Five Steps to Healthy Skin
Your skin is the largest organ you possess; and you have approximately 20 feet of the stuff. But very often, it’s ignored the most, hidden under hair and clothes.
What you don’t seem to understand is healthy, glowing, vibrant skin is beautiful. It’s also less likely to become inflicted with disease, and will age slower if you look after it. Here’s how:
1.    You are what you eat-I’m sure you’ve heard this age old adage, and it’s true. What you consume on a daily basis directly impacts the appearance of your skin. Feed it the vitamin compounds it needs, and it’ll reward you by looking younger and healthier.  Vitamins A and E can make your complexion lighter and brighter. Foods rich in vitamin A are carrots, broccoli, eggs, peas, green leafy veggies, liver and pumpkin. Vitamin E can be found in whole wheat, oil, seeds, nuts and asparagus.   Eat up!
2.    Clay Cleanse-use these as a special treat for your skin. Clay products can be easily found in beauty supply stores and give a nice, deep, pore cleansing. You don’t need to use these every day, just once or twice a week. In between use, cleanse your skin with a mild, alcohol-free product that won’t dry out your skin.
3.    Exfoliate to keep skin looking great-your skin naturally sloths off dead cells and rejuvenates new ones, but sometimes, especially as we age, we need to help this process along. Particularly as dead skin cells can mingle with skin oils and create black heads if not removed. There are two types of exfoliating products out there-chemical exfoliates and natural exfoliates. Chemical exfoliates uses acidic chemical compounds to attack dead cells. Look for products that contain alpha-hydroxy, beta-hydroxy and salicylic acids. Be cautious if you have sensitive skin, these ingredients may cause irritation, redness and swelling. Natural acne products, like white willow bark, and walnut shell are effective exfoliates that do not cause any skin irritation. My advice? Use natural exfoliates three times a week and scrub over the skin gently with a clean, soft facial cloth, being careful not to pull the skin around the eyes.
4.    Moisturizing-the key to moisturizing your skin, is to find a product that keeps moisture inside the epidermis and not sitting on the surface where it’s pretty much useless. There are two types of moisturizer: occlusive and humectant. The former works by trapping moisture inside your skin…Petroleum jelly is a good example. The latter does the opposite; they draw moisture from on the dermis (from the air) and bring it into your epidermis. Hyaluronic acid is a good example of an effective, natural humectant. Both can be beneficial, but it’s up to you to choose which is right for your skin.  See a dermatologist for a consultation.
5.    Use Sun Screen-nothing, and I repeat NOTHING is more damaging to the skin than ultraviolet radiation (sun damage.) Whenever you head outdoors, even in the winter months, you should always use a sun screen of at least SPF 15. And don’t think you’re safe sitting by a window at work, or driving in a car either. You’ll still require SPF protection.  Not only will this prevent skin aging, you will also be at lower risk for skin cancer.
Work this process, and a little effort and attention, you’ll start loving the skin you’re in.