Beauty 101: Water

There’s a photographer I know who smokes three packets of cigarettes a day. He is in his 30s, doesn’t wear sunscreen, and still has skin like a baby’s bottom. Of course he from the North East – people from that region have won the genetic lottery – but still. When I asked him what he did for that amazing skin he said that he drank 7 litres of water everyday. Yes, my lovely ladies, that really is it. In my experience, I have seen that people who don’t wear moisturiser but drink loads of water have better skin than people who follow the 9-step routine and are lazy about aqua. It’s something that’s been drummed into our heads but most of us find drinking water a task. But like all good habits this must also be developed. Here’s how:

– Drink up first thing in the morning. I like to get a litre out of the way when I wake up. I drink it warm with a splash of apple cider vinegar, but I know that many may find this combination nauseous. You can just drink warm water with honey in it to make a litre more palatable. If you still find downing a litre difficult then start with two glasses of warm water.

– Spike your water with a slice of fruit or tulsi leaves. This simple move isn’t merely cosmetic. By doing so you can increase the electrolytes in your water, which means that it will get absorbed easily by your body. I remember meeting Professor Marc Cohen who is one of Australia’s pioneers in integrative and holistic medicine. He told me that he boils tulsi leaves in two litres of water and drinks it through the day. Tulsi is a well known adaptogen that helps your body cope with everyday stress.

– Space out your litres. Aim to drink one litre when you wake up, another litre before lunch and another afterwards. That’s four litres already. I think five litres is enough for a day. Just remember not to drink water before or after lunch because it dilutes nutrients. You may drink one small glass of water with lunch but no more.

– Stick to warm water. When you get used to drinking water always always choose to drink it warm instead of cold. According to Ayurveda, warm water helps dissolve and flush toxins, and improves digestion, which leads to glowing skin.

– Taper it down in the evening. Slow down your water consumption during the evening – don’t chug a bottle after dinner. You don’t want to go to bed with a full bladder, because that will interfere with your sleep.

Lead image: Still from the movie Something’s Gotta Give.