Whether you’re doing it to save money or just because you want to try something new, ditching makeup is all the rage. Alicia Keys and Gwyneth Paltrow are just two of the many public figures jumping on the no-makeup bandwagon. But the thing is, those people are ultra-rich. What about the rest of us? I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to have a million bucks to look like a million bucks.

Uncover Your Natural Glow

The biggest part about ditching makeup is taking care of your skin. Having beautiful skin may have been but a dream until now, but the fact that you’re even considering giving up foundation is already a good sign. The good news is your skin can finally breathe! The bad news is you have nothing left to hide blemishes and imperfections. You’re going to want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to not have anything to hide in the first place.

I’ve found that going for a natural look really has me had me rethinking my lifestyle. I can’t depend on the crutch of makeup anymore. As they say, beauty is only skin-deep.

Diet

There’s a lot of debate around what we should eat these days. From my experience, cutting out gluten and dairy has done wonders for my skin. Some people suggest getting rid of excessively salty foods, while others swear by cutting out sugar. I’ve heard pressed celery juice is a popular remedy. Drink it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.

Probiotics

As I said with the diet comments, beauty happens from the inside-out. While there’s a lot of controversy about what foods to eat, most health gurus and celebrities are using probiotics for their skincare.

Hydrate

With this in mind, hydrate. And do so with water, not sugary drinks. You may think I’m being redundant by saying that after we’ve already talked about sugar, but some drinks that have been marketed as super healthy are actually full of sugar. A good indicator of whether you’re hydrating enough is your lips. Knowing how to get rid of dry lips starts with having one key piece of knowledge: adequate hydration. Make sure you’re drinking enough water every day.

Stop Touching Your Face

The fact is your hands get very dirty. As much as you may try to get ahead of this and clean them regularly, there’s only so much you can do. Between opening doors and holding just about everything, our hands get around. They carry more germs than any of us want to know about. Your phone alone is home to a horrifying number of germs.

I don’t mean to scare you with this fact that I’m sure you’re already aware of. I am merely pointing to hard data. While it’s difficult to control how many germs you’ll pick up in a day, you do have control over how much you let these germs get around past your hands and especially your face. You don’t want to touch your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands. But you also should avoid touching your face altogether. Acne is the result of excess oil meeting bacteria, where it sits and becomes infected.

Reduce Stress

Another factor to take in when discussing acne is stress. Forgive me, but we need to talk about bacteria again. When you’re stressed out, your body pumps the hormone cortisol, which can throw off the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. As I’ve explained, your digestive health has a direct effect on your skin – hence the probiotics. All this to say that reducing stress is a big deal. Exercise is a huge help to lower your daily stress levels. Just make sure you clean your face after a sweaty workout.

 Trade in Creams for Oils

I know, I know. Putting oil on your face sounds like a terrible idea, especially after I just got through demanding you to avoid touching and rubbing your face to not clog pores. Let’s start by making one thing clear: not all oils are created equal. The oil that amasses on your skin is not the same as an oil you apply onto your skin out of a tube. One is sebum and the other is derived from plants with healing properties. Where these oils overlap is their tendency to your clog your pores. A little oil goes a long way, so take it easy with how much and how often you apply it.

What oil should you try? My favorite is jojoba because it’s light and smells mild. Follow these three steps to finding your favorite oil:

• Determine your skin type
• Match your skin type with an oil
• Test the oil on your hand before applying onto your face

Be patient

Don’t give up on going natural. It may take a moment for your face to adjust, but believe me, it’s worth it! I’ve never felt so good about myself or my bank account.