You have heard me talk about skin a lot and how to get and maintain healthy skin.
The reason I mention it so often is because I truly believe in nurturing ourselves from the inside out.
So today I want to talk to you about adopting some healthy skincare habits. These are habits you should try to add to your daily routine to maintain healthy skin.
Believe me, I know how busy life can get. Especially now as a new mom. But it’s still so important for us to take time to care for ourselves. Even if that is just 10 minutes a day to take care of our skin. It’s our largest organ and it’s so delicate.
We know that what we eat can play a huge role in our skin’s health. But there are also some everyday habits we can develop to help our skin too.
These are habits I try to stick to every day.
The first habit you should get into is cleansing your face before bed – ESPECIALLY if you have worn makeup that day.
You may not be aware of it, but makeup is actually a carrier of free radicals in the environment. Even if you don’t wear makeup, skin collects dust and dirt throughout the day that sits on the skin along with your sweat and sebum (an oily, waxy substance produced by your body’s sebaceous glands.)
If you don’t cleanse your skin before hitting the hay, your skin is basically just swallowing up these free radicals as they cake into your skin. Furthermore, free radicals actually damage the healthy collagen in your skin which can result in wrinkles and fine lines.
In addition to damage, your facial pores can get clogged due to the makeup and oils sitting on the skin. And when this occurs, your skin becomes more susceptible to acne breakouts and enlarged pores.
Facial cleansing is essential to maintaining a healthy and flawless complexion. I know it may seem tempting to just crash into bed after a long day – but take just a few minutes to wipe the day from your face.
After you cleanse, moisturizing is also a great idea to help your skin! Using a moisturizer after a shower or warm face wash is the best time as the pores are open and more susceptible to absorbing the lotion.
Moisturizing every day can help reduce the chance of developing extremely dry or oily skin. Both extremes are harmful to the skin and can cause common skin conditions like acne. When your skin is dry and irritated, it is more prone to breakouts. A good moisturizer can also help even out your skin tone!
We love soaking up the rays and getting our Vitamin D – but it can wreak havoc on our skin. You can enjoy the sun all you want, just be sure to be cautious when you do.
Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can negatively impact the condition of your skin.
UV rays can damage the skin’s elastic and collagen tissue which results in skin sagging, stretching, and wrinkles. It also causes freckles, skin discoloration, age spots, and even skin cancer. Imagine what your skin must go through when you go out under the sun without sunscreen protection.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends a sunscreen product with SPF of 30 or higher, water-resistant, and provides protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Make sure to apply a generous amount of sunscreen to all exposed skin 15 minutes before you go out and reapply every two hours to stay protected.
Also, remember that even on cloudy days, you still need protection from the sun!
Remember how I mentioned beauty sleep in a previous article? You can check it out here! Beauty sleep is real – and we need it! 2 main things about sleep and our skin are that when we do not get enough sleep, our bodies release too much of the stress hormone cortisol, which can cause breakouts like pimples and blackheads, even in adults.
And the second is that sleep encourages healthy blood flow to your skin, which can even out your skin tone. During sleep, your skin’s blood flow increases, and the organ rebuilds its collagen and repairs damage from UV exposure, reducing wrinkles and age spots. This can also help to prevent veins from peeking through and causing visible discoloration.
Try to avoid harsh soaps or products that are heavy in chemicals. When I buy makeup or anything that goes on my skin, I am very careful about reading ingredients. So many ingredients can dry out the skin more and can strip your skin of its natural oils.
Stick to as many natural ingredients as you can. If you read an ingredient and aren’t even sure what it is, be diligent and look it up to see if it is something you want on your skin.
This can even go for supplements. There are so many supplements out there that are jam packed full of preservatives and other harsh ingredients.
That’s why I LOVE my Complete Collagen+. It has ingredients I know I can trust and that do WONDERS for my skin!
These habits are super simple to add to your daily routine. If you’re not already, try to pick up these habits, for the sake of your skin!