Most women are familiar with the dreariness of the cleanser-toner-moisturiser routine. As soon as a new product reaches the market, you put your skin through its paces, and consequently it is now a mix of dry, irritated, greasy and spotty.

The reality is, humans are often too fixated with “fixing” themselves, concealing their blemishes and disguising their imperfections. Perhaps it’s time to appreciate the uniqueness of one’s facial features – to “flaunt” instead of “fix.”

Here are some tips and techniques to help you improve your facial features naturally so you can show them off with full confidence.

1. Exfoliate

Skin can be tricky to keep up with at times: not long after you slather it with moisturiser, it goes back to its dull, flaky condition.

In conjunction with your moisturising routine, exfoliating will help your skin look better. Dead skin cells tend to accumulate, making your face seem dry and dull even as new cells are being produced constantly.

When this happens, moisturising alone is of little use – scrub the old cells away, and you’ll see and feel a dramatic difference.

2. Stay hydrated

When you’re dehydrated, wrinkles appear more prominently, and your body cannot perform the tasks it should. Water flushes out toxins that accumulate in the body, affecting the appearance of your skin.

Make it a daily habit of drinking eight glasses of water, or one glass every two hours. Don’t drink too much at once, and especially not too close to bedtime as you’ll have to get up to go to the bathroom instead of having quality sleep!

If you’re going to consume something that dehydrates, like coffee or alcohol, make sure you drink plenty of water before and after. You don’t have to give up your morning cup of joe – just make sure you have some good ol’ H2O to accompany it.

3. Keep that perfect smile

There are many benefits to having a beautiful smile, not least of which is increased self-esteem. As such, maintaining the health of your teeth is important.

Visit your dentist every six months or so, seek advice on any issues with your teeth, gums, or jaw. Also voice out any discomfort you might be feeling, such as aching teeth or swollen gums.

Maintaining a regular oral-hygiene regimen, such as using fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, is also crucial. Keep your mouth healthy and clean by flossing regularly, using mouthwash, and using a mouth guard if you tend to grind your teeth.

Brush in circular strokes, starting at the top and working your way down – or even better, invest in an electric or sonic toothbrush.

4. Care for your hair

Look stylish and intriguing with a boho-chic haircut. Experiment with varied haircuts, and make your own hair treatments once a week to keep your hair looking healthy. A Google search will turn up plenty of recipes to help you accomplish this.

Go easy on heat-based styles such as blow-drying or curling as these could harm your hair in the long run.

5. Maintain healthy stress levels

Even your skin gets a pounding as a result of stress: according to researchers at Stanford University, students under duress during examination time experienced more severe acne breakouts.

Stress causes the body to produce chemicals such as cortisol, which can make the skin more oily and weaken its capacity to fight off blemish-causing germs.

Meditation, deep breathing, and yoga are all stress-management strategies that can help keep you stay calm under pressure.

6. Enjoy face-massage therapy

Facial massages are a prominent part of many women’s cosmetic regimens, and for good reason: it’s a healthy approach that can destress and uplift your spirits.

Collagen and blood production are stimulated in the skin when you undergo a massage, which helps tighten elasticity while raising your facial muscles.

Those who suffer from acne and rosacea may also benefit from facial massage, which further helps expel toxins while promoting oxygen and blood flow. This is an excellent anti-ageing treatment that could result in a healthier and more youthful you.

This article first appeared in The New Savvy, Asia’s leading financial, investments and career platform for women. Its vision is to empower 100 million women to achieve financial happiness by delivering high-quality content through conferences, e-learning platforms, personal finance apps and e-commerce stores.