Everyone wants to have beautiful skin. However, many people try in vain to achieve fair and flawless look. Dull and unsightly skin can be caused by a number of factors including environmental pollution, overexposure to the sun, a medical condition, stress, dry skin, use of chemical based skin care products and poor lifestyle choices.

There are a ton of skin lightening products that people use to make their skin clear and flawless. However, these products are usually expensive and contain harmful chemicals that can ultimately damage your skin. Wondering how to improve complexion in a natural, safe and inexpensive way? Here are some tips for you.

Natural Ways to Improve Your Skin Complexion

1. Drink Lots of Water

You are required to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water every day. This helps wash away any impurities in your body and leaves your skin looking healthy and supple. One sign of dehydration is skin that looks grayish and dull.

2. Have Some Green Tea

Green tea contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe blotchy or red skin. It also helps stop the destruction of collagen that leads to the development of wrinkles and sun-induced skin damage. You can substitute your morning cup of coffee with green tea.  Go with iced green tea instead of hot green tea as it can cause redness of the skin.

3. Ensure Quality Sleep

Sleep is important for your skin and overall health. Sleeping for 7 to 8 hours every day gives your skin time to replenish and heal after a long day at work. Make a habit of sleeping on your back instead of your tummy or side to prevent puffiness, under-eye bugs and wrinkles. It is recommended that you sleep with your head slightly elevated to prevent the buildup of fluid in your face.

4. Keep a Healthy Diet

Beautiful skin begins on the inside. What’s good for your body is often also good for your skin. Eat foods that contain antioxidants and vitamins for smooth, glowing skin. This is how to improve complexion naturally. Some of the foods you should include in your diet are as follows:

• Health fats – found in fish, avocado, seeds and nuts. These foods also contain vitamin E which helps keep your skin looking youthful.
• Selenium – this is an antioxidant found in eggs, broccoli, nuts, fish, tomatoes and shellfish. It helps protect against age spots and sun damage.
• Vitamin C – This is a powerful antioxidant that is used in many skin care products to brighten the skin. It is found in sweet potatoes, strawberries, papaya, oranges, kiwi, guava, broccoli, blueberries and blackcurrants.
• Vitamin E – You can find vitamin E in seeds, nuts, avocados and vegetable oils. This vitamin helps with the overall health of your skin and slows down aging.
• Zinc – Found in lean red meats, nuts, poultry, seed, whole grains, fish and shellfish, zinc helps make your skin soft and repairs damage.

5. Exercise

Work a 30-minute session for exercise into your daily schedule. This helps increase blood flow to your skin keeping bit healthy and young. Exercise can also reduce stress which also helps with your skin. Too much stress can lead to overproduction of oil which causes acne.

You don’t have to join a gym to work out, you can always enroll in yoga or dance classes, or even walk or jog around the neighborhood every day. This is how to improve complexion naturally.

6. Limit Your Intake of Dairy

Research shows that consuming milk increases your chances of getting acne. This is especially true for teenage girls. If you must take milk, go for whole milk since skim milk has been shown to be worse for your skin.  Other dairy products such as cottage cheese, sherbet and instant breakfast drinks have also been linked to acne. While cutting out diary won’t suddenly make your skin look fairer or smoother, it does help for those who suffer from acne. If you decide to cut out diary, make sure to load up on alternative sources of calcium.

7. Reduce Stress

Stress has an effect on your health including your skin, hair and nails. Unfortunately, you cannot completely avoid stress as its just part and parcel of our lives. For this reason, you just have to learn how to manage stress.

Stress triggers a chemical response in the body that makes the skin more reactive and sensitive. It can also delay the healing of wounds and acne on your skin. Stress also causes your body to release cortisol, a hormone that increases the production of oil in your skin. This, in turn, increases your chances of getting acne.

Cut back on stress by relaxing, meditating, or listening to uplifting music. You could also take up a hobby to help get your mid off stressful thoughts.

8. Quit Smoking and Alcohol

Smoking is bad for your skin. Research has shown that it can lead to wrinkles and premature aging.  Alcohol, on the other hand, dehydrates your body increases the chances of getting wrinkles, dry skin, and fine lines. Alcohol also inhibits the absorption of vitamin A into the body. Vitamin A is critical for skin regeneration. If you take too much alcohol, the blood vessels in your face might dilate and lead to puffiness, redness and even permanent spider veins.  If you must drink alcohol, make sure to take plenty of water to prevent dehydration. This is how to improve complexion.