How To Achieve A Full Body Glow All Year Round

We all want to have beautiful, healthy, glowing skin. Some times of the year seem easier to achieve that goal than others. But what if it was actually easy to keep your skin glowing all year round? I’ve never used self-tanners, so I can’t give you any advice in that area. Nor would I ever recommend anyone continuously go lay out in the sun in an attempt to maintain a perfect tan. But I can give you some big tips on how you can achieve a full-body glow all year round.

How To Achieve A Full Body Glow All Year Round

Maintain A Healthy Diet

Maintaining a healthy diet is key to your overall health and well-being and is the first step to achieving radiant skin. Work on incorporating these foods down below to create a well-balanced diet.

Dark Leafy Greens like kale, spinach, arugula, chard, and prebiotic-rich dandelion greens are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Fresh Fruits and Veggies apples, blueberries, apricots, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash.

Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits as well as bell peppers and tomatoes.

Healthy Fats from olive oil and those that are naturally occurring in avocados, nuts, and seeds.

Drink Lots Of Water

I know I’ve said it many times before, but I’m here to say it again! Hydration is essential in maintaining healthy, glowing skin. The human body’s makeup consists of roughly 60% water. Therefore it’s essential to dink adequate amounts of water daily to allow your skin to function at its best. When your body is not receiving satisfactory amounts of water, your skin will become dry, and flakey with a dull appearance. Healthy radiant skin is hydrated skin!

Most people have heard the advice to drink 8 glasses of water a day. But that number is actually higher. Women should aim for 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) and men 15.5 cups (3.7 liters). Try upping your water intake and see what a difference it makes. Drinking water, at least 16 ounces, as soon as you wake up in the morning can help set you up to reach your daily goal.

Exfoliate

The next step in attaining that year-round healthy glow is through exfoliation. As we get older the skin’s natural ability to shed dead skin cells begins to slow down. This leads to dry skin building up, and rougher skin texture hiding the new healthy skin underneath. Exfoliating also opens up clogged pores making it easier for moisturizers to absorb into your skin. Luckily we can help this process speed up again by gently exfoliation. There are a few ways to go about this. Try out the different methods below, some work better on certain skin types. After you have a preference, add that exfoliating method into your skincare routine a few times a week.

Dry Brushing. Dry brushing is excellent for exfoliating rough, dry skin. It unclogs pores, increases blood circulation, and promotes lymph drainage. Removing the dead skin cells will leave your skin soft and smooth and can be done daily right before you shower. For proper dry brushing technique click here.

Body Scrubs. Both sugar and salt scrubs remove dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin. You can buy them from the store or easily make your own body scrubs at home. Salt scrubs are better suited for rougher areas of your body like feet and elbows and are not recommended for sensitive skin. Sugar scrubs on the other hand are better suited for people with sensitive and very dry skin.

Exfoliating Gloves. Exfoliating gloves are designed to be used in the shower with water and soap. Use small circular motions, instead of scrubbing up and down. Sweep over each area of your body a few times, using gentle pressure. Avoid staying in one place too long though as this can cause irritation. After each use, be sure to rinse your glove well and hang it up to dry. And don’t forget to replace it every few months!

Break A Sweat

Exercise increases blood flow, which in turn carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells throughout the body, including the skin. This increased blood flow alone will give you radiant skin. But even more than that, regular exercise is also a great way to help manage stress, which can help reduce some chronic skin conditions, like acne. Working out also helps to tone and build muscle. Even though that doesn’t have a direct effect on your skin, it will make you look better overall.

Protect Your Skin From The Sun

If you plan on being outside for an extended period of time use SPF. In the cooler months when you’re wearing layers of clothes and are bundled up you can get away with just wearing it on your face. However, anytime your limbs are exposed to the sun it’s important to protect your skin with sunscreen. Sun exposure causes most of the changes we see and think of as the normal aging process. But lots of time in the sun can cause premature aging as well. Over time UV rays damage elastin in the skin. Once these fibers break down, the skin begins to wrinkle, sag, and develop age spots.

The lighter your skin, the more susceptible to sun damage it is. But that doesn’t mean if you have a darker skin tone you can skip the SPF! Always remember, it’s much easier to prevent skin damage than it is to correct it. Good measures for protecting your skin include:

Wear a large hat outdoors. This is my favorite sun hat. I never go to the beach without it!

Avoid being outside during 10am-4pm. (The sun’s rays are strongest during this time).

Reapply SPF every 3-4 hours.

Wear protective layers of clothing.

Seal in Moisture

Moisturizing after every shower is very necessary because hot water strips all the moisture and oils out of your skin, leaving it parched and dry. Skipping moisturizers can possibly make you more prone to dry skin, eczema, and early signs of aging. When skin is dry and dehydrated, fine lines and wrinkles will start to form because it no longer has the ability to stretch. You should be using a good quality body lotion or natural body oils like shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, or coconut oil daily. This will help minimize the amount of water that evaporates off the skin and seal in moisture throughout the day, keeping your skin hydrated.

For your face, look for skincare products like face masks or sheet masks that contain hyaluronic acid. This will really help combat any dry skin issues. Immediately after removing the mask, while your face is still damp, apply your face cream. The Dewy Skin Cream Plumping & Hydrating Moisturizer from Tatcha is my absolute favorite that I’ve been using for several years now.

Quit Smoking

If you’re a smoker, here’s another reason for you to quit. Smoking narrows tiny blood vessels in the surface layers of skin. This shrinkage deprives your skin of the blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients it needs to be healthy. This causes a buildup of free radicals that inhibit collagen and elastin production, the fibers that give your skin strength and elasticity. This will lead to early aging, premature wrinkles, uneven, dull, and gray-looking skin. Not to mention the increased risk of multiple kinds of cancer.

Spend Time Outdoors

Spending time outdoors can improve overall health and wellness. Getting fresh air will help reduce stress, boost your immune system, and improve sleep.

The bottom line is, spending time outside increases overall happiness. So do yourself a favor and slather on the sunscreen, put on a hat, and head outdoors. What better way to glow than with a radiant smile!

Xx Monti