Radiant and glowing skin and a shiny and strong hair are not just signs of a great beauty regime that came from bottled products you see on TV. These are also signs of a healthy body that’s well taken care of. That’s why beauty experts always push for a healthy lifestyle.
But what should you do to enhance and keep your skin and hair looking healthy? Do you stop with using products altogether? Do you need to eat certain types of food?
If you’re curious and you want to know the top tips on keeping your skin and hair healthy, read on.
Eat healthy
A healthy diet plan is important in keeping your skin and hair looking healthy and beautiful. But to be more specific, you have to eat foods that are rich in vitamins A, C, E, and D and also Zinc, Selenium, and Copper. These are all known to be antioxidants which help protect our skin from damage. You can get these mostly from plant-based foods.
Apart from vitamins and minerals, you should also get food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. These can protect and prevent certain skin conditions.
Lastly, you should get Biotin or B7-rich foods and supplements. These are essential to our hair, skin, and nail health – so much so that vitamin B7 was also known as H vitamins after the German word for hair and skin (haar and haut). It strengthens the hair and nails and keeps your skin looking radiant and healthy.
You can get these essential nutrients through supplements, but here are some food you should try incorporating on your diet:
- Eggs – these are rich in Biotin
- Fatty fish such as salmon – rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D
- Citrusy fruits such as orange – these are great sources of vitamin C
- Spinach, nuts, and seeds – a good source of vitamin E
- Carrots and pumpkins – a great source of vitamin A
- Oysters, chicken, and beans – foods rich in Zinc
You should also remember to avoid any food that you are allergic to as the reaction could cause several skin conditions such as rashes and hives.
Drink more water
You’ve probably heard this a thousand times already. Hydration is really important in making you look and feel young and fresh. While dehydration also affects the hair and nails, you’ll see it most evidently on the skin.
Skin cells are essentially made of water so you should replenish it with water. If your skin has lost its elasticity and you got these cracks, you should change your views on water.
Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day, especially on hot days when you sweat a lot.
Get sufficient rest
Have you been so tired and stressed out that your skin looks dull and your hair is falling out? That’s because your body needs enough rest to restore any damages in our body. When you rest, your body regenerates, which helps you look fresher.
Plus if you’re tired, the blood won’t flow efficiently. As you’re sleeping, your body produces growth hormone – an essential component for collagen production.
Use less makeup
For our makeup loving readers, wearing a full face of makeup isn’t bad. But no matter how expensive the brand is, the chemicals will do a great deal of damage to your skin. That’s why you should use makeup less often. For example, you’re just going out for a quick dinner. You don’t need a full face of foundation, loose powder, blush, highlight, contour, and all that jazz.
If you do wear makeup, be sure that you take it off as soon as you get home. You can use makeup removers that are water-based and gentle to the skin.
Don’t use harsh chemicals on your hair
That means you can’t just keep on bleaching and dyeing your hair whenever you feel like it. Even hairsprays and mousse could instantly damage your hair to an extent where it can be nearly impossible to fix.
If you want to dye your hair, there are available natural hair dyes that you can use. Plus if not necessary, skip on the bleaching.
You should also treat your hair and use conditioner every time you wash it. Conditioners help protect your hair right from the roots while keeping its natural oils.
Protect yourself from environment damages
Protect yourself from overexposure to the sun, smoke, chlorine in water, and toxins. These can greatly damage both your hair and skin.
If you’re going out, always use a protective sunscreen for your skin to protect against harmful UV rays.
In general, it’s really easy to keep your skin and hair looking healthy and beautiful. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on products – but you do need to make some sacrifices regarding your lifestyle.
And indeed, beauty is skin deep.