Has your skin been a little dull lately? A great makeup look starts with a clean healthy canvas. There are three keys to skincare that will have you looking and feeling your best. Welcome to the glow getters guide to healthy glowing skin.
Exfoliate
EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE. I cannot say that enough. I started seeing real results when I started to exfoliate. Why is it so important? Exfoliating eliminates dead skin cell buildup to reveal clearer and softer skin. The build of dead skin cells is what makes your skin lackluster and textured. To help minimize these issues you should exfoliate 2-3x a week to help remove the top layer of dead skin. New skin comes in every 28-45 days depending on your age. There are gentle exfoliating products. Say no to products with walnuts! They can damage your skin. I alternate between a lemon, jojoba bead exfoliating mask and exfoliating toner pads. Here are a few options to try at home before going to see an esthetician to get the full glow treatment:
Lactic acid is popular for two reasons. It can create real change in the skin if used regularly and it is one of the more gentle hydroxy acids used in skincare. Lactic acid helps improve the skin’s natural moisture factor, or the way the skin keeps itself hydrated. Say hello glowing skin and bye-bye pores, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles! It’s best used at night because it makes your skin sensitive to sunlight so SPF is a must.
Nourish
Use a serum that works with your skin type and adds hydration to your skin. I often get asked by my clients, “Why do I need a serum?” The serum is made up of smaller molecules that can penetrate deeply into the skin and deliver a very high concentration of active ingredients. This makes them a great tool for targeting specific skincare concerns, like dark spots or wrinkles. Serums can be full of moisturizing ingredients (hyaluronic acid, ceramides) to help skin retain moisture, but that doesn’t make them moisturizers in the traditional sense. Face lotions and creams are richer and create a barrier on top of the skin to keep all that good stuff in. Really investigate the ingredients and see what is best for your skin type and skin concerns. Here are a few suggestions:
Protect
Always use a daily SPF to prevent skin damage and premature aging. Not using sunscreen can cause accumulating damage in the skin, which can lead to developing cancerous skin lesions later in life. Even when it’s overcast, up to 80% of the sun’s rays are still being absorbed by your skin. The best sunscreen to use has Zinc oxide or titanium dioxide instead of chemicals like para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), dioxybenzone, oxybenzone, or sulisobenzone. If you have skin irritation or allergies, avoid sunscreens with alcohol, fragrances, or preservatives. Sunscreen can also reduce the appearance of wrinkles and help with hyperpigmentation.
