Pro Tips For Healthy Skin
Happy National Skincare Awareness Month! At Gameela Skin, I’m celebrating by sharing some of my best *pro tips* to promote healthy and happy skin.
Protect Your Skin From The Sun Daily
At the top of every skincare list will always be protecting your skin from the sun. The harmful UV rays from the sun can penetrate deep within your skin, damaging your production of collagen and elastin, not to mention it can be detrimental to your health, especially to those of us with a fair complexion.
Ensuring you are completely protected with SPF every morning will keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. Many moisturizers and foundations contain SPF {& some SPF options even serve as a foundation themselves}. I find myself consistently reaching for the Rhonda Allison Daytime Defense SPF. Applying this ultra-refined complex SPF before my makeup each morning keeps my skin protected & feeling moisturized {without the greasy feeling of typical sunscreen}.
Pro tip: Your hands are often left unprotected from the sun’s rays, and are exposed to damaging UV rays that cause signs of aging on the hands. As the saying goes, hands are one of the first signs of aging. When applying sunscreen, ensure you are fully applying to your face, neck, AND hands.
Wash Your Face Last In The Shower
We all love the feeling of washing our face prior to hopping in the shower and letting the steam give us a little at home facial. However, washing your face before the shower and not washing again after shampooing and conditioning, could be leaving the residue of your hair care on your face - leading to buildup and breakouts.
If you’ve been noticing breakouts along your hairline, this could be the culprit! I recommend washing your face last, to assure that you don’t leave any soap residue on your face.
Consider Your Diet
Your diet really does affect every aspect of your health - even your skin! Your skin is the largest organ in your body and we spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to protect it from outside forces: pollution, the sun, germs, and bacteria.
However, what we put within our body can play an even larger role. Eating certain foods, such as high processed sugars, can cause your skin to be inflamed and cause breakouts. Eating a diet high in oils and deep-fried foods can leave your body wanting for proteins, which help contribute to the essential production of collagen and elastin.
Cutting out refined sugars and oily foods altogether isn’t necessary, but most things are better in moderation. Indulging on an extra sweet treat or your favorite plate of french fries can be an amazing experience, but keeping it to special occasions can help ensure beautiful skin that glows from within. Drinking enough fluids - especially water - can also help keep the skin naturally hydrated and healthy.
For some, even certain nutritious foods can cause breakouts if your body doesn’t process it well. If you notice breakouts when you eat certain foods, such as dairy or whey protein powder, try an elimination diet to see what works with your body and what doesn’t. If you notice your skin clears up when you cut a certain food, consider cutting that food out of your diet more regularly to avoid inflammation and breakouts.
Stress Management
Your skin will reflect the health of your body. Similar to keeping a healthy diet, managing your stress will also do wonders for your skin!
When you feel stressed, your body may experience increased inflammation and produce more oil. This increased oil production can cause breakouts, or trigger flare ups of conditions like eczema or psoriasis. Stress hormones also contribute to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, causing premature signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines.
Managing stress can do wonders for your skin, and your overall well being. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, consider taking a break {within that moment} to take a few deep breaths. If stress seems to be a constant in your life, I recommend exploring a meditation or mindfulness routine, aimed to bring you back to center. Ensuring you are getting enough sleep and eating foods that contribute to your well being can also help keep stress hormones low.
Apply Skincare Products In The Correct Order
My skincare routine is {one of} my favorite parts of my day. I’ve worked hard to curate the perfect product lineup, as I’m sure many of you have! To ensure your routine is working to its fullest potential, I recommend applying skincare products in the correct order.
The correct order to apply skincare is generally from thinnest to thickest.
Cleanser: Always start by cleaning your skin, preparing the perfect base to absorb your skincare products.
Toner: Another step to prep the skin for what’s to come, not to mention add a little hydration to the skin.
Serum: Serums are able to penetrate deep into the skin, providing supercharged benefits to your face.
Eye Cream: A superpowered product if you’re looking to combat under eye bags and wrinkles!
Spot Treatments: More of an evening product, these treatments will generally be used atop blemishes or breakouts to act overnight.
Moisturizer: Of course to keep the skin hydrated, but the thickness of moisturizer on top of all your other products also acts as a sealant, to ensure your products are working throughout the day or night!
Retinol: Applying this more potent skincare product in small doses after you apply your moisturizer will help avoid any irritation.
Sunscreen: Save the best for last! Apply sunscreen every morning to keep your skin protected all day long.
Monthly Facials or Dermaplane
As you know — I’m a big proponent of self care! & sometimes, this looks like a monthly facial or dermaplane. A monthly facial can help you combat skincare concerns and discoloration, while promoting cell turnover and anti-aging effects. Not to mention the time to relax and enjoy a moment to yourself.
If you’re not convinced yet, try a facial at Gameela Skin, and I guarantee you’ll be converted. Schedule your appointment online today!