Best Habits of People with Great Skin

Hi Everyone, Tina here (+1 662 830 8246, info@nakedactives.com)

“Wow, you have beautiful skin” – A stranger. The complete and utter joy these five words brought me is hard to explain. It does, however, confirm three things for me; my skincare routine works, anyone can have beautiful skin, and I’m genuinely happy in my own skin!

The feeling of being happy in my skin didn’t happen overnight and it is something I’ve honestly struggled with for years. I cannot promise you a skincare miracle, but I can tell you the habits I swear by, that if followed will yield noticeable, long-lasting results. Some habits may surprise you as they are not centered around expensive lotions, creams, and serums but instead around a healthy lifestyle! WARNING, these habits will benefit your everyday life beyond that of having beautiful skin.

1. A Goodnights Sleep of 7-9 Hours – It is called beauty sleep for a reason, and yes, it is real. We often neglect the power of sleep when it comes to skincare and overall health. Simply put, sleep allows your skin time to repair itself after a long day. Each and every day our skin acts as a barrier protecting us from pollution, germs, sunlight, moisture, the cold, and much more, just as we get tired after a long day, so does our skin. People who slept 7 to 9 hours a night, according to a study in the Clinical and Experimental Dermatology journal showed more moisturized skin and skin that could protect and heal itself better after being exposed to UV light and other toxins compared to those who slept 5 hours or less. Much of your skin’s restoration happens while you sleep so limiting your sleep directly impacts the way you look. 

2. Night time Skincare – If most of your skin restoration happens at night then giving your skin the tools it needs to repair itself is a no-brainer! During the day, your skin is exposed to environmental stressors from dust, free radicals, toxins, dirt, and oils that build upon the skin’s surface. It is important to use a face cleanser and exfoliant to clear off your ‘canvas’ by removing all the buildup from the day. Helping your skin with natural rejuvenation at night will make it more durable during the day and keep damaging factors and debris from penetrating the epidermal layer. Nighttime is the best time to apply moisturizing and retinol skincare products since the increased blood flow will help those ingredients work more efficiently. A nighttime skincare routine that focuses on cleaning, repairing, and hydration can keep your complexion clear and your skin firm.

3. Every. Single. Day. – This at first may seem over the top, especially if you live in an area that experiences all 4 seasons. Since nighttime skincare is about cleaning, repairing, and hydration, daytime skincare is about protection. Don’t be fooled by cloudy, cold, or even rainy days, this won’t stop the UV rays from reaching the Earth’s surface. Wearing sunscreen is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to protect your skin’s appearance and health at any age. Used regularly, sunscreen helps prevent sunburns, skin diseases, and premature aging.

4. Healthy and Balanced Diet – You are what you eat - not to be cliché but this expression has passed the test of time, and so can your skin if you stick to a well-rounded diet and avoid excess sugars. Foods high in antioxidants that reduce inflammation and help the skin repair itself are a good place to start. Inflammation hinders the skin’s renewal process, by reducing inflammation, antioxidants allow the skin to repair itself and correct visible damage. Some examples of foods high in antioxidants are blueberries, red beans, kidney beans, cranberries. Vitamin C, one of the most common and effective antioxidants can be ingested or applied with a cream/serum, which has been shown to stimulate collagen production. Foods rich in Vitamin B are important as well!

5. A Regular Workout Routine – You know your own body the best, this doesn’t have to be a 2-hour extreme workout, just enough to get your heart rate up. Working out improves circulation as the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout your body, delivering nutrients to the skin which promotes collagen production. As we workout, sweating causes pores to purge themselves of toxins and acne-causing bacteria. Always remember to shower after a workout, so germs and dead skin cells don't clog your pores and use a hydrating cleanser if you can!

Final Thoughts

For some these habits will be easy to adapt to one’s daily routine and for others, these can be seen as drastic changes that will be hard to adopt. Regardless of your road ahead, habits aren’t built in a day. Start off slow by setting daily goals that are repeatable and sustainable. Transition these goals into weekly then monthly habits and soon the repetition will takeover, and it will be part of your everyday life. Beautiful skin and happy life await!