Did you know that the skin is home to millions of microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses? Don’t worry, though, as they’re not all harmful, and some are even beneficial. For example, some of the “good” ones form a protective barrier on the skin.
Many others are pathogenic, though, which means they cause skin diseases. So, it’s no wonder that around one in three people in the US suffer from such skin woes.
Fortunately, there are several ways to keep your body’s largest organ flawless. Below we listed some of the best natural skin care tips you can follow to maintain its health, so be sure to read on.
1. Take a Shower Before Getting ZZZs
According to researchers, air pollution influences skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis. Unfortunately, nearly 90% of the world’s population deals with polluted air every day. Worse, exposure to such dirty air affects many other body parts, from the lungs to the brain.
That’s why you should make nighttime showers a part of your daily habit. That way, you can remove contaminants, sweat, and odor from your skin. Plus, it helps keep pollutants, foul smells, and body fluids from soiling your bedding.
While you’re at it, consider showering with water heated from 105° to 108.5° Fahrenheit. In one study, people who took such showers reported better self-rated sleep quality. They also noted improved sleep efficiency and shorter sleep onset latency.
2. Sleep Like a Baby
Sleeping for five hours or less can already result in more facial lines and wrinkles. It can also make the skin sag, cause paleness, leave dark circles under the eyes, and give you a sad look.
All that proves how sleeping for at least seven hours a night is a vital at-home skin care strategy. In addition, it helps the body recover from the stress you experienced during the day.
Sleep also helps improve the body’s growth hormone (GH) production. GH, in turn, stimulates collagen synthesis and wound repair, according to studies.
You don’t want to miss out on those benefits, as collagen provides the skin with its structure. Moreover, this protein gives the skin plumpness and keeps it from sagging.
As for wound repair, scientists say that sleep disruption can delay this process. That can cause skin injuries to take longer to heal completely. That can also result in increased infection risks, further prolonging recovery time.
Thus, getting enough sleep is one of the best daily skin care advice to heed, starting tonight. You can try tucking your bed earlier by reducing your screen time. That way, you can still get at least seven hours of sleep even if you need to get up at 4 or 5 AM.
3. Know Your Skin Type
There are five primary skin types: combination, dry, normal, oily, and sensitive.
It’s best to know which of those five your skin belongs to, as it can help you choose the right products. If not, you might end up slathering on something that could irritate your skin. Worse, it could cause new or aggravate existing problems.
If you’re not 100% sure what your skin type is, your best bet is to visit a dermatologist. After examining you, the specialist can tell you your exact skin type. Your doctor can also recommend the best natural care products suitable for your skin.
4. Use Products With Natural Ingredients
Suppose your doctor told you that you have dry skin. In that case, it’s best to go with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser.
The best face wash for dry skin also comes with natural moisturizing agents, such as glycerin. Ceramides are also excellent choices, as these are naturally-occurring compounds.
If you have oily skin, though, you might be better off with products containing BHA. BHA stands for beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) and, like glycerin, also naturally occurs. However, it’s ideal for people with oily skin as it can help control sebum, which, in high amounts, can trigger acne.
5. Get Some Vitamin D
The sun is responsible for up to 90% of the vitamin D (calciferol) the body synthesizes. That makes it the best source for calciferol, which is why some call it the sunshine vitamin. It’s present in some foods, but there are only a few wherein it occurs naturally.
Vitamin D is integral to the health of your brain, bones, and immune system. There’s also evidence that vitamin D deficiency and conditions like psoriasis go together.
The thing is, many people spend most of their time indoors, out of the sun’s reach. The lack of vitamin D-containing food further raises the risk of deficiency.
So, as part of your natural skin care, make it a habit to go out and expose your skin to sunshine. Then, during the days you can’t, supplement by eating salmon, tuna, beef liver, or cod liver oil. Those, along with fortified cereals, dairy, and juice, are some of the best food sources of vitamin D.
6. Avoid Too Much Sunshine
While you want enough vitamin D, avoid sunbathing when the UV index is high. Bare skin without sunscreen can burn in half an hour with a medium (5 to 6) UV index. It can even take less than 10 minutes to get a sunburn if the UV index is very high (10+ rating).
7. Take Time Out
Higher stress levels may exacerbate dermatological conditions, such as acne.
One reason is that stress causes the body to release cortisol. It’s a hormone that makes the skin gland produce more sebum. Excessive oil, in turn, can increase the likelihood of the pores getting clogged.
So, do yourself a favor and take time to de-stress and relax. For example, you can take a long, hot shower while drinking a glass of wine. Yoga, meditation, and exercise are also excellent stress-busting activities.
Follow These Natural Skin Care Tips Today
There you have it, the best natural skin care tips you can incorporate into your regimen. As you can see, something as simple as a hot shower or getting enough sleep can already do wonders for your skin. Best of all, most strategies in this guide are natural and free, which is all the more reason to follow them ASAP.
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