Maintaining a Healthy Skin

I love taking care of myself. I'm not your make-up kind of girl. I do browse videos of some of my favorite beauty gurus on Youtube on how to do make-up, but translating it to me is the tough part. Anyways, my boyfriend is blown away by the time I invest in my skin, and these are what I do everyday besides using the skin care products featured in this blog. It took me years to look for products that is suitable for my skin. I also try to eat as healthy as I could because I do believe with the saying: we are what we eat.

* I am no nutritionist or a dermatologist. I am just your average girl who is conscious of what I eat and loves to try different skin care products. Certain products that may work for me may not necessarily mean may work for you. *

1. Drink water. Aim for 2 liters of water everyday, but not necessarily mean drown ourselves with water. Just enough to keep oneself hydrated. I sometimes forget drinking enough water, but I try to remind myself that I need to drink water. I love adding lemons in my water too just to spice things up. Aids to remove toxins in our body.
2. Stop drinking soda. When I was in high school, I was a chubby girl. One of the big steps I did was to cut back soda in my life. It was really hard but I knew I had to. I was just drinking the unnecessary calories all my life. Around 4th year high school (Tenth grade), it did helped me dropped the weight off (together with the right diet and exercise). I no longer crave soda even when I am in a restaurant. I am happy I did this for myself. Now, I have also influenced my family in doing the same thing.
3. Eat fruits in the morning. It is a must for me to have fresh fruits in the morning. I've read an article that it is better to eat fruits on an empty stomach because the vitamins and minerals are easily absorbed in our body. This is my usual breakfast here at home. I tend to wait around 30 minutes to an hour for it to digest before I can eat my main meal. I also love to make myself a smoothie and add spinach and lettuce.
4. Wash hands before cleansing your face. Who knows what germs are lurking in one's hands, so don't forget to wash your hands.
5. Moisturize. Very important to keep skin looking smooth, healthy and hydrated. There are a lot of brands of body lotions to facial moisturizers in the market that you will find and love! After taking a shower, pat dry and immediately apply your body lotion. It creates a seal in our skin that locks moisture for that healthy and soft skin. For the (night) skin regimen: After cleansing the face, use a facial scrub (2x a week) to remove dead skin, then pat dry using a clean paper towel. Next, after applying toner, apply an eye cream, then serum, and wait for few minutes to sink in. Last but not least, apply a moisturizer. Ladies, never ever forget to moisturize the neck, your décolletage and the back of the hands because despite the thorough care of the face, these delicate areas are also the first signs of aging. Apply a facial mask once in a while to refresh and renew skin.
6. Give 6-8 weeks for your new skin care regimen to work. It takes time for our skin to absorb and do its own thing before we can see the results. Don't give up using your current skin care products. But if it causes you unusual redness or bumps, stop applying but don't throw it away. Bring it to your dermatologist to further help you with your problem and find out what products suits your skin most. I love to read reviews online before I purchase products because I want to know what other people think about it, and from there I weigh my options.
7. 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Less sleep also means eyebags which also means our body is more stressed without the required amount of rest we need. I remember the days when I slept really late, and had this annoying headache when I wake up. I feel and look tired whenever I see myself in the mirror. Today, I always make sure I'm in bed around 10:00-10:30 p.m. at the most. With enough sleep, it also helps to absorb our skin care products better at night while it repairs itself. No matter how many or expensive products we slather in our skin, it won't do much of a help if we skip our sleep. Use a clean pillowcase to avoid transmitting of germs while sleeping. And also, don't forget to sleep on your back. This is one of the hardest things for me because my body loves to sleep in a fetal position -- which causes sleep wrinkles in the long run.
8. No to alcohol and smoking. This is self-explanatory; it causes a lot of damage to our health. It dehydrates our skin, which leads to premature aging. I rarely drink, but if I do drink, I drink a glass of water to re-hydrate myself. Moderation is still key here. As for smoking, I never smoked in my all years -- not even a puff.
9. Sunscreen. Whether I am indoors or outdoors -- sunny, rainy, windy, or cloudy -- I always have my sunscreen on. Some people don't understand why I apply sunscreen even when I am at home, and it gets to be a debate. I don't need to explain myself, and I just do what I do. The light reflects and refracts from shiny materials, thus it bounces even while inside the house which still leads our skin exposed to UVA and UVB rays. And what more, besides sunscreen, I can't leave the house without an umbrella and sunglasses to protect myself from the sun. An SPF 30 is good to prevent dark spots, dull complexion and premature aging. Always wait at least 30 minutes to help the sunscreen set in before leaving the house. Don't forget to reapply after 2hours.
10. Vitamin D. A dose of Vitamin D every morning between 7am-9am is a good thing for the body! Enjoy the sunshine!
11. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. I love to eat my veggies and fruits everyday. Whatever we eat, it absorbs and shows in our skin. I love olive oil, berries, malunggay (moringa), tomatoes, fish, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, green tea, dark chocolate, kiwi, barley, acai,.. etc.. etc... etc! They are all good for everyone, very nutritious and all the antioxidants our body needs! Pack your fridge with fresh produce, and you are on your way to great health! Cut back processed food as much as possible.
12. Cut down sugar. I have a sweet tooth, but whenever I think about my skin, I tend to think thrice before eating that piece of candy or any packaged drink that mostly contain sugar. Sugar breaks down and enters in our bloodstream, thus the collagen in our skin which makes our skin youthful, leads to sagging and wrinkles. 
13. Don't touch your face with your dirty hands. I know it gets tempting when you see a zit on your face, but better to leave it alone and use a cream to fight that acne. Our hands can transfer dirt to our face, and if you pick your acne now and then, it can lead to scarring. Hands off your face.
14. Use a pore strip. Once a week, unclog your pores using a pore strip. Not only it helps to get the gunk out, but also helps to shrink the size of our pores. It feels good to see those whiteheads and blackheads out in your face.
15. Avoid sipping through a straw. Repeated puckering contributes to lines around the mouth over time.
16. Don't stress about it. Smell the roses. Walk everyday. Read. Watch a movie. Get a massage. Call a friend. Travel. Dance. Write. Draw. Sing out loud. Laugh. Play with your dog. Hug someone. Indulge that delicious cake. Volunteer. Do something that you love. Take up a hobby. Help around the house. Forgive. Eat. Reflect. Respect others. Exercise. Have fun! Don't stress too much because less stress equals to less wrinkles.

Don't neglect our skin. It's what we got, and it shows how we take good care of ourselves. You'll thank yourself 10years from now. Above all, this is what I have learned: Nothing can beat a SMILE on our face.