Healthy skin is not just a superficial concept. How you treat yourself on the side reflects how you look and feel on the outside.
Just like tired eyes give us dark circles, our skin is a good indictation of how we’re doing on the inside.
In the same way that diet pairs well with exercise, it also pairs with skincare. While sticking to a regimen will help your complexion, what you’re putting on your face is only the half of it.
1. Knowing what your skin needs means knowing what your body needs.
Understanding skincare may seem intimidating with what seems like endless rivers of products and stores, that never cease to switch up their shelves in favor of the new.
While finding a start may seem unattainable in an ever-progressive industry, the best place to start will always be with yourself.
Knowing your skin type, what it’s susceptible to, and what it needs will provide a better understanding for what you need to start – literally – feeding it.
For example, a person with dry skin may want to invest in foods high in Vitamin E, which is known to help with rough skin textures and reduce the appearance of scars.
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, which protects the body from toxins and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cataracts, and diabetes.
Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant too, and it helps to maintain an even skin tone.
2. Hydrating and protecting your face will help your body and mind.
Perhaps two of the most important rules of skincare and self-care is to drink plenty of water and to wear sunscreen. They’re popular words for a reason.
While sunscreen is protecting your skin inside and out, from age spots and certain kinds of cancer, water helps the nutrients you’re feeding your body, to do their job.
Plus, you’re likely to feel more energized if you switch your daily cup, or cups of coffee for water.
3. Your attitude is what makes you glow.
Feeding your body with healthy food and healthy thoughts can play into your skincare routine. Managing stress could mean managing stress-related breakouts.
Maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself includes taking time to relax and to challenge your body.
Setting aside time to breath goes a long way in clearing your skin and your mind. Stress can cause preexisting conditions to flare up, so take time to gather your thoughts.
4. Beauty sleep is real, and it’s for inner beauty, too.
Getting enough sleep will help to manage stress and help your body maintain its water balance. This is why youre eyes appear puffy when you haven’t slept enough.
Exercise is also an excellent way to provide for the skin, as it increases blood flow and encourages us to drink more fluids.
5. Having a skincare routine gets you into the groove of having a schedule.
Think of your skincare routine as two times per day that you can take for yourself: just about 10 minutes, or more depending on your skin’s needs, in the morning and at night.
Having this set time gives you a little bit of peace each day to look forward to. You can use this as quiet time or thinking time.
If you’re not one for schedules, having a routine may help you keep one. Waking up and going to bed to do your routine helps to put you on a schedule that your body can start to get used to.
It may even help to regulate your sleep schedule by creating an evening routine that lets your mind know its time to sleep.
6. Knowing your skin will help you budget.
Having a set skincare routine aids in time management as well as financial management.
Financially, having a skincare routine and knowing your skin leads you to buy products that can cater to your specific needs.
Rather than spending far too much on unfamiliar products, knowing your skin and routine lets you stick to what you need instead of what you think you might need.
This will save you from overwhelming your skin, drawers, and receipts with products.
Image: iStock
Reflect & Refresh 