Skintillating: Love Thy Skin

It is said that beauty is skin deep.And nothing could be more true.Skin is the largest organ in the body and probably the most neglected too.We buy expensive clothes,shoes,makeup but never once do we gauge our skin needs and respect them.Committing a skin sin is a horrendous crime which can have heavy repercussions.

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1. Accept

We crib and cry about our skin type,tone,texture,color on a daily basis and never appreciate it for what its worth.The first step towards loving our skin is to accept it.For a very long time I cribbed about my oily skin.Nothing I did made a difference.Finally I accepted it and stopped pretending otherwise.I adopted a skin care routine suitable for my oily skin and that has made a huge difference because I'm no longer unhappy with my skin anymore.

Throw away fairness creams/lotions.Seriously they are a waste of your money,time and quite honestly your intelligence.Skin color is genetic and nothing can change it.Instead wish for a healthy skin and invest in sun protection.Which brings me to my next point.

2. Protect

Our skin is our most treasured possession so why ignore it's protection?Treat Sunscreen like your BFF(irrespective of the season).Ultraviolet(UV) rays cause 90% of wrinkles,sun-spots and other signs of aging.It is one of the contributing factors leading to melanoma or skin cancer.Always carry a tube of sunscreen with you and reapply every 3-4 hours for maximum protection.

Look for sunscreen containing Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide if you have sensitive skin or else use chemical based SPF with avobenzone or octocryelene.A minimum SPF 15 with broad spectrum protection is recommended.

3. Replenish

Hydrating your skin is very important and second only to protecting your skin.Moisturizing your skin is vital not only during winters but also during summers/monsoons because the skin on our body has fewer oil glands than our face thereby making it more susceptible to dryness and flaking.Use a good quality body lotion/cream/butter after your daily bath.For best results apply on wet skin to lock in the moisture .If you experience extreme dry skin(especially in winters) you can add a tablespoon of olive oil to your bath and switch to heavy duty lotions.

4. Buff's The Way

Normally skin regenerates once every 28 days on an average.However with age this process slows down.Exfoliation thus is very important for removing dead skin to reveal the smoother skin beneath.Incorporate exfoliation in your daily routine at least thrice a week.For face use a fine grained scrub after cleansing.Don't substitute cleansing with scrubbing.Since the skin on your body is tougher than your face a coarser scrub can be used every other day on your body.Or try using a bath glove or loofah.Adopt the age old ubtan as a natural scrub alternative.

5. Adapt To Change

Your skin care routine should change according to the weather especially for those with combination skin as it tends to be extremely oily during the summer and humid months and extremely dry during winters.Adopt a skin care routine suited to the current weather.During summers and monsoons humidity levels are high so the skin gets some moisture naturally.Less oil and ample sunscreen should be your summer skin mantra.Winters on the other hand demand heavy moisturizers because it tends to be drier with cold dry winds.Use a cream based exfoliant and thick creams.Avoid bathing in very hot water as it will further rob your skin of precious moisture.Massage using olive or almond oil twice a week.

6. Free Your Mind

When you are tense or sleep deprived,your body releases cortisol-a stress hormone which is linked to acne,dry and sensitive skin.Grab your 8 hours of beauty sleep and keep your mind free from stress.Limit late nights to twice a week.Early to bed and early to rise is a sure-shot mantra to beautiful skin.Practice various types of meditation techniques.These days I'm totally into Tai-Chi which is a noncompetitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching.Or indulge in activities that help you unwind and de-stress.Take a walk in the park,listen to music or my favorite window shop.

7. Monitor Food Habits

Healthy food habits lead to a healthier body which in turn leads to gorgeous skin.Photochemical and anti-oxidants(leafy greens and colored vegetables like carrots,beetroots,tomatoes) and fatty acids from fish and nuts allow body to fight sun-induced damage.Food with lower glycemic count (less sugar) prevents collagen breakdown which means fewer wrinkles.Reduce your salt intake as it hampers with your body's water balancing system.Poor diet and bad habits like smoking and alcohol are responsible for 80% diseases.

Ban caffeine .Research has proven that women who drink a lot of tea,coffee and cola are more likely to have tired looking skin.Reason:the caffeine content in these drinks which is a diuretic meaning that it makes you urinate more often ,depletes your body of water which in turn prevents body from making good use of vitamins and minerals from food.Replace caffeine with water,nimbu pani and fresh juice instead.The human body is 61.8 % water by weight.So drink 2-3 liters of water daily to maintain the water balance in your body and to flush out toxins.

8. Work It Out

Apart from keeping you healthy,energized and slim working out also benefits your complexion by increasing blood circulation.When skin gets more blood it gets more oxygen and nutrients resulting in smoother and healthier skin.Exercising helps wounds heal faster,acts as a calming agent and is a proven mood booster.While working out the sweat generated by your body regulates stress hormones and keeps skin supple by eliminating toxins through sweat.Incorporate a 20 minute sweat session for glowing skin.

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Loving your skin does not necessarily mean indulging in expensive cosmetics or spa and beauty treatments.It involves accepting and respecting your skin needs and making minor changes in your lifestyle.Trust me loving your skin is the cheapest thing you can do to look beautiful.
Do you love your skin?