It's all too easy to get lazy with your skin care routine when you’re dealing with a busy schedule. But skipping those bedtime face washes and moisturizer applications can really leave your complexion looking lackluster, dull and just plain blah. To get back your usual glowing, beautiful complexion, follow this simple skin care regime for three nights, courtesy of our expert, Licensed Esthetician and Acne Specialist Daniela
Exfoliating Scrub + Clay Mask
The best way to reveal new, glowing skin is to remove the old, dull layer of skin cells blocking it. Once you’ve washed your face as normal, apply an exfoliating scrub. Just make sure that your scrub does not contain crushed fruit pits or nutshells. If you haven’t found a go-to scrub yet, Ferri recommends using a mix of sugar or corn meal with honey. Apply and rinse off with warm water after 10 minutes. Follow up with a clay mask for 10 minutes. (If you have dry skin, apply a layer of moisturizer before applying the mask.) Rinse off clay with cool water. Gently pat skin dry with a clean, dry towel.
Tone + Moisturize
Apply your normal toner followed by moisturizing lotion. Massage into skin gently. Don’t forget your neck--an area often overlooked in daily beauty regimes--and make sure you’re using the right moisturizer. “Make sure your nighttime hydrating lotion is not with an SPF,” recommends Ferri. “These daytime lotions are not made to be specifically hydrating or softening.”
Blemish Treatment
Freeze out any new breakouts. Apply ice to blemish area for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently pat dry area with a clean towel and gently apply an acne treatment such as Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid. Finish off with a smudge of clay mask on top of the blemish. Leave the clay mask on the blemish area over night while you indulge in your much-needed beauty sleep (this will help dry out the pimple). Wash off the spot of clay mask in the morning with cool water.
But remember, even the most impeccable night-time regimen can't always compensate for bad habits. So you also need to keep these skin-saving behaviors in mind throughout your day:
No-Makeup Workout
When hitting the gym, be sure to wash off your makeup before getting your sweat-on. Removing makeup before working out will prevent makeup and dirt on the surface of your skin from seeping in and clogging your pores.
Nutrition
The old adage, “You are what you eat,” is perhaps no truer than when it comes to your skin. Pair a little clean eating with the regime for added skin--and body--benefits. Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Expert Carlene Thomas recommends drinking lots of water and increasing the amount of fruits and veggies you’re eating over the three-day period. “Strawberries and peppers are great for skin with Vitamin C,” she says. “Spinach can help increase blood flow for a good glow to the face.”
Luckily, it doesn't take too much time or diligence to invest in a good skin routine and the right habits. So go ahead and let your skin be as fabulously radiant as you are.
Wash your face properly
With a vast spectrum of lotions and potions on the market, it’s easy to become confused about what to use—especially on your face. “Using a cleanser rather than a soap is always a good idea,” advises Barankin. Soap is often too harsh and drying for delicate facial skin. The key is selecting a cleanser that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), “a detergent that is deep cleaning but also dehydrates the skin,” he explains. To complete your routine, says Barankin, “use lukewarm water after you finish washing and pat dry– no rubbing.”
Try a new moisturizer
Been using the same moisturizer for years? With scientists discovering new ingredients to fight the war on dry skin, perhaps it’s time to start anew. “Look for creams containing coffee berry extract, matrixly or ceramide to soften skin,” suggests Barankin. Ceramide, the latest innovation, is chemically created, but it’s bio-compatible—meaning it’s found naturally in our skin, too. Barankin also applauds the use of vitamin-infused emollients, “At night, using a vitamin-C-based cream can be helpful. It’s not only anti-aging, but it also peels off some of the upper dead layers of skin that cause dullness and roughness. An over-the-counter retinol or prescription Tretinoin (vitamin A) would also help soften the skin and peel off dead layers.”
Add more fish to your diet
We’re all familiar with the old adage, “You are what you eat,” but when it comes to your skin, this saying couldn’t be more applicable. An unhealthy diet chock-full of fast or processed foods and high in sugar will result in a dull, dry, and sometimes acne-riddled complexion. To keep your skin supple and soft, a healthy eating plan is a must. Barankin suggests a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, and especially fish. Salmon, tilapia, and herring are packed with omega-3 fatty acids—key building blocks that stave off inflammation, and help your skin stay smooth and pliable. And don’t forget water! “Make sure you have enough fluids in your body, that you’re getting [enough] water through the day,” says Barankin. “If you’re not getting enough fluids, you’re going to look more crinkly, and the skin is dryer and rougher.”
Avoid the enemies of soft skin
Alcohol, smoking, caffeine and excessive sun exposure are all factors that threaten healthy skin. “Being healthy overall—not smoking or drinking alcohol—helps your body in so many ways, including your skin,” says Barankin. Alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes act as diuretics, dehydrating the skin and causing a sallow colour, while too much sun also encourages skin damage. According to Barankin, sun avoidance or minimization via clothing, hats or sunscreen is a necessity in the quest to maintain soft skin, “[If] you look at older people where they haven’t had sun, the skin is actually soft and supple, so we know pollution and sunlight do play a role,” he says.
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