We all want to look and feel our best, I believe this to be true for every woman at any age.
Like our hair, our facial skin is on show all the time, you could even say it’s our constant accessory. How delighted have you felt when someone commented on how lovely your skin looks? Let’s face it, having glowing healthy skin is a great confidence boost. You only have to speak to someone with acne or any other skin complaint to know how eroding it can be to a woman’s confidence.
Skincare doesn’t need to be complicated, but it DOES require consistency and knowing what works for YOUR skin, rather than using products because of celebrity endorsements, or because it works for your girlfriends. Our skin changes all the time, with the seasons, with the change of environment, with a change in our health and our hormones. The key is to get to know and understand your own skin intimately, because our skin communicates to us, and it reflects the state of our internal and emotional health.
Just as dietary requirements are bio-individual, our skincare requirements vary too from person to person, but there are basics that everyone can follow. And while there is a tendency to think of skincare as potions and lotions that are applied topically to the skin, this is only part of the story.
Tip 1: Avoid foaming cleansers (even if you have oily skin). These make your skin feel squeaky and clean at first, but can cause further oiliness. Foaming cleansers cause topical dehydration meaning the rest of your skincare has to work so much harder and may not be as effective.
Tip 2: When you are cleansing your face, be sure to focus on your cheek area, massaging with upward, circular motions to thoroughly get under the fine, downy hair on the face, this is important and often overlooked. Cleansing the skin thoroughly is worth 50% of your skincare ritual.
Tip 3: Always remove make-up, and thoroughly cleanse your skin before bed, even if you don’t wear make-up at all. Make it part of your nightly ritual, to cleanse off the day, leaving you fresh and ready for the next.
Tip 4: Sugar. (the white or processed stuff) When it comes to looking good and feeling great, there’s no place for processed sugar in our diets. Sugar is very ageing on the skin, it contains no nutrients, and although it may give you an instant feel-good kick, your energy will soon dip downwards and you’ll be reaching for more sugar.
Tip 5: Drink warm water. First thing in the morning, and at any time during the day you feel the urge to eat something sugary. Drinking warm water is cleansing, hydrating and comforting.
Tip 6: Massage. This really is a beauty therapist’s best-kept secret. 5 minutes spent massaging your clean face at night before bed or while you watch TV, will do wonders for your skin, boosting circulation and toning the facial muscles. Make sure you use a good facial oil suitable for your skin type, or cream/balm whichever you prefer, work the product into your skin. Use your ring fingers around the delicate, orbital area of your eye, the skin here is very thin, so don’t tug or pull. On the rest of your face, always use firm, upward strokes, using the meaty pads of your fingers and hands, and don’t forget to give your scalp a massage too. You’ll be surprised how good it feels. Massaging the scalp helps to relieve a lot of built-up tension especially on the face. This will really make your skin glow.
Tip 7: Use Sunblock/UVA&UVB protection. This is a MUST for your face especially if you enjoy being out in the sun or live in a hot climate. Whether you use a chemical sunblock or one that is more natural is completely a personal choice, but I strongly recommend using one daily on your face, neck, décolleté and the backs of your hands. Remember to top up throughout the day if you are exposed for prolonged amounts of time.
Tip 8: Floral Mists. These are delightful to use throughout the day to spritz your face especially if you work in artificially heated/cooled offices. Spritzing helps to keep your skin hydrated. Keep a small bottle at your workstation and enjoy the refreshing and uplifting feeling it will give you.
Tip 9: Hydration. It’s quite easy to tell if you are dehydrated, look at your lips, are they dry, can you see vertical lines on them? If yes, you are probably dehydrated and need to drink more H2O. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try adding a few slices of fresh fruit: lemon, orange or apple, alternatively, a small sprig of fresh mint. These suggestions are all delightful to add and give a subtle flavor to plain water. Proper hydration not only makes your skin glow and your eyes sparkle, you’ll have more energy and feel less hungry.
Tip 10: Eat Hydrating Foods. If you don’t enjoy drinking water, did you know that we can increase our hydration levels by eating lots of juicy fruits and veggies? Think watermelon, grapes, peaches, crisp juicy apples, fresh juicy pineapple, the list is endless, just find fresh fruits that you enjoy eating. And don’t forget your greens, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, spinach, rocket, parsley etc. Colored vegetables like carrots, red peppers, tomatoes, beets. If you don’t like eating these raw, try juicing them. Plan ahead, and take a stash of veggie sticks and fruit slices in a lunch box to keep at your desk, nibbling on these will stave off hunger pangs, and hydrate you, so you receive a double dose of goodness.
BONUS TIP: Sleep. Don’t underestimate the regenerative power of sleep. It’s been referred to as ‘Beauty Sleep’ and indeed it is. The body regenerates while we are sleeping, and in spite of what advertisers might promise us, there’s no lotion or potion that will replicate the look of well-rested and refreshed skin that only comes after a good night’s sleep. There’s no denying we look and feel so much better when our bodies are well-rested and we’ve had adequate sleep and rest.
If you would like to know more about how you can Glow Like a Goddess, please click here.
