“Drink a gallon of water a day!”

“Exercise at least 30 minutes a day!”

“Eat a healthy diet!”

“Turn your shower to freezing cold for a minute before you get out!”

      We’ve heard them all before; “simple” ways to keep your body healthy, while looking and performing it’s best. What many of us don’t realize is that these tips are not only important for our body’s performance, but for the appearance of our precious skin. So what exactly are these tips and tricks for? Well in short, they all contribute to increasing our blood circulation.

      Considering how blood circulation affects our skin may seem like a strange thought - I know myself, I’ve never quite considered it before learning the amazing ways I could get my skin to look more dewy and vibrant with a few minor changes to my lifestyle. Being a former professional figure skater, I always led a fairly healthy lifestyle both with my diet and activity levels, and would absolutely never leave the house without my water bottle. Even still, I’d often experience dullness, dryness and skin imperfections. After some trial and error, and much research, I found some solutions and I am so excited to tell you how you can transform your skin from dull to dazzling by improving your blood circulation with a few simple steps!

    To start, let’s take a look at blood circulation and what it does. Our blood carries oxygen and nutrients around our bodies, which benefit our heart, brain, lungs and all cells throughout the body, including our skin. For our skin, a lack of good blood circulation can cause many unwanted effects such as paleness, dryness, itchiness, blotchiness, a slower healing rate for wounds and blemishes and even a higher risk for infections.

      When our blood is circulating efficiently, it is moving slowly, with a high viscosity, allowing it to flush our veins and repair all tissues. Blood circulation delivers the necessary nutrients to our skin to defend itself and fight not only breakouts and dryness, but the signs of early aging. Poor circulation means a sort of slippery blood that runs quickly through our veins and leads to decreased reparative qualities. Inefficient blood flow inhibits the waste removal system and healing process our circulation should be providing us, leading to inflammation of the skin and increased vulnerability to breakouts. As our blood also carries oxygen through our bodies, poor circulation can also lead to blood that is not oxygenated sufficiently, leading to unsightly dark circles under the eyes.

      This may all sound a bit daunting, so I’m sure you’re wondering as I was.. how can we add simple steps into our busy schedules to ensure our skin stays luscious?

       You probably saw this one coming, but one way to increase your circulation is through daily movement and exercise. This is especially important if you, like me, now spend much of your day sitting at a computer. Getting up regularly for a short walk or even to stretch is a great way to break up those long sedentary hours and get your blood pumping. Whether it’s mid-work walking, weekend hiking or your daily morning yoga; keeping a consistent routine with regular exercise and breathing will not only make you feel better, but significantly improve your circulation and the appearance of your skin.

   This is like another tip that may seem quite obvious, but increasing your water intake is another easy way to increase your blood circulation. We all know that water makes up the majority of our bodies, but did you know it is also a large portion of our blood? Because of this, it is important that we are continuously getting enough water throughout the day, ensuring our blood continues to run through our bodies smoothly, and keeps us looking and feeling glowing.

      Another tip that not only helps your overall wellness, but also increases your blood circulation is ensuring you eat a well balanced diet. Eating whole foods that contain circulation improving ingredients such as good fats, vitamins and iron is crucial for ensuring good skin. Foods like leafy green vegetables, eggs and other foods high in vitamins and nutrients are perfect for this.  

      Hot and cold therapy can be done in many ways. This includes relaxing in the sauna, which increases your internal temperature, leading to detoxification through sweat and an overall increase in circulation. If a sauna isn't your thing, a burst of cold water at the end of your bath or shower is an easy and effective way to make your blood circulate quickly, as it attempts to keep your body temperature at an ideal level.  

      The final, and probably the easiest tip for those of us with a busy schedule, is increasing your circulation using beauty products. Many natural ingredients such as algae and avocado are effective in boosting circulation, among many other amazing benefits. As mentioned blood circulation carries these nutrients to the skin to improve its health. Chatelier’s products consist of mostly organically grown ingredients that contain more nutrients than those traditionally grown. Combined with the improved blood circulation, Chatelier’s products will carry a plethora of nutrients to the skin to bring it back to its most healthy condition. I would recommend adding both Chatelier's Eye Lift and Bright Complexion into your daily skincare routine. Eye lift’s natural ingredients boost blood circulation resulting in less pronounced dark under-eyes, ensuring a more awake and fresh appearance. Bright complexion, a refreshing radiance serum also increases blood flood, leading to the disposal of toxins, and an overall healthier, brighter glow.

      So there you have it, five easy steps to implement into your daily routine to keep your skin looking fresh, fabulous, and healthier than ever.

Written by Julia Mercer