How to Protect Your Skin

Good skin care is a matter of small healthy habits that can really make a big difference. Our skin is very resilient but after a while of treating it less than stellar, it needs a break and since it is the largest organ in our body that houses all of our vital organs, it’s only right that we treat it right, from the inside out.

You can rev up lackluster skin or keep it in top shape with just a few simple tweaks to your daily regimen with these helpful tips.

Drink Plenty of Water

60% of your skin is comprised of water, so it’s important that you stay hydrated, not only to flush out toxins from your body, but to keep your organs running efficiently, so that blood can circulate and help give your skin more of a glow. Water doesn’t have to be just plain either. By eating various fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon or cabbage, you’ll contribute to your body’s daily need of hydration and proper nutrition.

By drinking more water, your skin will also become more hydrated and your skincare will function better, from head-to-toe, thus protecting you from tears in the skin dryness, flakiness, and inflammation.

Don’t Skimp on Vitamin D

It should go without saying how important sunscreen is as it can prevent skin cancer and anti-aging. However, there’s something to be said about allowing a little sun on your skin so that you can absorb vitamin D, which helps to promote cellular growth, increase your skin’s metabolism, and it’s ability to repair itself, which essentially strengthens your skin.

However, if you plan on staying out all day or you are outside daily, try an SPF 30 or higher to protect your skin, especially if you burn easily within an hour of being in the sun. Protection is always a good idea and vitamin D is also useful for other functions, such as healthy bones and teeth, cardiovascular, and brain health.

Listen to Your Body

Is your skin trying to tell you something? Perhaps it always gets irritated by using a certain product. After all, no pain, no gain, right? Wrong, if you immediately sense something is off, such as a pesky, itchy rash, burning or other sensitivities, then it’s your body’s way of letting you know that it doesn’t like what you are putting on it.

The same could also be said for suddenly developing pimples or sudden dryness. Listen to your skin, maybe it needs something gentler, more hydrating, less moisturizing as this can save it from premature aging.

Also check on your skin from time-to-time for any unsightly moles that weren’t there before or a change in color and size of a mole, which could indicate skin cancer and other problematic skin concerns that weren’t there before.

Hydration and Moisturization aren’t the Same

So you’ve purchased a new lotion but you’re not so sure why your skin is always dry. Perhaps the lotion is too lightweight and you have dry skin. Or it could be that it lacks moisturization properties. Despite these two terms being used interchangeably in the cosmetics world, they are actually very different. While hydration is the act of applying water to the skin and adding plumpness, adding youthfullness, moisturizing contributes to protecting the skin as a barrier, so they both depend on each other to substantially nourish the skin.

Without hydration, moisturization isn’t doing much is your skin is already dry. Without moisturization, hydration leaves your pores swiftly, leaving you with dry skin. Therefore, these two need each other, so opt for water-based lotions and creams that also add moisture. For hydrating ingredients, think watery substances, such as...water, aloe vera, or seaweed. When it comes to moisture, keep butters and oils in mind, such as shea butter, argan oil, cocoa butters, ingredients designed to lock in ingredients.

Nourish Your Body

Healthy eating habits go a very long way in keeping your skin in shape. Consuming an abundantly of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and grains and nuts  will not only keep your body running efficiently, it will help stave off certain diseases and replenish your body with the things that it needs.

The best ingredients are often found in nature and if you want to also directly benefit your skin, try even using food as skin treatments. Try a yogurt mask, or apply bananas and avocado to the hair, olive oil as a moisturizer to treat your skin wonderfully inside and out.