How to make your skin glow at home

It’s a fact well known that Vitamin D is essential to both our physical and mental wellbeing. As Coronavirus takes hold, the increase in time spent inside is bound to have an effect on our skin, whether that be through stress-induced acne, inflammatory redness or simply the mood-boosting qualities of a natural tan.  

As tempting as it may be to bask in the spring sunshine or go shopping for miracle products, it is important at this time to respect the rules on trips outside the home, and to find ways to maintain skin health and appearance with items and opportunities likely already available within your home. If your face is in need of a fix, try out our ten tips below.   

Make use of sunlight where you can get it! If you’re lucky enough to have a garden or a balcony, build simple routines into your day such as having breakfast outside, pegging out the washing or take up a spot of gardening.  

This outdoor activity may not seem like much, but the rays of the sun will keep those vitamin D levels topped up. For those less equipped, sitting by a window as you work can also do the job—just be sure to keep SPF to hand, the same way you would if outside.  

Without the usual routine of work and socialisation, there’s never been a better time to give your skin a break from make-up.  

Your pores will thank you for it—without the usual foundation creams and powders settling in their space, they are much more likely to be able to “breathe” and renew, creating softer, fresher skin. 

Treat yourself to the sleep your body needs; restless nights are thought to increase the inflammatory compounds released by the body. Get on clean sheets, spritz some pleasant sleep spray or use a diffuser, and avoid bringing technology to bed.  

Experts recommend we all aim for between seven and nine hours of quality sleep a night, but listen to your body and go with what feels best for you. 

Speaking of fresh sheets, plenty of cheek, chin and hairline acne can be explained by exposure to the dust and sweat that accumulates on pillowcases or aged hair scarfs.  

Be sure to keep things on a regular wash routine, including your hair—hair mask and hair serum fans should look to keep hair up and off their face while it’s full of oil.  

Be wary of old, expired skin and haircare products too—none of these will be doing your complexion any favours.  

Depending on your own diet, intolerances and gut health, certain foods may affect skin breakouts. Excessive dairy and alcohol are thought to be regular culprits, not necessarily as a cause but certainly as an exacerbator of the way your skin appears.  

If you can’t put your finger on the product, try keeping a food diary that maps what you eat against the way your skin appears, and try swapping out suspected foods to see what affect it has.  

Foods thought to be good for skin are ones full of healthy fats—oily fish, avocados, various nuts and leafy green veg. Should you need to alter your diet significantly, do seek the advice of a doctor or nutritionist.  

Having a worry-free day is easy said than done in this climate, but there is a proven link between stress and persistent acne.  

Try if you can to build some moments of proper restfulness into your day—a 10-minute meditation, a warm bath with a book, a gentle online exercise class.  

If you’re missing the relaxation of a spa facial, why not try out your own? There’s plenty of DIY pampering beauty recipes to be found in our article here.

When spots appear, it’s often our impulse to throw every product in the cabinet at them in an attempt to make them go away. Try if you can to resist this urge, as it will likely overwhelm the skin.  

Prevention is much more effective than cure—all you really need in your beauty arsenal is a good cleanser, a good toner and a good moisturiser. Any exfoliating products likely need to be reserved for once a week.  

Work with how your skin is feeling that day—sometimes all three may feel abrasive, other days you’ll be especially glad for the extra moisture. Have a good look and feel of your skin each morning or night before you decide what products to apply.  

Should a breakout appear, try and leave it be—a few small spots aren’t the end of the world. Exposing the bacteria by picking or popping is much more likely to result in infection or scarring, and the majority of hormonal or stress-induced spots will go down on their own in a matter of days.  

If they’re particularly painful or swelling, anoint them with sudocreme or another antiseptic cream, and allow to soak in overnight. 

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