The sun is shining and activity is in the air! With spring events kicking off and summer around the corner, now is the best time to work on that natural, healthy skin glow. Continue reading to see what you can do to take your skin to the next level and look your best as you take on your spring adventures.

Take a Look at Your Lifestyle

The first step to getting your skin on track? Determine if your lifestyle is causing problems. Health is holistic, meaning the act of taking care of your skin extends into your overall body care. Consider making these lifestyle changes to ensure your skin shines:

• Stop smoking. Cigarette smoke inhibits the body’s blood flow, causing skin to dry up. It also starves the body of the nutrients that help to protect and repair the skin.

• Cut down on the drinks. Similar to cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption deprives the skin of vitamins and nutrients. Not only does it dehydrate your skin, but it also causes damage to your liver. This is detrimental as the liver is primed for body detoxification, a process crucial to skin health.

• Let your body rest. Beauty sleep makes a real impact on your skin. Lack of sleep leaves you with excess cortisol, which breaks down the skin plumping agent in your body called collagen. The bottom line: A deficiency of collagen means dry and skin, and unwanted wrinkles and lines. Don’t be afraid to catch some z’s.

Finding balance is key. Enjoy your fun in the sun, but be sure to protect your skin against excessive damage with sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat or cover-up.

• Let your body rest. Beauty sleep makes a real impact on your skin. Lack of sleep leaves you with excess cortisol, which breaks down the skin plumping agent in your body called collagen. The bottom line: A deficiency of collagen means dry and skin, and unwanted wrinkles and lines. Don’t be afraid to catch some z’s.

Build a Skincare Routine

Now that you’ve evaluated your lifestyle, the next step for improving your skin complexion calls for a customized skincare routine. Everyone’s skin is unique, so taking the time to figure out what your skin needs most is worth the effort. Here are some things to keep in mind as you establish a routine:

• Determine your skin type. Many products are labeled according to the type of skin that they are designed for: dry, combination/normal, or oily. Be aware of your skin type so you can focus on the products that will help you most.

Bonus Tip: Try to avoid using cleansers or hydrators that have color, fragrance, sulfates, or other irritants. These can do more harm than good.

• Product types. Do some research to figure out what type of hydration your skin type needs most. Good options to consider are water-based moisturizers, serums, and hydrating creams. Hydrating masks and exfoliants are also great additions to your routine for an extra dose of hydration.

Take Advantage of Your Skin’s Natural Allies

There are plenty of effective, natural ways to keep your skin happy. If you’re looking for the healthy, hydrated skin of your dreams, follow these tips:

• Stock up on water-rich fruits and vegetables. Hydrate naturally with produce like watermelon, peaches, celery, and cucumbers. Avocados, almonds, and other healthy fats are also excellent options for skin hydration.

• Try natural enhancers. You can use all kinds of natural enhancers to further improve your skin. Try raw, organic honey as a face mask to soothe your skin and fight infections, use olive oil before cleansing for extra moisture, test sage and witch hazel as skin toners, and apply aloe vera to moisturize and exfoliate.

As you can see, skincare is simple. Now that you’re prepped with our best tips, get ready for beautiful, hydrated, and healthy skin. It’s your time to shine!