Youth and beauty are something that people have been chasing for centuries. Part of looking your best means taking good care of your skin. After all, it is the outermost organ on the body and often an indicator when something is going on internally. Though most people are aware of this, however, most don’t do what’s necessary to keep their skin soft, moisturized, vibrant, and youthful.

Sure, they might wash their faces regularly and put on sunscreen when in the sun for a while, but there’s a little more to skincare than that. For starters, your lifestyle. While old habits die hard, continuing to make unhealthy choices can damage your skin (and your health in general).  Here’s a look at lifestyle habits to ditch for better-looking skin.

Drinking Alcohol

Drinking alcohol is pretty common on the social scene and even at home during the evenings or weekends. While it may feel relaxing and taste great, however, alcohol can do a number on your skin. It dries out the skin, increases fine lines, and causes puffiness or swelling which makes your skin age faster.

Now, you don’t have to say goodbye to alcohol altogether but you should really keep the drinking to a minimum. Stick to a drink or two at the most instead of binging and overdoing it.

Smoking Cigarettes

For those who still smoke cigarettes and haven’t quit or switched to vaping yet, you’re doing serious harm to your skin. When you smoke, your skin becomes deprived of oxygen and key nutrients. It also breaks down collagen and elastin which are essential to healthy skin. Long-term or chronic smokers will see early signs of aging that include wrinkles, fine lines, saggy skin, and uneven tone.

Smoking is horrible for so many other reasons that quitting altogether or finding another solution is highly recommended. You can take a patch, chewing gum, ask your doctor about medications, try going cold turkey, or wean yourself off through vaping. In the meantime, if you have started seeing early signs of aging, you can always visit sites like www.skinbodyhealth.com and look for treatments like injections, chemical peels, and more to reverse or stop rapid aging.

Not Drinking Enough Water

 Sadly, not many people drink enough water. While it is pretty tasteless and boring compared to other sweet, bubbly, flavorful drinks, it’s health benefits far outweigh any beverage you can have. Not only does water help to flush the toxins from your skin, but it also helps to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized from the inside out.

Perhaps you’re not a fan of water. If this is the case, there are a few solutions you could try out. One would be to add pieces of fresh fruit to your water for increased flavor. Another would be to look into all-natural, sugar-free flavor drops to add to the water. For water to benefit your skin you need to try and drink at least half your body weight in ounces each day.

Not Coping With Stress Well

A life without stress is impossible, but a life with too much stress can damage your skin. When you are stressed your body increases its production of a hormone called cortisol. This hormone then increases the production of oil. That’s why you may notice when you’re stressed that you start having issues with acne or overly oily skin.

You can’t eliminate stress completely but you can learn how to cope when you’re in the midst of it. Some methods for relieving stress include exercising, massages, taking a break, reading a book, practicing yoga, meditation, and talk therapy. Decide which methods work best for you and put them to use.

You may not have realized just how much your choices and emotions impact the health of your skin but they do. No one is perfect, but the longer you continue making these unhealthy decisions the worse your skin looks. If it’s youth and beauty you’re after, simply start developing healthier habits to improve the health of your skin.