How to look after your skin

Some people are born with beautiful skin, it’s one of those cruel facts of life. However, for the majority of us, it’s good habits that create great skin.

Today we’re sharing our top five beauty resolutions that you can easily incorporate in to your daily life that will not only help your skin, but your health and wellbeing too.

Bottoms up

Drinking water helps keep skin healthy by flushing out toxins that can cause break-outs. It also helps to keep your skin from become dehydrated which can lead to dry, flaky patches of skin.  While drinking water is not a substitute from using a moisturising face cream or facial oil, it helps to keep the skin looking plump and better encourage a healthy glow.

An added bonus would be to try adding a slice of fruit, such as lemon, to your water throughout the day. As well as adding a bit of flavour, it will also boost your water with added Vitamins A, B and C.

Catch some Z’s

Beauty sleep is no joke. Sleep is the skin’s opportunity to eliminate toxins and repair itself. A lack of sleep can contribute to dull skin, dark circles and bags under your eyes, as well as increased signs of aging.

Sleeping at least seven hours a day gives your body enough time to repair and regenerate skin cells, which helps to keep your skin looking young and fresh.

Double cleanse

Both over-washing and under-washing can have negative impacts on your skin. Cleanse your skin in the morning and night to remove any dirt, oil or makeup that might congest pores and lead to breakouts.

Look for cleansers that are formulated using natural ingredients, such as the Herbfarmacy Chamomile Cleanser. Made with nourishing apricot kernel and Vitamin E oils, the Apricot Face Polish gently removes all makeup and leaves skin feeling fresh and clean.

Balancing act

What you put on your body can be just as important as what you put in your body. It has been a hot topic for some time the negative effects that refined carbohydrates (white bread, crisps), processed sugar (sweets), saturated and trans fats (fried food) and dairy (milk, cheese) may have on skin health.

The key is to eat a balanced, healthy diet which includes healthy fats (olive oil, avocado), omega 3s (nuts, flax seed and hemp oil), antioxidants (greens) and vitamin C (berries and citrus fruits).

Sweat it out

Exercise keeps your skin looking well-conditioned, as your body sweats out toxins, boosts circulation, reduces inflammation and releases endorphins that make us feel good.

The NHS recommends a minimum of thirty minutes of activity, five days a week, as well as practicing strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscle groups. Extra tip: remember to cleanse as soon as possible after your work out to wash away the dirt and sweat from your pores!

You may have read through this and realised that we aren’t reinventing the wheel here, it’s often the simplest of things that are hardest to form in to a habit. It can also be equally frustrating to have to wait to visibly see the benefits of your new forged habits. It’s important to have patience and give your new routine a chance to start working so we can reap the benefits of clear skin long-term.