!#71# Glowing Skin - Six Steps to a Naturally Beautiful Complexion, Whatever Your Age

!±8± Glowing Skin - Six Steps to a Naturally Beautiful Complexion, Whatever Your Age

The more I learn about skin care, the simpler it gets. Never mind the latest new-fangled face cream or serum. Nothing beats a skin care routine specifically designed to enhance your body's natural ability to look after itself.

Here are my top six tips for a beautiful, glowing complexion.

1. Cleanse with cleansing milk

Cleansing milk contains more oil than water. It draws out grease and impurities without stripping the skin of its protective barrier.

Choose a PH-balanced cleansing milk with AHAs, such as lactic acid. This dissolves the 'glue' around dead skin cells and promotes regeneration.

Gently exfoliate once or twice a week using a warm, damp face cloth.

2. Don't use a toner after cleansing

The outermost layer of your skin contains natural moisturizing factors (NMFs). Their job is to keep the skin moist and supple by attracting water. However, too much water can upset the delicate balance of NMFs and cause them to evaporate.

Regular use of toners, spritzers, water-based gels or any other 'light moisturizers' that contain more water than oil can deplete NMFs. Do your skin a favor and ditch these potential 'de-moisturizers'.

3. Keep it simple

Some skincare products' ingredient lists read like a high-school chemistry test. By law, of course, every single ingredient must have been thoroughly tested and passed as safe. But what about the combined effects of all these chemicals? Can it really be good for your long-term health to keep putting them in your body?

A good policy is to avoid chemicals wherever possible. Common skincare ingredients to steer clear of are: parabens (widely used as a preservative), mineral oil (which has no nutritional value), synthetic perfumes and synthetic colors.

4. Get a regular dose of antioxidants

Antioxidants help cancel out and reverse the damaging effects of free radicals.

This damage takes place at a molecular level and is thought to contribute to the appearance of wrinkles. You can't stop it any more than you can give up your need for oxygen; all you can do is make sure your body is well stocked with antioxidants.

Skin care products often contain ingredients with antioxidant properties, such as vitamin A, vitamin E and rosemary extract. But plenty of foods do the job admirably. Among the best are beans (red, kidney, pinto), berries (blueberry, blackberry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry), artichoke hearts, prunes, apples and pecans.

5. Protect against sun damage

Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D, essential for good bone health and a properly functioning immune system. But don't overdo it - and choose your sun block carefully.

Prefer a sun block based on mineral reflectors such as titanium dioxide to one that uses chemical agents. Who knows if prolonged daily use of some of these chemical-based products might actually do more harm than good?

The face, neck and upper chest need extra protection. If out in direct sunlight, wear a wide-brimmed hat and use a parasol.

6. Maintain your skin's natural protective barrier

The outermost layer of the skin is made up of flattened (keratinized) cells. These cells are quite different from the deeper skin layers. Their role is to protect and preserve; they are your first line of defense.

Skin that looks dull, dry and lifeless is out of balance. It no longer has the right mix of oils and water to do the job it was designed to do.

As we age, our body produces less sebum. This can lead to dry, flaky skin and the so-called visible signs of aging.

To restore the balance, you need to boost your intake of essential fatty acids. The right diet can help, but this is where a carefully formulated skin care product can really make a difference.

Look for a blend of natural, organic, cold-pressed, plant-based oils.

Conclusion

Your skin is amazing. In a perfect world, it would look after itself and we'd all have a naturally beautiful, glowing complexion. But in the world we live in, isn't it worth taking these half dozen steps to help keep your skin looking and feeling wonderful?

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