If one day a genie comes to you and offers you one chance to change your appearance, here’s a tip: wish for healthy, beautiful skin! It makes you look fresh and younger than your years.

Having and maintaining healthy skin takes work. Your genes can only do so much, especially if you indulge in habits that can damage your skin. If you want to always have healthy, beautiful skin, make sure you don’t have any of these seven habits:

1. Drinking too much alcohol.

Yep, this also includes wine. Alcohol is dehydrating in general. When imbibed regularly and in large quantities, the effects will be visible on your skin. It will become dry and will feel tight when you move your limbs and joints.

Heavy drinkers tend to have a semi-permanent flush around their necks. When they are tense or feel stressed, the blush would creep up their faces and down to their chests. This can lead to Rosacea, a skin disorder characterized by easy facial redness, tiny red pimples and fine red lines.

Aside from dryness and redness, alcohol also contains toxins that cause bloating. It becomes more pronounced in the belly, but the swelling can also extend to your face.

2. Swimming in the pool.

Pools are kept clean and free from microbes by mixing chlorine in the water. While chlorine serves to disinfect the water, too much exposure to it can also be harmful to your skin. It makes it dry and flaky. Have you noticed how it looks like there is a very thin sheet of plastic on your skin after a long dip in the pool? That’s the effect of long exposure to chlorine.

You can still enjoy swimming, provided that you take measures to protect your skin. Hit the showers immediately after your laps. Use a sudsy soap and wash your body thoroughly to rinse off the chlorine. If you plan to be in and out of the pool all day, shower every time you take a break. Don’t forget to use sunscreen if it’s an outdoor pool, and apply moisturizing lotion afterwards.

3. Eating lots of junk food and sweets.

We all know that junk food does nothing to make our bodies healthier. They are particularly bad for the skin because most have high amounts of sodium, additives and artificial preservatives.

Sodium retains water dries out the skin. Artificial food additives may contain toxins which can make your skin dull, reduce its elasticity, and hasten ageing.

Eating too much sugar is also bad for your skin. It causes acne breakouts and collagen deterioration. Collagen is essential for your skin’s elasticity, suppleness, and cellular health. Collagen production slows down as you age, so it’s important to control those cravings for candy as early as in your 20’s.

4. Testing too many skin care products and cosmetics.

These products helps to make your skin look and be healthier. Ironically, trying out too many of them can also be bad for your skin. Many of them contain chemicals are harmful not only to your skin but to your overall health.

If you see these ingredients in skin products, use them very seldom if not at all:

• Alcohol
• BHA or BHT – animals exposed to these chemicals developed thyroid and liver problems, and cancer.
• Boric acid or sodium borate
• Coal tar – a recognized carcinogen.
• Mercury – used in cosmetics to lighten the skin, this can cause poisoning.
• Hydroquinone – also used as lightener, this can cause Ochronosis: a skin disease that forms painful skin lesions.
• Formaldehydes (DMDM Hydantoin, urea, methenamine, quaternium-15) – causes dryness and allergies.
• PEG’s (propylene glycol, polyethylene, polyoxyethylene)
• -eth Compounds
• -oxynol Compounds
• Oxybenzone – used in sunscreens, this can cause irritation and allergies.
• Parabens
• Fragrances

Choose certified organic cosmetics and skin care products as much as possible.

5. Touching and Wiping Your Face

Whenever we feel sweaty, itchy or dirty, our instant reaction is to touch or wipe our faces. We want to get rid of the annoying sweat or dirt, and be clean again. That’s good, isn’t it?

The problem is that our hands are frequently in contact with microbes and bacteria. When you touch your cellphone, lock the mall’s bathroom door, use the ATM machine or receive change from the cashier, it’s certain that your hands will have come in contact with bacteria. The moment you bring your fingers to your cheeks or rub your eyes, you’ll have transferred them to your face.

The skin around the eyes is delicate and is the first to show signs of ageing. The cheeks, forehead and chin are prone to pimples. You can delay the onset of wrinkles by not rubbing your eyes. Use a clean handkerchief to wipe your face instead, and use antibacterial gel or wipes first before touching your face.

6. Sleeping Late

Sleeping Late

Everyone knows the importance of getting enough sleep. When you lack sleep or have enough of it, it always shows on your skin. Too many sleepless nights results in huge, dark eyebags and dull skin. Some people even experience pimple breakouts and hair fall due to stress.

The solution is simple: sleep for up to eight hours each night. If that’s not possible, take a 15-minute nap in the afternoon. That will refresh and energize you for the remaining day.

7. Yo-Yo Dieting

When you find a diet that works, stick to it. Don’t stop and then start again once you regain weight.

Losing a lot of weight in a short span of time causes the skin to sag. Repeating this cycle over time will result in stretch marks. Worse, it will reduce your skin’s elasticity. It will become harder for your skin to recover its original shape and lose those saggy sections around the stomach and neck.

It’s not easy to be rid of these habits, but think of how good it will be for your skin and health in general once you learn to regulate them.