We all want to look like the celebs, but most of us don't have the funds to afford all the products and professionals that the rich and famous have access to. You aren't doomed to crappy skin just because you don't have a huge bank account. There are some super affordable ways to get beautiful glowing skin without having to spend on a high end salon treatment. Each of the ideas here is brought to you by experts at byrdie.co.uk. You will love how great your skin starts to look after any of them. Let us know how it all works out!
Snapshot Survey
Snapshot Survey
1. Embrace Bone Broth
Dr. Frank Lipman, founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and author of The New Health Rules, can’t sing the praises of bone broth enough. Aside from being an all-around skin saver, bone broth is uniquely great for glowing skin because it's so nutrient-rich. It contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sulfur and phosphorous that many of us don't get enough of from our regular diets. “When we are depleted of nutrients, our skin looks pale and dull rather than glowing and vibrant,” explains Dr. Lipman. He recommends ingesting a cup a day, whether you sip it pure or incorporate it into cooking soups and stews.
2. Take a Supplement
Your mum probably nagged you about taking your vitamins, and she was right. A good hair, skin and nail formula—which includes vitamins, minerals and amino acids specific to skin health—will improve its overall quality and appearance. “Skin products work externally to try to create the desired effect of glowing skin, but while these products may help a bit, the real change takes places from the inside out,” explains Lipman. “A supplement works at an internal level to correct any deficiencies or imbalances.”
3. Drink Green Juice
Full of minerals, chlorophyll and antioxidants, fresh green juice is like a powerful multivitamin. “The nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream and reach skin cells quicker thanks to the lack of fibre in the juice,” Lipman explains. Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Skincare Collection, says green juice is her number one skin fix for girls who want clean, clear, glowing skin. “It’s a great replacement for afternoon coffee and it will literally transform your skin in a matter of days,” she says. “It helps oxygenate the skin and stimulates lymphatic drainage so it’s de-puffing too.”
Lipman advises staying away from green juices that are high in fruit (to avoid the extra sugar), and instead looking for ones that are mainly greens with low-sugar additions like lemon and ginger. Alternatively, you can go straight to the source: “If I have a client who doesn’t eat salad or drink green juices, I tell them to go to Whole Foods and buy liquid chlorophyll,” says Vargas. “It tastes like mint, it oxygenates the skin and it works in a matter of days.”
4. Exfoliate and Dry-Brush
Though it’s often skipped in people’s at-home beauty routines, exfoliation is a critical step on the road to glow-dom. Vargas recommends all-over exfoliation in the shower to make skin fresh and bright. “Dry-brushing is my favourite method of body exfoliation because it is multitasking—it’s actually incredible as a cellulite treatment and increases skin's elasticity, too,” she says. Don’t know how to dry-brush? Don’t fret, Vargas shared her method with us.
“Start at the tops of the feet and brush upward toward the heart. Spend extra time on areas that tend to be more stagnant, like the inner thigh, and don’t forget to include the backs of the arms and the back. Dry-brushing immediately increases circulation, so you will feel warmer when you are done. Try it before you get into the shower for two minutes in the morning, and you will see a difference in your skin quality in days,” she says.
5. Eat More Avocados
Our skin needs fat in order to stay hydrated and glowing, and avocados supply the skin with healthy fats and phytonutrients to do just that. “Avocados are nature’s own moisturiser, rich in healthy fatty acids, which will keep your skin supple, moist and glowing,” explains Lipman. Add avocado to your salads, make fresh guacamole at home (our personal favourite), or use Vargas’s sneaky tip: Throw half an avocado into your morning smoothie. It provides a rich, creamy texture, and you won’t even taste it.
6. Make a Natural Mask
In addition to eating avocados, Lipman suggests applying an avocado face mask to get the glowing benefits both inside and out. “Mash half of a soft avocado with a fork. Stir together one tablespoon of raw honey with two tablespoons of hot water, and add the mixture to the avocado to create a rich mask,” he says. “Apply to your face (avoiding the eyes), let it do its magic for 10 minutes and enjoy a refreshed face.”
Vargas suggests a simultaneously rejuvenating and anti-ageing mask made from grape seed oil, rose oil, honey, and ground almonds. “The grape seed oil is an awesome antioxidant, while the rose oil will restore that amazing glow we’re all looking for. The honey will hydrate the skin and erase fine lines, while the ground almonds will gently exfoliate. It’s great for anyone who feels their skin looks dull and tired,” she says. “Combine six teaspoons of grape seed oil, two drops of rose oil, one teaspoon of warmed honey, and five of teaspoons of ground almonds to form a paste. Leave on the skin for 20 minutes; then rinse.”
7. Snack on Cucumber
Repeat after us: There is no glow without hydration. In addition to being low calorie and delicious to snack on, cucumbers have a high water content. “Cucumber is both hydrating and cooling for the body, and staying well hydrated is rule number one for great looking skin,” says Lipman. Try snacking on cucumber every chance you get, and for an added dose, look for green juices that contain the ingredient.
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