7 Simple Steps to Gorgeous Skin
In the environmental challenges we encounter daily, getting and maintaining great skin can be difficult, to say the least. Many skincare products and services meant to help deal with these challenges are simply too complicated or invasive for most people to maintain a long-term daily regimen.
Simplicity is the key to consistent skincare. The following 7 simple, but effective steps will allow you to improve the look of your skin over time with persistent care. The results and improvements will allow you to put your “best face” forward!
1. Cleanse
Avoid using regular soap on your face because it’s high alkalinity levels can cause PH imbalances resulting in irritation, skin tautness, and stripping of the protective oils in your skin. A cleanser should remove excess oil, dirt and makeup from your face while balancing the skin’s natural PH level and providing nourishing agents to the skin. Sometimes we have long tiring days and nights or even a wild fling out with the girls… but muster up all your energy when you get home and wash that face of yours every night! Gorgeous skin requires make-up free nights of clean breathing pores.
Since sixty percent of skin cell rejuvenation occurs at night, so you want your skin to breath and be free from yesterdays environmental surface build-up.
2. Exfoliate
Mechanically or chemically exfoliate your face and body on a regular basis. The largest organ of your body, your skin, needs care and resurfacing for critical cellular turnover. This part of skincare promotes healthy collagen production by removing the millions of dead skin cells that make skin appear dull.
Duing exfoliation by hand or when using mechanical means such as a scrubber, avoid harsh exfoliating scrubs containing walnut shells or apricot seeds on your face because their use may rupture fragile skin. Instead, use scrubs with a milder, non-abrasive physical agent or enzymes.
3. Nourish
Your skin needs moisture and proper nutrients to appear and remain soft, supple and strong. Serums, creams and lotions are effective at nourishing the skin. They work by providing moisture, nutrients and by forming a barrier to prevent water loss.
Serums are great for penetrating into the deeper layers of your skin, tackling signs of aging and stimulating collagen production. While creams and lotions work best to prevent water loss and protect the skin from pollution and the damaging elements of our daily environmental exposure.
4. Sunscreen
Just do it! The words “Healthy tan” are an oxymoron. There's nothing healthy about a tan! A tan is the result of your skin's defense mechanism to sun exposure. The skin creates melanin as a defense mechanism against the suns damaging UV rays. Overexposure and long-term exposure to the sun increases your body's production of harmful free radicals, and accelerates skin aging.
Use natural sun blocks with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide to protect against UV rays.
Synthetic sun blocks are easier to rub into the skin but they contain many chemical ingredients that cause irritation, may disrupt hormone levels in blood and they are sometimes ineffective .
Use of sunscreen will help you to prevent future free radical damage, fine lines, wrinkles, and even possible skin cancer, but the best policy anyone can follow is: “Stay out of the Sun”
5. Nutrition
Most people have heard this phrase at some point in their lives….You are what you eat!
Keep your meals real…work to reduce or eliminate processed foods and sugars! A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables is not only good for your health, but its great for your skin, as well. Fruits and vegetables contain potent antioxidants that protect against the damaging effects of free radicals. Drink plenty of water, about 6 to 8 glasses daily to keep your body and skin well hydrated. Alcoholic beverages dehydrate the skin, so if you drink, supplement by consuming lots of water. Drink about 2 glasses for every glass of alcohol consumed.
6. Sleep
We need 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily. This is the time that cleansed, nourished skin is working hard to recover and prepare for what lies ahead tomorrow. The greater majority of the body’s cell rejuvenation occurs during this quiet time. The body and mind need time to rest, recover and regenerate. Look how gorgeous Sleeping Beauty was!
7. Exercise
In addition to its many other health benefits, exercise can dramatically improve your skin tone. Regular aerobic and anaerobic exercise improves circulation, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to skin cells. Exercise helps the body eliminate metabolic waste products and toxins through your pores, as you sweat. Sweating flushes out the pores, removing oil and debris that can clog pores and potentially lead to acne breakouts.
