5 Ways To Enhance Your Natural Beauty
What is natural beauty? Some people might say it’s that no-makeup-makeup look done just right. Or that perfect glow you get when you leave your facial appointment. Natural beauty can mean looking good au naturale, sure. But sometimes, it’s as plain and simple as loving the skin you’re in.
Look Good, Feel Good
How we look on the outside tends to reflect what’s happening on the inside. When we’re sick, depressed, or sleep-deprived, we often wear those things on our faces. On the flip side, you may have noticed that giving yourself a little skincare, nourishment, or exercise boosts your confidence and enhances your mood. It’s so easy to fall into a slump and let self-care go by the wayside, but trust us, it pays to pause and give yourself some love: a face mask, your favorite t-shirt, a double coat of mascara -- whatever it means to you!
5 Tips to Enhance Your Natural Beauty
Creating a lifestyle that emphasizes overall well-being is the key to looking and feeling beautiful. Because what you do on the inside pays dividends on the outside, here are our top five wellness tips to enhance your natural beauty.
1. Catch Up On That Beauty Sleep
You may not consider sleep a part of your beauty routine, but this is a biggie. Not getting enough sleep is a surefire way to develop bags under your eyes and break out, but it’s also unhealthy for just about every system of the body. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep for adults between the ages of 26-64. Getting less than that for long periods can affect our mental health, immune system and skin. Needless to say, none of those are conducive to “natural beauty.” Making sleep a priority is number one. But, for extra credit, try sleeping on your back, which prevents wrinkles from forming -- or use a silk pillowcase and eye mask to reduce friction against your hair and face.
2. Hydrate, and Hydrate Some More
When we say hydrate, we mean from the inside and the outside. You may be tired of hearing it, but the truth is, you should be drinking more water. Research suggests that drinking more water positively influences the physiology of our skin. But that’s not the whole picture! You should also hydrate from the outside with products that support your skin’s natural moisture levels, such as SiO’s Energy Serum. This diamagnetic cooling serum contains hyaluronic acid, improving moisture retention and visibly plumping the skin. You’ll see an instant glow with just one use, and those results will stick with continued use. Ditch the plastic water bottles with a chic tumbler that will encourage your hydration on the go.
3. Eat for Your Skin
Turns out there’s something to that whole “you are what you eat” idea. Maintaining a balanced, nutrient-rich diet is essential to fighting signs of aging in the body, and the skin is no exception. For your best face forward, make sure you fill your plate with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies (especially those high in antioxidants, like berries and leafy greens), foods containing omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon, almonds and avocado), and probiotic-rich choices (like yogurt and sauerkraut). These skin foods fight free radicals, deliver nutrients to the skin, and produce that unmistakable youthful radiance.
4. Say No to the Sun
Wearing that SPF moisturizer daily (...you better be!) is a non-negotiable. But truthfully, even that wears off eventually. So, better to be safe than sorry: Reapply and limit that sunshine whenever you can, especially between 10 am and 4 pm, when cancer-causing, skin-aging UV rays are at peak intensity. See, the sun is the number one external contributor to skin damage and signs of aging, and you’re probably already getting more than you think. Even a quick walk to and from the car is enough to trigger the breakdown of collagen and elastin, which results in skin thinning, wrinkles and sunspots. Also, remember your sunglasses to protect your eyes and delicate undereye area!
5. Stress Less
If only it were that simple, right? Staying on top of your emotional well-being is easier said than done, but the payoff is huge! When our stress levels are high, our bodies produce a surplus of cortisol, the stress hormone. Excess cortisol can harm our nails, hair and skin. It also wreaks havoc on the body, making it harder to ward off disease, get much-needed rest, and protect against external damage caused by UV rays or pollution. Stressing less not only makes you feel better (which is number one!), but for what it's worth, multiple studies (like this one and this one) have also shown that humans find those with lower cortisol levels more attractive. So, meditate, do yoga, take breaks and seek therapy if needed. Remember, your mind and body work together to keep us both pretty and well!
What It All Means
Gone are the days when we'd eat junk food all day, spend hours in the sun, stay up until dawn and still look fresh-faced. But even if we could, it doesn't mean we should! In truth, eating right, exercising, keeping up with your skincare routine and sleeping well are the key to long-term health and beauty. This goes beyond "skin deep," affecting your psyche, immune health, circulatory system and everything in between. Remember, how you feel directly correlates to how you look -- and vice versa. Mother Nature gave you something special; make the most of it!