How do you have healthy, hydrated skin? What do you do to have great skin? What are top tips for no spots? What products do you use for clear skin?
These are questions that I have been asked a lot in the past and there are different aspects of my life that contribute to having good skin. The products that I use, what I eat, making sure I get enough sleep, exercising and lots more aspects of my day to day life affect the appearance of my skin. I have days where my skin is off and I can almost always pinpoint exactly what part I dropped the ball on whether that is not drinking enough water, using a cleanser that is too harsh for my skin or not sleeping enough. I also have a mild addiction to Irish chocolate (Dairy Milk) so not eating a family sized bar of chocolate in one week or evening (lol) helps to keep my skin clear.
Now that we all have lots of time due to quarantine for preparing nutritious food, drinking lots of water, pampering our skin and getting 8 hours of sleep, there are limited reasons why our skin shouldn’t be radiant, clear & hydrated. Here are my Top 20 Tips for Hydrated, Healthy, Glowing Skin:
Stop Touching Your Face
There is bacteria on your hands, surfaces, door handles, elevator buttons, your laptop, phone, so by touching your face you are spreading the bacteria which cause issues for your skin. This is even more important today with COVID-19. Use this time for training and break the bad habit of touching your face forever.
Drink Lots of Water - 6-8 glasses per day
Drinking lots of water is key to having healthy & hydrated skin. Water flushes out the toxins and badness leaving your skin brighter & hydrated. If you are having trouble drinking regular water, add cucumber, mint, lime or lemon occasionally. It is better for your teeth if you drink natural water often.
Use natural & clean beauty products
Read the ingredients in your beauty products & invest in clean beauty products. Sephora have an amazing range of products labelled “Clean at Sephora” which contain only clean ingredients and are free from parabens, sulfates and other nasty filler ingredients which are bad for your skin. Clean make up is also important as nasty filler products can clog pores among other effects. Read the labels and be more aware of every product you use. There is a whole clean skincare range at Sephora that is good for you and effective at the same time. Click here to shop.
Eat lots of fruit & vegetables
Fresh fruit & vegetables are packed full of vitamins & minerals which are essential for healthy & clear skin. Fruit & vegetables make up the majority of my diet and are so versatile. Think soups, salads, smoothies, mixed berry snacks, vegetable stir-fry. By packing your diet full of fruit and vegetables, your skin will have all the nutrients needed for glowing skin.
Change your pillowcase often
I often use hair masks & face masks overnight and naturally, there will be some residue and product build up on my pillowcase. By changing my pillowcase often, I avoid the excess product seeping into my skin. Even if you don’t use overnight products (which are amazing!), there is still a build up of bacteria on pillowcases. It’s not one that is often thought about, however this can make all the difference.
Slowly introduce new products to your skincare routine
I am guilty of trying lots of new products at once as I get so excited about new products that I want to try out. My skin is at it’s best if I introduce any change slowly so if I am trying out a new beauty serum, I will keep my moisturizer and cleanser the same. This shows me results from the new product but also keeps my skin balanced. If I have a reaction or there is a change in the appearance of my skin then it is easy to tell why.
Reduce eating junk food
As I mentioned, I love Irish Chocolate (Dairy Milk) so much. I love nibbling on a few squares and always will. I believe in everything in moderation so believe that some foods like chocolate, fries, pizza are completely fine to eat, however, in moderation. Especially as we are all at home now in quarantine, it is easy to nibble on snacks and not realize how much you are eating. Reducing my junk food intake and eating healthy food has my skin looking clear, hydrated and radiant.
Wash your face twice per day
I cleanse my face at night to remove my makeup and any impurities from the day using (generally) a balm cleanser. See my top 5 cleansing balms HERE. I use water in the morning to wash my face. I used to cleanse twice per day however after switching to using balm cleanser, I have changed to cleansing at night only. It is so important to wash off any build up throughout the day. For clean, healthy skin, never go to bed with makeup on.
Exfoliate once or twice per week
Exfoliating is amazing for removing dead skin cells. I generally exfoliate twice per week. It only takes 2 minutes and always leaves my skin so soft and radiant. This is my favorite exfoliator that lasts AGES and is so quick and easy
Avoid very hot showers
Having very hot showers can irritate & dehydrate skin. Have you ever gotten out of the shower & your face is red or patchy? Your temperature was too hot. Reduce the temperature to be gentle on your skin.
Pat your face dry instead of rubbing with a towel
Rubbing your face with a towel is damaging & too tough for your skin. Instead, gently pat dry. Avoid using the bathroom hand towel or your body towel to dry your face and instead have a separate face cloth.
Protect yourself from sun damage using SPF
Using SPF daily is so important & layering on again if you are out for long spells in the sun. There are many foundations, primers, day moisturizers that have SPF built in so no need to even add an extra step to your routine. I love SuperGoop Unseen Sunscreen as it also doubles as a makeup primer.
Related blog post: What You Need To Know About SPF/Sunscreen And The Best Sunscreen
Give your skin a break from makeup often
Quarantine is the perfect time to let your skin breathe and relax. Focus on skincare right now and do add makeup on certain days to make you feel normal however keep a day or two where you are completely fresh faced. Your skin will thank you.
Use the right beauty products for your skin type
Certain foundations are better for dry skin while other foundations are better for oily skin. The same applies to moisturizers and other beauty products. Sephora’s website or instore is great for reading up and comparing lots of beauty products. Use this time to find the right moisturizer, foundation etc. for your skin type. Using the incorrect products can lead to skin reactions and breakouts.
Get enough sleep
Having 7.5-8 hours of sleep each night does wonders for good skin. I often am guilty for not getting enough sleep and my skin becomes dry & dull when this happens. Over the past two weeks (I’m on day 15 of quarantine!), I have been having 8-9 hours sleep & I am so relaxed. My skin is radiant, hydrated & I have zero dark circles or bags. Try it!
Exercise Often
Exercise gets the heart rate up and improves blood circulation whether this is by a brisk walk while listening to a podcast or chatting to a friend, doing housework or during an at home work out. This can help to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the skin which keeps your skin healthy, promotes collagen production and new skin cells which keeps the skin looking glowing and is also helpful for anti-aging. Move your body!
Reduce stress
This is a stressful time for all of us as there are a lot of unknowns. I’m thinking of the positives right now and the silver linings in all of this. Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it. By letting stress get to you, this affects your overall health and your skin. Focus on reducing stress in your life or making sure that you make time for stress reducing activities, be it meditation, a long run or a beauty pamper night.
NEVER smoke
This one is an obvious one & thankfully I know very little people who still have this bad habit. NEVER ever smoke. Your skin along with many other health issues are affected.
Use face masks
I absolutely swear by face masks, they are a little booster along with your daily skincare routine. Face masks can take a few minutes to do and the rewards are amazing. Read about some of my favorite hydrating masks here.
Do not pick spots
Picking spots spreads bacteria and has the risk of adding more spots to your face. Resist the urge.
These are my top tips for having hydrated, radiant & healthy skin. If you have this list and stick by it, your skin will definitely improve. As I am on the #SephoraSquad, I naturally look to Sephora for all of my product needs. You can find all of my current favorite skincare products HERE.
Stay hydrated, healthy & safe!
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