We all strive for smooth, clear, healthy skin. However, so many of us have trouble actually achieving that glowing, radiant look. We try endless skincare products, from serums to cleansers to exfoliants, but nothing seems to work. So what could be the problem? What is blocking our path towards beautiful skin? It turns out that the big brick wall that stands between us and healthy skin may be the food that we’re eating!
Many things can lead to skin issues like acne, oiliness, and clogged pores. From poor hygiene to hormones to the environment, all of it can be a disaster for your skin. There are endless articles that tell you what to do for clear skin, but it turns out there are really only seven main tips to follow for healthy skin! Check out these most important tips to follow for clear, radiant skin:
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1. Wash Your Face
This one should really go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway. The number one tip to follow for healthy skin is to wash your face twice daily. It would help if you washed your face immediately when you wake up in the morning. Not only does this help you feel more awake, but it will also give you a clean canvas to apply your makeup for the day.
2. Remove Makeup Daily
You never want to apply makeup over dirty skin because you are just smearing dirt into your pores! Then you must rewash your face before going to bed at night. It’s important to remove any makeup you wore and wash away any dirt accumulated on your skin throughout the day. Sleeping with makeup or dirt on your face will only clog your pores and lead to breakouts.
3. Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
Following a healthy diet is essential for your organs to be healthy, and what is your largest organ? That’s right – it’s your skin. If you want healthy skin, it starts from the inside. You need to eat clean if you want to have clear skin. This means avoiding greasy foods, processed foods, or foods high in saturated fats.
To have clear skin, you’ll want to eat foods that are rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and antioxidants. These components rid your body of the toxins that cause breakouts and protect your skin from environmental factors like free radicals.
How many times did your parents tell you to eat your fruits and vegetables growing up? Well, it turns out they were on to something! Sure, fruits and vegetables are optimal for overall health, and that’s most likely why your parents always encouraged you to eat them, but they just so happen to be good for your skin’s health as well!
Vegetables such as avocadoes and cauliflower contain vitamins like B6 that help balance your hormones and reduce oil production. Fruits such as strawberries, oranges, and kiwis all contain antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to protect skin from environmental damage like free radicals. They also promote radiant, glowing skin that looks youthful and energized!
4. Consider Adding Whole Grains To Your Diet
Now, it could get real boring eating just fruits and vegetables, you know? So what else can you eat to have that gorgeous skin you’re striving for? Whole grains like brown rice and whole-wheat bread help to flush out toxins from the body – toxins that would typically lead to clogged pores and acne! Fatty acids found in foods like salmon and almonds are known to calm stressed, irritated skin.
5. Reduce Fast Food And Sugar Intake
You’ve probably heard a million times that fast food is bad and you shouldn’t eat. Well, as much as it sucks to admit, that may be true. Not only is fast food bad for your waistline, but it turns out it’s also bad for your skin!
Fast food is often loaded with grease, which increases oil production and can clog your pores if you get it on your face. Most fast food also consists of processed foods filled with toxic preservatives that can build up in your system and turn your skin into an absolute nightmare!
Fast food isn’t the only bad guy when it comes to unhealthy skin. Sugar is another cause of many common skin issues like acne and excessive oil production. So maybe your parents had good reason to limit those sugary drinks and cereals when you were younger.
6. Take Dairy Products In Moderation
You might want to think twice before having another glass of milk or grabbing that slice of cheese because other food that can cause awful skin problems is dairy. We know that dairy is healthy because it provides Vitamin D and other essential nutrients, but it is important to consume it in moderation. Having too much dairy in your diet can throw your hormones off and lead to acne and excessive oil production.
7. Know Your Skin Type
One of the most important tips to follow for healthy skin is to know your skin type. We all have different issues with our skin that we want to remedy. Some of us have dehydrated skin. Some of us have oily skin. Some of us have sensitive skin. Being familiar with your skin type and what problems your skin may have will help you determine the best products to use for clear skin. For example, there are moisturizers formulated specifically for oily skin so that your skin can be hydrated without exacerbating oiliness. Some cleaners can beat breakouts without irritating sensitive skin, and so on. Using products formulated specifically for your skin type will help you have the best skin of your life!
8. Ensure You Have Sufficient Sleep
It turns out, beauty sleep is totally a real thing! Countless studies over the years have shown that there is a major correlation between how much you sleep and how good you look – really. Sleep is the time that your body regenerates and revitalizes itself. This is especially true when it comes to the largest organ your body has: your skin. While you’re busy dreaming at night, your body is working overtime to give you beautiful skin. During sleep, your skin cells regenerate, collagen production increases, and all of the day’s damage is repaired. This is why you wake up glowing and youthful after a good night’s sleep!
Getting adequate sleep does even more for your looks than just giving you radiant skin. Did you know that your body burns calories even when you’re asleep? That’s right; your body is in fat-burning mode while you’re catching those zzz’s! In fact, getting the appropriate amount of sleep is essential for your metabolism. Keeping your metabolism up can only happen if your body gets the rest that it needs, so make sure that you’re getting at least eight hours a night!
9. Use the Right Cleanser
To minimize the look of pores, you want to make sure you are using the right cleanser. Choose a cleanser with salicylic acid, which will help unclog the pores and reduce further oil build-up. It is important to use this cleanser to wash your face twice daily, removing makeup and debris.
- GENTLE NON-ABRASIVE LEAVE-ON EXFOLIATOR: with 2% BHA (Beta hydroxy acid) to unclog & diminish enlarged pores, exfoliate dead skin cells, smooth wrinkles & brighten & even out skin tone; Combats redness, wrinkles, aging, enlarged pores, & blackheads
- Dramatically improves skin's texture for radiant youthful even-toned skin; Beta hydroxy acid (BHA also known as salicylic acid) mimics the natural exfoliation process of younger skin by helping it shed extra layers while unclogging and clearing pores
- HYDRATE, BRIGHTEN & SMOOTH FINE LINES: Our unique, non-abrasive, leave-on exfoliant is gentle enough for daily use on all skin types; Exfoliates dead skin cells while clearing pores for a more even tone, plus it visibly reduces fine lines & wrinkles
- Paula's Choice facial exfoliants are gentler on delicate skin of the face & neck than an abrasive face scrub, which can cause micro-tears; A BHA leave-on exfoliator delivers hydration & can exfoliate directly inside the pore & improve how the pore works
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- Paula's Choice Skincare makes science-backed products that work. No fragrance, no parabens, no fluff. Just effective, cruelty-free formulas that target any concern from wrinkles to breakouts.
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10. Exfoliate
Exfoliating your skin helps to minimize pores’ appearance by removing all of the dirt, debris, and dead skin cells that build-up and clog the pores. Don’t exfoliate too often – this will damage your skin and leave your pores even more visible. Only exfoliate once or twice a week using an exfoliating cleanser.
Paula’s Choice is the cleanser with salicylic acid and exfoliating cleanser for daily use.
11. Apply Primer
A good primer works wonders when it comes to reducing the look of pores. Apply a primer under your makeup or wear one on its own, and it’ll be nearly impossible to spot a pore on your face!
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- MATTE PRIMER FOR PREPPING: Our matte makeup primer readies your face after your skin care regimen and before makeup application to ensure your look is locked in. Crafted with high-quality ingredients such as pearl powder, it delivers an immediate smooth effect on your skin.
- GET FLAWLESS FACE MAKEUP: Lock in your makeup with the power of our make up primer. This makeup primer for face leaves a matte finish that protects your makeup throughout the day from oiliness and creasing.
- SKIN PRIMER FOR FACE WITH SKIN BENEFITS: Besides evening out your skin tone, our formula enlivens the appearance of your skin and balances your complexion. This pore minimizer primer is perfect for layering under makeup as it protects against creasing.
- HOW TO USE: Apply skincare and sunscreen to clean face. Wait 30 seconds or more for skincare to adequately dry. Start with a nickel-sized amount of the face primer and apply in circular motions. Wait for primer to dry for 30 seconds before applying makeup.
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12. Use Clay or Mud Masks
Clay and mud masks are an excellent way to remove all of the dirt and oil from your pores, making them appear smaller. These masks absorb all of the oil and shrink pores completely closed! Use a mask once or twice weekly to get Healthy Glowing Skin.
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- MINERAL-INFUSED Clarifying Mud Mask is based on an advanced formula composed of Dead Sea mineral mud, aloe vera, calendula oil, Vitamin E and Jojoba oil that gently purifies and cleans clogged pores.
- PURE DEAD SEA MUD helps cleanse the skin and provide a soothing sensation. Rich in minerals, it aids skin renewal, creating a gentle exfoliation effect that removes excess oil, toxins, and dead skin cells for a softer feel and radiant glow.
- REDUCES PORES & ABSORBS EXCESS OIL our Spa Quality Mud removes dead skin cells and toxins to reveal fresh, soft skin and is also known to stimulate blood circulation.
- OUR DEAD SEA FACIAL MASK is made with high quality ingredients and is alcohol, parabens, sulfates free and Cruelty Free.
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Conclusion
Everyone wants to have flawless, smooth skin, but it’s not always easy to achieve! It takes a lot of work to get perfect skin. While eating a ton of greasy, processed foods can definitely wreak havoc on your skin, diet is not always the culprit behind everyone’s skin issues. Some people have issues with their skin due to genetics. Others have issues with their skin due to the environment.
Some even have issues with their skin due to poor hygiene. Diet alone is not the only thing that can give you bad skin. It’s also worth noting that some people have no adverse skin reactions to a poor diet. You probably have a friend who eats whatever she wants, and her skin is flawless.
Some people are just naturally fortunate when it comes to their skin. All in all, the best way to see if the diet is leading to your skin issues is with a little trial and error. Quit eating the greasy food and sugar for a few weeks and see if your skin improves. Then you’ll know for sure that your poor diet was leading to bad skin!