There are very few people who look at themselves in the mirror and think “I look perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing, even if I could.” Most of us look in the mirror and notice the dark circles under our eyes from not getting enough sleep. We see the way our biceps have started to droop and how the skin on our elbows and knees looks a little elephant-y.
When we talk about these problems out loud, more often than not, the conversation turns to surgery. Guess what: surgery isn’t your only option. There are quite a few different approaches that you can take to help yourself look and feel better that don’t require you to go under the knife. Here are a few of them:
Go Pro
No, we don’t mean surgeon here. We mean the quality of the products you’re using. If you’re serious about improving your appearance you can’t settle for drugstore products that are “good enough.” You need to use products that were more carefully crafted and have a stronger affect on your appearance. For example, according to the Dermaclara Claralips page, cheaper lip gloss and balm “often can leave your lips drier than before use.” When you use professional-quality products, you’ll see results on par with what you’d get from professional dermatologists and aestheticians. Stop skimping and start saving your skin.
Proper Application
Putting on makeup is fun! It’s the quickest and most fun to (temporarily) alter your appearance. Of course, if you don’t know what you’re doing, the makeup you apply won’t hide your flaws, it will highlight them! This is why it is important to have the proper tools–good brushes, quality cosmetics (for example, nobody over the age of 12 should be using Wet n’ Wild) and remember: less is more. You might even want to consider taking a class on makeup application at a local beauty school or ask an aesthetician or even the makeover artist at your favorite cosmetics counter to give you some tips.
Cleansing Routines Are Mandatory
A lot of us tend to treat our daily cleansing rituals as optional. We try to do them every day but if we miss a day here or there, it’s no big deal, right? Wrong. It is imperative that you care for your skin’s cleanliness, even when you don’t feel like it. Wash your face and moisturize it properly every night. Use a good body soap and a high-quality loofah. Choose products with sunscreen. You know the drill; you just need to put that drill into regular action. There are no days off when it comes to caring for your skin.
Hydration
It’s true: shampooing and conditioning your hair every day is a bad idea. At most, you should apply shampoo and conditioner every other day. This does not mean, however, that you can skip your daily shower. Cleansing your body is vitally important to having healthy looking and feeling skin. Put your hair up in a clip or slip on a shower cap on your “days off.”
It’s also important that the inside of your body gets enough water. Sodas, coffees, juices, etc can dry you out. Water has fewer calories and helps you look good on the outside as well as feel good on the inside. People who are dehydrated tend to have sallow and droopy skin. If you hate the blandness of water, toss some fresh fruit into your glass to infuse the water with taste.
Exercise
Like drinking enough water, working out regularly is as good for your outsides as it is for your insides. Working out and keeping your body in shape helps keep the blood flowing to your skin. It also reduces the chances that you will develop that elephant skin and muscle drooping that we talked about earlier. If you hate going to the gym, there are plenty of workouts you can do at home that don’t require any equipment. Instead of lounging in front of the TV, work out in front of it!
This all probably sounds pretty basic, right? That’s because the key to having youthful, healthy and beautiful looking skin is primarily about good habits, healthy choices and common sense. There is no magic trick. If you follow our tips here, there’s no reason for you to ever even consider using drastic measures like surgery to help you feel better about your appearance.
