How to make skin soft and smooth

The importance of water can never be emphasised enough when it comes to your overall health and skin care. Though most people know the benefits and ways of maintaining adequate hydration, only a few of them follow it. Once you realise the importance of water to get soft and smooth skin, you won't dehydrate yourself further. (Read more: Dehydration symptoms)

It should be simple to understand that a dry body will lead to dry and rough skin. Have you seen a field in drought, that's the exact same picture of your skin in the absence of adequate hydration but at a microscopic level.

If you want to prevent your skin from this horrible condition, start drinking plenty of water. On an average, daily intake of water for an adult should be 2 to 3 litres or about 8 to 10 glasses.

(Read more: Benefits of drinking water in the morning)

For your skin to remain hydrated, moisturisation is as necessary as drinking water. When you drink water, it hydrates you from inside, but that water is equally distributed throughout the body. To give that extra hydration to your skin, moisturisation is important. A good moisturizer locks in hydration thereby making your skin supple, soft and smooth.

There are a variety of moisturizers available in the market with several ingredients. Some of them also contain vitamins and antioxidants to provide you with additional benefits. Choose any moisturizer and apply it generously on your face at least two times a day, especially before going to bed.

Your skin sheds its upper layer of cells at regular intervals of time and forms a new one leaving dead cells in the superficial layer. These dead cells are a major reason for rough and dull looking skin. In order to get the soft and smooth skin, you need to exfoliate your skin at least 2 times a week. Exfoliating your skin regularly also encourages skin cell production, making younger and plump cells to appear on the upper layer. Use a natural exfoliator that suits your skin type. You can also make your own exfoliator by using granulated sugar. Do not massage your skin too hard while exfoliating as it will lead to skin rashes.

A direct encounter with harsh sun rays can damage your skin and cause photoaging. It also reduces the elasticity of skin causing it to sag and wrinkle. Exposure to the sun at peak hours could have a more adverse effect due to the high amount of ultraviolet radiation and may even predispose you to skin cancer. And then there is always a risk of a nasty sun tan. Interestingly, you can get a sun tan even on cloudy days. So, it is best to wear covering clothes every time you go under the sun and whenever possible avoid going out under the sun.

(Read more: How to treat sunburn: home remedies and tips)

Sunscreens are made to protect you from the harmful sun rays. Always apply a generous amount of sunscreen on all exposed body parts like face, neck, hand to prevent from sun damage at least 15 to 30 minutes before stepping outside. Repeat the application of sunscreen every 2 hours. For effective sun protection, use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor 15 or more. Also, opt for a sunscreen with a broad spectrum action that is one which protects against both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B.

(Read more: Sunburn symptoms, causes, treatment)

A humidifier is a one-time investment for your skin care and to manage your overall health. Having a humidifier in your home will make the air inside your house filled with moisture, which, in turn, will keep your skin supple and hydrated. It also helps prevent various other infections and health conditions such as a common cold and sore throat. However, it is important to point out that a humidifier needs extra care to manage. Always use distilled water in the humidifier as minerals from tap water may damage it. If you don’t want respiratory infections, keep your humidifier clean.

Don't be too harsh on your skin by using extra lathering soap or foam. They usually suck moisture out of your skin making it scratchy, itchy, dry and rough. To avoid all this, replace your regular soap with mild soap or foam. The best way would be to stop using soaps altogether, instead buy mild face wash or body washes. These products help retain skin moisture thus preventing dry or oily skin condition. Some face washes also come with additional nourishing ingredients to increase skin texture and tone. Take your pick depending on what suits you well.

Bathing or washing your face with warm water tends to wash away the natural oils of your skin. Apart from maintaining the skin barrier and maintaining skin health, these oils also help retain moisture in the skin. Consequently, an imbalance in skin oils would increase the risk of dry skin problems and skin inflammatory conditions. Not only does it leeches off the natural glow of your skin but also gives it a dull and lifeless appearance. According to the Journal of Harvard Medical School, your bath water should either be cold or warm. Avoid using hot water for bathing. Also, applying bath oils after a bath helps in retaining the natural fatty substances of skin, leaving you with a soft and smooth looking skin.

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Your facial skin may be your priority but the rest of your skin also demands extra care. Surely you can’t get a flawless face skin without improving the overall health of your skin. Right? Luckily your body skin is not as sensitive as the skin of your face. It can be easily cleaned with a mild soap. Also, it is important to avoid wearing too tight and body fitting clothes as they rub and generate friction, leading to skin dryness and irritation. Excessive moisture and warmth also predispose you to skin tags and fungal and bacterial infections of skin. So, opt for airy and comfortable clothes that reduce perspiration and friction.

Honey is so versatile in nature that it is widely used in the kitchen as well as in the traditional system of medicine. Right from drizzling in pancakes for that extra bit of sweetness to providing you with a radiant and blemish free skin, it holds all the qualities that are required to keep you fit and healthy. The best thing about honey consumption is that it nourishes you from within to make your skin beautiful. However, for that extra glow and softness, you can apply honey on the face in several forms like mask, scrub or face wash by mixing it with other beneficial ingredients like lemon, oatmeal or milk.

Here are a few ways to make the best use of honey in order to get soft and smooth skin:

Honey face wash:

• Take 1 tablespoon of honey in your palm and squeeze some lemon juice into it
• Apply it on your face, rub gently for few minutes
• Wash your face with a splash of cold wear

Honey face pack for smoother skin:

• Take 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 egg white, whisk them well
• Add 1 teaspoon of glycerin and ¼ cup of gram flour into the mixture
• Make a paste by mixing all the ingredients
• Apply it on your face and other parts of the body evenly
• Leave it undisturbed for the next 15 minutes
• Wash with lukewarm water to get buttery smooth skin

Honey face pack for softer skin:

• Take 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of finely ground oatmeal
• Mix both of the ingredients well with rosewater to form a paste
• Apply the mixture on your face and leave for 10 to 15 minutes
• Wash it with cold water to get soft velvety skin

Honey moisturiser:

• Take 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of whole milk
• Mix them well and apply on your face
• Leave it for 15 minutes
• Wash your face with lukewarm water first followed by cold water

Vitamin C is one of the most important micronutrients for maintaining good skin health. It plays a pivotal role in the formation of collagen and elastin, proteins that are responsible for maintaining the structural integrity and elasticity of your skin. Also, it is a potent antioxidant and contains inflammatory properties. It delays skin ageing by stimulating fibroblast cells to produce more of regular collagen fibres in order to provide you with smoother skin that is free of wrinkles.

Unfortunately, we humans are unable to synthesize vitamin C in our own body due to lack of a specific enzyme. So, it is important to get this vitamin through your diet. To increase vitamin C intake, encourage yourself to consume lemons, oranges, berries, broccoli and green vegetables.

Another way to get soft and smooth skin is by topically applying vitamin C and what better than lemon juice to get that daily dose of vitamin C?

Ist method:

• Squeeze half a lemon in a small bowl and mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey
• Apply the mixture all over your face
• Leave it for a few minutes
• Rinse your face with cold water
• Repeat its application twice a week to get soft and smooth skin

2nd method:

• Squeeze half a lemon into a bowl with 1 egg white
• Whisk it well and apply on your skin
• Leave it for 10 minutes
• Wash your face and pat dry with a soft towel

Another vitamin in the list to get soft and smooth skin is vitamin E. Vitamin E possesses great antioxidant activity, which helps in providing you with a beautiful young looking skin. Furthermore. Vitamin E and vitamin C work synergistically to maintain skin health.

Only healthy skin will look soft and smooth. So, focus on making your skin healthy by consuming vitamin E rich foods. Some of the vitamin E rich foods are green vegetables, wheat germ oil, sunflower oil, nuts and seeds.

Another way to use vitamin E is by applying it topically in the following way:

• Take 1 vitamin E capsule and squeeze the liquid out of it
• Add 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel to it and mix the ingredients well
• Apply the mixture on your face
• Massage for at least 10 minutes
• Rinse with lukewarm water followed by cold water

It is hard to skip aloe vera when it comes to skin care. It is a go-to source for any skin problems. How can it lag behind when it comes to improving skin texture. In fact, the mere touch of aloe vera pulp or gel gives you a feeling of the result it is going to provide.

It contains a plethora of bioactive compounds to provide all the skin benefits you crave for starting from vitamin A, C, E to several enzymes and minerals. This help nourish and hydrate your skin and improve skin texture, leaving you with that soft and smooth skin that looks flawlessly perfect

To make the best use of aloe vera gel, do as mentioned:

• Take 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel either from aloe vera leaf or commercially available gel
• Simply apply it on your skin and leave for 10 minutes
• Rinse your face with cold water
• You can apply it daily as a moisturizer also but in slightly less quantity and massage your face with the gel

Tomato is an excellent option for maintaining skin hydration and nourishment. It is rich in lycopene content that has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Not only does it reduces the risk of many skin conditions but also it improves skin tone and texture. As an added benefit, tomatoes provide that natural blush to your skin that may just be your next beauty secret. All you need to do is:

• Take ¼ of tomato, make a paste out of it
• Apply the paste on your face
• Leave it for 15 minutes
• Rinse your face with cold water and appreciate the after-effects
• Repeat its application twice a week to see best results

When it comes to getting soft or clear skin, turmeric is one of the best options. Its skin benefits are so amazing that there is a culture of haldi ceremony in Indian weddings to improve the glow and skin tone of the bride to be. Now, can you imagine how beneficial this spice can be for your skin? Truth is, turmeric is loaded with several bioactive compounds that regulate skin health and function. It reduces skin problems like acne, fades scars and also helps prevent skin inflammatory condition.

To get the benefits of turmeric, follow these steps:

• Take 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• Mix it with 1 tablespoon of gram flour and rosewater to make a paste
• Apply the paste on your face and neck area
• Wait for 10 minutes
• Rinse with cold water