Getting clear, happy, and healthy isn’t only about what kind of products you use, it’s also about the habits you have.
If you’ve been with me a bit on Kaneshon, you know how much I believe in the power of daily micro-habits to get clear and healthy skin. With micro-habits I don’t mean going through a full-scale routine or waking up at 5 in the morning to go and run a half marathon. I’m talking about small habits that most people do anyway. None of them are revolutionary but can add up over time. And each task is so small there’s really no need for willpower.
Of course, it’s not one routine of micro-habits fits all sizes. So take your pick and stick to it for at least 18 days. That’s according to a study in psychology. To set your expectations right, it can be anything between 18 to 245 days. But the good thing is that if you mess up ever once in awhile, you can still form a new bait.
Even if you know that messing up every now and then won’t affect the process of making a new habit, just thinking of doesn’t sound like an easy task. But it helps if you know why micro-habits work
- They’re so and easy small, they’re easy to begin with
- They’re easy to do, so it’s easy to stick to
- Compared to the goals you normally set for yourself, they’re easy so they give less room to make excuses
Whether it’s to start taking up swimming or to give up bad habits, the trick is to build it up with micro-habits.
- Cleanse before bed and after you sweat
- Practice sleep hygiene
- Be mindful of stress
- Cut down on sugar
- Avoid playing yoyo with your weight
- Improve your mood
- Do not touch your face
- Don’t pop that pimple
- Moisturise everyday
- Wear SPF 365 days in a year
- Feed your skin
- Get your circulation going
- Add vitamin C
- Consider adding a vitamin A product to your routine
- Clean your makeup brushes
- Use your products in the right order
- Use lukewarm water
Cleanse before bed and after you sweat
Probably the most basic habit is to cleanse your face every night before bed. Just imagine what’s going to build up during your day. Pollution, grime, sweat, and bacteria on top of makeup. Now imagine what all of these can do sitting on your skin while you sleep.
Practice sleep hygiene
The later you stay up, the more it can mess with your inner clock. It’s a no-brainer that not enough sleep makes your skin look all dull and lifeless. Not enough sleep makes a negative feedback loop where your body makes more of the stress hormone cortisol that in turn can trigger breakouts. Put your phone in another room before bed, even better if it’s on airplane mode.
Be mindful of stress
Stress in itself is not bad. It’s too much stress that’s not good. When you’re stressed, your body releases the primary stress hormone cortisol. This is bad not only because it can cause zits but also because it’s been shown that it can impair the fibroblasts that produce collagen and elastin. These proteins are responsible for making your skin firm and bouncy. The more stress you have, the more cortisol is released. Over time, this will impact your skin’s ability to produce collagen and elastin.
Cut down on sugar
When you eat and drink sugary foods and beverages, you may inadvertently hasten premature ageing. The sugar is linked to advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These AGEs can damage the proteins collagen and elastin which leads to a loss of firmness in your skin.
Just taking a break after your meal before you advance to dessert or buying the smallest portion of a sugary snack can help you cut back on sugar.
Avoid playing yoyo with your weight
When your face looks plump, your skin stretches making wrinkles appear less pronounced. Usually, you not only show weight gain on your face but also in the neck area. It makes the neck area appear bulging and creates a double chin (and can make you look older than you really are).
Improve your mood
Not only won’t people notice the occasional blemish when you’re happy and smiling, even a fake smile can lift your mood.
Do not touch your face
You probably even don’t notice how often you touch your face – to groom or for gestures. But especially after the pandemic, it’s important not to constantly touch your face. Just imagine what’s on your hands. Not only is it a way to contract a disease, you may also be causing or exacerbating breakouts.
Don’t pop that pimple
When you poke or prod a pimple, it can backfire. Think of a zit as a little pocket holding your natural oils, acne bacteria, grime, and other debris. When you squeeze a pimple, some of the content oozes out and some can go deeper inside your skin. This means you can get more zits and what goes deeper into your skin can make your skin goes red, inflamed, and even lead to scarring. It’s best to let a zit go through its lifecycle without prodding it.
Moisturise everyday
How your skin looks is linked to how much moisture it’s holding. As we age, our skin becomes thinner. This makes us look older because our skin can retain less water and its collagen and elastin levels also decreases. This is when we first start to see creases.
This doesn’t mean that when you’re young, you can just skip it, even if your skin tends to be oily. That’s because if your skin is dry, your body overcompensates and will produce more natural oils which can end up jamming up your pores.
Wear SPF 365 days in a year
If you want your skin to keep its elastin and collagen content for as long and as high as possible, wear sunscreen. UV rays from sun exposure can also prevent your skin to look nice and clear. You’re prone to dark spots and freckles.
Feed your skin
It’s not only we are what we repeatedly do – a quote attributed to ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. It’s also we are what we eat. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and its cells come from the food you eat. Every time you’re at your grocer’s, buy a fruit or a vegetable you’ve not tried before.
Get your circulation going
Proper circulation brings nutrients to your skin and can help skin quality. It’s easy to get a bit of circulation going: Commit to a one-minute leisure walk a day.
Lie on your back and hang your head and shoulders hanging down over the edge. Keep this position for 1 or 2 minutes. You’ll feel a rush of blood to your face and is a little stretch to open up your chest.
Add vitamin C
If you don’t have enough vitamin C, your skin can’t make enough collagen. Try a vitamin C supplement which has the added bonus of boosting your immune system. You can also apply it to your skin.
If you use vitamin C as an antioxidant in the morning, it works together with your SPF to add another layer of protection against UV radiation.
Consider adding a vitamin A product to your routine
Vitamin A has many benefits for your skin including
- Improving skin texture
- Fighting zits
- Encouraging collagen formation
- Halting and reversing sun damage
Clean your makeup brushes
Just like your hands, makeup brushes and sponges can pick up all kinds of grime. Imagine using dirty brushes full of bacteria and other “stuff” on your freshly cleansed face.
Use your products in the right order
You may be using the greatest skin care but aren’t seeing any effects after 1 or 2 skin cell turnover. After cleansing always start from the most runny product and work your way up to thicker consistencies.
Use lukewarm water
Do you have other micro-habits for gorgeous skin that are easy to take up? Tell us in the comments.
