Who wants naturally beautiful skin?
I know I do…
But with all the bad advice by so-called skincare experts and a slew of skincare products filled with toxic chemicals, getting natural, healthy skin can be an impossible task.
To help you get the beautiful radiant skin that you always wanted, my team and I have put together an easy to follow skincare guide. This guide is tailored to your specific skin type and it offers techniques that you can start implementing immediately.
I am not saying that you will have flawless skin overnight but if you follow our guide to natural healthy skin you will get and maintain beautiful skin for many years to come.
Invest in your skin. It is going to represent you for a very long time
–
Linden Tyler.
Skincare Tips for Natural Healthy Skin
The Importance of Natural Skincare
#1 Make Skincare a Daily Ritual
– Understanding Your Skin Type
– Normal Skin
– Dry Skin
– Oily Skin
– Combination Skin
#2 Boost Your Nutritional Intake
#3 Hydrate Your Body
#4 Get Rid of Waste and Toxins
#5 Move Your Body and Exercise
#6 Expose Your Skin To the Sun
#7 Encourage Deep and Restful Sleep
The Importance of Natural Skincare
The exterior surface of the skin is called the epidermis, and it displays your overall health. If you’re eating poorly, or your body lacks specific nutrients, it will be displayed on your face first. This is because the blood and lymph systems are what supply nourishment to your skin.
Beneath the subcutaneous tissue of the skin are arteries and lymphatics that join together. These branches connect to hair papillae, follicles, and glands.
Combined together, these systems are what keep the skin cells alive, and they’re constantly being sloughed off and replaced. Naturally, it’s obvious that keeping these systems healthy will also keep your hair, nails, and skin also looking their best.
To help you achieve natural healthy skin you must learn adequate skin care, then ensure that you are consuming the daily recommended dose of nutrients, including water. A good internal and external detoxification is also essential in ridding your system of toxins. A bit of exercise and some healthy exposure to the sun is also important. Finally, having a good rest at the end of a long day is essential.
Skincare Tip # 1
Make Skincare a Daily Ritual
Your skin is alive and is constantly sloughing off dead skin cells and excreting wastes. Your skin can also attract external pollutants such as chemicals or dirt from the air, which can collect on its surface. For all of these reasons, it’s imperative that you have a good cleansing ritual at least twice a day: once in the morning, and once in the evening prior to bedtime.
You may have heard that it’s important to never go to bed with makeup on your face, and this is completely true. Makeup can combine with the sebum on your face and cause blocked pores and sweat glands, blackheads and whiteheads, and even acne.
But even if you don’t wear makeup, don’t let this be an excuse to not wash your face at bedtime. The accumulation of pollutants on your face can get trapped within the oils. Manually washing your face gives your body a boost in preventing skin damage.
Other reasons to wash your face include ridding your body of germs. Every time you touch your face, you’re transferring germs from one surface to another. Most of these germs are harmless, and your body can naturally battle them if they’re harmful. There are some germs such as MRSA that can cause terrible skin infections and are hard for most people to battle, and these are commonly found in hospitals or care centers. You could also be transferring a flu or cold bug to your body, or even food poisoning.
This reason alone should provide some good incentive for remembering to wash your face twice a day, and your hands every time after you use the bathroom, or before you prepare food in the kitchen.
The body’s toxins can also be excreted in sweat. You should always cleanse your skin after a good workout.
Skincare Based on Skin Type
– Normal Skin
– Dry Skin
– Oily Skin
– Combination Skin
It is important to understand your skin type, as it will determine the best way to clean it. The goal is to create fresh, clear vibrant skin that is not only soft to the touch, but attractive to look at.
Did you know that many people use the wrong types of products on their skin? This can lead them to make their skin worse, instead of attempting to heal any skin care problems. Skin can also be affected by the different seasons of the year.
It can be affected by what you eat, your personal environment, your lifestyle, and your overall health. Skin can even vary from your face, to your hands and feet, and your arms and legs, and even your torso and back.
As a result, your skin’s appearance may even differ from one month to another. It can seem daunting to look after your skin with all these factors in mind, but our guide on healthy natural skincare will assist you in finding the best skincare routine for your body.
Skin can fall within one or two categories, such as normal skin, dry skin, oily skin, and combination skin. It’s best to assess your skin right now, rather than relying on what you believe you think your skin type is, or what it was like last year.
Ahead are the four most common skin care types. Within each type are also skin care recipes and the proper ways to care for your skin naturally. Feel free to continue doing research beyond the scope of this article. Your skin is a complicated network, and we simply can’t cover everything in one short guide.
Normal Skin
Qualities of Normal Skin:
Normal skin just means it has a good balance: it is not too oily, and not too dry. This type of skin is free of blemishes, though people who have it may still get blackheads. It’s possible to get a bit of excess oil in the T-zone—forehead, nose, and chin area—or even in the upper back region. Generally, this can happen about four to six hours after washing, or may be affected by higher temperatures.
The pores of normal skin will be normal in size. When it’s cold and dry out, the skin may need additional moisture as it can become very dry.
Most people desire to have normal skin as it means having well-balanced skin.
How to Care for Normal Skin:
Generally, soap bars can be harsh on the skin so if you choose to use one, choose a natural type, and one that is mild. But it’s even better to use a water-based non-foaming or lotion-type cleaner on your skin instead, whether it’s the face or body.
You can make or buy blends that contain the following ingredients: nut, ground oat, seed blends, milk, or clay. These ingredients will supply basic nutrients to your skin.
Skin can be toned with an herbal vinegar or tea toner that will provide additional cleansing to the skin and close up pores. Your toner may also contain German chamomile, lavender, rosemary, calendula, or rose.
Finally, your skin can be moisturized by a lightweight lotion. Choose one that has protective properties that can seal in moisture. An herbal elixir can also be used to moisturize the face. If you do have a bit of oiliness in your skin, after a few hours, you’ll want to avoid wearing a lotion that is too heavy.
How to Treat Normal Skin:
Once a week, your skin can benefit from a weekly moisturizing mask, or even a pore-refining and oil-absorbing clay mask. You’ll want to base these treatments on how your skin is acting that particular week.
You can use these masks on your face, and even your neck, chest, and upper back too. You can also use a fruit acid mask that has been made from apple, papaya, or pineapple. These will have the benefit of gently exfoliating your skin, minimizing fine lines and generally smoothing the skin. A weekly herbal facial skin mask will also help to keep your pores open.
Dry Skin
Qualities of Dry Skin:
Dry skin has almost no natural oil or moisture, and it can appear dull and lifeless. The skin may be flaky, scaly, red, rough, and generally dry throughout the day.
Dry skin has smaller pores than normal, and can be tight right after cleansing. This type of skin is prone to lines and wrinkles more often than other types of skin, and it can also prematurely age.
Dry skin can benefit from warm temperatures and humidity, but can suffer greatly in the winter. Cold temperatures and dry winter air will strip the skin of any oil or moisture. As a result, dry skin will be red, and feel sensitive.
How to Care for Dry Skin:
It is recommended that soap bars are never used on the face or body at all if you have dry skin. They are simply too drying. The correct choices are to use a moisturizing lotion or creamy cleanser to wash your skin. These cleansers can contain oats, nuts, seeds, or even milk.
It’s still possible to tone your skin even when you have a dry type. You’ll want to use a toner that contains rosewater and glycerin. You may also apply herbal teas that contain German chamomile, calendula, marshmallow root, comfrey root, lemon balm, fennel, and lavender. These gentle teas will hydrate and soothe dry skin. You can even pour them into a pump bottle and give your skin a quick spritz at any time. It will be a refreshing way to relieve skin thirst throughout the day.
If you have dry skin, it’s imperative to use rich creams and lotions. These will assist in providing a barrier from dehydration, and will assist the skin in preventing moisture from escaping. You may also wish to apply an elixir on your face first, before applying your creamy lotions. In other words, layer your moisturizing lotions.
How to Treat Dry Skin:
One good treatment to try in the bathtub—particularly if your skin is also itchy—is to pour a small amount of oatmeal into a cotton drawstring bag. You can wet it in the bath’s warm water, then use it to cleanse your entire body. Oatmeal contains natural moisturizers and it also contains healing properties too.
A good facial steam once a week can assist in hydrating the skin and opening up pores. You can add the following to your hot water: comfrey root, marshmallow root, or fennel.
Even though your skin is dry and sensitive, it can still benefit from a gentle exfoliation. You should do this at least twice a week. You can use a mixture of sugar, oats, nuts, or seeds to help remove the buildup of dead surface skin cells on your face or body.
Removing the dead outer layer of skin cells will help with the absorption of moisturizers on your skin. Instead of the moisture merely sitting on your skin, it will better be able to penetrate the barrier.
Finally, use an emollient eye cream and apply a thin layer of base oil to your skin.
Oily Skin
Qualities of Oily Skin:
Oily skin has medium to large pores that can actually be seen. These can be pronounced in the T-zone area. Other oily regions of the body may include the cheeks, shoulders, chest, neck, and back. If you have this type of skin, you have overactive sebaceous oil glands. This means that you will have an oily appearance to your skin an hour after cleansing.
Some people with oily skin have acne, and some don’t. Either way, often the pores are clogged, and you may have blackheads or whiteheads.
People who wear makeup may find that it disappears off their skin after only a few hours. This skin is sensitive to humidity and heat which can increase the production of oil.
Oilier complexions thrive in colder and drier temperatures. There is also a bonus to having to deal with this type of skin: your skin will not be prone to aging as it won’t get as many fine lines or wrinkles.
How to Care for Oily Skin:
You may use a soap bar on your skin as long as it’s mild. Since your skin is oily, you may prefer to use a water-based cleanser that contains finely ground oats, nuts, or seeds, or a milk or clay based cleanser. Even though your skin is oily, it still requires moisture, so these types are recommended in preventing your skin from drying out.
Did you know that if you don’t provide enough moisturizer to oily skin that it will produce even more oil to compensate? This can be a frustrating revolving door. This is why you need to cleanse the skin of oils and pollutants, but not strip it of its protective layer.
You can also use a toner on your skin that can help control the bacteria that cause acne. Some suggestions are: yarrow, sage, lemon balm, thyme, rosemary, parsley, peppermint, and lemongrass.
You can still use a light moisturizer on your skin.
How to Treat Oily Skin:
Clay masks and exfoliating scrubs can be beneficial in restoring oily skin’s nutrients, and keeping the pores from clogging up. They can also assist in removing blackheads.
A fruit acid-based mask can be used twice a week. These are perfect for removing dead skin cells, making the skin glow, and reducing pore size. Remember that if your scrubs and masks are safe to use on the face, that you can also use them on your body too.
It’s recommended that you never use a granular scrub on your skin if you suffer from a skin condition. This means avoiding them if you have acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, or other skin inflammation.
Oily skin can benefit from a weekly facial steam. You may add the following to your hot water steam: strawberry leaves, peppermint, yarrow, and rosemary.
Oily skin that has acne can also benefit from a spot treatment. You can mix an essential oil with a bit of clay and dab it on the skin. Some essential oil suggestions to assist in healing: clove, tea tree oil, thyme, and lavender.
Combination Skin
Qualities of Combination Skin:
If you have skin that defies any one category, as it’s a mix of two of three of the above types, then you have combination skin. This type of skin can be dry, but have oiliness through the T-zone where most of the oil glands are. Within the T-zone you may have acne or blackheads or be prone to them. There may be parts of your skin that are dry or normal, such as on cheeks, or chin. Parts of your skin may be flaky or itchy.
It can be a particular challenge to treat this type of combination skin.
How to Care for Combination Skin:
One factor that combination skin always seems to have is that it’s sensitive. You’ll need to treat it with TLC. You’ll want to focus first on using products that can regulate and restore your skin’s natural sebum production.
Skin care products should always be water-based. Avoid using a soap bar, and find a non-foaming, or lotion-based cleanser. Remember that you can use the same ground oats, nuts, seeds, milk, or clay-based blends that the other skin types can.
If you wish to use a soap bar on the oilier portions of your skin, you’ll want to choose something such as a clear glycerin type of soap. Liquid castile soap is good too.
Combination skin can also benefit from a good toner. Choose a mild herbal vinegar that contains one of the following herbs: lavender, fennel, rosemary, comfrey root, or German chamomile. These herbs will assist in controlling the excess oil of the skin. You can also use these herbs and make them into a special tea blend. They can be sprayed on the skin throughout the day to prevent surface dehydration.
Combo skin can also benefit from a moisturizer. You can create an herbal elixir. You may wish to have a heavier moisturizer for the drier winter months. The body only needs a lighter skin lotion.
Skincare Tip # 2
Boost your Nutritional Intake
It’s no surprise that fast foods and packaged foods provide little nutrition to the skin. Often you’re getting a strong dose of salt, sugar, and harmful chemicals in that pizza or pasta dish you often enjoy. And those chips, cookies, candies, and hamburgers aren’t doing you a whole lot of good either. These types of foods are common in the American diet. Everything is convenience today, as we lead fast, hectic lives.
Remember what they say: you are what you eat. Is your skin pale? You could be anemic as your red blood cells aren’t getting the nourishment you need. Sugar can wreck havoc with your body’s delicate flora and fauna, resulting in acne. All these conditions can stem from stress, which can impact your body’s immune function, and can cause redness and inflammation on the skin.
Not surprisingly, excess sugar and malnourishment can lead to being overweight and obesity. So, what’s the solution?
Improve Your Diet
Yes, the answer is to improve your diet. With a healthy diet, you can cure your lifeless hair, brittle nails, and toneless, blemish-prone skin.
Did you know that it doesn’t take any longer to boil some carrots, peas, or corn in a pot on the stove than it does to microwave a packaged meal? Start with small steps, and soon you’ll realize how easy it is to include fresh vegetables in your meals. Better yet, toss them into a bowl. You don’t even have to cook them! And it’s a lot simpler to grab some fruit then yank open that box of cookies.
Did you know that all it takes to feel full is fiber and protein? Fiber is present in fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Protein is present in nuts, soy products, beans, and fish. Protein is also present in poultry, pork, and beef, but try to limit your consumption of these, as they contain too much fat that can cause weight gain, and trans fats that can block your arteries.
You can also always add healthy drink blends and whole food supplements to your diet while you’re transitioning from fast food to healthier meals.
Take Whole Food Supplements
Whole foods supplements are nutritional supplements that can benefit every system in your body. While most people think they have a balanced diet, the truth is, they don’t. Do you eat the same things every week? Chances are you’re missing out on nutrients that are causing a deficiency in your body.
This is why a good supplement made from natural ingredients can fill up that nutritional gap. Avoid products that have synthetic chemicals.
Healthy Green Drink Blends
It can be difficult to eat a salad three times a day, but you can prepare healthy drinks and juices with a juicer and blender. It’s so much easier to drink your nutrients! Do you need some ideas on what to make?
Try adding raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries with bananas, mangoes or papayas. Pour in some soy, rice, or coconut milk to help it blend. Goat or coconut yogurt is much healthier than regular sweetened yogurts in the store today. Finally, find a good green plant powder.
Green plant powders contain chlorella—a single-celled algae, barley grass, wheat grass, and alfalfa. Look for a product that says it has been organically grown, and that has been harvested quickly. This means that the enzymes and vitamins it contains will be fresh.
Skincare tip # 3
Hydrate Your Body
The human body contains at least 70% water. If you lose too much through dehydration, you’ll not only feel unwell, but your skin’s appearance will suffer as well. H2O, also known as water, is what keeps your skin plumped up and hydrated. It keeps those nutrients flowing, so that new skin cells, hair, and nails keep on being formed.
Almost every system in your body is composed of water, with the exception of bone mass and teeth. Your body can’t function without water. And remember that without enough water, you can’t be attractive or beautiful. Water assists in providing the elastin and collagen in your skin, which helps it to stay youthful and young. If you’re dehydrated, you’ll not only be tired, but you’ll also suffer from dry and flaky skin.
Why We Don’t Drink Enough Water
Why don’t we drink enough water? If you can figure out the reason, you can figure out the cure, which is swap your sugary sodas, caffeinated black teas, coffee, and fruit drinks with a glass of water instead. And don’t forget to decrease your consumption of alcohol, as it also has the detrimental effect of dehydrating your body too.
Not only are all of the above listed drinks full of sugar, but they contain few nutrients. You can drink herbal teas during the day though, as these are beneficial to the body and they don’t contain any caffeine.
You may think it’s simple to just grab that can of soda instead of filling up your glass from the tap. But in the end, your body suffers.
Skincare Tip # 4
Get Rid of Waste and Toxins
By now you may realize that you’ve been filling your body with waste and toxins, and that you need a good internal and external cleanse. This can only benefit your skin. By drinking more water, you’re giving your body a chance to more quickly flush out the toxins. Here are a few more tips to assist you in the detox process.
Internal Cleanse
Water combined with fiber is excellent for keeping the arteries clear. This aids in preventing strokes and heart disease. Fluid and fiber flushes out your system, and takes the toxins with it. Remember that if your lungs, kidneys, liver, and intestines can’t dispose of it, your skin will.
This is why the skin is often called the “third kidney”. But you don’t want this. It can result in blemished skin that can show that your body is working too hard.
Remember that colon regularity can assist in keeping your skin glowing too.
External Brush Cleanse
Many people haven’t heard of the brush cleanse. It feels good to brush the hair, and is just as good to brush your skin. This process is done dry. It’s not meant to exfoliate, but rather to get your circulation going. Faster circulation means that your skin can more quickly eliminate toxins.
Remember that toxins are released from your body in the form of sweat. If you can improve your skin function, you’re also assisting your body’s other organs in better doing their jobs.
Body brushing is from an old tradition, and it’s now resurfacing as a practice in today’s fine spas. It’s done for about five minutes prior to your bath or shower. You use a special brush just for this purpose. Brushing will stimulate your skin’s sebaceous glands, which will in turn encourage the natural moisturizing of your skin.
Not only does it remove the top layer of your skin—those dead skin cells—but it improves circulation and blood flow. This aids in activating the lymphatic system, which is partly responsible for skin detoxification too.
Body brushing has some other additional benefits too. It can improve your skin tone in those flabby portions of your body. It can also make your skin rosier, with a healthy natural glow. You’ll find that your skin lotions and moisturizers are way more effective.
Body brushing can also assist in waking you up faster in the morning. It’s like drinking coffee, but healthier.
It’s recommended that you perform this treatment at least once daily and preferably in the mornings.
Skincare Tip # 5
Move Your Body and Exercise
Just like in the popular song, you need to move it move it. It can be tempting to crash on the couch after work, but this lethargy can cause your skin to look dull over time.
The human body was designed to move. Remember that our early ancestors never had television or computers. They spent the greater portion of their days traveling, finding food, and hunting.
Often they’d have to keep moving to prevent attacks from predators. They’d have to work hard building habitats, making crafts and clothing, and generally preparing their food.
Daily exercise is also essential to your emotional well-being. Who hasn’t suffered from a job layoff, and decided to spend their days on the couch, eating chips, and generally living an unhealthy lifestyle? We can blame the resulting depression on our job loss, yet most of our sadness can result from living a sedentary lifestyle indoors.
The human body was designed to move. It wasn’t designed to sit in front of a computer or television all day. Even if you stand up in the kitchen and prepare healthy meals, you’ll still be doing your body good.
Exercise and a Healthier Diet Work Together
Did you know that exercise and a healthy diet work together? If you eat well, you’re providing all the nutrients your body needs. As a result, you’ll feel energized to get out of the house for a good walk, or a trip to the gym.
And when you exercise regularly, you’ll be encouraged to eat healthier. You’ll experience true hunger, not some artificial hunger cravings for potato chips or a Big Mac.
Together, exercise and good food will provide you with great looking skin.
Skincare Tip # 6
Expose your skin to the Sun
Getting outside for some exercise can also provide some additional benefits to your skin. The sun encourages the formation of natural vitamin D in your body, which is one of the essential vitamins the human body needs. Vitamin D can be synthesized and added to breakfast cereals—which contain too much sodium and sugar. It’s better to have your body manufacture the vitamin D that it needs.
The problem with the sun is that in today’s society, it’s considered a bad thing. Yes, overexposure can cause sunburn, which can lead to cancerous skin conditions. The trick is to find that basic amount that can benefit your skin.
In the past, humans were covered in hair, head to toe. When our lineage discovered how to make clothing, we lost most of our hair. This is why we’re particularly sensitive to the skin, while animals can run around outdoors with few ill effects.
You do need a little sunshine in your life.
Why Sunlight is Beneficial to Good Health
A bit of sunlight feels good on the skin, particularly if you’re suffering from a condition. Sunlight can give you a boost of well-being and energy that can’t be artificially created from a pill in a bottle.
Sunshine assists your body in absorbing calcium. This causes your skin to produce that vitamin D that is needed to strengthen bones. Sun exposure has even been proven to heal eczema, acne, and psoriasis, all pesky skin conditions.
Sun can even help to balance hormones, naturally reduce stress, and blood pressure. It will even increase serotonin in the body, that feel-good hormone.
But Remember Good Sun Sense
Now that you know that some sunlight is good for your body and your skin, when is a safe time to head outdoors?
You need about 30 to 45 minutes of sun exposure. This means skipping the hat and sunscreen. The best time is in the morning before 9 am, or in the late afternoon, after 5:00 pm. In other words, before or after work.
If it is a hot summer day, you can still benefit from the sun, even if you feel you need that hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
Skincare Tip # 7
Encourage Deep and Restful Sleep
Did you know that most people don’t get a good night’s sleep? Children, pets, partners, and even traffic and the environment can all keep us awake. Unfortunately, sleep is often the first thing to go, as you need to get things done.
Many people erroneously think they can catch up on sleep. That’s simply not true. Months of lack of sleep can cause your body’s systems to overwork themselves, resulting in disease, and poor skin condition. A few hours of extra sleep on the weekend will have little effect in combating this damage.
The good news is that you can get a good night’s sleep, and while it can take months to assist your body in healing, it can be done.
Why a Good Night’s Sleep is So Important
A good night’s sleep is particularly important for healthy natural skin. This is because when you’re asleep, your body produces something called the human growth hormone. This hormone is what aids in the repair of damaged body cells. That includes blood, skin, hair, and nails. This hormone is produced while you sleep.
But if you’re sleep deprived, your body isn’t benefiting from this production of growth hormone. Not only can you not maintain yourself mentally or physically when you’re sleep deprived, but low growth hormone can also cause thin brittle nails, dry hair, and dull looking, acne-prone skin.
Doesn’t this just make you want to get a good night’s sleep now?
How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Now that you understand why you not only need a good night’s sleep for beauty, but you need it for good health too, how do we make it happen? Here are a few tips.
- Shut off all devices, cell phones, and TVs at least 3 hours before bedtime. That unnatural light can trick your brain into staying awake for hours afterwards.
- If you look after sick family or pets, consider ways in helping them get a good night’s sleep too, so they don’t wake you up in the middle of the night.
- Block out all outside light from your room.
- Do not consume sugar, salt, caffeine or alcohol after 5 pm.
- Have a few crackers (carbs), 3 hours before bedroom. Do not consume protein after 5 pm.
- Cover up all LED light-emitting devices with stickers in your bedroom: TVs, players, alarm systems. Turn clocks backwards.
- Do not go to bed until it is time to turn the lights out. Read in the living room, or snuggle with your spouse in the living room. The bedroom is strictly for sleep!
Getting Beautiful Skin
You are probably thinking: Wow, that’s a lot of work!But if you want natural healthy skin, you need to start implementing these changes to your lifestyle and skincare routine.
For those of you that have already adopted a few of these skincare tips, you may start to notice the difference in your skin within a few months, or even in a few weeks! The results vary based on your skin type and stage in your life, but you will notice a difference.
So if you want beautiful skin, it’s time to take Action. All those skincare products filled with toxic chemicals that claim to leave your skin flawless overnight, can actually cause more harm than good. So don’t forget to stick to your new skincare routine!
Are you ready for natural healthy skin? What are you waiting for?
Soon you’ll be receiving compliments from everyone. Want additional resources? Check out the these easy to follow skincare tips.
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