Our skins are our body's first line of defense against harmful elements such as microorganisms (bacteria and all sorts of germs), wind, and pollutants. More importantly, the skin helps eliminate many toxins which have been introduced into our bodies through ingestion or even through the skin itself. In this way, the skin is actually helping our livers and kidneys to filter out by-products from our body's metabolism.



While the skin is very important, we also tend to take it for granted. True, the skin is not as vulnerable as the heart or the lungs but it also needs to be taken cared of. Here are some simple and inexpensive ways to help ensure your skin stays young-looking, glowing and blemish-free.

First step in ensuring youthful looking skin is to cleanse it everyday. Wash your face no more than twice a day. Avoid strong-smelling bar soaps as these tend to dry out the skin. Use warm water to loosen dirt and clogged pores. Do not scrub or overwash. Overwashing and scrubbing can cause the skin to become irritated.

Moisturize regularly. There are some who believe that moisturizing is not that important. We disagree. Moisturizers help maintain your skin's natural moisture levels by sealing moisture into your skin. The challenge, however, is to find a moisturizer that is perfect for your skin type. A good way to test whether your skin needs a moisturizer is to wait 20 minutes after your bath. If your skin feels tight, then your next stop should be the drug store and purchase a moisturizer. If your skin, however, is already oily, you need not apply any moisturizers.

Apply sunscreen. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can be very harmful to the skin. Extreme exposure to the sun's harmful rays can lead to skin cancer. Hence, it is very important to protect your skin from the sun. How do you do this? Wear sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15, regardless of the weather outdoors.

Exfoliating helps. It has been proven that women who regularly exfoliate have healthier looking skin that those who skip this regimen.

Avoid smoking. Smoking accelerates skin aging and increases your chances of getting wrinkles at an early age. Why is this? It has been proven that smoking causes the narrowing of the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin. This decreases blood flow and depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients, such as vitamin A ? which are vital to skin health.

Good nutrition likewise helps keep your skin glowing and youthful looking. Eating simple, fresh and unprocessed foods is a good way to start. Fresh fruits and vegetables contains significant amount of nutrients which we need to maintain good health.

Get enough rest. This seems like a simple enough tip but you will be surprised how few people are able to get a good night's sleep. Despite your killer schedule at work, you should be able to find time to rest and relax. Having adequate rest will also help rejuvenate your skin and will keep you feeling fresh the following day.

Drink at least eight glasses of water each day. We have heard this reminder so many times before but do we really follow this rule? If we want to have good skin, we definitely should. Studies have shown that water is necessary to keep cells from dehydrating and to help eliminate toxins from the body.