Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Perfection of Skin

So many companies out there today market their product(s) as being "The ONE!!" to cure your of your ever so aging skin, or to diminish and damn near erase any signs of imperfection. Obviously I could say something to the matter of "Imperfect IS perfect" - but who would I be kidding? And even if some of us really DO believe that, when it comes to our own body/face/skin/etc it's much more difficult to believe. However there are tiny steps we can take that make a big impact on the future of our skin; for me, hydration is key.

So what are some tips for beautiful, healthy skin?

- Drink WATER! 8 glasses a day (24 hours) is what recommended, but of course ever girl is different, you can always consult your dermatologist, MD, nutritionist, etc. Staying hydrated not only helps you feel more alive, more awake, but also gets your cells nice and lubricated, full and ready to fight off free radicals (nasty buggers that can hard us!). Having hydrated cells also relates directly to your EPITHELIAL CELLS aka - skin cells. Taking care of them means gorgeous, smooth skin for YOU.

- Shower Daily (or sometimes more if you work out, do Yoga/Pilates, etc). Perspiration is a really GOOD thing, it helps remove toxins in your body, but don't let them rest and dry up on your skin! Remove them with a nice, luke warm shower.

- WASH YOUR FACE!

- Don't ever go to bed wearing makeup, at the very LEAST, always have handy those makeup removing toweletts. This isn't ideal by any means, but it is better than doing nothing at all. When you sleep your body (and its' cells) regenerate, kind of like a battery recharging, it can't properly regenerate when its' pores are clogged up, thus breakouts occur when the toxins and bacteria have nowhere to go, so they build up into nasty little pimples.

- Eat Healthy - that's not to say you can't enjoy your favorite ice cream or snack food, but just be mindful of what goes inside of your body. Try to refuel with things that your body can benefit from - foods high in vitamins, fiber, and whole grains are the best choices.

- Keep your hands off your face - we don't always realize how much our hands come in contact with on a daily basis - even a walk to the bus stop or grabbing a latte, germs and bacteria are everywhere. Its a nice idea to wash your hands often or carry hand sanitizers, but the best possible thing would be keep your hands off your face.

- Supplements - If you feel that you aren't getting enough of what you need via daily food consumption, consider supplementation. Fish Oils are always amazing, Vitamins E and B12 are great as well. However always talk to your doctor before taking supplements as they may be contraindicated with any medications you may be on and you can tailor your dose to your specific body.

- Use a clarifying mask once a week - or make one!Lemon & Sugar scrubs are great and you can make them in under 5 minutes at home. Mud masks can be purchased at many drug stores such as Walgreens, Bartles, and CVS.

- For washing your face, use a trusted and reputable brand. It doesn't have to be a very high end product, but remember - this is YOUR FACE. It's the first thing people see - keep it glowing, girl! I always use Lancome, Clinique, and Pangea Organics. But a great lower end brand is Olay. Try to stick to companies that have factual data & research - when a company invests their time & money into the safety and efficacy of their products, its always a good sign. With facial cleansers, what you pay for is what you get.

- Facial Lotions - same rule applies here as above. I have used Clinique' s Dramatically Different Facial Lotion for well over a decade (12 years now!) and have recently been falling in love with Pangea Organics - trusted & proved products.

- Keep stress to a minimum - this can be esp[ecially difficult if you're a college student (before I graduated college I was always a stressed out wreck! I was attending TWO colleges at one so I could take my national nursing boards sooner so I would spend my morning at UW - University of Washington - and my nights at Pima Medical Institute). Again, easier said than done - but if you feel that the stress is overwhelming, talk to somebody - a therapist, a friend, or me! Im always here for you, plus I am a volunteer counselor as well.

- Sometimes bad skin is genetic - if you notice acne that is persistent (and NOT part of puberty or PMS) you may want to see a dermatologist.

- Makeup - I have super oily skin, but I adore liquid foundation. So I switch back and forth often - when it's dry out I use liquid - and I use high end brands. With cosmetics that go all over your face, its so so so so SO important to be using a very GOOD, HIGH QUALITY product. My top liquid picks? CLINIQUE, LANCOME, MAC. When its hot out or I get oily, I stick to a powder foundation such as SHEER COVER. I have found 2 drug store brands that actually are OK with my skin (which is VERY rare) HARD CANDY & RIMMEL LONDON. And ALWAYS use a primer.

These are a just a few tips that are personally my opinions :-) I really hope this helped some of you out! Skin is the LARGEST ORGAN in/on our body - treat yours well and it will give you years of looks from cute guys and lots of confidence.

1 comment:

  1. You couldn't have said it much better. Basically what you have written is part of my daily routine into a healthy skin. Well besides the water part, I really try to drink lots of water but always an epic fail for me. Great post hun

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