7 Healthy Skin Habits for Happy Skin

Anything that is taken care of thrives and is in optimal condition. This applies to almost anything in your life, especially your body and skin. When you engage in healthy habits and take extra care of your skin, you’ll see it with a clear, vibrant, and youthful-looking complexion.

Sanctuary by Cutis knows and understands the role of habits in achieving healthy, glowing skin. Here, we share 7 habits that can help you attain the happy skin you deserve.

1. Cleanse regularly or wash your face twice a day

Pollutants, dirt, oil, and makeup can accumulate on your skin and clog your pores. Cleansing your skin not only removes whatever impurities are on the surface of your skin, but allows for better absorption of your products. It is recommended to wash your face twice a day (morning and night) with a cleanser that is right for your skin type.

You can also consider double cleansing at night, especially if you wear makeup daily or have blemish-prone skin. This involves the use of an oil-based cleanser, cleansing balm, or micellar water, followed by a water-based one to remove any leftover residue and other impurities in the skin.

2. Moisturize always

The skin appears happy and glowing when it’s hydrated. This only makes it important to moisturize daily after cleansing or applying your serums. Apart from sealing everything in, moisturizers also act as a protective barrier to prevent water loss. Optimally hydrated skin, furthermore, looks smooth, plump, and brighter.

Just make sure to choose a formula that is right for your skin type. If you, for instance, have oily skin, a water-based gel moisturizer is a good choice. You may also want to choose a moisturizer with antioxidants for extra protection against free radicals, which are known to accelerate aging and cause skin damage.

3. Use SPF daily

The UV radiation from the sun is one of your skin’s worst enemies. Not only does it cause the formation of dark spots and make existing pigmentation worse, but also accelerates aging, causes sunburn, and increases your risk of skin cancer. This is especially true with prolonged and unprotected sun exposure.

Make sure to wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily, regardless of the weather. Don’t forget to apply on commonly neglected areas such as the lips, eyelids, neck and chest, ears, back of your hands, and top of your feet. Use other sun protection measures such as wearing sunglasses and using an umbrella.

4. Make time to exfoliate

To keep your skin from appearing dull and tired, you need to exfoliate once or twice a week, depending on your skin type. This clears clogged pores and sloughs off dead skin cells to unveil fresher and healthier skin underneath. It promotes cell turnover, which improves both skin tone and texture.

You can choose between two types of exfoliators: chemical or physical. The former uses chemical exfoliants to break down surface skin cells, while the latter uses a tool or abrasive ingredients to manually remove dead skin cells. Make sure not to over-exfoliate, as this can compromise your skin barrier and cause irritation and inflammation.

You can also turn to aesthetic treatments to help you with safely exfoliating your skin. This is especially true if you’ve already noticed discoloration, fine lines, and dullness. Sanctuary by Cutis offers skin rejuvenating treatments in Singapore for that healthier and more vibrant glow. These include:

• Chemical peels – use a chemical solution to remove the superficial layer of the skin. Depending on the type of peels, they can also improve acne skin conditions, scarring, enlarged pores, and signs of aging.
• VI Peel – is another type of peel that helps unveil a healthier and clearer complexion. There are also different types of VI Peel that can specifically target hyperpigmentation, acne and related symptoms, and signs of aging.
• DiamondTome Microdermabrasion – is a gentle resurfacing treatment that uses natural diamond chips and a vacuum action to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. It can also help stimulate collagen growth to improve different skin conditions such as age spots, sun damage, acne, and scarring.
• HydraMaster Facial – cleanses, exfoliates, hydrates, and nourishes the skin. It helps speed up skin renewal and reduce the look of enlarged pores and superficial scars. It also improves skin tone and texture and enables better absorption of skincare products.

5. Don’t skimp on sleep

Sleep is your body’s time to regenerate and repair daytime damage. Not prioritizing it or sleeping late most days of the week can show up on your skin through dark circles and puffy eyes. It can also lead to water loss and make you prone to dryness, skin flares, and a lackluster complexion.

Aim to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep at night. Your sleep quality matters too, which refers to getting refreshing and uninterrupted sleep. Here are a few ways to improve your sleep quality.

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule.
• Don’t go to bed stuffed and avoid large meals a few hours before bedtime.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
• Avoid or limit daytime naps.
• Engage in regular physical activity.
• Manage stress.

For further reading: Stop Sabotaging Your Beauty Sleep with These 5 Habits

6. Eat a balanced diet

A diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals supports both your overall health and skin. Apart from giving your skin cells a consistent supply of nutrients, a good diet also helps keep the skin soft, clear, and supple. Below are a few tips on optimizing your nutrition for happy, healthy skin.

• Eat the rainbow or eat two to three varied-color fruits or vegetables every meal.
• Add more antioxidant-rich foods (berries, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, nuts and seeds, tomatoes, sweet potatoes) to help prevent oxidative stress and improve overall skin health.
• Include healthy fats (avocados, oily fish, nuts and seeds) to help improve skin elasticity and form the building blocks of healthy skin.
• Drink lots of water and limit your consumption of caffeinated and sugary beverages like coffee, soda, and energy drinks.
• Don’t crash diet, as repeatedly losing and regaining weight may lead to sagging, wrinkling, and stretch marks. See a doctor or a nutritionist if you plan to lose weight.

7. Protect your skin barrier

Also referred to as your moisture barrier, your skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skim. It keeps the moisture in and the irritants out, and is responsible for the appearance of healthy skin. Several factors, such as UV radiation, pollution, too dry/humid environment, as well as your lifestyle and genetics can compromise your skin barrier.

Here are a few things that can help protect and restore it:

• Moisturize after cleansing your face and showering.
• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.
• Avoid using harsh face scrubs.
• Avoid prolonged exposure to hot and cold environments.
• Incorporate a vitamin C serum or an antioxidant formula in your skincare routine.

Reap the benefits of taking better care of your skin. Make Sanctuary by Cutis in Singapore your partner in achieving healthy radiance with our non-invasive aesthetic treatments. WhatsApp us at +65 9780 2079 to learn more or book an appointment.