Have you been thinking of switching up your skincare routine? If you've been relying on the same products and methods for years, you and your skin will probably benefit by making a change in your routine. Even though broccoli and wild salmon are good for you, you won’t be healthy if those are the only foods you eat every day for years!
For 4 weeks, try these easy skincare fixes—emphasizing a switch to more natural products and DIY treatments, as well as addressing your skin issues from the inside out—and you'll notice fresher-looking, more glowing skin!
Glowing skin is a sign of healthy skin, which can be achieved by following a few simple home remedies. One of the most effective ways to achieve glowing skin is to exfoliate regularly to remove dead skin cells that can make your skin look dull and lifeless. You can use natural exfoliants such as sugar, oatmeal, or coffee grounds to gently remove dead skin cells and reveal fresh, glowing skin.
Another effective home remedy for achieving glowing skin is to use natural face masks. These masks can be made using ingredients such as honey, avocado, or yogurt, which are all rich in vitamins and antioxidants that nourish and hydrate the skin.
28-Day Glowing Skin Challenge
Day 1: Fix Your Face Washing Mistakes
Are you washing with hot water or rubbing your face dry with a towel? If so, you're doing it wrong. Find out how to fix the top 10 common face washing mistakes. You'll enjoy healthy skin in no time.
Day 2: Commit to a Gentle Cleanser
Harsh cleansers can strip away the natural oils and good bacteria that keep your skin balanced and hydrated, along with the dead skin cells, and then the oil glands overcompensate [source]. Especially if you have dry or sensitive skin, the combination of a gentle cleanser with good moisturization seems to actually help the acne [source].
Whip up some homemade cleansing grains for gentle cleansing and exfoliation, or make your own gentle foaming cleanser. If you're brave enough to ditch soap altogether, try one of these homemade non-soap cleansers for more radiant skin. You'll get glowing skin in just a few days.
Day 3: Make a Makeup Switch
Swapping out paraben- and sulfate-laden cosmetics for more natural versions that match your skin tone—or better yet, ones you make yourself—is easy as can be with our guide.
Day 4: Up Your SPF
Aim for a daily SPF 30 BB cream or moisturizer (here are our faves!). Adding natural UV-blocking ingredients like raspberry seed oil [source] to your beauty routine will also help to protect your skin from those harmful rays. Protecting the skin barrier from damage will prevent skin aging.
Day 5: Combat Wrinkles
The beta-carotene in carrots converts to retinol when applied to the skin, and retinol has been shown to markedly improve the appearance of skin aging [source]. So make good use of those veggies just sitting in your fridge to make a wrinkle-fighting egg white mask.
Day 6: Start Using Eye Cream
It's the best way to fight puffiness and crow’s feet. Try one of our esthetician’s picks or use a DIY coffee-infused version for an extra topical caffeine boost that actually protects the skin from oxidative stress [source]. It's an affordable and simple way to get glowing skin.
Day 7: Replace Coffee with Green Tea
Get your morning jolt via antioxidant-rich green tea [source] rather than coffee, which can dehydrate you quickly. Try this green tea energy drink—it's also an energizing face mask!
Day 8: De-Stress
Staying calm and centered is important for more than just our mental health. No need to go completely zen, but some simple meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises can help keep your skin looking good and keep you sane.
Day 9: Incorporate Honey
Honey is a natural humectant (it locks in moisture) but is great for acne-prone skin because of its antibacterial properties [source]. Make this DIY honey face wash with local raw honey for the best results. It works great overnight to revive your lips.
Day 10: Go Makeup-Free
Try it out for one day and realize how easy it is. Work up to giving your skin a breather (and your pores some much-needed air) at least once or twice a week. There's nothing better than a natural glow, after all.
Day 11: Find a Serum
A good serum can firm up the texture of your skin and also battle fine lines and wrinkles. Use a vitamin C serum in the morning and a moisturizing one like this DIY aloe vera-based version or this DIY hyaluronic acid one every evening.
Day 12: Clean Your Makeup Brushes
You know, those things you use on your face every day? Try this easy DIY cleaning method.
Day 13: Hydrate from the Inside
Don’t you think it would be easier to drink more water when it tastes great (try these vitamin-rich combinations), and when you know it helps plump your skin and flush out toxins? All the better. If you can't fathom drinking more water, try replacing a couple of your regular juices, sodas, or other beverages with water here and there throughout the day, or make a coconut water smoothie.
Day 14: Use Face Oils
We know, it sounds crazy. But trust us on this one: using a cleansing oil (like this olive-oil based one) on dry skin will keep it moisturized and help prevent aging. Find out which oil is right for your skin type with our guide.
Day 15: Avoid Pollutants
Stay far away from smokers, get an air purifier for your home, and travel when traffic is lighter. Your skin will thank you later.
Day 16: Detox Your Skin
Who knew champagne could aid in anything detox-related? It's true! Turns out, the bubbly makes a great detoxing face mask, and so does grapefruit.
Day 17: Get Glowing with Greens
Grab a green smoothie to add much-needed antioxidants (and fiber and energy) to your day.
Day 18: Rejuvenate Your Skin While You Sleep
If you have dry skin, a night cream will help your skin get its beauty sleep, too. Try an overnight mask that will have you waking up to glowing skin.
Day 19: Find the Right Toner for Your Skin
Are you oily, sensitive, or dry? We've got a DIY toner for every skin type. This anti-aging green tea-pomegranate toner is refreshing and about as packed with antioxidants as you can get.
Day 20: Detox Your Diet
Dairy, soy, corn, sugar, salt, and gluten are common triggers for skin issues like acne [source]. If you suspect one is to blame, try eliminating it for a bit and see if things get better. Make sure you're getting enough skin-boosting vitamins and beauty foods in your day.
Day 21: Address Your Gut
Poor digestion can really affect your gut health, and it is one of the most common causes of skin problems, especially acne [source]. For some people, any digestion issues show up right on their face.
Regular intake of probiotics, avoiding all of the bad stuff already mentioned, and eating plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, particularly leafy greens, can help turn things around.
Day 22: Go Organic
Increase your intake of organic fruits and veggies wherever you can, and make sure to use a natural produce wash to rid fruits and veggies of pesticides that can leach into our systems, wreaking havoc on our skin.
Day 23: Get Enough Sleep
Lack of sleep won't just make you crabby—it can lead to weight gain, depression, anxiety, hormone imbalances, and skin problems [source]. Make a commitment to resting up!
Day 24: Use a Natural Makeup Remover
This DIY makeup remover is cheaper, more eco-friendly, and easier on your skin than store-bought varieties.
Day 25: Try Turmeric
It evens skin tone, treats acne, reduces inflammation, exfoliates, and has tons of antioxidants [source]. Need we say more? Try a glowing skin turmeric mask, or a turmeric acne mask and glowing-skin smoothie.
Day 26: Put Probiotics on Your Face
A simple Greek yogurt-based mask done every week or two can help heal and minimize acne, balance moisture, and preserve the good bacteria in your skin. Add cinnamon and flax powders, and you have a lovely (and sweet-smelling) exfoliating mask.
Day 27: Exfoliate...Gently
No need for harsh exfoliants or lots of scrubbing with your face scrub—in fact, just don’t scrub. Ingredients like alpha-hydroxy acids will do the job effectively and gently. This pineapple-papaya mask exfoliates naturally, and the leftovers double as a snack.
Day 28: Turn to Natural Acne Remedies
Over-the-counter acne treatments tend to dry out skin, causing it to overcompensate with extra oil. We all know where that vicious cycle leads. Turn to gentler homemade remedies, like garlic, strawberries, and aspirin, by making a tomato-sugar scrub, or turmeric acne mask, and see if your skin doesn't mellow itself out a bit.
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical review board here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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