Glowing skin

A glowing and beautiful skin needs proper skincare along with optimum nutrition and hydration. Adoption of a good routine is also important. Whatever you eat and whatever you do, ultimately reflects on and from your skin. Hence, you need to take care of your skin and provide it with good nutrients regularly. Following are some important pointers to remember when it comes to daily skin care:

A good skin care routine is the first step to resolve virtually every skin problem. This helps you clean up your skin topically and remove all its dirt and dead cells. You just need to remember the CTM that is cleansing, toning and moisturising:

• Clean your skin: Cleansing your face should always be the first thing to do the moment you come back from a long day at work. Not only does it remove dirt and harmful bacteria but also it helps reduce stress, making you look refreshed. Avoid soaps for cleansing your skin instead, choose a good face wash according to your skin type. If your skin isn't dry then use a mild face wash and avoid alcohol-based products. Wash your face at least twice daily.
• Toning: Toning as the name suggests, helps even your skin tone and closes large skin pores so your face looks flawless and young. It improves skin hydration and nutrition and helps reduce blemishes and scars. Also, it ensures the removal of any extra dirt that may be left after cleansing. You can choose a commercial toner as per your skin type and tone your skin right after cleansing. Try to opt for a non- alcohol based toner whenever you can as it may avoid skin drying. Alternatively, you can use rosewater for toning your skin and face. It contains natural substances that have the same action as any commercial toner and does not harm your skin in the long term.
• Moisturizing: Moisturizing is an important step to avoid dry skin and to take care of older skin cells. It helps lock in hydration so your skin looks brighter and fresh. Do not dry your skin completely before applying a moisturiser. Apply the moisturiser while your skin is still a bit damp. Petroleum jelly is a good moisturiser for the body but it is a little greasy. So, you can choose any other light moisturizer for your face and body if you want. It is advised to apply any natural moisturizer as it can give you more therapeutic benefits. Also, choose a moisturizer with sunscreen properties so that you don’t have to apply sunscreen.
• Exfoliation: Apart from CTM you can also add exfoliation to your regular skin care routine. It helps in eliminating all the dirt particles and dead cells clogged in your skin pores, leaving you with a rejuvenated skin. You need to use an exfoliating brush or a scrubber for it. Exfoliation also helps in treating blackheads and whiteheads. This will make your skin pores clean and give your skin cells a healthy environment to grow. You don't have to scrub your face daily, just exfoliate your skin twice (for oily skin) and once (for dry skin) a week.

(Read more: Home Remedies for pigmentation on face)

A CTM only makes for basic skin care. To get that ethereal and beautiful skin, you need to go the extra mile and opt for a massage. Massage improves blood circulation and rejuvenates skin. Regular massage can drain the lymphatic system and remove away all the waste and toxins from the skin, increasing that inner glow. For effective results, use a good natural cream for massage. You can also use coconut oil or honey for massaging. Don't be too harsh while massaging. Just take a small amount of your moisturizer and rub it in a circular motion your face. Try giving a gentle massage daily. If that is not possible, massage at least on alternate days. You can also go for professional massages in parlours. 

Radiations from the sun can damage your skin intensely. The invisible ultraviolet rays from the sun are the main cause of skin cell damage. This can also lead to tanning and many other skin problems. So, it is advised not to go out in the sun too much or wear body-covering clothes whenever you go out. You can also get a skin tan on cloudy days. So, always apply a good amount of sunscreen with SPF more than 30.

(Read more: How to treat a sunburn)

Tobacco is a major cause of premature ageing and degradation of skin. The reason behind it is that tobacco leads to degradation of collagen, elastic fibres, and proteoglycans, macronutrients responsible for maintaining skin structure. It also creates an imbalance between biosynthesis and degradation in dermal connective tissue metabolism, leading to poor skin structure and premature ageing. So, it is advised to quit smoking to ensure glowing and healthy skin.

(Read more: Disadvantages of smoking and health benefits of quitting)

Water is a major component of the human cell and body. Our skin is also an organ and needs water for many functions. The water you drink is first used by other organs then comes to the skin. Hence, it is advised to drink more water so that our skin gets hydration too. One of the most important functions of water for skin is to remove all the toxins. These toxins degrade the skin and create many skin issues. So, drinking an adequate amount of water can help in regulating these toxins and improving your skin health.

(Read More: How many glasses of water should be dring in a day)

Routine skin care and lifestyle changes would be more than enough to increase the inherent glow of your skin but just in case you want to give it that last push, you can whip up your own face masks with some natural ingredients. Below is a comprehensive list of home therapies that have shown promise, when it comes to skincare and health. Give them a try and stick to whatever works best for your skin:

Coconut not just provides essential nutrition to skin cells but also moisturizes it. It is considered really good for people with dry skin. In fact, coconut oil has been used for centuries as a moisturizer as it helps in improving skin hydration and increases skin surface lipid levels. But the most important benefit of this oil is that it does not disturb skin pH levels. These features of coconut oil help you in attaining that flawless and glowing skin if applied regularly.
Apart from the benefits for dry, scaly and itchy skin, coconut oil also has an overall antibacterial effect and hence helps in tackling any kind of bacterial infections on the skin.
To get all the benefits of coconut oil, you can either use it for massaging your face or add a few drops of this oil in your face packs.

(Read more: Home remedies and tips for dry skin)

Aloe vera is a great source for nutrients including Vitamin A and Vitamin E, which help you in getting glowing skin quickly. Vitamin A is a topical retinol. It induces the production of glycosaminoglycan, which improves moisture retention in the skin.
Vitamin E is a lipid soluble non-enzymatic antioxidant, which helps in neutralizing free radicals in the skin. Free radicals are very unstable and reactive molecules which can damage living cells. Antioxidants stabilize these free radicals and reduce skin damage. It helps the skin by reducing oxidative stress and reducing degradation or ageing of the skin by inhibiting collagen cross-linking. This allows your skin cells to stay young for longer.
Aloe vera also helps in revert photoaging and UV damage of the skin. Here is how you can use aloe vera for your skin:
Ingredients:

• Aloe Gel
• Cotton ball

​Procedure:

• Take a tablespoon of aloe gel (either commercial or homemade)
• Dip a cotton ball in the gel
• Apply an even layer of the gel on your face
• Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes
• Rinse with cold water

Tip: Do not put aloe vera on your face before going out in the sun, it may just worsen your skin tan.

Green tea is a great product for the skin as both topical applications as well as oral intake. It is a great source of antioxidants, which promotes skin cell regeneration and delays ageing by inhibiting cross-linking of collagen. Green tea is also a great source of vitamin C and E. Both these vitamins help in reducing tendon breaking time (TBT), which is considered as a biomarker for skin health. TBT increases with age but the consumption of green tea can slow this.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties and anti-carcinogenic properties, which help in fighting many skin disorders, ultimately promoting skin health and glow. So, try including a cup of green tea every day in your diet.
Alternatively, you can also make a green tea face mask in the following way:
Ingredients:

• Loose green tea or 2 green tea bags
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Rosewater

Procedure:

• Take a clean and dry bowl and open the tea bags in it
• Put in the honey and mix, it might stick a bit but don’t worry the rosewater will take care of it
• Finally, add enough rose water so it forms an even paste
• Apply this paste on your face for about 15 minutes
• Wash with lukewarm water
• Pat dry with a soft towel

Vitamin C is found invariably in high concentrations in good quality skin. Low levels of vitamin C in skin indicates degradation and unhealthy or damaged skin. This is because vitamin C protects your skin barrier and reduces the effect of oxidative stress and free radical damage, making your skin look younger and blemish free. Furthermore, Vitamin C along with magnesium phosphate  (ascorbyl derivative) has been found to decrease melanin (Melanin leads to hyperpigmentation and tanning)synthesis by interfering in the activity of tyrosinase, which is a rate-limiting enzyme in melanogenesis (melanin production).
Fortunately, it is quite easy to replenish the vitamin C levels of your skin through topical applications. Vitamin C is water soluble but is also a charged molecule, hence it has to face physical barriers to get into the skin. The only way Vitamin C or ascorbic acid can penetrate into the skin is that if the skin pH remains less than 4. The best way around this problem is, yes you guessed it right, citrus fruits. And what’s more, it is pretty easy to use. Let us see how:
Ingredients:

• Sweet lime or lemon

Procedure:

• Cut the lime in half
• Squeeze out the juice in a clean bowl
• Dip a cotton ball in the juice
• Gently apply a thin and even layer of lime juice on your skin
• Let it rest for a while
• Wash with cold water

Tips:

• Lime or lemon may cause skin irritation in some people. If you notice any discomfort do not use this remedy. You can also add lemon juice with honey and aloe vera to prevent skin irritation.
• Along with the topical application, Vitamin C can also be consumed orally. Some foods that are rich in vitamin C are tomato, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, and sweet potatoes.

Honey is considered as a great moisturizer. It has been used traditionally for hydrating, softening and healing the skin. The natural antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of honey helps alleviate skin infections and delays skin ageing signs like wrinkles and dark spots. Honey is also effective in treating acne and inflammation of the skin and can also be used to maintain your glowing skin as a natural cosmetic. For that you can use honey in the following ways:

• Face wash: Mix honey with some amount of lemon juice and rub it on your face gently in a circular motion for a few minutes before washing it off.
• Facial scrubber: Mix some amount of honey with almond seed. Rub this on your face for exfoliation and removing dead cells. Be gentle with your skin. Do this once a week.
• Moisturizing Pack: Mix some honey with milk. Apply it on your face with a brush and leave for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off with water.

Cucumber juice is said to provide ample nourishment and hydration for the skin. It has a soothing effect on the skin, relieving inflammation and dark circles. Apart from this cucumber is also a radical scavenger (eliminating free radicals). In an experiment with DPPH radicals, cucumber’s scavenging effect was found to be  56.15%, at a concentration of 500 μg/ml. Hence, it can be said that cucumber can be a great choice to reduce free radicals in your skin and keep it healthy and glowing. Let us have a look at the way you can use cucumber for improving skin glow:
Ingredients:

• Cucumber juice 2 tablespoon
• Aloe vera 1 teaspoon
• Honey 1 teaspoon
• Cotton ball

Procedure:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a clean bowl
• With the help of a cotton ball apply the mixture on your face
• Let it sit for 5-10 minutes
• Wash with lukewarm water

Cod liver oil or fish oil is a great source of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA). Among these, LA or linolenic acid is said to have properties for keratinocyte (skin cell) proliferation and epidermal regeneration. It helps in renewing cells in the skin and relieving various skin issues. LA also helps revert skin damage, eventually giving you clear and glowing skin.
Moreover, cytokines (a type of polypeptide that induces inflammation) are said to be regulated by PUFA. By affecting the formation and activity of cytokines, PUFA helps to maintain cell membrane structure and anabolic activities for skin regeneration.
ALA and LA are said to have skin whitening properties also, as they inhibit tyrosinase activity, an enzyme responsible for the formation of skin pigment. Thus it also helps in getting rid of hyperpigmentation. Cod liver oil is available in the form of capsules, you can consume these capsules to get all of its benefits. A doctor may tell you the right dosage and duration you can take these tablets for. 

It might amaze you to know that the secret to a naturally glowing and beautiful skin lies in your kitchen. The glow in your skin is the result of the nutrients you take through your diet. They nourish and hydrate your skin cells, so they can carry on their daily functions with ease. A proper, balanced diet which includes minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, and fat not just rejuvenates skin cells but also it helps preserve your youth. And who doesn’t want to look young forever? Though most nutrients function together for your health, intake of vitamins A, C and E is specifically important for skin health. Essential fats like omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are equally important. Also, add some roughage or digestive fibres to your diet for better digestion.

(Read more: How to improve digestion)