Lifestyle

Skin Care 101: 5 Things Every 20 Something Must Do

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Being a twentysomething – there’s nothing quite like it! You’re young and beautiful, free of responsibilities (mostly) and ready to conquer the world, not to mention that your skin is at its best, since you’ve probably already grown out of your acne phase. Don’t take this for granted though, and keep in mind that you still need to actively do something in order to ward off the fine lines and dry skin that older women are oh-so-familiar with.

You don’t have to go out of your way or break the bank to do this, though. All you need is five extra minutes when you wake up and another five when you go to bed.

Cleanse. Every Single Night.

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After five cocktails and a few hours of laughing, singing and dancing, cleansing is the last thing on your mind, especially when you can actually see the sun rising. I’m fully aware of it, but this doesn’t change the fact that sleeping with makeup on is highly detrimental to your skin.

Nope, makeup wipes aren’t accepted, mainly because on their own, they’re unlikely to do anything except minimize the amount of foundation that is transferred from your face to your pillow. Don’t take any shortcuts and cleanse your face thoroughly before going to bed. Otherwise, your skin will never really have the occasion to repair itself, and it’s your pretty visage that will suffer in the long run.

Moisturizer is the word

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You’re not a teen anymore, so your face is most likely not as oily as it used to be a few years ago, which means that it’s time for you to give it some well-deserved extra moisture. Get yourself a good quality face cream and apply that beauty all over your face every single day, both in the morning and in the evening.

Protect your skin from the sun

Long gone are the days when you could play outside all day long without getting a sunburn! Now that you’re an adult, constant exposure to the sun is going to take its toll on your skin waaay faster. Furthermore, the damage caused by the sun is cumulative, so just because your skin is glowing now, it doesn’t mean that it will look just as good when you’re 40.

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Therefore, you should apply sunscreen with a high SPF not only when you go to the beach, but pretty much every time you go out. If you don’t want to buy a separate cream, you can always use a moisturizer with a sun protection factor. Most day cream formulas have got one anyway.

Eye cream is the new black

No dearie, you don’t have to be 40 years old to use eye cream. The skin under your eyes is the thinnest on your entire body, not to mention that it’s got a significantly lower collagen concentration, which makes it much more sensitive to external factors. Oh, and have you noticed what happens to your under eye area when you’re smiling, laughing and eating? Well, considering all this, it seems only fair that this portion ages so much faster than the rest.

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That being said, investing in a good quality eye cream is definitely the best thing to do, regardless of how old you are. Just pat it in with your ring finger, without applying too much pressure, and make sure that you never leave the house without sunglasses.

Serums – gotta save these bad boys for later

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Yes, I know how gorgeous they make your skin look, but the thing is, serums are not recommended for twentysomethings. If you’re wondering why not, then you may want to know how they work. Basically, what serums do is boost the metabolism of your skin cells. However, due to your young age, your skin’s metabolism is already fast enough, so why bother using something you don’t need in the first place?

A lifestyle change is always welcome

When it comes to your skin, you can’t just apply some cream all over your face and be done with it. I’m not telling you to stop eating and drinking what you like, but from time to time, you should opt for the healthier alternatives. You could try to swap coffee with green tea from time to time, or eat an apple instead of a Snickers bars for your morning snack. Drink a lot of water and make sure that you exercise as often as possible.

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Don’t drink too much alcohol in one sitting – I know it’s hard, but you can still try –  and cut down on those damn cigarettes and fatty foods. Try to get enough sleep every night (seven hours will do just fine) and remember that skincare products that are only effective if you use them on a daily basis, for an extended period of time.

What else is there left to say? Well, stay healthy, stay beautiful and remember that a stitch in time saves nine!