Have you ever wished for perfect skin?

C’mon, be honest. I have. Particularly when I’ve been going through a bout of wicked breakouts or dry skin flare ups.

It becomes a vicious cycle of moisturizing, breaking out, drying out, moisturizing damaged skin, breaking out again, aaand REPEAT! It’s maddening. 

Fortunately, there are ways to beat your skin at its own cruel game. First things first, understand your skin.

Think about what your skin endures. It’s the outermost layer of your body and it encounters all the elements, pollution, and crap that your busy life exposes it to.

How would YOU feel? 

So, before you have a meltdown about the current state of your complexion, empathize with what it needs to recover, by understanding what’s causing the damage in the first place.

Here are five easy tips for healthy and glowing skin:

1. Revamp your shower routine 

Switch your hot showers to warm showers because hot water can strip your skin of its natural oils, which can dry out your skin. Your energy bill will thank you too. 

When you’re finished, don’t rub away all the moisture on your body. Instead, lightly dab with a towel and then immediately apply moisturizing lotion {see tip #2 below for my moisturizing tips}. This will help keep the moisture sealed in your skin.

2. Make the most of your moisturizer

Once you’re showered and squeaky clean, and have dabbed your body gently {a la tip#1, right?}, it’s time to moisturize. Unless you’re really ambitious, you don’t have to DIY a homemade lotion, but if you do, here’s a good, non-greasy lotion recipe.

Hit the easy button by starting with a clean, non-toxic commercial lotion and add a few drops of therapeutic-grade essential oils that are specifically designed by Mother Earth to support healthy skin and give you that natural glow. 

Here’s a clean, EWG-approved lotion {and the one I use} that you can just put into a jar, mix in your essential oils, and BOOM – easy peasy, quasi-DIY nourishing body lotion.

My top picks {based on the Essential Oils Pocket Reference} for skin nourishing essential oils include:

• Roman Chamomile: Used in Europe for skin regeneration{buy here}
• Geranium: Used for centuries for regenerating and healing skin conditions {buy here}
• Myrrh: The Arabian people used Myrhh for chapped, dry skin and anti-aging {buy here}
• Melrose: This is a blend of Rosemary, Melaleuca, Clove, and Niaouli that can help to promote healthy tissue {buy here} 

How to do it:

For every ½ cup of lotion, use about 50 drops of essential oil. Depending on which oils you have or prefer, you might use a blend of the above or pick and choose which work best for your skin.

Squeeze ½ cup of lotion into a glass jar {like this}, drop in your oils, mix and you’re done. Easy, right? 

I’ve also got you covered in the face category. This is my top pick for an anti-aging, skin glowing facial oil moisturizer. Easy, EFFECTIVE, and pennies on the dollar. Take that, Clinique!

Learn More About Essential Oils

• Sign up for my FREE 14-day essential oil e-course to learn the basics.
• Join my PRIVATE Facebook group to connect with others and share tips and recipes for DIY, beauty, cleaning, holistic living, and so much more.
• Learn how to buy essential oils at wholesale, 24% off retail prices, and get free sign-up goodies. 

3. Be gentle

For whatever reason, we have a tendency to scrub our skin clean {as if we’re **that** dirty}, but being this harsh is counter-productive. Over-exfoliating will lead to redness, irritation, itchiness, tightness, and flaky skin. Opt for one of these natural exfoliants, try this DIY skin cleaner for sensitive skin, or trade in your rough exfoliating brush for a softer one. 

Even better, try dry brushing. It’s a great way to detox your body, unclog your pours, improve circulation and {BONUS!}, reduce cellulite. This is the brush I love and use everyday. Learn the “how to” of dry body brushing from my friend Ashlee over at The Crunchy Moose here. 

4. Be wary of the weather

Both hot and cold weather can impact your skin’s natural moisture balance. The sun can burn and dry out your skin, which can lead to premature aging. So, wear your sunscreen if you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time in the warm weather. This is my top choice for the best commercial non-toxic sunscreen for the whole family.

Winter climates can also damage your skin. When the weather gets colder, the air becomes dry {indoor heat also makes for extremely dry air} which affects your skin’s natural oil production. Add a bit of moisture to dry, winter air by using an indoor humidifier.

5. Don’t underestimate the power of food

What you put into your body not only impacts your waistline, but also your skin. Eating too many of the wrong things {sugar and processed food, for example} can leave your complexion dry, dull, and lifeless. Food allergies or sensitivities can also rear their ugly head in the form of bothersome skin conditions. 

Eating plenty of omega-3 fatty acids {found in coconut oil, wild salmon, walnuts, flax, and avocados} is key to adding moisture and health to your skin. You might also consider doing an “elimination diet”, removing the common trigger foods that contribute to skin issues. I’ve had grads of The Superwoman Slim Down {Real Food Detox & Cleanse} experience amazing success by doing this alone.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what Suzanne had to say about it:

“After 4 weeks, I feel better than I ever have! I have more energy, lost 9 pounds, and my skin is radiant.”

Learn more here.

Next week, I’ll be sharing my tried and true tips for clear skin – something I battled for YEARS – in an exclusive newsletter for my subscribers only. If you’ve ever suffered from adult acne, you won’t want to miss it! 

Sign up for my newsletter to have these tips delivered straight to your inbox.

 

What are your favorite tips for healthy and glowing skin? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear!