Skincare Maintain a basic skin care regime: It is said that beauty comes from within but it only comes when you take care of it. As part of your everyday skin care plan, a proper cleansing routine is very essential for the skin. Use a mild cleanser for your face, preferably a moisturizing cleanser every morning and night before going to sleep. After cleansing your face always apply a good moisturizer soon after.

Exfoliate regularly: As you grow older, adult skin takes longer to replenish itself. Dead skin cells on your face make you look dull and tired; lacking a glow. Exfoliating your skin with a mild scrub atleast twice a week helps to remove these dead cells, and speed up the skin replenishment process. It also offers benefits such as clearing your pores, improving the skin texture, clearing out acne and blackheads, better absorption for your beauty creams and serums, and adding to that natural glow on your face. Exfoliation can be drying to the skin, so don’t forget to lather on some moisturizer after exfoliation.

Use products as per YOUR skin type: Another common skin care faux-pas is using a product that a friend of yours uses, or a celebrity uses or a magazine endorses. Every human has different skin, and different skin types. What works fabulously for one, may not work the same for another person. You may not see the best results of a great product if it isn’t suited for your particular skin type. Consult a dermatologist and assess your skin type and choose products that your skin needs and will benefit from.

Wear sunscreen every day, everywhere: No matter what month or season, make it a habit to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before you step out of the house. The sun’s UV radiation can do damage to the skin causing pigmentation and dark spots and wrinkles. Use a sunscreen with an SPF factor of 30 or more, which provides the best defense against the harshness of sunlight.

Wash your skin right after a workout: A common mistake women make is not cleansing their skin or washing their face right after a workout. Catching on to the fast growing fitness trend, women are opting for various fitness activities such as Zumba, Pilates, Spinning, etc. which don’t particularly take place in big gyms, and hence may not have shower facilities. Sweat clogs pores and attracts dirt and grime to the skin, which can lead to acne on the face as well as other parts of the body, such as the back. Opt for clothing that attracts moisture away from the body, or moisture wicking fabrics. Wash your face as soon as you are done with a workout, or keep anti-bacterial wipes handy. Use these to clean your face, back and chest and change into fresh, dry clothing. Head for the shower as soon as you get home.

Take off your make up at night: Make up tends to mix with skin oils and dirt, causing the skin to break out often. Cosmetics can also tend to attract and trap skin damaging pollutants and dirt in your skin. Aim at removing your makeup the minute you get home, rather than delaying it until you’re right about to get into bed. For those lazy days, keep a packet of moisturizing wipes handy at your bedside, so you can just wipe away the day’s dust, grime, and of course – any make up. Your skin will breathe much better!

Clean your brushes and other make up equipment: Probably one thing women are most unaware of is the damage that dirty brushes can cause to their skin. Makeup and skin oils build up; causing growth of bacteria that can irritate the skin and clog pores. Wash your brushes and other makeup tools once a month using some lukewarm water and a mild cleanser such as liquid soap or baby shampoo. Make sure you rinse them thoroughly and dry them out completely before you put them back in your makeup bag. You could also look at spraying them with anti-bacterial cleansers once a week.

Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet needs to be on top of your priority list if you want beautifully glowing skin. Following a proper and balanced diet forms a very important part of your regular skin care.

Eat loads of vegetables as they are high in fibre, help circulation, support skin’s elasticity and give you the antioxidants to kill free radicals in the body

Try and avoid food or any substances that could trigger oily skin conditions, swelling and irritation

Drink ample water: An ideal intake of 2.5 to 3 litres of water every day has numerous health as well as beauty benefits. Not only will you be gifted with bright, clear eyes but also a glowing and fresh complexion. Water not only hydrates your body but also gives you intense moisturizing and promotes better circulation for a natural blush to your cheeks

Look radiant with your daily dose of beauty sleep : Sleep is nature’s most powerful beauty treatment. Dark circles, saggy skin and luster-less complexion are an immediate effect of lack of sleep. Not only do the optimal seven to nine hours a night leave you looking radiant, but also many body products are most effective overnight because they penetrate better when you’re at rest.

Vacation Skin-care: People tend to forget that a vacation for the senses does not mean a vacation from skin care! Ensure proper and frequent usage of sunscreen, in order to protect the skin from UV rays. Even if there is no direct sunlight, UV rays penetrate the skin; their density is higher at higher altitudes and they are reflected off the water and sand, at the beach.

To ensure you maintain flawless skin, carry your own skin care products when you travel – do not use the products supplied at the hotels you stay at. These are not created specifically for your skin type, and might imbalance your skin, leading to breakouts and other problems.

Try to stick to your regular diet as closely as possible – even while most indulge on vacations, try to balance it out by including a fruit or a vegetable at every meal

BDST: 1559 HRS, JAN-27, 2014