You may take a minimal approach when it comes to your skincare or you may be into all the latest products that enter the market, and want to try them out. We all want to know the best skincare advice and tips for our skin so here are a few we have put together. With our hectic schedules it can be quite challenging sometimes to maintain a consistent skincare routine.
FIRST THINGS FIRST! AVOID THE SUN!!
When you can’t avoid the sun wear a hat, a broad spectrum sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection with a minimum factor 30 SPF is best. Many people feel they only need to protect themselves on sunny days or when visiting the beach, but the truth is that we need to protect our skin all the time whatever the weather even when we’re driving a car, flying in an airplane, or running errands. It’s the daily UV exposure that contributes to the visible signs of aging.
Treat your neck as an extension of your face.
You should be caring for the skin on your neck in the same way that you care for the skin on your face, cleansing, exfoliating, moisturising ect. Treat yourself to a neck cream or serum. This area is typically a big giveaway of age, mostly because of our own shortcomings of focusing more attention on our faces. This translates to wrinkles, creasing, sun spots, and loose skin. Avoid spraying perfume directly onto your neck as this can cause hyperpigmentation.
Remove your make up!
As we all know we need to remove our make up before we go to bed! Wipes can scratch the surface of the skin but better than not removing at all. When makeup is removed, the skin becomes a clean canvas ready to absorb the next product. Get into a regular pattern of removing your make up as soon as you walk in the door, like you change your clothes when you get home from work. It goes without saying that if you wear makeup while you sleep, your pores are going to be clogged. The result of clogged pores is oily skin, acne, blackheads, breakouts, and worsening of already present skin conditions.
Gently Exfoliate.
Exfoliating two or three times a week is great for your skin. Your skin type should determine which method you use and how often you exfoliate. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells from the outer layers of the skin. We all tend to either skip it or overdo it.!
Use the correct cleanser for you skin type.
How you wash your face lays the foundation for your entire skincare regime. Cleansing the skin removes sweat, oil, dirt and pollutants. The job of your cleanser is to wash away the days grime. After you have cleansed it then leaves the skin ready for toners, serums and moisturisers.
Stop Smoking!
Smoking accelerates your skin ageing, you are increasing your fine lines and wrinkles and decreasing your elasticity. By smoking you are releasing higher levels of free radicals in your body that are further increasing the oxidative damage to cells and therefore accelerates the aging process to your skin.
Check your skin for skin cancer.
Skin self exams can help you find skin cancer early when it’s highly treatable. If you notice a spot that differs from the others, or one that changes, itches, or bleeds, make an appointment to see a dermatologist. We will be providing more info on this in our next newsletter.
Use a self-tanner if you like looking tanned.
Every time you tan indoors or outdoors, you are prematurely ageing your skin. You also increase your risk of getting skin cancer. Using a self tanner can give you the look that you want without the risks, and there are many good quality ones on the market right now. Even though you have self tan on you will still need to protect your skin from the sun.
Try to stress less!
Stress can cause flare-ups of many skin conditions, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. Try and find healthy ways to manage your stress this will help with your skin. Exercise, eat well and sleep well.
Stay Hydrated!
Drink plenty of water, and stay off the carbonated drinks that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners these are not good for your skin.
