Clear skin is a blessing in its own right! You might have seen many people with blemish free and even-toned skin that glows even without any makeup. You might also have wished to get such clear skin. And why not! Having a clear skin becomes more important in today’s world of selfies and profile pics. Your instant sharing of photographs may not give you enough time to touch up your makeup while clicking yourself. And most importantly, you feel so good when you know you are looking fabulous even when you have not re-applied that lipstick or blush for hours, thanks to your clear skin. But how to have clear skin that gives you such a feeling! Here are some tips for you, the ways to get clear skin.
How to Get Clear Skin?
Some of these ways to get clear skin include a long-term plan like your diet plan. Some others are fast remedies that make you change some of your habits such as cleaning your makeup every day before going to bed. If you want to get clear skin fast as well as to keep it forever, adopt both, short-term as well as long-term remedies!
Clear Skin Diet
It need to give your body enough nutrients. What you eat decides what your skin gets. A healthy balanced diet will give your skin required nutrients to repair damages, build up new cells and collagen. All these will keep your skin looking youthful for years. On the other hand, if you eat junk, your skin will become like that only. In lack of proper nutrition, your skin will become inflamed due to the free radicals that attack your cells. Antioxidants from foods can help combat these free radicals to remove your blemishes and give you a clear skin. So, what to eat? These are the foods for flawless skin
Vegetables
Eat colorful vegetables everyday. Light colored as well as dark-coloured vegetables, both have their own sets of nutrients. Your skin (as well as body) needs all these nutrients. So, eat all types of vegetables.
Green Juice
Juices not only flush out toxins from your body to give you glowing skin but also help cure many diseases. Some of your skin problems such as acne might get cured when you have a glass of green juice daily. Acne does give you blotchy skin. Kale juice is good for acne free skin. You may have parsley juice to get a blemish free even skin tone. Watercress juice is also one of the best juices for clear skin with improved complexion. If you so want, you may prepare your juice by combining all these herbs. This helps you get clear skin fast.
Omega 3 fatty acids rich foods:
Make your skin healthy with foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids. They make your cell membranes healthy and capable of functioning well. This means your cell membranes will not only use the nutrients properly but also will not allow harmful things to enter your skin and body. Cell membranes also decide how much water your skin can hold. A well-hydrated skin is a healthy and clear skin. So, eat omega-3 fatty acids rich fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel and halibut, at least once a week. Flaxseeds, walnuts, algae and soybeans also have large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
Vitamin C rich foods:
This vitamin boosts collagen. Collagen makes your skin strong, supple and youthful. Bell peppers, strawberries, citrus fruits, kale, broccoli etc. are all rich in vitamin C. Have them.
Vitamin A rich foods
Vitamin A reduces wrinkles, fades away brown spots, and smooths the roughness of skin. Thus, eat vitamin A rich foods to get young, blemish-free even-toned skin. Sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, squashes, lettuce, dried apricots, cantaloupe, bell peppers, fish, tropical fruits all are rich in this skin-friendly vitamin A.
Vitamin E rich foods:
Vitamin E is an antioxidant which fights free radicals to give you smooth and clear skin. It also protects you from UV rays as it can absorb the energy from ultraviolet (UV) light. Additionally, vitamin E works as an anti-inflammatory agent for your skin. Include almonds, raw seeds, spinach, turnip greens, kale, plant oils, nuts etc. in your diet to get vitamin E and make your skin clean and clear.
[Also Read: How to Lighten Skin Naturally]
Avoid some Foods to Keep Skin Clear
Clear skin diet doesn’t only include what to eat. You also need to pay attention to what not to eat.
Avoid Sugary Foods:
Why? Because sugar quickly gets into your bloodstream and makes your insulin levels spike. This in turn, aggravates acne, wrinkles and rashes. All of these are obstructions in your path of getting a clear skin. Sugar doesn’t mean sugar only. The refined carbohydrates like white flour and white rice also convert into sugar in your body. Avoid them. Instead of refined carbs, have complex carbohydrates like whole grains, lentils, beans, peas, starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and pumpkin. These are foods with a low glycemic index. Foods having a low glycemic index release glucose more gradually into your bloodstream and prevent acne breakouts. Also avoid sugary drinks like soft drinks, soda and other carbonated drinks.
Dairy products:
This is not true for everyone but some people face this problem of acne breakout due to milk and other dairy products. Cut back on milk and other dairy products if you have an acne prone skin. However, you may continue to have yoghurt as many types of research have shown that yogurt doesn’t lead to breakouts.
Processed meat:
Chemicals used to process meat might give you wrinkles due to their inflammatory effects. When your skin gets inflamed, the collagen is damaged and your skin doesn’t look youthful and radiant. You may have lean meats instead of processed meat.
Drink lots of Water to have Clear Skin
Drinking enough water every day counts when you want a clear skin. 1.5 liters to 2 liters of water is what can give you healthy wrinkle free, clear and glowing skin. If you have dry skin, your skin will remain hydrated when you drink water throughout the day. Drinking water can also help reduce symptoms of acne. It might be due to the fact that water effectively flushes out toxin, dirt and bacteria from your body. So, do the following:
- Drink a glass of water as soon as you get up in the morning.
- Always carry a bottle of water so that in no circumstance you are forced to get dehydrated.
- If you can’t drink plain water, add natural flavors to it like lemon juice or mint leaves.
- You may also increase the consumption of water-rich foods like lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit etc.
Do not have too much of such beverages as coffee, soda, tea and other caffeinated beverages. They are not equivalent to water. They have the diuretic effect and will, in fact, dehydrate your skin.
The above tips for clear skin diet are a way to get a healthy and even-toned skin and to keep it for always. But what to do when you want a clear skin overnight! There are ways for this too.
How to get Clear Skin Naturally Fast
So, you have started eating right but now you immediately want a clear skin because you have this very important meeting to attend the next day! And then you have to go to the wedding of your dear friend and you can’t go there with this bad skin! No worries. There are ways to get a clear skin overnight. And you will be amazed at the results. Just use these face masks for clear skin.
Lemon-Almond oil Face Mask
Lemon naturally bleaches your skin and almond oil hydrates it intensely. The vitamin E in almond oil gives you a clear skin by combating free radicals and also prevents suntan. And this is also one of the best ways to get rid of under-eye dark circles.
Get this:
- Fresh lemon juice- 1-2 Tsp
- Almond oil- few drops
Do this:
- Combine lemon juice and almond oil.
- Apply this to your face or just under eyes if you want to remove the dark circles there. Do this before you go to bed.
- Wash off in the morning to get a radiant clear skin.
Tomato-Honey Face Mask for Clear Skin
Tomatoes are capable of handling a lot of skin issues. It can reduce large pores, acne, rashes and can soothe your sunburn. If you don’t have all these skin problems, you can still apply tomato pulp to your face and get a glowing face. The antioxidant lycopene present in tomatoes helps fight cellular damage and reddening of the skin. The enzymes present in honey clarify your skin and keep the pores clear and clean. It will also keep your skin moisturized naturally.
Get this:
- Tomato- 1
- Honey- 1 Tsp
Do this:
- Mash the tomato to get its pulp.
- Add honey to the pulp and mix to get a smooth paste.
- Apply this mixture on your face.
- Wait for 15-20 minutes and then wash off.
- You will get a clean glowing face instantly.
Oats- Honey Mask for Clear Skin
Whether you have itchy, dry, flaky or oily, spotty, blotchy and greasy skin, you may depend on oats to clear it out. The essential fatty acids of oats are soothing to your skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties make your skin look good. Honey is also good for skin as it is moisturizing, pore cleansing, exfoliating, and scar fading agent.
Get this:
Take equal parts of:
- Oats
- Honey
Do this:
- Mix honey and oats to get a thick paste.
- Apply this mixture to your face. Keep scrubbing gently with circular strokes.
- Wait for 20-30 minutes.
- Wash off and enjoy the smooth skin.
Coconut-Tea Tree Oil for Clear Skin
Coconut oil is rich in antioxidants and it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that can give you clear skin. It deeply moisturizes your skin, thanks to its essential fatty acids. Tea tree oil has antiseptic properties that add to the benefits of coconut oil for clear skin.
Get this:
- Coconut oil- 1 Tsp
- Tea tree oil- few drops
Do this:
- Combine both the oils.
- Mix well to get a serum like a thing.
- Before going to bed, wash your face and pat it dry.
- Then apply this oil mixture to your face and gently massage for a few seconds.
- Wash off in the morning to have a radiant clear face.
This was all about getting a clear skin fast, almost overnight. So, now you have known the clear skin diet and some remedies to get clear skin fast. Now the question is how to keep clear skin forever clear! The answer is- maintain it! And here are some tips on how to maintain your clear skin.
How to Maintain Clear Skin
With these tips, you will experience no bad skin days. Once you get a clear skin, maintain it by following the below advice.
Keep your face clean but don’t over-wash it
Always wash your face, at least twice a day. Once in the morning and then at night before going to bed. This is essential to get rid of all the dirt and cosmetics residue that may give you clogged pores. When your pores are not open, you might get acne, pimples, blackheads and other skin issues. Therefore, wash your face daily but don’t over-wash it. Washing face too many times will make it dry. Dry skin has its own set of problems that may give you more blemishes. Washing your face two times a day is enough.
Keep your skin hydrated
You had already known that drinking enough water will help keep your skin hydrated from within. You also need to use a good moisturizer to keep your skin clear and supple. And it is not only true for those who have dry skin but also for those who have oily skin. When you wash your face, it becomes dry and your glands become overactive to produce oil in order to combat the dryness. In this attempt, the pores get clogged and you have acne breakouts. So, use a gentle moisturizer. You can also use oils for this purpose. Almond oil and coconut oil are good choices for dry skin. People with acne prone or oily skin can use jojoba oil which is similar to skin’s sebum. If applying at night, just rub a few drops of jojoba oil. During day, mix few drops of rosehip or castor oil with jojoba oil and then apply to your face.
Don’t hesitate to give spot treatment to your skin
Sometimes it becomes essential to give spot treatment to acne prone skin, especially when you have something special the next day and you want your skin to be perfectly clear. So, use a spot treatment containing salicylic acid. If you want to stay natural, use strawberry and honey mixture for spot treatment. Strawberries are high in salicylic acid which helps in sloughing away the dead cells readily and opens up clogged pores. Mash one or two strawberries and mix some honey to this. Apply this to your spots and wait for 15-20 minutes before washing off with lukewarm water. If you can do so, leave it overnight. Wash it off in the morning. Pat dry and apply some moisturizer.
Exfoliate skin regularly
Exfoliation is good for skin. When you scrub your face gently, it helps slough away the dead skin cells that might otherwise get stuck into your pores and clog them. For the basic exfoliating recipe, you can use baking soda with some water to make a paste. Rub your face with this paste gently for few minutes and then wash off with water. You can also combine sugar and water to make a paste. After washing and drying out your face, you can mildly rub this sugar mixture in circular motions all over your face for few minutes. Then wash off with lukewarm water. Exfoliate your face at least once a week to maintain your clear skin.
Don’t pop or pick pimples
When you pop or squeeze a pimple, you help the bacteria spread around inside. You also give rise to an abrasion on your face. This blemish will take a long time to heal. Picking is a strict no-no as it can cause permanent scarring.
Use cosmetics wisely to maintain clear skin
Keep away from heavy make-up. Fewer cosmetics on your face means you give your skin a good chance to heal faster. Don’t use creamy foundations and blushes as they clog pores. Instead of cream based products, use powder, mineral or water-based products.
Always remove your make up before going to sleep. You might be tired but if you want to keep your skin clear, you need to do his without fail. Any residue left on the face gives you clogged pores and then blemishes.
Avoid touching your face
You don’t wash your hands often throughout the day. When you touch your face with your dirty fingers, you transfer germs and bacteria to your face. These will then give rise to a whole lot of skin issues. Also, do not keep your mobile phones touched with your face while talking on it. It also has invisible germs.
Get enough sleep
This might look awkward but lack of sleep also affects your skin. When you don’t sleep enough, you look tired, your skin sags, you get bags under eyes and your face loses its glow. When you don’t sleep, your blood vessels dilate and cause dark circles. When you sleep, your body works to repair damages, skin included. Your skin gets renewed, new skin cells grow in place of older cells. You only need seven to eight hours of sleep a day. If you think, sleeping more than this will give you even more clearer and radiant skin, you are wrong. Oversleeping increases skin cell breakdown. So, don’t sleep more than required. Just get enough sleep.
Sleep the right way
Just sleeping for 7-8 hours is not enough. You need to sleep in the right manner. Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Go to bed at the same time every day and wake up at the same time in the morning. Sleep on your back. When you sleep on your stomach, your face gets pressed into the pillow. This might lead to fine lines and creases on your face. Use a soft pillow cover which feels good to your skin. As far as possible, use white bedsheets, especially if you have sensitive skin. Dyes on the sheets and pillowcase can irritate your sensitive skin. Change the pillow covers at least once a week. The oil, dust, saliva, dirt etc. stick on to your pillow. They might get transferred to your face while you are asleep and may give rise to clogged pores and acne breakouts.
Exercise for healthy clear skin
Exercising is good for your overall health but did you know that it is also good for the healthy clear skin! Because exercising promotes blood circulation, it is essential for maintaining a healthy and vibrant skin. Proper circulation nourishes your skin cells because then only your blood is able to carry oxygen and other nutrients to your body parts including your skin. Proper blood flow also helps flush away cellular debris out of your body. This cleansing effect also shows in your glowing skin.
So, these are the keys to a clear skin- eat healthy and balanced diet, keep your skin hydrated, sleep enough, exercise regularly and maintain your clear skin with daily skincare routine. If you do all these, no one can stop you from getting a clear skin.
Kathy Mitchell says
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