It seems like the older I get the less makeup I wear. I don’t know if it’s due to the lack of extra time on my hands or the fact that I’m much more comfortable in my own skin at 30 than 20. Whatever the case my be, I know now more than ever just how important skin care is to my self care routine.
Keeping my skin glowing has made it easier to feel confident with less makeup on or when I often decide to go makeup free. Even if you’re someone who absolutely loves to apply makeup, you know the best foundation starts with healthy skin. With a combination of wellness habits and glow friendly products you’ll be on the road to your most luminous glowing skin yet.
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Stay Hydrated
The first step to healthier skin is hydration. When you’re dehydrated it’s going to show on the surface of your skin. Dehydration can cause dry flaky skin, a dull appearance, and dark circles under the eyes. Drinking lots of water and organic herbal tea is also one of the best things you can do to help prevent breakouts.
Try drinking a glass of warm water with lemon first thing in the morning to fight off any dehydration that happened over night. Warm water with lemon is also an ancient Ayurvedic practice that helps to remove toxins from the gut and digestive tract.
Throughout the day swap out any sodas or sugary drinks with water and organic herbal teas. With busy schedules it can be hard to keep track of drinking the recommended amount of water. If you’re having trouble keeping track try a water bottle that helps to measure your daily consumption.
Exfoliate Your Skin Regularly
As you age skin cells begin to turn over at a much slower rate resulting in dull, rough looking skin. Adding an exfoliator to your regular skincare routine helps to remove dead skin cells creating a more smooth and luminous texture. Exfoliating also helps to ensure serums and moisturizers go deeper into your skin for better results.
While exfoliating is an important step for glowing skin, over exfoliating can cause damage to the skin if not practiced properly. Finding the right combination and exfoliating techniques is important. Avoid using extra abrasive exfoliators and peels every day. My personal exfoliating routine includes a microdermabrasion scrub twice a week, mild lactic acid every other night, and a natural enzyme peel once a week.
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion can be administered by a machine in the office of your dermatologist or esthetician, or you can preform microdermabrasion at home with a scrub. Microdermabrasion scrubs are a minimally abrasive technique that uses fine particles to buff away dead skin cells to reveal new skin cells. This results in a brighter appearance to the skin’s surface.
Natural Enzyme Peels
These peels use natural enzymes from fruits to eat away dead skin cells. Natural enzyme peels are a great exfoliator for anyone on a strictly natural skincare routine or for those with more sensitive skin. Certain acids and scrubs can be too harsh for sensitive skin, making fruit enzymes a safer option. Most of these peels contain enzymes from pineapple, pumpkin, papaya, pomegranates, or grapefruit.
Acid Based Peels
There are two types of acids for skincare peels, alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids. Acid based peels are used to help remove the top layer of dead skin cells, reduce fine lines, and speed up cellular turnover. The most common types of acids found in at home peels are lactic, glycolic, and salicylic. At home acid based peels should be incorporated into your skincare routine before you moisturize at night.
Some brands may state they are safe for daily use, but over use can cause damage to your skin’s natural barrier. This is why I only apply acid based peels a few nights a week. Your skin might be sensitive to these types of peels at first so try once a week when you begin incorporating them into your skincare routine.
Add A Facial Oil To Your Skincare Routine
Facial oils can be a scary term for those with oily skin or acne, but the right oil won’t clog your pores or make your face look greasy. Facial oils help to lock in moisture and balance out the oil on your skin. They are the key ingredient to that dewy glow.
When I started using facial oils a few years ago it completely changed my skincare game. Some of the best oils for your skincare routine are jojoba, marula, rosehip seed, sea buckthorn, and argan. These oils are completely natural and great for sensitive skin. They also hold many anti-aging benefits.
Try my DIY Anti-Aging Facial Oil Recipe. It’s super easy to make with only three organic ingredients.
Get Your Beauty Rest
Sleep is so medicinal! It’s during this time that our body heals and detoxes so it’s no wonder that sleep is such an important part of healthy glowing skin. We fill our cabinets with expensive skincare serums and treatments, but the cheapest skincare hack of all could be completely free. Research shows when you’re sleep deprived it shows on the skins surface with wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness, redness, and even facial blemishes. Try getting at least eight hours of sleep each night for the best benefits.
Work Up A Sweat
Nothing gives your skin an instant healthy glow quite like working up a sweat. During workouts your blood circulation is elevated allowing oxygen and nutrients to better nourish the cells- this includes skin cells. Sweating also helps to release toxins from the body. Flushing out all these impurities helps leave the skin with a natural glowing appearance. It’s important to shower after working up a sweat as all these toxins released during your workout can cause breakouts if left on the skins surface.
Things To Avoid For Healthier Skin
While some things are out of our control when it comes to healthy skin, the lifestyle choices we make play a huge role in skin’s appearance. Avoiding things like over exposure to UV rays without protection, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption help create healthier more luminous skin.
The foods we eat also have a way of making themselves known on the surface of our skin. A heavily processed diet high in refined sugar, junk food, and fast food creates inflammation in the body that can lead to breakouts, puffiness and a dull appearance.
Foods For Glowing Skin
Swapping out processed foods and sugary drinks for whole organic foods might be the number one key to glowing skin. A diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lean meats is not only good for overall heath, but also the best option for naturally beautiful skin.
Incorporate leafy greens and brightly colored vegetables into your meals daily. Snack on raw nuts and fruits like berries that are extra high in antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables also tend to be high in water content- helping your skin stay hydrated. Swap out fatty red meats and pork for fish with healthy fats like salmon. Try cooking with olive oil or coconut oils instead of traditional vegetable or canola oils.
If you’re new to eating a cleaner diet Eat Beautiful is an incredible cookbook for eating your way to naturally glowing skin.
Products I Love For Glowing Skin
An all natural vegan cleanser without artificial fragrances and toxic chemicals. This cleanser contains grapefruit extract and omegas to give skin the ultimate glow. Daydreamer also contains lavender and chamomile essential oils to calm redness and reduce breakouts.
Inde Wild incorporates ancient medicinal herbs to help create smooth glowing skin. This serum contains vitamins C & E to brighten and protect while hyaluronic acid helps lock in moisture for a dewy appearance.
A mild acid based peel that helps to brighten and resurface skin. Pepperberry is included in this formula to help reduce redness that can often occur during exfoliation. This peel is a safer acid based option for those who may be sensitive to AHA peels.
ExfoliKate is hands down the best microdermabrasion scrub I’ve ever used. This scrub includes natural enzymes from pumpkin, pineapple, and papaya along with alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Fine particles help to scrub away dead skin cells to create the smoothest skin texture.
Keep your skin dewy throughout the day with this herbal rosewater blend. Unlike other rosewaters this one contains aloe vera to help heal skin while maintaining a dewy look all day.
