Taking care of your skin is important, and many simple at-home treatments can help maintain healthy and beautiful skin. Using natural ingredients like aloe vera, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice to adopting good habits like wearing sunscreen daily and removing makeup before bed, there are plenty of ways to promote skin health.
Remember, taking care of your skin is an essential part of self-care.
There are a slew of suspected causes of acne such as bacteria, clogged pores, excess oil build-up, hygiene, and hormones. A gazillion products are marketed to cure it. That said, you don’t necessarily need to shell out hard-earned cash to fight the zits.
First, take a trip to your own pantry and medicine cabinet. These simple at-home ingredients can treat your blemishes effectively and economically.
7 At-Home Treatments for Super Clear Skin
Aloe Vera
The sap of aloe vera leaves a cactus-like succulent plant, contains gibberellins and polysaccharides. These have antibacterial properties to kill the bacteria that instigate acne, anti-inflammatory properties to soothe aggravated skin. They also have astringent properties to heal harmed skin. Aloe also helps heal scars, balances moisture in the skin, and stimulates new skin growth.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar balances the pH levels of the skin and hosts natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties. These help to nip acne-causing bacteria in the bud. It also contains malic acid and lactic acid that gently exfoliate and soften skin.
Baking Soda
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, balances the pH levels of the skin thanks to its amphoteric properties. This means it can act both as an acid or alkaline depending on what it interacts with. It works to remedy imbalanced pH levels that contribute to and aggravate acne.
Baking soda’s mild antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties also calm skin and cool out exacerbation of inflamed acne. Plus, the grain of baking soda powder is round, so it works as a gentle exfoliate that won’t harm the skin.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, is an antiseptic that kills bacteria that can lead to acne. It also oxygenates pores to potentially prevent future breakouts.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains L-Ascorbic acid, which works as a natural astringent to reduce excess oil and as a mild exfoliant to slough off dead skin cells and prevent clogged pores. Plus, lemon contains natural antibacterial compounds that disinfect bacteria that can lead to acne
Tea Tree Oil
Distilled from the leaves of an Australian shrub, tea tree oil contains powerful antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal compounds called terpenoids that kill bacteria that can lead to breakouts.
Studies show that the daily use of tea tree is as effective as benzoyl peroxide in reducing inflammation of mild to moderate acne. While tea tree’s effects work more slowly than benzoyl peroxide, it’s a lot less drying and irritating to the skin.
Witch Hazel
Witch hazel, a solution distilled from the leaves and bark of a North American shrub, contains tannins, which have astringent effects on the skin to effectively soothe inflammation and reduce excess oil. Plus, its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antimicrobial properties help curb bacterial colonization.
7 Ways You’re Aging Your Skin
Do you hop into bed still wearing your makeup? Have you tried out every new skin product to hit the shelves? These common mistakes may not seem like a significant issue. Over time they can take a toll on your skin and leave you looking prematurely aged.
Don’t worry, you can break your bad skin habits and avoid them a lot easier. While looking 10 years younger!
Skipping sunscreen
Do you know the number 1 way you’re aging your skin? Not wearing sunscreen daily and getting sun damage.
The sun is the primary cause of skin aging, the sun can reach you on cloudy, rainy, or snowy days as well. Plus, skin-damaging UV rays can penetrate through glass, so you need to apply sun protection even indoors.
Doctors suggest choosing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which blocks both types of UV rays, UVA and UVB, with an SPF of at least 30. Antioxidant-fortified formulas containing ingredients such as resveratrol, vitamin C, idebenone, or coffee berries can offer additional protection.
Neglecting your hands and neck
Your face isn’t the only area that needs a little TLC. Overexposure to the sun affects your hands and neck just as much as your complexion. These areas show signs of aging, like dark spots, dryness, and loss of firmness.
Treat your neck and the backs of your hands as you would your face by generously applying moisturizer and sunscreen. While you can buy body-specific products, they aren’t necessary. Those formulated for your face will work just fine.
Spot treating pimples
Because of fluctuating hormones, women over 40 routinely experience acne problems. But using a spot treatment to relieve red spots will only dry out the skin, leaving a raw and irritated area. It won’t help heal the pimple either.
Instead, treat your entire face with an acne-fighting cleanser or moisturizer once a day. Your best bet for preventing future breakouts.
Going to bed without removing your makeup
You may find it tempting to fall into bed after a busy day—or a late night on the town—without cleaning your face. Skipping a cleanser at night can lead to breakouts later.
During the day, environmental toxins build up on the skin and invade pores, which can cause complexion problems. So don’t go to bed before you wash and use a good cleanser and save your skin. Keep a box of cleansing towelettes bedside for added convenience—simply swipe and sleep.
Using too many products at once
If a new moisturizer is good, then the combination of a new serum, toner, and night cream must be better, right?
Wrong! If your skin gets irritated after you use a handful of new products, you won’t know what’s causing the problem and assume they’re all irritating.
Instead, start with one at a time, and integrate a new product every two weeks. That way, you’ll be better able to identify what’s aggravating you, or know what combination of them makes your skin go haywire. Plus, you’ll also save some cash by buying only what you need.
Skimping on sleep
Getting insufficient shut-eye can age skin prematurely and result in dark circles and a lackluster complexion. During the day, our skin cells are battling against an onslaught of stressors, like UV rays and pollution. Sleep is vital because stress hormones drop to normal levels at night, giving cells time to repair and rejuvenate.
Plus, stress raises the levels of the hormone cortisol, which increases oil production and can lead to bouts of acne. So make sure you’re not depriving yourself of the sleep you need.
Do You Know Which Vitamins Are Important for Your Skin?
As the days begin to get colder and more and more bugs start flying around. It isn’t just your health that you need to take care of in the autumn and winter months. Along with harsh winds, and icy temperatures, many everyday factors can harm your skin. Incorporating skin-loving nutrients into your diet at this time of year is a good idea.
Vitamins and Skin Health
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is not only important in maintaining a healthy immune system, but it is also a key component in ensuring a glowing complexion.
Vitamin E is a powerful, fat-soluble antioxidant that helps to protect your skin from damage caused by prolonged sun exposure, pollution, and other harmful factors.
Vitamin C
No secret that Vitamin C may help to boost your immune system and ward off those nasty autumn and winter colds. Research also suggests that it can help combat the effects of excessive sun exposure.
Vitamin C may achieve this by supporting the production of collagen in your skin. Collagen gives the skin its strength and flexibility. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, protecting the skin against UV-induced free-radical damage. These factors cause skin wrinkling.
Vitamin A
Low levels of Vitamin A in your diet can cause dry and flaky complexions, which are common in winter.
Excessive sun exposure causes Vitamin A deficiencies. Conversely, vitamin A itself plays an important role in the normal function and development of your skin. With research demonstrating that topical Vitamin A (retinoids) can be effective for treating fine lines and wrinkles. Several topical retinoids are now available on the market.
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2 helps promote healthy skin. A deficiency in Vitamin B2 may result in oily skin and eczema of the face. You must get the recommended daily intake of vitamins to ensure a healthy complexion.
Vitamin B3
Finally, Vitamin B3 is especially important for healthy skin. It has some anti-inflammatory properties and acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin B3 can help to improve skin rashes and combat dry, flaky, and irritated skin. It also has potential for the treatment of acne and rosacea.
Remember to take care of your skin! It’s important to adopt a good skincare routine like wearing sunscreen daily, removing makeup before bed, and using natural ingredients like aloe vera, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice to promote skin health. Taking care of your skin is an essential part of self-care.
