A healthy new year is a happy new year. So make 2021 your year by focusing on yourself with achievable resolutions to improve your health, fitness and general wellbeing.
Most New Year’s resolutions – whether they are big or small – tend to be more long-term progress than instant transformations; so while none of us expects to become a ‘new me’ overnight, the New Year presents itself as the perfect opportunity to begin your transformation into a ‘better me’.
This may be by starting on the path to quit smoking or to begin exercising, but many people overlook the New Year as a time to focus on their skin’s health with a New Year's new skincare regime. Having most likely spent the festive period treating yourself to a bit of naughtiness, and with the cold weather still before us for several more months, your skin may be left looking a little worse for wear…which is why now is the time to start taking better care after yourself and your skin.
After all, one of the main functions of the skin is to act as a barrier from the outside world, so taking proper care of your skin is very important to maintain its health as well as your own.
Pretty much everything has an impact on your skin’s condition; stress has been known to worsen inflammatory conditions – such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea – a poor diet prevents you from acquiring all the nutrients you need to be and look healthy, and even a lack of exercise has been proven to have its toll on your skin.
So, make your skin’s health a priority this coming year, and reap its benefits for all the years to come, by adopting a few good skincare habits as well as some better lifestyle habits.
So, make your skin’s health a priority this coming year, and reap its benefits for all the years to come, by adopting a few good skincare habits as well as some better lifestyle habits.
REVIEW YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE
It’s a brand new year which means that you have a brand new opportunity to get serious about your skincare. Have a look at your current routine and figure out what is working for you, what’s not, and what you are missing. Start the new year fresh by clearing out all your old, unused, unnecessary cosmetics, and narrowing your regime to only products that make a difference and to something that you can see yourself keeping up.
After all, a simpler skincare regime may not only be easier to maintain but may even be more effective. Your skin can only absorb so much, so it is a misconception that you need to overload it with serums and creams to keep it looking and feeling its best. Try and find creams and serums which have more general benefits, and limit yourself to a few products which target your problem areas, for an optimum skincare routine.
REMEMBER: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
By staying active and eating a balanced, healthy diet, you will help your body look and feel its best. Your body requires certain nutrients to keep running smoothly, and ensuring it receives all that it needs will show in your complexion.
Another factor of your diet that greatly impacts your complexion is your alcohol and sugar intake. Alcohol is known to severely dehydrated, and studies show that it can take your skin up to 30 days to fully recover from a hangover. Excess sugar consumption leads to spikes in the sugar levels in our bloodstream beyond what our insulin can handle, causing Glycation – a chemical reaction – which affects the part of our skin that keeps it supple: collagen and elastin.
So this year, try to limit your alcohol intake and reduce your sugar consumption. Make it easier by finding alternatives, such as alcohol-free beverages or diet soft drinks, and attempt to sweeten things with honey or cacao – these also have the added benefit of providing you with many essential minerals and therefore is a perfect addition to your diet.
STAY HYDRATED
While we all love our fancy coffees and other caffeinated beverages, it is important to note that these can be quite dehydrating. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you drink enough water as well to keep yourself hydrated. It is recommended that you drink at least two litres of water a day to help your body flush out toxins and improve your blood circulation, both of which have a direct impact on your complexion.
If you find yourself struggling to drink two litres a day, why not try to keep hydrated by drinking coconut water, fruit-infused water, or herbal teas? Or, invest in a large water bottle to keep on your person, so you have access to water all day.
GET YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP
This resolution shouldn’t be too hard to keep with what is to be expected of 2021 – if 2020 is anything to go by - and frankly, trying to get some much-needed rest in the new year is probably quite necessary for most of us.
Aside from improving your brain function and reducing stress, getting an optimum amount of sleep every night will visibly improve your complexion. During sleep, your body boosts its blood flow to the skin, allowing it to rebuild its collagen and repair itself. Sleep deprivation has a negative effect on your skin’s regeneration properties, collagen growth, skin hydration, and skin texture, and has been known to increase inflammation and worsen certain skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and skin allergies.
So aim to get around 8 hours of sleep a day for more hydrated, supple, and radiant skin.
WEAR SUNSCREEN
Sunscreen should be worn throughout the year, not just during the hotter seasons, as our skin is constantly exposed to damaging UV radiation. UV radiation can cause premature ageing and signs of sun damage such as wrinkles, ‘leathery’ skin, liver spots, actinic keratosis, and solar elastosis.
To stay protected, ensure you apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen - which offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays – of at least SPF 15. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving the house, to ensure it has been absorbed, and aim to reapply every 2 hours whether your outdoors or indoors. This is particularly important if you enjoy outdoor activities, however, studies show that UV rays can also impact your skin when indoors if you are sat by a window or anywhere where sunlight can still reach you.
LOAD UP ON MOISTURE
Aside from keeping your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water, there are also other more direct ways of hydrating your skin. Keeping your skin hydrated is vital to improve its elasticity, making it look younger and suppler, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, as well as to combat oiliness. Therefore, keep your skin moisturised this new year with hydrating creams or serums, which help your skin hold on to its moisture instead of replacing it. Consider using our Immediate Effect Serum to do this, which acts as a barrier, locking in your skin’s natural moisture, while also protecting it from environmental aggressors, pollution, and the sun’s rays.
Although it may all seem like a lot, keeping these resolutions up will impact all aspects of your life, not just your skin. Research shows that only 25% of people who make New Year resolutions actually commit to them for more than 30 days, and as little as 8% actually accomplish them. So start off by making small changes in your lifestyle, and slowly work towards making these resolutions part of your daily routine, and before you know it, you’ll be a healthier, happier you with little-to-no effort at all!
So here’s to the New Year, to new beginnings, and to the new happier healthier you!
