SKIN 360
3 Main Factors That Affect Your Skin’s Health
Skincare goes so much deeper than just the products you put on your skin.
Skincare is a way of life!
We know there are endless possibilities and product combinations to choose from in order to get the best skincare routine. But when all that is said and done, if you aren’t taking the same diligent care and applying it to your lifestyle, you’ll never get the results you wish to see..
Skin health involves plenty of other factors that require you to take the time to pay attention to. Let’s start with the basics...
SLEEP
Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for the overall health of your skin. Poor sleepers show increased signs of premature skin aging, as their skin has a decreased ability to repair itself at night from environmental stressors (think sun exposure and pollution). Those who don’t clock in their 8 hours also struggle to regenerate collagen, which is essential to skin elasticity.
To optimize your sleep, make sure to turn off your cell phone (yes, that means no more TikTok scrolling before bed!), to and engage in a calming activity such as reading a book, doing your skincare routine or taking a bath.
Ensure that your room is kept at a cool temperature and that you reserve it only for sleeping. Not for work, not for TV, not for mindless social media scrolling! This will help signal your brain to trigger your sleeping hormones whenever you climb into your sheets in order to drift away soundly.
Speaking of sheets: linen or organic Egyptian cotton sheets are known to help regulate your body’s temperature as you sleep. Meanwhile, silk sheets are known to be the absolute best option for your skin’s health and to prevent fine lines and wrinkles over time.
DIET
Your skin is only as healthy as what you eat! What you put inside of your body is as important as the products that you put on it. A healthy and balanced diet adjusted to your needs could improve your skin’s health from the inside out, as a clear complexion begins with eating a healthful diet.
Like most things in life, balance is key. As a general rule, avoiding alcohol, dairy products, and tobacco products will make a big difference in your complexion. These either meddle with your hormonal balance and sebum production or dehydrate your skin–none of which are good.
A registered dietician will be best equipped to redirect you towards the best nutrition for your needs, so make sure you turn to qualified professionals if you are looking for guidance.
LIFESTYLE
Aside from sleep and diet, it’s a given that an overall healthy lifestyle will benefit your skin in many ways. Being active daily (even for 20 minutes!), drinking enough water and keeping stress to a minimum will work wonders for your glow and help you maintain a positive mindset.
Research has shown that young women who report higher levels of stress were 23% more likely to suffer from severe acne (as stress has been shown to increase the production of sebum). Stress can also aggravate inflammation, psoriasis, rosacea, eczema, and also contribute to reducing skin elasticity. It can even lead to premature hair loss, and not just on your scalp: think lashes and eyebrows!
In a nutshell: it all goes hand in hand. If you sleep well, drink your water, eat your veggies, stay active and take care of what’s on the inside, the outside will follow. Your skin will thrive in no time if you take the time and attention to give it the love it deserves.
On that note...take care of the BODY you’re in!
Until next time,
Mathilde