How Do I Achieve Glowing Skin ?

Glowing skin, the kind you see on all the glossy magazine advertisements is something we'd all like to achieve. There's nothing that will do more to enhance your overall appearance than good looking skin. Well the good news is that with a bit of care and attention you too can help yourself achieve glowing skin but it isn't going to happen overnight, it takes a bit of time, commitment, and a dash of common sense.

What most people forget is that radiant and youthful looking skin is skin that has been fed and nourished from the inside whilst at the same time been cared for properly on the outside. This means you have to take a more holistic approach to your skincare instead of just plying it with products and hoping that is all that it will take, it isn't.

The good news is that skin is constantly renewing itself so the skin that appears on your face today is not going to be the same skin that's there in a month's time. That gives you the opportunity to correct at least some of the skin problems you might have but unfortunately it won't reverse all the damage that has already been done. However, there is still a lot you can do for damaged skin too so there's still hope.

The first thing you have to look at on your journey towards glowing skin is your diet as this is where you skin will be nourished before it ever makes an appearance on the outside and as such it's vital you get this right.

What's the right diet for glowing skin?

If you eat a balanced diet which contains a variety of fresh (preferably organic) fruits and vegetables, some lean meat and fish as well as pulses and beans, and you cut out all hydrogenated fats and limit your alcohol intake then you're well on the way to providing your skin with all the vitamins and nutrients it needs and it's always better to get these nutrients from a normal diet and not out of a bottle.

One of the problems we encounter with diet today is how to get enough Omega 3 fatty acids into our diet as our skin absolutely needs these in order to be healthy. Our bodies cannot produce Omega 3 and the only source of the truly important Omega 3 fatty acids we require is found in fatty fish.

This is a problem because we cannot eat too much fish due to the presence of toxins in fish. What we can do though is take a supplement of fish oil on a daily basis and we can make an exception here as without Omega 3 fatty acids such as Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA as it is more commonly known, not only our skin is going to suffer but our overall physical and mental health too.

No, we really need EPA and fish oil is a perfectly safe and efficient way of getting it. It's interesting to note that one of the first signs that you are not getting enough Omega 3 is dry, flaky, or dull looking skin.

The importance of water

No one can overemphasise the importance of drinking plenty of water in order to achieve a healthy glowing complexion. Water flushes out toxins and keeps the body hydrated and you certainly won't have glowing skin if your body is craving fluids. Instead it will become dry and dull.

Why you need to exercise

Moderate exercise will get that blood pumping throughout your body, it helps eliminate toxins from the body through sweat and your skin takes on a healthy pinkish glow as the blood carries all those essential nutrients right to the surface of the skin.

Caring for your skin on the outside

If your diet is good, you are drinking plenty of water and exercising at least two or three times a week then you are giving your future skin a great start so that by the time it reaches the surface all you have to do is make sure you maintain your good work and prevent any damage.

- Use only mild and natural products on your skin and only those that have been formulated for your skin type - the most important product you can buy is a good moisturiser.

- Protect your skin from the sun by staying out of it or by wearing a sunscreen if you can't avoid it as the sun will dry the skin and encourage wrinkles so sun worshipping is out.

- If you smoke then you're going to have to stop as smoking will age your skin prematurely and far from having a glowing complexion your skin will take on an ashen grey tone.

- Never leave make up on overnight and when removing make up always handle your skin gently, no rubbing, just gentle circular movements with your fingers when applying cleanser or a moisturiser.

In summary then, if you eat well, drink plenty of water, exercise, and prevent damage to your skin, you should start to see amazing results in a matter of weeks time and this will motivate you to continue your regime and you will be well on your way to achieving glowing skin.