They say that it’s what’s on the inside that counts and that beauty is only skin deep, but few realize just how important the skin actually is. As the largest organ of the body, your skin plays a crucial role, acting as the first line of defense against bugs, bacteria, and everything else the world throws at you. With that in mind, it’s absolutely vital that you take care of it and do everything you can to help it with its mission. Here are six ways to maintain healthy skin.

1. Drink Plenty Of Water

Even when only slightly dehydrated, your body functions less efficiently, leaving it unable to flush out toxins. This can result in a number of negative reactions for your skin, including a washed-out colour, acne, and even rashes. A lack of water can also cause your skin to dry out, potentially causing it to crack and bleed in places, which looks and feels unpleasant.

2. Remember To Remove Makeup

As tiresome a chore as it may be, makeup should always be removed before you go to bed. This allows your skin to breath at night, reducing the chances of pores becoming blocked. Instead of using makeup wipes for this task, try using micellar water or even your best olive oil with a few cotton pads. These are much less harsh than the wipes, which strip natural oils from your skin.

3. Eat The Right Foods

Your skin is a big part of you, so it only makes sense that taking care of yourself can improve the organ’s health. To do this, you need to make better decisions about the food you choose to eat. From crab to coffee, there are a number of tasty things that can harm your skin’s health, so try to avoid them. You should also make an effort to include more fruits and vegetables in your meals.

4. Cleanse Daily With Care

Daily cleansing is a crucial process necessary to remove dead skin cells, oils, dirt, and general grime from your skin, lessening the chance of blocked pores. That being said, depending on the way you cleanse, you could actually do more harm than good. Hot water and strong soaps will both dry out and irritate your skin, so you should turn down the heat and use a gentler alternative.

5. Watch The Harsh Weather

While you have control over the soaps you use, there is little that you can do to change the harsh weather which can also damage your skin. Instead, you should limit your exposure to extremely hot or cold temperatures by wrapping up warm, staying in the shade, or staying inside all together. You should also ensure you wear sunscreen whatever the weather.

6. Manage Your Stress Levels

We all need to deal with stress now and then, but you shouldn’t allow yours to build up and fester. Aside from the potential implications with your physical and mental health, this can negatively impact your skin, leaving it sensitive and at a higher risk of breaking out. For this reason, you should learn to manage your stress and ensure you get plenty of sleep each night.

Maintaining healthy skin can seem like a challenge, but it’s not as difficult as most assume. Hopefully, with the advice above, you know where to start.