5 Rules to Boost Your Skincare Routine
Hack your beauty game with a few common sense suggestions. Because healthier skin means fresher, more radiant skin.
When You Have Skin In the Game: Your body’s largest organ deserves your attention. The rewards pay dividends.
1. No Excuses: Wash Your Face Twice Daily
We all procrastinate. But when you don’t take time to remove all your makeup, you leave a layer of grime and environmental toxins that your face has absorbed throughout the day. If you brush your teeth morning and night, you can wash your face just as often. But it’s not good enough to just splash water on your skin.
Use a proper cleanser, or if time is a consideration, use what French women swear by, Micellar water. These soap-free, no-rinse cleansers contain tiny molecules that eliminate dirt, makeup, and oil, leaving skin fresh and clean. One step does it all. Pour some onto a cotton pad and wipe away the day.
2. Apply Retinoid Before Bed
Retinol boosts skin recovery at the DNA level. Within 8 to 12 weeks of applying retinol, skin tone evens out, and lines and wrinkles begin to fade since the retinol jump-starts collagen production. You’ll benefit from increased elasticity and firmness that continue to improve the more you use it.
3. Cut Back on Meat
Animal protein is inflammatory, which can accelerate aging. A plant-centric diet benefits from foods high in alkaline that reduce inflammation and increase anti-aging growth hormone production. The result: your skin is fortified and better prepared to retain moisture and increase collagen and elastin.
4. Protect Yourself from the Sun
You already know this, though it bears repeating. Excessive sun exposure can cause wrinkles and age spots and increase the risk of skin cancer. Always have on hand a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Reapply throughout the day or more often if you’re swimming or perspiring. Avoid the direct sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest. Or, don a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face if you must be outdoors.
5. Remember Your Vitamin D3
The flipside to avoiding the searing sun, is losing out on Vitamin D. This essential nutrient boosts your skin’s defenses against environmental assault and factors significantly in our ability to recover from bruising. Most of us will not get sufficient amounts of D3 from the sun or our diet, so quality supplements are highly recommended. Just be sure it’s D3, not D2 or generic vitamin D.
There you have it. Five simple, actionable tips to enhance your skincare. Give them a try!
—Melissa Perrault, Cosmetology Advisor
