5 top beauty tips for healthy glowing skin

Boost hydration

Staying hydrated is a must, especially in our harsh Aussie climate. We all know that drinking water helps to flush nasty toxins from the body, helps our kidneys perform better and also helps to keep our heart strong. As an added bonus, drinking water just happens to be great for the skin too. Added moisture makes our skin look plumper and more lustrous. It even helps to erase some of those pesky fine lines caused by dehydration.

To get this much-needed hydration, drink 8 glasses of water every day. If you’re not a big water drinker, try snacking on water-filled fruits and veggies like watermelon, berries, cucumber and celery.

Exfoliate

We all know how important cleansing and moisturising are, but a lot of us skip the exfoliation part – and that is bad news for our skin. Not only does exfoliation slough away dead skin, it can also make pores appear smaller, and it helps make-up stick to the skin better.

The skincare shelves are stacked with different exfoliating products like facial scrubs, exfoliating masks and facial brushes, so find what product works best for your skin type. In a pinch you can even use slices of lemon sprinkled with sugar. If you’re shopping around, watch out for plastic microbeads. Remember to choose an eco-friendly, biodegradable facial scrub like those with natural beads, such as walnut, jojoba or salt.

Get your blood pumping

We already know that regular exercise plays a big part in keeping our bodies fit and healthy, but if you need a little extra incentive to get moving you should know that exercise gives your skin a big boost by increasing blood flow. The more blood that is circulating through your system, the more oxygen and nutrients that will reach skin cells. This helps to repair sun damage and to flush toxins. The less toxins, the healthier your skin looks.

Exercise also affects collagen creation (which helps in anti-aging) and decreases production of cortisol, the stress hormone that can cause all kinds of skin problems like acne and eczema.

The great news is that you don’t need to slog it out for hours in the gym to reap the rewards: research suggests that just 30 minutes of exercise a day will improve your skin.

Moisturisers, oils and serums

Of course, one of the easiest ways to bring on the glow is by moisturising your skin. Moisturiser works by creating a thin film that traps moisture in the top layer of the skin, preventing the skin from drying out.  Facial oils and serums are also considered moisturisers along with creams and lotions. For radiant skin, a good tip is to use a combination of these to create multiple layers of hydration. Include a serum into your routine that nourishes the deeper layers of your skin, hydrating and repairing it from inside out. Then apply an oil or a moisturiser to hydrate the top layer of your skin to lock in all the moisture and strengthen your skin barrier.

Look for a natural skincare brand to ensure you are not putting any nasty chemicals on your skin. The Natural Instinct Plump & Renew Serum absorbs into the deeper layers of the skin, nourishing it with Echinacea Purpurea Extract and Argan Oil plus brightening the skin with Licorice Extract. You can follow this with a facial oil such as a Rosehip Oil or Camellia Oil that deliver amazing anti-ageing and brightening benefits. Or you can opt for a moisturiser that promotes glowing skin like the Skin Radiance Moisturiser.

Give yourself a facial massage

We all have days where we look in the mirror and see a tired, dull, puffy mess staring back. It’s on days like these that a DIY facial massage works wonders. Massaging the skin promotes blood circulation and oxygen flow to face muscles. It also releases any stress and tension you are holding in your forehead, cheeks and neck. A massage doesn’t take long but the result is definitely worth it. There are some great how-to videos on YouTube that can get you started. You can use a relaxing facial oil with your massage like the Natural Instinct Vitamin C Camellia Oil that smells divine and helps calm the mind.