I want good skin. Do you want good skin?

Here are six steps in the New Year to help you to get better skin. Everyone should focus on getting better skin and that includes men.

1

Eat healthy. Make sure you follow a healthy diet, enriched with the vitamins and minerals your skin needs.Vitamins B, C, E, A and K all help keep your skin fresh and glowing.

• Vitamin B forms the basis of skin, hair and nails. You can find this vitamin in foods like oatmeal, eggs, rice, bananas and even Vegemite.
• Vitamin C protects your skin against sun exposure, keeping you away from skin cancer. Vitamin C pops up in citrus foods such as lemons, limes, oranges, bell peppers, cranberry/grape juice, cauliflower, and leafy greens.
• Vitamin E also helps protect your skin against sun exposure, and can be found in foods such as olives, spinach, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.
• Vitamin A is essential for repair of the skin tissue-without it your skin will look dry and flaky. Vitamin A is found in fruits and veggies-so load up.
• Vitamin K helps reduce dark circles under your eyes, as well as bruises. Vitamin K is hidden away in leafy green vegetables, dairy products, and meats such as pork and liver.

2

Stay hydrated . As you probably know, drinking water is important for clear, healthy skin. This is due to the fact that your skin - like most other cells in the body - is composed primarily of water.

• Without enough water, your skin can become dehydrated and look dry, tight and flaky. Over time, this can lead to the appearance of wrinkles.
• Drinking water also helps to eliminate harmful toxins from the body, which would otherwise build-up and wreak havoc on your skin and overall well-being.
• Although there's no exact scientific measurement of how much water you should be drinking a day (it varies from person to person and according to climate and physical activity) a good base would be 6 to 8 glasses.
• If drinking water isn't your thing, you can substitute by drinking plenty of green or herbal tea, or coconut water (which is said to be extra good for your skin). Alternatively you can add a slice of lemon to your drink to give it some flavour. Lemons are also extremely beneficial to the skin so you'll be killing two birds with one stone!
• You should also try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables with a high water content, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, grapes, iceberg lettuce, celery and radishes.

 3.

  Get enough sleep. Sleep is essential for healthy, fresh-looking skin - they don't call it beauty sleep for nothing! As you sleep, your skin repairs and renews itself, replacing old cells with new ones.

• When you don't get enough good-quality sleep, your skin can look dull, pale and sagging the next day. This is partly due to the fact that your blood doesn't circulate as well when your tired. Lack of sleep also causes blood vessels under your skin to dilate, which leads to dark circles beneath the eyes.
• So for fresh, healthy looking skin you should aim to get 7 to 8 hours sleep a night. You should also try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, as your body likes routine. Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol before bed, as this affects the quality of your sleep.
• Aside from the sleep itself, you can make some adjustments to your sleeping conditions which will benefit your skin. For example, it's better to sleep on your back than on your front, as your face is not pressed up against the pillow (which can contribute to wrinkles).
• You should also change your pillowcase at least once a week to avoid the build-up of oils, dirt and bacteria, and opt for white sheets instead of colored ones, as the dyes can irritate sensitive skin.

4

Exercise alot. Exercise not only keeps you in shape, but it helps your skin maintain a fresh and healthy glow by regulating the flow of oxygen to the skin.

• Be sure to avoid wearing make-up when you exercise. Sweat and dirt will get trapped in your pores and cause you to break-out.
• Avoid leaving sweat on your face after you work-out. Take a shower or at least thoroughly cleanse your face as soon after exercise as possible.

5

Avoid stress. Stress is bad for your skin on every level - it can contribute to excess oil, breakouts, redness, sensitivity and wrinkles. It can also aggravate skin conditions such as rosacea and eczema.

• In terms of your body's chemistry, stress causes an increase in the hormone cortisol, which triggers oil production and leads to acne fare-ups. It also causes blood vessels to dilate which causes redness.
• On a physical level, constantly furrowing your brow and frowning causes a loss of collagen and can lead to premature wrinkles.
• Therefore, by reducing your stress level you can improve the quality of your skin. You can do this by making time for yourself and doing things you enjoy - like going for a walk,  just spending time with your loved ones.

6

Quit smoking. Smoking is bad for your skin. Period. If you want to improve the appearance of your skin and prevent early signs of aging, then cigarettes should be the first thing to go.

• Smoking is bad for your skin in many ways. Firstly, cigarettes contain carbon monoxide, which limits the amount of oxygen that gets to the skin, and nicotine, which reduces blood flow. These two factors can leave skin looking dull, grey and dry.
• Secondly, smoking disrupts the body's absorption of nutrients such as vitamin C, which is necessary for the skin to repair and renew itself.
• Smoker's tend to have more fine lines and wrinkles than their non-smoking counterparts, as smoking causes accelerated aging due to reduced blood flow to the skin.
• Giving up smoking is not the easiest thing in the world, but with some determination and support from your friends and family it is possible.