There are many lifestyle choices you can make that are far more important for the health of your skin than fancy skincare products. With that said, here are 11 un-bottled ways to takes care of your skin.
Limit your time in the sun: An estimated 90 percent of skin aging is caused by the sun, specifically for folks with lighter skin (!), and not to mention the even scarier risk of skin cancer. Considering that’s a pretty huge number, it’s best to limit your sun exposure or seek shade when hanging out. And if you do, don’t forget the sunscreen.
Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase: While you can’t rub a wrinkle into your skin, you can cause them while sleeping! If you’re a side sleeper, you can be smooshing your face into your pillow, putting friction between the skin and fabric. But if you sleep on a silk pillowcase, the fabric allows your skin to “slip,” minimizing the chance of creating wrinkles.
Drink water: just drinking more water aids the liver in eliminating toxins from the body, reduces puffiness, helps with kidney function (which in turn helps dark circles appear lighter), and may even help skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
Opting out of sugar: Sugar creates surges of insulin, which may put your oil glands in overdrive, creating a breeding ground for acne to form.
Don’t pick and don’t touch your face: While it’s tempting to squeeze a pimple, you can create a lot more lasting damage to the skin than that instant gratification is worth.
Shower and wash your face with lukewarm water (not hot!): Lukewarm is best because it allows our oils to warm up a bit, allowing a proper cleanse without completely stripping it.
Wash your makeup brushes: if you use makeup and don’t clean your brushes, all you’re doing is smearing old makeup, bacteria, oil, dust, and sweat on your face.
Find ways to manage stress: When we’re stressed, we produce high levels of cortisol which can diminish the skin’s ability to retain moisture and encourages the overproduction of oils.
Exercise: When we move, we circulate our blood which carries oxygen and nutrients to all of our cells. Not only does this provide an instant glow, but it also helps our skin to repair itself faster.
Avoid being around cigarette smoke: Exposure to smoke leads to accelerated aging over time and creates an overall dull-looking complexion.
Sleep: While we slumber our bodies heal and regenerate cells, which our skin loves.
