Great makeup and great skin go hand-in-hand! Unfortunately, they both also have major product overwhelm in common. With so much to choose from these days it is near impossible for the average consumer to know where to start. Leading my clients out of the overwhelm is what I strive for - so naturally I have made it my mission to study all things skin care.
On this Journey I have found many many amazing tips that can help improve your skin for FREE! Yep, that's right $0.00, nada, nothing! Read below for easy changes you can make to your own skincare regimen that will help improve your skin without spending a dime!
1. Moisturize Damp Skin
After we wash our face we usually dry it with a towel - that's your first mistake! What!?! No really - most moisturizes aren't the best products for adding moisture but what they are great at is keeping it in. Moisturizers create a protective barrier that helps keeps the moisture you already have from escaping. Try adding your moisturizer over damp skin by either not completely drying your face after you wash or even better, applying your moisturizer over your toner or serum before it has had a chance to dry.
2. Cleanse Your Face Twice in a Row
This is especially important if you wear makeup. The first cleanse will wash away makeup and all the pollution and dirt your face came into contact with during the day. The second cleanse is going to actually have a chance to clean your pores! Make sure you are moving that cleanser around in an upward circular motion for at least 30 seconds per cleanse. This motion is especially important for those of us with lots of fine hair i.e., "peach fuzz as it helps the cleanser get under that barrier to remove more dirt. Taking those extra 30 seconds when you cleanse will make a difference in how clean your skin is. Plus, cleaner pores appear smaller!
3. Wash Your Hair First
For those of us who wash our face in the shower this can be a game changer. Especially if you are using 2-in-1 products (which tends to have more pore clogging ingredients). If you have bumps around your hair line it is often caused by our hair products clogging our pores. These bumps are especially annoying because the pore congestion goes deep and that means they are sticking around for a lonnngggg time! Make sure when you rinse your hair you are tilting your head way back to prevent product from running down the sides of you face. Washing your face after your hair will ensure you remove any runaway residue before it has a chance to clog your pores.
4. Rethink How You Exfoliate
Exfoliation is an important step for all skin types, it can help with multiple skin concerns including acne and dry skin. When done right, this will help your skin products work better and your skin function more optimally. So if you don't already regularily exfoliate it is definitely something worth adding to your skincare regimen!
My number one rule for any physically exfoliating scrub (products containing beads or granules) is it must be smooth (no jagged edges) and soften with water. If it has rough edges and doesn't soften with water it is likely going to scratch your skin causing damage (think micro-tears - yikes!) and ultimately premature aging. I don't want to scare you but a cult favorite exfoliating scrub even has a lawsuit against them for damaging their consumers skin! If you have a product containing peach pits, walnuts, or any other hard ingredients you would be much better off using those products on less delicate skin - like the bottoms of your feet. Opt instead to use a regular face cloth to physically exfoliate sloughing off dead skin working in gentle circular motions (or even better use a microfiber or baby face cloth which is softer).
You need to be gentle when you exfoliate; otherwise, you could cause what is known as hyper-exfoliation. This happens when you overdo it with pressure, frequency, or the chemical strength of your exfoliating product and it actually causes dry patches of skin. This is a sign that you have broken down your skins natural defense. I usually recommend only exfoliating 2-3 times a week to start and work your way up from there as needed.
5. Wear SPF Every. Single. Day.
Rain or shine. Winter or summer. You need to wear an SPF. I know in our cold climate many people don't think they need to wear their sunscreen in the winter months but it is just as important - you are getting hit by UV rays twice in the winter! Once from the sun, and again from the suns rays reflecting off the snow. Did you know that more than 80% of our skins aging is caused by UV rays! It's tough to invest your time and money into something you don't see immediate results from but I promise ten years from now (when you are looking way younger than all your friends) you're going to thank me for this one!
I love questions so please don't hesitate to ask me in the comments below!
