Seven Things You Should Avoid for Healthy Skin

We did a feature on Seven Commandments or your Hair in Monsoon wherein we suggested 7 tips for managing hair. The post fetched us some rave reviews and requests from readers alike who wanted us to write more including the skin.

Inspired by love, here's our take on 7 thinks that we should avoid in order to achieve a good Skin. After all, a healthy skin is your best vanity and needs not much makeup. Given the pollution, stress and chemical interjection levels in our lives, we need to take good care of our skin. While there are much substances that is good for our skin, let's take some time to see what is "not good for our skin". Here we go-

1) Smoking - I fail to understand that except for satisfying your alpha dopamine [which can be satiated by drinking water], what is the pleasure one can draw by putting an unhygienic, harmful substance in the mouth and then puffing it off. Well, the answer is "A Myth". People esp women think that smoking is instrumental is "stress busting" and "weight reduction". Holla there are better ways to do that rather than making your precious lungs a soiled mop. Smoking not just badly impact your lungs and throat, it also stains your teeth and lips.

So do a favour to your beautiful mouth, stop smoking.

2) Parabens: Check out the ingredients list of different cosmetics that you pick for self. Anything that contains Paraben, in any form, is carcinogenic and harmful to your skin. Go for products with natural ingredients. If you are following me on twitter, look out for my beauty tips wherein I suggest different kind of Parabens to avoid.

3) Bleach: Irrespective that how much your Salon lady will suggest you bleach your face in order to get a better facial quality, resist facial bleaches as much unless it becomes mandatory. Bleaches though were never mandatory and were used only to lighten the facial hair. Yes, bleaches do not make you fair, it just helps in lighten up the facial hair on your face to bring the impact. Bleachers are in fact quite harmful to your skin and burns the upper dermal layers due to excessive usage. Instead, go for natural whitening products like tomato pulp, sour curd with gramme flour and other DIY home masks.

4) Products with High SPF- Use sunscreen if you may but preference should be given to the medicated ones with moderate SPF than the cosmetics with higher preference. I generally avoid using sunscreen and multiple uses is a strict no- no for me. Reapply you must but do clean your face from the grime and dust before re-application. 

5) Sleeping with makeup- Makeup forms an artificial layer over your skin and hence not allowing to breath freely. While you need to choose your makeup brand carefully [read point 2], still you need to exercise the minimal use and makeup removal when not necessary. No matter how tired you are, you should wipe out the makeup before hitting the bed. And no, washing is not a solution. One of the best ways to remove makeup is to wipe it, using cleansing milk on cotton or washcloth.

6) Random Sleeping Habits- There is an adage- Early to bed, early to rise makes men healthy, wealthy and wise. While I do not know about wealthy but am sure about healthy and hence consider it as a wise option. We do not realise that our skin goes through damage throughout the day and recuperate through the same between 10:00 pm to 1:00 am during the sleep. Hence, it is very important to stick to the sleep schedule. As it does not just help your skin to recover the damages caused in day's time but it also boosts your immunity and regularise body cycle, adding the shine on your skin.

7) Soaps on Face- While soaps are a cleansing agent, they are also high on chemicals and can strip off natural oils from your face. No matter how mild a soap is construed or positioned on TV, best is to avoid using soaps on your face. You can either go for a good foam based face cleanser or use Gram flour with milk or water to clean your face. I have initially used Dove white soap on my face and the result was good. However, the Gram flour obtain may sound tedious but the impact is the natural and long term. Add a little turmeric paste with milk to bring that glow which even chemical laden face washes or expensive facials cannot bring.

Well, those were the top 7 things to avoid. Needless I say, a good diet, adequate water and exercise always come handy. We will come up with more beauty tips, Do's and don'ts..so keep following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more updates.

See ya. Have a Healthy skin