Your skin is the most important organ in your body… or rather, on your body. Not only does it protect our insides from all the nasty chemicals and toxins of the outside world, but it’s also responsible for letting the good stuff in. Oh, and in terms of beauty, it also covers our entire body, so we’d better start looking after it! Dull, hard and tired skin can be major eyesores, and the worse your skin gets, the harder it is to repair. However, we understand that skincare can potentially be expensive, so here are some tips on D.I.Y. skincare that won’t cost you a penny!
Green Tea
Is there anything green tea can’t do? Not only is it great for you to drink, proving a healthy alternative to your regular morning tea and coffee, but it also contains oligomericproanthocyanidins (try saying that ten times fast) – one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants! And that’s not just a benefit you can achieve by drinking green tea – try straining green tea into about half a litre of water, and then leave it in the refrigerator. After a long day, wash your face with it for a cool, refreshed feeling! Alternatively, if you can’t wait for that radiant glow, try mixing moist green tea leaves (about a teaspoon) with organic yoghurt or cream, and using it as a face mask in the morning!
Oatmeal
No, it’s not just an Americanism – there is a difference between oatmeal and porridge, trust us – Google it! Like green tea before it, oatmeal is an antioxidant, and is also rich in protein which will promote cell growth on the skin. And because oatmeal is ideal for making a thick, paste-like concoction, it’s perfect for using as a face-mask on a morning! I know, it doesn’t sound ideal, but it’s perfect if you don’t want to spend money on face creams! Don’t forget to wash your face with warm water afterwards, though – smelling like breakfast with bits of dried oatmeal on your face isn’t an attractive look.
Get an Early night
It’s as good an excuse as any! One of the best ways to maintain healthy skin is by having a good night’s sleep. When we sleep, our body repairs itself, and this includes the skin; and we’re not just talking about scrapes and grazes. While you sleep, all of the important nutrients in your body circulate and travel to the areas of your skin that need it, so you wake up radiant and colourful, rather than with that unattractive, hard-night’s-day pasty, oily feeling.
Prevention!
There’s no cure like prevention! There’s only so much you can do in the short-term to make sure your skin looks great, however so many of us neglect our skin! Take a common sense approach to looking after your body and keeping your skin healthy; drink lots of water, eat healthily, and wear sun cream when you go out this summer! Try to avoid things like too much chocolate or coffee which can block circulation in your skin, giving it that no-sleep pasty look; or heavy drinking, which gives your skin that tired look, complete with red, puffy eyes!
Article by Arran Garside, he is a freelance copywriter with a great sense of humour and style of writing, he often writes for RM-UK.