1. Take care of your skin from the inside out
Before I go into discussing the products you will want to buy ASAP -- let's just state the obvious, first and foremost. Your skin will ONLY be as good as what you put inside your body...period. There is no magical skin product that will cure your skin problems if you are fueling your body with awfully non-nutritious and high-sugar foods or liquids. Not. Going. To. Happen. If you haven't tried starting here, give it a shot! You would be surprised to find how your diet can truly affect your skin's health.
Eliminate or reduce these foods to improve your skim complexion:
- Dairy (especially if hormones are added)
- High-sugar and high-salt foods
- Processed meats (deli meat, bacon, hot dogs, etc)
- Foods or products out of a box
- Simple carbohydrates (complex carbs are good for you)
- High gluten foods or products
2. Wash your face TWICE a day & oil cleanse before bed
Long gone are the days we thought makeup wipes did the justice of "washing our face"...well, at least that was my experience through my teenage years and early 20s. Who also used to habitually sleep in makeup (gross), so we won't discuss my naive days to appropriate skincare practices...lol. Here's the thing – when we wash our face only once a day, we're only removing the visible residue accumulated throughout the day but the tiny leftover particles are still there! The first step before bed should be an oil cleanse, essentially melting any makeup and dirt off our face. Make sure you ALWAYS follow up with a gentle cleanser for the second step. Think of it as a premium hand car wash – the "basic" first wash does the bare minimum (if that) to remove the visible dirt and grime. When you get the premium car wash, you get the bonus shines and scrubs then it's polished with a microfiber towel. Shouldn't we treat our skin the same way?!If you're a hot sleeper or rarely wash your pillowcases (less than 1-2x a week – yes, that often) then you should definitely incorporate an oil cleanse + wash before bed, and again when you wake up. You would be surprised to find how much dirt + oil gets collected on pillowcases from skin and hair – especially if you're using hair products or limit hair washing days to once or twice a week. It is great to do an oil cleanse and add a microfiber towel/washcloth into your face cleansing routine. It helps ensure you remove EVERY drop of makeup, dirt, and oils without stripping your skin of its natural oils and moisture. Make sure to dry your face with a clean towel, did any makeup come off onto your towel? If so, then repeat.
3. Exfoliate 1-2 times per week
This is a step most people may have heard about, but they often overlook – including myself. I always thought I shouldn't exfoliate because I have combination skin with some dryness in specific areas. Wrong. Exfoliating your skin once or twice a week can be a crucial step to help improve your skin tone, texture, and absorption of skincare products.
There are two types of ways to exfoliate: physically and chemically. Physical exfoliation uses tools or products to scrub off dead skin cells, dirt, and oils on the surface layer. Chemical exfoliation uses products and chemicals to penetrate the deepest layers of pores to remove dirt and grime in your skin. You can do either one, but some products have both. If you're trying out a chemical exfoliant for the first time, make sure to do a patch test on your skin before you go all out. If you tend to have sensitive skin, proceed with caution. Know your skin type and sensitivities. Chemical exfoliants tend to be much stronger and can have a more vigorous effect, especially if you're prone to skin reactions. With all this being said, don't overdo exfoliation. Once or twice a week is enough for your skin.
4. Incorporate an AHA/BHA product into your routine
Now, stay with me on this one. Some of you might be saying "What the hell is AHA or BHA?!" and I totally get it, I was there too. If you haven't tried either of these yet, it's going to blow your mind. Both are considered chemical exfoliants, AHA stands for Alpha-Hydroxy Acid and BHA is Beta-Hydroxy Acid. Some products have one or the other, or they might have both. They'll come in a variety of product forms – cleansers, serums, exfoliants, moisturizers, oils, toners, etc – but don't get overwhelmed. Any of them (for the most part, depending on the product quality) will work great! I recommend addressing your skincare texture and picking the product that fits best.
What is the difference between AHA and BHA? One of my friends who is an esthetician (shoutout to you, Maddie) gave me a GREAT tip for memorizing the difference: AHA is for "above or appearance" of the skin and BHA is for "below or beneath" the skin. In other words, AHA will address the surface layer of your skin and BHA will work past the surface layer to dig deeper into the depths of your pores. You may need to work your way up to using these acids because it'll make your skin more sensitive. Only use AHA/BHA's once or twice a week – and whenever using either of these, make sure to ALWAYS. WEAR. SUNSCREEN! Don't reverse all the progress you're making on skin appearance by forgetting sunscreen and causing worse problems for your future self.
5. Take a form of collagen, moisturize and HYDRATE!!
Probably my favorite step in my personal skincare routine and it has done wonders for more than just my skin – collagen (and protein, in general) has helped my bones, joints, nails, AND hair. Talk about a deal! In my opinion and from my own experience, the best form of collagen is liquid because it is the most effective with absorption. After researching about collagen, it was mentioned that our body absorbs 90% of liquid collagen versus 30% of collagen powder or pills. Liquid tends to be more expensive, but I think the price is justified. The Liquid Biocell LIFE Collagen by Modere is my absolute favorite, IT SERIOUSLY WORKS. Insane. However, if you are trying out collagen for the first time or running on a budget, collagen powder is still a great option! It adds protein into your diet and all you need to do is incorporate it into your morning coffee, tea, or smoothie. If you aren't into powder, there's also supplement pills. Such a simple add-in to your daily routine and the results are incredible, you will notice within the first few weeks or earlier!
Now, let's talk water. Did you know you're supposed to drink at least HALF of your body weight in ounces every day? If you've heard this tip already – which I'm sure most of you have – do you actually do it? I definitely never did before I started taking my skincare more seriously. Has your skin been looking "sunken in" and feeling itchy, dull, flaky, or more wrinkly? Truth is, you're probably thinking "oh, I just have dry skin", but you're actually dehydrated. And guess what, caffeine and alcohol dehydrate your skin and body tremendously. If you're reading this while on your 4th vanilla latte or 3rd glass of rosé, you're doing some damage and may not even realize it. Try to balance out those drinks with a glass of water before, during, and after. Double your water intake for every caffeinated or alcoholic drink you have. I swear, this step may seem the most irrelevant, but hydration is KEY. Buy a reusable water bottle with labeled time stamps to carry around with you and hold yourself accountable. Plus, you're helping the planet and reducing single-use plastic waste ;)
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Written by Rachel Keller for RK Method
Workout Guides & Training Programs, Online Fitness Coach, Personal Trainer in Los Angeles