1) Golden Rule: Remove Makeup Before Bed
- Always remember to remove your makeup before hitting bed.
- The skin needs to breathe overnight.
- Leaving makeup overnight may clog the pores and therefore, could lead to blemishes and or/blackheads.
- In the absence of a makeup remover, you may substitute using olive oil on a cotton pad. Gently massage the oil onto your face to get rid of the makeup and dirt.
- Exfoliate once or twice a week to remove the dead layers off your skin. Helps with achieving a healthier glow and brighter skin.
- Alternatively, you may apply a paste of walnut in powder form with yogurt to exfoliate your skin. Antioxidant in walnuts help to remove dirt and promote radiant skin.
2) Sun and Skin
Apply sunscreen with SPF of at least 15 to block UVA and UVB rays
- Ensure the label reads ‘noncomedogenic’ or ‘nonacnegenic’ so that the product does not tend to block pores.
- If you’re heading to the beach or around reflective surfaces like snow or ice, lather your skin up with some sunscreen with SPF of at least 30.
3) You are What You Eat
Always keep a note of what you put on your plate.
Always eat fresh fruits, greens, sufficient protein and vitamins. Aim to consume foods with high antioxidant properties.
Ensure your diet is rich in Vitamin C and low in fats and sugar.
Consider a low-sugar diet, to keep insulin levels down and allowing cells to maintain a healthy balance.
Avoid eating spicy or fermented foods, salt, citrus fruits and fried foods.
Instead, favour blander foods such as rice, oatmeal and applesauce.
4) Sweat it Out!
Exercise Regularly.
Running, jogging and yoga are necessary blood circulation, and also helps to accelerate the cleansing process of your entire body.
Don’t skip skincare before working out. Apply a toner to help minimize oil production before heading out. Exfoliate after, and then apply shea butter or olive oil to moisturize the skin.
5) Beauty Sleep
Try to sleep 8 hours a night.
If you don’t enough shut eye, your skin gets tired just like you – it sags and you get bags.
You can apply honey on your face twice or thrice a week to naturally soothe or heal your skin.
“Don’t forget to wash and moisturize your face before going to bed!” recommended by Dr. Rahul Nagar, a Dermatologist for Max Hospitals.
For drier skin, one may use milder cleansers that is free from alcohol. Avoid using hot water as it dries out the skin excessively.
6) Water is Essential!
H2O is essential in your road to skincare recovery and excellence! Ensure that you are hydrated at all times of the day by drinking lots of water daily, with a bare minimum of 8 glasses a day!
You may also consume fruits and vegetables that are rich in water content such as watermelon, cucumber, orange, strawberry, grapefruit and cantaloupe.
If possible, drink water from a blue coloured bottle as it has a cooling effect.
7) Get Rid of Acne
This is the part where you should acquire a cleanser which contains alpha hydroxy acid or beta hydroxy acid. Put the cleanser onto your face and gently massage your face in circular motions. Then, wash your face with warm water. You are recommended to perform this routine three times a day!
Alternatively, you may also use face packs that contain multani mitti (fuller’s earth). After cleansing, pat dry and apply a lotion which contains benzoyl peroxide. Its antibacterial actions are effective in getting rid of acne.
If you suspect a pimple might be popping up soon, just clean the area with rose water, and place a chilled green tea bag for 10 minutes. If you wear glasses or sunglasses, ensure that clean them frequently to keep oil from clogging the pores around your eyes and nose.
It is important that you do not pop any pimples as this may intensify more swelling, redness and even scarring at the affected area.
8) Cutting Sugar Out!
This might be a tricky one as in almost all of our food products, there’s bound to be a sugar component contained in it! Sugar is the worst contributor to inflammation which shows up on your skin as acne, dry itchy skin and wrinkles. This is due to its highly acidic component.
Blood sugar levels rapidly change depending on sugar content. For example, if one has consumed a food product with a high sugar content, their blood sugar levels can rise rapidly. Our hormone naturally tried to regulate the blood sugar levels when it’s released into our cells, causing a major drop in blood sugar levels. This ‘sugar crash’ may affect our physical and emotional wellbeing, causing us to feel hungry, moody and shaky. The internal stress caused by this change in blood sugar levels may often lead to breakouts and dull-looking skin.
To protect and maintain your blood sugar levels, perhaps opt for meals that contain plenty of fiber, protein and healthy fats. To clear your skin, eliminate refined sugars and foods with added sweeteners, including white and brown sugar, agave-syrup, molasses, maple syrup and honey, and focus instead on green veggies.
This may seem like a drastic change, so it’s best that you try cutting down sugar from your diet for 10 days. If you want a touch of sweetness, opt for fresh fruit or the natural sweetener Stevia instead.
9) Have a Spa Day!
It’s important to pamper yourself once in a while! A gentle face massage with oils could work wonders. Choose oils from mustard, coconut or almond as they are excellent nourishing agents which help to get glowing skin.
Alternatively, you may use a fresh cherry mask and apply the pulp of fresh cherries on your face before going to bed. Leave for 15 minutes and wash with lukewarm water.
10) Start Practicing Healthy Habits
It’s important not to get yourself too stressed – cause when you stress, you tend to break out more! Why is that? This is mainly due to stress causing your body to produce cortisol and other hormones, making the skin oilier.
Practice stress management techniques such as yoga, meditation and breathing exercises.
