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Our Ultimate Guide For Glowing Skin

Our Ultimate Guide For Glowing Skin

         It is finally spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, and the first glimpses of sprouting leaves, blooming flowers, longer days and sunshine are instantly boosting our mood. The time has come to exit the hibernation of winter and to shine our glowing, supple skin out in the world. Achieving that coveted “glow from the inside” has been one of our main goals when formulating products and teaching about natural skincare here at Afiya Beauty since the conception of our brand. We even have a dedicated Glow Daily Collection that promotes just that! We’ve been asked time and time again to share what we know about how to get that radiant glow, and in this blog post we will share all of our tips to boost inner and outer radiance. 




1. Protect the Moisture Barrier 

 

 

Nurturing the skin barrier is the key to ensuring glowing skin. Our skin barrier is delicate and is our body’s last line of defence against the elements, therefore protecting it is the most important way to ensure that the skin remains glowing. 

 

One of the biggest ways that the skin’s moisture barrier can be compromised is by over-stripping the skin with harsh cleansers. People often associate that tight, dry feeling post cleansing as their skin being effectively cleansed - however that can actually strip your skin of the beneficial oils and microbiome that is key to keeping the skin balanced. This can cause the skin to be overly dry and disrupt the barrier. Instead, try using a gentle oil cleanser (such as the Afiya Beauty Oil Cleanser) as the first way to remove dirt, toxins, makeup and excess oil. You can follow this up with a gentle foaming cleanser when using the double cleansing method. The goal is to effectively clear your face of pollution, makeup, excess oils and bacteria without stripping away your skin’s natural oils.

 



2. Hydration is Key

 

 

Yes we know, you’ve been told a bunch of times to drink water. That is because it is simply SO  important. Hydration can come in so many different forms – from choosing foods with high water content, to drinking teas, to flavouring your water with fresh herbs and fruit. Drinking warm water with lemon every morning on an empty stomach is excellent not only for hydration but it boosts digestion as well. The reason why this skincare tip is so highly emphasized is because it actually works! Hydrated skin is supple, smooth and radiant. Not to mention hydration supports overall health and is very affordable. 

 

 

Our favourite skin-boosting drink recipe :


500 ml filtered water

Juice of half of a lemon

½ of one cucumber, sliced 

10-15 Mint leaves 


Combine everything into a pitcher and chill overnight. Enjoy !  

 

 


3. Exfoliate Regularly

 

 

Exfoliating the skin is an amazing way to routinely give your skin some love. This process is defined as gently removing the outermost layer of your skin - which has dead skin cells, dirt and excessive oils. Gently exfoliating regularly can boost skin radiance as it removes dullness and reveals healthy new skin cells.  There are several ways to exfoliate your skin; from products with physical exfoliants like scrubs, to chemical peels, to equipment such as brushes. As a general rule, start slowly and gently, exfoliate 1-3 times per week. Be weary of harsh physical exfoliants - these can actually be harmful to the skin as they can cause micro-tears. Make sure that you are using a fine powder and not anything with harsh and jagged edges. 


Here are our favourite exfoliating methods: 


  • Gentle physical exfoliant: Try our Afiya Beauty Oat and Lavender Cleansing Powder. Our facial exfoliator is a gentle treatment that purifies and brightens skin, while gently buffing to remove impurities and even tone.  It is formulated without using jagged or harsh particles that can damage the skin. It contains a blend of softening kaolin clay, soothing oatmeal and freshly ground calendula and lavender flowers, this versatile beauty doubles as a cleansing mask treatment to brighten and soften the skin. 

 

Oat Lavender Cleansing Powder Mask 

Apply one tablespoon Afiya Beauty Oat and Lavender Cleansing Powder to the palm of the hand

Add water drop by drop and mix into a paste.

 Apply to skin by rubbing in circular motions for 60 seconds. 

Leave to dry on the face for 10 minutes and rinse. 

Use 1-3 times per week. 



  •  Natural Chemical Exfoliant - An amazing natural chemical exfoliant is actually papaya. Papaya is a skin superfood due to its high antioxidant properties that heal inflammation and reduce free-radical damage in the skin. It contains vitamins A,B and C, as well as enzymes and beta-carotene that can help with acne and hyperpigmentation. Papayas naturally contains AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) that serve as a natural chemical exfoliant, to reveal glowing and radiant skin. 
Papaya Enzyme Mask for Glowing Skin: 

½ cup organic papaya, cut in cubes 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

1 tablespoon raw organic honey 


Mix all ingredients in a blender 

Apply to face and neck for 15-20 minutes 

Rinse off with cold water 


Apply 1-2 times per week. 

 

 


4. Wake up glowing: 

 

 

 How you sleep is important.  Always make sure that you take all of your makeup off before going to sleep. Sleeping with makeup on can clog the pores and make your skin more prone to dullness and blemishes. It also allows synthetic and harmful ingredients to sit on your face during the most important time for your skin. While you sleep, your skin and body is regenerating itself - and it is important to have clean skin with natural products to assist your skin with this process. 


We highly recommend sleeping on a satin pillowcase. The satin material has less friction and does not cause creasing in the skin that regular cotton pillowcases do. This helps to prevent wrinkles and fine lines and does not absorb all of the products you applied before bedtime as easily.  We also recommend using a really good night cream, these are formulated with ingredients that activate while you sleep, so that you wake up flawless!


 We also have to mention the importance of beauty sleep. When the skin is dull and inflamed - one of the main culprits is a lack of sleep. Good quality sleep promotes deep skin regeneration and is one of the key ways to ensure that the skin maintains its supple glow. You can use all of the tips in this article and if you are not sleeping enough - your skin simply will not glow. 

 

 



5. Massage

 

 

Another  overlooked glow-boosting method is manual massage of the skin. We cannot stress how amazing simply using your fingers, a gua-sha tool or a jade roller to massage products into your face every night works for the skin. Facial massage has so many benefits; including preventing/reducing wrinkles, boosting circulation, promoting lymphatic drainage - which de-puffs the face and removes toxins. It also has other health benefits such as headache relief and reduces stress! It is a simple, ritualistic and quick method of self care and also acts like a natural facelift.  Do not forget to apply products to areas that are first to show signs of aging - such as the back of the hands, neck and décolletage. 

 

 


6. Sunscreen: 



 

You know we can’t talk about glowing skin without mentioning  sunscreen. We cannot stress the importance of this vital product, all year round. We are regularly exposed to harmful UV rays (even in the winter!), and although the sun can give us that beautiful sun-kissed glow, it can also end up dulling and drying out  our complexion over time, as well as put us at risk for various skin conditions and diseases. Not to mention the sun is one of the main culprits for wrinkles and fine lines. Investing in a good daily sunscreen and applying it every morning  will allow your skin to thank you later!

 

 

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