Great Skin: It's An Inside Job

If you want great skin, you need to take care of it. Period.

But taking care of your skin is about more than using the right products (although that’s certainly a crucial part of the equation!). Just like real beauty comes from the inside, really beautiful skin comes from the inside, too.

Great skin is in an inside job.

So if you want a flawless complexion, you’ve got to go further than finding the right ingredient combos for your skin type. Remember - your skin is a reflection of what’s going on underneath your skin. So, when you take care of your health and your body, the first place it shows is in your complexion.

Here are three healthy changes to make that will give you gorgeous skin from the inside out:

Catch up on your Zzz’s

Between work, social obligations, family, and the ever-increasing number of social networks that demand our attention, it seems like there’s never enough hours in the day to get everything done. And in order to compensate and try to fit more in the day, many of us are forgoing sleep.

But cutting down your nightly snooze fest can wreak havoc on your skin. Not getting enough good, quality sleep increases the body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to increased inflammation in the body. The inflammation can lead to all sorts of skin issues, including the worsening of skin conditions (including acne, eczema, and psoriasis) and a breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin (which will seriously dull your complexion). Too much cortisol can also wreak havoc on your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to various long-term skin disorders.

Not getting enough sleep can also accelerate the aging process. When we sleep, our bodies generate human growth hormone, which repair damaged cells in the skin. But if we don’t sleep long enough - and don’t enter a deep sleep cycle - the hormone isn’t generated and the cells don’t get the TLC they need. Over time, the accumulation of damaged skin cells in desperate need of repair will lead to more noticeable signs of aging on the face.

Luckily, all you need to do to avoid these skin issues is get some shut eye! Getting between 7 and 8 hours of sleep every night will allow your body to enter the deep stages of sleep needed to repair damaged skin cells and will keep cortisol-induced inflammation at bay.

So, grab a cup of chamomile tea (along with your DERMOVIA Lace Your Face Calming Chamomile), turn off the lights, and get some beauty sleep.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Your body is made up of about 60% water. But it’s not like water stays in our bodies for too long. We lose huge quantities of water every day, and if we want our bodies to function properly, we need to always be replenishing those water supplies.

Drinking plenty of H2O isn’t just great for your body as a whole: it’s also great for your skin. Your skin is made up of cells, and a large part of those cells are made up of water. So, if you want your skin cells to do their job and keep your complexion looking fresh, youthful, and oh-so-glowy, you’ve got to give it the good stuff: water.

Not drinking enough water will lead to a dry, flaky complexion and can lead to premature wrinkles. Give your skin a one-two hydration punch by aiming for at least 64oz of water each day (hydration from the inside) and using a moisturizer that contains hyaluronic acid every morning and evening (hydration from the outside).

Make your meals count

There’s no way around it: what you put into your body (your meals) will reflect outside of your body (your skin). So, as much as we love the occasional slice of pizza (or chocolate cake… or pasta… or cookies… you get the idea), if you want great skin, you need to make your meals count and give your body the foods it needs for a glowing complexion.

When you’re deciding what to eat, look for foods that pack a skin-protecting punch. Eating foods rich in Vitamin C (like pineapple, oranges, red peppers, kale, and strawberries) will help protect your skin from free radicals in the environment and boost collagen production to keep your skin nice and firm. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon and flax seed) will help strengthen your cell membranes, which will keep water and nutrients in the cell and harmful toxins out (omega-3 fatty acids are also shown to reduce inflammation, which can help with a variety of skin conditions). Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which converts to Vitamin A in the body and helps repair skin tissue.

There are so many nutrient-dense foods out there that will feed your body and nourish your skin at the same time. And while a little sugar here and there is fine, if you want enviable skin, these nutritious foods need to make up the majority of your meals.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. And when you treat your body well - by getting plenty of rest, drinking lots of water, and filling your diet with nutrient-dense foods - you’ll see the results in your skin.