The Lazy Girl's Guide to skin care

If you are like me, you get lazy once in a while when it comes to skin care and makeup. Not only do I find it all so overwhelming with all the various products available for different skin issues, it can also be time consuming.

Here are a couple of tips that can help you on your quest for clear skin

Stay Hydrated

Drinking Water is the best thing you can do for your skin, especially if you live in a humid climate where its so hard plastering products on your face in the morning cos the weather is hot and cream makes you sweat. You’ll notice that your eyes  look sunken and skin dryer when you are dehydrated. Reason is your body pulls water from your tissues to maintain the water concentration of your blood. So aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day…or more if you live in a hot climate or are very active.

Wash your face twice a day

This is one of the first rules of celebrity Dermatologist, Dr. Debra Jaliman in her book “Skin Rules” and she swears by this. Use a gentle cleanser and wash your face in the morning and at night before you go to sleep as This helps in preventing breakouts. It is also required if you have a night skin regimen. I tend to use the Clarisonic Mia to wash my face with a gentle cleanser specifically made for acne prone skin  and I find it very effective. Always take off your make up at night…no exceptions!

 Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate!

Exfoliating your skin regularly can bring new life to your skin and improve the results of your skin care. Aside from helping to clear acne and breakouts, it improves your skin texture by getting rid of the tired and dead skin cells, speeding up the skin renewal process. Your complexion can turn from dull and dry to bright and radiant and smooth and it also helps reduce signs of ageing.

Moisturize

I know I don’t do this and I should practice what I preach but you need to moisturize your skin each morning and at night, if your skin feels extra dry. This is because no matter how much water you drink daily, your skin can get parched . So a good penetrating moisturizer will  give your skin a younger, supple appearance. I tend to use an oil free moisturizer by Origins.

Always Use Sunscreen

This is very important especially in sunny climates. Lack of sunscreen is a no! no! This is despite the fact that I rarely ever expose myself to the sun as I am anti-sun ( I tend to burn easily under the sun and light disturbs my eyes aside from the fact that I get fainting spells when exposed for a while).Also, skin cancer is one of the most common and deadliest of the cancers,  So, aside from vanity sake, avoid the sun and use a sunscreen specially when you expect extended exposure.

FLAT TUMMY WATER

 

Losing weight can be challenging but diet, exercise and self-control are the key factors. Eating fresh foods and drinking healthy drinks that do contain artificial sweeteners can help you achieve weight loss success. Naturally flavored and infused waters are a favorite when it comes to weight management. They taste deliciously good and you control the ingredients. Do you like the sound of it already?

       Flat tummy water is a delicious way to stay hydrated because when you’re hydrated, you feel full and guard yourself against weight gain and also water helps flush out your toxins. Note that, flat tummy water is not a meal replacement!!! Drink it like you would regularly hydrate yourself.

In order to lose weight it is recommended to eat and drink more of the following………

·         CUCUMBER: An 8.25- inch cucumber only has 45 calories with its skin and 34 calories without its skin. They are low in calories, act as a diuretic and high in dietary in fiber and help keep the body alkaline. Nutrients provided by the cucumber also include but are not limited to vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, vitamin K and potassium. The amount of these nutrients you get from cucumber in the water depends on how much cucumber you use in the water but if you place the entire cucumber in your water, the water will still contain fewer than 50 calories.

·         GINGER: Ginger is a beneficial addition to a weight loss program aimed at reducing belly fat and obtaining a flat tummy. Belly fat accumulates for various reasons, including overeating, age- related hormone reduction, lack of exercise and stress. Consumption of ginger addresses each of these problems. Taking ginger without reducing calories or exercising won’t reduce belly fat. Ask your doctor or dietician before taking large amount of ginger, which may be contraindicated in certain medical condition.

·         LEMON: Combination of lemon and water is one that is made up of natural ingredients, are the healthiest for the human body it adds no calories to your each time you drink it, because of the pectin fiber’s presence in lemon, it has the effect of reducing your hunger. If you tried to kill your appetite in the past with such drinks like coffee or tea, try lemon in your water from now on and also get the benefit of vitamin C, enhance your beauty by rejuvenating skin from within bringing a glow to your face. And also cleanse out your colon, lemon in water effect on your hunger craving in a one – two combination in the effort to help you to reduce weight.

·         MINT: You may have thought of mint as an appetite suppressant but it is, not only will give the water a refreshing flavor it will stop food craving too. Aside from all the other health benefits of mint, it also can help in your efforts to lose weight in a healthy way. Mint is a stimulant but also stimulates the digestive enzymes that absorb nutrients from foods and consume fat and turn it into useable energy. Therefore, by adding mint to your diet or water you are increasing the amount of fat is being consumed and put to use, rather than being stored and contributing to your weight gain.

·         WATER: Water is life. It keep the body hydrated which is important because dehydration can slow down the fat burning process. It lubricates joints and muscles during exercises and helps the blood supply oxygen to muscles, water also help feel full during meals, so we don’t overeat.

Flat Tummy Water Recipe:

·         6 cups of filtered water

·         1 cucumber, Sliced

·         1 lemon, Sliced

·         1 tablespoon grated ginger

·         ½ cup of mint leaves

Let the mixture infuse overnight. Drink it all the next day and enjoy but if you can’t finish it all then please, keep it refrigerated. Make sure ingredients are organic and water is filtered.