If you search for “skin care routine” in any search engine you can quickly become overwhelmed with dermatologist recommended and Korean inspired and step by step instructions for developing a daytime and nighttime routine. Y’all, if you have a ten step beauty routine each morning and before bed, power to you. But I don’t have time for that, and my wallet definitely isn’t interested in a different product for every supposed flaw and imperfection on my face. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t take care of my skin.
A healthy skincare routine doesn't need to have ten steps with different products, twice a day. Share on XI remember in grade school, my mother started selling Mary Kay for all of a week and during that week she told my sister and me that we were going to start using the Velocity skin care system. I also remember being told I didn’t need makeup because moisturizer was better than foundation. And then watching my peers start using Proactive for their acne as I fussed over a few pimples each year. For the most part, I have been extremely blessed with a naturally glowing, smooth complexion, overall healthy skin.
But then I married a man with skin the shade of toothpaste, and had a ginger child who is even paler than that. My dad and his dad have both had suspicious skin patches removed. My sister has had some moles to some strange things resulting in a biopsy. So I realized that my healthy skin was basically just luck, and I needed to take control. Do I have a “routine”? No! I just follow a few simple daily practices to make sure I’m treating my skin with respect.
5 Easy Tips for a Healthier Skin
- Always wear sunscreen. Admittedly, as someone who barely ever burns, I am not very good at this. I always slather on the good stuff when Sassy is going out to the beach or pool. But I forget myself. And, living in the south, daily SPF hasn’t been in my routine. Recently I’ve noticed a tan line where my watch band sits, and even the bridge of my nose from my glasses. Which means it’s time to pull out the daily sunscreen. Even if you live up north, it’s important to wear sunscreen year round because the snow actually reflects the sun and you can still burn.
- Always remove your makeup. Admittedly, I also forget to do this most nights and often wake up in the morning to raccoon eyes and a yucky pillowcase. (Speaking of pillowcase, how often do you wash your bed linens? Bonus Tip: Did you know sweaty pillowcases can actually cause skin flareups? Get in the habit of washing your pillowcase at least twice a month, if not once a week.) In the winter I tend to be a nighttime shower person, so I don’t need to blow dry my hair before I leave the house. This makes it easier to remember to wash off my makeup, and the cold water locks in moisture before bed.
- Avoid complicated skin care products. Let’s face it, 99% of products out there are only selling because someone is telling you that you need them. You don’t. Your skin’s health is mainly treated from the inside, not cured by the products used on the outside. Most creams and lotions barely touch the surface of the skin, and don’t permeate deep enough for actual long term effects. The short term wow factor keeps you buying more, but if it lasted why would you need to keep using it? Find a few safe, chemical free products that achieve individual your goals and stick with that. You don’t need 127 steps before bed for healthy skin.
- Healthier diet means healthier skin. Vegetables are loaded with minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants which help you rejuvenate your skin. You can also add collagen to your morning coffee, or try one of these collagen drinks. Collagen is a specific protein that improves skin elasticity, as well as hair and nail growth, and even strengthens and repairs joints and tendons. It’s the miracle supplement of our time.
- Drink more water. I think this suggestion makes it onto every one of my health and fitness tips lists, because it’s really just so important. Water helps to keep your body hydrated, which includes your skin. Hydrated skin means no rough patches or flakes. You know the deal, determine your ideal water intake by dividing your weight in half and drinking that many ounces. When it doubt, a gallon is probably enough. I like to fill up my water bottles in the morning and carry them around with me, that way I have real like tracking of how much more I need to drink by the end of the day.
Don’t get caught up in the BS of skincare. Focus on these five simple, affordable, tips for healthier skin and worry about something more important instead.
What is your favorite, no BS, tip for healthy skin?