20 Skin and Lifestyle Tips for Flawless Skin

Beautiful, clear, juicy, healthy skin requires both an internal and external approach. Today, I wanted to share 20 of my favorite skin care routine and lifestyle tips to beautify your skin from the inside out.

1) Commit to a skincare routine morning and night. 

Having a daily routine is essential for long-term results. Plus, you won't see significant changes without committing to a consistent routine. 

2) Give up your regular lathering cleanser and try a cleansing balm instead. 

Cleansing balms are an alternative to regular, water-based lathering cleansers which can strip the skin of its delicate acid mantle, resulting in more inflammation, irritated, and dry skin.

3) Switch to a truly nourishing face cream with healthful ingredients. 

There are way too many suspicious ingredients in most every day skincare products marketed towards women. Choose one that is made from nourishing, restoring ingredients that all contribute to healthy, happy skin.

4) Drink an abundance of water every day.

Water is essential for flushing out daily toxins. Without properly functioning detox pathways, your skin can take the brunt of it. Toxins have to go somewhere! So drink that water to keep things moving. Squeeze fresh lemon for hormone-balancing and liver-supporting actions.

5) Explore herbal teas if you struggle getting enough water. 

I go through phases where plain water isn't that appealing but I can easily take down herbal teas. For supporting your complexion, I recommend nettle, raspberry, and hibiscus.

6) Support your digestion with bitters. 

Bitter herbs naturally stimulate the digestive pathway and thus assist the body in more efficiently supporting digestive organs and their function. Bitter herbs include dandelion, gentian, and milk thistle. 

7) Support your liver.

As part of your digestive system, your liver plays a vital role in phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification. Bog this down and you might experience a number of symptoms, including acne, eczema, and irritated skin (think: rashes, dermatitis, and mystery eruptions.) Support your liver with supportive herbs like dandelion and milk thistle and supplements like sulphoraphane, DIM, NAC, and glutathione.

8) Take a multivitamin. 

My favorite is Amy Myers multivitamin. I take it every day. It includes key nutrients for general wellness and detox as well as support thyroid issues (which are most common in women.) 

9) Reduce foods that create breakouts.

This is different for everyone. I guarantee that you know what your trigger food(s) is. For most people, it's dairy and gluten. Try to eliminate these for 1 month and see what results you get.

10) Dry skin? Add omega 3 supplement to your daily routine. 

I prefer krill oil over regular fish oil. An omega supplement, like Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, is a good option, too. 

11) Sweat most days of the week.

Do what you need to do to sweat: strength training, running, sauna, dancing, and walking. Support your lymph and overall immune, skin, and heart health through moving your body.

12) Reduce your daily stressors. 

Stress has a huge impact on our skin and accelerates aging. Incorporate stress-lowering habits into your life. Try deep breathing, journaling, and mindset adjustments. 

13) Meditate.

Meditate for better skin? Maybe. By adding this tool to your daily routine, you can increase your levels of happiness and joy and thus reducing your stress. Reduce stress to beautify... it's a thing!

14) Add a probiotic to your supplement regimen. 

Gut health is essential. That's why a good quality probiotic can support your gut and therefore your skin. I use the Daily Synbiotic by Seed.

15) Exfoliate 1-2 times a week with a gentle cleansing mask.

Make your own by grinding up almonds along with some white clay in a 1:1 ratio. Or skip the almonds and use the clay on its own as a super natural exfoliant.

16) Eat a diet of whole foods, mostly plants.

A diverse diet of foods in their whole state, not out of boxes, is one of the best lifestyle shifts you can make to improve your skin and your health.

17) Get out into nature. 

Nature makes people happy. Get out there and explore your region. Learn some new plants. Breathe in the fresh air. 

18) Try a hyaluronic acid serum for added hydration. 

Skin naturally loses its ability to retain moisture over time and needs extra support. Hyaluronic acid draws an amazing amount of water to the skin. Olive squalene is another great option for boosting hydration in the skin.

19) Use oil serums rather than lotion. 

Oil serums are underestimated. They are potent, skin health-promoting serums that, when applied to damp skin, support the strength and structure of the skin for a natural daily glow. Try one that rejuvenates the skin with a blend of in-house herbal extracts that calm, soothe, nourish, and protect the skin.

20) Practice daily gratitude.

Of course I need to end on gratitude. Again, lowering your stress is a beautifying practice all on its own and by practicing gratitude, it makes us happier, more joyful people. And the less stress = the more beautiful your skin.

xo,

Kristen Runvik