Has Your Skin Lost Its Glow?

The party season brings with it a lot of fun. It also means a lot of late nights, rich unhealthy food, too much alcohol and, for the ladies, too much make-up. Many people walk into skin care clinics complaining of dull, patchy, tired looking skin, dark circles, flared up acne and loss of glow.

Here's few interesting tips to get you back on track.

Ban make-up
Avoid make-up for two weeks. Use only face wash and moisturiser. At the most, use a little loose powder on your face. Let your skin breathe for a few days.

Scrub it up
Use a mild face scrub on alternate days. You can use any commercial apricot scrub or a homemade scrub of coarse gram flour or oatmeal, mixed with water, to form a paste. Gently rub for 10 minutes; then rinse to remove the layer of tired, dead cells.

Condition all over
Apply warm olive oil and lime juice or glycerine and rose water on your face, neck, hands and feet, at bedtime everyday. If you have an acne problem however, avoid using this on your face.

Magic potion
Drink 10 glasses of water daily, to detoxify and flush out harmful chemicals from your body.

Skin cocktail
Make a healthy skin cocktail -- throw in oranges, carrots, and a bitter gourd into your juicer/ blender. Fill a large glass with the resulting extract. Do this daily for at least two to three weeks.

Shun that sweet
Stop eating cookies, cakes, candies and icecreams. Eat only steamed vegetables, brown rice, wholegrain bread, salad and plenty of fruits and soups. You'll see the results on your face in just a few days.

Ban soap
Avoid soap on your face for some days. Use a moisturising bar like Dove, a medicated cleanser or a natural cleanser,

Warm water
Drink a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of honey and a dash of lime first thing every morning. Remember to do this on an empty stomach.

Workout
Do some form of exercise for at least 20-30 minutes every day to boost your skin's blood circulation.

Steam away
Steam your face twice a week for 10 minutes each time.

Zzzzz...
Get enough sleep -- it's your skin's natural healer. Aim for at least eight hours a day.

These simple steps should go a long way in helping dull, lifeless skin regain its glow. In fact, include these good skin habits in your list of TODO things and enjoy great looking skin all through the year!