1. Protect yourself from the sun
One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems. Also, it increases the risk of skin cancer.
For the most complete sun protection:
- Use sunscreen. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you’re swimming or perspiring.
- Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
- Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.
2. Treat your skin gently
Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:
- Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm rather than hot water.
- Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
- Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
- Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.
3. Eat a healthy diet
A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn’t clear, but some research suggests that a diet rich in fish oil or fish oil supplements and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger-looking skin. Drinking plenty of water helps keep your skin hydrated.
- Use the correct cleanser for your skin type
“For oily or acne-prone skin, a salicylic gel or benzoyl peroxide wash works great,” says Dr. Ava Shamban, a dermatologist in Santa Monica. “For dry mature skin, use either a moisturizing glycolic or milky cleanser. For skin with brown spots or melasma, use a brightening wash, such as an alpha hydroxy acid cleanser.
- Exfoliate a couple of times per week
“We lose 50 million skin cells a day, and without a little extra nudge, they may hang around leaving the skin looking sullen,” says Dr. Gohara. To fight this, you should “choose a product that is pH neutral so it doesn’t dry as it exfoliates.” And don’t just stop with your face — the skin on your body needs exfoliation, too.
Here are some options your could choose from
- CeraVe Salicylic Acid Cleanser
- THE ORDINARY Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
- Go-To Exfoliating Swipeys
- Olehenriksen Transforming Walnut Scrub
- Vitamins should go on your skin
A balanced diet is important, but there’s more than one way to give your skin vitamins. There are also topical antioxidants, which are serums and creams that contain ingredients that nourish the skin (think vitamin C serum).
Not sure how to use them? The best time to apply them is right after cleansing so that your skin can soak them in, or they can be layered under your sunscreen for added protection.
- Stimulate Blood Flow
“Ginseng applied topically is one of my favorite skincare tips—it works to stimulate blood flow in the capillaries, promoting a healthy, firmed, glowing-from-within visage. Bonus points if you layer a product containing plumping hyaluronic acid with your ginseng! I recommend this Ginseng Collagen Boost Mask from 100% Pure.
- Remove Your Makeup
It’s been said a million and one times, but effectively removing makeup is the gateway to clearer, healthier skin. When makeup is removed, the skin becomes a clean canvas ready to absorb the product. An easy tip is to clean your face as soon as you get in the door instead of waiting right before you go to bed. Just as you are dying to get out of your constricting work clothes, skin desperately wants to rid itself of pore-clogging debris and pollution!
- Use Your Vitamin Serum
“Complete nutrition for the epidermis is critical. The epidermis is a key protective structure that uses 23 vitamins. These vitamins must be provided at therapeutic concentrations and delivered within the epidermis for optimum skin health. A vitamin serum is non-irritating and formulated with vitamins A, B, C, D, and E to give skin the nutrition it needs.”
