Glowing skin for youthful look

“A glowing face is a bright face”. When someone with a glowing skin walks into the room, heads turn to look and one cannot help but wonder how to get that radiant complexion.  To have a clean, radiant complexion takes some time and effort.  The skin is our largest and the outermost organ, with a number of tiny pores through which impurities are ejected from the system.  How we take care of it both from the inside and outside plays into how good the skin looks and feels. The skin is supple, soft and elastic and it is the quality of the skin that make one look young or old.  A good, healthy and clean looking skin does not even need make up.  The complexion and glow is enough to flaunt a good look.

Below are some good tips on care for most skin types.

1) Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables daily. They are a great source of vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamin C,  potassium, dietary fibre, which can help to maintain a healthy gut and prevent digestion-related problems. A healthy gut is important for nutrient absorption and cleansing of toxins.  Consuming fruits and vegetables helps keep the system clean and nourished.

2) Drink enough water to keep the body and skin hydrated.  70% of our body is made up of water. Drinking enough water ensures the water in our system is recycled to release the toxins. It is the most natural hydrating liquid. Staying hydrated also helps balance your blood sugar, helps relieve headaches, and promotes healthy skin.

3) Getting restful sleep helps rejuvenate and repairs the cells in the body. Healthy sleep regulates blood sugar levels, keep the immune system functioning properly, and reduces stress. When there is stress, the body releases a chemical called cortisol. High levels of cortisol can cause skin problems like acne, rashes and increase in wrinkles

4) Do yoga and meditation to purify the body and mind and for stress relief.  Yoga is known to be great stress buster. People who do yoga and meditation are more relaxed, calm, happy and in harmony with the body, mind and emotions. This helps keep organs healthy and hormone secretions in good balance. Joyful people smile and laugh a lot and therefore exude a natural glow.

5) Massaging the skin with natural oils on a regular basis retains the skin elasticity and suppleness. Coconut oil, olive oil, almond oil, shea butter etc are easily absorbed by the skin.  These oils are rich in vitamins and serve as a great moisturizer. Choose an oil based on the skin type.  Certain oils can cause acne especially on oily skin. Natural oils don’t cause allergies, are affordable, are organic and environmentally friendly without the harsh chemicals.

6) Having hot water baths robs the skins of its natural oil. Luke warm is best for all skin types. To maintain a young looking skin for a long time, it is usually best to give the body and face a good massage right before bathing.  Massaging not only gets the blood flowing to joint and muscles, but also makes the skin glow. Light soaping ensures that the oil stays on the skin after bathing and through the day.

3) The skin rejuvenates itself every six weeks.  Exfoliating with natural substances once or twice a week is more than enough to remove dead skin (over-exfoliation actually leads to dry, irritated, and red skin).  Natural ingredients like honey, sugar mixed with yogurt, papaya, orange peels are excellent exfoliants.

4) Face masks are good for cleaning out the pores by clearing out the dead skin and oily residue that clog the pores.  Face masks can reduce hyper-pigmentation and evens your skin tone and texture making the skin look clean, healthy, soft, and beautiful.  Natural ingredients like coconut oil, honey, oats, clay, baking soda have good cleansing properties.

All of the above tips would be for nothing if we cannot be diligent about caring for our skin.  A great complexion won’t happen overnight, but it can happen if we stick to it.