I woke up one day in my mid-twenties and realized my face had aged 20 years overnight. Dramatic? Yeah, sure. But I WAS shocked and disturbed by the wrinkles I saw. I had never had a skincare routine, and had yet to implement the 10 cardinal rules you see below. I now follow these cardinal rules and I have since been aging backwards ever since. Happy to report I’m Benjamin Button.
1. WASH YOUR FACE BEFORE BED
I mean it. Every night. The consequences of not washing your face include:
Breakouts
Premature Wrinkles
Redness/Cracked Skin
Dirty Pillow Case
17 Days Worth of Aging for Each Night You Go to Sleep With Make-Up On
If this sounds impossible invest in some wipes like these and do a nice swipe of the ol’ face and neck as you fall into bed. Speaking of bed…
2. WASH YOUR PILLOWCASES WEEKLY OR BI-WEEKLY
FO REAL. You need to. If this sounds awful, go buy a few extra pillow cases so you can be switching them out consistently.
3. DRINK MORE WATER
WATERRRRR. The secret to everything. Including better skin. Drink some, then drink some more. This is the ultimate beauty secret. Hydrate today, wake up flawless tomorrow. It's just the way it works.
4. MOISTURIZE
Moisturizing reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Dry skin makes these things more apparent. Ask me about my favorite moisturizers if you’re still on the hunt for the perfect one.
It's a little known fact that dry skin often makes you breakout worse. I know, it's counter intuitive because when many of us think of breakouts an oily faced teen comes to mind. No, dry skin does you no favors either. So no matter what your skin type, make sure you are moisturizing. An oil free moisturizer is always safe.
Nourishing lashes goes a long way too. There are many natural ways to nourish your lash line, but here's what I use to naturally grow my eyelashes AND my brows.
5. GO HOLISTIC
I’m a strong believer in holistic health. If your skin is dull and lacks glow – EAT YOUR WAY TO BETTER SKIN. Observe the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables you are consuming. Are you getting enough protein? Antioxidants? Fatty Acids? Think: Salmon, Almonds, Tuna, Blueberries, Blackberries, Artichokes etc. There are ways to improve your skin naturally – and also eating well is just plain good for you. Mind, body, and skin.
6. ZEN YOUR WAY THERE
Yoga lover? Do it for your skin. Child's Pose and Downward Facing Dog improve circulation, especially in your face. More oxygen = more glow. And while we're here - exercise of any kind can actually make skin appear younger over time. So hit the gym this week to get that aerobic glow for Friday.
7. SLEEP, HONEY
Bags, dullness, and dark circles are increased when we don’t get a good night’s sleep. Set your bedtime for 8 p.m. tonight, capiche?! Okay maybe not 8 p.m. but really try to get your solid 7-8 hours in this week, girl.
Also please do this for your overall health. Breakouts can be due to stress. Not sleeping can equal stress. SLEEP. It will make your waking hours more productive. Do not punish yourself and your potential for greater success by over committing yourself. It is not OKAY to work until midnight from your bed (remember that thing called quality of life?)
8. WASH YOUR FACE WHEN YOU WAKE UP
I use cold water because I like to torture myself first thing in the morning. Also because I read one time that that’s the only skincare secret the French use so I started going with it? You don’t need to partake in the self-inflicted torture of cold water BUT – you do need to wash it when you wake up. Compromise, my friend. And don’t forget to use a toner (an effective toner is magical) and moisturize the hell out of it (again).
9. FORGET SWIPING LEFT OR RIGHT. SWIPE UP!
Repeated actions have lasting effects. A rock is smoothed overtime by the constant flow of the water. DO NOT APPLY YOUR MOISTURIZER OR PRIMER OR TONER IN DOWNWARD STROKES. Every application should be an upward swipe. Are you following me? If you spend your entire life applying lotion from the forehead down the face or from the chin down the neck, you are literally speeding up gravity's job and pulling your skin down. Do not do this. Related: pat dry your skin. Pat it. Again, do not run the towel down that precious face of yours. It deserves better.
10. NO WASHCLOTHS ALLOWED
You heard me - splash splash splash that face like the girls you see in commercials. Yes, your sink will be soaking wet by the time you're finished - but better to use a washcloth to dry that up than to wrinkle your face. When you use Rodan + Fields wipes they are pre-packed with peptides to protect you. Also, always avoid wiping or rubbing any of your eye area roughly. It is the most delicate skin you have. Products to repair saggy/puffy eyes here and here.
That's it! 10 rules to live by. This is your skin, baby! You only get one shot at it. Treat it well.