Written By Paisley Hansen / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

Your skin does not just cover up all your organs and muscles. It also serves many key functions. For instance, the deep layers of skin store fat and water that the body needs. The skin additionally produces vitamin D and other important hormones.

Skin helps regulate body temperature as well. It prevents you from getting too hot or too cold. Perhaps most importantly, the skin blocks toxins, dirt and debris from entering the body. To maintain your overall well-being, you thus need to keep your skin healthy. Here are six ways to care for your skin.

1. Use Red Light Therapy

As its name implies, red light therapy applies near-infrared and red light to the skin cells. The light stimulates the cells and keeps them in balance, improving the body's overall function.

This treatment also reduces inflammation and invigorates your skin. Best of all, effective red light therapy for skin is a simple process that takes only 10 minutes per session.

2. Limit Sun Exposure

The sun's rays can harm your skin in many ways. Besides causing skin cancer, sunlight has also been linked to age spots and wrinkles. Before you head outside, cover your exposed skin with a layer of waterproof, broad-spectrum sunscreen. It should have an SPF of at least 30.  Be sure to re-apply the sunscreen at least every two hours.

The sun's rays are the strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You should thus seek shade as much as possible during those hours. Clothes can protect your skin from the sun as well. In cooler temperatures, you should wear longer pants and shirts along with wide-brimmed hats.

If it is too hot for these types of clothes, opt for outfits made of sun-protective material that blocks the ultraviolet rays. There are also laundry additives that offer a similar effect.

3. Wash Your Face Regularly

Germs and dirt build up on your face as you sleep. Therefore, you should clean your face when you get up each morning. Similarly, washing your face in the evening removes grime or makeup that has gotten on the skin throughout the day.

It can be tempting to scrub your dirty skin until it is clean. However, scrubbing causes irritation, which can worsen acne and other skin conditions. You should thus be extra gentle when washing your skin, especially your face.

Start by wetting the face with lukewarm water. Then apply a mild cleanser by using a circular motion. Finally, rinse off the cleanser and use a clean towel to pat your face dry. Be sure to use cleansing products that are designed to meet your skin's needs.

4. Avoid Strong Soaps and Long Baths

Too much of a seemingly good thing can also be bad for your skin. Long, hot baths and showers can strip essential oils from the skin. You should thus limit your time in the shower or bath and use warm rather than hot water. Strong detergents or soaps may also remove skin oils. Use mild cleansers instead.

5. Stop Smoking

Smoking does not just harm your lungs. It can also damage your skin. Smoking narrows blood vessels in the outer skin layers, decreasing blood flow to those layers. This, in turn, prevents the skin from getting nutrients and oxygen that it needs. Smoking additionally harms elastin and collagen — two fibers that make the skin elastic and strong.

6. Reduce Stress

Stress can cause flare-ups of acne, rosacea and other skin conditions. In fact, eczema and psoriasis may first appear during moments of stress. Some stressors, such as a sudden work deadline, you cannot control.

However, there are things you can do to limit your everyday stress. Set reasonable goals and leave enough time for leisure activities. Sleep can also help you relax and reduce your stress.

As you focus on your health, do not forget about your skin. The above tips will help your skin feel and look good even as you get older.

Looking for 100% chemical-free, all-natural nourishing face and body oils? Check out Earth & Elm Nourishing Face Oil and Earth & Elm Nourishing Body Oil. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral care, skincare, body care and foot care. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

Written By:

Paisley Hansen is a freelance writer and expert in health, fitness, and growing young. When she isn’t writing she can usually be found reading a good book or hitting the gym. She loves hearing from readers so feel free to contact her through Facebook.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by Sinitta Leunen on Unsplash