7 Tips For Proper Skin Care to Aid in Self-Care 

Taking care of yourself comes in many forms. For instance, your skincare routine is more than just a way to look your best. Moreover, a truly inclusive skincare routine goes well beyond washing your face, using moisturizers, and applying SPF—as it should. Remember, your skin is the largest organ of your body. Therefore, you should take your skincare routine seriously. Of course, you may be wondering how you could possibly take your skincare regimen any more seriously than you do now?  Well, for starters, if you have not already, you need to come to terms with the fact that just because you spend thousands of dollars a year on products for your skin, does not mean you have a handle on your skincare.

Instead, this may be an indication that you have lost your way. Just like all other forms of self-care, your skincare needs to be about you and what you need while still being enjoyable/therapeutic. So, if you have taken shelter in the advice from beauty magazines and bought an entire skincare line/regimen from your local drugstore—listen up. For the best results and a happier you, you need to personalize your skincare. This means mixing and matching skincare products. Furthermore, you should have a variety of products at your disposal that fit your skin type and help to address any issues or imperfections.

One of the best ways to ensure that you are on the right track is to keep it natural. Harsh chemicals do not and will not nourish your skin. In fact, they may even be hazardous to your health. This is definitely a good reason you should consider a holistic-approach here. In essence, a holistic approach to your skincare means you are properly nurturing both the inner and outer parts of your body. With that being said, here are eight ways to ensure that your skincare routine is holistic, beneficial, and centers on you.

Use the Right Stuff

As briefly mentioned, everyone’s skin is different. Thus, often only through trial and error, can you find the best products for your skin. But, before you add every toner you come across to your online shopping cart, take stock in what you have already learned along the way. If you know you have oily-combination skin, stay in your lane, and learn how to decode ingredients. Once you have a better understanding of what is being offered and what it can do for your particular skin type, feel free to place your orders.

In general, when nourishing your skin with the right ingredients, start with the basics. Find a good cleanser, an all-natural and mild toner, and a decent moisturizer with SPF. You may also want to add a few antioxidants, vitamins, and corrective creams or masks that you may need to further personalize your skincare routine (anti-aging creams, under-eye creams, brighteners, clarifying masks, detoxifying masks, and so on). It also helps to remember that it is called a routine for a reason. However, if you are short on time, just make sure you wash, tone, and moisturize your skin on a regular basis.

Proper Nutrition and your Skin

By now, you know what you put in your body matters just as much as what you choose to put on it. Therefore, it not too surprising that a balanced diet can lead to healthy and happy skin. Thus, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is all about embracing a balanced diet. This generally translates into more veggies, fresh fruits, more fiber, healthy fats, less caffeine, keeping salty foods to a minimum, going easy on the alcohol, and not overdoing any of your favorites—carbs, junk food, sweets, and dairy. Besides a balanced diet, specific vitamins also play a vital role in the overall appearance and health of our skin. For example, the effects of sun damage can be lessened with Vitamin A, and Vitamin C has been known to reduce the signs of aging. A variety of antioxidants protect from the elements as well.

Don’t Stop Hydrating

Another essential component of life itself is water. Love it or hate it—your body needs. The human body is actually 60 percent water, and our blood is roughly 90 percent. Moreover, water in many ways solves most problems include dehydration, digestive issues, and so on. When you stay hydrated, your skin’s happy, you have more energy, your body can repair itself more efficiently, and the world is simply a better place. Need a little more? Staying hydrated means your skin is less vulnerable to premature wrinkling as well as other undesirable skin conditions. So, just in case you need to hear it again, water is your friend and staying properly hydrated shows.

Exercise and Beauty Rest

Surprisingly, you cannot maintain a balanced diet and stay adequately hydrated without a dash of exercise. The reality is that exercising and staying active does wonders for your health as well as your skin. Think about it, feel-good hormones make you glow, sweating helps to clean your pores, and increased circulation/blood flow carries nutrients plus oxygen to your skin cells.  What’s more, staying active helps to promote healthy sleep, which leads to, you guessed it healthy, happy skin. Moreover, beauty rest is a real thing. When you sleep better, you look and feel better. This means no dark circles, less stress-related breakouts, and lower levels of cortisol. Additionally, beauty rest or adequate sleep allows your body time to recover, renew, and regenerate. As a result, you are more likely to wake up rejuvenated and ready to take on the world.

Stay Stress-Free

One of the biggest goals of self-care is staying stress-free, and it is not too hard to figure out why. Stress is problematic on a variety of levels for your health and overall well-being. Stress can lead to breakouts, hives, self-harming habits, a weakened immune system, and more. Consequently, both your body and your skin need you to stay stress-free when possible. Of course, there will always be a certain amount of stress in everyday life, but that does not mean we need to let it derail our efforts. Instead, try to find ways to relieve stress or just stress less. Try going to a yoga class, put on a new calming mask, take a relaxing bubble bath, or pour yourself a sizable glass of wine—one of those usually does the trick.

Pamper and Defense

Speaking of ways to combat stress, pampering yourself, and skin is a great way to lessen the frustrations of the day. In addition to masks/facials, there are several things you can do to relax and protect your entire self from stress. For instance, massages are incredibly effective in releasing muscle tension and increasing circulation. Massages with aromatic essential oils and ultra cell topical creams are especially beneficial when it comes to a comprehensive skincare routine.

Other less conventional ways to practice inclusive skincare include holistic practices like meditation, acupuncture, body wraps, and even flotation/sensory deprivation therapy. You can also look into less expensive ways to pamper your skin and body. Get out your favorite organic body scrub, deep conditioning your hair, do an at-home pedicure, or perfect a non-UV light manicure—pamper yourself however you see fit. Better still, try to set aside some time to take care of skincare's less glamorous side. If you cannot recall the last time you washed your makeup brushes, replaced your face scrubber, threw out expired products, or reorganized your vanity, you have some work to do.

Listen to your Body

Lastly, listen to your body and pay attention to the signs. A classic example that you need more than a little lotion or some facial moisturizer is dry skin. If your skin is dry, also increase your water intake. If your hair feels brittle and skin looks dull, you may need to double-check what vitamins you are taking or take a closer look at your overall diet. The point is your body often tells you something is off on the inside by displaying signs outwardly. An inclusive approach to skincare, therefore, is more than skin deep. Thus, if you start to notice signs that something is off, consider speaking with a nutritionist as well as your dermatologist.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, proper skincare encompasses many aspects of everyday self-care. Furthermore, they are both equally crucial to maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. When you feel and look your best, you often have more to give to others as well as yourself. Self-care also helps to prevent overload burnout and allows us to refocus in times of stress. Nevertheless, practicing self-care and having the time to engage in a comprehensive skincare routine can be difficult for most people. But now more than ever, we really need to start making the time. Thus, if you are currently at home or on lockdown like so many of us in 2020, why not carve out some time to take better care of yourself—while you still can.