There are so many different factors that contribute to keeping our skin healthy, balanced and working at it’s best including diet, lifestyle, stress and of course, our skincare regime. I’ve had my struggles with my skin, and here are a few tips I have both discovered and been taught over the years in regards to helping your skin be the best it can.
Diet
As a general rule of thumb, food that is good for our skin is the food we would throw in our supermarket shopping trolley when we are on that health kick. Things we ingest dictate how well our complex bodily systems work, how we feel, our energy levels AND the skin. Fast-acting sugars and fats increases the insulin level and stimulates the production of sebum, potentially causing inflammation and breakouts.
A well-rounded and balanced diet will make all the difference to keeping your skin clear and the blemishes at bay so try and include some of these staples into your diet : dark/leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains and vegetables. Omega 3 is absolutely vital for bodily function and it reduces inflammation of the skin. This this is easy to find in foods such as Salmon (wild farmed), walnuts and flaxseed oil. It’s now proven as a bit of a myth that chocolate causes breakouts, but to be on the safe side, keep as dark as your taste buds will go as this is definitely better for you than the sweeter (& often paler) chocolates.


Lifestyle
During university, my skin was at an all-time low: blemishes, breakouts, redness and just really hard to get clear and/or apply makeup on. I was burning the candle at both ends, drinking copious amounts of cheap booze 4/7 nights a week, stressing out about deadlines and exams, trying to balance everything AND eating the most basic and cheap food you can imagine! Now…this kind of makes sense, although it really didn’t back then. Balance, relaxation and sleep are all so important to keep your mind and body functioning well.
Stress is a huge strain on both how we feel and how our skin looks. I know for myself, when I am under the weather or am feeling particularly ‘stressed’, the first thing that will happen will be redness and breakouts on my skin. This can be both long-term and short-term and it’s really hard to control as we can never know what life will throw our way from week-to-week. We can help reduce the effects of stress by things such as relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation, exercise and ensuring we are getting enough sleep. Basically, do the opposite to everything I was doing at university!
Skincare
Keeping our skin clear and bright also is down to the products we are using and how we are keeping it clean. I am currently using a selection of products from Proactiv+ to keep my skin on track, including the 3-step core system, the Mark Fading Pads and the Skin Purifying Mask. The mask is one of my favourite weekly treatments to really deep cleanse, decongest and rid my skin of impurities.
I feel that one of the most important factors of any skincare regime is to really ensure you are cleansing your skin really well both morning and night. This will rid the face of any makeup, daily grime, excess oil and bacteria: all contributing factors to breakouts and blemishes. Proactiv+ is a skincare brand that is dedicated to ensuring your skin remains blemish free so I would definitely suggest checking out their products if you have a problematic skin. They use the key ingredient Salicylic Acid to help clear out the pores, keep excess sebum at bay and get the skin looking radiant and clear.
The bottom line is probably something we all know…maintaining a good lifestyle and nourishing your skin and body both inside and out will help to allow our skin to work at its best. Do changes in your lifestyle effect your skin?
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