A considerable percentage of your skin CARE is in your lifestyle, not in products. Us beauty lovers often put too much stock in products thinking they will do wonders in turning back the clock on our appearance. Don’t get me wrong, products are essential (and you know I love them!), but we mustn’t forget our skin is our bodies’ largest organ, so how we treat the body is going to have an impact on the skin. 

I truly believe having healthy skin takes a 360 approach, some people I meet, say ‘oh wow your skin is so smooth, what are you using!’ and I can’t just answer that in one sentence! I honestly think good skin is a combination of a healthy lifestyle (plenty of sleep, exercise, nutritious food etc!) and diligent skincare.

Now, most of the points below are things you already know, and something that your grandmother undoubtedly could have told you as well. Most of it is plain common sense that we are all aware of but don’t always put into action as much as we could! 

So here they are: 

Not smoking:

Bad for the inside and bad for the outside; smokers skin will age faster. Nicotine causes blood vessels in the external layers of the skin to constrict, thus reducing the blood flow. Having less blood, and therefore less oxygen is not going to give you healthy-looking skin. 

Sun exposer:

The sun is one significant factor in skin ageing. Particular UV light will essentially degrade anything youthful in our skin.  Whilst Sun protection is THE number one product for slowing the visible signs of ageing; there are plenty of other ‘non-product’ ways to help reduce sun exposure Such as wearing a wide-brim hat, avoiding the hottest part of the day etc. etc. 

Exercise: 

Being healthy will show up in your skin. Getting the heart rate up and blood flowing delivers more oxygen to the skin, giving you glow! 

Less alcohol:

Excessive drinking will lead to dehydration in the skin, making pores look more prominent. It can also contribute to more redness, and leave you with puffy and blotchy skin. Additionally, alcohol can disrupt sleep… see below! 

Sleep: 

Absolutely fundamental, and continuous research is happening to help us understand sleep more. As well as many other functions, we know the body uses time asleep to help heal, including mending and repairing the skin!. I read an interesting book last year called Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker and let me tell you huge implications can come from skipping out on your 8 hours.

Healthy Diet: 

The skin is a window to what’s going on inside, so feeding the inside with beautiful whole foods will make the skin happier. 

Managing stress:

 I do believe stress can cause illness in the body, increased cortisol (stress hormone) levels will cause any skin problems you may already have like psoriasis, rosacea, eczema, to flare up. 

Vitamins: 

Take your multivitamin, and it’s always a good idea to get some blood tests to see what you’re low in. For example, as a vegetarian, I like to keep an eye on my iron levels.  Personally, I take Vitamin D, most people are lacking, as well as some hair skin and nails formulas. 

In summary, these categories above can do so much for your skin, even if they are a whole lot duller than getting a shiny new miracle skin product! Concentrate on taking care of yourself; it’s so worth it. But.. if you want to know the most ‘worth’ it skincare product? 100% sunscreen!

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