Flawless skin is what we all want to have and we’re always looking for skin care tips that will help us attain the perfect look. Skincare is an essential part of our lives; if it isn’t already, then make it happen! In search of flawless skin, we try out different products and trends that come up almost daily these days, as also follow the many skincare tips that come our way through the various media we are exposed to. One of the best skincare tips is to find what suits for your skin the best, instead of going for what so-and-so is suggesting as a skincare tip. We have a mini-guide of skin care tips for you so you only have to refer to one place, instead of having to go through multiple skin care tips!
SKIN CARE TIPS: BASICS
Cleanse, moisturise, tone: This is the very basic step that needs to be followed for good skin care. Tips like these form the very basis of any skin care routine. Select the products that suit your skin.
Remove makeup daily: We put on makeup to hide blemishes, even out the skin tone and enhance our beauty. But keeping it on 24×7 isn’t the way to go. The products layer up on your skin, and if not removed, can harm your skin. This is one of the most important skin care tips: ensure that you remove the makeup every night before sleeping. Make sure to do CTM after removing any makeup.
Exfoliation is key: Because of the chemicals in the products we use, the weather, pollution, etc. our skin gets clogged up easily. One needs to ensure that the pores in the skin open up and are clean. Exfoliation is how you can do just that, and this skin care tip is a skin-saver!
Keep it fresh: Ensure you eat fresh vegetables and fruits. A healthy amount of greens, proteins, minerals and vitamins are a must. Food that is vitamin C-rich, low in fat and sugar helps in getting radiant skin. Spicy and fermented foods, salt, citrus fruits, fried food are a no-no.
Keep the sun away: Sunscreen is a must for all, in every season! Make sure to apply sunscreen lotion or gel of at least SPF 15, depending on how harsh the sun is. This skin care tip should be taken heed of in all seasons – even winters! Ensure the label on the product reads ‘nonacnegenic’ or ‘noncomedogenic’ to avoid blocking the skin pores.
Be fit ‘n fine: Exercising is not just good for overall health but is an essential skin care tip for healthy skin. Having proper blood circulation is necessary for healthy skin, and it also accelerates the cleansing process in the body. Opt for jogging, running or yoga. Easy skin care tips for before and after exercise are to apply a toner before to minimize oil production and exfoliate post to remove the sweat and grime and finally using a moisturiser to keep the skin soft and supple. Better blood circulation results in better skin. So, to increase the blood circulation at the face, do inverted yoga poses like downward dog. Remain in that pose for as long as you can, without hurting yourself.
Get those Zzz’s: A good night’s sleep is essential to replenish your energy, and refresh your skin! Ideally, one should make sure to have eight hours of sleep. But, if not possible one of the days, then at least have six hours of sleep. Less sleep makes you and your skin tired and it becomes visibly evident through saggy skin and dark circles. Not only does sleeping well help in skin care, but also on what material you sleep on contributes to good skin. Use soft fabrics in pillows and bedsheets especially to avoid unnecessary irritation.
Bye to stress: For good skin, one needs to stay away from stress. Stress makes your body produce hormones like cortisol, that make the skin more oily. Make sure to practice different stress management techniques like yoga, breathing exercises and meditation. Keep this skin care tip in mind: meditate more, radiate more!
Hydrate well: Drinking lots of water daily – at least 8 glasses if not more – is a must. You can also eat fruits and vegetables that have high water content like watermelon, strawberry, orange, grapefruit, cucumber and cantaloupe.
Tip: These basic skin care tips will help you ensure you look perfect always, but don’t take these as written in stone. Find the skin care tips that suit you and your skin the best. It could be all of the above or a combination of some.
SKIN CARE TIPS: BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Makeup is a huge part of many women’s lives. Even if you don’t use makeup, there are other beauty products that you use, and how you use them can affect your skin. Skin care tips also include the beauty products you use: what, why, how, when, where to use them. Here are the skin care tips you need to know about.
Know your skin type: Know your skin type will help you follow the right set of skin care tips. Not knowing your skin type can unbalance the skin’s natural balance which could cause inflammation, irritation, breakouts or even ageing prematurely if you end up using wrong products because of misinformation. There are different types of skin – dry, oily, sensitive, combination, acne-prone and mature skin. The skin type could be affected by various aspects like age, hormonal balance/ imbalance, weather, season, etc. A crucial skin care tip to keep in mind: Listen to your skin, always!
Cleanse 2.0: Cleansing once is good, cleansing twice is better! This doubly ensures that all dirt, grime, bacteria, etc that gets piled up on face through the day gets off leaving a clean, clear skin.
Layer ‘em right: When you follow a beauty regime, do you just read the number of products to use and use them in any way you want? That is not a good idea for your skin! Using the products in the right order and amount is the skin care tip you have to keep in mind, always. Note this order down Cleanse, tone, use spot cream, use face serum, use eye cream, moisturise, use facial oil, use sunscreen. Using them in the right order also helps them work as they are supposed to. One skin care tip you might miss out, but should definitely keep in mind is to give few minutes for each product to settle in before the next is used. This is especially important for thicker creams. This way you can avoid piling!
More is not more: Ensure the right amount of beauty products are used. Using more is not going to increase its potency or effect. An easy way to remember it is to use common size frames in mind. This skin care tip will definitely make using beauty products easy. For cleanser, take a dollop of a size of one raspberry. For moisturiser, take a blueberry-size dollop. Take the eye cream dollop of the size of one pomegranate seed. Night cream dollop should be blueberry-sized. Retinol or serum need to be in amounts like that of two pomegranate seeds. Sunscreen needs to be taken in the size of a cherry. Facial oil needs to be blueberry-sized too.
Patch it up: A patch test is crucial to ensure that the beauty product works for your skin. Do a test run on a small patch of your skin like inner arm and wait for 24 hours to check for any form of reaction. Don’t miss out on this skin care tip, especially when using a completely new product.
Not till death do us apart: Expiry happens, and no need to carry on using those old products till they’re done and dusted. Old beauty products harbour bacteria and produce toxins that are harmful to the skin.
Tip: Beauty products are good to use, when you use them in the right amount, at the right time and in the right way. Make sure you know the skin care tips for these to ensure success in attaining that radiant skin.
SKIN CARE TIPS: DIY
There are different ways that you can get a glowing skin. Some of the skin care tips are given above, but there are some more skin care tips and tricks that you can use to ensure beautiful skin.
Chilled tea bags for puffy eyes: You can take readymade tea bags – of green, black or chamomile variety – and steep them in hot water for a minute. Remove the bags and keep them in chilled water till they’re chilled. Place each tea bag on each eyelid for 10-15 minutes. This will reduce puffy eyes. You can also make your own eye tea bags. Take loose tea – green, black or chamomile – and stuff it into a clean muslin cloth of around 4×4 inch square. Tie it securely and make 2 of these. Steep these in hot water for a minute before then transferring the pouches into chilled water. Add a few drops of rose water in the chilled water as the pouches get chilled. Use these on your eyes.
Fresh lip gloss-moisturiser: Take one tablespoon of coconut oil and heat it till it liquefies. Add four fresh raspberries and mash and blend it into a smooth paste. Place it in a small glass jar and refrigerate. Use as lip gloss. You can make this easily after every few days to replenish the gloss and keep it fresh.
Fresh fruity facial oil: You need to ensure that your dry skin gets properly hydrated, and you can end your skin care routine with a facial oil for that. Make a natural antioxidant-rich oil blend by mixing sweet almond oil, raspberry seed oil, and pomegranate seed oil in equal measures. Shake well and store. Use three to six drops of this and apply it to the dry spots after heating them in your palms by rubbing them together.
Revitalize with papaya-pineapple: The enzymes and the alpha-hydroxy acids in these ingredients help dissolve dry, dead skin. Take a quarter cup of raw papaya flesh and one tablespoon of fresh pineapple. Mash and blend together until smooth. Apply to dry skin and leave for five to 15 minutes before washing it off with cool water. You can do this one or two times a week at the most for good results.
