Skincare Tips That Cost $0
Filling your skincare routine with professional products is always a plus but it can quickly add up in cost. While it's important to have good products that are used consistently in your routine, it's not everything when it comes to achieving healthy, smooth, glowing skin. Positive, clean, daily habits are equally as important and can clear up skin just as well as products can. In fact, incorporating these zero cost skincare tips can even PREVENT skin conditions from occurring in the first place like breakouts, scarring, dullness, and more.
Stay Hydrated
Our skin is the largest organ on our body and keeping it hydrated is important for a variety of reasons, even beyond just our skincare. Drinking plenty of water will keep your body hydrated and allow your skin to be supple and keep its elasticity. If your skin is dry, dull, saggy, or has poor texture, drinking a healthy amount of water daily (on average 2 liters/day for adults) will help! In addition, your skin will be better able to prevent wrinkles, soft lines, scars, and acne. In general when your skin is hydrated, it's most efficient and effective at repairing itself and preventing premature aging.
No Picking/Touching
Constant picking or touching of the face is an absolute no! We're all guilty of this at some point throughout the day however, touching the face is a bad habit that needs to be prevented. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says this is especially true for oily skin. It spreads dirt, oils, and bacteria from our hands to our face which can lead to breakouts, clogged pores, or worse... The AAD recommends only touching your face with clean hands to apply skincare products like your daily moisturizer, SPF, cleanser, etc. As far as pimple popping goes, that's also a no! If you have to because of a clearly visible white head or black head. We get it. But at least use clean hands, and even gloves. Be gentle, go slow, and prep the skin with a warm compress beforehand. Repeated picking can not only damage your skin, but leave long lasting if not permanent scars that will stay with you for literal YEARS...
Change Your Pillowcases
Naturally, as we sleep we produce oils and shed dead skin cells. This over the course of just a few days, transfers and can build up on your pillow's surface. Combine this with hair product and makeup on your pillowcase if you don't shower or wash your face before bed, and you have a breakout waiting to happen. Try to wash your pillowcase every 5 days and opt for a breathable cotton one. This minimizes the transfer of oils and dead skin. For sensitive and acne prone skin, a silk pillowcase may be good as well to reduce friction and irritation. Good hygiene is a good foundation for good skin!
Avoid Sleeping with Makeup On
Sleeping with makeup on is the most assured way to cause a breakout and one of the worst things you can do for your skin besides falling asleep outside under the sun without SPF... More than likely, you'll wake up with dry irritated eyes and inflamed red skin. In addition, sleeping with your makeup on traps dirt, oils, and can cause premature aging like wrinkles, dry skin, undesired texture, dullness, and poor elasticity over time! Every once and a while, a long night out and falling asleep on your cozy bed with no care in the world for removing your makeup is understandable and not going to ruin your skin. But don't let it develop into a bad habit!
Overall, maintaining a good skincare routine involves more than just professional products. Doing these daily steps consistently like staying hydrated, removing your makeup before bed, avoiding touching/picking, and changing your pillowcase every 5 days may seem like a lot, but it certainly doesn't compare to the cost and time of repairing damaged skin thats already taken its toll!
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