A lot of people ask me what my skin care routine is and to be honest, it’s pretty simple! When it comes to skincare, less is more. Our skin is so delicate and is the first to react to pollutants in the environment. So it’s so important that we’re not overwhelming our skin even more with harsh ingredients and chemicals that are commonly found in most skincare products.
It’s also important to take diet and nutrition in mind when discussing skincare. Not many people know that the appearance of our skin is actually highly influenced by the foods we eat.
Here are 5 tips to promote healthy looking skin:
1. Eliminate Oils, Sugars, Dairy Products & Processed foods from your diet
I know this sounds extreme, but honestly the pay off is huge. Foods that are high in oils, sugar and dairy are horrible for the appearance of your skin! Every now and then I’ll indulge and eat something sugary and the next day my skin looks red & rough.
This is because sugar contributes to inflammation as well as breaks down collagen and elastin (which are important components to youthful looking skin!) It’s fine to snack every so often, but having a constant intake of foods high in these ingredients will increase redness, the look of fine lines and decrease elasticity. Youthful looking skin starts on the inside!
2. Drink lots of lemon water and fresh fruit juices
I am a huge advocate for drinking lemon water and making fresh fruit juices in my blender throughout the day! Drinking lemon water is a great way to detox impurities from your skin and body. It’s also packed with antioxidants and vitamin C which stimulate collagen production and reduce signs of aging.
I also love making fruit juices because it’s an easy and quick way to add nutrients to your diet. Check out these soy milk smoothie recipes! They’re high in phytoestrogens, antioxidants, and minerals which are all great skin foods.
3. Start using a natural oil before bed like Rosehip
Using rosehip oil on your skin will honestly change your life! Not to be mistaken with rose oil made from rose petals, rosehip oil comes from the fruit & seeds of the rose plant which is commonly grown in Chile. I honestly love this oil because it makes my skin feel amazing and gives it a natural glow. Rosehip oil contains antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E, as well as essential fatty acids which all promote healthy skin. It also brightens the look of skin, boosts collagen formation, reduces inflammation and reduces hyperpigmentation.
The main thing when buying rosehip oil is to make sure that it comes in a tinted glass bottle and is certified organic. I typically buy this kind from Amazon and it works wonders!
4. Add facial rolling or Gua Sha to your skincare routine
For those of you who don’t know what Gua Sha is, it’s a technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to promote blood flow and circulation in the body. It’s done by gently scraping the affected area with a natural rock such as jade or rose quartz to promote healing. Doing Gua Sha on the face, commonly known as facial rolling is really beneficial because it moves impurities out of the skin by increasing blood flow to the area. It also naturally tones facial muscles, improves the skin’s elasticity and softens fine lines.
I typically do facial rolling 1-2 times a day just after applying rose hip oil.
5. Avoid wearing makeup
Have you ever really read the ingredients on your makeup? The amount of ingredients in one palette is literally insane! Just think of how many chemicals we put on our face for one night out. Our pores get clogged, our skin gets red and a breakout happens as a result- that’s why it’s so important to limit the amount of times you wear makeup. Don’t get me wrong, doing makeup and getting dolled up is fun but it’s so crucial to let your skin breathe.
If you do like wearing makeup, try to choose a cruelty free brand. Brands that are cruelty free typically contain better ingredients and don’t involve animal testing. I really love the brand Anastasia because it’s one of the only brands that doesn’t cause me to breakout the next day. Everyone’s skin is different, but I’m sure you’ll be doing your skin (and our animal friends) a favour by choosing a cruelty free brand instead.
Conclusion
Honestly the key to healthy skin is a healthy diet. Foods that are good for your skin include cashews, berries, fresh fruit juices and leafy greens. If you have an alkaline plant based diet, you will be getting tons of phytonutrients and minerals which the body can use to make collagen. Whereas if you have a diet high in processed foods, sugars, oils and dairy products, it will manifest on the skin as inflammation, redness and acne.
Always remember to let your skin breathe, eat foods that nourish it and use a natural oil such as rose hip that is high in antioxidants. 🙂
Stay beautiful and keep glowing!
Natural Glow Wellness 