Maintaining a beauty regimen doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wear makeup or break the bank on spa days. Basic beauty “do’s”, such as wearing sunscreen daily, and “don’ts”, such as not sleeping enough, can bring about immense beauty benefits. Simple lifestyle changes can make all the difference in your overall appearance.
1. Wear Sunscreen Daily
Despite how hot or cold it may appear to be outside, it’s important to wear sunscreen daily. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, even on cloudy days, as much as 80% of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate your skin. Water, sand, and snow can increase the need for sunscreen because they reflect the sun’s rays. Apply sunscreen to dry skin at least 15 minutes before sun exposure. Doing so can reduce the risk for skin cancer and wrinkles. Lips are also susceptible to skin cancer, so it’s important to apply a lipstick or lip balm that contains sunscreen of an SPF of 30 or higher.
2. Maintain Your Eyebrows
Besides being important in strengthening expressions such as surprise, anger, or sexiness, many beauticians agree that eyebrows play a major role in defining the face, so it’s best not to leave them neglected. If you’re waiting for your eyebrows to grow, it might be worth using an eyebrow pencil or makeup to fill in awkward gaps. Vaseline and castor oil applied to the brows are said to promote hair growth. Others wise, tweezers, waxing, and threading are viable options for shaping your brows or correcting a unibrow. If you’re one to leave it for the professionals, after getting your eyebrows done, try maintaining them yourself with a set of tweezers. This avoids the awkward hair growth in between appointments. To keep brows in place, spritz an old toothbrush or clean mascara wand with hair spray and apply to your brows, styling as desired.
3.Avoid Popping Pimples
No matter how tempting, you should always avoid popping a pimple. Popping pimples means you’re more prone to scarring and the risk of spreading bacteria is increased. Instead, try minimizing the pimple by washing your face twice daily and using a soap or lotion that contains benzoyl peroxide, which will remove dead skin and help regenerate new, clean skin cells faster. Toothpaste, preferably organic, can also be applied to a pimple before going to bed and washed off with warm water in the morning. This works by drawing out the impurities of clogged pores and drinks the skin which minimizes the visibility of the pimple. If natural or over-the-counter solutions don’t do the trick, consider visiting a dermatologist.
4. Remember Your Feet
While a trip to the nail salon for a pedicure may seem ideal, it’s not practical to go every time you’ve had a rough week or day on your feet. In order to cut down on costs and feel the benefits of a pedicure more frequently, consider using a pumice stone daily in the shower. Pumice stones are used to smooth rough spots on feet and to reduce calluses and corns. After using a pumice stone, make sure to clean the pumice stone to remove the dead skin cells off of it. To keep your feet feeling really soft, consider using petroleum jelly or lotion all over your feet, and then put on a pair of socks that you could walk around the house in or sleep in. After a few hours, you’ll notice how soft your feet are.
5. Get More Sleep
There’s a reason why the expression “You need your beauty sleep,” is so popular. Sleeping helps prevent bags under the eyes and dark circles from exhaustion; it will also prevent statements about you looking tired from friends. Additionally, while you sleep, your skin renews itself, with new skin cells replacing old ones. This helps give your skin a more natural glow that might be missed out by an all-nighter from the day before. Fortunately, the skin recovers relatively quickly. If you get a good night’s sleep the following day, people will notice a difference.
While these tips may seem a bit tedious, it’s important to keep them as part of your daily routine. The more you do it, the more habitual they will come and the less you have to consciously think about doing each task. You’ll notice the benefits almost instantly, and your friends will too!
Images courtesy of: AmoreBeauty; Cosmopolitan Magazine; The Beautynista; How Stuff Works; The Fit Indian; Blanchard Valley Health System.