Raisin Face

Ok I get it, tanning is popular. I hate it, whether it's for 10 minutes in a coffin tanning bed or sweating outside on the beach. There are a few reasons, one being the aforementioned sweating, the others being cancer, wrinkles, and peeling. It is inevitable, especially living in the south, that I will get some sun exposure, however, I try to be as preventative as possible.

I don't really know much about skin care for men, because I'm not one, BUT I know that everyone should be good with some sort of moisturizer with an spf in it. I feel like nowadays this should be a "duh" but we all know that guys are idiots.

For girls, it is always important to have a skin care regimen that includes the following: daily cleanser, weekly exfoliant, DAILY MOISTURIZER with spf, and daily eye serum or eye cream. If you want to throw in a once-a-month mask (<-- click for great at-home facial recipes featuring things from your kitchen) of some sort that is good too.

I myself and some of my friends have to deal with acne and people ask me with my oily skin that is prone to breakouts, why I use moisturizer. Well according to my own personal experience research, my face tended to breakout more when I didn't wear moisturizer as opposed to when I did wear it. My theory is that as my skin needs moisture, it will over-compensate for a lack of moisture by producing excess oil on my face and as a result, causing more breakouts for my skin. Add on top of that make-up and dirt and you have a recipe for disaster.

It is important to start this routine now (in 20's) not when you already have wrinkles and are trying to turn back the hands of time. You can make a preemptive strike against wrinkles now. The difference could be EXTREMELY drastic as pictured below.

I am also including a picture of my mom when she was 17 and now at 46. She is out in the sun alot but has been using skin care regimens for many many years. I learned about basic skin care from her years of using Clinique products as I was growing up!

Whether you use ProActive, St. Ives, Clinique, or you went to the dermatologist (like me!), find something that works for your schedule and ALWAYS ALWAYS wear moisturizer.

These statements are from my personal experience and readings and have not been reviewed by a doctor or a dermatologist.