Taking care of your skin might not be on the top of your list if you’ve never had skin problems. But did you know that your skin is your largest organ? It protects you, holds you together, gives you a sense of touch, helps regulate your body temperature, and helps your body to filter impurities. Our skin is amazing and resilient, but it also needs to be cared for.
How our skin looks and feels affects our lives and our self-esteem! When our skin does not look or feel well, it is a sign of something being off track internally, or injury occurring externally. When there is something of concern, like severe acne, hives, or a rash, it is necessary to see a dermatologist or family physician for help in determining the cause and finding relief.
For daily life, taking care of your skin can be pretty simple! Daily skincare is a must.
While certain foods are said not to cause acne or other complexion issues, consuming unhealthy food and beverages is likely to negatively impact your health, which in turn is likely to negatively impact the health and appearance of your skin. Too much of a good thing can also be bad. For example, too much milk and dairy can lead to acne-related issues. Try getting creative with your diet and rotating the foods you are consuming so that you don’t eat the same thing every single day. This can help rule out allergies and sensitivities, which can affect the skin. A healthy, balanced diet paired with drinking plenty of water and green tea, and regular exercise will go a long way in keeping you healthy from the inside out.
Get into the habit of taking care of your skin daily and nightly!
Gently cleanse your skin. Look for cleansers that do not have harsh and unnatural ingredients. Depending on the skincare product line you use, you may or may not need to cleanse your skin in the morning, but you will always need to cleanse your skin at night. Your skin repairs itself while you sleep at night and needs your help to get off to a great start! It is necessary to remove makeup, SPF, dirt, and oil from the long day behind you. Use lukewarm water, not hot. Hot may feel better, but it can lead to dehydrated skin, overproduction of oil, redness, and can aggravate acne, as can aggressive scrubbing and harsh products.
Every skin needs a treatment product, moisturizer, and sun protection.
Treatment products used will depend on skin type and on the product line you are using. In general, though, if you are dry/dehydrated, a simple hydrating serum is helpful. If you have redness or inflamed acne, a calming product that contains chamomile will be nice. Prone to oiliness and blackheads? Try a serum with light alpha hydroxy acids in it. Most skin types benefit from NeriumAD, a nighttime treatment product that contains Nerium Oleander and Aloe.
We need moisturizer to help keep any serum we use bound to the skin, and to help prevent moisture loss. If you are oily, or in warmer weather (when many experience increased oil production), you may choose to use a lightweight moisturizer, or to use a combo moisturizing/sun protecting product. Check out tinted moisturizers that have SPF in them.
Sun protection is necessary every single day, even in cloudy, dreary weather. Rays that damage and weaken your skin are even able to penetrate windows. You wouldn’t take out any of your other organs and bake them in the sun or put them in the tanning bed, would you?!! Your skin is an important organ, too! There are even foods you can eat to boost your skin’s protection from harmful rays. Eating blue and purple berries, red and orange fruits and vegetables, and even dark chocolate will help improve your skin’s ability to protect itself. So will drinking green tea.
Even when eating an optimal diet, we still need physical sun protection, and chemical-free sun protection products are an excellent choice. There are moisturizing SPFs, and even dry SPFs! When out in the sun for prolonged periods, you will need to reapply your sun protection product hourly, and after swimming or perspiring and toweling off. Hats and sunglasses are a must. Good thing they can also be fashion statements!
If you MUST have a tanned appearance, please do it safely and get a spray tan, apply a self-tanning lotion, and/or apply bronzing makeup.
Never pick at your skin. Picking at a blemish can cause scarring, inflammation, redness, and even infection. Apply ice for a few minutes several times a day to an inflamed blemish, and spot treat with NeriumAD or Tea Tree Oil. A licensed esthetician can safely remove blackheads, and a dermatologist can help you with cystic acne.
Care for your skin daily, treat it gently, practice healthful diet and exercise, drink plenty of water, and protect your skin from the sun. Being mindful of your health and your skin will set you up for a healthier, more beautiful complexion for life.
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