Most people know the basics of good skincare: Wash every day with a mild cleanser, spot treat blemishes as they appear, and maintain a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and you have the basics covered. If you want to transform good skin into great skin though, you may want to try a few additional strategies.
Think Beyond Your Face
If you stop your cleaning and moisturizing right under your jaw line, you're not protecting some important parts of your skin, Howard Fein, M.D., a dermatologist in Los Angeles, says in Allure magazine. According to Fein, the delicate skin on your neck and chest shows signs of aging just like your face does, so protecting it can keep you looking younger longer.
Change Your Sheets
Over time, the effects of your sheets rubbing against your face can cause friction that breaks down collagen, causing wrinkles and sagging skin, explains Elle magazine. Slippery satin sheets do the least damage, so if you can sleep comfortably on them, considering making them your go-to bed linens.
Exfoliate with Care
Regular exfoliation helps slough away dead skin cells and leaves your skin silky smooth--but if you exfoliate too often, your skin's oil glands might overproduce, leading to clogged pores and breakouts, Fein says in Allure magazine. Limit your exfoliation sessions to just three times a week, and consider switching to a gentler, glycolic peel instead of a traditional exfoliating treatment.
Start With Sunscreen
Sun damage causes some of the most visible skin damage, including wrinkles, roughness and dark spots. Protect your skin by making sunscreen part of your everyday beauty routine year-round. Elle magazine recommends choosing a full spectrum sunscreen that has both UVA and UVB protection and applying sunscreen before your other makeup or skincare products for maximum sun protection.
Be Product Aware
If your bathroom counter is full of lots of different beauty products, getting rid of some of them may actually improve your skin. The reason: Multiple products may contain ingredients that cancel each other out or team up to cause a skin overdose, explains Patricia Wexler, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City in Allure magazine. You're most likely to run into problems if you are using products to treat more than one condition, and retinol, vitamin C, glycolic acid and benzoyl peroxide are the most likely to cause problems when combined, according to Allure.
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