10 Tips for Healthy Skin

Have you ever been frustrated with “holy grail” products that show no results? If the answer’s yes, you’ve probably thought “well, that’s it, my skin is a lost cause”.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Skin problems manifest not just because of the skin itself. Your skin is the largest organ of your body, so it makes sense for it to scream for help when something’s off internally.

Face masks are only one of many ways of caring for your complexion. And news flash: not all of them are skin-deep. You’ll learn that your entire body will benefit from them!

In this article, we’ll talk about 10 things you can do for progressively healthy skin. Some of them will take you minutes, while others will demand a little more self-discipline. But the result (glowing, clear and soft skin) is worthwhile.

1. Watch your diet

There’s a reason why this one is first on the list. And yes, a lot of you will roll your eyes since, well, no one loves ditching the tasty stuff.

By tasty stuff, we mean sugar and processed foods.

When we consume sugar, our insulin levels go up. When insulin rises, so does sebum production, which then clogs up our pores with sebum and dead skin cell gunk. The bacteria responsible for acne, Propionibacterium acnes, lives for that gunk.

Other blemish-causing foods include:

• Dairy
• Our beloved fast food
• Alcohol (in excess)

You don’t have to take crazy restrictions, though. Cutting down on the above and including healthier foods in your diet (nuts, leafy greens and omega 3-rich foods) will help a lot.

Remember to drink plenty of water and stop picking your spots!

2. Put those cigarettes away

Smoking is often linked to illnesses like lung cancer. But the harmful effects of smoking go far beyond the lungs. You guessed it: your skin hates it, and so does every other organ.

Beyond its known links to cancer, lung and heart disease, smoking is associated with premature skin-aging delayed wound healing, and increased skin infections and disorders. That’s nicotine doing its thing. It restricts blood flow to the skin cells, preventing nutrients from reaching that area. To top it off, the many toxins present in tobacco decrease the skin’s elasticity by messing up with the body’s elastin and collagen production.

Giving up smoking can be a challenge. But if you can do it, it will help your skin big time.

3. Relax. You deserve it.

Realistically, it’s impossible not to be stressed at some point. And that’s fine!

What’s not fine is being stressed out too often. That peaks your cortisol, or “stress hormone” levels to a point where it encourages your glands to produce more oil. And more oil means nasty breakouts.

As we’ve stressed time and time again, it’s incredibly important to fill up your own cup in order to ensure you’re not running on empty. Nourishing a healthy relationship with yourself is crucial because it’s the foundation of everything else!  

While self-care practices can take the shape of many different practices, Munday is all about using skin care products filled with nourishing and natural ingredients to incorporate self-loving practices into your routine. Our products are designed to be beneficial for your skin and your mind.

Sometimes ten minutes a day is all you need to show yourself a little love.

4. Hit the gym often

It sounds a bit contradictory. You’re sweating buckets at 7 mph on the treadmill and that’s supposed to do your skin some good?

Surprisingly, it does. Remember when we talked about cigarettes being terrible for blood circulation? Exercising does the opposite. It gets your blood pumping and improves circulation, carrying hydration (collagen and elastin) and nutrients to your skin. That’s also why proper nutrition will do wonders for your complexion.

Quick reminder: always wash your face right after a workout session. You don’t want sweat and oil (and with that, bacteria) hanging around. Before your trip home from the gym, splash your face with some cold water and use a washcloth to blot excess oil until you can wash up properly.

5. Exfoliate

At this second, there are layers and layers of dead skin cells sitting on your skin. Gross, but it’s completely natural.

Exfoliation is the process in which you remove that dead skin to make room for new, healthy cells. An excess in built up dead skin cells can make your skin look dull, and sometimes even make foundation and concealer look patchy and weird.

For glowy and soft skin, you can use electric exfoliators or body scrubs. But, be careful not to over exfoliate! This can dry out your skin and irritate it. Keep your exfoliation sessions to 2 to 3 times a week and you’re good to go.  

6. Wearing sunscreen never hurt anybody

Sunscreen is an essential for healthy skin! No, really. Sunscreen protects you from harmful UV rays—the wrinkle and skin cancer villains.

There’s a huge variety of sunscreens out there. You can get them oil-free, moisturizing and even wear it as your BB cream or foundation. There are even sunscreen powders and sprays! You can apply it in a minute and be out the door or take it with you wherever you go.

7. Get quality facials

Who doesn’t love a facial to end a self-care session with a bang?

Facials have the power to penetrate the skin, nourish it, and leave it feeling hydrated and refreshed. Not everyone can get a professional facial on the regular, but face masks are the perfect at-home alternative.

Face masks are great to draw out those toxins trapped under your skin. And they’re more effective right after you’ve cleansed and exfoliated your skin. So, make sure to add it to your skin care routine once or twice a week.

8. Try your best to avoid heavy makeup

For some people, some days beg for heavy foundation. During a bad skin season, some days become most days. What can you do about it?

If you wear a lot of makeup on the daily, you should be removing it thoroughly at the end of the day. Seemingly harmless leftover makeup can clog your pores... and you already know what comes next—breakouts galore!

If you can avoid it, do it. For makeup lovers, try wearing non-comedogenic formulas, as they don’t clog pores and are lighter on the skin.

And speaking of thorough cleansing…

9. Cleanse & moisturize daily

Washing your face takes more than just using that crusty soap bar that's been lingering in the shower.

Each skin type calls for a different formula. If your skin is oily, you should steer clear from a face wash that’s too moisturizing. If your skin is on the drier side, you should avoid products with drying ingredients. All you need is to figure out your skin type and what your goals are (for example, getting rid of blackheads or dry patches).

As it happens, people with oily skin often avoid moisturizers—they think washing their faces with a drying soap will help with the excess oil. While that makes sense in theory, it’ll give them the opposite effect, which is even oilier skin. When your skin is stripped of its natural oils, your body reacts to it and “orders” an increase in oil production.

So, no matter what your skin type is, wash and moisturize. It’s worth it.

10. Don’t scrimp on natural products

Do you read your product labels? Maybe not. And that’s dangerous.

We’re tempted to trust anything that says “natural” or “organic” on it. But take a step back and start learning more about the products you’re buying. Some of them might still contain alcohol and other ingredients that your skin isn’t fond of. These include:

• Parabens
• Petrolatum
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Formaldehyde

The more natural your skincare, the better. If you can rely on artisanal products, your skin will thank you! At Munday, we handcraft our products from skin care ingredients that have been revered for centuries in Southeast Asia and Australian indigenous communities.

The takeaway

We know, having healthy skin sounds like a lot of work. But consistency is key here. Once you start seeing the results on your face and body, you’ll wish you had discovered these tips sooner. Pinky promise.