(via gq.com)
I’m a firm believer that beauty comes from the inside out, and a radiant, flawless complexion is not only a strong reflection of your overall health but also essential for making the most of your looks. Great style and beautiful skin go hand in hand, I suppose. Sometimes external products aren’t enough to do the trick – beautiful skin really does take more than just a jar of beauty potion. Admittedly, I happen to fall into the trap of solely relying on cleansers, creams and such quite often. Turns out, the promises that come along with every beauty product are only likely to occur if you start taking care of the inside.
A couple of weeks ago, my skin was pretty much flawless (for the first time in years) and I didn’t need to conceal it with makeup. I, for one, was naively convinced that my recent beauty investments were the one factor that made improvements to my skin. Apparently, my improved skin was largely a result of dietary and lifestyle factors. Alas, I have unconsciously treated my body badly as of late. Although I’ve been using the same skincare remedies, no sleep, a lot of stress and irregular meals have resulted in an abnormal abundance of obscure sized pimples on my face and a dull, diminished complexion that takes a lot of effort to slightly cover up in the morning. I really loathe when my morning routine gets time-consuming. Therefore, having flawless skin ought to shorten such time-wasting processes.
(via intothegloss.com)
Yet, I do have a tendency to neglect the importance of sleep, water and nutrition when I’m in a stressed state of mind. While I don’t want to desist from all the fun things in life that might clearly have a bad impact on my skin, I can indeed improve my approach to beautiful skin by getting more sleep and balance out my diet by putting an end to the sporadic starvation followed by the occasional binge. Frankly, I would never stick to a strict diet or become a total abstainer from things like alcohol, cake, coke (not referring to the drug, lol), and the like just in order to get better skin. I’m not very keen on pursuing flawless skin at the expense of things that matter to me such as quality of life.
Enough beating around the bush – my complexion is an indicator of my health, and this post should remind myself to get a decent amount of sleep every night and take better care of myself even though other things seem to take over my life at times. Often, sudden acne breakouts and bad skin equal a sign of something off-balance. Additionally, I have to start drinking more water. I always forget to drink water. And yes, I want my almost flawless skin back!!
great post! and great tips. i totally agree that it comes from the inside and out. haha, and i kind of neglect the importance of sleep too! xx
Lack of sleep is horrible on my skin. I've just come off two weeks of intense stress, minimal exercise, and irregular meals and I look it. I had a day off yesterday and spent most of it sleeping and this morning I woke up looking visibly (and feeling) better. Drinking water is really important, I agree.
I can't believe how interesting your blog is, I'm curious about you, I totally relate to many things you post, I've found it really recently and I'm addicted. I like the fact that your write a lot and it's a smart writing (to me), I like that it's not too personal but it's very individual. Your style is really lovely too and we have the same music taste!Flavia
I put a bright pink post-it on my bathroom mirror that says "DRINK MORE WATER!!" it's been helping :)With the exception of when I was just a child, I've never been fortunate of knowing what it was like to have absolutely flawless skin and I'm not one of those people who can eat a pile of junk and not have it manifest on my complexion..sigh. It's definitely a struggle to try and maintain a nutritious diet when all I want to eat is pasta and cookies!
Great post and oh so true. I tend to forget about taking care of myself as well every now and then and indeed.. it's usually reflected in the health of my skin..
- amalie: Thank you :)- lin: Sounds awful and I can totally relate to your situation. I've had less than 5 hours of sleep a day for two weeks now and it shows!!- Flavia: Why thank you! I guess my blog is like a story in which I'm the protagonist. People make up stories so other people can relate to them! You have a lovely blog too :-)- pink horrorshow: Thanks for the tip. I'm going to stick one on my computer's screen! Haha. As a teenager, my skin was literally horrible but I started taking care of my skin more properly which resulted in almost flawless skin even though I do get a pimple or two every week. I know what you mean about your diet situation, haha, I can't eat ramen noodles because the food makes my skin break out (drinking as well! But I'm not going to stop drinking as it's part of my life to have a glass of wine with every meal). – Marie: Thank you! We all should remind each other to pay attention to our health more often :)
at least you realize what the culprits are, and are taking actions towards getting back your flawless complexion. amazing how many people don't get it; they have bad habits and then figure they can cover up with loads of makeup, which is a backwards approach. (i see this ALL the time, it doesn't fool anyone when you wear a heavy mask.)sometimes stresses of life and lack of sleep can't be helped but the wise person does what she can to maintain good health and beauty habits as a routine- because life will invariably throw a few complexion-challenging curves!great post, fleurette! xo
- style odyssey: Spot on! Covering up your acne only make things worse and truly emphasizes your bad skin. It's a big no-no! Sometimes I want to stop wearing makeup entirely even though my skin looks terrible, just so my skin gets used to it and recovers from the vicious circle. Thank you for the comment!
I, too, use Kiehls midnight recovery complex. I slather it on at night; my skin always looks so radiant the next morning, it's the most amazing thing.
"Yet, I do have a tendency to neglect the importance of sleep, water and nutrition when I’m in a stressed state of mind."I can relate to that. I'm pretty much the same when I'm stressed. But please make sure you eat enough. I totally screwed up my metabolism and I've gone from 48kg to 60kg in a year even though I only had one or two meals a day.
Wow, those are a whole lot of beauty products stashed in there!I only splash water on my face in the morning and try to drink as much water as possible during the day.However, when heading towards a more sunny season I use a moisturizer with spf I've bought when I was in the Philippines.I find european products far too agressive for my asian skin so I figure asian products for an asian skin haha.I believe a balanced combination of healthy fresh food, lots of water, enough sleep and staying out of the sun can do wonders for your skin.
I think a lot of it has to do with genetics as well, unfortunately. Some people are just prone to get awful skin, but lifestyle changes certainly do help. As for me, fried foods especially make me break out like crazy. As I've aged, I've also discovered that the absolute worse thing in the world is going out without sunscreen. I wear virtually no makeup when I leave the house, but sunscreen – I go nuts with that stuff.
Gosh i could use the products so hard right now. My face is like a messed up painting!
- Joanna: I had a sample of the midnight recovery concentrate and it's AMAZING! I ordered a bottle last week, and I can't wait to start using it every night. It actually does wonders for my skin and my skin looks radiant in the morning as well.- Jessica: Oh NO! Everyday I worry that I will all of a sudden expand. Thanks for the warning!- I am your lung: I too find european products too aggressive for my asian skin and it took me years to find suitable products Kiehl's products are very very good for asian skin. Now I have a cabinet filled with Kiehl's products.- Amanda: Yes, you're absolutely right about the genetics. What happens to your skin if you go without sunscreen, apart from getting sunburned? I tan very easily so I wear sunscreen all the time.- Sjaar: You should try out the products from Kiehl's. I love them!
I'm starting to get sun spots and freckles =( I don't tan very easily, I just red and blotchy but after years of running outside and not wearing sunscreen, I'm getting pigmentation on my cheeks. I hope this is a lesson to every one else!
It's so true that the healthier you are, the better your skin is. Water has to be the single best thing you can do for your skin, it's better than most spot treatments! I can't wait to finish uni and let my skin relax. When I was travelling last year I hardly ever wore make up and my skin was dramatically improved.
Excellent post. I'm a firm believer that the healthier you are the better your skin looks. I'm a vegetarian- so I eat lots of raw fruits and veggies and things like lentils and almonds for protein. Lots of water and religiously moisturizing/applying sunscreen helps too. I do neglect sleep. I keep thinking that one day I'm going to wake up looking old (haha!). Excercise seems to help too. Kiehls products are really good. I also love Mario Badescu.
Jeg ville bare si, jeg liker bloggen din veldig godt, alt ved den.
While I generally agree with you, I just have to remind you (all) that bad skin is not always a result of unhealthy lifestyle – genetics has a lot to do with it as well.I've had a mild but very persistent acne since I was 15 – I'm now 29. I've tried every available treatment and medication, but nothing has helped this far (ironically severe acne is easier to cure than mild!). My acne is not hormonal, it has nothing to do with lifestyle (I have very healthy lifestyle and eating habits etc.), it's just inherited condition. Perhaps time will help, perhaps not. If my acne will be cured some day, I'll still have visible acne scars.style odyssey said… :“amazing how many people don't get it; they have bad habits and then figure they can cover up with loads of makeup, which is a backwards approach. (i see this ALL the time, it doesn't fool anyone when you wear a heavy mask.)”It's truly amazing how people don't understand how hurtful comments of this kind can be :(. While my acne has nothing to do with bad habits, I never leave my house without makeup. Makeup doesn't worse this kind of inheritable acne, but I really have to wear heavy makeup to make myself decent.Can I ever be "chic" despite my skin condition? I'm not sure if I want to hear your answers.
Great post! The beauty world today is obsessed with quick fixes that promise everything instead of taking the small effort themselves to do the basic things that matter the most – sunscreen, exercise and good nutrition. xoxo Cat.
Kiehl's is great but in my case the only thing that worked was mild unscented Dove bar soap, with a non comedogenic lotion, something like CeraVe. No make up on the skin– I only wear mascara and lipstick on special occasions. If I feel like I need to exfoliate, I just wet a little baking powder in my hands and rub gently until my face feels warm. Glowing every time. Considering I had persistent acne before coming upon this regime, I can vouch that you don't need to spend so much on skin care products!! Save your money for investing in your wardrobe :)
And sunscreen! Don't forget the sunscreen! x
This sounds familiar.. lack of sleep probably the worst for your entire health. But for the skin, since I've been taking B vitamin tablets (or yeast tablets but this is probably the wrong translation) my skin looks much healtier, as are my hair and nails. Also it reduces mosquito bites because it somehow adds something to your blood and insects don't like that certain 'something'
Gallons and gallons of water. And eve lom cleanser is my secret weapon!!herribbonsandherbows.blogspot.com/
Sleep and water are magic for most part of your body, especially as you get older. I find I can't quite fake it like I used to be able to, especially with sleep…it takes my face a lot longer to 'wake up' these days. I agree that lifestyle is a part of good skin, but like others have mentioned, it's also hereditary. I have really good skin (no wrinkles at 37), but it's oily and tends to break out, so I need RX products to assist with that. I like the diversity in your posts lately.xo
I agree with the anon comment.."While I generally agree with you, I just have to remind you (all) that bad skin is not always a result of unhealthy lifestyle – genetics has a lot to do with it as well."I also had breakouts all throughout my teens and still a bit now. Although it wasn't too bad, it was noticeable and because my skin is really fine I still have some scars and redness that I have to cover up…And it had nothing to do with my lifestyle (I have been vegan since age 13), but my genetics (the same happened to my mum).. I think you can cover it up really well if you have the right products, le blanc de chanel + a good foundation and it looks like I am wearing no makeup at all
I'm also a believer that drinking lots of water, getting enough sleep, and eating lots of veggies is better than any beauty product on the market. The other important thing (and this is probably a no-brainer to most people) is to know what kind of skin you have and use products that are appropriate for it. Several years ago, my skin broke out all the time. After figuring out that my skin was in fact dry instead of oily (as I had previously assumed), I started using a more gentle cleanser and heavier moisturizer. My skin has been clear ever since!
Ah, I have heard a lot good things about Kiehl's products! is it that expensive? and if you had to use just one product, which one would you pick?
Re: the comments about bad skin and genetics: Yes, I'm absolutely aware of it, but that's not my case, hence I didn't mention it in my post. I used to have a lot of acne due to puberty, and still have lots of "invisible" acne zits on my forehead (and scars!), but I do notice a major skin complexion change when my lifestyle is out of balance, especially when I do not sleep or eat properly. Bad skin caused by hormonal changes is normal for me and I can avoid that by eating and sleeping.- Amanda: I too get sun spots on areas where I don't wear sunscreen, such as my feet and my hands. – Lindsay K: I know, exercise is supposed to be somewhat good for your skin as well (depends on your genetics).. maybe I will get completely clear skin if I start exercising. Unfortunately, the activity "exercise" doesn't exist in my vocabulary, haha.- Anonymous: I am sure style odyssey didn't intend to be hurtful. And yes, of course.. your skin's condition doesn't determine whether you're chic or not. I think chicness comes from the inside as well. There are lots of people who wear chic clothes, but they don't necessarily look chic (in my opinion). – Alannarama: That's one thing I NEVER forget to put on my face every day. I used to be a sunblock nazi but I'm more relaxed these days.. (coming from one who wears SPF 100 haha).- jip: I agree with you. I wonder how my skin's condition would look like if I stopped eating those B vitamin tablets. (which is something I've been taking since I was 12-13).- Alex: I don't know if you've tried the mineral makeup from bare escentuals? You should give mineral makeup a try.. doesn't look or feel like you're wearing makeup at all.- jennifer: Oh yes!! I struggle with that part – identifying my skin type, though I've figured out that products without perfume and alcohol are great for my skin (Kiehl's!). Haha Kiehl's should pay me every time I mention them. I'd probably be very rich!- LUU H.: It's very expensive in Norway, but EVERYTHING is expensive in Norway. According to Americans, Kiehl's products are quite pricey, but the $prices are very very cheap for Norwegians. I have lots of relatives in America and they visit me very often so I order from saks.com (the only american site that accepts international credit cards) and have the products shipped to my relatives, and they bring them to Norway. I also buy when I travel to Paris. If I had to use just one product from Kiehl's, I'd definitely go for the Ultra facial cream (or maybe the midnight recovery concentrate)! It's the best moisturizer ever.
Ha, you just made me realize how badly I've been treating my skin lately… it's weird how basic things like good food, enough sleep and water are usually the things you think of last when it comes to skincare. So, thanks for the reminder!
I once read: the skin you have in your 30s is what you earned in your 20s—and it’s stuck with me ever since. I have genetics to thank for a lot. (My father is in his 60s but looks in his 40s). Maybe once a month I’ll get a pimple, but I don’t sweat it. The mainstays of my skin care routine are Shisedio sunscreen and Purpose facial cleanser. I’ve never worn makeup nor do I drink alcohol or smoke—I rarely even drink sodas—so that must be doing something for me. It confounds me when people tout a healthy-vegan-lifestyle-diet yet smoke. Also I don’t wear short (sleeves, hemlines, necklines, etc…) so my body isn’t directly exposed to UV rays. I’ve never been on a diet. I started using an eye cream so I’ll see what that does for me. Though I can improve on taking my vitamins and sleeping more.
This is so right, I keep beating myself up about it. And I've been getting sick too from not sleeping early enough. Thanks for the reminder.
I think even if you have inherited good skin and don't suffer with acne, alcohol, processed foods and lack of sleep are the worst thing you can do for your skin (and your inner health) …smoking is the worst though, and completely undoes anything else good that you do for your skin
what weight would you have to reach before you went on a diet?
I want to stress out the importance of nutrition.Once ,for a 2 month period I ate only raw foods and drunk a lot of water.After a while I couldn't believe how clear and smooth my skin was and how the black circles under my eyes had dissapear!Of course I didn't know how to follow a raw food diet the correct way and soon I was faced with problems so I stopped.But I know now first hand the importance of diet on the skin.
Nutrition and hydration are incredibly important. I eat healthily out of habit but when I make a real effort to eat and drink well I have lots more energy and the tiny bit of excess weight I always carry disappears. My skin is naturally pretty good, so I don't notice much improvement there (except when I steal my mum's expensive creams). My best tip for good skin and health: start every day with a pint of water with half a lemon squeezed into it. It's refreshing and a brilliant, hydrating boost of vitamins. I've slacked on the lemon water lately but I notice the difference when I'm drinking it.
i agree that about genetic factors there isn't so much to do, but besides an healthy life i had a great improvement with the combination of right skin care products: i remember that three-four yaers ago i was using other brands and my skin was getting worse, instead now that i found the right ones i can see how everything works better!! to drink more water -i had the same problem,i forget to drink during the day,it's terrible!!- now that i'm studying at home i have a cup close to the bathroom sink and i drink water everytime i go there,even if i'm not thirsty at all!! and it becomes a circle,because if you drink you go to the bathroom and there there is the cup of water.. and it works!!^^
I totally agree: beauty comes from the inside! Absolutely! For me, sleep is a major issue, I can go with one or two bad night sleeping, but more then that, I'll just start to get irritated and … I don't know, start feeling unbalanced, and yes, it'll show on the outside!The lack of skin care, is another thing that immediately shows. I tend to do that sometimes (or not do)… and the results are "on my face" right away!
this is also a quite good book for a better skin: http://www.amazon.de/Clear-Skin-Diet-Defeat-Healthy/dp/1581825749/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305100181&sr=8-1greetings from vienna.
I am slighty obsessive about skincare. I love reading up reviews and treatments and discovering new techniques. The skin is such a bit part of your body and it is an indication of your overall health so I think it's worth the extra time you put in to make it look as best as it can.
Also there's some debate on the effectiveness of sunscreen when it's higher than 30. I think the general consensus is that reapplying is more important than how high the spf is. Also consider switching to a physical sunscreen (one with zinc oxide or titanium oxide) because they don't break down as quickly as chemical sunscreens.
thank you for that post!!!i'm glad to see that i'm not the only person, worrying so much about her skin ;)i've read all the comments and i don't want to repeat too much but, yeah, water is important.i just carry some 1l glass jar with me everywhere in the house and drink as much as possible.the water in berlin is very good, so i take it straight from the tap.i think it's healthier than the water in plastic bottles.another thing i've heard is that milk products can produce acne, but i didn't stop eating them yet.and i've read a lot that you should use cold water for cleaning your skin.despite being really refreshing, i think my skin really got better from doing that.and yeah, the sport thing is really good, so you're skin is really supplied with blood.but i haven't incoporated that into my real life yet either ;)it's also important to not change your products everyday.i'd love to try the kiehl's stuff, hearing how much you like them.i'm using avène products, because my skin is very sensitive and they work as well.i'd love to see more posts on beauty!!! or maybe you could give a little review on a longterm use of the midnight recovery concentrate someday? :)
It always seem that you write posts on my same wavelength, it's incredible: lately I hate my skin and in this days I had exactly the same conclusions you had. I'm stressed, I'm on a hypocaloric diet but since I don't have much time to cook and do grocery shopping I end up eating bad and in too low quantities. And all of this show on my skin: it's dull, grey, not smooth… It's like something took the life out of it. I hate it. For now I started to take some vitamins and omega-3 integrators but I need to get back to my fruit-veggie massive intake ASAP! And remember to drink lots of water, I always forget -_-I saw you use lots of Kiehl's products and I've been thinking of getting a serum from them. What do you think of their face products? It would be so interesting to hear your opinion :-)Al-The Red Dot-
Irregular sleep, diet, and hydration are so much more difficult to overcome once you're in your 40s, so take care to establish your habits now. (My dentist always says, which I think is brilliant, "Whether they be good or bad, eventually your habits catch up with you." The one investment I've made in my skin in recent years is a Clarisonic Mia. It's about $150, with brush heads that need to be replaced quarterly at $25 apiece, but it really deep cleans your skin. Then whatever treatments or serums you use afterward penetrate the skin more easily. At my office, I fill up an 8-cup pitcher with cool water as soon as I arrive in the morning. Then I spend the rest of the work day drinking it. It really helps me ensure that I've had enough water.
uff, jeg er enig i at livsstil har mye å si, men det er verre i de perioden hvor det rett og slett ikke går an å sove nok. jeg har også alltid hatt plettfri hud, men nå har jeg plutselig masse kviser og aner ikke hvorfor de er der. har prøvd mye rart, det beste hittil var aspirinmaske! google it, anbefales. ellers er jeg clueless på kviser! vann drikker jeg mye av, hele tiden, jeg sover 8 timer natta og spiser 4 måltider om dagen.
I really enjoyed reading this post and all the comments from others.As soon as my finals are over I'm going to change my lifestyle completely. I've been eating so unhealthy over the las couple of months now. I really want to change my eating habits and start exercising! Especially exercising is very important. The effects of junkfood and no exercise are starting to show… :( I also need to get more sleep. I think that will be a big challenge too, since my bedtime has only been getting later instead of earlier, lol.
How how, HOW do you only sleep 5 hours a night? Aren't you tired?
I really love your blog and wardrobe! Inspirational stuff.
Inspirational! I love it!XO Raspberry & Rougehttp://raspberry-rouge.com
good advice and i promise youlots of zzzz and lots of water make a major difference.chaussckparis.blogspot.com
Thank you for the reminder! As of late, I have been treating myself quite terribly when it comes to regular meals. Since I've finished school for the semester, life has seemed much more interesting than eating, even though I usually love cooking and taking my time to enjoy my meals. I agree with you, good habits (and for me, Dr Hauschka's Normalizing Day Oil and Vit. B too, haha) really help the skin. I've also found that I'm much less critical of myself when I'm well-rested and well-fed, which really helps, my skin being really better or not.
drink water, sport & funny friends!:)
Fint innlegg. Det er så sant, så sant. Jeg kjenner meg igjen i det du sier, da jeg selv er i en ekstra stressende periode for tiden, og huden min lider pga det. Og jeg er klar over alle de feilene jeg gjør, men overser dem, for eksempel sitter jeg her klokken to på natten i stedet for å sove… Lykke til på veien tilbake til feilfri hud!
I am crazy about sunblock as well, but I have yet to find the perfect one. What do you use?
i can't even recommend a prescribed medicine enough – differin. it is so amazing and will clear your skin. I believe acne is something that lives underneath everyone's skin (I mean who is not susceptible to dirt, oil, and bacteria gathering in pores?!), but factors such as lack of sleep, poor diet, and stress only trigger what is already hidden underneath the visible surface! I had nearly flawless skin when I started using a Kiehl's product that contained wheat germ oil. This completely ruined me. I had acne all over my forehead and it was so embarrassing! Went to the dermatologist and she prescribed me differin. It literally purged my skin of all the nasties and my skin is nearly flawless again. Rid nasty acne for gooooooood!
I worked for ITG for a few months as an on/off intern. Though I no longer am associated with ITG, I admit to be obsessed with websites such as ITG and thecoveteur, which give people an inside-look into the lives of professionals within the beauty and fashion realm. With that said, if I learned anything during my five-month stint with ITG, it is that beauty is not defined by the products that you own. Rather, it is dependant on how your inner beauty is reflected in the way one presents themself. You captured this philosophy in this post, and I applaud you for that. Having recently discovered your blog, I contemplated on whether or not to post comments, as I am several months overdue, but here I am. And on another note, I always drink 8 glasses of water a day and have a very clean complexion, if I may say so myself. Water definitely equals a healthier body and skintone!
Great post. I've noticed that, with my move, my diet has changed- for example, not enough fish – so my skin has also changed. I've started trying tob eat better and taking skin vitamins after I read about it on a blog. This is not the quick fix we look for when we buy beauty products. I also remember that when I did yoga and exercised more, my skin looked healthier.