Skin care routines and beauty trends have changed many times over the years, but we can bring you up to date with the current top tips for healthy skin.

The ’50s brought us pin-up curls, matte skin, and beauty marks. The ’60s was all about lashes and flicks while the ’70s arrived with minimal makeup and maximum bronzer. We saw the ’80s introduce us to perms and heavy foundation, taking us to the fun of the ’90s when crimping and overlined lips ruled a rebellious way forward. Today, it’s all about a natural glow, nude lipsticks, and rosy cheeks. And while of course makeup can cover a multitude of sins, there simply is no substitute for healthy skin to create a healthy glow to shine from within.

When it comes to good skin care, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution, which is not surprising, given the numerous different types, colors, and ages of skin. That said, there are some basic rules you should follow to ensure you are doing what’s best for achieving glowing, radiant, and healthy looking skin.

Skin Care Routine Tips For Healthy Skin

One of the most important things about a skin care routine is to have one! However, the wrong skin care regimen can cause skin irritation, breakouts, the appearance of premature aging, and at worst, permanent damage. Great makeup starts with great skin, so it is important that you choose the right products that contain only the very best ingredients.

3-Step Basic Skin Care Regimen

The time pressures of modern living often force us to neglect our skin care regimen and opt for the quick and easy options, such as cleansing wipes or simple soap and water. However, this is a false economy because in the end you are likely to stress out your skin faster, dry your skin out more, and dull your skin which means that you will have to buy more skin care products to repair the damage caused by the lack of a productive skin care regimen.

Alternatively, by adopting a very basic regimen of ‘cleanse, tone, and moisturize’ you can shave off several years from your skin and it literally only takes as little as 3 minutes (even faster once you have the hang of it) and is so worth the extra effort. This is one of the top tips for healthy skin. Look for a 3-step regimen of products that compliment each other.

If you have more time and feel inclined, you can add several other products to your routine to create the ultimate ‘spa style’ skin care regimen in the convenience of your home. These include:

  1. Day/Night Serums: These are designed to penetrate into the skin’s deep dermal layers and provide the ultimate nourishment and protection. They renew and repair skin cells and many contain added collagen and retinol to boost the skin’s elasticity.
  1. Eye Creams: Hydrating eye creams work to fade dark circles, reduce puffiness, and erase laughter lines. They are formulated to be gentle around your eye area as the skin is much more delicate there. This is why these creams should be applied gently with your ring finger. After the age of 20, this is an essential product you should use to combat the signs of aging.
  1. Exfoliation Scrubs: An exfoliating scrub should be carried out once a week to remove dead skin cells. Look for a gentle, non-abrasive scrub that contains natural ingredients.

Bonus: Facial Masks: There are a variety of options available on the market but their primary tasks are to extract impurities and dirt from the skin. A weekly face mask would be sufficient to achieve great results.

Key Ingredients For Healthy Skin

Many skin care products are full of harmful ingredients, so it is important that you educate yourself about which ingredients are going to get you the results you are looking for.

With so many skin care products available, it is often hard to know which to choose. Nevertheless, it’s always a great idea to check out ingredients that are clinically-proven, patented, trademarked, and third-party tested – that way, they’ve already been inspected by experts. Some of the key ingredients to look out for include:

Glycerin – Usually found in cleansing creams and moisturizers, glycerin provides optimal moisture and does a great job at plumping, smoothing and revitalizing skin, as well as reducing dullness and increasing glow for more luminous skin.

Lipids – Lipids are natural fats which can be found in the skin. They are an essential element for maintaining the strength of the skin’s layers and act as a protective barrier to keep in moisture and protect against further external damage.

Butters – Cosmetic skin care butters help hydrate and nourish the skin. They can usually be found in lotions, emollient creams, body butters, and soaps.

Natural Oils – Natural oils are absorbed easily into the skin to offer antioxidant protection and provide the optimal support to lock in moisture and increase skin cell renewal.

Vitamin C – This is a key ingredient to help protect your skin from aging and is essential for collagen production and maintenance. It is also a powerful antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals on the skin.

Antioxidants -These are your ‘knights in shining armor’, working hard to offer your skin the best protection possible. Antioxidants found in beauty products are key to improving the appearance of skin and reducing the signs of aging.

Retinol – Retinol has been shown to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by positively affecting the production of collagen, as well as stimulating blood circulation to greatly improve skin tone and color.

Ceramides – Found in the top layer of the skin, ceramides hold skin cells together and form a protective layer that helps retain moisture and plump the skin.

Ingredients to Avoid

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

AKA soap! These two are common emulsifying cleaning agents that allow cleansing products, such as facial washes or cleansers, to foam. For sure they make your skin feel clean BUT…they strip it clean of moisture and are proven skin irritants.

Alcohol

In skin care, you usually find two types of alcohol – fatty acid alcohols (that are skin conditioning) and astringent (more abrasive) types of alcohol. In short, avoid the latter. This type will leave your skin feeling dehydrated and dry, because they remove the skin’s protective coat.

Alcohols make creams feel lighter and absorb faster but also act as a preservative. However, they are not good for your skin. Watch out for ingredients called ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, alcohol denat, methanol, and benzyl alcohol that can cause skin to become dry and irritated, or even cause breakouts.

Parfum (Perfume)

You should avoid skin care products that smell strongly of perfume. Not to say that they shouldn’t smell nice – they should. However, the smell should come from natural oils such as rose oil, bergamot, or lavender, for example.

Colorants and Dyes

Often, coloring and dyes can be added to products to make them look good and more appealing. These do nothing for your skin and have zero benefit. In fact, they may even make your skin worse if you have an allergic reaction to them. Make sure you look for products without any coloring for the optimal pure effect for your skin.

Diet

Managing your diet is one of the most underrated tips for healthy skin. Whoever said “You are what you eat” is spot on! You are. Simple. Eat fast, cheap, and easy, and your skin will reflect that.

Many studies suggest a diet rich in vegetables and unsaturated fats, and low in dairy, salt, and sugar may lead to healthier skin. Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and herring, are excellent foods for healthy skin. They are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids which are necessary to keep skin thick, supple, and moisturized.

Foods rich in omega-3s and natural fats include:

– Avocado

– Fish

– Walnuts

– Seeds (such as sunflower and Chia)

– Yams 

– Broccoli

– Bell Peppers

– Tomatoes

– Soy

– Cocoa

Your skin will also benefit by reducing fried foods, limiting red meat intake, staying hydrated, and reducing caffeine.

Lifestyle Tips For Healthy Skin

Look at a person’s lifestyle and it will explain their skin. The way we live is written all over our faces so it’s important to be aware of the main factors that may be damaging skin or causing premature aging.

  • Get more sleep – The average person needs around 8 hours of sleep per night. Sleep is when the body repairs itself and is the kindest gift that you can give yourself.
  • Reduce or avoid alcohol – Every time you drink alcohol, it dehydrates your body, including the skin. Drinking too much can also deprive the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients. Over time, drinking heavily can have other, more permanent, detrimental effects on your skin and body in general.
  • Stay out of the sun – at the very least, use sunscreen – Chronic overexposure to the sun can change the texture and weaken the elasticity of the skin. Sun induced skin damage causes premature wrinkling, sags and eye bags, and easy bruising.
  • De-stress – Stress can also make skin problems worse. For example, stress can aggravate psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema. It can also cause hives and other types of skin rashes as well as trigger a flare-up of fever blisters.

Your skin is the largest organ of the integumentary system of the body, made up of seven layers of tissue and responsible for many vital functions. It protects from external elements, regulates temperature, determines your sense of touch, stops you from losing moisture and drying out, and the list doesn’t end there. Be kind to your skin. It requires careful attention if it is going to last you throughout your lifetime.