Five free or affordable ways to improve your skin

I'm aware that I feature a lot of expensive skincare products on the blog but there are a number of free or relatively inexpensive ways to improve your skin and I'm going to share them with you today!

Sleep: This is the number one factor that affects my skin. If I go through a period of either broken sleep or insomnia, it will show in my skin pretty quickly. My skin will look grey, dull and spotty. Conversely, when I get a full eight or more hours sleep regularly, my skin looks fresh, calm and clear. I think that sleep or lack of it, is the biggest influence on life, in general. 

Water: I'm lucky that I love water - I don't like tea or coffee and am not overly keen on fizzy drinks so I drink lots of water daily. If you aren't really keen on water, try adding some lemon or cucumber, or any fruit you like to alter the taste slightly. Drinking water really helps to clear skin and also to plump and hydrate it.

Eliminate sugar/stress: The two biggest enemies of skin and, health, in general.  At times of stress, some people really want sugar so that's a double whammy! Easier said than done and the one I struggle with most, is avoiding sugar. I have a really sweet tooth and at Christmas or times when there are a number of family parties around the same time (and therefore lots of sweet things to eat), my skin really suffers. Although I don' know if I could ever eliminate sugar completely (although I am seriously contemplating going cold turkey on it soon), when I restrict it to mainly natural sugars (in fruit), I can see a definite improvement in my skin  - it looks less inflamed and calmer, in general. Stress isn't completely avoidable, however it's worth trying to manage stress. Let things go if you can't control them and try not to worry about things that 'might' happen - just deal with what you have to. Reduced stress = better skin.

Supplements: Ok, so this one isn't free but it can be affordable. It can be tricky to get everything you need nutrient-wise in your food or, like me, you may not be physically able to absorb everything you need (lack of intrinsic factor, for example) - in this case, supplements are ideal. Rejuvenated is a brand that I have used regularly over the last year, and with great results. They have a new Skin Perfecting Complex, which is vegan and combines ingredients that will reduce inflammation and encourage collagen production.  Alternatively, they have Beauty Cakes, which work well as a healthy afternoon snack that is tasty but also helps to boost collagen. There are two flavours available: Chocolate & Raspberry and Ginger & Almond. These bars have other health benefits, such as reducing blood sugar, helping to reduce inflammation and lowering cholesterol.

SPF:  Again, this isn't free but it's a must and doesn't have to be expensive. Through trial and error, I have found that La Roche Posay Anthelios is the one that suits my skin best. SPF should be worn daily but I must admit that in the past, I wasn't always as strict as I should have been. Prevention is better than cure and SPF is more affordable than retinols, botox etc

What are your best tips & tricks for taking care of your skin without spending too much money? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for reading! 

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All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. The Rejuvenated products were kindly sent to me. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.