How to Keep Your Skin Healthy and Nourished

How to Keep Your Skin Healthy and Nourished

Whilst genetics play a part in skin texture, there are lots of ways you can protect and nourish your skin to keep it healthy from eating well to protecting it from the elements, you have more control over your skin than you think.

Read on for some skincare tips:

Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet is the ideal way to help improve your health and well-being in general. While it’s fine to indulge (everything in moderation, even moderation is how I live my life) being mindful over what you eat is key prioritising a plant-based diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and pulses for optimum health. 

Anything high in fat or fast-food related will cause your skin to look more tired, oily, and lacklustre. You are what you eat! 

Skin-boosting food to incorporate into your diet include:

• Avocados as they contain healthy fats useful for hydrating the skin
• Dark chocolate helps to protect the skin from the sun’s damage
• Green tea helps protect the skin from ageing
• Sweet potatoes slow down the appearance of ageing

Protect your skin with sunscreen

Whenever you go out into the sun, you are exposing your skin to its UV rays. While those UV rays might not be too damaging in moderation, if you’re out in the sun for long periods, and with little to no sun protection, that’s when permanent damage to the skin can occur.

First and foremost, forgoing sunscreen creates leathery skin, increasing fine lines and wrinkles. When your skin is dehydrated over time, it becomes thin and tissue paper like. Skin naturally sags with age due to a loss of collagen so robust skin protection is key as you age, too.  

A good SPF of 30 or 50 should be worn every single day and reapplied throughout the day. Every day really means every day, even during the cooler months because even if the sun doesn’t appear to be out, its UV rays are. 

Do apply sunscreen liberally and top it up as and when you need it (after swimming or a shower in the morning for e.g.) to ensure full coverage and protection.

Invest in a premium skincare routine

A skincare routine is key in keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

While skincare can not be as effective as cosmetic treatments and more invasive procedures like surgery, investing in a high quality skincare routine is vital to looking healthy. I started a simple routine from puberty cleansing and moisturising my skin and using spot cream where neccessary. I’ve continued that into adulthood and now use premium, medical-grade products for the greatest results. 

If you are starting a more robust routine consider the steps below which take 5-10 minutes morning.

• Cleanse and wash your face – twice is more effective
• Tone to help balance the skin
• Moisturise to help with hydration and soften skin
• Exfoliate to remove dead skin cells
• Apply a mask once a week to treat the skin 
• Apply sunscreen during your morning routine

Try to get a good night’s sleep 

While it’s easier said than done, sleep will help combat tired skin.  

We all need sleep to help repair our bodies and re-energize ourselves. Between 7 and 9 hours of sleep is recommended when you’re looking to improve the quality of sleep you’re getting. 

If you struggle with sleep, consider using white noise to drown out any outside sounds that are stopping you from sleeping, try blackout blinds or an eye mask and meditate before bed. Stick to the same night time routine so your body understands sleep cues for a more restful night. If you have prolonged insomnia, talk to your doctor.  

Make use of supplements

Supplements are useful way to help your body if it’s lacking the optimum level of nutrients it needs. As you get older, your body becomes slower at producing nutrients such as collagen which effects the skin’s elasticity. 

A lack of elasticity will contribute to more wrinkles, loose skin and fine lines.

To help combat this, it might be worth looking at taking collagen juice which is easy enough to make part of your diet.

If you’re concerned about a lack of other vitamins such as Vitamin D or iron, speak to your doctor to arrange blood tests.

Drink less alcohol and caffeine

Alcohol and caffeine contribute to the appearance of skin as both are dehydrating, which means your skin is likely to suffer from the lack of water content in your body.

Woken up from a previous night of drinking? You’ll probably notice your skin looks more tired and less glowy than usual. That’s the impact that alcohol can have on your skin.

It’s a good idea to try and drink less alcohol and caffeine in general, switching to decaf or green tea, the latter actually provides your body with nutrients such as B vitamins, folate (naturally occurring folic acid), manganese, potassium, magnesium, caffeine and other antioxidants, notably catechins. T

here are lots of low and no alcoholic drinks on offer so you don’t have to feel you’re missing out by prioritising your health and wellbeing. 

Look after your hands

Hands are one of the tell-tale signs of age and they are so often forgotten about! 

There are a number of ways to address your hands. These include doing regular hand scrubs to exfoliate dead skin; using hand cream or oil after washing so they are nourished and moisturised, keeping them covered when out in the sun and taking collagen supplements.

Let me know if you have any tips too.