10 best ways to take care of your skin

The 10 Best Ways To Take Care Of Your Skin

Our lives are built on habits. From our morning coffee or tea to the side of the bed we sleep on, our routines shape our days and our bodies. While the term “habit” often has a negative connotation, we can also create habits that are beneficial to our health and the health of our skin. From exercise and diet to product choices, here are ten habits that can help you maintain healthy, beautiful skin.

1. Wash Your Face

 

Washing your face removes dirt, oils and bacteria that accumulate and make your pores appear larger. You should wash your face when you wake up to remove dirt and oils, and again before bed to remove makeup and grime from the day. You should also wash your face after you sweat or work out. You should use a gentle, natural face wash such as our Tamanu Luxury Facial Cleanser. It is made with 95% organic ingredients and naturally foams without harmful sulfates.

 

2. Get More Sleep

 

“Beauty Sleep” is a real thing. Our bodies need 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep every night to restore, rejuvenate and repair. It’s like visiting the fountain of youth every night, as our skin produces new collagen when we sleep. To maintain strong sleep hygiene, experts recommend a consistent sleep schedule and a cool (65℉), dark environment. Build thirty minutes into your schedule to wind down before bed; this is a great time to wash your face and use our Beauty Sleep set, full of powerful antioxidants that help repair your skin overnight.

3. Breathe Clean Air

Heavy air pollution, cigarette smoke and artificial fragrances can harm our skin health, forming harmful free radicals and causing skin irritations. If you can’t avoid these, help repair your skin with nontoxic products. Use natural, organic face wash and products with antioxidants to help undo the damage polluted air does to your skin.

 

4. Use Antioxidants

Free radicals cause damage to our skin and bodies. They are generated by fried foods, alcohol and pesticides. However, antioxidants can neutralize free radicals, like natural superheroes. It’s important to eat foods with antioxidants such as dark chocolate, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and pecans. It is just as important to use skincare products that include antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, Green Tea, Olive Leaf, Licorice Root, and Pomegranate. Our Antioxidant Skin Boost is a great source of antioxidant Vitamin C and can be added to serums or moisturizers.

 

5. Exfoliate Your Face

Look for gentle exfoliating ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), which are found in natural fruit acids. Alpha hydroxy acids dissolve the skin's natural “glue” that holds on to dead skin cells, gently removing them without scrubbing. Alpha hydroxy acids also act as a humectant, drawing moisture to the skin. Our Fruit Acid Toner is great for gentle exfoliation.

6. Exercise Regularly

Exercise helps increase blood flow, drawing oxygen into and free radicals away from the skin. Exercise also helps decrease stress and improve sleep quality. Make sure to wash your face after sweaty workouts.

NOTE:

• Don't go to bed while wearing makeup. Clean it with wipes or just wash your face with water.

• Toner can dry out skin if used too often.

• Over-washing skin can make it red and sore. It can also damage the skin.

• Use caution when using any product containing acids or peroxides such as acne creams and fade creams. These increase the skins' sensitivity to the sun and may cause redness and peeling.

Skin Care Tips

• Protect yourself from the sun: One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.

For the most complete sun protection:

Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.

Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.

Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.

• Don't smoke: Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow and makes skin paler. This also depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles. In addition, smoking increases your risk of squamous cell skin cancer. If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.
• Treat your skin gently: Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:

Limit bath time: Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.

Avoid strong soaps: Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.

Shave carefully: To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.

Pat dry: After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.

Moisturize dry skin: If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.

• Manage stress: Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps to manage your stress. Get enough sleep, set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more dramatic than you expect.

Make use of the comment box if there's anything you think we should add to take care of our skin.