7 THINGS YOU MUST DO FOR BETTER SKIN

Not to brag or anything but I have always been blessed with good skin with no skin problems whatsoever. But I honestly can’t take any credit for it and can only thank my good genes. But this backfired quite badly as I pretty much abused my skin all my life, going to bed with make up on or not using sunscreen was a common practice in my 20s. Also because I am brown, I always thought sunscreen doesn’t work on my skin because I still get tanned and look ashy even after applying it and little did I know how much my skin got damaged from those unprotected sun exposure. But hey I was young and didn’t know better and that’s the whole point of me writing this post in my mid 30s, to share my newly found wisdom about the importance of skincare. A Disclaimer: I am not an expert in any way and only sharing my views based on my personal experience.

1. Start Early: I heard as a teenage girl facial is bad for you and should not get done until after 30. We all know now how incorrect that statement is. Facial has many benefits for all age groups and can be started as early as your teen years. But I am not asking you to go all out and get facials, my point is that start taking care of your skin early, don’t wait until it’s too late. Remember, prevention is better than cure.

2. Use Sunscreen Everyday: I cannot stress this enough as this is one of THE biggest culprit that’s damaging your skin daily. Sun damages skins ability to create new cells so make sure to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30 or higher. Use it even during the winter or cloudy days.

3. Cleanse your face: Make sure to clean your face with a gentle cleanser after a long day of work, even if you don’t wear makeup. But don’t overdo it. Do not wash your face more than once or maximum twice a day no matter how oily your skin is as excessive washing actually dries your skin out and your oily skin starts to create more oil and you don’t want that. Best practice would be to use just water to clean your face in the morning and use a mild cleanser in the evening.

4. Use a Toner: I have always thought that toner is the most unnecessary product and should only be used on oily skin. Ofcourse that is not true as there are different types of toners in the market that is suitable for different skin types. Toners not only reduces the pores in your skin but also helps your skin absorb any other serums better and helps to get the maximum benefits out of them. So the right time to use a toner is right after cleansing and before applying your serums. Remember to stay away from toners with alcohol.

5. Add Serums to Your Skincare: Like I said in the beginning, I am just starting to properly care for my aging skin and after lots of research I have made a very short list of must haves that are easy to incorporate in my busy life. I have currently purchased a few items from this website called Deciem. And I am in love. Read on to get the specifics.

• Vitamin C serum- to target pigmentation and achieve an overall brighter skin. (Use it after toner and before sunscreen during the day). I am currently using Vitamin C suspension 23%+HA Spheres 2%.
• Retinol- to achive plump, wrinkle free skin. (Use strictly at night). I am using the Retinol 1% in Squalane.
• Hydrating Serums- to tackle dryness during winter months or if you have dry skin in general. Look for Hyaluronic acid, Rose water or Amino acid among the ingredients. (Can be used whenever you need that hydration boost day or night). I am using Hyaluronic Acid 2%+B5.

6. Exfoliate: Make exfoliation part of your skincare routine and try to do it twice a week. But Stay away from abrasive scrubs that contains harsh granules as those can actually damage your skin. Instead you can use a simple homemade scrub made with sugar or oatmeal but recently, another form of exfoliation has become very popular which is chemical exfoliation. They are easy on your skin and works like a magic. Chemical exfoliators generally includes, AHAs, BHAs, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid and they all have different functions. Depending on the need of your skin, you can choose your exfoliators. I personally use Lactic Acid as my skin is dry and it is gentle on my skin. On the other hand, a person with acne prone skin would choose an exfoliator with Salicilyc Acid to target their problem areas.  I will write a separate post on how to choose the right exfoliator. I am using Lactic Acid 10%+HA.

7. Use Eye Cream daily: The skin around our eyes are the thinnest and the most neglected areas of our face. Because it is so thin, you cannot use your usual face cream on it. Your eye cream should target 3 main issues: dark circles, puffiness and wrinkles and it should contain ingredients like vitamin c, retinol, hyaluronic acid in it’s milder forms; so look for those ingredients when choosing one. I am currently using Caffeine Solution.  5%+EGCG.

Pro Tip: Drink plenty of water, limit dairy and coffee and include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet and soon start to see your skin glow!