Let’s face it, it is not easy for you and I to really take care of our skin when there is endless demands put on us by modern living. But you and I deserve better “we deserve healthier lifestyles” because it allows us confront the challenges of modern living.
When we are healthy on the inside, it radiates on the outside. You do remember your girlfriend saying “wow you look so great and full of energy, what’s happened to you?” I know it has been a while since I heard compliments as such. Because looking good on the outside not only brings self-confidence, it also allows us to look youthful. And my guess is “just like me, you too want to look youthful and beautiful”.
So here are five simplistic approaches to make sure that you pamper yourself with the basics.
Step 1: Treat your skin gently
The skin type you have is determined by how much or how little oil your skin produces and how you care for your skin depends on the type of skin you have. For example: oily, dry, sensitive or sun damaged. Knowing this:
- Limit bath time – Use warm instead of hot or cold water.
- Avoid the usual over the counter bar soaps – They tend to dry your skin because of their chemically rich ingredients.
- Shave carefully – Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against. Use a shaving gel, lotion or cream and use a clean sharp razor.
- Pat Dry – After washing or bathing, gently pat dry so that some moisture remains on your skin. Remember, your skin is not a rug, it requires gentleness, care and finesse from you.
- Moisturize dry skin – Drink lots of water to hydrate your skin
- Understand the risks of tattoos and piercing
- Get a full body relaxation massage – Professional massage not only helps you feel great emotionally, it also helps and activates the natural blood flow which ensures healthier skin.
Step 2: Cleansing
- Use natural or organic cleansers – You can also cleanse your skin using milk or even yogurt.
- Always wash your face with lukewarm water when you want to remove any excess oil clotted on your face from your night moisturizer. Don’t use hot or cold water as both can cause broken capillaries.
- Don’t apply excessive force when cleansing your skin to remove makeup or sunscreen.
- Remove your eye makeup with a professional makeup remover. Don’t pull or rub too hard as the area around your eye are very delicate. Olive oil works as a best natural eye makeup remover.
Step 3: Exfoliate
Exfoliation is essential, but most of us skip this in our weekly skincare routine. We usually make excuses by saying “I just don’t have enough to exfoliate” to renew my skin. But have you ever considered why men’s skin tends to look more youthful than us women? It’s because men tend to exfoliate daily during shaving.
Some commonly used exfoliations are:
- A facial Scrub – Buy a good one from the market or try some home-made recipes.
- A Washcloth – Put a dash of skin cleanser and a sprinkle of white refined sugar on a damp washcloth. Apply this to your skin in a circular motion for about 3 minutes. After a quick rinse, any sign of dead skin will be erased from your body. If you have dry skin, try natural oils like extra virgin coconut oil for exfoliating your skin.
- DIY Pore Stripping Masks are a great way to get rid of those unattractive blackhead pimples and clogged up skin pores around your nose.
- Microdermabrasion – once available only for Hollywood movie stars, do it yourself microdermabrasion kits can now be purchased from most pharmacies.
Step 4: Moisturize
How much moisturizer you should apply depends greatly on the skin type you have. For example: if you have a dry skin, you can perhaps nourish it by applying a basic moisturizer. But when your skin is dry and also tight, that’s your skin crying out loud for immediate moisturizing attention. When keeping the moisture balance of your skin, consider how it looks, and gently feel your skin for liveliness, because over moisturizing can lead to clog skin pores that can suffocate your skin. Be bold and different and explore the effect of extra virgin coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, or even jojoba oil for keeping the moisture balance of your skin in place.
Step 5: Protect yourself from the sun
Yes “the sun” our beautiful star that fuels life on earth, it is magically bright giving that warm radiance that we all love feeling. But as the saying goes “too much of anything is no good for us” and too much sunlight is the common cause of skin damage, not enough sunlight also isn’t healthy either. Did you know that the most common cancer type encountered in Australia is “skin cancer”?
Australians know the importance of sun protection, so regardless of where you are on this planet “whether you are strolling down in your local park, or whether you are sun baking down in world famous Bondi beach in Sydney Australia” protect yourself from the sun’s damaging UV rays by covering your skin with sun protection lotions, and also make sure that you wear sunglasses that adequately protect your delicate under/round your eye area where wrinkles tend to appear first.
When applying sunscreen, follow the same gentle procedure of handling your skin, meaning slowly and gently apply the sunscreen and don’t rub it excessively. Avoid the hot summer sun when it’s at its peak (usually between 11:30AM and 4PM during summer periods). And of course you can always seek professional consultation from a skin care specialists in your local area.
I hope you enjoyed reading through these simple skin care treatment methods that your skin will love you for. Get in to habit of applying these methods because the health of your skin deserves it.