In honour of Halloween, today’s post outlines 5 scary skin care habits. These are things we should minimize or avoid as much as possible to ensure the health and wellness of our skin.
- Smoking. You already know it’s bad for your health; it’s also bad for your skin. Smoking breaks down elastic fibers in the skin (which is why smokers’ complexions look yellow) and amps up the enzyme responsible for breaking down collagen (and that definitely leads to wrinkles), leaving smokers with yellowed, more wrinkled skin. The good news? Quitting will result in improvements – skin texture improves and over time, it becomes brighter too. It’s never too late to quit!
- Over Cleansing. While it’s still important to remove your make-up at night, don’t always reach for the exfoliating, stripping cleanser. Creamy or oil-based cleansers are more gentle and it is a good idea to alternate them with more exfoliating ones. Try Apothekari Cloud Nine Foaming Cleansing Creme.
- Eating Poorly. “You are what you eat”. It’s not just a saying, it really is true. Consuming too much sugar, alcohol or junk food shows on your face. Alcohol is dehydrating and can lead to skin that is dull and blotchy. Try to limit the amount of alcohol you consume by sipping water between drinks. Foods high in sugar or simple carbohydrates, like dessert and potato chips rapidly convert into glucose, which can raise your insulin levels. This leads to inflammation, which ultimately contributes to sagging skin and wrinkles. Digested sugar can also lead to glycation, a process where sugar is converted to advanced glycation end products – AGEs which attach to proteins like collagen causing them to harden. AGEs can also contribute to the development of age spots, dullness, and tumours.
- Neglecting the Sunscreen. You already know that a well formulated sunscreen is one of your best bets against aging skin. Slathering SPF over your entire face even in the winter is a great start, but don’t ignore the rest of your body, including the tops of your hands and exposed décolleté.
- Skipping Exercise. Exercise not only lifts your mood, but the increased blood flow and stress reduction that comes with regular exercise, also shows on your face. Exercise helps to minimize a rise in cortisol, the stress hormone. Once you lessen the spikes of this hormone, your skin will say thank you by way of fewer breakouts and an increased smoothness.
Halloween may come every year, but let this year be the one that you banish these scary skin care habits for good and say hello to boo-tiful skin!
