Skincare is a massive industry right now as more of us look to improve the health of our skin. The UK skincare industry is set to be worth £18 billion by 2024. This could be because we are leaving the house less and not wearing makeup as much due to lockdown. Instead, we are analysing our natural skin and its needs. We all strive to find that perfect product that will give us the clear, healthy-looking skin we want.
2020 has seen us move from caring about what is in our makeup to wondering how we can better care for our skin. Hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid are natural words that come from our mouths now, something that if you asked us a year ago we wouldn’t have been able to tell you what they are. Hyaluronic acid can even be found in skin products such as tan lotion. YouTube influencers are jumping on the trend too making tutorials and reviews based on skincare. Skincare seems to have taken over makeup, with the latter’s sales decreasing this year.
Taking time on your skincare pays off, but do you know the cheapest way you can look after your skin?
The magic of exercise
Exercise does not just make you healthier and improve the look of your body – it also helps your skin. Half an hour of moderate exercise each day is a goal to have good health. But, there are other factors you can include in your life to support this, including having a healthy diet and staying hydrated.
Celebrity trainer Jess Schuring explained to Cosmopolitan: “Regular exercising has tremendous regenerating effects on our ageing process and therefore on our skin as well.”
“Studies prove that regardless of the age you start regular exercise, it will have almost-immediate positive effects on our skin’s thickness and elasticity.”
Glowy skin
Skin that is glowing is a sign of good health. Performing exercises regularly helps the small arteries in the skin to open up and improve blood circulation to the skin’s surface, as well as letting nutrients in the blood repair damage from pollutants and the sun. The same nutrients help boost skins collagen production, which helps keep the wrinkles away.
The exercise which is best for creating glowing skin is aerobics. Aerobics makes you sweat out toxins. These exercises can be brisk walking, running, swimming or cycling.
Combating acne
Many people believe that acne is only a problem in your teenage years. That is false. People in their 40s can still get acne, which can be very confusing if you haven’t struggled with acne in the past.
Many different things can trigger acne at different times of your life, including hormones, sugar, dairy foods that your body might not agree with, and stress.
A new acne trigger that has risen up during the pandemic is ‘maskne’. This is acne brought on by wearing a face mask for extended periods. Masks can cause this acne as they are rubbing against our skin all day which can cause micro-tears. This means bacteria and dirt can get into our skin and clog our pores. Face masks can also trap skin cells that would usually be shed.
If you do have acne, you can get help for your GP or a dermatologist. But exercising will also help. According to Audrey Kunin, MD and a dermatologist: “When the pores dilate, sweat expels trapped dirt and oil. Just be sure to wash your face afterwards so the gunk doesn’t get sucked back into the pores.”.
Fab facial workouts
Full-body exercises are not the only exercises we can do. Facial workouts are popping up all over social media, including TikTok. Estheticians are giving tutorials on facial lymphatic drainage massages and exercises we can do to help reduce bloating and puffiness on our skin. We have 42 muscles in our face which are constantly working all day, every day. Giving them a well-earned massage could do just the trick for your skin. It will also help bring the nutrients to the skin surface and help healthy cell production.
If you need advice on your skin and a change in your diet and added exercise are not working, seek help from your GP.
