Natural secrets for beautiful skin.

Okay. We all know the typical advice for getting that healthy-looking, glowing skin tone, right? Everything we ever hear is: don’t smoke, always wear sunscreen and NEVER EVER go to bed with your make-up still on.

Well, ladies – cheer up, because there is so much more you can do for that extra glow you’re missing! After all, clear and radiant skin is not only a real eye-catcher but also tells a lot about your physical health and lifestyle in general. Unwelcome “guests” like wrinkles, spots, pimples, dark circles and large pores are there for a reason: bad nutrition, lots of smoking, excessive sunbathing, stress or –sorry about that– aging. Sounds familiar? The good news is that while you quite obviously can’t avoid becoming older you can change your ways and achieve healthy and attractive skin by making an effort. It’s entirely up to you!

1. Avoid long hot showers

Long, hot showers and baths can inflame the skin, cause redness, take away its natural moisture and damage the skin’s natural protective oil film. So limit showers to 10 minutes and keep the water cool.

2. Sweat it out!

Exercise regularly, practice yoga or visit the sauna once a week. The sweating will boost your body’s blood circulation. However, be sure to wash yourself with some cool water afterwards to clean your skin.

3. Avoid too much caffeine and alcohol

Alcohol and caffeine are diuretics – this simply means that they make you go to the bathroom more often. Therefore, by drinking too many beverages containing caffeine or alcohol, your skin will eventually become dry while your body’s dehydrating. On top, alcohol gives your liver a really hard time. The liver is the organ that cleanses your system. That’s why: healthy liver equals healthy body and healthy skin. By drinking less or giving it up altogether for a set period, you give your liver a chance to detoxify and perform at its best.

4. Watch your diet

As the proverb goes, we are what we eat. So, quite obviously, by eating fresh, clean and unprocessed foods we do our skin a big favor. Hooray for fresh fruit, veggies and leafy greens!

5. Get your antioxidants!

Antioxidants work against the natural aging process, which is why they’ve always been the first choice for skin care. Try to drink two cups of green tea per day, preferably matcha tea as it contains about ten times as many antioxidants as regularly brewed green tea.

6. Detox

Unfortunately, if you experience troubles with your digestion or the detoxification process of your liver and kidneys it’s immediately (and quite literally) written all over your face. To avoid unpleasant surprises, make sure to drink enough water, avoid sugar and include more fiber in your diet. Probiotics can be helpful as well.

7. Do not use make-up too often.

Don’t clog your pores with dirt, parabenes or unhealthy make-up since it’s likely to irritate your skin and cause inflammation in the form of pimples and bumps. Use make-up sparingly and clean your skin afterwards with a mild natural foam or cleansing lotion.

8. Don’t smoke. Just don’t do it.

9. Relax

Get enough sleep and relaxation — these two points are so much more important than you may think, even for your skin. Make sure that you're getting at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night. Take time to focus on mindful breathing and meditation every day. Slow down, breathe. Take your time!