Natural Tips for Healthy Skin

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of the body? It is an "outside" organ, your body's blanket, and it is subject to a number of environmental factors such as sun, wind and pollutants. A number of personal factors such as stress, sleep and diet also have an impact on the condition of your skin. The good news is that there are many natural tips to protect, repair and maintain healthy skin for years to come.

As essential as water is to a human body, water is one of the most important natural tips for healthy skin. Keeping the skin properly hydrated with water helps to give the skin that glowing dewy look that we often see on celebrities and models. Water also helps to flush out toxins in the body. Experts recommend 8 glasses of water a day.

Eating a healthy diet comprised of many fruits and vegetables is another natural tip for healthy skin. Fruits and vegetables contain many antioxidants and vitamins which are important for healthy skin. Too many fried foods and sugar are the skin's enemies. Opt for honey instead on table sugar whenever possible. Almonds have a high concentration of vitamin E which helps to nourish dull, dry skin.

Steam your face once or twice a week with hot water to remove dirt from your facial pores. Hot water opens pores and will deep clean your facial pores and add moisture to your skin without the use of heavy moisturizers that may clog your pores. You may also add eucalyptus oil. Adding lemon to the water will be effective in helping to remove any blackheads or whiteheads. Close your steam cleaning routine with a splash of cold water which will close your pores and help seal in moisture.

There are a number of ingredients or combination of ingredients that serve as wonderful natural facial masks. For example, plain yogurt acts as a gentle but effective skin cleanser, as does a mask made out of egg whites. For dry skin, honey adds the thirst that parched skin needs. On the other hand, a face pack made of cucumbers works well to minimize oil and has the added benefit of acting as an astringent. Ground-up orange peels or a mask comprising of oatmeal are also good for exfoliation.

Nothing ages the skin more than the sun. Avoid being out in the sun during the time that the sun's rays are the strongest, which is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. typically. Wear hats and long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Liberally apply sun protection with an SPF of 15 or greater.

Smoking causes premature aging of the skin by narrowing blood vessels in the skin. This decreases the blood flow to the skin which reduces the amount of oxygen and important nutrients that flow to the skin. This in turn causes the skin to lose elasticity. Further, the constant pursing of the lips when smoking causes wrinkles around the lips. Crows feet become more pronounced in smokers because they often are squinting to keep smoke out of their eyes.

Did you ever see someone right after they have finished exercising? Their face is moist and glowing. This is because exercise increases blood circulation which increases blood flow to the skin. Increased blood flow to the skin allows for more oxygen and nutrients to get to the skin. Exercise also helps to improve skin tone and elasticity. Too much stress and too little sleep are enemies of healthy skin. When you are under a lot of stress, hormones are released in the body that has a negative effect on the skin. Specifically, adrenaline is released when a person is under stress. Adrenaline causes the heart rate to increase and forces blood to go to needed muscles, but away from the skin. Over prolonged periods of time, the skin can become dull and sallow-looking from too much stress. We all have heard someone say at one time or the other, "I need to get my beauty sleep." Well there is truth to that old adage. Too little sleep on a consistent basis gives skin that tired look. A couple of obvious examples of the effect of too little sleep on the skin are the dark circles or bags that can appear under the eyes. Making sure you are consistently getting enough sleep and minimizing stress in your life are two more natural tips for healthy skin.