Do you feel your skin doesn’t look as glowing or youthful as before? Do you have black circles under your eyes, or do your arms and face feel rough to touch? These point to dull skin.
For many Filipinos, having dull skin can increase the feeling of insecurity or concern. It can even point to health problems. The excellent news is that it’s not a lost cause. Before you sleep, consider doing the following things to help make you look more radiant in the morning:
1. Get Proper Sleep
A nursery rhyme goes, “Sleep makes one healthy and wise.” Well, it turns out it’s excellent for the skin, too.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, lack of sleep can increase cortisol, a stress hormone. When its levels are high, the risk of skin inflammation also increases. You become more prone to acne, eczema, redness, and dryness.
Meanwhile, a 2017 study said that sleep deprivation could change a person’s perception of beauty. Even if you’re beautiful (as all people are), you don’t feel it, dampening your self-confidence.
Aim for a 7- to 8-hour sleep each day. If you struggle to sleep, turn off or block all sources of light, including your mobile devices. The circadian rhythm or the body’s internal clock is highly sensitive to light.
2. Support the Skin with the Right Serum
Just because you’re sleeping doesn’t mean your body isn’t doing anything. It’s the regeneration time. It’s when your cells repair themselves to ensure you maintain optimal health.
Your skin also goes through the same process. It promotes the growth of collagen, a protein that helps keep your skin supple. It also repairs damage caused by the UV rays.
The problem is as you grow older, collagen production significantly decreases. Plus, several hours’ exposure to an air-conditioning unit can leave the skin dry.
You need not do the 10-step Korean skincare, but you need to choose the right product to support your skin. One option is a glass skin serum enriched with nutrients, such as alpha-lipoic acid and vitamin C.
Also known as ALA, alpha-lipoic acid helps stimulate collagen growth. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radicals that cause photoaging (or skin aging because of sunlight exposure).
Serums come in different forms, but for Filipinos, a water-based formulation is ideal because of the country’s climate. Water also helps enhance and even lock the skin’s moisture.
3. Hydrate
People seem to debate whether it’s okay to drink water before going to sleep. So far, the consensus says it’s okay—and recommended—but do it a few hours or 30 minutes before you go to bed. Otherwise, the urge to pee will wake you up in the middle of the night.
But then, why do you need to drink water? Answer: hydration. Water accounts for over half of the body’s content. It even comprises over 60% of the skin!
Drinking lots of water also helps remove toxins from the body, including those that can affect the skin.
When you want glowing, healthy skin, consistency is essential. You cannot expect to see significant changes overnight. However, these pointers will tell you that a nighttime skincare routine doesn’t have to be exhaustive or complicated.
