Skin Care 101  – Five Easy Steps to better skin

Taking care of your skin is easier than you think.  Whether you have dry, oily or combination skin there are some simple rules to follow to keep your skin soft, supple and wrinkle free for as long as possible.  While we can’t fight off aging forever, these simple tips will give you a nicer complexion for much longer.  You’ll thank me later.

Tip 1: Don’t Sleep with Makeup on

This might seem like a nobrainer but it’s a reality that a lot of women don’t remove all their makeup before going to sleep at night.  We live a fast paced life these days and it’s easy to be exhausted at the end of the long day and not worry about cleaning our face.  But makeup items such as concealer, eye shadow, etc. all clog the pores to one degree or another and not allowing your skin to breathe at least during sleep is one big way of doing damage to your main organ – your skin.  Sleep is the time that your body heals itself, which is why we sleep so much when we are ill.  Giving your skin at least eight hours per day to breathe properly is just the right thing to do.  Take those couple minutes at the end of your day and cleanse your skin.

 

 

Tip 2: Sunscreen

Another tip that might seem simple yet is probably one of the most overlooked safety tips ever.  Not only are UV rays from the sun a major cause of skin cancer, it can also cause premature wrinkling, hyper-pigmentation, collagen loss and dry skin conditions.  The sun may give us life but it doesn’t do our skin any favors.  Using a sunscreen primer like Coola SPF 30, just apply the sunscreen before your daily ritual of applying your makeup.  It might add 30 seconds to your day but when you hit your forties and up, you will be thankful that you took the time and care to protect your skin.

 

Tip 3: Moisturize

It is a common disbelief that only people with dry skin can or should moisturize their skin.  Especially if you live in warm, sunny areas such as California or Arizona, moisturizing your skin is critical to your well being.  Not only do the harsh rays of the sun cause your skin to dry out, but air conditioning is another major cause of dry skin.  In addition, many towns now add high levels of chlorine to city water to keep it safe for consumption.  Showering in chlorinated water is known to strip more oils off of skin than showering in filtered, pure water.  We may not have a choice in what we shower in but we do have a choice in how we treat our skin.  If you are not sure of what kind of moisturizer to use for your skin type, a good starting point would be to do some searching on Amazon and read the reviews thoroughly.  Or if you have a reputable local spa or salon you frequent, talk to them about what moisturizer would be best for you.

Tip 4: Exfoliate

Your skin is a living, breathing organ.  In fact, your skin is your largest organ.  Blocking your skin from breathing with makeup, sunscreens and moisturizers is a common cause of blotchiness, rashes and acne.  One important thing about exfoliating to remember is that too much of a good thing can be bad!  You don’t need to exfoliate everyday, you don’t need to use harsh chemicals, nor do you need to use rough exfoliators like crushed shells.  A dry cotton cloth, a loofah or if you can afford it, a good cleansing system like the Clarisonic is all you need.  A word to the wise: I use a loofah in the shower.  A lot.  But if you are like me, please be careful how you use and store it.  Read this article on how loofah’s can hold bacteria at Huffingtonpost.

 

Tip 5: Sleep

The single biggest cause of poor skin can often be attributed to stress and lack of sleep.  Many of us lead very busy lives these days, whether it is work or taking care of children or school or running your own business – there always seems to be a reason to not get enough sleep.  It is easy to ignore the bags under your eyes and just add a bit more concealer in the morning but instead you might want to consider rearranging your lifestyle a bit to ensure you get a decent nights sleep everyday.  Not only is it healthy for your skin, a good night’s rest is essential for your entire well-being.  If you take only one tip from our list, this should be the one to consider the most.