5 Habit-Forming Hacks For Your Most Perfect Skin

1 Send Imperfections Down The Drain

Cleanse your skin morning, night and after sweating is a must! This ensures environmental pollution and skin impurities are washed away. As tempting as it can be to touch imperfections avoid touching your face to reduce the risk of adding dirt and oils to the skin and spreading bacteria!

Ever wondered why you see people rubbing their cleanser between their hands first when it is designed for their face? This activates the ingredients and makes them more effective. Be sure to take note of what ingredients are in your chosen products and ensure their core purpose is to nourish your skin, not strip it. Using an oil or gel based cleanser are great bases to avoid stripping ageing skin.

Ensure you rinse your face until ALL your cleanser is removed, as leftover cleanser encourages clogged pores. Your skin should feel smooth and clean with no soapy or slippery residue. It is important to consider the temperature you are using while rinsing, as hot water is also known to strip natural oils, damage and dry out the skin.

Skin specialists suggest that one of the biggest and most common mistakes people make with their skin care routine is leaving too much time between cleansing and hydrating, leaving the moisture in your skin to evaporate. Using tepid water, patting the skin dry with a soft towel, and treating it with a topical hydrating product in a shorter space of time will support moisture retention.

Make skin care time, self care time - enjoy the process.

2 Out With The Old, In With The New

Exfoliation is a bit of an art. It is easy to do it too often or use devices that are too abrasive that end up damaging skin. Our skin is an ever-changing landscape that is constantly regenerating. We all have dead skin that needs to be washed away to avoid clogged pores and allow new, healthy, glowing cells to come to the surface. Using clean hands and a gentle chemical exfoliant 2-3 times a week can achieve this without the extra irritation from rough sponges or loofahs.

3 Keep The Rays At Bay

Our skin is a protective organ that frequently comes into contact with the sun. While we love the Vitamin D that the sun provides, it is important to be aware of the not so beneficial factors that come with time in the sun! It’s Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays penetrate deep into the skin reduce the elasticity of your skin leaving it wrinkled, spotty and aged; while, its Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays cause sunburn that dries out and peels skin. Both increase the risk of skin cancer, making daily sun protection imperative. The best protection for your skin is to wear sunscreen; however, it is common for people to only apply ⅓ of the thickness used for testing, to not apply it to all exposed skin, and to forget to reapply as frequently as they should. This means the indicated protection doesn’t always equal the actual protection. While a SPF 15+ should give adequate protection if used correctly, it is best to choose a higher SPF to account for all those application directions that are easily missed.

4 You Get Out What You Put In

Yes - you have heard it all before! Healthy eating and drinking enough water are key to healthy skin.

It is no secret that every cell in our body needs water, but our skin cells are at the biggest risk of losing their moisture to the environment, leaving a dull appearance. It can take some time for the water we drink to make its way to our skin cells. Therefore, it is equally important to hydrate our skin from the outside at the same time using skin care products such as hyaluronic acid for an instant hydrated glow.

Eating healthy is important for your whole body and not only helps you look better, but helps you feel better too! Our skin needs nutrients to maintain its youthful appearance so strive for a balance of nutrient rich foods when considering your daily meals - load up on vegetables and fruits, lean proteins and whole grains. Steer away from refined or processed carbohydrates and unhealthy fats as these have been historically linked to problematic skin. Stay aware of how your body responds to different foods and remove any foods from your diet that appear to trigger or agitate your skin imperfections.

5 One Step At A Time

There are many adjustments you can make to your lifestyle that may help keep your skin looking and feeling balanced and healthy - but take it one step at a time! Changing everything at once won’t allow you to clearly identify between what works for you and what doesn’t. It is also important to give each adjustment enough time to show if it is a beneficial change. Here are some adjustments worth a try:

• Getting 8 hours of sleep each night to let your skin rest and heal from the environmental impacts of your day.
• Change your pillow cases every few days as even when you cleanse each night they collect dirt, sweat, and oil from your hair and other body parts.
• Avoid smoking as it reduces elastic and collagen fibres in the skin, and deepens wrinkles.
• Exercise regularly as this allows your skin to release toxins through sweating.
• Add stress reducing activities into your routine - walks, yoga, meditation, journal writing.