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The skin care rules

Beautiful Skin

The key to looking your fabulous best, with or without makeup, is to have a clear, beautiful complexion. No matter who you are or what your skin type, these top five rules are absolutely essential to getting and maintaining healthy skin.

  1. Wear sunscreen. There is no greater anti-wrinkle secret in the world than the simple act of wearing sunscreen every day. Sun exposure not only accounts for most of the skin damage associated with aging, but it can also lead to skin cancer. At the bare minimum, make sure you wear a broad spectrum sunscreen (one that contains titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, avobenzone, or oxybenzone) with a minimum rating of SPF 15.
  2. Put down the Marlboros. Besides the obvious damage it can do to your lungs and heart, smoking also wreaks havoc on your skin. Because smoking reduces the skin’s ability to repair itself, smokers often suffer from enlarged pores, premature wrinkles, and rough skin texture.
  3. Bottoms up. Staying properly hydrated is essential for having healthy skin. By consuming an adequate amount of fluids every day, you help your body flush out toxins and carry oxygen and nutrients to cells. The ultimate result is clearer, healthier skin.
  4. Take it all off. While it can be tempting after a long day (or night) to just jump into bed without taking off your makeup, you run the risk of clogged pores and breakouts. Worse yet, the bits of mascara and eyeshadow that can get into your eyes while you sleep can even cause eye injuries or infections. Take the time to remove your makeup properly or, at the very least, keep some face wipesicon by your bedside for some quick cleansing before your crash.
  5. Get your beauty sleep. Anyone who’s suffered through sleepless nights can attest to the fact that lack of sleep often results in puffiness or dark circles or bags under the eyes. Make sure to get your seven-to-eight hours, so you can wake up looking fresh and rested. As an extra bonus, studies have shown that getting enough sleep can actually make you smarter…and that’s always a beautiful thing.
More: Beauty Secrets | Skin Care .

DISCUSSION:

  

20 comments so far...

  • 1 Jen H // Oct 22, 2008 at 6:56 pm

    This is a fantastic list of skincare tips!

    I don’t always get my 7-8 hours of sleep and am a firm believer in taking short naps (if possible). I would imagine that eating well goes along with the keeping hydrated tip. Apples and fresh fruit in general are wonderful ways to keep hydrated and give yourself some skin-friendly nutrients. In the mid-pm when I am having low energy a piece of fresh fruit really helps!

  • 2 Makeup Moxie // Oct 22, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    Hey Jen! Great tip about staying hydrated with fruit (and vegetables work too)!

    I LOVE naps and I read somewhere that they’re actually really beneficial for productivity. But for me personally, I think I don’t get enough sleep at night, which means that if I allow myself to take a nap, I’m going to be passed out for a couple hours, lol ; )

    – Jazmin

  • 3 Lauren // Dec 23, 2008 at 7:14 pm

    I think a litte bit of sun for you is good for you everyday due to the opportunity of absorbtion for vitamin D. So sometimes going without sunscreen 24/7 is good for some people.

  • 4 rachu // Dec 25, 2008 at 9:50 am

    Hi,

    This all tips are very usefull. As specially remove the make-up before goin to bed.
    take care of your skin. Good Luck.
    Thanks
    Rachu

  • 5 Lip care // Feb 14, 2009 at 8:54 am

    The only thing that I can think of adding to your list is to have regular physical exercise of any type .
    It helps in blood circulation and gives your body flexibility.Proper blood circulation gives a healthy glow to your skin.

  • 6 Ej // Mar 13, 2009 at 5:06 am

    Lauren, I think sunscreen is essential. It blocks out the harmful UVA, UVB rays. Putting on sunscreen doesn’t mean you won’t get your daily dose of Vit.D. so do slap some on before u step out :)

  • 7 Fi // Mar 15, 2009 at 5:28 pm

    Well, i know that sunscreen is important, but i HATE the touch of putting it on… it’s just too sticky, and most sunscreens smell bad~
    What can i do…?

  • 8 Meghan // Mar 24, 2009 at 4:26 am

    A lot of posts about sunscreen seem really unclear.

    As someone who suffers when not getting enough of this, I generally engage in a ritual of s.screen applied to face, neck, and top of hands, and then allow my forearms to remain uncovered–so for the sun to radiate on this area. Usually 10-15 mins is enough for me.

    It’s true– it’s unhealthy to never, ever expose any part of your body to the sun. You need sun, and you need it everyday. A lot of nasty symptoms can crop up after long term decline in Vit D.

  • 9 Robin // Aug 5, 2009 at 3:53 pm

    while it is important to apply sunscreen, it’s also good to allow your skin to absorb some sunlight each day. The body needs Vitamin D to stave off colds and infection. As far as sunscreens go, many of the ones promising to protect the skin are actually the ones causing cancer. Oxybenzone has been shown to cause cancer in studies. I use sunscreens containing mineral ingredients, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. I just blogged about this very topic and I bring to light the best sunscreen as rated by the Environmental Working Group (EWG.)

  • 10 Eileen // Aug 29, 2009 at 11:07 am

    Actually vitamin D is absorbed only through skin that does not have sunscreen applied. Experts recommend 10 minutes of outdoor time per day for adequate vitamin D absorption. But you can probably wear sunscreen on your face, but absorb the vitamin through other unprotected areas, like your arms.

  • 11 fashley // Sep 14, 2009 at 11:47 am

    Ok. I am an Aesthetician, so hopefully I can clear this up a bit. Sun exposure causes 90% of wrinkles, cancer, and aging. UVA Rays are “aging” rays, if you don’t want to be a dried up prune by the time your fifty then sunscreen that BLOCKS UVAs is essential everyday, all day.
    UVB Rays cause burning and skin cancer. So if you don’t want cancer or sunburns sunscreen is essential here also. So how to get your vitamin D? That’s the difference between sunscreen and sunblock. Sunscreen will let some rays in. Sunblock, lets no rays in. SPF tutorial: The SPF # indicates how much longer you can stay in the sun than with out sunscreen. Does that help?

  • 12 Del // Mar 10, 2010 at 8:56 pm

    I would also say MOISTURIZE! Overnight (especially in the winter with indoor heat) your skin loses moisture.

  • 13 Mineral Cosmetology // Jun 7, 2010 at 7:46 pm

    I use mineral cosmetics for my skin. It is good and protects my skin from sun’s harmful rays.

  • 14 u buy ez // Jan 19, 2011 at 9:58 am

    Good post exploring some ways to take good care of your skin. I think you’ve hit the major areas.

  • 15 Adriana // Jun 23, 2011 at 11:42 am

    I worry about falling asleep with eye makeup on sometimes, although i’m definitely guilty of doing it! Any tips on how to thoroughly, safely, and quickly do so before bedtime…and if it really matters??? thanks!

  • 16 Zakiyyah // Sep 21, 2011 at 9:49 am

    I am guilty of going to bed with makeup still on. Yes, I know better. I should probably do better.

  • 17 hair straighteners // Oct 1, 2011 at 4:20 am

    Great tips, many of the things I don’t always do so a good reminder. Skin care is also through your diet which is hugely important. Like your tips though, thanks.

  • 18 The Honeyroom // Nov 20, 2011 at 7:36 pm

    These are really good suggestions! I am desperately trying to drink much more water!

  • 19 Laura // Oct 23, 2012 at 8:01 am

    I’m really trying to be more serious about #4 these days. I’m a major culprit of not washing my makeup off. Thanks for the reminder :-)

  • 20 Dana S // Mar 11, 2013 at 3:29 am

    In the hot place as mine where sun is burning 9 months a year, you need to put tons of sunscreen and moisturizer twice a day on your skin.

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