Everyone’s on to the 10-step Korean skin care routine trend, while here we are, even sometimes forgetting to remove our makeup or put on moisturizer after a terribly long day at work. Let’s face it, not all of us have the luxury of time to sit in front of a mirror religiously following through 10 steps of skin love every single night. Not when you have 3 kids to put to bed, dishes to dry, a husband to love up, and deadlines to catch.
Taking care of your skin properly is crucial to aging well and beautifully, and makes for a healthy self-confidence too. However, your skin doesn’t really demand that much. All you need to do is follow through these 5 basic skin care tips to keep your skin glowing and healthy.
- Slather some sunscreen
The sun is your skin’s biggest nemesis. Excessive sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots, and even increase your risk for skin cancer. Therefore, it’s extremely important to take these steps to shield your skin from the sun’s harmful rays:
- Put on sunscreen. A generous application of broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15 is a good way to ease into the habit and make sure to reapply every 2 hours – or more often if you sweat a lot, or go for a swim.
- Take shade. The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 am and 4 pm, so it’s best to avoid being outdoors during this period.
- Don protective clothing. On especially sunny days, be sure to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats to give your skin that extra layer of protection.
- Stop smoking
If you’re a non-smoker, you’re already on the right track to healthier skin. But if you’re on to the smoking habit, you might want to consider stopping it if you wish to have better skin. Smoking hastens your skin’s aging process and contributes to wrinkles. It also robs your skin of oxygen and nutrients, thus affecting your skin’s health and appearance.
- Be gentle to your skin
Give your skin the tender loving care that it needs by following these guidelines.
- Limit bath duration. Long, hot showers strip your skin of its natural oils. You might also want to dial the temperature down a bit to a warm instead of a hot bath.
- Avoid harsh soap formulas. Switch to milder formulas and never use body soap on your face. After doing laundry, be sure to wash off the soap properly and moisturize your skin well.
- Avoid shaving. If you want baby butt skin all over, it’s best to avoid razors and shaving as these are extremely abrasive to your skin surface. You may opt for waxing or semi-permanent hair removal procedures such as lasers.
- Pat, don’t drag. After a bath or a wash, gently dry your skin with a patting motion instead of dragging to avoid sagging.
- Moisturize. Moisturize. Find the best moisturizer for your skin type and be generous with it.
- Switch to a healthier diet
We’ve written a few articles on how diet affects your overall health and we really cannot stress it enough. If you want healthier skin, switch to a healthier diet. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Some research suggests consuming healthy fats, fish oil and low carbohydrate foods promote younger-looking skin. Hydrating well also keeps your skin moisturized.
- Destress
You know it, we know it. Stress can cause breakouts and other skin problems. Destressing, such as getting enough sleep, taking yourself out on a date, cutting down on your to-do lists, and picking up a new hobby, may help your skin look its healthiest.
This list was adapted from this original article by Mayo Clinic.
What skin care tips can you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
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