How To Get Glowing Skin
More than anything else, there's one thing we all show more of in the summer; our skin. So how do we get glowing skin that is soft, smooth and begs to be shown? Keep reading.
Our skin is our largest, most exposed organ and it deserves to be treated like a queen (or king). From backne (acne on your back), to stretch marks, cellulite, eczema, dry skin patches there are many things that can get in the way of the skin on our body being the best that it can be.
One of the compliments I get the most, my husband and strangers is how beautiful my skin is. So I'm sharing my exact routine with you because it's so simple and keeping it to myself is just not nice.
Throwback pic of me in my skin. Wearing Nic Hyl Clothing swim bottoms.
Dry Skin Brushing (Step 1)
Dry brushing works by exfoliating the skin. Practitioners of dry brushing rub a brush with coarse, natural-fiber bristles over their bodies in a particular pattern. The idea is that the coarse fibers will help to remove dead skin and improve the skin's ability to eliminate toxins through the pores.
I'm a HUGE fan of dry skin brushing because of all of the health benefits, but also because of how soft my skin feels afterwards. Typically I dry brush every other day and have noticed a major difference in the look and feel of my skin (I noticed my husbands compliments of my skin increased once I started doing this). In addition to improving the skins ability to eliminate toxins, it's also been suggested that it helps to reduce the appearance of cellulite, stretch marks and helps the skin to maintain moisture, and removes dead skin. At first it may be uncomfortable because all dry skin brushes have course bristles, but it is so worth it.
I got my dry skin brush at Sephora for like $12, but they're also available at popular drug stores and online websites. When buying your brush, remember you want course, bristles-nothing too soft.
When brushing your skin, there's a logic to how it should be brushed too. I've heard all sorts of suggestions for the direction that we should brush our skin. In general, I brush the skin upwards, towards the heart. But I've read contradictory recommendations to this, so do your research and brush in the direction that works best for you.
*If you have eczema, psoriasis, open wounds or any other topical skin condition you probably want to test dry skin brushing out on a small part of your body to see how your skin reacts to it and ask your doctor if you're unsure.
Proper Cleansing (Step 2)
One of the compliments my husband gives me all of the time is, "your skin is so soft". So he's always touching it. He's even asked me what I do to my skin to give it that supple, can't cant your hands off of it feeling.
Proper (and consistent) cleansing of your skin is one of the best things you can do to achieve soft, beautiful skin. It sounds simple, but often times, the best beauty tips are simple. Important factors to remember are to use cleansers that don't dry the skin out. This will vary by each person as everyone's skin is different.
Nic Tip: My favorite types of body cleansers are those natural soaps that smell amazing and you get at some sort of market or small business fair.
It's important to remember to properly cleanse ALL body parts to achieve your soft, supple, skin goals. It sounds crazy, but I remember about a year ago a twitter debate on wether or not people wash their legs in the shower???? You can't get beautiful, great skin if you're skipping simple tasks in taking care of it.
Nic Tip:
After rinsing your conditioner out of your hair, cleanse your back with your cleanser of choice to prevent the conditioner clogging pores and potentially creating some backne you don't want.
Moisturize (Step 3)
The cherry on top for my skin care routine is proper moisture. I ALWAYS moisturize my skin after I get out of the shower. Always. If I take 3 showers in a day (I grew up in Florida and sometimes you sweat so much that yes, 3 showers are needed), I moisturize after each one.
For me, the type of lotion I use varies between a handful of trusted brands that we always use in my household.
Nic Tip: Apply your moisturizer on damp, cleansed skin. Leaving just a little bit of water on your skin helps to really ramp up the softness and lock in moisture.
Nic Tip: Wear proper sun protection when sun exposure is likely. Part of keeping your skin beautiful is protecting it from sun damage. I typically use an SPF of 50 if I'm going to the beach or will be strolling out in the sun for any period of time. This is helpful to allow the skin to age beautifully (imo).
Voila! With consistency you're on your way to supple, soft, glowing skin that is easy to manage and even easier to achieve.
Comment below and tell me if this routine worked for you or what tips you can share to help us get glowing, soft skin.