To get better skin, a lot of philosophies say that you have to spend a fortune and go to extreme lengths. They advocate for laser treatments, chemical peels, and all of these dietary changes. To a certain extent, they are not wrong. At the same time though, there are definitely more minor changes you can take in your life that make a huge impact in the journey to get better skin.
This post today will go over some of the tips that I have learned over time from trial and error that have helped me to get better skin. If you are more interested in seeing the skin care products that are in my routine, I already have a post on that. You can read that here. I’ve also begun to go through the products that I order, and post reviews on them. You can read all of them here.
Tip #1: Pay attention to what your skin is saying
For a lot of westerners, the first step to get better skin is to change your mindset, and how you think about skin. American skincare, historically, is all about combating skin care issues. We zap zits, battle dryness, and see everything as a problem that can be solved by beating it to death. Once we can see it, that is when we try to find a way to solve it. We shun it until it becomes unbearable to deal with.
Korean skincare takes a different approach. All skin care issues are a symptoms of something else. What we need to do is take steps to nurture the skin so it is more able to begin to fight these issues on its own. Instead of applying products on your skin that severely dry it out, add moisture to it so it can begin to regulate itself. It’s like a plant! If you see a plant isn’t doing that well do you put things on it that dry it out more? No. You give it water and fertilizers to help it get big and strong.
This is one of the biggest principles in Korean skincare. Pay attention to what your skin is saying. If you are breaking out, don’t try and dry it out and make it worse and make it uncomfortable. Use targeted ingredients to help make it feel better. You should also try and determine the cause of the breakout: food? hormones? stress? There’s a reason Asians seem to have such good skin. It is because they don’t treat it like you would a cold. You nurse it. You don’t beat it into the ground.
Tip #2: Do your research
Learn how to read ingredient lists. Just like there are specific foods that you don’t like or your body may not like, your skin is the same. Also, your skin will have things that it likes more than other people, just like humans with food. By paying attention to ingredients when you start using a product, you can quickly determine what things your skin loves and hates.
My skin, for example, is not a fan of super creamy products. My skin feels like it is suffocating with them on. I need moisturizers that are a bit lighter more watery. Because of this, I use a lot of products that have hylaronic acid in them. They’re typically lighter, and have a bit more of a whipped texture. People with dry skin though may like those really creamy products. They may find them hydrating. I also know that my skin likes those products a wee bit better in the winter than it does in the summer.
Other things I have learned, products with Centella Asiatica in them do miracles for calming the redness in my skin without drying it out. For this reason, I’m all about products that have that ingredient in them. It is basically a guarantee that I will be willing to try it if that is in the ingredient deck. This, plus my first tip are a guarantee to help you get better skin.
Tip #3: You are what you eat
The saying that you are what you eat is 100% true when it comes to your skin. Part of the reason Koreans have such good skin is because they eat a much more balanced diet than their western counter parts. Korean food is full of vegetables, good spices, and fruit. All of these things are full of vitamins and minerals that your skin and your body craves. If you consistently start adding more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, you will see your skin improve drastically over time.
When I stop paying attention to my diet, even if it is just for a short period of time, my skin drastically takes a turn for the worse. It begins to break out and the texture is more uneven. When I begin to balance my diet again by eating more fruits and vegetables, it immediately calms back down.
Overall, having a more balanced diet isn’t just good for your complexion, it is good for your health. We all can do more to take better are of ourselves. We only have one body, so it is best to nurture it. It will help your health get better and will help you get better skin too.
Tip #4: Exercise
Going on top of the importance of diet, I really want to touch on the importance of exercise for your skin. Americans have this idea that if you are going to work out, it needs to be full force. We like to go big or go home. In order to go big and go home though, you need to work your way up to that. Don’t start with a full out run if your aren’t used to it. Start daily walks, then add in jogging for one to 2 minutes. Eventually, you will be able to run for ages.
So, how does exercise help your skin? To start, exercise helps drop your stress levels. When you have high stress, the skin actually produces too much cortisol. This cortisol causes your skin to produce more oil than it needs to, which as we all know can cause breakouts.
Here are 4 different Exercise styles that will help reduce stress:
Yoga
This is an excellent for reducing stress. Since it focuses on breathing, it can really help lower those stress and cortisol levels. On top of that, it really help build lean muscles.
Pilates
Pilates focuses on breath, concentration, precision, balance and flow. Since it focuses on breath and concentration, it really does an excellent job of taking your mind off of every thing else besides just your workout. This will also help drop your stress levels
Qigong
My first exposure to Qigong was in college with one of my professors. I must say, I love this workout. For anyone who doesn’t want anything too strenuous on your muscles, Qigong is excellent. It really focuses on using your mind to actively do things that we do daily, like standing. This one is always a huge stress reliever for me.
Light Cardio (gong for a jog, or going on an eliptical)
I think this one is the most obvious for stress reduction, but also the most strenuous on your body. I know for me though, when I am feeling very stressed, going for a run always does the trick. It’s amazing what even just 10 to 15 minutes of hitting the pavement can do. On top of that, all you need to do it is your body and shoes. I take my runs as my uninterrupted K-Pop time where I just listen to my favorite tunes.
Tip #5: Get a routine
Your skin needs some level of routine in order for it to begin to regulate itself and improve itself. You can’t just clean and moisturize when you feel like it. You have to remember to do it morning and night, and develop some consistent products that your skin likes. Make sure that you cleanse your skin, even if it isn’t a double cleanse, twice a day. Make sure after you cleanse your skin that you are moisturizing. It will go a long way into helping you get better skin in the long run. Yes, it may take you a few extra minutes a day, but you will really notice the results even after just a few weeks.
Also, as part of this routine, you need to remind yourself that you need to be patient. Just like a bone doesn’t heal overnight, your skin won’t improve in just 24 hours. It may take a few months for you to get better skin, depending on what it needs. Heck, I’ve had a solid skincare routine for almost a year, and it still isn’t perfect. But, it has gotten way better. I continue to see it improving week after week, which is saying something for how bad it used to be. My dermatologist even noticed how much better it is looking.
All 5 of these tips are lifestyle changes for some of us, but if you want to be the best version of yourself, change is good. It makes you a better stronger person, inside and out. You can’t get better skin by sitting on your butt all day. It requires action. Action that will also give you very apparent results.
What things have you done to help improve your life? Let me know in the comments below, K-Nuggets.
사랑합니다!
–Rachel
