Skincare

One morning I’ll looking in the mirror and think “Hey, my skin isn’t that bad actually!”, then a couple of days later I’ll look like a crater face. I don’t know if it’s just the mirrors in my house or if it really changes that dramatically – what can be making such a difference to my skin on a daily basis!?

It turns out, if you want glowing looking skin then it’s a full-time job of *SPOILER ALERT* eating well, sleeping enough and being careful with what you put on your face. That’s okay though, it’s a full-time job I’m willing to commit to for gorgeous looking skin (and hopefully less wrinkles in the future!). 

Want to know how to keep your skin looking healthy, too – then here are a few ideas to help you:

Get your beauty sleep

We don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing and having enough sleep is crucial to achieving healthy looking skin. Your body repairs itself and recovers whilst you sleep, which makes getting enough sleep essential to good-looking skin and you should be aiming for around 8 hours sleep a night.

A good night’s sleep will help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, reduce puffiness around your eyes and give you a glowing complexion, due to the increased blood flow to your skin whilst you are sleeping. Being sleep deprived can lead to higher levels of stress hormones, which in turn causes less healthy looking skin, including an increase in inflammation of the skin. Moreover, if you have any existing skin conditions, a lack of sleep is likely to make them worse.

If you do have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep, there is a lot of advice available to help you, including some helpful tips on the NHS website. In a nutshell, do keep regular sleeping times if you possibly can, do wind down before you go to bed by reading a good book, listening to relaxing music or having a warm bath for instance.

Ban gadgets and anything with a screen from your bedroom, and do your best to keep your bedroom, dark, tidy and quiet, to give you the maximum chance of feeling calm and relaxed. All of these steps will help you to have a good night’s sleep and boost the appearance of your skin.

Remember to stay hydrated

To keep your skin looking good, it’s important to keep hydrated, and it’s best to do this from the inside out, so ensure you are drinking enough water. If you have a penchant for caffeine-filled drink, you’ll need to drink extra water, but as an alternative to caffeine-rich drinks try drinking warm water with a slice of lemon.

Keeping yourself well hydrated will enhance your skin’s moisture and help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You can also aid the hydration of your skin during the day using a spritzer or boost moisture levels a couple of times a week by using a face mask. 

I’m loving this wild raspberry and white tea body mousse from Nivea. It’s so creamy! 😍

Feed your body healthy food

Your diet is a key factor in keeping your skin looking healthy; it’s true that you are what you eat. It’s important that you eat a diet that includes a high proportion of fresh fruit and veg, and eat as broad a range of them as possible. The rainbow analogy is really helpful here – so mix them up and eat as many different fruit and vegetables as you can. That being said, there are few examples that are particularly helpful when it comes to healthy-looking skin, first up the humble carrot.

Carrots are high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps to repair skin tissue and protects you against harm from the sun’s rays.  Next up, Spinach, packed full of vitamins and minerals, this is a veg that has anti-aging and skin repair properties. What’s more, it’s full of water so will help with hydration too. Also, look to eat lots of strawberries and other summer berries, as these are packed full of vitamin C and anti-oxidants, helping to boost the look and health of your skin. 

Eating fish is also beneficial to your health, including your skin, so aim to have two servings of oily fish such as mackerel. Seafood tends to contain essential fatty acids and selenium, which will all help to boost the appearance and elasticity of your skin.       

Protect yourself from the sun

Exposure to the sun ages your skin and could cause you health problems, so cover up in hot weather. Wear light, breathable fabrics to keep your skin cool and comfortable, and protect your face by wearing a sun hat and sunglasses. Also, ensure you apply a high SPF sunscreen on any exposed skin. Remember, you need to reapply your skin protection at regular intervals throughout the day, aim to reapply it every two hours. If you can stay out of the midday sun, then do.    

Treat your skin with care

It’s important to have a good cleansing and skincare routine if you want to keep your skin looking healthy. Some cleansers can be harsh and leave your skin looking and feeling dryer, so look out for one that is moisturising.

Regularly exfoliating your skin is important too, as it will help you to get rid of the sweat, grease and debris on your skin and allow the moisture in. Once you’ve cleansed your skin, apply a moisturiser quick sharp, to stop your skin drying out. In addition, use a mineral foundation as a part of your daily skincare routine to give your skin a flawless look and improve your complexion over time.

So there you have out five essential steps to achieving healthy looking skin, from what you put into your body to what you put on it as part of your skincare routine and getting a good night’s sleep.