In the depths of winter, when we’re all spending more time indoors, it’s not surprising if our skin starts to look a little dull. Getting your glow back isn’t difficult though! Follow these easy tips and you’ll soon no only be looking better, you’ll be feeling great as well!
1. Exfoliate
One of the first steps to take when you want to get your skin back in shape is to remove the dead cells. Use a gentle scrub on your face. Making your own, natural scrub from store-cupboard ingredients can be very effective. Mixtures of sugar, salt, honey, and even coffee grounds can be used to dissolve away any layers of debris and reveal the fresh skin just underneath.
It’s not only your face that might need some help. To revitalize the skin all over your body, beauty experts recommend brushing your skin with a dry loofah before your shower or bath. This technique, using long massage strokes, not only removes dead cells, it’s a great boost for your circulation and lymphatic system.
2. Natural products
The next step is to consider the type of products you’re using on your face and body. Throw out all those old cleansers and lotions which are past their shelf-life: they won’t do your skin any good at all. Replace them with fresh, natural cleansers, body wash and shower gels. Choose one or two high-quality facial moisturizing products you love, a perfumed body lotion that matches your favorite scent, and another one without perfume.
3. Nutrition
Whatever we apply on the outside, our skin will always be a reflection of the quality of our nutrition. For example, the skin needs collagen to repair itself. To boost production of this vital hormone, include lots of citrus fruits, berries, egg whites, and garlic in your diet, in addition to animal sources.
Antioxidant-rich foods don’t only counteract free-radical damage to the skin, they also help to brighten the skin tone. Foods such as avocados, nuts, broccoli, papayas, and red peppers are loaded with them and will work their miracles from the inside.
4. Sleep
Your skin needs you to get the right amount of sleep, and for most people, that’s between 7 and 9 hours. If you’ve not been getting enough lately, you’ll soon see the effects on your face. Why? Because when we sleep the body produces HGH (human growth hormone), which is needed to produce collagen. When we don’t sleep well, or for long enough, levels of the stress hormone cortisol are raised, and this interferes with HGH. ‘Catching up’ at the weekends if we’ve not been sleeping enough during the week, doesn’t work. So, to get that glowing skin back, think about going to bed just a little earlier each night, and use a sleep-tracking app to understand just how well you’re sleeping.
5. Reduce stress
Speaking of stress –we all know the detrimental effect it can have on so many aspects of our lives. Yet, advice such as ‘reduce stress’ is usually ineffective – if only it were that easy! However, if we can’t change our external stressors, we can at least change how we deal with them. Taking up a mindfulness or mediation practice, even for a few minutes per day, can help us release tension in our facial muscles, and control our breathing. This in turn carries more oxygen around the body and nourishes our skin cells.
6. Make it cold
Our grandmothers knew one very important beauty secret – splashing the face with cold water after washing creates a wonderful healthy glow.
Research in recent years is revealing more benefits of cold water bathing on the body. It’s not the easiest tip to follow, but you’ll see have amazing effects in a short time. After your warm bath or shower, rinse off with cold water. Build up from a few seconds when you first try it, to a couple of minutes. The surprising thing is, although it’s really hard to get started, after a few days your skin will be craving its daily blast of cold. Your circulation will not only get a great boost, but your whole body will also feel energized and you’ll start your day with that glow you’re looking for.
7. Exercise
The final way to boost your circulation and stimulate your skin is through exercise. In the gym, outdoors, or a yoga studio. Exercise helps to remove toxins from under the skin, boosts the production of collagen and new skin cells, and helps to reduce overall cortisol levels. Just move, move, and move some more! Your skin is going to thank you and the result will be a fresh, radiant look!
