Your skin is the largest organ on your body – it protects your internal systems from toxins, germs, and elemental damage. However, many people seem to neglect taking care of this vital part of their bodies, and it’s easy to forget to keep our skin healthy since even serious damage over time may not be visible to us. There are a few common things most of us do that cause skin damage, and we have some suggestions for how to stop doing them, or at the very least, lessen the amount of damage you are doing to your skin.
You don’t get enough sleep. Giving your body the opportunity to recover from your day and regulate hormones and moisture levels is crucial to all functions of our lives, and it shows on our skin when we skimp on sleep. A recent study found that lack of sleep contributes to lowered skin health and faster aging. You probably already knew that you need sleep for a healthier you, but getting that sleep can be tough. We know lots of situations cause you to have less time for sleep; having children, busy work and social schedules, diet, a generally out-of-sync sleep schedule, and even exercising at the wrong time of day for you. The key is to find those things that cause you to lose sleep and work on them a little bit at a time. Commit to trying to get a little more sleep per night until you’ve hit your right amount. You should see improvements in all areas of your life, including your skin.
You take hot showers or baths. Everyone loves a nice hot shower, and this can be very relaxing. However, hot water strips natural oils from your skin. While it is good for you to free your skin of some oils, it is not good to remove all of them because your skin cells cannot retain moisture without some oils to prevent water from leaving the cells. We suggest finding another way to relax, if possible, and get used to cooler showers for getting clean only. If you must take a hot shower or bath, make sure to properly moisturize your skin immediately afterward with a natural and healthy product, like Sweet Bee Magic.
You are stressed out. Stress can cause many health problems, and it can be very bad for your skin. It can exacerbate already existing skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema. The stress hormones and chemicals can cause your skin to dehydrate and break out, and you may sweat more, leading to other potential skin problems. We suggest distressing in a healthy way. Exercise or your favorite physical activity can be a great way to let go of stress. Also, try examining what in your life causes stress. Some stress-causing factors you can’t and don’t want to get rid of, such as your job and your family. However, you may be able to lessen the stress by cutting out the small issues those things cause – try getting your family on a better schedule, managing your time better at work (or even finding a new job if the one you have is unnecessarily stressful), and organizing systems at home to run more smoothly on a day-to-day basis. Cutting small amounts of stress down can be the key to leading a less stressful life over all.
You are dehydrated. It is simple – if you are not giving your body enough water, your skin cells are not getting enough water. The solution is also simple – drink more water! We know this can be tough. By the time you’ve had your coffee in the morning, your favorite soda during the day, and your glass of wine in the evening, you feel hydrated and fine. Not fine. Most of the things you drink other than water are not helping your body hydrate. Cut out sugary drinks as they can lead to other health problems. Sodas actually dehydrate you, as does alcohol. Now we know having your red wine with dinner may be important to you, but simply aiming to replace one drink per day with water and committing to drinking a full glass of water when you feel thirsty can do wonders for your hydration levels.
You are using skincare products that do more harm than good. There are so many skincare products out there with chemicals and fragrances that do immediate and long-term damage to your skin. Using a moisturizer with alcohol and water as two of the most abundant ingredients is sure to leave your skin dry with residue that can inflict more damage if left on for too long. To top it off, most of these “miracle creams” and chemically-laden products have to be used constantly because they do not soothe or solve any skin problems. They often cost a lot, too. Our skin was not made to absorb chemicals, but was instead made to protect the rest of our bodies and keep us hydrated. The only way that is possible is to use products that do not cause drying and do not allow chemicals to seep into the skin and wreak havoc on your fragile skin cells. Using a natural product with no chemicals and fragrances is best. Medicine Mama’s products are made with ingredients that are all-natural, and these can be absorbed and used by the skin to help keep it moisturized and performing at optimal levels. Check out our About section for more information on how our products protect the life of your skin!