15 replies to this topic

[Delorean]

I'm a naturally fair skinned person but on top of that i'm in northern England and spend the vast majority of my time indoors. I'd like to put some colour in my cheeks if possible because i look like a ghost and not in the way that a few people with perfect skin tone do! It just looks unhealthy really and probably exacerbates my dark circles which i've mentioned here in the past. So are there any things i should make sure to include in my diet or any skin products? Any certain types of exercise i should stick to?

Thanks for any help!

[tadgh78]

Hi, I'm not any type of a health expert but I believe the "healthy glow" that you seem to be trying to achieve is something that only comes from actually being healthy. Therefore my recommendations would be "Improved diet and exercise". Diet = more vegetables, organic if possible but fresh or frozen or both ok. Exercise = taking a 30min brisk walk daily and bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and squatting without weights.

I'm also pale skinned and about the only time anyone ever tells me I'm "looking well" is after I've been outside for walk or just been exercising. Exercise brings the blood to the skin which creates the rosy appearance and makes you look healthier but it also has a mental effect. Gentle/moderate exercise is also great for your overall demeanour. I always feel more upbeat and positive after a walk and I think your "state of mind" is what other people pick up on most easily.


So, take a brisk walk for a half hour every day (rain or shine) if you don't do so already. Also consider doing some type of quick exercise immediately before you are about to meet someone in front of on whom you wish to appear more healthy. Doing a few simple squats with good form while holding onto a table might be enough to gently bring some colour to your cheeks.It should also make you stand up straighter and look for confident. Naturally, don't overdo it, you don't want it to be obvious that you're after exercising. One set of 10 squats would likely be enough to do the trick I would think. Squatting can also serve to clear your head and snap you into the "exercise mindset" which is a useful frame of mind to be in for meeting someone, or any time you just want to clear our head and focus on the present moment.

http://www.100squats.info/

Diet. It should be obvious but if you don't eat a healthy diet you can't expect to either to look or be healthy (and if you look healthy anyway you don't deserve to ;-)). If you're like most people you don't eat enough vegetables. So if that's the case then a simple way to begin might be to just to take whatever amount of vegetables you eat now and double it. Whatever you do there should always be "green" on you plate, that's very important; Lettuce, cabbage, spinach or broccoli, etc undercooked and crunchy (except in the case of the spinach obviously) and piled as high as you can manage.

If you spend your time indoors all day, most days then get your Vitamin D checked by a doctor. And then, if you need to (unless you eat oily fish a lot you probably will need to), start supplementing with Vit D3. 2000IU a day is generally regarded as a safe level to supplement.

If your diet has been poor then you probably would benefit from a Vit B-complex pill. Some people don't absorb B-vits well so the best type to take are the co-enzymated sub-lingual B-complex pill which are absorbed better.


Good luck

Edited by tadgh78, 17 February 2010 - 12:32 AM.

[Sebastian]

I'm a naturally fair skinned person but on top of that i'm in northern England and spend the vast majority of my time indoors. I'd like to put some colour in my cheeks if possible because i look like a ghost and not in the way that a few people with perfect skin tone do! It just looks unhealthy really and probably exacerbates my dark circles which i've mentioned here in the past. So are there any things i should make sure to include in my diet or any skin products? Any certain types of exercise i should stick to?

Hi, I'm not any type of a health expert but I believe the "healthy glow" that you seem to be trying to achieve is something that only comes from actually being healthy.

This really made me laugh, but only because it's such common sense.

I feel I should pipe in here because I've spent quite some time in the UK and area. Girls from there are all for the most part ghosts like you say. You've perfectly demonstrated the mentality that exists (especially) there.. which is covering it up with make-up. Nowhere in the world have I seen so much face paint per-female-capita, it's outright scary.

As tadgh78 put so well (and I feel overall his advice is great), you don't necessarily need to change your diet, and much less need any skin products. In fact, you should probably take your makeup off to let your pores breath a bit, and so you can stop poisoning yourself through your face. I implore you to visit http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ to look up exactly what kind of chemical therapy you're taking.

I know that there is almost no sun in the UK, and tanning beds are virtually cancer baths.. But you absolutely can supplement your Vitamins (most cruically Vitamin D(3)), and get some exercise. Go for a 20 minute jog, or at very least a brisk walk (or for bonus motivation, join a local gym).

Edited by Sebastian, 17 February 2010 - 12:54 PM.

[Delorean]

Thanks to you both for the replies. I just wanted to clear something up because it sounds like you might have misinterpreted me. When i said skin products, i meant along the lines of moisturisers, retinoids and and those types of products rather than make up. I already do get exercise but not as much as i could, i was just wondering if there were certain types of execise that may be better than others for improving skin tone and giving some colour.

[tadgh78]

Thanks to you both for the replies.

No problem.

I know next to nothing about skincare so I won't offer any advice on that.

I already do get exercise but not as much as i could, i was just wondering if there were certain types of execise that may be better than others for improving skin tone and giving some colour.

I don't know of any form of exercise that has been shown to be notably better for your skin than another. I think the main thing is it should get your heart pumping and get you slightly out of breath. And you should make sure to stay hydrated while doing it. Dehydration is the last thing you want to happen to your skin.

I think Sebastians suggestion to jog 20mins a day is a good one if you can commit to it. Regular Jogging + eating lots more veg should make a great job of your skin (as well as the rest of you) after only about 3-6 weeks of steady commitment. There's nothing like jogging for getting you aerobically very fit in a relatively short amount of time, that's why the army do so much of it.

However exercise has to be regular and lifelong or its of little value to long-term health. And one problem with jogging, is that people start off with great intentions but usually give up on it after a short period of time. They get a blister or "stub their little toe", or they just can't be bothered. Anecdotally I'd say walking as an exercise tends to have a higher level of adherence; You see lots of walkers but not so many joggers. It's easier to convince yourself to go out for a walk than a jog because of course walking requires less effort both mentally and physically. So I'd say commit to walking briskly a half hour a day every day no matter what, and if while out on your walk the endorphins or the joie de vivre suddenly hits you you feel like breaking into a jog then great! But the main thing is to get outside and get moving fairly smartly for at least 30mins a day everyday for the rest of your life, that's why I suggest committing to daily walking.

For added intensity, If there is a hill near your house walk up the hill. Up hill walking is nearly as intense as jogging. If you do start jogging you'll lose a lot of fluid through sweat so be sure to bring a small bottle of water with you or drink a pint or two of water when you get home or you'll be dehydrated which will have the opposite effect on your skin that you want to have. If your urine isn't clear it's a sign you're at least slightly dehydrated, which is not good for skin.

More important than anything else I'm going to tell you is this; if you really want to be healthy study health (the fact that you are on this board is a good sign!) Read an article or two on a health topic from a reputable source every day for the rest of your life. And if opinions are divided on a particular matter always look at both sides of the argument before acting on any advice.

Edited by tadgh78, 18 February 2010 - 02:06 AM.

[Logan]

Intense exercise. Try interval sprint workouts.

Anything that increases healthy blood flow. Maybe Ginkgo or Cayenne?

[shaggy]

I have taken astaxanthin 8-16mg and lycopene 20-30mg daily for the past year or so and have developed a nice natural skin tone... I have had several people ask me whether I have been on the sunbeds! lol Although I'm not milk bottle white naturally, this combination has given me a nive healthy glow for sure.

[JLL]

I have taken astaxanthin 8-16mg and lycopene 20-30mg daily for the past year or so and have developed a nice natural skin tone... I have had several people ask me whether I have been on the sunbeds! lol Although I'm not milk bottle white naturally, this combination has given me a nive healthy glow for sure.

Where do you buy astaxanthin from? Looks like it's pretty expensive as caps.

[Logan]

I have taken astaxanthin 8-16mg and lycopene 20-30mg daily for the past year or so and have developed a nice natural skin tone... I have had several people ask me whether I have been on the sunbeds! lol Although I'm not milk bottle white naturally, this combination has given me a nive healthy glow for sure.

Where do you buy astaxanthin from? Looks like it's pretty expensive as caps.

I get mine from the Vitamin Shoppe as Vitamin Shoppe brand. It is 60 gel caps with 4 mg astaxanthi, in the form of Bioastin, and 40 mcg lutein(you get both of these carotenoids in one) for $14.99. I think this is a pretty good deal but there may be better ones out there. There is also 106 I.U. of beta-carotene from marine-algae(only 2% of RDA), which I think is completely unnecessary but since it's such a low amount and I don't feel like I'm paying extra for it, I don't care that it's in there.

http://www.google.co...9IcNRtwI0NT_Fhg

[SpawnMoreOverlords]

Diet. It should be obvious but if you don't eat a healthy diet you can't expect to either to look or be healthy (and if you look healthy anyway you don't deserve to ;-)). If you're like most people you don't eat enough vegetables. So if that's the case then a simple way to begin might be to just to take whatever amount of vegetables you eat now and double it. Whatever you do there should always be "green" on you plate, that's very important; Lettuce, cabbage, spinach or broccoli, etc undercooked and crunchy (except in the case of the spinach obviously) and piled as high as you can manage.

Might I also suggest toughing it out on your tastebuds and simply making a vegetable smoothie(perhaps add at least some sweet-tasting fruit at first to slowly adjust, otherwise the amount of sugary fruit would depend on your physique/goals, mango is excellent in making it a lot more tolerable), I personally found its an easy way to consume an obscene amount of veggies without going through all the hassle of making daily mutliple salads(wouldnt be able to consume that amount even then). Spinach or Kale(main ingredient, at least half of the whole thing), broccoli, brussel sprouts, 1 small organic carrot(its a starch afterall), blueberries, anything else really that you consider healthy. Massive amounts of flax seed blends in surprisingly well in it too, improves the texture as well, since we're not using milk(helps with the texture a lot). I normally chug 2 pyrex cups(half a liter each) a day, one in the morning another later mid-afternoon although more is definitely possible. Personally I'm not too concerned with the enzymatic content of my every single meal, but you can also consume a small amount of it before/during your heavy meal if youre concerned about that.I also add almost a full cup(250ml) of oil per 2 liters, but thats when you've become a pro lol, you'd probably barf from that in unadjusted state. Just go in with the attitude that this is not something youre drinking to enjoy but its merely a fuel necessary for your own good, even if it takes quite a bit of an effort to get it down at first. Good luck.

[Matt]

Green Smoothies!!!!!!! I drink around 40oz a day.... use lots of greens like Kale and Spinach, blend these with banana, apple, blueberries, and water of course... Also people have commented how good my skin looks now, I've been using SkinCeuticals CE F since December and people say that I have a healthier complexion, more colour in my cheeks :-) Both will help really well! Don't forget exercise! important too. I've got compliments saying how my hyperpigmentation has cleared up so well (but that was from the SC serum).

Edited by Matt, 20 February 2010 - 11:22 PM.

[TTom]

Children have this healthy glow. Even children who eat a mixture of good food and unhealthy food. So why is this? I thinks it's due to several factors. First, their internal organs are very clean from being so new and young, especially the colon and their absorption of food. Their hormone levels are at peak. Also from being so young with high energy levels and physical activity their circulation is in prime condition even to the small capillaries in the skin. Children tend to get outside more and get more sunshine.

As we age these things start to decline. Adults exercise less, digestion gets impaired and thus proper diet and nutrient density is more critical. A more sedentary life begins to emerge and circulation declines. Less sunshine because time is spent making a living in florescent lit cubicles during daylight hours. Hormone levels decline.

What you can do to improve this is to always eat clean, low calorie, nutrient dense, natural food to get the proper nutrients. This will also help your colon to stay clean and absorb the nutrients. Exercise more with heart pumping, cardiovascular exercise to bring blood (and water, oxygen, nutrients) to the facial skin, and remove toxins. Step outside and get about 10 min or so a day of sunshine directly on your face (without sunscreen) to get proper vitamin D, among other things the sun provides. Don't be too influenced by claims that sunshine always equals skin cancer. You need to get a "tiny bit" of natural sunshine every day on bare skin. Make sure you're getting proper rest. Lack of sleep and stress can cause pallor skin.

Lastly, as we age proper skin care is vital. Removal of dead skin cells (proper cleaning) can brighten the skin. Be careful of using too many moisturizers. Chronic use can signal the skin to stop producing it's own moisturizing factors. When moisturizer use stops, the skin takes time to reset and so the skin feels dry, and this can give the misrepresentation that a moisturizer is needed. It can become a vicious cycle.

With that being said, skin care science has come along way and there are some noteworthy products to research. One good rejuvenating/repair product at night before bed is all you would need.

As far as supplements are concerned, my number one recommendation would be pycnogenol. (LINK)

Edited by TTom, 21 February 2010 - 10:29 AM.

[mustardseed41]

Vitamin D3 is too easy. Skin damage is cumulative. 10 min. daily x 7 days a week= 1 hr. 10 min. of skin damage.

[Luna]

make up or just join The Royal Vampires Society. Muhahahahahaha

I don't think you can add redness to cheeks without sun.. but I can be wrong.

[Chaos Theory]

Sunlight exposure has innumerable health benefits and that even extends to the skin if a person suffers from a condition such as psoriasis or acne. Dermatologists are the only doctors who advocate outright sun avoidance.

D3 is in no way a total replacement for sun exposure.

Making this statement in this forum makes me a heretic though, so I digress.

[zorba990]

I have taken astaxanthin 8-16mg and lycopene 20-30mg daily for the past year or so and have developed a nice natural skin tone... I have had several people ask me whether I have been on the sunbeds! lol Although I'm not milk bottle white naturally, this combination has given me a nive healthy glow for sure.

Where do you buy astaxanthin from? Looks like it's pretty expensive as caps.

I get mine from the Vitamin Shoppe as Vitamin Shoppe brand. It is 60 gel caps with 4 mg astaxanthi, in the form of Bioastin, and 40 mcg lutein(you get both of these carotenoids in one) for $14.99. I think this is a pretty good deal but there may be better ones out there. There is also 106 I.U. of beta-carotene from marine-algae(only 2% of RDA), which I think is completely unnecessary but since it's such a low amount and I don't feel like I'm paying extra for it, I don't care that it's in there.

http://www.google.co...9IcNRtwI0NT_Fhg

Fucoxanthin is the brown carotenoid -- current sources have a lot of iodine in them but
when someone purifies this out it might make a decent sunless tanning pill