There is seemingly an unlimited number of essential things we absolutely must do for our health and beauty, but the fact is, we can’t do everything. Settling on a handful of key skincare tips to keep your skin beautiful can simplify your routines and help keep some pressure off while working on the other things in your life.
Finding the most effective beauty treatments that don’t take too much time or money is what you’re aiming for here. If even one or two of these skin care tips are the bare minimum, you’ll be better off.
#1. Regular chemical peels to care for skin in two ways
Chemical peels are a cost-effective strategy to support beautiful skin without a significant investment of time or money. Drop into ENRICH Clinic in Melbourne every so often for an effective anti-ageing treatment that costs you less than $70, takes less than an hour and will hold your skin in good stead in more than one way over time.
Despite having a much nicer name, beauty parlour facials are not the same as chemical peels. While they might smell good and feel lovely, a regular beauty facial just doesn’t have any oomph in it and doesn’t last for more than the day of. A chemical peel, by comparison, will freshen your complexion while also stimulating collagen, so you get a skin perk up while also keeping skin looking younger for longer. It’s a win-win.
#2. Care about what you put in your body – and what comes out
Your diet does matter when it comes to not only your skin’s health but your entire body. Not all diets – including so-called healthy diets – suit everybody, so work out what sort of food you feel the best on, and make an effort.
If you find that certain foods upset your belly (even veggies, fruits or other ‘healthy’ food), consider seeing a dietician, nutritionist or naturopath for advice on what could be going wrong and how to fix it. Don’t ignore niggling digestive problems, as they often have a flow-on effect on the rest of your body, including your skin, not to mention being uncomfortable. There are solutions.
Diet and digestion are more than just filling the hunger void. The quality of your food matters (McDonald’s vs homecooked), when you eat (going all day without eating, eating late at night, overeating, undereating), and how food digests and nutrients are absorbed.
Suppose you’re missing essential nutrients from your diet. In that case, it will show up someplace else, with the skin a common area for nutritional deficiencies, allergies and intolerances to rear their ugly head.
Low zinc, for example, can mean more breakouts that are slower to heal. Low protein will show up as flaky nails and brittle hair. Low iron can result in pale skin and sensitivity to the cold, not to mention feeling and looking tired. Dairy allergy or intolerance can show up as eczema or asthma flares. The list is endless, so if you’re having niggling symptoms, get them checked out.
#3. Wash your face every night
Removing the oil and dirt from your face before you lay your head on the pillow is one of the best things you can do for your skin. Lying on the same greasy pillow night after night is not ideal.
Dirt and skin cells cling to grease without any trouble at all, so if you go to bed with a dirty face, you then transfer that mess to the pillow. Then the next night, you add to it, so after a week of the same pillowcase, you have yourself a filthy little petri dish that you’re applying like a heat pack to your face each night. Not a pleasant thought.
Wash your face with a gentle, effective cleanser, remove any makeup, and apply a good quality nighttime moisturiser. Wait for the moisturiser to dry completely before lying down on your pillow to avoid any unnecessary transfer of the moisturiser to the pillowcase. Wash your pillowcase once a week, even if you keep the same sheets.
Additionally, make sure to wash any cloth masks after you’ve finished wearing them for the occasion or day, and don’t double up two days in a row. Masks are a hotbed of germs and grease.
#4. Wear sunscreen
Wearing 50+ sunscreen is the best antiageing preventative we have. Do it. Religiously. Find a light non-greasy sunscreen and apply to your face, neck and hands before applying make-up.
It’s important to understand that while we are mildly obsessed with sunscreen, slathering your whole body in sunscreen and avoiding the sun means you’re more likely to be vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with many health issues, including poor immune function and frequent infections.
With a pandemic upon us, taking small precautions like having sufficient vitamin D for your proper immune function may mean taking advantage of limited sunshine on exposed skin but using sunscreen on your face, neck and decolletage.
To get enough vitamin D, the Australian Cancer Council says:
The best source of vitamin D is UVB radiation from the sun. UV radiation levels vary depending on location, time of year, time of day, cloud coverage and the environment.
For most people, adequate vitamin D levels are reached through regular incidental exposure to the sun. When the UV Index is 3 or above (such as during summer), most people maintain adequate vitamin D levels just by spending a few minutes outdoors on most days of the week.
In late autumn and winter in some southern parts of Australia, when the UV Index falls below 3, spend time outdoors in the middle of the day with some skin uncovered. Being physically active (e.g. gardening or going for a brisk walk) also helps boost vitamin D levels.
#5. See your dermatologist annually and get a skin health plan
Add seeing your dermatologist into your regular medical care routine and get your skin checked regularly. This regular check might include having suspect moles looked at, having your skin assessed for opportunities for beautification, or treating a skin condition. As you age, your needs change and might include blood vessel treatments or lifts.
When you visit your dermatologist, we’re able to examine your skin, hair and nails and pick up any issues early. Getting used to regularly seeing your dermatologist is a healthy move, just like visiting the dentist for a checkup and clean once a year or getting your bloods done at your regular GP.
Want more information? Get in touch!
ENRICH Clinic
