Image Source: Joannavargas

Keeping the Skin Healthy and Beautiful

Healthy and beautiful skin is no longer unattainable with regular care of the skin with natural products, which do not contain synthetic fertilizers and are hence healthy for our skin.

1. Exfoliate regularly

Exfoliating at least once or twice a week helps to remove the dead skin at the top layer thereby exposing the fresh skin underneath leading to a beautiful and healthy skin. Lemon or tomato juice can strip the skin of its natural oils and make it sensitive to the harsh rays of the sun. Exfoliate dry skin with agents that have either very mild or no additional cleansing agents, and exfoliate your oily skin with scrubbing agent for a healthy and beautiful skin.

2. Use Mild Cleansers

Strong washing agents like soap will deprive the skin of its oil and leave it dry and tight. Choose a mild soap or cleanser which does not contain any artificial fragrance. Soaps should contain moisturizing agents like aloe vera, vegetable oils, herbs, lavender, peppermint, rosemary or chamomile. For dry skin, opt for soaps with moisturizing agents and for sensitive skin, look for hypoallergenic soaps without fragrance.

3. Moisturize Regularly

Applying moisturizer to the skin protects the skin and also helps in improving its texture and tone. Using a moisturizer with SPF will do the extra work of protecting your skin against the sun. Use natural moisturizers like olive oil, jojoba, coconut oil and shea butter. Sensitive skin needs ingredients like green tea, aloe vera and vitamin C. Moisturizers with salicylic acid are good for acne-prone skin.

4. Protect Your Skin against Sun Rays

While the skin needs UV exposure to produce Vitamin D, too much exposure to the harsh sun rays may damage the skin. Damage due to the sun rays make the skin look aged, cause freckles and wrinkles and destroy elastin and collagen. So the skin needs permanent protection from the UV rays.

Herbs and their products are good protectors due to their antioxidant presence. Green tea with its powerful antioxidants can protect the skin against sunburn.  Many oils like olive, peanut and coconut can effectively block the UV rays. Rosemary which is rich in antioxidants, lavender, walnut extract and Vitamin E are some of the natural resources that are powerful to protect our skin from the harmful rays of the sun. So while out in the sun, protect your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen all the year through and attain healthy and beautiful skin.

5. Importance of Toner in Skin Care

The most neglected cosmetic in daily skin care routines, toners should be used to remove any residues of make-up or skin cleanser. Toners also hydrate dry skin, balance normal skin and have antibacterial properties for skin prone to acnes. While applying toner, look for toners with Aloe Vera juice which has healing properties and essential oils which provide antibacterial, anti ageing, cell rejuvenation and numerous other benefits.

6. Removing stretch marks

The main causes of stretch marks on the skin may be due to rapid weight gain or weight loss, pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy or even puberty. The gel secreted by the Aloe Vera leaves contains plant collagen which has skin repairing capabilities. This can also reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Lemon juice, which is a great source of Vitamin C, is another natural stretch marks remover. Vitamin C present in the lemon ensures that collagen is produced which helps to maintain the tone and strength of the skin.

7. Protect your ageing skin

Moisturizing your skin daily is the key to keeping your skin healthy and young. With age this ritual becomes more important. Antioxidants prevent the damage of the skin’s DNA from free radicals. Hence, antioxidants included either in your diet or applied manually are great savers of the skin from ageing. Green tea extract, retinol and acai oil are some natural sources of antioxidants.

Caring for your skin does not have to undergo radical changes as you grow older. Thanks to Mother Nature - healthy and beautiful skin is no longer unattainable. Additionally incorporating some habits – drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet, protecting the skin against sunrays and getting the required amount of sleep, into your life are enough to ensure that you have vibrant and youthful skin perpetually.