Fresh and beautiful skin can easily be yours by learning how to really take care of your body both inside and out. Effective skin care requires a combination of dos and don’ts for both what you do to your skin and the nutrition that you are getting.
Maintain healthy skin by using a moisturizing soap. Regular soap can dry out your skin, which leads to less elasticity, wrinkles, and can cause irritated skin to become dry and flaky. If your skin becomes irritated then it is likely you will scratch at it, which can then lead to infection.
To keep your skin looking beautiful, don’t forget the sunscreen. One of the top causes of premature aging is due to sun damage. Get a light facial moisturizer that contains an SPF of at least 15. Sun damage can cause wrinkles, freckles, sun spots and dry skin. Protect your skin and don’t leave the house without your sunscreen.
Always make sure to wash your face of makeup before going to bed. Not only can this get all over your bedding, but it can harm your skin and either cause acne or aggravate your existing breakouts. It basically clogs the skin’s pores. Your skin needs the night to breathe and repair itself, so this is counterproductive.
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. Sun exposure is the number one cause of aging of the skin, and it’s a shame because it’s so easy to prevent. Slather on the sunscreen as soon as you step out of the shower to help it really soak in, put some more on visible areas on your lunch break, and then again when you get home, in that little half-minute break before you get out of the car to go inside. Make sure to refresh throughout the day, because sunscreen wears off. (If you pick a sunscreen that’s also a moisturizer, that’s another bonus!)
Increase the effectiveness of your facial cleansing routine by using a two-step process. First, use a mild and gentle cleanser to remove cosmetics, sunscreen, and other impurities. This prepares the skin for the second step, which involves applying a soothing, hydrating moisturizer. Use gentle, upward motions to evenly spread the moisturizer over the skin.
If you have sensitive skin, avoid facial scrubs that feel gritty or grainy; they will only make your skin retreat in pain. Instead, wash with a gentle castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s is a quirky but reliable brand) and pat gently dry after rinsing. Your sensitive skin is very reactive to its environment and needs the gentlest of treatment. Using grainy scrubs, or especially any products containing AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) will further aggravate your skin’s sensitivity, creating redness and irritation.
A fantastic way to keep your skin looking healthy is to take vitamin A daily. Vitamin A promotes the production of collagen. The production of collagen helps combat the damaging effects of sun rays and helps to normalize the condition of your skin. Taking vitamin A can help you keep your skin looking youthful and healthy.
To get healthy and clear skin, be sure to cleanse your skin more than once a day. A significant amount of bacteria can build up on skin overnight and it is important to cleanse it first thing in the morning. Waiting until later gives it time to do damage to your skin. It is also important to cleanse skin at night and get rid of oils that have built up on your skin throughout the day.
During the winter months, protect your skin by changing out of wet gloves and socks as soon as you can. Keeping wet cloth, especially wet wool, against your skin can lead to itching, dry skin, and even sores. If you have eczema, wearing wet gloves and socks can cause it to flare up.
Want healthier skin? A key step is to stop smoking. Smoking constricts tiny blood vessels near the skin’s surface. It also causes decreased blood flow. Thus, smoking ages the skin and causes wrinkles. Talk to your doctor to get advice on how to stop smoking.
A pack of moist wipes can be a great tool in your skin care routine. If you don’t have any time or opportunity to take a shower following a work-out or a physically challenging task, wipe you face with one of the towelettes. It will wipe away the dirt and help to prevent acne from appearing.
Another treatment for removing scars can be found in cocoa butter. Cocoa butter, which is made from the seeds of the cocoa plant, contains vitamin E, which is well known for its skin healing properties. Simply apply to the affected scar area once a day, preferably after bathing since the skin is still moist.
Consider using tomato paste as a skin care product. Studies have shown that people who ingested around five tablespoons of tomato paste a day were not as susceptible to the harmful rays of the sun. Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that can help reduce the risk of sunburn.
If conventional methods or natural methods of scar removal don’t work for you, try dermabrasion. Dermabrasion involves taking away the top layers of skin to expose the younger skin underneath. Dermabrasion is done by using abrasive materials such as sandpaper or if you wish for a different solution, laser dermabrasion.
Care for your skin by scheduling a skin screening with a dermatologist. Surveys have shown that general practitioners are not as effective as dermatologists in identifying unusual skin growths. To be on the safe side, have your skin looked at by someone who is trained to identify problem areas on the skin.
Following the advice listed here will get your skin in the best shape of it’s life. Make sure to not focus on just one area as everything in skin care is connected, from what makeup you wear, the cleanser you use, and the food you eat. Take good care of your skin, and you will see the results you want.
