The Glowing Skin Effect

Do you find yourself coveting the airbrushed skin of models on TV, billboards or magazine covers? We all yearn for radiant skin, but can you get movie star skin naturally? How do you avoid crossing the line of natural shine to having greasy skin? Beauty may only be skin deep, but the importance of skin health goes much deeper. Here’s the skinny on how to keep your skin young and healthy while maintaining a sensible amount of its protective moisture. 

Do

• Protect skin from sun damage by using SPF 30 sunscreen every day and avoiding prolonged exposure.  
• Wash your face in the morning and at night.
• Moisturize twice daily. Be sure to change your moisturizer twice a year to adapt to seasonal changes. In the fall and winter, you should use a heavier moisturizer due to the dry air; while in spring and summer, use a lighter moisturizer with SPF for sun protection.
• Exercise regularly. Cardio can be especially helpful as it stimulates blood flow.
• Drink six to eight glasses of water each day to help flush out toxins from your body.
• Maintain a healthy diet. Fruits will help hydrate and rejuvenate your skin, and foods rich in vitamin C will help collagen production to keep your skin looking youthful and smooth. Some common foods containing vitamin C include oranges, guava, kiwi fruit, leafy greens and red peppers. For more information on the best foods for your skin health, read my blog post here. 
• Exfoliate weekly to buff out imperfections and remove dead skin cells, revealing a stunning new layer of skin. Use a loofah pad or facial/body scrub (sugar, salt, beads or crystals) gently against your skin in a circular motion. (Hint: This blog post will help you with at-home exfoliation.)
• Take a multivitamin daily that contains vitamins A, D and C.
• Switch from using pressed powder to loose powder, as pressed powders contain oil as an ingredient.
• Be patient. Most people start seeing their desired results in about two to six weeks.

Don’t

• Bathe in very hot water or take long, hot baths – Bathing in hot water strips skin of its moisture and washes away protective oils.
• Rub the wrong way – Rubbing your skin hard or aggressively can result in peeling, breaking small blood vessels and stretching the skin.
• Touch your face – Touching thousands of surfaces daily makes your hands magnets for dirt, germs and oils. While most of us are guilty of touching our faces throughout the day, doing this can spread these unwanted germs and oils on your skin, resulting in clogged pores.
• Smoke – This nasty habit can cause wrinkles, unwanted skin color and texture, and potentially skin cancer.

What to Use

• Mild, non-detergent cleansers – These include gels, foams or cloths. Using heavy-duty cleansers can dry out your skin and sometimes worsen a prior condition.
• Fragrance-free products –Fragrances cause most common skin-related allergic reactions.
• pH-balanced products – Make sure any acid-laced products are pH-balanced, meaning the pH is in sync with your skin. This will help remove makeup without robbing your skin of natural oils.
• Multi-tasking moisturizers – Look for moisturizers that will hydrate and protect.
• Toner – There are tons of mixed signals floating around about skin toners, and rightfully so. Toner is used to clean deep into the pores of your skin, but depending on your skin type, it may further dry out your skin. If you have found an appropriate toner for your skin type, be sure to apply a moisturizer afterward. Your dermatologist can help determine if toner is right for your skin and the best toner for your skin type.

Have more questions? Leave them in the comments below, and I’ll try to help you out! If you need an appointment with Advanced Dermatology, click here.