The Face Guide: Daily Maintenance

 

Daily Maintenance: Choose the optimal product texture.

If you have dry skin that feels taut and deposits flakes when a piece of tape is pressed against it, seek out creamy moisture-rich cleansers with soothing plant extracts like seaweed. Oily or acne-prone? Use a wash with exfoliating fruit extracts (papaya, grapefruit) or salicylic acid daily, and slough dead skin cells with a gentle scrub twice a week. If your skin is sensitive with patches of redness, look for a natural cleansing oil or nonlathering face wash void of dyes and perfumes. 

Daily Maintenance: The sun: wrinkle culprit and moisture bandit.

A good sunscreen is important for sun protection as well as protection against moisture loss. The sun shines all year long, making an SPF lotion a necessity—even when it’s below zero outside. In winter months, look for a more emollient version—there are nourishing moisturizers on the market that contain sunscreen as a bonus—to provide a protective barrier against harmful rays and other weather-inflicted skin conditions. 

Daily Maintenance: Go for extra credit in the hydration department.

There are plenty of ways to get extra hydration into your skin without the application of products. Hitting the steam room for a few minutes at the gym or spa and incorporating those requisite eight glasses of water a day (via pure H20 or fruits and veggies) are just a couple examples of small steps that can make a big impact. 

Daily Maintenance: Anti-Aging Treatments: Replace lost moisture from the inside out.

Estrogen keeps skin supple but declines over age, making additional hydration essential for a youthful appearance. Supplement loss of natural estrogen with plant estrogens, rich in green veggies like broccoli that also contain glow-getting antioxidants like vitamins A and C. Also search for creams with plumpers like glycerin and hyaluronic acid and use them twice a day regularly for best results. Even if your skin is oily, don’t skip this step, as dehydrated skin will only produce more sebum, exacerbating your issues. 

Daily Maintenance: Cut those sugar cravings.

Women tend to crave sugary foods, which can wreak havoc on the skin and are said to promote aging by triggering free radicals, inducing inflammation, and damaging cells. Consider a low-sugar diet, which can keep insulin levels down, allowing cells to maintain a healthy balance. 

Daily Maintenance: Get the right fats into your diet.

Don’t remove all the fat from your diet if you want supple, smooth skin. Studies show that diets with a good amount of essential fatty acids promote healthy cellular turnover, calm inflammation, and result in a supple, more youthful-looking complexion. Omega-3s are plentiful in salmon, mackerel, tuna, nuts, and seeds, so be sure to keep them on the menu for great skin.

Daily Maintenance: Dive into water-based foods.

Hydrated skin can be achieved not only by drinking water but also by eating foods that are high in water content. Raw fruits and vegetables (and juices containing them) are an impressive way to increase your body’s essential need for water without lifting a bottle or glass.