Sunday, December 28, 2008

10 Cheap Ways for Younger, Healthier Skin

Okay, I'm no beauty expert but I'd just like to share these tips with you. Some of you might think, duh! but actually, because these tips are really common sense that we forget to do these. You won't get the best results out of expensive face creams and procedures if you don't do these very basic tips:

1. Keep your skin hydrated inside and out. To keep your skin hydrated from the inside, drink lots of water (the recommended number of glasses is 8). To keep your skin hydrated from the outside, use moisturizer. Despite my extremely oily face, I still use moisturizer at night to prevent my face from looking shiny. The key is to find the right type of moisturizer for your skin type. Also, on hot days, I spritz my face midday with a facial mist to keep my skin hydrated.

2. Take vitamins and other antioxidants regularly. There are a lot of inexpensive vitamin brands out there. Good food supplements help our bodies stay in working order. Antioxidants fight free radicals which cause damage to our bodies and of course, our skin. Free radicals, of course, are one of the aging factors. For healthy skin, a basic and important vitamin to take is Vitamin E. For those with oily skin like me, there are water-soluble forms of Vitamin E out in the market.

3. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. The best source of nutrients are still the natural way, through fruits and vegetables. Remember in grade school? Our teachers taught us the 3 types of food: Go, Grow and Glow. Fruits and vegetables are Glow foods. Reduce your intake of processed foods.

4. Use sunblock. UV rays are one of the most damaging elements to our skin. A daily application of sunblock with at least SPF 30 is a must. Also, make sure your sunblock has both UVA and UVB protection. Aside from applying sunblock on your face and body, don't forget other areas such as eyes, ears and lips. I used to have a problem (and still slightly do) of having a darker eye area than the rest of my face because I place sunblock on my face but not in my eye area.

5. Use protective gear. When I mean gear, I'm not talking of boots, raincoats and stuff! I'm talking about caps, umbrellas and shades. When you're out in the sun, it benefits you to use other means of protection to supplement your sunblock. I'm known as the girl who always has an umbrella, rain or shine. Also, wearing shades during a hot day prevents squinting, which in turn, prevent lines.

6. Treat your eye area with care. Resist the urge to rub your eyes when they are itchy, as our delicate eye area is really prone to wrinkles. Also, put on eye makeup gently. Avoid tugging your skin.

7. Don't smoke. Everyone knows the damage smoking does to the body, and since our skin is the largest organ in our body, the effects of smoking are also very visible to our skin. Also, not smoking is no use if you're constantly exposed to second-hand smoke. Try to avoid places and situations with a lot of smoke.

8. Wash your face after being exposed to "the elements." When coming from a long, smoky and dusty commute home, I always wash my face right away to prevent further damage from the free radicals on my face.

9. Get lots of sleep. Your face shows if you had a restful sleep or not. Plus, a good night's sleep is preparation for the day ahead. Experts recommend 8 hours of sleep a day, but I find that I function my best after 9 hours of sleep. Of course, I don't always have the luxury of having that much sleep all the time.

10. Don't be stressed. Like the commercial says, "Stress can make you look and feel old." It's true!

and lastly, SMILE and stay happy! That's the best thing you can do to your skin.

No comments:

More Stories You Might Like:

Related Posts with Thumbnails