Jessica Ashley, a writer at Yahoo Shine, recently penned an article titled, “11 no-failed ways to get glowing, flawless skin,” and I wanted to share those tips with my Beyond Black Beauty.com readers.
No one has completely perfect skin, but you don’t need a staff of people or celebrity money to win your battle over blemishes, push back the signs of aging, and feel absolutely gorgeous. Here’s how to put your best face (and shoulders and neck) forward.
1. Drink enough water
We know, we know. You’ve heard this a million times, but staying hydrated remains one of the most significant things you can do to improve your complexion. “This tip is so easy, but it’s also the first thing I tell women to do to take better care of their skin,” says medical esthetician Peggi Sobota. “Because the skin is one of the last organs to get hydrated when you drink water, it really shows if you have or haven’t been drinking enough water.”
Conventional wisdom says eight glasses of water a day are plenty, but Sobota recommends a new formula: taking your body weight and dividing that number in half to get the number of ounces of water you should be drinking each day (for example, a 150-pound woman should consume 75 ounces daily). Although you might not see instant results, Sobota says many women see a difference in just a few short days.
2. Microdermabrasion is a truly effective exfoliator—most other scrubs should be trashed.
“When we’re young, our skin cells turn over about every 28 days,” Sobota explains. “But as we age, cells turn over 35, 40, or even every 50 days. What you need are products and treatments [like microdermabrasion] that prompt skin to turnover and essentially trick it into thinking it is younger.”
Microdermabrasion is a skin-buffing treatment that can cost $75 to $200 per session in a reputable medical spa. Even if you’re on a budget, one session could give your skin a big boost. However, regular treatments, whether every three weeks or every eight, are best for most people’s skin concerns, she says.
“One time will make you feel better,” Sobota notes. “But like working out, once is better than nothing, but doing it regularly will make a much bigger impact.”
She also suggests steering clear of drugstore facial and body scrubs.
“Apricot seed scrubs can cause microscopic tears and synthetic ball scrubs actually don’t do much for your skin. Using these products actually may cause more problems than you already have with your skin. You really can’t get comparable exfoliation to microdermabrasion over the counter.”
3. You need sunscreen, but not tons of it.
Both dermatologist Dr. Eric Schweiger and Sobota agree that using sunscreen daily is one of the very first changes you should make to improve your skin.
“Those signs of aging many women heading toward 40 see — little mouth lines, sun spots, crow’s feet — are not things you should biologically see until your 60s. If you see them before that, you did that to yourself. You can’t erase the damage that’s been done, but you can stop it from progressing rapidly,” Sobota points out.
Dr. Schweiger recommends using a moisturizer-sunscreen combination, while Sobota reminds women that they don’t need to slather on a ton of sunscreen to get its full effects.
“You only need a shot glass-size amount to cover the entire body, which means the amount that goes on your face is about the size of a quarter,” she says.
4. Protect yourself against the sun, even when you’re inside.
Even if you’re sitting in a cubicle all day, you could be getting exposure to sunlight that can damage and age your skin. “If you sit near a window, UVA rays can come through and take a toll on your skin,” Sobota warns. “There’s even some evidence that fluorescent lighting can have an impact. Most of us are cautious outside, but you really need to touch up your sunscreen just like you powder your nose.”
How do you do this without stripping off your makeup and starting your beauty regimen over or adding goopy sprays over your foundation? Sobota recommends powder sunscreens that you can dab on.
5. SPF makeup? It just doesn’t cut it.
“It’s a nice try, a good buffer, but the amount of SPF in makeup and what you get in sunscreen are not equal,” Sobota says.
If you’re prone to breakouts during summer months, Dr. Schweiger suggests using a tinted moisturizer—it’s a great option for people with sensitive skin or those who want lighter-weight coverage for blemishes or acne scarring because it allows you to use fewer products.
To read the rest of the six tips, please click here.
