ten ways to keep your skin like new
It’s easy to get lost in the myriad steps and quick-fixes that are out there to achieve beautiful skin. I’ve said before and I’m sure I’ll say again that some steps are more necessary than others, but there are some blanket statements we can make about how you should be treating your skin to get it to put its best face forward.
1. Cleanse properly. This means taking off your makeup every night, and then cleansing your face. Some cleansers can dissolve makeup, but most are truly designed just to cleanse your skin. It will take some effort to add this step, but I think it’s completely worth it. (Especially with the new, amazing Makeup Eraser!)
2. Pay attention to your eyes. Part of this is using eye cream, but part of it is also as simple as wearing sunglasses. Not only will the UV filter in sunglasses help protect your sight, but it will help protect the area around your eyes, and keep you from squinting as much–if we can prevent those crow’s feet from forming, why wouldn’t we?
3. Don’t wait for treatment. Just because you might have nice skin in your late teens or early twenties does not mean you can ignore your skin and hope it stays perfect! It’s always recommended to moisturize and use eye cream, but be aware of how different ages change your skin, and add treatment accordingly. Mid-twenties? Add a serum or retinol. Mid-sixties? Change up your serum, up your percentage of retinol. And if you’re not sure what to do or when, consult a skincare professional.
4. Speaking of professionals, don’t hesitate to get professional treatment for your skin. Whether it’s seeing an esthetician for regular facials, consulting a dermatologist about laser treatments, or even seeing a nutritionist about how your diet could be affecting your skin, there are a ton of resources available for you.
(Source.)
5. Exfoliate like it’s your job. I’m totally in love with Dermalogica’s Daily Resurfacer, and I really do use that mild enzymatic exfoliator almost every day. My sister prefers the light microdermabrasion effect of the Fresh Soy Face Polish. Whatever style works best for you, there’s an exfoliant that will work for you, too.
6. Remember that you have more skin than what’s on your face. I hear so many people say “I try to keep the sun off my face,” and then don’t put any sunscreen on their bodies. That skin can be just as damaged just as quickly, so you should be moisturizing and protecting it with sunscreen!
7. Drink a ton of water. Aside from being just good healthy sense, this will help flush out your system and give your skin some beautiful, glowy benefit. My esthetician friends tell me that they can always tell if a client drinks water, because it makes a huge difference in the quality of your skin.
8. Eat for the skin you want. I’ll be honest, this one is hard for me. Just like you won’t get perfectly toned abs by eating fries and sitting on your couch, you won’t get nice skin out of yourself if you don’t put nice food into yourself. There are some foods or drinks that are known for being particularly great for skin, like avocado, green tea, and walnuts…these things are–in case you haven’t noticed–delicious as well as amazing for you, all the way around.
9. Get enough sleep. This is the no-brainer to end all no-brainers, and you might be thinking, “But I have small kids/travel all the time and can’t sleep on the plane/would rather stay up late/think that this is bunk and I’ll go to bed whenever I please thankyouverymuch.” Which is all well and good, but it’s well known that when you’ve gotten enough sleep, your body as a whole functions better. Why wouldn’t that translate into better skin?
10. USE SUNSCREEN. (And that’s all she wrote.)
