FIVE TIPS FOR GLOWING SKIN

In Whitening

Frustrated by uneven skin tone, dark spots and blemishes? Our hectic modern lifestyles are often to blame, and it’s difficult to know how to reverse the signs of aging and restore our skin’s natural, rosy glow.

However, there are a few daily habits and everyday scenarios could be weakening and damaging your skin. Read on to discover what to avoid in our top five tips for glowing skin.

1. Foodie Tips for Fair, Glowing Skin

When it comes to your skin, there is an element of truth in the old saying ‘you are what you eat’. Cutting down on certain foods can be a way of getting fair skin and achieving a glowing complexion.

Improving your diet can have a noticeable effect on your complexion.

Cut the Refined Carbs

Eating too many refined carbohydrates (found in processed foods) can prevent that natural, fair glow from breaking through. This is because refined carbohydrates cause a spike in insulin levels, leading to inflammation. This in turn breaks down collagen and elastin, resulting in saggy skin and wrinkles.

Keeping the pasta and white bread at arm’s length can help return your skin’s natural fairness and glowing complexion.

Mother Nature Knows Best

If refined carbs are the enemy in the fight for fairer skin, unrefined carbs are your ally. As well as avoiding the inflammatory effects of refined carbs, the natural version is packed with vitamins and minerals that benefit your skin. Look for wholegrain equivalents, and up your intake of fruit, legumes and uncooked veg. Your skin will thank you!

Turn Away from Trans Fats

Trans fats, found in snacks such as pastries and cakes as well as fried food, are another barrier to healthy, glowing skin. As well as increasing inflammation, which makes your skin more vulnerable, they also compete with healthy omega-3 fats, which help keep your body and brain healthy. Try replacing trans-fat-rich foods with oily fish such as salmon and mackerel, which are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. As well as promoting skin hydration, the healthy oils help to keep your cells plump, leading to soft, radiant skin.

Don’t Forget Protein and Vitamin C

Skin-friendly diets should also include plenty of protein, such as fish, lean meat and eggs. This ensures that your body gets the amino acids it needs to create collagen, which helps strengthen skin.

Another key player in collagen production is vitamin C, which also helps your skin to repair itself. Citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries and broccoli are just a few foods you can eat to make sure that your body gets the vitamin C it needs. As if that weren’t enough to get you reaching for the berries, vitamin C is also an antioxidant, meaning that it can counteract the damage wrought by free radicals, combating your skin’s aging process and helping to give you a radiant glow.

2. Never Underestimate the Power of a Good Night’s Sleep

It turns out that the term ‘beauty sleep’ is no exaggeration. Sleep helps your body to repair itself and recover from damage. Collagen is produced while we sleep, promoting skin repair and allowing the skin to retain its elasticity. In contrast, skimping on sleep can lead to dull, pale skin as lack of sleep leads to a drop in blood flow to your face. One of the most effective tips for fair skin is often underestimated: make sure you get 7–9 hours of sleep a night for a healthy, rosy glow.

Sleep for 7-9 hours every night to allow your skin time to rest and repair.

3. Don’t Take Sun Protection Lightly

Daylight contains harmful UVA (long-wave) and UVB (short-wave) rays. Although exposure to sunlight can be beneficial to our skin since it promotes the production of vitamin D, spending too much time in the sun can also cause damage. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn and other skin damage, while UVA rays can cause wrinkling and other signs of aging, and lead to long-term sun damage.

Excessive exposure to UV rays can damage your skin and increase the signs of aging.

If we had to choose a number-one tip for achieving fair skin, it would be this: protect your skin from sun damage. UVA rays are present throughout the day, even when the skies look cloudy, so be sure to wear sunscreen with an SPF that’s appropriate for your skin type and the weather. Wearing protective clothing such a sun hat and sunglasses can also help to reduce damage, keeping your skin fair, radiant and healthy.

Consider using a moisturizer that’s already enriched with ingredients to protect you against harmful UV rays, such as Pond’s Flawless White Visible Lightening Day Cream with SPF 18 PA++. Created with the revolutionary GenActiv™ formula, this day cream also contains a pro-vitamin B3 complex and stearic acid, protecting your skin and repairing damaged cells while lightening your complexion.

4. Don’t Let the City Get Under Your Skin

City life has plenty to offer; with infinite ways of meeting new people, countless events to attend and a constant buzz, there is never a dull moment. However, our skin can pay the price for our hectic city lifestyles – from the dirt and air pollution that are inescapable in the city, to the reduced recovery time resulting from a work-hard, play-hard schedule. Airborne toxins and dirt can trigger the release of free radicals, giving skin a dull, uneven tone and accelerating aging by causing wrinkles and fine lines to appear.

But all is not lost: you can still enjoy the pace of city life and get fair, glowing skin. Pond’s Flawless White Deep Whitening Facial Foam has soft micro-exfoliation beads that gently remove the dead skin cells, dirt and oil that cause dullness in your skin, cleansing away the negative effects of pollution. It also contains Pond’s unique GenActiv™ formula for a flawless, radiant complexion, supporting your skin as it faces the challenges presented by city life.

5. Respect Your Skin

It’s all too easy to become frustrated with the shortcomings of our skin, but we shouldn’t forget that our day-to-day lives take a huge toll on its natural ability to repair and restore. Making small changes to daily habits that show respect for your skin and let its natural defenses do their thing can make all the difference. Here are some simple tips for fair, glowing skin that you may have overlooked.

• Regular cleansing and exfoliation are needed to avoid dull-looking skin and aid the natural repair processes that take place overnight. Even after a long day when all you want to do is crawl into bed, it’s important to remove your makeup before you turn in; failing to do so may cause your skin to age prematurely and worsen conditions such as acne.
• It’s likely your smartphone is one of your most prized possessions, but have you ever wondered how many germs it picks up as it travels with you through everyday life? Here’s an unpleasant thought: according to a recent study, your smartphone may be harboring more germs than the office toilet – and yet we are quite happy to press it against our faces to make a call. This can lead to blemishes and cause oil to be trapped in the pores. Try wiping your phone with a microfiber cloth every day, especially if you are prone to acne, or consider using earplugs when making a call to avoid pressing your phone against your skin.

So there you have it: five simple, everyday tips for fairer skin. To find out more about achieving radiant skin, take a look at our skin experts’ guide to the causes behind dark spots and learn how you can tackle them with home remedies and Pond’s specialist ranges.