Bad Habits That Prevent Smooth Skin
While smooth skin is what many of us covet, very few actually take the steps necessary to attain and to maintain it. Achieving smooth skin truly requires a lifestyle overhaul that includes kicking some nasty yet so comfortable habits we’ve all grown accustomed to at one point or another. Whether or not all or some of these bullet points apply to you, remember that small changes are baby steps toward a smooth, glowing complexion. You won’t age as fast and you will feel much more confident. Those are some pretty good benefits that appeal to pretty much everyone, so read on:
Sunbathing/No SPF:
Many of us are guilty of this, especially in the winter months, but the #1 adversary of smooth skin is the sun. While many of us spend our summers at the beach trying to get a sunkissed glow, you’re better off hitting the self-tanner if you want to age gracefully. While you may not see the deleterious effects the sun has on the skin yet, just wait until you hit your late 30’s/40’s, when it will hit you all at once: fine lines, age spots, and parched skin. No one wants this, so slather on that SPF and buy a big floppy sun hat for the beach from now on.
Smoking/Bad Diet:
What you put into your body could very well be preventing you from enjoying the smooth skin or will ruin the skin you already have. We all know that smoking is bad in so many ways, and that could not be more true for your skin. Smoking will make your skin sallow, rough, and wrinkled before your time. So invest in nicotine patches and quit now. Likewise, if your diet consists of Taco Bell and Diet Coke, it’s time for a turnaround. These processed foods have very little nutrients to nourish the body, which will cause a lot of issues in the future, including bad skin (if not already). The hydrogenated oils in these foods cause acne too. Since you are what you eat, if you want smooth skin, eat clean foods like nuts, avocados, salmon, and whole grains.
Not Exfoliating:
While it’s the most important skincare step next to moisturizing, exfoliating is not as widely practiced as it should be. Whether you use a chemical exfoliant or a scrub, removing dead skin cells two to three times a week on both the face and body is essential to smooth skin. The more dry patches and caked on dead skin your body holds onto, the more wrinkles you can expect to form, the cake your makeup applies, the overall more messed up your skin will appear. We know you have beautiful skin under there. Exfoliating will get the circulation going, thus brightening the complexion in addition to revealing a new layer of skin. Just make sure you don’t overdo it.
Not Moisturizing:
While moisturizer is more frequently used than exfoliator, the truth remains that most of us don’t do it as often as we should. Your face should be moisturized morning and night to keep it balanced. As for your body, moisturize after each shower. The heat in the water will strip the skin of its essential oils, resulting in that dry itchy feeling that no one wants. Make sure that you customize your moisturizer to your skin’s need, otherwise, that could lead to breakouts or more dryness. In short, moisture is what makes the difference between the beautiful and beat-up skin. The richer the moisturizer, the younger you’ll look.
Shaving/Waxing:
While shaving and waxing may temporarily get rid of hair and stubble, revealing smooth skin, we all know the results don’t last. Not only that, it will cause even more imperfections: ingrown hairs, razor bumps, rashes, and redness. This is obviously not a recipe for smooth skin. The solution is undoubtedly laser hair removal, which gets rid of hair without causing any of the aforementioned side effects and gets rid of hair for good. Once you get laser hair removal, you will have smooth skin for life. Forget about shaving and waxing and all of the bumps and crashes they cause; laser hair removal is a painless procedure with optimal results.
Avoiding all of these things is a great way to attain and maintain smooth skin and prevent signs of aging. Not only that, but it will improve your quality of life and save you time. Ditching shaving and waxing for laser hair removal will create an always beautiful smooth surface, while exfoliating, moisturizing, eating well, and applying SPF will maintain it. The journey to smooth skin and a more confident you is a complete process that requires several lifestyle changes, yet it’s so worth it in the end.