For flawless skin you need to ensure that skin is cleansed, moisturized and buffed regularly. While this may sound troublesome and time-consuming, our guide will show you how a few minutes everyday along with some new habits can change your skin for good.
Face
Cleansing All of us have been guilty not bothering to clean our face off of the make-up and dirt before we turn in.
While scrubbing your skin everyday may not be advisable for everyone, you need to cleanse twice to cleanse properly. Start off with a cleansing lotion or even an oil like olive oil or almond oil. Massage your skin with it to break up the make-up and grime. Use a cotton pad or tissue paper to gently wipe off the oil or lotion and be gentle on your eye area. Follow up with a mild cleanser and water to remove excess oil or lotion and any left over make-up. This would take all of 5-10 minutes.
On those nights where you simply cannot go through the ritual of cleansing properly, make-up wipes do a passable job. Try the ones from Johnson & Johnson, Mac and Neutrogena which have variants based on skin type.
Care For all you dry skin lasses, the choice is endless with great intense moisturizing creams available in the market. Remember to choose one with an SPF at least 30 to protect your skin while moisturizing it. Some great options come from Cetaphil, Body Shop and Clinique.
The lucky ladies with combination and oily skin should break out of the belief that your skin cannot bear moisturizing or does not need a moisturizer. You have to look for matte finish, lightweight creams which moisturize without clogging up your skin. Some great options come from brands such as Clinique, Neutrogena, Clean and Clear, Cetaphil, Dermalogica and Boots Pharmacy.
Lips
Scrubbing your lips with a soft toothbrush and an oil-sugar scrub once a week is a must-do followed by a good moisturizing balm. Finding a perfect lip balm is essential for keeping your lips soft, healthy and smooth throughout the year. Not to mention having a great base for your lipstick to go on.
The smallest tub of Vaseline petroleum jelly is easy to carry for both men and women and keeping a bigger one in the car keeps it handy for the entire family. Besides lips, Vaseline helps moisturize other dry skin areas as well. The Body Shop Vitamin E lip care stick with SPF15 and Eos lip balms are other great options.
Hands and feet
Pamper your hands and feet with DIY manicure and pedicure sessions at home at least once a week. All you need is warm water, a foot scrub or brush, cleanser and a moisturizing oil or cream. It is best to do this before you sleep as it helps you relax and don’t forget to put on a pair of socks. Wake up to baby soft skin and moisturize well before stepping out.
Hair
Do a hair strengthening or conditioning mask once a week and no, it need not be a weekend thing. A simple egg-yoghurt mask can leave your hair feeling fresh, soft and clean in half an hour with minimal effort. Hot oil treatments before you shampoo your hair can strengthen and protect your hair. Go easy on the shampoos as washing your hair too many times can make it dry and brittle.
Body
Scrubbing revitalizes and refreshes the skin and you could do it with pre-packaged scrubs or DIY scrubs made at home. If nothing else, use a wash cloth or medium-soft brush to take off dead cells which even tackles cellulite dimples. This will also open up your pores and with a good lotion applied right after, your skin will feel supple and smooth. Applying coconut oil or almond oil is considered great after a bath and a little goes a long way. Vaseline body lotions and Body Shop body butters are your best friends in this department.
Inside Out
Having good skin is also about what goes into your body. Taking multivitamins is a great way to boost your energy and nutrition levels while helping your skin as well. Drinking water properly can make an instant difference to your skin and body. Keep a track of what you eat and avoid foods that can make your skin dull. Smoking and drinking are best avoided all together owing to resultant skin and body damage. A good hour of exercise or yoga can show differences in your skin in as less as two weeks.
The most important thing however is to stay happy and positive which reflects in the way you look, move and talk. Get started then, say hello to great skin every single day.
The end result is happy, healthy-looking skin | IStock
