How to Get a Beautiful Glow
Written for Walgreens.com
We all want to put our best face forward. The question is, how? The answer is simpler than you might think. It doesn’t involve long, arduous sessions with a dermatologist or a makeup consultant. The secret to a beautiful glow is actually as easy as tweaking your daily routine. There are several main areas where small changes to your daily routine can lead to big payoffs when it comes to your skin.
Diet:
One of the best things you can do for healthy, radiant skin is to eat a variety of vitamins and minerals as part of a well-balanced diet. These vitamins and minerals will help create beautiful skin from the inside out. Once you’ve cut out the junk food, try adding these to your diet:
Omega 3 fatty acids: These can be found naturally in foods such as fish and walnuts and can help give skin the moisture it needs to be soft and supple.
Cucumbers: These contain both vitamin C and caffeic acid, antioxidants that can help fend off wrinkles and sun damage, as well as boost skin’s inner framework, collagen and elastin.
Water: Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day can make it easier for your body (including skin) to flush out toxins, resulting in clearer skin.
Exercise:
Both over the short-term and the long-term, doing cardio is an excellent way to give your skin a natural flush of color because it stimulates blood flow. Aim for at least 10 minutes of activity a day.
Shower Time:
We all love a long, hot shower, but cutting down on your shower time and reducing the water temperature can be very beneficial to your skin. Hot water can strip skin of its natural oils, resulting in dryness. Opt for a shorter, cooler spray.
Daily Beauty Regimen:
Once you’ve covered the above, you’re ready to tackle your healthy glow directly, by working on your daily beauty regimen. For radiant skin, try adding the following:
Morning facial cleansing: Some people benefit from washing their faces with a gentle cleanser in the morning, as well as in the evening. As you sleep, your skin produces oil that can clog pores once you add your makeup into the mix. Start each day with a clean face.
Once-a-week exfoliation: In the pursuit of a beautiful glow, it can be helpful to clear away dry, flaky skin and dead skin cells that can leave skin looking dull. For best results, look for an exfoliant that has a super fine grain and make sure not to rub too roughly. Use light pressure and gentle, circular motions with your fingers. You can also use a dry brush instead of a cream-based exfoliant.
Daily SPF protection: Help avoid tough, leathery skin by applying a light sunscreen to the face and neck every time you go outside. Better yet, get a facial moisturizer that also contains sunscreen (at least SPF 30) to stay protected all day long.
With just a few simple changes to your daily routine, you can be basking in gorgeous, glowing skin. What are you waiting for? Put your best face forward.