Should you scrimp on skincare? The biggest beauty experts say no, but I say YES. You don't have to spend a small fortune on your skincare for gorgeously clear and glowing skin, so let me show you what to look out for.
Something that I've noticed when I've been shopping for new skincare products is that overwhelmingly, they are just so expensive. I don't know about you, but I want to spend my money on fun stuff, that I can see and use, like clothes and bags and shoes and food... just me? Provided that you look for skincare containing the right sorts of ingredients for your skin and develop a healthy skincare routine from a young age, you don't need to fork over a lot of money for the highest-priced products. You can even make your own masks and moisturizers at home using stuff you'd find in your cupboards — even crack open a vitamin E or A capsule. Trust me! You can make it work, girl, and I'm here to show you how.
A Healthy Skin Routine
A healthy skincare routine means things like avoiding the sun and wearing sunblock every time you leave the house, or even inside the office, from your late teens or early twenties. Skincare isn't necessarily about everything that you layer onto your skin — if you think about it, the more chemicals you put onto your skin, the more you're going to disrupt the balance, unless there's already some serious problems that you need to put right. What's key is looking after your skin from the get-go, so that means staying out of the sun during the hottest hours — that's right, doing exactly what doctors tell you to do, and not actively trying to get a tan. When you get a tan, it's actually a sign that your skin is getting damaged, so don't lie in the sun and bake yourself.
If you can't avoid the sun during those times, wear loose, long-sleeved clothes that cover your skin and a hat to shade your face. Don't forget the sunglasses.
You don't need to be hot and bothered — make sure that everything is loose and pale in color so that it reflects the heat and light rather than absorbing it and you'll be okay. Use a sunblock on any exposed parts of your skin — whether you choose to use a chemical sunblock or a physical sunblock is entirely up to you and what your skin can take. Reapply it when you've been in the water or if you have been sweating heavily. You should be using sunblock under your makeup on cloudy days, because it isn't necessarily the sun that you've got to worry about, it's harmful UV rays.
UV rays can still penetrate cloud and cause irreparable damage to skin that won't show up until years later, by which time it'll be entirely too late to do a fat lot about.
I've also been asked in the past whether or not you need to use sunblock if you're just going to be inside all day. It's up to you, but think about the walk to and from your office, and whether you're sitting by a window. Glass doesn't filter UV rays, so you're not going to be protected.
Simple Skincare That Works For You
Follow the tips above and your skin should stay relatively line-free for a good number of years, provided that the rest of your lifestyle is healthy — that's no smoking, not too much drinking and eating healthful foods with plenty of omega-3s and 6s to help plump out your skin and hydrate it. From there, use a mid level drug store cleanser that is targeted at your skin type.
I use something that contains witch hazel and tea tree because I have oily skin and quite open pores, and this helps to reduce oil and tighten my pores, which is really important for me. I use the drug store's own brand, at the mid price range, but I'd also use Clean and Clear or something like that. If you have dry skin, look for cleansers that contain oils or consider using a dry oil cleanser instead. Go for things that are targeted towards your skin. Cleanse and tone twice a day, and let it sink into your skin completely before applying any moisturizer. Again, I use a mid price moisturizer from the drug store, containing witch hazel and tea tree, in a mattifying formula. It's clear rather than white and I can feel that my skin is smooth and oil free after use. With moisturizers, day creams and night creams, be very aware not only of your skin type but of your age when choosing your products. The older you get, the more you need to be looking for products that contain collagen-boosting ingredients to help rebuild the lost fullness from your skin. Again, this doesn't necessarily mean that you have to spend a lot of money.
Something that I find really useful is to use a face oil. I never saw the appeal of them, to be honest, because I always felt like they would be very greasy, but on older skin types especially, they are absolutely fantastic at providing just the right amount of moisture and tend to contain a combination of oils that are extremely beneficial for skin, such as jojoba oil and coconut oil. They also often contain hyaluronic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E and a wealth of anti-aging ingredients but you can get extremely affordable oils from your drugstore.
Of course, you could buy serums costing upwards of $100, but when you could get a decent oil for under $10 there isn't really any need.
Homemade Products And Body Scrubs
You can also make skincare using stuff in your cupboard. Honey, banana and oats are the basis of a great face masks and they all have soothing and anti-bacterial properties. Homemade scrubs can be made using sugar or coarse salt and the oil of your choice, while for general dry skin on elbows and knees? I'd always recommend Vaseline! If you want anything a little more nourishing, try a Vaseline body lotion — sometimes, you can't beat the basics, and you're always going to get lovely soft skin that way.
- Photo courtesy of sunshinecity: www.flickr.com/photos/sunshinecity/786584004
- Photo courtesy of thecampbells: www.flickr.com/photos/thecampbells/3350877893/
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