TIPS For Skin from Bea Kinnear

written by Bea Kinnear Your Skin & You 5th Edition.

1. Your skin protects your body, but that’s not all. It’s the face you present to the world. When healthy, it’s a source of beauty. The choices you make every day â€" what you eat, where you go, how you feel â€" affect how your skin looks.

2. Want good skin? Watch your diet. Higher intakes of vitamin C and a lower intake of fats and carbohydrates are associated with better appearance as your skin ages. Changing your diet will help your looks. Eat more fish, fruits, and vegetables to help protect against wrinkles and dryness in aging skin. To avoid breakouts, go for complex carbohydrates (like whole grains and pasta) and healthy protein. (Better still, remove all grains and sugars from your diet and be amazed by the results! Helen Wenley).

3. Your anti-aging cream may contain vitamin C or E. Put these antioxidants to work from the inside, too. Eating foods rich in these vitamins, plus the mineral selenium, can help protect your skin against sun damage. They may even help reverse signs of aging, like wrinkles and skin discoloration. Taking high quality USANA vitamins should be the top of your list.

4. Exercise benefits every part of your body â€" including your largest organ, the skin. Working out improves circulation, flushing toxins from your skin. Better blood flow also brings more oxygen and nutrients and may help your skin produce collagen, which staves off wrinkles. Don’t fret about sweat â€" exercise may actually help unclog pores. Wash your face right after a workout and avoid tight headbands, which can trap sweat and irritate skin.

5. Burn the candle at both ends for a few nights, and you may see it reflected in your face: Effect dark circles under the eyes, pale skin, and puffy eyes. Getting 7-8 hours a night will keep your body and skin in top shape. It matters how you sleep, too â€" rest your face on the pillow in the same position for years, and you’ll get wrinkles where the skin is pressed against the pillow. Solution? Sleep on your back, if you can. (Although we realize you cannot control your body movements when sleeping)

6. Stretch marks â€" 90% of pregnant women get them. They should fade after delivery. Weight gain can also cause them. Moisturizers might improve the appearance of stretch marks. Prescription Vitamin A creams or laser therapy can help. Acne is another common skin problem, caused by the extra hormones in your body. Your best bet for avoiding breakouts is to wash your face twice a day and use a mineral oil-free moisturizer. Ask your doctor before using any acne over the counter (OTC) products. (For acne: Again, remove all grains and sugars from your diet and be amazed by the results! Helen Wenley).

7. Some women develop dark patches â€" melasma, or the “mask of pregnancy” â€" on their faces when they’re pregnant. An increase in melanin, the substance that gives skin its color, is responsible for these dark patches. Use makeup or concealer to help cover the dark spots. Melasma usually fades after delivery. Reduce pigment changes by wearing sunscreen at all times and avoiding the sun.

8. Whether you were a sun worshipper in your teens or now catch some rays inadvertently while gardening, walking, or even driving, chances are your skin has sun damage. Some 90% of all skin damage is due to the sun. As your time in the sun goes up, so does your risk of skin cancer. Protect skin by always wearing sunscreen â€" even in winter. Hats and long sleeves help, too. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when rays are strongest. (To be sure that you do not suffer Vitamin D deficiency, be sure to take a good quality vitamin D3 supplement. Helen Wenley)

9. As you age, your skin changes. Your body doesn’t produce as much collagen, and the elastin that allows skin to spring back into place gets weaker. You don’t get rid of dead skin cells or produce new ones as fast. To boost aging skin, exfoliate to remove dead skin, use a non-drying soap, and moisturize often. Use an over-the-counter retinoid to reduce fine wrinkles or ask your doctor about a prescription version. Most of all, stay out of the sun.

10. Caffeine in coffee and tea is dehydrating, so it may cause your skin to dry out. But a study found that when applied topically to skin, caffeine may help reverse sun damage and lower risk of some skin cancers â€" in mice, at least. Researchers are now trying to see if topical caffeine protects human skin, too.

11. Too much alcohol is bad for your skin as well as your body. Alcohol is a diuretic; it causes the body to lose water. That can contribute to dry skin. It also dilates blood vessels. That’s why drinkers often have red, flushed faces â€" which makes rosacea worse. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, so that skin stays red.

12. Simply put, smoking is bad for your skin: It’s second only to the sun in causing wrinkles and dry skin. In fact, under a microscope you can see wrinkles in smokers as young as 20. Smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and contributes to the breakdown of collagen. Less collagen means more wrinkling. And yes, pursing your lips repeatedly encourages wrinkles, too. You can’t reverse the damage, but you can stop it by quitting smoking.

13. Every day, your skin comes in contact with pollution â€" cigarette smoke, car exhaust, or smoggy air. Keep skin healthy by keeping it clean. Each night, exfoliate with a gentle AHA serum and toner to remove dead skin cells, cleanse with a gentle soap or wash, then apply a quality cream with moisturizers. (Oily skin still needs a moisturizer; look for mineral oil-free products.) Exfoliation might not be possible every night for those with dry/sensitive skin or sensitive skin, but exfoliation should still be done when possible to help the skin.

14. Cold weather and wind bring on dry, flaky skin and can make eczema and rosacea worse. It’s not just the weather outside â€" dry heat indoors is harsh on skin, too. Fight back by using a humidifier at home, drinking lots of water, and applying moisturizer throughout the day. Remember the sunscreen when you go out.

15. Want a tan? Get a safe one: use a bronzer or self-tanner. (But most don’t contain sunscreen, so they don’t offer any protection from the sun.) Remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours. And unless you have persistently dry skin, switch to an oil-free moisturizer to avoid breakouts in humid weather. It’s a good idea to rinse off after being in the pool to get rid of any chlorine on your skin.

16. It doesn’t take long on a plane for skin to start feeling dry and tight, thanks to low humidity in the re-circulated air. Have a travel plan for your skin that includes drinking water â€" not coffee or alcohol â€" and moisturizing before, during, and after your flight. Don’t wear makeup on the flight if you can help it. Keep Intensive Hand Therapy lotion in a clear plastic zip-top bag with your other carry-on items.

17. Hollywood lives by it: Changing the lighting can change the way you look. Fluorescent lighting can make skin tone appear more red or yellow, while incandescent lighting softens colors and imperfections. Use mirrors with varied lighting to view your skin and makeup under different conditions. That way you won’t look overdone or sallow as lighting changes. You can go more dramatic at night, when lighting is lower.

For Beautiful skin, use the Beautiful Science of Sensé, because Sensé just makes sense!

Have a Sensé-tional Day!
Bea

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