We all want to flaunt healthy and beautiful skin. Isn't it? Beautiful, glowing skin is a reflection of good health. This can be achieved with the right lifestyle practices and skincare habits.
Our team of dermatologists put together a few ways to get healthy and glowing skin. Scroll down to know about them!
What Expert Says
“Chemical exfoliants break the bonds between the keratinocytes and help in reducing keratinocyte buildup. This leads to reducing melanin build up, thereby giving you a glowing skin.”
Dr. Harish Koutam, Chief Dermatologist, SkinKraft
Highlights:
Skin Care Routine
Glowing skin has a smooth texture and hence, is able to reflect light to give your face a glow.
To begin with, follow a skincare routine religiously using products that suit your skin [1]. Try to avoid harsh chemicals, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, dyes and fragrances.
Layer your skin beginning with the lightest product and ending with the thickest. Remove all your makeup before you doze off at the end of a day. Here’s an ideal skincare routine:
A. Cleanse Twice A Day
A squeaky clean skin is the first step in any skincare routine for glowing skin [2]. Cleansing helps your skin ward off dirt, excess oil, makeup residue and dead skin cells. It also prepares your skin for the remaining steps in your skincare routine.
Include cleansing as part of your morning and night skincare ritual. Limit it to two times a day as over cleansing can strip off essential oils from your skin and can interfere with your skin’s natural pH.
B. Exfoliate Your Skin Once A Week
Our skin makes dead skin cells in the dermal layer. These move up to the surface and shed off. As we age, shedding these dead skin cells becomes a task for the skin. They do not shed on their own and require our intervention.
Exfoliation is a process that helps you get rid of the dead skin cells. They come in chemical, physical and enzymatic forms [3]. Use a facial scrub once a week to wash away the dead skin cells.
Dr. Harish Koutam, Chief Dermatologist at SkinKraft says, “Chemical exfoliants can help you improve the texture of your skin and its appearance. They break the bonds between the keratinocytes and help in reducing keratinocyte build up, this leads to reducing melanin build up, thereby giving you a glowing skin.”
C. Use A Toner
Cleansing and scrubbing can leave your skin with a disturbed pH. Your skin’s natural pH is around 5-6 (slightly acidic). Cleansers and scrubs tend to make it slightly alkaline.
Toner is a skin care product aimed at balancing your skin’s pH. Toners available in the market contain soothing ingredients like cucumber and aloe vera.
D. Address Skin Concerns Using An Active
Skin concerns like acne, dark patches, tan, fine lines, etc. are the biggest hindrance to glowing skin. Address your skin concerns using serums that contain active ingredients.
Serums contain powerful ingredients that are targeted at your skin concern. There are several serums in the market, ranging from anti-aging serum to dark spot control serum and acne reduction serum. So what’s your next pick?
E. Moisturize Twice A Day
Does moisturizing your skin feel like a chore? Think again! Lack of moisturization can trigger extremely dry or extremely oily skin. Both of these can cause a variety of skin concerns including acne.
Moisturizing your skin helps in repairing the barrier of your skin and prevents water loss [4]. Besides, moisturization offers your skin a slight shine. They come in different forms like creams, lotions, gels and serums suitable for different skin types.
F. Apply A Sunscreen
Sunscreen protects your skin from the harsh sun rays. Prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to dullness, dark patches, tanned skin, fine lines, wrinkles and even cancer in some cases. UV rays have the ability to mess with your skin’s smooth texture and can suck the glow out of your skin.
Dr. Harish Koutam, chief dermatologist at SkinKraft, recommends wearing broad spectrum sunscreen throughout the year irrespective of the season.
Flex Your Muscles
Yoga, gym, Zumba, aerobics...whatever interests you, just go for it. Exercise helps you sweat it out and releases toxins from your body and skin. There is also improved blood circulation. What follows is healthier and glowing skin. Make sure you cleanse your face or take a shower post workout.
Stress is one of the causes of a lot of skin concerns. Stress can lead to breakouts, fine lines and wrinkles. Keep stress at bay by practicing meditation and mindfulness.
Eat Right And Healthy
Remember the good old saying that goes, ‘you are what you eat’. This is absolutely true and will make sense once you switch to a healthy diet. If you eat fresh and healthy food, your skin will reciprocate the same, offering the glow you require[5]. Some of the foods for glowing skin include:
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Walnuts
- Avocados
- Berries
- Greens
- Fish
- Lemon
- Oranges
- Sweet potatoes
Home Remedies For Glowing Skin
Your kitchen has a lot of ingredients that can restore your skin’s beauty and can offer radiant looking skin. Even though these home remedies are not scientifically proven, they are being used by people for a very long time to achieve glowing skin.
A. Raw Milk
Mix raw milk with rose water and apply it evenly on the face. Wash off with lukewarm water after 15 minutes.
B. Besan
Mix besan (gram flour), turmeric, lemon and curd to form a thick paste. Apply it on the face and wash off after 20 minutes.
C. Lemon
Lemon can be used in combination with honey, sugar or coffee powder to help in exfoliating the skin.
D. Potato
Blend potato juice with honey and apply it on your face. Wash it off after 15 minutes.
E. Aloe vera
You can use aloe vera gel alone or in combination with honey or lemon to get glowing skin instantly.
F. Turmeric
Make a smooth paste by mixing half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and a cup of gram flour, adding a few drops of rose water. Apply it on your face and neck and leave it on till it dries. Later, rinse with cool water.
G. Honey
You can apply honey directly on your face and neck, provided it's damp. Massage it for a few minutes and after it is well absorbed by the skin, wash with lukewarm water.
Stay Hydrated
You’ve heard it a million times. But we would like to repeat the importance of drinking water. Water forms the crux of your skin’s natural barrier. When there is water loss from this barrier, your skin is prone to damage.
Drink 2-3 liters of water every day and see what wonders it can do to your skin. Your skin not only glows but is also soft and supple as it is hydrated.
Sound Sleep
Adequate sleep assists in cell turnover and exfoliation. Remember to get 7-8 hours of sound sleep for glowing skin. Lack of sleep can result in puffy eyes and dark circles.
Collagen is a skin protein that gives skin its strength. When you get enough sleep, collagen production is stimulated. This makes your skin look younger and plump.
Quit Smoking And Alcohol
Tobacco accelerates the natural aging process, making you look older. Alcohol destroys the supply of vitamin A to your bloodstream. Vitamin A is important in collagen stimulation, which is necessary for the skin’s strength. In the absence of vitamin A, skin tends to age faster.
Did you know that cigarette smoke contains 7000 chemicals and some of them are carcinogenic compounds (cancer-causing)? Smoking is also linked to psoriasis, a skin condition resulting in red, dry and patchy skin, uneven skin tone, discolored nails and staining.
Shorten Your Shower
Heat and steam can help your skin pores open and thus let the toxins flush out. However, using hot water on your skin for more than a few minutes at a time, strips away oil from your skin, which results in dry, dull-looking skin. Make a conscious effort to limit your skin’s exposure to hot water.
Wrapping Up
Now you know that you don't have to be born with glowing skin. All the above steps when followed regularly can get you closer to your dream of glowing skin. Have you got more to add? Feel free to put them in the comments section.
1. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/healthier-looking-skin
2. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/face-washing-101
3. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/safely-exfoliate-at-home
4. https://www.utmedicalcenter.org/the-importance-of-moisturizing/
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