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What makes you glow? Uncover the secrets of beautiful skin with these tips.
The ABCs of Great Skin
• Vitamin A strengthens the skin, keeping wrinkles at bay. Get it from liver, spinach, milk, egg yolk and orange-coloured fruits and vegetables.
• Vitamin B helps to maintain a healthy skin tone. Get it from chicken, tuna, potatoes, asparagus, black beans and watermelons.
• Vitamin C boosts the production of collagen, an essential skin protein. Get it from citrus fruit (like oranges), strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli and cabbage.
Clean, Nourish, Protect
These three words form the essentials of good skin care. And as we live in the tropics, we need to be especially concerned about sun protection.
Clean
Wash your face at least twice a day and do it gently. The two letters to remember are pH, which refers to the balance of acid and alkali on your skin. Certain foods and products upset the pH balance and cause skin problems. Soaps, for instance, may be too alkaline. A pharmacist or a dermatologist can tell your more. If you wear makeup, you need a cleanser formulated just for this purpose.
Nourish
Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. It flushes out toxins and keeps skin hydrated, giving it a healthy glow. You also need a moisturiser for day and a heavier-duty cream at night if you’re older and your skin is dry.
Protect
Always use a sun protection product with a minimum Sun Protection Factor of 15, and steer clear of outdoor activities from 10am to 4pm. Sunburn should be avoided at any age, but especially during childhood and the teenage years, as this could lead to serious skin problems, even skin cancer, in adulthood.
Sunscreens – what you need to know:
• Apply your sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before you go outdoors – this gives your skin time to absorb it – and keep reapplying when you’re swimming or sweating.
• Choose a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA (ultraviolet A) /UVB radiation. UVA contributes to wrinkles and the leathering of skin and can also cause skin cancer. UVB is the main cause of skin cancers.
• The SPF numeric value indicates how long you can stay in the sun before you get sunburned. If you burn after 20 minutes, an SPF 15 means you can stay out for (20 x 15) 300 minutes without getting sunburned |