Men and women both want healthy skin however, many people don’t know how to go about attaining a perfect or near perfect complexion.

While your genes and hormones may play a role in how your skin looks, there are some things that you should get in the habit of doing if you want to have great looking skin. 


Wash Your Face... The Right Way

Washing your face regularly is important, but washing too much or with the wrong product can actually do more harm than good.

When looking for a product to wash your face with, choose something specifically designed for your skin type.

Avoid washing your face more than twice per day and after sweating or physical exercise to keep from stripping your skin’s natural oils away.
 

After washing, pat your skin dry with a clean towel, but don’t rub.

You want to retain some moisture so your skin can absorb it.

Moisturize Regularly

You probably already know that moisturizers make a great base for makeup, but they can also help to keep your skin looking younger and healthier.

Just like with face wash, you need to use a moisturizer that’s ideal for your skin type – not just anything from a pretty bottle or reputable manufacturer.

Try moisturizing each time you wash your face. If you have oily skin, once per day may be all you need.

Consume Antioxidant Rich Foods and Drinks
 
Antioxidant rich foods and drinks that include foods like blueberries, blackberries, walnuts, spinach and green tea aren’t just good for your body – they’re good for your skin, too.

Antioxidant rich foods and beverages can help reduce free radical damage, which can lead to wrinkles or sallow skin.

Antioxidant rich foods and drinks are also generally fiber rich and full of water.

Both fiber and water can lead to better overall physical health and skin health.

Making sure you stay hydrated through a combination of drinking water and water rich foods will also keep your skin looking supple and soft.

Be Sun Smart

Spending time in the sun is great, and your body needs exposure to the sun to get vitamin D but, the sun can damage your skin, especially if you aren’t smart about how you spend your time in the sun.


If you’re going to go out between 10 in the morning and four in the afternoon, you need to apply sunscreen, especially if you’re going to be out longer than 20 minutes.

Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.

Go for SPF 30 sunscreen if you have fair skin.

You should also consider wearing protective clothing to keep your skin from being exposed to harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Long-sleeved shirts, lightweight cotton or denim pants and hats are all great summer clothing options.

You also need to make sure you protect your skin if you exercise outdoors in the summer months through a combination of sunscreen and protective clothing.

Limit Your Vices



You’ve probably heard that a glass of red wine each day is good for your health.

That’s true – if you stick to one glass.

Drinking more than one alcoholic beverage per day can actually make your skin look older, especially if you don’t drink enough water to combat the dehydrating effects of alcohol.

Women should limit themselves to about one drink per day while men should consume no more than two alcoholic beverages in a 24 hour period.

Using tobacco products, even on a semi-regular basis can also wreak havoc on your skin.

Tobacco use actually narrows the blood vessels toward the surface of your skin, reducing blood flow and making your skin lose its natural glow.

Smoking tobacco can also damage the collagen and elastin your skin and decrease production.

Decreased collagen and elastin production can make your skin look older than it really is in a hurry.

Regular smokers experience even more skin damage than casual smokers, so cutting back until you can fully quit is best.


Author Bio

Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area specializing in articles about health and beauty, with a focus on dispelling misconceptions about skin whitening.

If you are interested in writing a Guest Post for Beauty Makeup Addict please click on this link.