Glowing skin is the best accessory there is. But how to get it is another story.
Using clean, natural skin care products is a critical factor, but knowing what else contributes to skin health and well-being is just as important.
But don’t worry — we’re here to help you learn how to get that gorgeous skin you’re going for! Read on for more info on natural skin care tips and how to have better skin before you know it, or watch our video below.
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Not only is it super important to use natural skin care products for better skin, but there are also some major lifestyle factors that contribute to the health of your skin.
Good to Know: While you sleep your skin renews and repairs itself and creates collagen, so it’s important to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night to keep your skin looking its best.
Recommended Products: Deluxe Set.
The Basics of How Your Skin Works
As the body’s largest organ, your skin protects your vital internal organs. It keeps your insides safe from germs, infections, and other negative influences in the environment. Your skin is also an organ of elimination, so anything you put into your body affects your skin.
The top layer of your skin (also the thinnest layer) is the epidermis. It protects you from the elements, makes melanin, which determines your skin color, and produces new skin cells. Because it’s on the outside, it’s also the only part of the skin we see.
The next layer, the dermis, contains hair follicles, sweat glands, nerve endings, oil glands, and blood vessels. It does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to the skin’s daily duties.
The lowest level, the hypodermis, is made primarily of fat, and it serves to attach the dermis to your muscles and bones. It also helps regulate your body temperature.
Anything you do to the epidermis will affect the other layers, which is why natural skin care is so important.
How to Get Better Skin Naturally
By now you know that clean, natural skin care products are an important tool for keeping your skin in its best possible condition. But there are a lot of other factors that determine how well your largest organ is functioning.
With that in mind, here are seven factors that affect your skin — and how you can use them to get better skin ASAP.
1. Sleep
How much rest we get directly affects how our skin looks and functions– not to mention all of the other aspects of our physical and mental health.
While you sleep, your body repairs and renews itself, including your skin. Your glands produce human growth hormones, which is a key factor in repairing skin damage. They also secrete melatonin, which provides antioxidant effects to your skin.
Your skin itself also creates new collagen while you snooze. Collagen is the protein that keeps fine lines and wrinkles at bay and promotes a youthful appearance.
So what happens if you miss out on sleep? Deprivation leads to an increase in cortisol, the infamous stress hormone. This is bad news, as too much cortisol can cause a whole host of problems, from digestive issues, to weight gain, to anxiety.
As far as your skin goes, a lack of sleep can also cause dryness, as your skin rehydrates itself overnight. It can also create dark circles under your eyes (due to dilated blood vessels) or puffiness (due to collected fluid).
Try to get between seven and nine hours every night, depending on what feels best for you. It never hurts to hit the hay early!
2. Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
You are what you eat. That anecdote couldn’t be more true, as the foods (and drinks) we eat and drink literally become the cells that fuel our body. Consuming the proper nutrients is key to great skin health from the inside out.
The most important nutrients for your skin health are: beta carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc, selenium, and omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. Most of these are found in fruits and vegetables that are rich in color.
Beta carotene is an antioxidant that is a precursor for the creation of vitamin A, which our body needs for optimal skin health. It’s found mostly in carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach, kale, cantaloupe and apricots.
Vitamin C is responsible for neutralizing free radicals and fighting environmental damage, as well as helping to produce collagen. Some of the best edible sources are citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, sweet potatoes, watermelon, mango, kiwi, and papaya.
Vitamin E keeps cells protected from oxidation and boosts skin regeneration. You’ll find it in almonds, avocado, hazelnuts, pine nuts, spinach, broccoli, and oils including wheat germ, sunflower, safflower, corn, and soybean.
Zinc is known for its healing properties and is particularly helpful as an anti-inflammatory; it can help ease scarring from acne and boost your immune system. Zinc is found in hemp seeds, nuts, lentils, yogurt, oatmeal, chickpeas, black beans, among other foods.
Selenium is an antioxidant that helps to protect skin from damage, particularly sun damage. It can be found in Brazil nuts, wheatgerm, tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, oysters, and tuna.
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids provide anti-inflammatory effects to the skin. They are essential, meaning the body can’t produce them and we need to consume them through food, such as oily fish (like salmon and sardines), as well as chia seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and rapeseed oil.
3. Get Into a Skin Care Routine
How you care for your skin day in and day out (and what you put on it) has a massive impact on look, feel, texture, and glow factor! A clean and natural skin care routine should be a priority, as too many products are full of nasty chemicals. While many of these toxic skincare ingredients have been around for decades, we’re really just learning about their detrimental effects.
Looking for an easy skincare routine that covers all the bases? We recommend starting with the following natural skincare products: cleanser, toner, moisturizer, eye cream, and Vitamin C serum morning and evening for best results. We’ve included all five of these essentials in our 5-Step Deluxe Skincare Set– score a full skincare routine at an incredible price when you purchase this set.
Does a 5-step skincare routine seem a bit overwhelming? Stick to the basics with our 3-Step Starter Skincare Set, which includes cleanser, eye cream and face cream.
4. Exercise
It’s not always easy to squeeze in a sweat session, but there are many different ways to incorporate some movement into your daily life — and we all know exercise is an important form of self-care.
Your skin benefits from exercise as it boosts blood flow, which carries oxygen and nutrients to your cells. Hence that gorgeous post-workout glow!
If you’re not into hitting the gym, explore other ways to get your heart rate up. Hiking, dancing, rock climbing, swimming, bike riding, kickboxing, yoga, walking — there are endless ways to exercise. Find one you enjoy and try to do it at least three to five times a week.
5. Hydrate
H2O, baby! Eight glasses of water per day, eight ounces each. That’s the gold standard, and it can make all the difference in the health of your skin — and your overall health. Dehydration is no joke.
Water keeps your skin hydrated and happy. Even mild dehydration can cause it to look less-than-fresh, discolored, and dull.
Keep a reusable water bottle with you and fill it up as often as you can. Water-strong fruits and veggies like watermelon, celery, and cucumber are also great sources of hydration.
6. Meditate/De-stress
Meditation sounds harder than it is. Really, it’s about being mindful in the moment and training our brains to be a little more relaxed.
Meditation is linked to lower stress levels (less cortisol), a stronger immune system, improved sleep, better heart health, and a whole host of other benefits.
If you want to dip your toe in the water, there are dozens of guided meditation apps, YouTube videos/tutorials, and programs. Google it– you can probably even find a free meditation group in your immediate area.
Research has even found that consistently practicing meditation could potentially slow the aging process — and who doesn’t want to turn back time?
7. Treat Yo’ Self
Make no mistake, spa days are self-care. And getting a facial or other skin-rejuvenating treatment can give your skin its glow back — and leave you feeling fabulous. Just make sure you choose a spa that uses clean, natural products and not harsh chemicals. (Or you could treat yourself to an at-home spa day!)
Better Habits, Better Skin!
The key to all of these skin care tips is that they’re related to good habits and daily dos (and don’ts).
Most importantly, a healthy lifestyle will help you radiate from the inside out. You’ll feel better and look better, so it’s worth investing in some good-for-you activities and products to live your best life!
Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Skin Care Tips for Better Skin
What are the different layers of the skin and why is that important?
Your skin has three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis.
The epidermis is the outer layer and protects skin from the elements and produces melanin; the dermis is the next layer in and contains a lot of the elements that make skin function, such as nerve endings and sweat glands. The last, inner-most layer, the hypodermis, is basically a layer of fat that also helps regulate blood pressure.
Skin acts almost like a set of dominoes--if something happens to the outside layer--the epidermis--the other two layers can be affected, which is why it’s so important to keep the epidermis healthy!
Are skin care products the only way to improve my skin?
Aside from the fact that you must have a good daily skin care routine, a big part of having great skin is how you treat your mind and body. Getting enough sleep, exercising, and eating right are all crucial steps to maintaining your skin’s glow. Look for foods that are rich in beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, Selenium, and Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
How do I create a natural skin care routine for better skin?
The first step is finding a natural skin care line that works for your skin type and stick to these steps : cleanse, tone, treat with serum, and moisturize with eye cream and face cream. Stay away from chemicals like parabens and artificial fragrances that could potentially irritate your skin, and seek out skincare ingredients that will really enhance your skin, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and jojoba oil, to name a few.
