Most people who are looking to improve their skin health will start with the skincare regimen itself, both in terms of the products used as well as the cadence and frequency of use. And while that’s a very fine place to start, it’s also one part of a bigger picture: Much of your skin’s health can be managed through the decisions you make every single day, and small changes to your daily routine. 

There are some big “umbrella” approaches to better skincare, all of which can improve things drastically. They include reducing stress, eating healthy foods, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and so forth. But under each of these umbrellas are habits and strategies for managing things like hydration, wellness, and stress. Read on for 10 easily adopted examples, which can have you on the fast track to clearer, brighter, and smoother complexion in a few short weeks.

File this one under “stressing less” in that cardio can wash your cares away by increasing endorphins. On top of that, by stimulating blood flood you are also improving nutrient delivery to the rest of your body, which naturally improves skin’s own functions since it is getting better fed. Add to all of this the fact that long term wellness has unparalleled health benefits all the way down the list, and you can see why staying active (with your heart rate high) is so well reflected in the mirror.

In tandem with eating well and staying hydrated, you need to also cut back on things like coffee, alcohol, and smoking. For alcohol and smoking, the list is endless as to why they are so detrimental to your overall health (and your skin included in that). As for coffee, the high caffeine levels makes it a severe diuretic, so instead of that watery base keeping your body hydrated, it actually dehydrates you by making your body retain less water.

It’s obvious that UV protection is important when the sun is high in the sky, but UV rays don’t discriminate on cold, cloudy days—and they even penetrate clouds and glass. So, whether you’re outdoors or not, and whether it’s June 21 or December 21, you need to apply SPF daily (and at least your face, since that tends to be people’s priority when it comes to slowing premature signs of aging. UV exposure is one of the most damaging things for skin, so do your part in countering the offensive. One of the easiest ways to do this is by choosing a daily daytime moisturizer with SPF 30+.

This one requires a little setup, so follow closely: Many of us stare at some type of screen all day, switching between phones, laptops, desktops, tablets, and televisions. These devices emit the full spectrum of visible light colors (the same colors emitted by the sun—we know them as ROYGBIV, or red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Now, think of the word ultraviolet light, as in UV light, which is invisible—this is the type of light adjacent to the blue-end of the visible light spectrum, next to the blue/indigo/violet. Sure, these blue-ish visible light tones won’t wreak nearly as much havoc on skin as the invisible ultraviolet light. However, non-stop exposure to HEV-emitting screens could have drastic long-term impact, and current generations are believed to be the guinea pigs in eventual findings, since the wavelengths from these light sources can deeply penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin. Current generations will be the guinea pigs in these studies, but the current belief is that HEV light can generate free radicals much like UV rays, and can expedite things like wrinkling, dark spots, fine lines, and dullness. 

In short, you can minimize the damage experienced by HEV blue-hued lights from your devices by turning all of them to “night mode” for the entire day, which not only benefits your skin directly, but also gives your eyes a break and improves your sleep cycles. (Which in turn benefits your skin by promoting better quality rest.)

Another nighttime tip: Keep a humidifier on in the bedroom, or do what you can to prevent the room from being too dry. (Obviously you don’t need a humidifier if it’s the height of summer swelter, unless you use an air conditioner that parches the entire room.) The air around you will always try to reach equilibrium, pulling moisture from wherever it can, including your skin, hair, and mouth. The more humid the air around you, the better your skin will look on the regular. Sure, it might make your hair a little frizzy in the process, but there are solutions for that, too.

We’ve mentioned a few ways to boost circulation in the body, but targeted circulation cis also a good habit. Just like a scalp massage can improve nutrient delivery to the hair follicles (and improve hair retention), so too can a face massage boost circulation to the face and benefit one’s complexion. An increasingly common way of doing this is face yoga, which is exactly as it sounds: Moving and stretching the face in different ways so as to stimulate circulation in the area. You can check out Real Simple’s guide to face yoga if you’re interested in incorporating the minutes-long face yoga routine into your daily regimen.

Keep your mind sharp. Keep yourself nimble. Do whatever you can to stay active, engaged, and curious. Find added purpose in your everyday life; this stimulation will do a host of good for your body, from lowering stress to reducing sedentary hours. “Learning a new skill” is a roundabout way to arrive at having healthier skin, but there’s a reason that we use the word “youthful” to describe people with the aforementioned curiosity and joie de vivre. These people exude that youthful energy and radiance, and they’re an odds-on favorite for a life lived long and happily. It’s no surprise they’ll wear youthfulness on their faces, too.