of glutathione. Exposure to UV light reduces the availability of Vit. C in the skin.”
Vitamin C also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent because of which it is one of the most commonly used home remedies against skin abrasions or irritations.
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If you are asking why right now, then let me give you examples of some awful things that can happen if you don’t remove your makeup before hitting the bed every night.
Your eyes can get inflamed, dry and irritated. According to what dermatologist Dr. Joel Schlessinger told Bustle, “Neglecting to remove eye makeup can cause dryness, redness, irritation and infection.”
Skin breakouts get worse when you do not remove your makeup before sleeping. According to celebrity dermatologist Dr. Annie Chiu, “If you don’t cleanse your face, dirt and dead skin cells are not removed. They stay on the skin, clogging pores and leading to chronic inflammation in the form of pimples.”
According to Dr. Eric Schweiger, founder of the Clear Clinic,
“Sleeping in your makeup can result in unnecessary exposure to the free radicals in the environment, which the makeup holds on to. Free radicals cause the breakdown of healthy collagen, which results in fine lines on the skin. Additionally, makeup can clog the pores while you sleep, resulting in the development of acne.”
5. Facial massages are a must
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According to Jessica Wu, dermatologist based in Los Angeles,
“Many people (myself included) frown and scrunch their faces at night, leading to frown lines and crows feet. To relax my face, I do facial acupressure for a few minutes at bedtime. Press above your inner eyebrows, temples, and next to your nostrils, holding for 10 seconds each.”
Facial massages and facial yoga is known to slow down the aging process. These practices also help release tension and stress, and boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. If you are new to facial yoga, then seek help from an expert practitioner. You can also source videos from YouTube and try the exercises at home.
Bonus tips that you can try your hands on:
- To look your best at all times, all you have to do it take a cube of ice, place it in a clean washcloth, and gently rub it onto your skin. After that apply your makeup. Using the ice cube will improve the blood circulation to your face, and will also make the makeup last longer than usual. However, remember not to apply the ice cube directly on the cube can numb your skin.
- Remember to keep yourself hydrated at all times. Drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water a day. According to Dendy Engelman, dermatologist at Manhattan Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, “Despite what you hear all the time, the amount of water you drink daily doesn’t translate into proper skin hydration. It’s vital to hydrate your skin from the outside in with serums, creams, and hydrating mists.”
- Try to stick to a healthy skin care routine that includes natural remedies. Avoid chemical skin care products.
- You may not be aware of this, but exercise is very important for the health of your skin. By sweating out, you make your skin cleaner and more radiant.