Beauty Secrets Blog

Our skin’s primary purpose is to protect us. When we don’t take care of our skin, it can’t do its job properly - and it looks faded and dull. To look years younger, you must take care of your skin each and every day. However, this does not mean spending hours each morning in front of the mirror, or purchasing a closet full of expensive gadgets and products all promising to make you look 18 again.

By doing 5 basic steps each and every day, your skin will begin to recover its luster and even its youthful glow. Let’s see what these 5 steps are.

1. Cleanse the right way.

Cleanse your face every morning and evening with a cleanser that is specially designed for your skin type. Choose a ph-balanced cleanser for your skin type; creamy for drier skin and gels for oily skin. Remember that cleanser does not need to create suds to be effective, but if you prefer a more sudsy cleanser, then by all means use one. When cleansing your face, use a light touch, but wash for at least 30 seconds before rinsing. In the evening double cleanse; first to remove makeup and residue and the second time to actually cleanse the skin.

2. Toner is important.

A toner should balance the skin’s protective barrier by creating an active antioxidant shield to fight damaging free radicals. Some ingredients to look for in a toner are white tea, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid (hyaluronic acid holds 1,000 times its weight in water). Also, if your cleanser is not ph-balanced, be sure to choose a toner that will restore your skin to a balanced ph factor.

3. Exfoliate regularly.

Dead skin cells are a fact of life on your face. You need to remove them routinely by a gentle exfoliation. This process will rejuvenate your skin, leaving it fresh, bright, and smooth. Your moisturizer will work the way it was meant to work, soaking in deep and making your skin look radiant. Be sure not to get too eager with your exfoliating. Gentle is the key here. If you scrub your skin too hard with an exfoliator, you risk an increase in oil production which an already oily skin doesn’t need. In dry skin, you risk redness and soreness which also is not why we exfoliate. The idea is to exfoliate regularly, but gently.

4. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

Hydrate and protect the skin with a moisturizer for your skin type. Choose moisturizers that will also combat the effects of pollutions on the skin. Some ingredients to look for are yeast, and Vitamins A, C & E. Moisturizing is equally important whether you have dry skin or oily skin, especially when you choose a moisturizer with added vitamins. Just like the other organs in your body, your skin needs regular nourishment. Feed it with a quality moisturizer.

5. Use sunscreen every day.

Your healthy skin depends on the daily use of sunscreen. The sun causes about 99% of all the signs of aging you can see on your skin. Your face is quite susceptible to sun damage since it’s exposed to the sun on a regular basis; walking in and out of buildings or even driving your car puts your skin at risk. If your morning moisturizer does not contain sunscreen, be sure you find a good product to apply on top of your moisturizer. If you plan to be outdoors for an extended period of time, move your SPF up a few notches for optimum protection. The FDA-approved ingredients titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the preferred choices.

What else can you do to look and feel years younger?

Your routine skincare regime will start you off on the right foot, but you need to treat your whole body for optimum results. The proper diet plan, regular exercise, and drinking plenty of water will propel you into feeling younger and looking younger in no time. Back that up with regular monthly visits to your Skin Care Professional and your complexion will always have that youthful, ravishing appearance you long for.