The Morning Routine For Glowing Skin

Ah, the coveted perfect morning routine. You see it all over social media. It has even become a TikTok trend. However, you do not need to wake up at 5 am, have a 50-minute skincare routine, or drink iced matcha every day to get glowing skin and feel your best self. Below, we have included a couple of habits to add to your daily routine that will help you make the most out of your days AND get radiant skin.

1. Have a consistent skincare routine: The first step to get glowing skin? A great skincare routine, of course! Set aside 10 minutes each morning specifically for skincare. Here are six must’s in order of application:

-Cleanse: Whether you have oily, dry, mixed, or sensitive skin, you should cleanse your face every morning. Washing your face allows you to get rid of bacteria or dust accumulated overnight, potentially leading to a breakout. Before shopping for a cleanser, understand what kind of cleanser will work best for your skin.
-Toner: Toners refresh and cleanse your skin without getting rid of natural moisture. Toners also restore your skin’s PH, reduce the appearance of pores, and can make your skin appear smoother.

-Serum: Serums are lighter products than moisturizers, and they are usually water-based, making it easier for your skin to absorb them. There are many serums for different purposes, but we encourage you to include a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine. Vitamin C serums can help reduce wrinkles, protect your skin from the sun, even out your skin tone, protect your collagen, amongst other benefits

-Moisturize: Moisturizers are usually the heaviest product of your skincare after sunscreen, which is why you should apply it next to last. Moisturizers help “seal in” all of the previously used products to make them more effective. You might find moisturizers intimidating if you have oily skin, so here is a list of moisturizers for oily skin!

-Sunscreen: Whether you are staying home, it is cloudy or sunny, put some sunscreen on. Sunscreen has been consistently proven to prevent skin aging. Look for sunscreen with at least 30 SPF and reapply during the day. According to Hopkins medicine, you should reapply sunscreen approximately every two hours, so consider purchasing a travel-sized sunscreen bottle to keep on you while you’re out of your house.

2. Set a bedtime and waking time and stick to it: Consistency is the key to building and reinforcing habits. So, set a time to go to bed and wake up and follow it as often as you can. Don’t hit snooze! You don’t have to start your day at 5 am to feel and be your best self, but you have to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. Sleeping only five to six hours a night can cause your skin to age quicker and lose that natural glow. So, set up a bedtime and waking time schedule for yourself and stick to it. Studies have shown that keeping a consistent sleep schedule enhances your internal clock, which improves the quality of your sleep and gives your skin a natural glow as a plus. Go and get your literal beauty sleep. 

3. Hydrate!: Since up to 60% of the human body is made of water, it comes as no surprise that staying hydrated is crucial for keeping healthy and young skin. Drinking sufficient water throughout the day will help your skin remain flexible and prevent premature aging. It is recommended that you consume anywhere between 3.7 to 2.7 liters of fluids a day, so get a water bottle and drink up!

4. Get moving: Frequent exercise has many benefits. It can boost your energy, improve your sleep quality, reduce anxiety, and improve your skin! According to the U.S. Dermatology Partners, exercise can prevent and even reverse the signs of skin aging. So, get your gear and get moving!

5. Eat a balanced diet: A brighter and smoother skin is only one of the many benefits of eating a balanced diet. We will provide a list of some of the nutrients that will help your skin stay healthy and youthful:

-Omega-3: Omega-3 fatty acids help your skin stay moisturized and plump. You can find them in: fatty fish like salmon, nuts, seeds, dietary supplements, and plant oils.

-Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from premature aging. You can find it in: green leafy vegetables, avocados, fortified foods, seeds, and vegetable oils.

-Vitamin C: Besides being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C can protect your skin from sun damage and increase collagen production. Some of the foods with the highest levels of Vitamin C are berries, broccoli, citrus fruits, green and red peppers, tomatoes, and many more!

-Vitamin A: Vitamin A encourages collagen production, which is responsible for healthy and young skin. You can find vitamin A in foods like cheese and eggs.

-Zinc: Zinc is a mineral that plays an essential role in the transportation of Vitamin A.

6. Relax and unwind: Stress has been proven to have negative effects on the skin. When you are stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol which can cause inflammation, breakouts, and clog your skin. So, every morning, take the time to do a relaxing activity such as meditating, journaling, or painting. Additionally, we recommend you avoid using your phone first thing in the morning since research shows it can increase stress and anxiety, leading to our next step.

7. Limit your screen time: Apart from increasing anxiety and stress levels, studies also show that extended exposure to screens, specifically blue light, can lead to premature aging, which is worrying considering that about 80% of people with smartphones check their phones first thing in the morning. This behavior could be the culprit for your aging skin! So, instead of scrolling through social media or your email as soon as you wake up, harness your energy to engage in more productive and fulfilling activities. We live in a digital world, which makes it near impossible to stay away from screens entirely; however, there are a couple of things you can do to decrease the harmful effects of high screen time. 

-Night mode on: After the sun sets, you should turn on night mode on your electronic devices. The night/dark mode on devices reduces the blue light emitted and switches it for a less harsh yellow light.

-Stop screen usage at least 30 minutes before bed: According to Harvard Health Publishing, blue light suppresses the secretion of melatonin, the sleep hormone, which results in a damaged circadian rhythm and a lower sleep quality. If you’d like to prevent some damage caused by screen usage, close your laptop and stop using your phone at least 30 minutes before bed. 

-Blue light screen protector: Blue light is needed for multiple purposes. It boosts our alertness, helps our memory, and exposure to it during the daytime can help maintain our internal clock. However, prolonged exposure to blue light can cause hyperpigmentation and inflammation of our skin. For this reason, we recommend you invest in a blue light screen protector. 

What To Avoid

-If you drink alcoholic drinks, do so in moderation. Alcohol disrupts the quality of your sleep which, in turn, accelerates the aging of your skin.

-Avoid fried foods! Consuming fried foods leads to premature aging and the loss of your skin’s elasticity.

-Stay away from added sugar. Processed sugar can significantly dry and age your skin.

Summary

Whether you are a night owl or a morning lark, start your day with a healthy and sustainable morning routine. All of the steps we provided above are simple habits that can positively impact your physical and mental health AND make your skin look as radiant as ever.

We hope you enjoyed this blog and that it helped you plan out the perfect morning routine for yourself! If you want to learn more about improving your skin and overall health, go to Revive Naturals.