Skincare is a minefield. If you have a quick search for skincare tips, you’ll soon find that nearly every expert is offering completely different advice from the last. Often this advice is recommending extortionate products you need to purchase to achieve the perfect skin. However, some of the best skin remedies are super inexpensive! Don’t be fooled by the big brands plugging their products and promising you the perfect glow in return. Check out these natural skincare tips that we swear by.
- Take care of your pillow case.
When we think about skincare, we think about serums, lotions and potions. We don’t often consider the one thing that has the more contact with your face than anything else – your pillow. You spend eight hours (or at least you should…) with your skin pressed against a pillow case, and so the material matters. Be sure to opt for a soft fabric, silks will be a lot gentler than coarse cotton. You also need to wash it very regularly to prevent bacteria build up. Make-up residue and sweat lingers on pillows and leads to breakouts. If you tend to sleep in the same position every night, you should try to switch it up. Putting pressure on the same side of your face often will lead to fine lines and additional irritation.
- Hydrate.
Cue the yawning and sudden disinterest. We all know that drinking plenty of water is the cornerstone of happy skin and most of us are quite happy to overlook that. However, hydration isn’t necessarily about drowning yourself in water. You can hydrate your skin far more effectively by eating your water. Try to incorporate water-rich foods like watermelon and cucumber into your diet. You can purchase moisturisers that are great for the appearance of dehydrated skin, but the long-term effects of keeping skin hydrated are unrivalled.
- Don’t be so hard on yourself.
We’re talking exfoliation-wise, not self-esteem (but that helps too!). Exfoliation can be amazing at unveiling gorgeous, bright skin from underneath layers of dead cells. Unfortunately, a lot of women go above and beyond the call of duty here. Scrubbing with too much pressure can damage healthy skin cells and irritate your complexion. It’s not just the initial redness that can be problematic, the damage can be lasting – especially with extra-aggressive scrubbers! The best practice with exfoliation is to exfoliate softly for a longer amount of time.
Most importantly, try not to fall for every trending skincare hack you see. Something that’s miraculous for one person’s skin can be disastrous for someone else’s. Stick to products that are suitable for your skin type and always discontinue use if it irritates your skin. Though it might be boring, the best thing you can do for your skin is to avoid harmful habits like smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Try not to worry too much about breakouts as stress will only exacerbate the problem. Be kind to your skin and it’ll reciprocate.