New year, new resolutions, and every year, improving health and wellness is usually at the top of everyone’s list. Many cite goals like cutting back on refined sugar or exercising more consistently. While resolutions tend to focus on fitness and diet, there are other ways to boost your well-being in the new year. Here are some practices you can incorporate into your routines to experience healthy skin and hair in 2023.
Hydrate
Proper hydration is essential to all bodily functions. When you are dehydrated, you heal slower, your energy drops, and your cognitive skills suffer. Dehydration also affects your appearance. You’ll notice your skin becomes dry, exacerbating conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. The cool, dry weather of the winter months may make these symptoms worse at the beginning of the new year. Luckily, there are many methods for providing your body with the hydration and nutrients it needs to thrive.
The quickest way to combat dehydration is through IV drip therapy. Intravenous solutions allow you to feel results immediately. Generally, an IV drip contains electrolytes that help your body absorb fluids and boost nerve and muscle function. It can also contain vitamins and medications.
Drip therapy offers many benefits, from food poisoning relief to improved performance and glowing skin. Unlike oral treatments and supplements, your body absorbs IV drip with 100% efficiency. In some cases, you might even be able to receive treatments from your desired location, like a home or office, instead of a hospital.
Drinking mineral-rich, PH-balanced water throughout the day is the unskippable first step in achieving balanced hydration and healthy skin. It’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re on the go. If it helps, consider setting reminders to help you drink about 12 to 16 cups daily. Remember that other beverages like coffee and soda dehydrate; drink water alongside your favorite drinks.
Get Picky with Your Products
Skincare products can either protect and nourish or irritate the skin. First and foremost, come rain or shine, SPF is crucial.
Regardless of the weather, the UV rays penetrate the atmosphere and gradually damage skin cells. Severe damage can lead to serious health problems such as melanoma carcinoma. Apply sunscreen daily to minimize risk. Ideally, you would use a broad spectrum, reef-safe sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply throughout the day, especially during peak hours in the late morning and early afternoon.
Skin safety doesn’t stop at SPF. Carefully reading labels and intentionally selecting products impact skin health. Too often, soaps, cleansers, and moisturizers contain ingredients that dry out the skin. Some may even cause allergic reactions. Simpler is better when it comes to ingredient lists. Unnecessary additives like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and polyethylene glycol (PEGs) can lead to skin irritation and imbalanced PH levels. If you have the time, you might look into making natural soaps, deodorants, and lotions at home.
Once you have the right products, know when to use them. While daily cleansing is critical for proper hygiene, washing multiple times a day (especially with hot water) strips the skin of its natural moisture and self-cleaning capabilities. Make your washing routine consistent but gentle. Overwashing and irritating products also impact hair health.
Healthy locks start with getting to know your hair type. Your hair qualities, such as curl pattern, texture, color treatment, and porosity, determine how you should treat your hair and what products you should use. For example, low-porosity hair struggles to absorb treatments, which may lead to product buildup. You might benefit from incorporating scalp scrubs and clarifying shampoos into your hair care routine.
When you wash your hair, concentrate shampoo application at the roots and conditioner at the ends. You can also incorporate leave-in stylers with SPF to protect your hair from UV rays.
Style Smart
Whatever your go-to look, there are best practices for avoiding damage. Consider silk pillowcases when you sleep, as cotton fabrics increase friction and dryness. Additionally, you’ll want to avoid scrubbing your hair with a cotton towel to dry it. Try brushing your hair when it’s dry since combing through wet hair can promote breakage.
If you use hot tools to style your hair, opt for fully ceramic curling irons and straighteners, and apply a heat protectant. After a shower, give your hair some time to air dry before using the blow dryer. Finally, even if you want your hair to grow, you must get it cut regularly. Trimming hair every two months removes damaged or split ends and promotes healthy growth.
Sleep Well and De-Stress
High-stress levels make the skin more sensitive and negatively impact its ability to heal. Your skin includes the scalp, so stress and poor sleep affect hair health. Sufficient sleep and stress management tools like meditation and journaling can help your skin function optimally and promote healthy hair.
Conclusion
As the new year approaches, you can use the above tips to include healthy skin and hair in your resolutions. Through proper hydration, gentle products, and better sleep, your skin and hair can look and feel better than ever in 2023.
The post How to Get Healthy Skin and Hair in the New Year appeared first on UrbanMatter.
