Skin Care Tips From Experts To Help You Put Your Best Face Forward
Everybody's skin is different. A product that worked wonders for your best friend might cause you to break out worse than ever before, or something you swear by might do nothing for someone else.
Everyone's skin reacts differently depending on the products they use, their environment, their diet, even how often they touch their face. There's a lot of different ways to improve your skin, but these 20 ways are a few things that experts say can help everyone out.
Keep in mind that prices and available stock of any items are accurate as of time of publication and that we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
Switch Your Towels More Often
Can you think of the last time you washed your towel? If you can, good for you, but it probably wasn't recent enough. If you can't, swap them immediately. You should be cleaning your towels and face cloths at least once a week, even every couple of days.
Please Please Please Wash Your Makeup Brushes
You already know that you're not washing your makeup brushes as often as you should be. You should be washing them after every use, but experts say 3 to 4 uses should be the maximum time you go before you wash them all thoroughly.
Wear Sunscreen, Even If It's Winter
Even if you're the person who never wears sunscreen, you should wear it on your face. Buy a moisturizer that has SPF built into it so you won't even have to think about it. It doesn't matter if it's a cloudy day or if it's the middle of winter, UV light can still impact your face.
It's Possible To Overwash Your Face
The reason that your skin is breaking out could be because you're not washing it enough or as thoroughly as you should, but on the other hand, it could be that you're overwashing it. For people with oily skin, the inclination is to wash your face to remove the oil, but if you do this too often then you end up drying it out and your skin creates more oil. Basically, you can't win.
Exfoliating Won't Get Rid Of Your Flakes
No matter how much you exfoliate, you're never going to get rid of all your flakes. Dry skin that's flaking doesn't need exfoliation, it needs hydration. Help your face out. Put down the St. Ives apricot scrub and get some moisturizer.
Keep Flare-Ups In Check With Toner
After you cleanse your face before you put your moisturizer on, using an alcohol-free toner like the Thayer's witch hazel to remove all traces of oil or makeup and balance the pH of your skin.
Stop Using So Many Anti-Aging Products
Your anti-aging products are pretty much canceling each other out at this point. Just because you use 6 anti-aging serums before bed doesn't mean you're going to turn into Benjamin Button. Pick one or two that have the same ingredients (like retinol, for example) and stick to those only.
Your Foundation May Last 24 Hours But You Shouldn't Ever Leave It On That Long
Your foundation may say it's long-lasting but that doesn't mean you need to leave it on as long as you possibly can. Leaving makeup on for long periods of time, especially for more than one consecutive day, is only going to make your skin worse.
Make Sure You're Washing All Your Makeup Off
It's the end of the day, you're tired, and the last thing you want to do is go through the effort of taking all your makeup off. So you give it a quick swipe with a wipe and call it a day. That's what you don't want to be doing. Make sure you're thoroughly washing your face at night after you take your makeup off in order to give your face a chance to breathe overnight and rejuvenate.
Washcloths Could Be Making Your Skin Worse
The product you use to wash your face matters, and so does the object you use. If you're someone who has sensitive skin, your basic washcloth could be too harsh for your skin. So try switching to using your hands and see if it helps.
Cutting Back On Dairy & Sugar Can Help With Your Breakouts
You already know that a better diet leads to better overall health, but if you're still struggling with breakouts look at your dairy and sugar consumption. Sugary foods or lots of dairy consumption leads to more oil production, which in turn leads to breakouts. So consider cutting back on your cheese consumption to help your skin.
Skincare Myth Debunked: Washing Your Face With A Washcloth Doesn't Increase Wrinkles
There's a rumor that using a washcloth to wash your face is going to cause wrinkles, but experts want you to know that's not true. Using a facecloth isn't going to suddenly age you 20 years, but if you have sensitive skin it could irritate your skin.
Finding A Routine That Works For You Takes Time
You buy a new product after your friend raves about it, try it for a week and don't see a difference, so you give up, but you didn't give the product a real chance. It can take time to see results depending on the product or the result you're thinking for, and you're not going to find the perfect routine in a matter of days or even weeks.
Dry Your Pimples Out, Don't Pick Them
Picking your zits is going to leave you with some wicked scars despite how satisfying it is in the moment. Instead, try something like a skin-drying lotion to put on your spots before you go to sleep. By the time you wake up, you'll have clearer skin and you won't have scarred yourself.
Drink Water, And Then Drink Some More
Water is the cheapest product you can buy if you're looking to get better skin. You're probably not drinking as much water as you should be, and you're definitely not drinking as much as you could be, so get drinking.
Be Wary Of DIY Face Masks
While face masks, in general, don't harm your skin, certain products in masks can, especially if you're pulling a DIY face mask recipe off Pinterest. Before you make your face mask out of lemon juice and coffee grounds, research the ingredients and how they'll affect your skin, or stick to store-bought masks made by professionals.
Face Masks Aren't Doing As Much As You Think
Face masks are great ways to take a little breather and embrace a self-care moment, but they're not doing as much as you think they are when it comes to long-term benefits for your skin. They make your skin feel great in the short-term and there's no harm in doing a face mask, but they're not benefitting you in the grand scheme of things.
You Can't Change Your Pore Size
You can use a primer to make your pores smaller before you put your makeup on, but pore size is mostly genetic and you can't change your genetics, so don't waste your money on fancy face creams that claim to shrink your pore size over time.
Don't Rush Through Your Routine
When using multiple products in your skincare routine, make sure that you're taking two or three minutes in between application in order to let all your products properly absorb into your skin.
You Should Change Your Products And Routine Depending On The Season
If you live in a place that has very clear seasons and you find your skin is overly dry in the winter, it's because you need to change your routine. In the winter the most important thing is to moisturize, whereas in the summer your priority is cleansing because you sweat during the warmer weather.
