When it comes to self-beautification, I've always said, "Invest in your skin." We carefully pick out cleansers and moisturizers that compliment our skin type, we believe in the importance of facials and exfoliation treatments, and we're religious about wearing sunscreen; however many of us neglect the most effective skin care product out there: the consumption of water.
I've learned the hard way this year how vital drinking water is to the appearance of our skin. This winter, in a blink of an eye, the weather changed so quickly from hot to cold and back again. With the heater blasting on high for days straight, my skin turned into a big mess. I developed major dryness, and even isolated breakouts that I had never experienced before. My first reaction was to instantly think of how I needed to change-up my moisturizer, but then I was reminded that I have been slacking in the '8 glasses a day' department.
Sigh. As much as I love soaking in water and spending large chunks of time in a steam room, when it comes to drinking this liquid miracle - I find it a huge bore. But it works! So I stopped hesitating and tried to find some ways to make this task more enjoyable.
Berry Cubes
Take advantage of nature's candy and include blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries to the tray before freezing. If you prefer savory to sweet, substitute the berries with herbs like mints or rosemary.
Frozen Fruit Bites
Forget the ice cubes all together and freeze your favorite fruits! Hints of flavor from the frozen lemon, limes, grapes, and oranges are quite refreshing and can do wonders to the taste of water. It also satisfies your appetite making it a great healthy snack with minimal calories.
Pulp Extract
Do you juice? Save some of the orange, apple, or lemon pulp from your juicer each morning, pack it well and place it at the bottom of a pitcher. Add water and chill in the fridge for you to enjoy throughout the day.
Slushies
Water bottle slushies are my favorite and great for the warmer weather. They take a little practice to perfect, and much more time, but well worth it. If you prefer to buy cases of water, take one of the bottles and place it in the freezer for 40 minutes. Setting a timer is a huge help because anything longer than 40 - 45 minutes will turn the water to complete ice. When time is up, slowly turn the bottle completely upside down watching the bubbles from the water that did not freeze, slowly rise to the top. Once the bubbles stop, return the bottle to its upright position and enjoy!
I was in shock and awe at how much these little tips encouraged me trade in my carbonated soft drinks! The more water I drank, the better my skin looked whatever the temperature was outside. I felt amazing, my cheekbones reappeared and a bonus… my jeans fit better. Not to mention those expensive skin care products I use were starting to work better than ever!
Taking care of myself from the inside out proved to be one of the best decisions I've made. Staying hydrated takes years off of the complexion, and does wonders for you internally, so what are you waiting for?
Sip away your age with these tips!
Until next time,
Nicole
Trend Tribe
