You see that picture on social media as you scroll by and you wonder, “Why can’t it be me?” You don’t even know that person with the glassy skin that’s so smooth and glowing it could replace the sun. You just want what’s in front of you: the best skin of your life.
While it may seem like a faraway dream at times, all it takes is a few simple changes to start seeing a difference when it comes to your skin. Here are three strategies to make your skin happy, healthy, and hydrated.
1. Simplify Your Skincare
You can spend hours using your gua sha face sculptors and jeweled de-puffing devices, but nothing will work as well as a simple and effective skincare routine. Though it may seem like everyone else is doing the most and using 15 or 20 products every morning and night, you don’t have to. In fact, if you’re using more than five or six products and not seeing results, there could be an important reason.
Your skin is unique, and what works for one person might not work for you. One or more of your products may be causing skin irritation or increasing your sebum production. It can be hard to tell which product is the culprit, which is why it’s best to start from scratch and build a routine from the ground up. These are the essential items you should include in your skincare routine if you want hydrated skin:
- Cleansing balm or oil to remove makeup
- Gentle cleanser for everyday use
- Niacinamide or Hyaluronic acid serum
- Gel-cream moisturizer with peptides, hyaluronic acid, or niacinamide
- Facial oil with antioxidants for nighttime use
- Sunscreen for daytime use
Don’t forget to hydrate your lips, an important part of your skin. Find an effective lip balm stick and reapply it throughout the day.
2. Clean Up Your Diet
What you put into your body has an impact on your skin. So if you want glassy, glowing skin, you have to clean up your diet. Reduce the amount of deep-fried foods in your diet and try to avoid overly processed foods. Consuming large amounts of trans fatty acids can lead to skin irritation and breakouts. Sugar is a similar culprit, along with its many other negative health effects. Balance is key when it comes to what you eat.
The most critical component of hydrated skin is probably the most obvious one: you have to hydrate. You shouldn’t chug gallons of water every day, but you need to look at the balance of fluids in your life. When you over-indulge in coffee, alcohol, and salty foods, it can easily dehydrate your body, including your skin. Make sure to keep a healthy balance of water throughout the day and think about switching one of your coffees for green tea instead.
3. Streamline Your Daily Life
Some lifestyle choices will definitely add to your dryness, and you can make small changes to streamline your life and help your skin. Smoking is an obvious no-go, and it will have devastating impacts on your skin, including increasing wrinkles and speeding up aging.
If you aren’t getting enough sleep regularly, this can also be affecting your skin. Surprisingly, even taking very hot showers can lead to dry skin, although once a day should be fine. Spending a lot of time in the sun without a hat and other protection is also a quick way to damage and dehydrate your skin.
Take some time to analyze the stress factors in your life and find ways to zoom in on your inner calm. Stress, unhealthy foods, and harsh or irritating skincare products will make it hard to achieve the hydrated skin of your dreams. With these easy fixes, you’ll be snapping selfies again in no time.
Featured image via Pexels
