Tips to keep your skin looking radiant and youthful

How many of you use sunscreen? What about moisturiser? Taking care of your skin will keep it looking healthy, radiant, and young-looking for many years.

The good news is that you do not have to buy expensive skincare products. By observing skin care basics and watching what you eat, you can prevent premature skin aging and other skin problems caused by not looking after your skin as you should.

Practicing healthy skin care habits helps skin retain its youthful firmness for longer, prevents a blemished complexion, reduces wrinkles, and also reduces the risk of skin cancer.

These steps will keep your skin healthy:

Avoid direct exposure to sunlight: This is essential when it comes to skin care. Rays from sunlight make the skin age faster than it should.

A lifetime of too much exposure to intense sunlight can cause age spots, wrinkles, and even skin cancer. To protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays:

Keep away from the sun when the rays are strongest; between 10 and 2pm. 

APPLY SUNSCREEN

Apply sunscreen particularly on areas that are not covered, before going outdoors.

Put on protective clothing, such as long trousers, long-sleeved blouses or shirts, and hats with a wide brim. Also wear quality sunglasses with ultra-violet protection to prevent formation of fine lines around your eyes.

Eat healthy: A healthy diet is the foundation of a healthy and younger looking skin. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Do not smoke: Tobacco smoke has toxins that could lead to premature wrinkles, a dry and dull complexion, and skin that appears older than it really is.

Smoking causes the small blood vessels in the outermost layers of the skin to narrow, hence decreasing blood flow.

OXYGEN DEPLETION

When this happens, oxygen and other nutrients essential to a healthy skin get depleted. In addition, smoking can also damage elastin and collagen fibres, which give skin its elasticity and strength, leading to sagged skin.

Wash correctly: Always wash your face before sleeping, to get rid of the dirt and sweat. Also, how you wash your face will have an effect on its appearance.

Use warm water and mild soap or cleanser for bathing. Hot water and strong soaps strip the skin of its natural oils.

Also do not scrub the skin, since this will cause irritation. After washing, use a clean towel to gently pat the skin dry, to preserve moisture.

When shaving, apply shaving gel or cream to lubricate and protect the skin.

Use a new razor to shave

Use moisturiser:  As you grow older, the skin gets drier and wrinkles and fine lines form. It is therefore important to apply a moisturiser that suits your skin type.

A moisturiser helps to soften and make the external skin layer more flexible. It also increases the skin’s water content by decreasing evaporation.

Get enough rest: Adequate sleep is necessary for healthy skin because it allows the body time to revive and repair itself.

Insufficient sleep makes the blood vessels dilate, causing formation of dark circles around the eyes. Not getting enough sleep might also make you look stressed, tired, and older.