A healthy and radiant skin is one of the most sought after
things, perhaps by all women!! If you have it, you cannot hide it - but
yes, you need to maintain it.
The key to a glowing skin is right
there within your arm's range. One can attain a healthy supple skin
though a three-tier approach involving diet, exercise and proper
cosmetics.
Here is a step-by-step guide to skin care -
1) Water - drink two to three litres of water daily to detoxify.
2)
Have a rich diet full of vegetables, fruits. Increase the fibre content
in your daily diet. Avoid excess refined sugar, sweets as it damages
collagen in skin and makes it lose its elasticity.
3) Invigorate your sluggish lifestyle. Come on, get moving!! Go to the gym or just stretch.
4) Restrict intake of alcohol and caffeine.
5) Keep stress at bay.
6) Go for a daily skin care regime- i.e. cleanse, tone and moisturize.
7) Apply a moisturizer to hydrate your skin externally. A homemade moisturizer is a mixture of cucumber, juice and buttermilk.
8)
Go for an exfoliation once a fortnight either at a professional salon,
or at home. It helps remove dead cells and revitalize the skin through
blood circulation. Oatmeal combined with mashed apple is an excellent
home scrub
9) Do not forget to apply sunscreen with a SPF of
minimum 15 at least 10 minutes before going out of house. If you get a
suntan, relieve yourself with a mixture of curd and cucumber juice.
10) Use cosmetics depending on your skin type. Learn about your skin type first and then try commercial products.
Skin care is not as difficult as it looks to be.
Thus,
the ABC of a beautiful and radiant skin - balanced diet, hydration,
cleansing and protecting it from sun and wind should be a part of your
daily skin care regimen.
Some popular herbal remedies for skin care -
Water
- Drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water daily to detoxify the body.
It naturally hydrates the skin and gives that young vibrant look.
Turmeric:
This is the basic grandma's remedy - just apply fresh turmeric paste
along with curd and gram flour on to your face. Your complexion clears
up within a few days, as turmeric is very good for skin health.
Tea extracts: It is a natural antiseptic and is useful for skin acne.
Neem,
tulsi: Drop some neem leaves into your bathtub, and you will feel the
difference in your skin within a few days. If you have any external skin
rash, infection, just apply a paste of neem or basil leaves to heal up,
as they have excellent anti-bacterial properties, clear up pimples and
acne; and keep the skin naturally invigorated.
Sandalwood paste: It soothes the skin, cools it and moisturizes it naturally.
Different skin types and their care -
1. Dry skin -
To
avoid any sort of skin problem, one should drink at least eight to ten
glasses of water a day to keep dry skin well hydrated. Along with it,
eat a high quality healthy diet rich in fresh fruits, nuts and
vegetables; get some exercise and the secret 8-hour sleep daily to get a
healthy skin.
Home remedies for dry skin:
o Do not expose yourself to sun too much, as well as to too much air conditioning.
o Reduce how often you wash your face to maximum two times a day, and if possible use slightly tepid water.
o
Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they cause dehydration. Also do not
smoke, as smoking deprives the skin of oxygen and nutrients making it
dry and flaky.
o Avoid using a commercial highly perfumed soap. Instead, use non-detergent, neutral-pH products to cleanse your skin.
o
Massage your face every night before sleeping with a good hydrating
moisturizer, and be generous in the areas surrounding the eyes.
o For cracked skin on fingers and feet, use a cream rich in vitamin E and aloe vera. Massage in well.
2. Oily skin -
Oily
skin is the least vulnerable, and it ages least of all. The best thing
to do is to take measures to keep the skin pores from being clogged and
forming acne.
- Follow strictly the experts' advice - clean your
face two to three times daily with a good medicated soap, one, which
works well with your skin.
- It is best to use water based non-comedogenic product that effortlessly and effectively dissolves sebum.
-
Use an oil free moisturizer to maintain a shine free complexion. It
will also help if you use tepid water to clean face as it loosens the
dirt easily.
- Before applying make-up, use an antiseptic day cream which contains benzyl peroxide as it reduces sebaceous secretions.
Home remedies for oily skin -
-
Cucumber juice works great on oily skin. Before applying make-up, rub
it on the excessively oily parts of your face and dry it thoroughly.
-
It is very important that you definitely remove all make up before
going to bed. Gram flour mixed with curd acts as an effective cleansing
milk which cleans open pores.
- Be cautious about your diet if you
have an oily skin! Go for a protein rich diet, but restricted in sugar
and salt. Take plenty of leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits. Cut
down on animal fat, fatty foods, alcohol and junk food.
- It is advised that you reduce consumption of iodized salt.
- Do not miss out on the 8-10 glasses of water daily to keep the skin hydrated and to flush out toxins.
-
Exercise is also a must. Exercise works magical on any skin as it
boosts circulation, encourages blood flow, and cleans the skin from
within.
3. Sensitive skin -
This is a very
unpredictable skin type, and one needs to be extra cautious while
dealing with it. Almost anything and everything can react to it.
-
It is always advised to use the simplest and purest products- colour
free, alcohol free, fragrance free and preservatives - a complete no-no.
-
If using any new cosmetic, it is very important that you patch test it
on your skin three to four times initially. The best parts are small
areas like behind your ear or on hands. Go for it only if there is no
skin reaction.
- Limit exposure to sun. While going out it is
important to use a sun block because sensitive skin can easily get
discoloured or age spots may appear. Use a sunscreen with only physical
ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which deflects the
UV rays rather than absorb them.
- Try to use only natural or homemade products - they are best. Fresh and natural!!
- If you have sensitive skin, keep skin clean always. Wash your face maximum twice a day with a natural pH balanced cleanser.
- If going to a party, use only those cosmetics, which are hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic.
-
Always use cosmetics that do not contain many ingredients. The more the
number of ingredients, the more the probability of it causing a
reaction.
- Do not forget to drink plenty of water to detox for making your skin glow.
- Eat a well balanced diet that includes fresh fruits, green vegetables and nuts.
- Daily exercise to get that radiant glow from inside
- While washing face, avoid steam or very hot water. Hot baths and steams lead to broken capillaries.By
Dr John Anne
