10 Simple Skin Care Tips

There are so many skincare regimens out there, which ones are the best? Will you have time to fit it into your busy schedule? Will they even work?  

So why should you even care?  Skin serves to protect us and support vital bodily functions. (See Blog “Skin School 101”).  Here are some very simple steps for everyone’s busy life to keep their skin happy and healthy.   

1. Protect your skin from the sun: Sun protection forms the foundation of every anti-aging skin-care plan. We have so much evidence that the sun prematurely ages our skin that there is actually a word to describe this effect. This word is “photoaging".    
2. Seek shade: Be sure to seek shade between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and whenever your shadow looks shorter than you are.  
3. Cover up in style: Whenever possible, wear a wide-brimmed hat, pants, and long sleeves. Gloves help to minimize common signs of aging on our hands such as age spots. Sunglasses help reduce fine lines around our eyes.  
4. Sunscreen: Slather on the sunscreen every day before going outdoors.  Apply sunscreen to all skin that clothing will not cover. You want to use a sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection, SPF 30 (or higher), and water resistance. Reapply every 2 hours.   
5. Forget about indoor tanning! The sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps expose you to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. These rays accelerate skin aging.  
6. Moisturize: Apply moisturizer every day. As we age, skin becomes drier. Fine lines and wrinkles appear. Moisturizer traps water in our skin, giving it a more youthful appearance. For best results, use a facial moisturizer, body moisturizer, and lip balm.  
7. Wash Face: Wash away dirt and grime twice a day. For best results, you want to wash with warm water and a mild cleanser rather than soap.   
8. Stop smoking: Tobacco smoke contains toxins that can lead to smoker’s face. Signs of smoker’s face include dull and dry complexion, loss of skin’s firmness, premature lines and wrinkles, and leathery skin.  
9. Eat healthy foods: A healthy diet promotes healthy skin. Make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.  
10. Get enough sleep: It’s called beauty rest for a reason. Sleep gives your skin time to repair itself.