Wednesday, October 12, 2011

10 Steps to Perfect Skin Care and Face Care for Dry Skin




I have recently taken a strong interest in skin care. Of course, I have always made sure to take basic care of my skin but recently I?ve been putting just a little bit more effort into it. I?m happy with the results and have found that it really doesn?t take all that much more time or money that what I was putting into my skin before. If you have dry skin then you might be able to benefit from my current skin care regime which includes:


1.     Use a cleanser twice daily. I think this small step has made the biggest difference for my skin. In the past I would generally just wash my face once while I was in the shower using a general body soap that was safe for the face as well. Now I take the time to use a cleanser made just for face washing and to use it twice per day.


2.     Use a microexfoliant once daily. Immediately after washing my face with a cleanser in the morning, I use a microexfoliant on my skin. It?s just a powder that I add a dab of water to and then rub on my face. In the past, I had been using a face scrub but this is much less harsh and seems healthier.


3.     Use toner twice daily.It is a little bit embarrassing to admit this but I didn?t know what toner was until very recently. I?ve since learned that it?s just a convenient little spray that I spray on to my face after my cleanser or microexfoliant. It feels really refreshing and I?m told it helps with the moisturizing of my skin.


4.     Use moisturizer twice daily. I never really used a face moisturizer before. Sometimes I would apply a general lotion to my face when it felt dry but I just didn?t bother with this step in the past. Since starting to use a face moisturizer twice a day, I?ve definitely noticed a softer, richer feeling to my skin.


5.     Add SPF in the morning. I am the type of person who typically only applies sunscreen if I?m going to be out all day in the sun. Since I spend most of my time indoors, I?ve always thought it was a little bit silly to put SPF on every single day. However, it was recommended to me that I add SPF lotion to my moisturizer each morning. I?ve been trying it. I?m not sure how much it contributes to the improved quality of my skin but I?m trusting the experts on this one for now.


6.     Drink ridiculous amounts of water. This is something that I list in so many of my articles because 
drinking water is good for so many different aspects of your health. If you have dry skin, it?s crucial to get as much water throughout the day as you can. You can moisturize the skin to your heart?s content but it just doesn?t have the same results as if you drink water and replenish the skin from the inside out. I?ve started making sure to drink a glass of water in the morning, at night and with each meal.


7.     Use a hydrating face mask twice per week. I never really knew what type of face mask to use at home but of course it makes sense that a hydrating mask would be right for dry skin. I?m using a man-made one but of course you could also make your own natural face mask from food products if you were so inclined.


8.     Eat moisture-rich foods that are good for your skin. Speaking of food, it?s important to make sure that you?re eating a proper diet for good skin care. I?m guilty of eating too many processed foods, buttery foods, etc. but I?m getting a lot better about eating all-organic, natural raw foods that are moisture-rich and healthy for my skin. I definitely think it?s going to make a long term difference in the healthfulness of my skin.


9.     Get bi-weekly facials. There is only so much that I feel like I can do at home for my own skin. This new skin care regime is definitely helping with my daily skin appearance but there are things that can be done by professionals that I just don?t do as well at home. That?s why I think getting facials once or twice a month is going to be something that I?m going to commit to for myself. The extractions that they do, the extra care they give the skin and the ongoing advice that they offer for improving skin care all seem very beneficial to improving the quality of my skin.


10. Exercise. Finally, I?m a believer that sweating out the things that are in your body is good for your body overall. The more gross stuff you have piled into your body, the worse it seems that your skin is going to look right? I?m definitely trying to purify what goes into my body by eating better and drinking more water but that doesn?t mean that things are perfect in there. Proper exercise is good for so many things and sweating out toxins is certainly one of them. I think this is good for my skin, too, as long as I?m replacing that sweat with fresh clean water!


What do you do for your skin care regime? Is it different for you because you have oily skin? Commit to making a change towards better skin today!