Winter has hit and your wedding day grows near, but it’s never too late to start a “Healthy Glow” regimen. To protect your skin from winter dryness and preserve your fresh flawlessness, it’s necessary to take the time to treat your skin with care so you can put your best face forward on your special day. Make these practices part of your lifestyle so that your married life is your best life, in which you are conscious of your health, as that’s where a radiant glow comes from! So, if you want to shine like the sun, from this day forward, read on, my dears!
1. Get Your Beauty Rest
So. So. Important. Get enough sleep (7-8 hours) so you can wake up refreshed in the morning! When you don’t feel like you’ve had enough sleep, you don’t look like it, either. Your body is going through all sorts of processes during your sleep cycle (they don’t call it “R & R” for nothin’). Without it, the body produces more cortisol– the stress hormone. Not good, folks (unless you’re deciding to fight off a gang of purse-snatching Thai monkeys or to run for your life). Hyalauronic acid and collagen, which give your skin that youthful glow, start to break down because of stress and inflammation in the body-mind-cells. Not only that, but getting adequate sleep benefits your skin by allowing your body the time it needs to recover and process moisture in the body, balancing out the element of water in your system so you don’t have to worry about puffiness and circles around the eyes or noticeable wrinkles. “Quality sleep accelerates overnight skin repair—pair it with understanding Korean skin boosters for deep hydration, and you’ll wake up wedding-ready with a supple, luminous complexion,” says the owner of Meamo Shop.
2. Hydrate or Die-Drate
I know that sounds kinda silly, but it’s the TRUF! You were told as a child that your brain is a sponge. In a way, you’re whole body is. What I’m saying is… you are a distant cousin of Spongebob Squarepants. Seriously, though. You most like wouldn’t give your plants tea, coffee, gatorade, booze, soda pop, etc, so be sure to consume more water than you’re consuming anything else. Those beverages are fine in moderation (with the exception of the last two… keep alcohol to a minimum and pop is best left alone entirely), but when you wake up first thing in the morning, drink 8 oz. of good ‘ol H20. Thirty minutes later, drink another 8 oz of water. You won’t believe how alert and detoxified you feel. And you definitely won’t believe how happy your skin is to be moisturized from the inside out. If you’ve always battled dry skin, there’s a possibility you’ve been chronically dehydrated. Drink up!
3. Eat to Live, Not the Other Way Around
Take a good look at your consumption lifestyle, Bride-To-Be. What’s your energy level like most days? How do you smell? Does your skin break out frequently? Quality foods are becoming more affordable all the time because people are coming to realize their personal responsibility for their health. And with the cost of health insurance being what it is, you and your sweetie can start thinking of eating well as your own insurance policy. Purchasing organic fruits and veggies, quality proteins, heart and skin healthy fats, and fibrous grains (when possible, I know these things cost money) will keep your nourished for longer periods of time than foods with lower nutrient density. Your body will respond by utilizing nutrients more effectively and metabolizing energy resources to keep you fueled and fierce. Your skin, my Love, will flourish when you eat fewer processed products. The transition may be challenging, but you are worthy of vitality and radiance!
4. That Sunshine, Though
I’m not saying you need to convert to #VampireBrideLife. I’m just saying that hats and sunscreen do serve a purpose. Regardless of you’re age or marital status, when you’re 50, you probably don’t want people thinking you look 70 because of all that time you spent basking in the glorious sunlit days of your youth. Being proactive about protecting your skin from the sun’s magnificent rays is a preventative effort. It’s never too early to consider how vulnerable the skin is to burning, discoloration, spotting and cancer. Go for organic sunscreens so you can look out for the ocean, too, when you’re beach bummin’ on your honeymoon. I love finding a cute sunhat during my travels– they’re adorable and functional souvenirs!
5. Detoxify
Exercise benefits the skin by increasing circulation– the more blood flowing in your system, the more your body can process and expel waste products like free radicals, which rapidly age the skin. Physical activity is like delivering fresh oxygen and nutrients directly to your skin cells and whole body, helps relieve you of stress (remember, we talked about how damaging stress can be!), and boosts your self-confidence and self-worth. Oh, and consider fasting from time to time. Water fasts and dry fasts are powerful. You’ll feel your body in transformation, releasing energy that you don’t need to carry a day longer than you already have.
I hope these tips help you balance your skin, your body, your life. Start now and make these healthy habits a part of your daily life and you’ll be glowing not only on your wedding day, but as long as you’re alive to grace this divine earth with your lovely presence!