Our skin goes through so much every day. Every time we go out, we expose ourselves to pollution, dirt, and UV rays. If you’re thinking you’re lucky because you’re working from home, you should know that stress also dampens the glow of your skin and air conditioning dries it out. Add our lifestyle choices—not taking off makeup before going to bed and forgetting to drink water—and the skin really takes a beating. But it doesn’t mean that you need to invest money in expensive products or spend too many hours on different routines. With simple skincare habits, you can have healthy, glowing skin. Read on to know how you can give yourself that radiance everyone talks about in TV ads.

Skincare Habits For Glowing Skin

Ageing process starts in our late 20s and skin gets drier, and that’s why it’s important to nourish it more. To get a natural glow, introduce these daily habits into your life. There’s no quick-fix and there are no overnight miracles, but you will notice a change in your complexion if you keep at it.

Cleanse Twice A Day

Your morning skincare routine must start with cleansing. Invest in a gentle face wash or cleanser, which is suitable to your skin. If you have oily skin, you may need something that’s water- or gel-based. For dry skin, you may want something with oils. Dermatologists suggest that you shouldn’t wash your face more than twice a day—once in the morning and once before you go to bed. It’s especially important to do it at night because your skin accumulates oil and dirt during the day. Don’t overdo it because it may interfere with your face’s pH levels and rid your skin of its natural oils.

Moisturise After Every Wash

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. Every time you wash your face, it’s important to moisturise it. Again, the kind of moisturiser you use depends on your skin type. Even if you have oily skin, you still need to use a moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated. For dry skin, hyaluronic acid is a great option. But remember a rule of thumb: moisturisers are most effective when you have just washed your face and the skin is still a bit damp. 

Wear Sunscreen Every Day

Dermatologists all over the world can’t stress this enough—sunscreen saves your skin from damage, including problems such as spots and wrinkles. Even if you don’t go out in the sun or those days when the weather is cloudy, you still need to apply it to your face, neck and other exposed areas. You should have at least SPF 30 in your daily kit and it can also be in your daily moisturiser, so you just apply it without thinking about it.

If you’re looking for a sunscreen that’s light and won’t clog your pores, try Nosun Jojoba-Wheatgerm Moisturising Sun Protection Gel. 

Exfoliate Twice A Week

Most people forget about this, but exfoliating your skin can also help you get that glow. Use a gentle face scrub or a face peel to scrub away dead skin cells. You don’t have to do it daily; just twice a week is enough. Like washing your face too many times can remove natural oils from the skin, exfoliating can also cause the same, so don’t scrub too hard or too much. Twice a week is what’s normally recommended.

Remove Makeup Before Sleeping

Want to retain your face’s natural glow? Make sure you never go to bed with makeup on. Even if you’re tired or feeling lazy, wash your face well. Use an oil-based makeup remover or cleansing oil to get rid of a long-lasting, pigmented lipstick or waterproof mascara, and use a cleanser. Just be gentle with the cotton pads—you don’t want to scrub anything off. Micellar water is great for sensitive areas, like around your eyes.

Remember that makeup residue can clog your pores and you really don’t want impurities to stick to your face because it can cause irritation, breakouts and even infections. So to save yourself this heartache, practice this daily habit of washing off the makeup before hitting the sack.

Pro Tip: It’s always better to use a makeup remover than to use baby wipes because these wipes don’t do deep cleaning and you may still have residue left on your face that can cause pimples. 

Use A Night Cream

A night cream is different from a day cream or moisturiser because it works its magic when you’re sleeping. A day cream basically protects you from agents like pollution and UV rays, but a night cream helps with cell renewal and aids in hydration and circulation. Applying a night cream before you go to bed is another habit you should add to your skincare toolkit to get glowing skin. 

If you’re looking for a night cream that evens out blemishes, then Blemfree Anti Blemish Night Cream is paraben free and it helps in brightening the complexion.

Don’t Forget Those Eyes

The area under and around your eyes is sensitive. The skin is also thinner, and it’s more prone to wrinkles because of frequent use when you squint or smile. Plus, sun damage may also cause crow’s feet. So, an under eye cream is a product that you may also want to add to your cabinet to reduce puffiness, dryness, dry circles, and signs of ageing. Look for ingredients such as retinol (good for anti-ageing) and hyaluronic acid (locks moisture in) and always buy products according to your skin type and concerns. 

Eat Right

Refined sugar, carbohydrates, fatty foods, and fried snacks are not just unhealthy for your body, but also your skin. Have you not noticed pimples after indulging in fried foods? Research has found that there’s a direct connection between what you eat and the glow of your skin. Carbonated drinks have high sodium and caffeine content, so they dry up your skin, while sweets can accelerate ageing process, experts say. Even alcohol is harmful to your skin because it dehydrates you and packaged food may damage your skin’s collagen. Yep, that’s everything that we love to binge-eat these days.

For the sake of that healthy glow, introduce green leafy vegetables and fruits into your diet—you need lots of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids to keep your skin looking happy and radiant. Turn to kale (high in Vitamin A and antioxidants), avocados (great source of Vitamins A and D), broccoli (supports collagen production that improves skin’s elasticity), and nuts such as almonds and walnuts (rich in Vitamin E, which is great for anti-ageing).

Sleep Well

Have you ever noticed puffiness under your eyes and dark circles on nights you don’t sleep well? That should give you a hint that sleep and healthy skin are also linked. Studies have revealed that lack of sleep leaves the skin paler and more prone to dark circles and fine lines. Catch at least 7-8 hours of z’s and your skin will be thankful for it.

Drink Water

We hear it all the time that drinking water can flush out toxins. Unfortunately, there’s no scientific data to support this. That said, water is still very important for the overall health of your body and skin. Dehydration can cause headaches, tiredness, and make your skin look dull. Water also helps with digestion, so it’s a great idea to have two litres of water or high water content foods (veggies are your best friends). A hydrated body shows a glow on your face and you may find it plump and less flaky. However, drinking more than what’s required by the body won’t do much good—it will just be excreted. 

Manage Stress

Radiant skin is a sign of a healthy lifestyle. Stress, in general, is a menace that hurts your mind, body, and skin. Remember to give yourself a break every now and then, and take out some ‘me-time’. You can apply face packs, meditate, exercise, and just keep your stress levels low. What would it do? Lowering your stress may keep a check on free radicals that cause ageing, and you may get that glowing skin.

Habits are formed eventually and implementing these may also take some time. But if you want your skin to reflect how healthy and happy you are on the inside, then these may be some of the easiest ways to get that glow.