I think I speak for all women
when I say we want to feel beautiful. Not just look beautiful, but
feel it. Feel it from the inside out. Radiate it. Embrace it. And do
it without caking on layers of makeup.Now don't get me wrong: I'm the type of
girl who needs to apply some concealer in order not to scare small
children when I walk out the door. But lately I have been paring down my
glam routine in an attempt to love how I look sans makeup. The first week didn't go so well. I
felt naked without makeup. I felt bashful with a bare face. And I
felt like a second-rate me. However, I quickly realized that if I
was going to stick to this fresh-faced new me, then I was going to
have to incorporate some new natural skincare tricks to help me feel
beautiful without makeup.
Curious to know what I did? Read on.
1. Make SPF your new BFF.
I'll
admit it, during my 20's I was
reckless. I rarely used sunscreen, I baked out in the sun for hours, and
never once considered the damage I was causing my skin. I'm now paying for that behavior in
my 30s, and let me tell you, I wish I could shake my twenty something
self. These days I make it a morning priority
to slather on the sunscreen whether it is sunny or not.
You see, nearly 80% of our overall sun
exposure is incidental (according to the Sun Safety Alliance), meaning
those walks to the car, that stroll through the dog park, or the
errands you ran on your lunchtime are all adding up to premature
wrinkles and skin damage if you don't slap on the SPF.
It's such a simple tweak to make. Just apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen each day during your
morning routine to help keep your skin looking as young and healthy
as possible. It may seem like no big deal, but trust
me: clear, healthy, glowing skin is one of the easiest ways to feel
beautiful without makeup.
2. Drink your morning cup of hot... water?
I love me a nice cup of tea to start
the morning, but lately I have been making the switch to plain old hot
water with lemon.
Yes, it sounds boring, but incorporating
a cup of hot water and lemon is one of the best things you could do
for yourself in the morning. Not only does it help to wake up your
senses but it flushes and purifies your body of toxins, while also
reducing your chance of future skin sensitivities. Besides, water hydrates your body, which
keeps your skin supple so you can rock that dewy glow... without
having to apply highlighter to get the same effect.
3. Get your scrub on.
Speaking of dewy glows, incorporating a
simple exfoliation twice a week will ensure your dry, dead, and dull
skin cells don't suffocate your skin and block up your pores. You see, when we don't scrub the
lifeless layers of skin off our face, those dead skin cells become
opaque and don't reflect light properly, causing our skin to look,
well, blah. To combat this, mix equal parts of
baking soda and water and give it a good stir. Once it is properly
combined, apply it to your face and rub it into your skin gently for
up to two minutes. When your two minutes are up, wash it
off, pat dry and moisturize with a few drops of coconut oil. Then
just stand back and marvel at how healthy your skin looks.
4. Keep hands off.
We all catch ourselves doing it –
resting your chin in your hand, popping pimples, rubbing your eyes or
massaging your forehead. And you know what? It's hurting your
skin. Since the skin on our face is the most
delicate on our body, it is easily damaged, stretched, and torn. Each time you rub your eyes. Each time
you tug at your skin. Each time you rest of face on your hand. Each
time you scratch your face or pick at your skin or pop pimples, you
are causing micro-tears in your skin. These micro-tears eventually lead to
future wrinkles, and what's more, they can also cause a gradual
degradation of your skin. Moral of the story?
Keep your hands off your face. Enough
said.
5. Tea is for tanning.
If there is one quick and easy way to
feel beautiful without makeup, it's with a healthy hue. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying head
outside and bake in the sun or run to your nearest indoor tanning
salon and embrace your inner Snooki. I'm simply suggesting you get your DIY
on and create your own tan.
All you need is tea.
To make your own self-tanner:
- Boil two cups of water.
- Add in 5 tea bags and allow them to steep for about 20 minutes.
- Once your tea has cooled, remove the tea bags and pour your tea into a clean spray bottle.
- Standing in either your shower or bathtub, spray yourself one body part at a time, allowing your skin to dry before applying another coat.
- Allow your skin to completely dry before getting dressed.
Not only will you have a killer
faux-glow, but your skin will feel moisturized and soft. It's a
win-win!
I know first hand how challenging it
can be to feel like your gorgeous self when you're barefaced and
vulnerable; but if you can work these five tips into your daily
routine your skin will look healthier than ever, giving you a darn good reason to feel beautiful without makeup.
Source: http://www.mindbodygreen.com
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