Is your skin ready for summer? Are you wishing that there was a way to magically remove dull, dry skin and replace it with a soft, glowing, beautiful-looking complexion?
Unfortunately, in winter months, even those who moisturize most can face issues with their skin drying out and feeling rough. We’re going to tell you what you should be doing in order to help get your skin summer-ready and feeling healthy.
Keep reading for more information on how to get the softest skin ever!
Table of Contents
Hydration and Sleep Are Crucial
One of the first steps in achieving beautiful skin won’t lie in drug or department store products. Instead, they start at home with your drinking and sleeping habits.
For skin to really glow, you will need to drink plenty of water. Proper hydration will help cleanse the skin from within and allow your skin cells to rejuvenate themselves with ease. Ideally, you should be drinking about half of a gallon of water per day. Aside from helping your skin stay moisturized, drinking enough water will also help clear your skin of acne and keep your skin plump which will reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Instead of trying to gulp down this entire amount in one sitting, try to sip on a bottle of water throughout the day and set goals on how much water you need to consume. Also, avoid alcohol as this substance can inflame your skin and make it appear redder and possibly drier than it is.
Getting enough sleep is important too – when you have too little sleep you probably notice bags under your eyes – but sleep also is the time when the body repairs itself. Not enough rest can impede your collagen production which in turn can make skin look dry and dull.
Just be sure you remove your makeup and moisturize before hitting the sack!
Healthy Eating for Beautiful Skin
We’ve already mentioned avoiding alcohol, but you should also be trying to increase your daily intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These nutrients are found in healthy foods and items that aren’t heavily processed.
For healthy skin, you’ll want to consume plenty of brightly colored, natural foods (like berries, carrots, avocado, spinach, and broccoli) as well as healthy fats from fish, nuts, and eggs. If you’re not a fan of eating healthy (it’s okay, not everyone is), you can also eat some dark chocolate as it is known to have antioxidants and improve blood flow. Both of these properties are important for beautiful skin.
Exfoliate and Moisturize
You may already be familiar with physical exfoliants like scrubs or facial brushes. These items can be used multiple times per week and will help remove dead skin and dirt. Depending on your skin type, you may choose to do this more or less often.
Another option is to use a chemical exfoliant. These aren’t quite as scary as they sound and are often a bit more gentle than a physical exfoliator. Two of the more popular chemical exfoliants on the market are glycolic and lactic acid. These acids will help remove dead cells much like a scrub but they work a bit deeper by loosening the bond with dull flakes to fresh skin.
If you have the time to soak, consider using high-quality bath milk instead of traditionally exfoliating your body. Because of the lactic acid found in bath milk, you can rest assured that your skin will be soft and supple when you step out of the tub.
After exfoliation, you must moisturize! Use a lotion or serum with hyaluronic acid as this will help your skin hold moisture as this acid is known to hold several times its weight in water. The added moisture will help keep your skin plump and feeling softer for longer.
Stay Out of the Sun (or Wear Protection)
It’s not a secret that the sun’s UV rays will damage your skin. The sun’s rays are known to cause wrinkles, sun spots, and yes, sunburns – which are particularly drying to skin.
Though there is no way to truly avoid the sun, you can opt to cover up with long sleeves, a scarf, a hat, and yes, sunscreen. Ideally, your makeup has some type of sunblock in it but if it doesn’t you should start applying some type of UV protection before applying your makeup.
Also, you should pay close attention to your neck, hands, and other areas of your body that are often exposed. Opting for sunscreen or a physical barrier (like sleeves) will help prevent your skin from drying out, looking dull, and will decrease the risks of developing skin cancer later.
If you really can’t live without that golden glow, you should opt for a sunless tanner. You can find daily moisturizers that will slowly add a hint of color to your skin as well as sunless tanners that work far more quickly. For people with lighter skin, it is advised to use a test patch of skin to ensure that your tan isn’t too dark (or worse – orange).
Seeing The Difference
Unfortunately, obtaining the soft, well-hydrated skin you crave won’t be an overnight process. Yes, choosing products that remove dead skin and moisturize will help, but for lasting results, you will need to stick to a plan similar to the one outlined here.
By choosing to take care of your skin now, you can look forward to years of healthy, radiant skin, causing you to look and possibly feel younger. Over time, you will begin to notice a reduced look of fine lines, acne, scarring, and other skin ailments which will be a huge boost to your confidence.
Remember that everyone’s skin is different. The regimen that works for one person, might not work for you; you may have to try various combinations of products and routines until you find the best one for you
