While glowing, vibrant skin may help you feel confident about your appearance, the condition of your skin also plays an important part in maintaining your good health. "National Geographic" reports that the skin acts as waterproofing, insulating shield and protects the body against temperature extremes, harmful chemicals, dangerous sunlight and infection. A good skin care regimen involves not only proper skin care techniques, but a dedication to healthy living. Keeping skin healthy does not require buying costly products and can be completed in just a few minutes each day.
Step 1
Wash your skin daily with a mild cleanser and warm water. The Mayo Clinic advises that strong soaps can strip oils from the skin, so you should avoid them. Rinse skin thoroughly after washing and keep the bath or shower water lukewarm, rather than hot, to prevent the skin from becoming too dry.
Step 2
Use a moisturizer after bathing or showering to lock in natural moisturize and prevent skin from feeling dry and rough. After stepping out of the shower or bathtub, pat your skin dry with a clean towel and immediately apply moisturizer to all areas of your body, including feet and elbows.
Step 3
Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day to prevent sun damage. Sun damage can lead to age spots, wrinkles or skin cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
Step 4
Eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruit, protein, vegetables and grains to maintain healthy skin.
Step 5
Practice stress management techniques, such as yoga, exercise or meditation to keep your stress level low. Uncontrolled stress can make skin more sensitive and trigger acne and other types of skin problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Tips and Warnings
- Expensive products don’t necessarily work any better than cheaper products at protecting skin and some expensive products contains fragrances that can lead to skin problems, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The AAD recommends using inexpensive petroleum jelly to moisturize skin, prevent chafing and protect bumps and scrapes. Avoid injury to the skin by using safe shaving techniques. Always use shaving cream, gel or soap to lubricate the skin before shaving. Shaving in the direction that hair grows will stop the razor from pulling on the hairs and causing skin irritation or cuts.
- Stop smoking if you want to keep skin healthy. Smoking ages the skin and can cause premature wrinkling. Smoking decreases blood flow to the skin, damages fiber necessary for skin elasticity and depletes the skin of nutrients and oxygen necessary for skin health, notes the Mayo Clinic.
Things You'll Need
- Mild cleanser
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
- Petroleum jelly
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