Free and low-cost ways to protect your skin health
It goes without saying that money is tight at the moment due to uncontrollable factors such as the cost-of-living crisis. But that doesn’t mean your skin health should suffer as a result, so we wanted to put together some free and low-cost tips to keep your skin in great condition.
Lifestyle factors – Drink less alcohol and more water, rest more, stress less and reduce your time in the sun
These are all controllable factors that are completely FREE! Binge drinking on weekends can wreak havoc on our skin, creating hormonal imbalances which build up bacteria and cause dehydration, resulting in we all know it – breakouts! [1] Drinking the recommended three litres of water per day can work wonders for your overall body, but it also helps keep the skin hydrated and can regulate the surface pH to reduce skin conditions [2].
Try and have at least eight hours sleep per night, as sleep helps us produce collagen, which is the holy grail of staying youthful. This comes hand in hand with managing your stress levels, when we’re stressed our skin barrier can become disrupted, leading to skin conditions such as breakouts and eczema [3]. Find time to manage your stress levels in a way that works for you and your lifestyle.
You may like that suntan, but we can guarantee in years to come you’ll have wished you protected yourself from sun damage. Sun damage leads to premature signs of ageing such as wrinkles and pigmentation – so try to reduce your amount of time in the sun. Which leads us to our next point…
SPF!
Investing in a good SPF and wearing it religiously every day, yes even when it’s cloudy, will save you money in the long run. We don’t have a magic time machine to turn back the years, but if you start with a good quality SPF now, you could save costs trying to rectify sun damage in the future.
Here is a list of our few doctor recommended favourites:
NeoStrata Clarify Sheer Hydration SPF 40 – this gentle, hydrating daily oil-free sunscreen with a sheer finish is formulated with NeoGlucosamine, a gentle exfoliator that helps diminish the appearance of dark spots, and a botanical blend to target oiliness with minimal irritation. It ideal for combination and oily prone skin types.
ZO Smart tone SPF 50 -this non-greasy, quick drying sunscreen with a sheer matte finish offers broad-spectrum protection against UVA, UVB rays. It goes on seamlessly under make up but also blends to an individuals skin tone to give a subtle tint for make up free days. It is water and perspiration resistant, delivering superior protection during outdoor activities while hydrating the skin to prevent dryness.
Heliocare Gel Oil Free SPF 50 – tinted – this tinted, light weight SPF offers Daily protection against damage from the sun/daylight that can lead to premature skin ageing and impaired skin health: Protection against UVA, UVB, visible light and infrared-A Powerful anti-oxidant activity with Fernblock FC Skin cell DNA protection and repair.
Getting your skincare routine right
Hands up if you’ve tried so many skincare products because it was recommended on social media… This is something we’re all guilty of. With increasing advertising and ease of access to products online, we can find ourselves mindlessly trying to find something that works, but seeing a qualified skin aesthetician will allow you to create a skincare routine that is tailored to your individual concerns and can offer medical grade products that are more effective than over the counter products. This means better quality products that actually work and last longer, rather than spending a fortune and wasting money on new products each month.
Getting expert advice through a consultation with us is completely FREE. If you’d like to book a consultation with one of our medical grade skincare experts, simply drop us a message on Instagram or Facebook, or TEXT 07454 113 862.
Refs:
[1] La Roche-Posay: https://www.laroche-posay.co.uk/en_GB/truth-or-myth-drinking-alcohol-make-my-acne-worse.html
[2] National Library of Medicine: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29614497/
[3] Harvard Medicine: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/stress-may-be-getting-to-your-skin-but-its-not-a-one-way-street-2021041422334#:~:text=Are%20you%20stressed%20out%3F,%2C%20acne%2C%20and%20hair%20loss.