Free Things for Clearer Skin

There are endless products, treatments, medications, and DIYs for achieving clearer skin but if we mindlessly wade ourselves through them without considering our every day lifestyle it all becomes pointless. Some people say they have a "teeth whitening lifestyle", meaning instead of just applying
bleach once a week and hoping for the best, they actively irradiate the things in their life that will stain their teeth (like drinking coffee and wine) and take up things that'll help keep their teeth whiter (like drinking from straws and using baking soda instead of shop-bought toothpastes). You can do the same thing with clear skin and here are some tips to add into your day to day life that'll help keep those blemishes at bay.

Wash Your Hands

We all wash our hands after using the loo (at least I hope we do), but we pick up bacteria throughout the day just from going about our daily business. We want to lessen the the chance of any of the bacteria getting into our pores and creating whiteheads and blackheads, so before we slather on the oils, balms, and cleansers, it's important to remember to wash our hands. To get the most our of our evening routines we must start with clean products (non-comodogenic and fragrance-free) and clean tools (i.e. hands).

Change Your Sheets

Although we go to bed freshly cleansed, during the night we sweat and attract more bacteria which is then harboured in our sheets and especially pillow cases. Changing your sheets once a week can greatly improve your skin's condition - just be sure to use non-bio laundry soap to keep your skin from getting irritated. If you go to bed without removing your makeup, which I'd never recommend, you'll probably want to change your pillow cases more often... but then it's less of a hassle to just take your makeup off in the first place (and will produce better results for your skin)!

Snack

We all know processed food contributes to breakouts so to stop those sweet or salty cravings, keep snacking on healthier options through the day. Don't wait to feel the pangs of hunger before reaching for something, it usually ends up being something quick and full of nasties. Instead, surround yourself with delicious snacks that you can pick at through the day - carrot sticks (particularly good for glowing skin), peppers, and celery with hummus and olive tepenade / a homemade nut and seed mix (nuts and seeds are full of natural oils that promote healthy skin) / fruits (blueberries and oranges are great for the skin).

Drink

Drinking more water will flush out the toxins and boost your circulation, pushing blood to your face to quicken the pace of healing and regeneration. If you want more flavour, add fruits to your water (grapefruit, lemon, and orange are great for the skin) and drink decaffeinated (caffeine can contrite to acne) green and herbal teas - they're full of antioxidants. Drinking right before bed and as soon as you wake up as well as regularly throughout the day will help flush out a load of toxins and promote better sleep, which will also help your skin heal and replenish.

What do you do to help your skin glow?