My Secret To Glowing Skin?

As someone who struggled for years with acne and horrible dry patches (yup, the lethal combination!) I finally have good skin. Though I still get a few stubborn breakouts here and there, I mostly have a quite plain, glowy skin now.

So after trying a million different ways and means for years, these are the things that worked for me.

• Adequate sleep - I can't stress this enough. I struggled with insomnia during my MBBS years. I slept for not more than 4 hours every night for almost 3 years. And my skin was horrible. Now I make sure to get at least 7 hours sleep every night. Even now if I lose my sleep for a few nights, my skin starts acting out.
• WATER! - I know this is like so repetitive but it's repetitive because it works. Just increasing water content to 3–4 liters can be miraculous!
• Healthy Eating - And by this I mainly mean lower the sugar content and cut down on processed food. Obviously, skin is just a reflection of what's within.
• Good quality makeup products- This is quite important. I mean it's very tempting to buy products that are cheap and seem to work just as well but trust me, in the long run it's just not worth it.
• Moisturizer - We tend to think for oily skin we should stay away from moisturizers. But it's a misconception. Every skin needs moisturizer. Just choose the ones suitable for oily skin like Neutrogena oil free moisturizer, and Nivea soft.

Now I'll get into the natural products that worked for me.

African black soap - This soap is traditionally made in Africa with Shea Butter, oat kernels, rosemary, and various leafs and herbs. Though the original form is available online, I prefer a little modified version that is less harsh on the skin from brands like Shea Moisture. Trust me guys, this soap is MAGIC. Initially it might flare up the acne but on regular use (froth it it up and apply the froth on your face. Wash off with warm water after 2–3 mins) it clears up your skin like nobody's business. It has also significantly reduced my acne marks.

I am using this brand these days. But I have also used Shea Moisture and Nubian beauty in the past and all work the same more or less!

Essential oils - now this is a very exciting find. I was quite apprehensive about applying oils directly to my face but the right oils can enhance your skin just so much. Some of the combinations that I use are jojoba oil with a few drops of ylang ylang oil, jojoba oil with tea tree oil, olive oil with lemon oil, olive oil with lavender. Here the first oil acts as a carrier, so use 4–5 drops and the second oil is potent, to be used like a drop or 2. Apply them before sleeping, your skin with be glowy and supple the next morning!

Face pack - face pack gives a very deep cleanse to the skin. There are a variety of natural face packs available that suit all the different skin type. But for oily skin, I prefer Aztec clay (available on Amazon), Charcoal masks, or Fuller's earth. You can take them a little further by adding turmeric, sandalwood powder, aloe vera and apple cider vinegar. Also a simple mask of honey and a few drops of lemon juice can give you that instant glow.

So basically, this is how I keep my skin glowy and healthy. It may seem extensive but it's actually quite basic. But maintaining your skin isn't an overnight thing. It takes patience but it's worth it !