Skin care

7 Habits of Perfect-Skinned People

Skin care secrets from real women with seriously perfect and clear skin -- see what they do (and don't) to maintain their flawless faces

August 26, 2010 | by Anna Jimenez | 128 COMMENTS

Habit 5: Eat well A healthy diet will give you great skin, or at least that�s what an overwhelming number of our respondents claim. Reader Jessica believes "skin is the result of what is going on internally. So [a healthy diet] would be my first and best advice." Some of the women with perfect skin absolutely swear off all dairy products, say no to fried foods, severely limit their red meat intake, won't drink coffee, limit alcohol, and avoid sugar. More than half mentioned taking a daily multi-vitamin, while others suggested drinking wheat grass and green tea, eating lots of fruit and getting plenty of greens. Wow, better stash that jumbo cookie -- stat.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Habit 6: Stay hydrated

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Thanks for the good ideas. Drinking tons of water helps as well as moisturizing. Also, I have heard fish oil and biotin are beneficial.

by BeverlyJean Friday, May 10, 2013 at 07:40PM Report as inappropriate

I absolutely concur! I write for another site and just submitted an article stating basically the same principles.

by GigiSD Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 03:41PM Report as inappropriate

I really need to turn my bad habits around. Thanks for the tips.

by Chica181 Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 03:05AM Report as inappropriate

Good tips. It is so hard to not fall asleep with make up on though, especially on the weekends.

by krista_dailey Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 10:33AM Report as inappropriate

Got it.

by Monique3 Monday, February 4, 2013 at 09:25AM Report as inappropriate

Guess I should start actually washing my face at night...

by amber.flute Monday, January 14, 2013 at 01:43PM Report as inappropriate

cant relate :p

by aishak55 Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 03:25PM Report as inappropriate

I do everything on this list except spf and toner. Never went through the acne phase in high school and breakouts are a rarity for me.

by KelseaT Monday, November 19, 2012 at 07:50PM Report as inappropriate

I need to try many of these tips...I have eating and drinking water down pat though!

by Lamexicana1 Friday, November 9, 2012 at 09:02PM Report as inappropriate

COOOOL TIPS

by Aali Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 04:49AM Report as inappropriate

I do all of these things except eat well, better start!

by Chris213 Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 06:16PM Report as inappropriate

Good skin has to do with genetics, taking care of yourself, and comes from within.

by robyne00 Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 05:24PM Report as inappropriate

Good advice - I have nice clear skin which I attribute to drinking lots of water and eating healthy (with the help of a multivitamin) 8 hours of sleep and moisturizer with SPF. I wish u could undo my years of tanning in my teens and early 20s :(

by glamgirlseven Monday, September 3, 2012 at 12:02AM Report as inappropriate

Good tips.

by lharrell80 Tuesday, August 28, 2012 at 09:23PM Report as inappropriate

i have tried dermologica and clinique was not impressed at all....

by jenni84 Monday, August 27, 2012 at 06:17AM Report as inappropriate

most of these tips are pretty basic, though still good. And I also disagree with everyone washing their face twice a day. My skin won't let me wash twice a day, but I wash it once a day and it's usually pretty great.

by thequietnoise Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 07:58PM Report as inappropriate

Nothing earth shattering here but still a nice list of tips. I guess I should start working out! I disagree that everyone should be washing their face twice daily. For those of us with normal, combo or dry skin, two washes a day is probably too much. Personally, when I have washed twice, my face gets much more oily because it is compensating.

by HeathRene Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 11:21AM Report as inappropriate

Great tips!

by AutumnFlower Monday, July 23, 2012 at 10:30AM Report as inappropriate

I drink tons of water and try to drink kombucha when I can. I swear kombucha helps with everything. I have been trying to ease up on my face makeup but it is so hard because I want to cover up my zits but its just hurting them in the process!

by glenncoco Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 09:12PM Report as inappropriate

I enjoyed this.

by asiagirl4ever Monday, July 16, 2012 at 08:20PM Report as inappropriate

Great advice. Though I'd like to add that getting enough sleep is pretty important too.

by jenniferLLL Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 06:04PM Report as inappropriate

LOL I do all of this and I have the worst skin ever. It's genetic. I've tried every OTC product, spent thousands of dollars on laser treatments and at the dermatologist on all kinds of prescriptions and my face looks worse than it did when I was a teenager. The only thing left that I haven't tried is Accutane but apparently now they've pulled that off the market. My mom used it a few years ago, so obviously my bad skin is a genetic thing. It sucks because I take such good care of my skin, but it looks so horrible and makes me so self conscious. I hate it!

by RoleModel Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 03:49PM Report as inappropriate

Sunscreen, sunscreen sunscreen, enough said!!!!

by amanda_qualls_allen Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 09:45PM Report as inappropriate

I never broke out as a teenager because my mom wouldn't let me wear anything on my face. Lipstick and eye makeup were okay but nothing on my face. I'm sure the peaches and cream complexion that lasted into my 30s was a result of that. These days I try to put as little on my face as possible and I find that if I wear makeup no matter how well I cleanse, I'll have breakouts within 48 hours. As for SPF, some of us are allergic to the ingredients used to create it so we don't have a choice.

by betty_law_morgan Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 10:20PM Report as inappropriate

I never used a toner until the beginning of this year. I feel like it has made a world of a difference with black heads, controlling oil, my pores are smaller and it has evened out my skin tone. I would recommend anyone to give it a try. I use Murad Clarifying Toner, it helps keep my oily skin in check.

by caligirldotcom Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 09:42AM Report as inappropriate

Love this, it's all so true

by rachaellh13 Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 04:30PM Report as inappropriate

Exercise, eat well, drink plenty of fluids...these habits will help you with more than beautiful skin! I need to get busy with that toner, though.

by alictasia Thursday, May 31, 2012 at 04:40PM Report as inappropriate

great tips, but i have genetic "orange peel" skin. can't do much about that, can i?

by liliofthevalley Friday, May 25, 2012 at 06:19PM Report as inappropriate

i think that this is absolutly true

by AmandaAmanda Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 09:36PM Report as inappropriate

Good tips although I agree that genetics have a hand in the cards we're dealt when it comes to everything from our health to our looks.

by TBjunkie Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 09:01PM Report as inappropriate

Some of these tips are true, but I attribute the foundation of good skin to genetics.

by robyne00 Friday, April 27, 2012 at 07:17AM Report as inappropriate

Wishing for perfect skin and having perfect skin... if only if only...

by MissXu Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 07:06PM Report as inappropriate

Good tips! :)

by Brandi27 Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 07:46AM Report as inappropriate

wow some tips were well known, but others are surprising and good to know. thanks!

by olkrav319 Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 04:20PM Report as inappropriate

Great tips! What worked for me was decreasing the amount of "treatment" type products and finding gentle cleansers and moisturizers that work well with my skin type. Now I have (almost) perfect skin. :-)

by tallredamanda Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 08:55AM Report as inappropriate

The thing that makes my skin look great is making sure I wash it at night to get all the makeup off. I can notice a difference when I get lazy and fall asleep with it on.

by beautybody Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 10:00PM Report as inappropriate

Skin care is so important. Thanks for the pointers.

by Nicole1021 Monday, March 26, 2012 at 03:32PM Report as inappropriate

Easier said than done...

by hananoire Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 04:14PM Report as inappropriate

I am currently testing a Lise Watier eyecream for the company, 14 day trial. I am at day 5 and starting to see a diffrence, of course I had to discontinue what I was using and am only treating 1 eye. I love most of their products I have used. Thats the problem with a lot of these products is that it requires time to see if they will be effective and that can be expensive. Even samples need to be larger. I do understand it can lead to people "living on Sample" as I have been told. I think companies should offer two week? or similar kits for consumers to purchase if they are interested in higher end products. I know there are usually return policies but when you are spending a lot you expect a lot and dont want to be returning all the time. The place I purchase from is pretty good because they know I will buy frequently therefore returns are inevitable. TRIAL KITS WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO

by mum21 Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 04:08PM Report as inappropriate

Things go n trends over time, this is true of almost anthing when you think about. I was told with good cleanser dont need toner. Serums are the new thing for use between washing and moisturizing. I am cautius as they tend to be smaller size and way more $ than moisturizers. Had a Vichy product that claimed 1 tiny drop to cover face and neck, at least 2 is necessary!! just be wary, check ingredients

by mum21 Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 04:00PM Report as inappropriate

Great story and helpful tips.

by gillianr Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 12:41PM Report as inappropriate

Very helpful!

by lazorc Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 08:01PM Report as inappropriate

Nice tips.

by lazorc Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 07:31PM Report as inappropriate

These are all very helpful tips and ideas.

by meldanielle Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 07:37PM Report as inappropriate

These are great tips! thanks

by queeniemeanie Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 08:13AM Report as inappropriate

As much as I want to agree with this, I feel like genetics play a component to great skin. I thank my parents for passing on beautiful skin genes to me.

by MissXu Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 10:36PM Report as inappropriate

I've had pretty nice skin for a long time, and never go near toner. All it does is clean your face more generally, and many good cleansers will also do that and balance out your pH as well. I used to smoke and it never changed anything about my skin, but probably because I have a lot of other healthy habits. I don't smoke anymore though, so no worries here regardless. Overall, this is pretty basic advice, but could be worthwhile for some people if they don't already have a lot of these habits.

by shinyandiknowit Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 08:44PM Report as inappropriate

I agree that there should be more tips, but most of these are very self-explanatory.

by cupcakeblush99 Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 03:54PM Report as inappropriate

I agree, there are probably a few more tips that should be here, but these are a good start.

by whitenteethnow Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 01:58PM Report as inappropriate

agree with lyndsay! no comment on not smoking?

by modinosaur Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 11:03PM Report as inappropriate

Need to work out more, otherwise I follow everything that's finished. I recommend Clinique Toner to anyone's who interested in using toners!

by MissXu Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 05:27PM Report as inappropriate

no talk of sleep or genetics? And SMOKING - #1 killer of your skin. Come on TB - people with perfect skin DON'T SMOKE!

by lyndsay_thompson Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 11:02PM Report as inappropriate

Great advice

by andie Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 08:03PM Report as inappropriate

what are toners

by Nicole2814 Friday, November 18, 2011 at 10:50AM Report as inappropriate

idont have any toners.;/

by carla_murillo Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 10:21AM Report as inappropriate

toner dries out my skin :\

by anna_davis Monday, October 31, 2011 at 07:53AM Report as inappropriate

INTERESTING ARTICLE

by gloriab99 Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 12:32PM Report as inappropriate

Sunscreen is very important!

by andyv1217 Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 06:12PM Report as inappropriate

work out, eat right, use sunscreen and drink lots of water!

by shar_r Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 03:58PM Report as inappropriate

genetics can be killer... and hormones... sometimes there is no way around visiting a doc

by lelalu100 Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 07:49PM Report as inappropriate

I love these tips. I am definitely going to try them all.

by stephgal Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 08:21PM Report as inappropriate

Good advice, but I still think genetics has a lot to do with it. If your mom and grandma have beautiful skin then so will you

by LaurelJ Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 05:48PM Report as inappropriate

Face washing is important. My favorite product is.....baking soda.

by janellelora Monday, September 5, 2011 at 12:41AM Report as inappropriate

My skin has behaved so much better since I've washed my face twice a day and used my Acne Free system. That means an extra 10 minutes morning and night but it's so worth it.

by olga_cirlugea Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 02:58PM Report as inappropriate

going to buy toner soon!

by Bon_Bon Monday, August 15, 2011 at 02:17AM Report as inappropriate

I need toner!!!!

by Bon_Bon Monday, August 15, 2011 at 01:42AM Report as inappropriate

Ooh! I should probably get my hands on some toner again :P

by Steph53 Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 10:31AM Report as inappropriate

Face washing is KEY

by LittleBunny Monday, July 25, 2011 at 07:17PM Report as inappropriate

When your 14 it's kind of difficult to be able to do some of these things, but I'm trying my best and I can defiently tell a difference!

by lanigaga Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 12:51PM Report as inappropriate

I dont understand why they couldnt reccommend more inexpensive toners...

by CaiCai Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 12:39PM Report as inappropriate

co:)

by samantha_cherry Sunday, July 17, 2011 at 01:25PM Report as inappropriate

maybe i'll try the toner

by vousexcuse Saturday, July 16, 2011 at 09:56PM Report as inappropriate

I belive in all of these but hate the fact that dairy causes breakouts also they should include sweating because i find it detoxes my skin

by ADcosmogirl Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 08:12PM Report as inappropriate

What kind of toner for anti aging but with occational breakouts (uneven skin tone too)?

by Only1KimmieD Monday, July 11, 2011 at 12:26PM Report as inappropriate

I think this whole thing is true!:P

by riley_beach Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 07:31PM Report as inappropriate

I have very oily skin, so I used alot of cleansers, but I still getting pimple since I´m almost 16 and I´m still in puberty

by BarbieVampiresa Monday, July 4, 2011 at 10:10AM Report as inappropriate

I think washing off makeup is the best tip of all!

by LittleBunny Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 05:03PM Report as inappropriate

I had perfect skin until I was 23, then it went crazy. 6 years later, it finally seems to be under control. In the process I learned more about skincare ingredients and the science of your skin and it's problems than I ever thought I'd know! I wish it would have been this easy for me to fix (diet, exercise, SPF, washing my face, using toner, etc) But all in all, good advice for anyone.

by dark_beauty Monday, June 13, 2011 at 08:48AM Report as inappropriate

I've been using rosewater from whole foods as a toner but haven't seen much difference. Definitely gonna try the Kiehls one--that company is always reliable

by awan0912 Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 01:45PM Report as inappropriate

I'll have to remember some of this stuff

by rockgal911 Monday, June 6, 2011 at 12:11PM Report as inappropriate

Very good tips, I firmly believe in all of these! I have pretty good skin and feel like its due to my diet, sleep, and the fact that I work out regularly, drink lots of water, and always wash my face off before bed. Now If I could just get the SPF wearing down! :)

by ladyboarder9669 Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 10:38AM Report as inappropriate

Washing your face religiously = YES! There is a reason why Proactiv is called Proactiv. Bare Minerals SPF powder is half the price of the suggested brand. I throw it into my purse so I can quickly swipe it on. One thing I am disappointed that you didn't mention is smoking. You are introducing so many carcinogens to your skin as well as your body. All the rest I completely agree with!

by kerrieanng Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 09:23PM Report as inappropriate

Moisturize,water,exercise,facials and proper sleep

by doglova Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 01:47AM Report as inappropriate

Toner? I'm kind of worried to use it or not. I think I have to give it a try.

by ebbsandtides Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 07:08AM Report as inappropriate

I struggle with water intake, will have to step it up!

by MissPurple Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 11:53AM Report as inappropriate

Great info, I am working on eating better, working out and more water. My goal it to havee it together by mid summer :)

by AmandaAmanda Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 11:53AM Report as inappropriate

Can't believe you missed the most wonderful soap of all....Pacifica's Hawaiian Ruby Guava. I literally do NOT want to leave my shower while using this fabulous soap. It is the best soap I have EVER used.

by carolelinda1945 Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 12:50PM Report as inappropriate

Everything seems to come down to plenty of exercise, good diet, and lots of water doesn't it?

by alictasia Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 10:30AM Report as inappropriate

I know so many people that do not use SPF, for the most part I d all the things here but not as good about toner i use it a few times a week .

by elena62 Monday, May 9, 2011 at 01:26PM Report as inappropriate

Toner ... okay i guess i will give it a go again

by modinosaur Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 11:24AM Report as inappropriate

One of your other articles said toner wasn't necessary at all...

by shimmeringfae Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 03:36PM Report as inappropriate

These are fine tips but, as others have alluded to, there are other factors, like stress and hormonal activity, that should be addressed. And I agree that exfoliation is essential.

by FractalHelix Monday, April 25, 2011 at 03:49AM Report as inappropriate

why is it important to use serum on my face or body, what is the big deal and its purpose

by marleen_pinnock Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 06:56PM Report as inappropriate

I have heard that toner is unneccesary!

by OSUgirl Monday, April 18, 2011 at 07:45AM Report as inappropriate

Very interesting especially since I have done these things myself for years.

by tonyjo Friday, April 15, 2011 at 07:39AM Report as inappropriate

While doing these things might be RELATED to better skin, it doesn't GUARANTEE better skin. I've done all of those things for years and still had terrible cystic acne. That's great that it works for them though.

by LipglossandSpandex Friday, April 8, 2011 at 09:11PM Report as inappropriate

jealous. D: NOMNOMNOM.

by yckitsmary Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 05:17PM Report as inappropriate

I agree with RoleModel -- exfoliation should be mentioned. It helps A LOT! I need to exercise more and drink more water, but the rest of the things mentioned are things I already do (aside from the toner). However, my skin is not perfect. I get break outs during my periods and I need to find an easy way to calm those down.

by starrkissed Friday, April 1, 2011 at 01:46PM Report as inappropriate

It's nice to know about all the resonably priced skin care products.

by tonyjo Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 08:45AM Report as inappropriate

Great Advice!

by HopeK Monday, March 28, 2011 at 05:46PM Report as inappropriate

nice advice!

by HopeK Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 04:31PM Report as inappropriate

always makes me feel amazing when i see most of my habits splayed out infront of me and aplauded

by lelalu100 Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 09:36AM Report as inappropriate

I used to have extremely bad acne but i also model so i needed a way to get rid of it. I was tired of having to see my blemishes under all the makeup. My agents recommended i stick to all this and it definitely worked and before that i had a very unhealthy lifestyle.

by brendag20127 Friday, March 18, 2011 at 01:49PM Report as inappropriate

Again, good but obvious tips. Plus, great skin is ultimately in the genes, you can't help it

by naughtnone Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 01:23PM Report as inappropriate

Great tips and mostly common sense, but I didn't see anything about exfoliation. That helps all of your products to penetrate better and be more effective.

by RoleModel Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 04:23PM Report as inappropriate

Maybe I should start hitting the gym and watch what I eat. I'm not too sure about toner though. Tried some and they burned my face!

by f3n Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 09:26PM Report as inappropriate

great practical tips that really work

by Agrimony Friday, February 25, 2011 at 06:50PM Report as inappropriate

toner really does help you can get some clensers that have toner built right in

by avianna_cascio Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 09:01AM Report as inappropriate

wow i never thought toner was important, i guess i should use it

by judyangel101 Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 07:55PM Report as inappropriate

I feel like the most important skin care tip is to wash off makeup before bed..otherwise..yuck

by LittleBunny Monday, February 14, 2011 at 06:24AM Report as inappropriate

great tips, i never really thought toner was that important. i'll reconsider using it.

by shortbutsweet92 Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 01:07PM Report as inappropriate

I wish I could have great skin and not wear makeup

by kupham Friday, January 28, 2011 at 10:13AM Report as inappropriate

I was suprised to see 'washing twice a day' since you'd expect that to be drying and not recommended (though I do it as well). I agree I'd add exfoliation to the list. Especially as you get older, your skin cells just don't turn over as quickly and can get "sticky" and cause clogged pores and dull skin...must exfoliate!

by shimmergurl Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 08:13PM Report as inappropriate

excellent tips.. although i read somewhere else that toner is completely unecessary?

by cmiller63 Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 06:37PM Report as inappropriate

Great tips! I agree that we must exfoliate once a week in order to have the perfect skin!

by renata_dors_berto Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 11:23AM Report as inappropriate

I want to try the Kiehl's toner mentioned here --- sounds refreshing! Oh, and I came upon a YouTube video (by Jack LaLanne of all people, bless his heart) about doing regular facial exercises to keep toned. I'm going to try it --- he looked pretty great for a guy of mid-90s when he recently passed!

by wronawoman Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 08:40AM Report as inappropriate

need to exfoliate!!

by aly7 Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 01:13PM Report as inappropriate

I agree with everybody else up here

by royalpoison Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 11:49PM Report as inappropriate

Great tips for maintaing beautiful skin :)

by themini820 Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 01:44PM Report as inappropriate

These are good tips that I try to follow daily, though I must agree with the other responses about regular exfoliation too.

by rozbie Friday, January 7, 2011 at 09:28PM Report as inappropriate

Cleanse, Tone, and Moisturizer twice a day, drink lots of water, stay fit, and get a good sleep to avoid tired looking skin.

by CliniqueLover Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 02:37PM Report as inappropriate

DO wash your face at night!!!!!!!!!!!

by kenya Monday, November 22, 2010 at 09:20AM Report as inappropriate

Yeah, exfoliation is so important! I'd like to add that my toner has what's called "Witch Hazel" in it's ingredient list. It feels SO refreshing. As a health coach I do have to agree that exercise, diet and sleep certainly play a role too. Sara

by SaraR74 Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 10:19AM Report as inappropriate

Good foundation won’t harm your skin - it usually provides some level of SPF, and acts as a filter that keeps the dirt and pollution in the air from resting on your skin. When you remove that foundation at the end of the day, you take with it all the dirt, etc. that your skin has collected since it was cleansed in the morning.

by leslie_hultman_hollowed Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 09:27PM Report as inappropriate

Yes!!! Where is the exfoliation in this peice of advice??? That is key to keeping skin from dullness and clogged pores!

by NaturalBeauty Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 03:27PM Report as inappropriate

Ditto on the exfoliation! My friends laugh at me with my mask on but they also think my skin looks great! Trish, 59

by TrishRolin Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 04:05PM Report as inappropriate

Good points, but It's impossible to have flawless skin without regular exfoliation. I'm surprised that this important step was omitted.

by beltrami Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 05:24PM Report as inappropriate

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