Category: Natural Health and Beauty Tips

1. Daily Skincare Habits You Should Adopt This Year

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 12th Feb 2024

   Taking care of your skin isn’t just a winter task - you should focus on many of these factors all year round! Your skin has different needs depending on the season and so you may need to adapt your skincare at different times of the year.

   However, skincare needn’t be complicated either. In fact, we can make it very simple! You can adopt any of the daily skincare habits we’ve included below for better results this year. Beauty is more than skin deep, but we always feel better when our skin looks great! 

   

   Pexels Image - CC0 Licence

   Create and maintain a consistent skin care regimen

   If you cleanse, tone and moisturise your skin twice a day, this helps to keep your skin clean, protected and hydrated.  Additionally if you use good quality products containing ingredients that are suited to your skin type and skin care concerns, you will also start to notice that the condition, tone and overall appearance of your skin will improve on a long term basis. 

   If you have the time and spare cash, a professional facial every 4-6 weeks will give that extra boost to your own self care routine.

   Drink a Little More Water

   Everyone has their own water level need; the idea that you can just drink 2 litres of water a day and be fine just might not work in reality. 

   If you drink less than the recommended 2 litres per day, try drinking just a little more water per day and see how it makes you feel. Maybe another glass, either first thing in the morning or purchase a water bottle and sip small quantities throughout the day. 

   Use Sunscreen Every Day

   Caring for your skin isn’t just done indoors. You need to be aware of what you’re putting it through outside as well. All the best skincare habits take this into account, and that’s why this point has made it onto the list. 

   Wear a minimum SPF 15 sunscreen every day, even if it is cloudy or partly overcast. If you’re heading out, put some on, and take some with you to reapply if you’re going to be gone long. A handy sunscreen spray makes the stuff easy to apply and keeps your skin feeling and looking smooth. 

   Plus, sunscreen is a great mosturiser and can be applied underneath any makeup you’re wearing - you might just cut down some time on your morning beauty routine! 

   Don’t Overcleanse

   Try to avoid overcleansing your skin with products containing harsh ingredients such as alcohol which strip the natural oils from your skin.  This tip applies to all skin types, from dry to oily and in between.

   If you have naturally oily skin,  it’s easy to feel ‘oily’ and like your face is dirty. If you overcleanse with stripping ingredients your skin’s natural oils out, the sebacaceous glands that produce oil are going to work double time to replace it's natural sebum (oil) levels,

   This can lead to long term overproduction and a lot more blemishes you feel you have to cover up! 

   Some skincare habits will be better than others. Identifying the ones that work for you takes time and experimentation, but the tips above work generally well for everyone’s skin. 

   
   
   

2. Taking Care of Your Skin in Winter

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 5th Dec 2023

   Winter is here and it is not relenting. With it comes icy weather, whipping winds and dry, flaky skin on your cheeks. There is something to be said for apple cheeks in the autumn, but it's not so cute in the winter when your skin feels chapped and the air feels raw. You might want to hide under a blanket, but you can't always do that through the winter months, especially if you have work to get to and responsibilities to maintain.

   The good news is that with some care and attention, your skin is going to be easy to take care of in the winter, just like it is every other month of the year. You can keep your skin healthy and make it glow all winter long, so all you need to do is make sure that you are sitting comfortably and reading this article and you'll have the skin care tips that you need for that glowing healthy skin.

   

   Image source: Pexels

   • Don't forget your SPF. You might have packed your spray sunscreen the last time you went on vacation, but it's just as handy in the winter when you are on the way to work as it is on the beach in Portugal. Making sure that you are using sunscreen is important even through the winter, because you're still going to have to deal with the UV rays of the sun. The sun protection factor is going to be higher even in some of the winter days, so keeping your skin protected should be your concern.

   • Moisturize, moisturize and keep on moisturizing. The air is crisp and cold in the winter months and it's not so great for your skin, especially on your face that is exposed to the elements all the time. The dry air can compensate for the loss of moisture with your skin and steal it away and make sure that it's less hydrated before you go back to bed. In the evening, make sure that you are moisturizing your skin to keep it looking soft and supple and hydrated. You will seal moisture in better with an oil based moisturizer than a water based one.

   • Keep a humidifier going. The dry air in the house can be just as damaging to your face and your skin as the cold winter air outside. Humidifiers work to add moisture back into the air, and that keeps your skin hydrated. It can also help you with those cold and flu symptoms so if you've got something going round in your neighborhood, you can avoid it.

   • Those long, hot showers. Shorter, cooler showers should be something that you take throughout the winter months as well as summer months. Those hot showers are great for warming up, but they can leave your skin to dry very quickly. This leaves you feeling tight and uncomfortable even when you use moisturizer. Next, limit your showers to around 15 minutes and use lukewarm water instead of hot water to preserve the natural oils of your skin.