Is your skin showing signs of fatigue? Is your lifestyle playing havoc with your complexion? Are your eyes feeling puffier than normal? There are many reasons why your skin could be looking tired and dull… so have a read through my tips for improving your skin condition and that glow back!
So what contributes to skin fatigue?
- lack of sleep/being tired
- stress
- poor diet
- environmental factors
- poor skin care routine
- caffeine
- dehydration
LACK OF SLEEP
Sleep is so important. Its an essential part of your day and if we don’t sleep it affects energy, well being, emotions, productivity and both mental/physical health. Sleep deprivation definitely impacts on skin and can cause puffy eyes. Infact yawning stimulates tears in the eyes which then causes puffiness. So try to ensure you get good quality sleep where possible to avoid being tired.
STRESS
Stress can cause skin breakouts, rashes, flare ups… skin can be really sensitive and react to stress in all kinds of ways. Exercise is a great way to combat stress and get the blood pumping and our skin plump!
DIET
We really are what we eat! Nutrition is so important. Good nutrition keeps us healthy and allows us to get more from life with benefits such as improved energy levels. If we’re talking skin preservation though there are so many foods that promote great skin and keep us looking youthful…WIN! So next time you’re out shopping fill your trolley with skin-friendly foods such as fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), avocados, walnuts, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, seeds and peppers! Avoid sugar too! Its so bad for your skin and your health. Just have it as a treat where you can. Your skin will thank you for it.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Dust, sun exposure, air conditioning, pollution, cold weather… these can all have a detrimental effect on our skin. Keeping our skin moisturised regularly ideally with an SPF will help to maintain nice soft supple skin.
POOR SKIN CARE
Skin care is so important! We only get one shot at skin preservation and we all know preservation is better than cure. So gentle cleansing and moisturising twice a day really is key. Don’t be fooled in to thinking you need to spend a fortune on skin care. The best thing you can treat yourself too is natural ingredient based products – go organic with skin, food and whatever else you can, where you can.
CAFFEINE
Excessive caffeine intake is a sure fire way to get puffy eyes! Take it from someone who knows… I have a love/hate relationship with Diet Coke. I love it… but it hates my eyes! I don’t really drink alcohol so Diet Coke is my little vice in life. If I drink it in excess my eyes get very puffy making me tired. As soon as I stop drinking it my eyes go back to normal. Caffeine is filled with toxins and if consumed regularly it creates a build up under the skin and also makes skin appear dehydrated. So try to go caffeine-free where possible and consume in moderation.
DEHYDRATION
So how do you know if your skin is dehydrated? It could be itchy, sensitive or you might notice fine lines and wrinkles on your skin. So, how can you make it better? WATER WATER WATER. General guidance states 8 glasses a day to keep healthy and hydrated. I guarantee if you start increasing your water intake the appearance of your skin will dramatically improve as well as making your eyes sparkle. The clear wet stuff improves elasticity in skin and helps to replenish skin tissue.
Lastly, regular gentle skin exfoliation will help to brighten your skin. Exfoliation literally takes the dead skin cells away but just remember to go easy with facial exfoliation. The skin on our face is thin and delicate. Some parts of our body can be concealed under our clothes but our hands and face are always on show so pay special attention to keeping this skin in tip top condition.
Just remember, once our skin is damaged there’s no way to reverse it so we need to look after it as much as we can along the way. You’ll thank yourself for it!
If you have any enquiries please contact me here.
Gemma x