HACKS FOR SKIN THAT SHINES BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND

Loving that summer glow and hoping that it will never fade? We know we are! When our skin is naturally glowing, we feel like we are glowing too and let’s face it, that’s a pretty good damn feeling!

Asides from investing in a good radiance enhancing moisturiser, serum or make-up which there is an extensive range of out there to get that glow, we wanted to find more natural, bank account friendly ways to keep our glow and make our skin shine even brighter.

Here are the top hacks we have found to make sure dull skin is never our problem…even when the winter comes along!

1. Drink up!

A very predictable one and we know it’s not much of a secret, but drinking plenty of water really is key when it comes to healthy, radiant skin. The body uses water to cleanse out toxins, which if we don’t flush out, can show up in our skin. Dehydrated skin = dull and more wrinkle the apparent skin, so keep that hydration up and know that water is doing good to not only how you feel on the inside, but how you look on the outside too. Aim to drink at least 2-3 litres of filtered water a day and if you are particularly active or it is particularly hot, aim to drink even more.

Ps. If you want to shine extra bright, add slices of lemon to your water or sip on a cooled green tea too! Tea and lemon are both great sources of antioxidants, which fight the free-radical damage from sun exposure and help support skin collagen.

2. Prioritise that beauty sleep

Sleep is important for many health reasons but when it comes to glowing skin, getting an adequate amount of sleep per night can make a huge difference. Sleep allows your skin cells to regenerate and repair themselves which is the secret behind that youthful, radiant looking glow. So if you are not getting enough rest, your skin cannot renew itself.

Not only is the amount of sleep important though, the quality of your sleep and the position that you sleep in can really matter for your skin.

Sleeping on your stomach can scrunch your face and put pressure on your neck which then results in sagging skin, blocked circulation and tighter face muscles, all factors that need to be avoided when it comes to achieving glowing skin!

3. Eat to glow

To have a radiant glow, you need to aid it from the inside too. When it comes to glowing skin, omega-3, protein and watermelon are your best friends. Diary and artificial sugar, on the other hand, …not so much!

Including a handful of nuts, especially Brazil, macadamia and walnuts into your diet is a fast track route to lower inflammation, decrease the risk of breakouts and reap the pore-perfecting benefits these nuts have to offer. These particular nuts have a high level of omega-3 and fatty acids that aid in skin rejuvenation and repair. Other foods such as salmon, olive oil and garlic also help skin repair and support a glowing complexion.

Protein is key when it comes to improvements in skin and an overall glow. It is the building block for everything including your skin, leaving it looking tighter and brighter! Other beneficial diet staples include foods containing high sources of zinc (e.g. sunflower, poppy or pumpkin and legumes), vitamin c, papaya and watermelon (our summer fav!).

4. Don’t hate, exfoliate!

The foundation for clear, smooth and glowing skin, regular exfoliation removes the skin's surface so that the glowing skin underneath can shine through. It also increases cell repair to improve the health, clarity and strength of your skin and even out skin tone as well as stimulating collagen to improve smoothness and suppleness. A definite must-do in our mission to achieve lasting glowing skin care regime.

Don’t wait to eradicate either! As soon as you arrive home, cleanse that skin and remove all unwanted build up, waiting to do this until before bed the dirt to hang around on your skin for longer.

5. Don’t sweat…sparkle!

Yes, that’s right, working out and building up a sweat can help you towards your shining brighter skin mission too! Although the initial post-workout glow (/tomato face!) may not be one you want hanging around, the long-term benefits regular exercise can do for your skin gives you all the more reason to stick to a fit and active lifestyle.

Sweating is nature’s way of eliminating toxic chemicals that build up under the skin and exercising regularly maintains a healthy blood flow and circulation throughout the body, including your skin! Sweat opens up your pores and allows whatever is hiding (e.g. makeup remnants, pollution and just dirt from the air in general) to come out. Remember to shower or wash your face after that workout though to make sure you don’t reabsorb everything after sweating it out!

And if you’re looking for new ways to sweat, check out our new boxing and cardio classes…we can guarantee they will help ;)

Image from @pinterest