New Year’s resolutions are fun to make, but often difficult to keep. Luckily, in the beauty world there are a few simple tweaks and adjustments you can make to your regime that will benefit your skin and makeup routine.
Basic skincare dos and don’ts
1. Do drink plenty of water
Your skin is one of the largest organs which technically covers your entire body. That means a dehydrated body will result in a dehydrated skin. Therefore, it is essential for a person to drink at least eight glasses of water daily to keep your skin hydrated. This will maintain a healthy complexion of your skin and flush out unwanted toxins from your body.
2. Don’t keep touching your face
It’s tough - especially, when you have a blemish. The truth is that the more you touch your face, the more problems will arise. Breakouts happen because of unclean hands full of bacteria when you touch your face, this acts as a fuel for the blemishes. At least try to keep your hands off your face as much as possible and wash your hands regularly, especially during these uncertain times amid the pandemic.
3. Do exfoliate gently
If you dream of having healthy and glowing skin, regular exfoliation is a must. It will remove the dead cells from your skin’s surface, as well as keep your pores clear from pesky black and white heads. Irrespective of your skin type, exfoliating once a week can bring new life to your complexion. However, do not use an exfoliator that is too rough because it can leave your skin dry, irritated and damaged.
4. Don’t take hot showers
Even though hot showers are immensely relaxing and soothing, they are considered less than ideal for your skin. Taking a hot shower not only upsets your skin’s natural moisture balance, but it also strips the natural oils and proteins from your skin that keeps it healthy. This eventually will result in inflammation, dryness, redness and even itching. To protect your skin, shower in warm water only.
5. Do not fall asleep with makeup on
Sleeping in your makeup can result in unnecessary exposure to the free radicals in the environment, which the makeup holds on to. Free radicals cause the breakdown of healthy collagen, which results in fine lines on the skin. Additionally, makeup can clog your pores while you sleep, resulting in the development of acne.
6. Do eat healthy food
Great skincare starts with what food you eat. If you love junk food, consume a lot of alcohol, caffeine, and even smoke, getting perfect skin will always seem like a long distant dream and will be almost impossible to achieve. This is because consuming such a diet will keep your body and skin dehydrated most of the time and thus, contributes to inflammation, breakouts and collagen loss. So, instead treat your body and skin by loading up on foods rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, E, A and beta carotene.
7. Do not leave without sunscreen protection
SPF’s should never be an option, but a priority to be worn daily for all skin types. Sunscreen helps fights against the damaging effect of the UVA and UVB rays which causes premature skin aging and wrinkling along with skin cancer. To effectively lighten skin damage caused due to the sun, choose products that are natural. For the sunscreen, either opt for a moisturizer with an SPF or mix your favourite moisturizer with an SPF to ensure a good hydrating coverage.
8. Do sleep soundly for 7 to 8 hours
Even science has confirmed that beauty sleep is indeed a necessity. Every single cell in your body, including your skin cells require a lot of sleep on a daily basis. Night is the time when fresh and healthy cells rise to the skin’s surface and repair any damage accumulated over the day. But, without enough time to sleep, the skin does not get repaired and that is when skin related problems begin to surface more frequently.
Hair care
While genetics play a key role, your diet, the weather, pollution, and your overall approach to hair care are all critical to maintaining your crowning glory. Find out how a healthy diet and proper care can keep your mane a head above the rest.
1. Food
A well-rounded diet is an important factor in hair and scalp health. Hair is primarily made up of protein, so be sure to eat at least 45 grams of protein daily. Good sources include:
* Lean meat
* Poultry
* Fish
* Beans
* Low-fat dairy products
* Eggs
Diets with inadequate protein can result in weak, brittle hair and loss of hair color, as well as loss of hair itself.
2. Choose the right shampoo
Using the wrong shampoo and styling agent can cause significant hair damage. Look for products that are right for your hair type - oily, normal, or dry - and target any problems you have, such as dandruff.
Try to avoid shampoos with harsh ingredients, such as ammonium lauryl sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate. And remember, cost doesn’t necessarily indicate the quality of a product.
3. Conditioner
Conditioning after shampooing is an important step in keeping your hair soft, shiny, and manageable. You can choose a separate conditioner for your hair.
Comb conditioner through for even distribution. Leave it in your hair for two to three minutes before rinsing out.
- Compiled by Ruwini Jayawardana
