How to maintain young and healthy skin: Essential habits and tips

The dream of maintaining young and healthy skin is not as far away as it seems. Although aging is a natural process, there are effective ways to care for it so that it looks radiant and firm over time. One of the keys is to adopt a care routine that combines healthy habits and natural products that respect the skin barrier. Here we tell you some essential steps you can follow to keep your skin at its best.

Daily Cleaning with Natural Soaps: The Basis of Care

Cleansing is the first step to achieving healthy, glowing skin. During the day, our skin is exposed to multiple external factors such as pollution, dust and dirt that accumulate and clog pores. For this reason, it is crucial to cleanse it daily to prevent the appearance of imperfections, such as pimples or blackheads, and allow it to breathe.

However, not all soaps are ideal for our skin. Natural soaps made with ingredients such as vegetable oils, honey, oats or aloe vera are excellent allies for gently cleansing without damaging the skin. These soaps are free of aggressive chemicals, such as sulfates or synthetic fragrances, which can dry out or irritate the skin. In addition, they respect the skin's natural pH and provide essential nutrients for its health.

For example, natural soaps with cocoa butter or shea butter offer deep hydration, while rosehip soap helps purify and eliminate toxins. Incorporating these products into your daily cleansing routine will help keep your skin clean, fresh and, above all, balanced.

Constant Hydration: Water, Water, Water

In addition to properly cleansing your skin, it is vital to keep it hydrated from the outside as well as the inside. Dehydration can cause the skin to lose its elasticity, cause fine lines to appear and make it look dull.
To counteract this, drink at least 2 liters of water a day. Water helps flush toxins from the body and keep the skin supple. Also, apply a moisturizer suitable for your skin type, preferably after cleansing. This way, you will prevent transdermal water loss and keep the skin soft and radiant.

A Healthy Diet Rich in Antioxidants

Young and healthy skin is also built from within, and diet plays a crucial role in this process. Avoiding ultra-processed foods rich in refined sugars is essential to prevent inflammation and premature skin aging.

Choose a diet rich in antioxidants, which are compounds that fight damage caused by free radicals. These antioxidants can be found in fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, blueberries, spinach and broccoli. In addition, essential fatty acids found in foods such as salmon, nuts and avocado help keep the skin hydrated from within and promote its elasticity.

Adding foods rich in vitamin C (such as citrus fruits) and collagen (found in bone broths or natural supplements) will also help promote collagen production, a key protein for keeping skin firm and wrinkle-free.

Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun

The sun is essential for life and offers benefits such as the production of vitamin D, but prolonged exposure, especially in the summer months, can be very damaging to the skin. UV rays are one of the main causes of premature aging, as well as the appearance of spots, wrinkles and even more serious problems such as skin cancer.

To avoid these risks, it is important to limit sun exposure, especially during peak hours (between 11 am and 4 pm). If you have to be outdoors, use physical protection such as wide-brimmed hats and light clothing that covers the skin well.

If you choose to use sunscreen, make sure it is formulated with quality ingredients and is as natural as possible, avoiding products with harsh chemicals that can be absorbed by the skin. Sunscreens based on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are often a better option, as they are less invasive and form a physical barrier that reflects the sun's rays.

Avoid Tobacco and Environmental Pollution

While cleansing and moisturizing are essential, it is also necessary to avoid factors that damage the skin from the outside. Smoking is one of the most harmful habits, not only for general health, but also for the skin. Tobacco reduces blood flow, causing the skin to receive less oxygen and nutrients, accelerating the aging process and the appearance of wrinkles.

In addition, cigarette smoke contains toxins that damage collagen and elastin, two key components for keeping skin firm. If you want to keep your skin young and healthy, quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you can make.

On the other hand, environmental pollution can also have negative effects on the skin. To protect it, make sure to cleanse it thoroughly at the end of the day, and use products containing antioxidant ingredients that defend it from free radicals and pollution.

Avoid Heavy Makeup: Let Your Skin Breathe

Makeup can enhance natural beauty, but overuse of heavy products with synthetic ingredients can suffocate the skin and contribute to clogged pores. Many makeup products contain silicones, parabens and artificial fragrances that can lead to irritation, dryness and acne, especially if not properly removed at the end of the day.

To maintain young and healthy skin, it is advisable to reduce the use of makeup, opt for lighter, natural products, and make sure to cleanse your face thoroughly every night. Avoiding heavy makeup allows the skin to breathe and regenerate, which is essential to prevent premature aging.

If makeup is part of your daily routine, consider alternating makeup-free days to give your skin a break, and when you do use it, choose non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) options free of harmful ingredients.

In summary

Maintaining young and healthy skin is possible if you follow a proper cleansing routine with natural soaps , moisturize properly, eat a balanced diet, avoid harmful factors such as tobacco and prolonged exposure to the sun, and reduce the use of heavy makeup. With these habits, you will be able to enjoy radiant and well-cared for skin for much longer. Start giving your skin the care it deserves today!

 

Freedom and conscious care

I dedicate this article to young people, and especially to my nieces, to convey to them that they are free and responsible to take care of their health and beauty without the canons and doctrines imposed by industries, overwhelmingly present in every corner of our daily lives. The cosmetics and food industries, with their constant avalanche of advertising, create a suffocating pressure that seeks to shape our perceptions and decisions. However, by learning to question these messages and follow their own path, they will be able to be less manipulable and, thus, consciously choose what really benefits their well-being.