I believe in taking care of your skin at every age. My late Mum was vigilant about skin protection and skin nourishment, and I’m very grateful for learning her skincare discipline. It’s never too early or late to get into the habit of taking care of your skin.
There are lots of wonderful things that you can do for your skin. But if I had to boil it down to my favourite tips, these are them:
1. Don’t Wait to get Professional Help
It’s information overload when it comes to a topic like skincare. Between what you can read on the internet, and getting advice from friends and family, it’s overwhelming and confusing at best. If there’s something going on with your skin, see a dermatologist, and then a medical aesthetician after that if you need to. Don’t try to figure things out on your own.
I battled with chronic dry facial skin about ten years ago. Reading up on the subject, I tried all sorts of things for about a year, hoping to improve the situation. Eventually, I saw a dermatologist, who figured it out right away. The pricey skincare products I’d been using — full of alpha-hydroxy acids and retinol — were further drying my already dry and sensitive skin! He said to stop using them right away. I did, and along with some prescription ointment that I used for a couple of weeks, my skin improved dramatically. Upon his recommendation, I started using very gentle skincare products, that were also much cheaper. I WISH I had seen a dermatologist sooner.
2. Wear Sunscreen Year Round
The sun is stronger than ever, and so are its UV rays. You think you’re protected when it’s cloudy, but you’re not. Make wearing sunscreen a DAILY habit regardless of your skin type or the weather. That way you’re protected no matter what.
3. Cleanse Once a Day
This was an excellent tip from a medical aesthetician. Cleanse your face at night to remove daily dirt, make-up and grime, but don’t repeat the process in the morning for any skin type. Over cleansing removes the natural oils from your skin, which causes you to either dry out, OR become more oily as your skin tries to compensate for the dryness.
4. Wear a Sun Hat
Sunscreen will only take you so far. Nothing protects your face and scalp from the sun as well as a hat with a sufficiently wide brim. Visors aren’t the best idea for sun protection because they don’t cover the scalp.
Despite the fact that I wear strong sunscreen daily, I also need to wear a hat when I’m walking in the sun on daily walks with our Yorkie Sam. The sunscreen protects me from burning while the hat prevents me from getting a rash. Like a coconut, if I don’t wear a hat on a sunny Summer walk, I’ll have a rash on my skin the next day.
5. Get Exercise
The blood circulation and endorphins generated by exercise makes your skin glow. Rosy cheeks, natural oils, dewiness, and soft to the touch. Brilliant.
6. Remove Make-Up at Night
It’s important to remove all make-up, cleanse, moisturize and hydrate at night. That way your pores stay small and clear, and your skin looks dewy in the morning.
7. Nourish the Skin on Your Body
Don’t forget that you are covered in skin, and that your skincare regimen should include the rest of your body. Moisturize your body and put sunscreen on the areas that are exposed to sun during the day, like your hands, arms, ears, back of the neck, and the tops of your feet. It’s amazing how exposed to the sun our hands and arms are when we drive. Protect them.
8. Eat Lots of Fresh Vegetables
I believe that vegetables are magical — especially green vegetables. Try to eat them with every meal, or at least with two meals a day. Or snack on raw veggies during the day. This boosts your immune system, makes you strong, keeps you regular, and you can absolutely see the results on your skin.
I’m naturally drawn to eating cooked and raw vegetables and crave them when I don’t get my daily fill. This helps me eat them with joy and regularity. But if you’re not a Veggie Queen like I am, I’ve found that it helps to make them extra tasty, and varied. Put the effort into cooking great vegetable dishes, and your body will thank you for it over and over again.
And last, getting plenty of sleep and committing to a manageable healthy way of eating helps your skin look fabulous too. Please add your own favourite skincare tips in the comments section below.
