6 Bad Habits That Are Ruining Your Skin!

As we grow older, we grow wiser. Well, that’s how it’s supposed to go. But the more things we learn and experience, the more fine lines start to appear on our face. Wrinkles are nothing to be ashamed of, but having fresh and healthy looking skin can give you a boost of confidence!

Your face says a lot about you and it's the first thing people see when they meet you. That’s why we want to let you know how to best look after your skin, with these easy changes to your daily habits that can make a huge difference.

1. Ignoring SPF

The number one rule to stop the aging process is applying either sunblock or a moisturizer with SPF every single day. The skin on our face is more vulnerable than the rest of our body, due to the constant exposure to the sun and other environmental toxins, as well as the skin already being thinner in areas around the eyes and on the neck.

Look to an moisturizer that contains SPF 30 or above. This will help keep your skin protected from the damaging sun rays, while also softening the skin.

Penetration from UV rays is the main culprit in aging the skin. The sun causes the skin to dry, and to lose collagen, elastin and skin cells. All these are essential to having healthy skin – not only to look good, but to feel good too!

Collagen is responsible for your skin’s plumpness, which is what makes it look youthful. Without collagen, skin becomes thin, which makes it sag and more prone to developing wrinkles. Elastin keeps the skin more elastic, and therefore also prevents the appearance of wrinkles. Skin cells are essential because they repair broken skin by renewing themselves.

2. Not Hydrating Yourself

Hydration shouldn’t be underrated. Drinking water doesn’t only keep your mind and organs working well, but it is also one of the main contributors to healthy skin. Without water, skin dries out, leaving it more prone to wrinkles. Dry skin can become flaky, causing red patches, itching, and irritation.

Drinking water helps boost blood circulation, which the skin cells need in order to do their job. Unfortunately, blood reaches other vital organs before it reaches the skin and hair. That’s why you also need to apply hydration to your skin, using moisturizers, face masks and serums. The best time to apply a moisturizer is after a warm shower because the heat will open the pores, which the moisture can sink into.  

If you have a bit of time one evening a week, using a good quality hydrating face mask is a relaxing way to add moisture to your skin. Here at Cel, we know how important the health of your skin is. Taking the time to create a routine is beneficial to your skin, and also a wonderful way to spend some time with yourself or friends. You deserve to pamper yourself every now and then.

3. Getting Enough Sleep

Sleep is known to keep your mind healthy, and physically stronger, but what about your skin? Well, our skin cells function in a similar cycle that our minds work in. Overnight, our skin repairs itself, from the damage done by the pollutants, toxins, and sun exposure from the day.  

The more damaged your skin remains over time, the less effective it’s healing process is. Your immune system plays an important role in healthy skin too, which needs you to sleep so that it can function properly! So, constant good night’s sleep is going to help your skin appear healthier.

4. Not Getting Your 5-A-Day

Fruit and vegetables provide your body with vitamins and nutrients that help your body to function healthily – and it’s no different for your skin! Our skin needs those same nutrients for skin cells to stay healthy.

Vegetables and fruits are full of antioxidants and vitamins that can fight free radicals, which attack our skin on a daily basis. There are certain nutrients which are particularly beneficial to your skin. Vitamins A, B3, and C can help to prevent the breakdown of collagen, and also produce and maintain elasticity – both are essential to having healthy skin! Those three vitamins also help to reduce hyperpigmentation, which is when darker patches appear on the skin, where it has tried to protect itself from the sun. Oranges and strawberries are great fruits, while sweet potatoes and asparagus should be added to your dinner plate.

Vitamin E has the same talents, but it’s also known to help your skin protect itself from UV damage, even out pigmentation and blemishes, and to reduce inflammation on damaged skin! The best foods to find Vitamin E in are green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.

5. Overdoing It On The Sweet Stuff

There are certain foods that can cause an eruption of blemishes on your face, by spiking your blood sugar levels. These foods fall under the categories of sugars and simple carbs, which includes white bread, candy, potato chips, and ice cream. The sudden rise in blood sugar levels can cause inflammation on your skin, as well as worsen pimples and acne. If you’re prone to pimples, frequently eating these foods may even cause scars.

Collagen is sensitive to your diet – when you experience acne scars, the skin bumps or dips can damage collagen, which makes your skin age faster. There is also the problem of glycation, which occurs when you eat far too much sugar. The sugar molecules stick to the collagen, making it inflexible and stiff. We need collagen to be bouncy and soft so that it keeps the youthful plumpness.

6. Cigarettes And Alcohol

These guilty pleasures can cause the skin to look lackluster, especially after a heavy night of drinking. Alcohol is a dehydrator, in both the long run and the short term. Excessive drinking can also cause inflammation and blemishes on the skin, due to the sugars in alcohol and soft drinks. This can be a catalyst for early aging of the skin, because free radicals can damage the skin more easily, leaving wrinkles open to developing.

Smoking is proven to make you look older, with frequent smokers appearing older than they are. Larger bags under the eyes and lip wrinkles are two obvious ways in which the skin ages from smoking, but other parts of the body may also experience damage – when you smoke, the oxygen pumping around your body struggles to reach areas as fast. This causes blood vessels to cut off circulation to the skin, which makes it dryer and duller all over the body.

Tobacco also contains chemicals that harm aspects of your body, including your collagen and elastin. And as we know, they’re in the foundation of having young looking skin! 

Providing your body with hydration and nutrients will help reverse the effects of one night of drinking and smoking, and also make you feel better on the inside, but if you like to binge drink often or smoke cigarettes regularly, you may notice that your skin is aging faster.

Final Thoughts

Simple steps can be taken to improve the appearance of your skin and help you stay looking young. Most people will be guilty of at least one of these habits, so don’t worry! But taking care of your skin is the first step to feeling and looking younger, which will give you the confidence to do more and be yourself! Plus, these steps will make you feel better internally, too! Sleeping, eating well, drinking water – all are scientifically proven to benefit your health.

Sources

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/beauty/skin/a706916/how-to-get-rid-of-hyperpigmentation/