7 Habits for Younger, Glowing Skin

While genetics plays a big role in how your skin looks and feels, your daily skin care habits can also impact overall skin health. Things you do and don't do can harm or benefit your complexion and undermine your efforts to have healthy skin. 

If your skin isn't looking its best, adjusting or changing your lifestyle and skin care habits may help. Here are 7 habits that will help you achieve youthful, radiant skin. 

1. Protect skin from sun/UV damage: Prolonged, unprotected exposure to the sun is the most common cause of premature skin aging. It accelerates the breakdown of collagen and skin elasticity, leading to wrinkles, sun spots and sagging skin. It can also worsen existing signs of aging and increase the risk of skin cancer. 

Anyone with healthy, radiant skin knows the effects of the sun and therefore takes UV protection seriously. This means wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day, no matter the weather. 

Other important sun protection measures include limiting sun exposure (especially during peak hours), seeking shade, and wearing clothing/accessories to cover sun-exposed skin. 

2. Don’t sleep with makeup on: How bad is it to sleep with makeup on? Now you have so much dirt, bacteria, and makeup residue on your skin that your pores can't breathe, causing clogs and further inflammation. Additionally, cosmetics bind dirt and pollutants and cause oxidative damage, which impairs the skin’s barrier function and accelerates the aging process. 

Even if wearing makeup at night isn't disastrous, it shouldn't become a habit. This is especially true if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin. Make sure to wash your face every night with a gentle cleanser or formula suitable for your skin. Avoid facial wipes as they don't actually cleanse the skin and instead smear dirt, makeup, and dead skin. 

3.Don’t smoke: Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your skin and overall health. It accelerates the aging process of the skin, leading to wrinkles, dull skin and a dull complexion. 

Cigarettes contain nicotine, which affects blood circulation and reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients reaching the skin. Additionally, chemicals in smoke can damage collagen and elastin, causing wrinkles and sagging skin. 

These are just some of the reasons why you should quit smoking or even start smoking. Quitting or not smoking can prevent further damage and wrinkles, especially to the lips and mouth. If you need help quitting smoking, contact your doctor. 


4. Moisturize regularly Daily moisturizing is more than just preventing dryness and soothing sensitive skin. It also has anti-aging benefits and can plump the skin, making it appear firmer and making wrinkles less noticeable. It can also help treat acne because keeping your skin properly hydrated prevents your sebaceous glands from producing more oil than they actually need. It's important to use a good moisturizer, especially if your skin is oily or acne-prone. Dr.'s deeply hydrating moisturizer Sylvia Skin Care effectively restores skin moisture without the use of oily ingredients. It strengthens and moisturizes skin without clogging pores or causing breakouts. Here are 5 ways to get the most out of your moisturizer. 

5. Eat right and exercise A diet high in highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and packaged/ready-to-eat foods can cause elevated blood sugar levels and cause inflammation in the body. This can worsen skin problems like acne and even cause collagen to break down. Additionally, processed foods contain added sugars that are associated with glycation, which is known to damage collagen and elastin. That's why it's important to watch your diet and eat more fruits and vegetables. You should also combine it with regular physical activity as this increases blood circulation and nourishes skin cells. Additionally, exercise removes waste products and promotes collagen production. 

6. Get enough sleep Beauty sleep is no myth. During sleep, your body goes into repair/regeneration mode. This allows skin cells to replace damaged cells and produce new cells. Even while you sleep, your skin's turnover rate doubles and your body produces more collagen. A good night’s sleep also protects your skin from the effects of pollution, UV damage, and other environmental stressors. Therefore, you shouldn't miss sleep or stay up late for most of the week. Keep your room dark and quiet and limit the use of electronic devices before bed to improve sleep quality. The same goes for sleeping in a cool room and on a mattress that is neither too soft nor too hard. Check out our previous article to learn 7 ways to get some beauty sleep. 

7. Manage stress In addition to general pain, uncontrolled stress can cause skin reactions and worsen existing skin problems. High or elevated levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) can increase sebum production, which can clog pores and trigger breakouts. They also cause the breakdown of collagen and elastin, leading to premature skin aging. Taking steps to manage stress will benefit your physical health and skin health. You can do this by taking a break or stepping away from an overwhelming task or project. It also helps to exercise regularly, try yoga/meditation and seek professional support when needed.