- Clean your beauty brushes. Your makeup tools can create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria (and leftover dirt) – something you probably want far from your face! Bacteria may lead to acne and infection. To clean your brushes, Good Housekeeping suggests you rinse them with water first and then apply a drop of gentle shampoo, creating a lather. Next, wash them well and use a towel to ring out the water. Let the brushes air-dry.
According to BellaSugar, tools used with liquid products – like eye shadow and foundation – should be washed daily. Brushes that are used with powder products can be cleaned every two weeks.
Also, you can use mild soap instead of shampoo. Or ditch the wash-and-lather cycle altogether by purchasing a specialized brush cleaner. Colorescience Brush Cleaner contains hydrogen peroxide and alcohol along with citrus and tea tree oils to thoroughly clean your beauty brushes. Plus, avoid sharing your makeup brushes because this can lead to infection, says BellaSugar.
- Watch out for expired products. Another big breeding ground for bacteria is the product itself. Many of us forget that skincare and beauty products do expire. And though you may feel bad tossing a half-used product, you’re doing a good thing for your skin. Expired formulas can cause everything from eye infections to irritated skin to allergic reactions. Learn when products expire in our comprehensive guide. Remember that if the product’s consistency or color has changed or if it smells icky, it’s time to toss!
- Keep products in proper places. Where you keep your products is key to preserving them. Put your products in the wrong place and they can grow bacteria, mold and yeast – yuck! Avoid keeping makeup and skincare formulas (with vitamin C, for instance) in the bathroom, car or another temperature-volatile place. Basically, you want to stash them away from heat and light. The best place to store your products? In a cool, dry location – and tightly sealed.
- Find skin-boosting nutrients in food. Whatever is great for your health is great for your skin. Some foods can help your skin look radiant, fight free radicals and help it function better overall. For instance, on dermatologist Amy Wechsler’s grocery list, you’ll find sweet potatoes, green veggies, fish and tons of citrus. Sweet potatoes, along with tomatoes and cantaloupe, replenish antioxidants so they can gobble up free radicals, Dr. Wechsler tells RealAge. Vitamin C, which you can get from oranges, lemons and grapefruit, is pivotal for collagen production.
Vitamin A-rich veggies such as spinach and broccoli aid with cell production and cell turnover for smoother skin. Without enough vitamin A, skin becomes dry and scaly. Salmon, tuna and trout, among other fish, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which tackle inflammation. “Inflammation produces free radicals, and free radicals contribute to aging by attacking collagen,” writes Lucy Danziger in Self.
Plus, protein-packed foods like poultry and pork contain zinc and iron. Zinc aids cell synthesis and exfoliation, so skin doesn’t look dull. “Red blood cells need iron to carry oxygen to skin, helping give you a glow,” writes Danziger.
Here’s more on foods that foster healthy skin.
- Manage stress. You might’ve heard that stress affects your skin. But you may be surprised to learn the extent of its influence. In general, stress makes skin more sensitive and reactive, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
It can worsen a variety of skincare conditions and concerns. Stress can exacerbate psoriasis and rosacea, produce “more inflamed and more persistent” breakouts, create brittle nails, hinder your skin’s barrier function, dry out skin and even cause hair loss, reports the organization. With a weakened barrier and thirsty skin, your skin is more vulnerable to irritants, allergens and infection. So getting a grip on stress is vital for your overall wellness – your skin included!
These are some of our favorite ways to manage stress:
- Try yoga or another form of exercise that you think you’ll enjoy.
- Incorporate calming activities into your routine, such as an at-home manicure and pedicure and a pampering skin treatment – all on a budget (another stress relief).
- Commit your thoughts and feelings to paper by writing in a journal. Research shows that journaling can have many benefits, including shrinking symptoms of common health conditions, such as asthma; boosting cognitive functioning; and improving the immune system, according to Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About’s stress guide.
Here are more tips on soothing stressed-out skin.
- Practice the 3-minute rule . Having hydrated skin is key to having healthy skin. But you may not be getting the full benefits with your hydrator. Be sure to moisturize within three minutes of washing, showering or bathing – when skin is damp – because this helps to lock in moisture. In fact, it’s a common misconception that moisturizers hydrate the skin. To the contrary, moisturizers lock in skin’s own moisture, notes the AAD. So hydrating skin when it’s dry is largely unhelpful.
Find out what moisturizers are best for your skin type along with tips on boosting your product’s efficacy in this article. Plus, here are five super-hydrating ingredients to look for in effective moisturizers.
- Sleep. Whenever life gets busy, sleep is typically the first thing to suffer. But don’t underestimate the power of sleep for your skin and well-being. “Sleep is free cosmetic medicine, pure and simple,” and “nothing exacerbates stress and etches in lines like exhaustion,” according to an article on RealAge.
According to Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project, lack of sleep can affect your energy levels and even your happiness. Her suggestions for sound sleep include setting a specific bedtime; ensuring your room is dark, chilly and clutter-free; stretching; and avoiding activities that make you alert an hour before bedtime. Here’s more on getting extra sleep while maintaining great skin.
- Use oils. If you have dry skin that isn’t prone to acne, picking moisturizers with various oils can become a crucial healthy habit. According to dermatologist Leslie Baumann, M.D., on her Yahoo! Health blog, The Skin Guru, oil-rich moisturizers “coat the skin's surface to prevent evaporation and provide linoleic acid, which helps skin hold on to water.” Her favorite oils are sunflower seed oil, evening primrose oil, olive oil and jojoba oil.
Sunflower seed oil boasts infection-fighting and skin barrier-boosting abilities, while evening primrose oil has omega-6 fatty acids, which improve dry skin, writes Dr. Baumann. Plus, she says it’s effective for people with both dry and even acne-prone skin. Olive oil is loaded with antioxidants but might be too much for individuals with acenic skin . Jojoba oil is antibacterial, promotes hydration and helps acne-prone skin.
Find out more about some of these and other natural ingredients that can boost skin here.
- Wear sunscreen. No article on healthy habits would be complete if it didn’t include applying sunscreen daily. Sunscreen not only protects skin against devastating and potentially deadly cancers, but it also shields your skin from premature aging. The sun can cause telltale signs of aging, such as wrinkles, rough skin, discoloration and dryness.
Many of us may apply sunscreen daily, but we still might be making some common application mistakes that can leave our skin exposed to UV damage. Be sure you’re applying sunscreen to all exposed areas, including the ears, neck, hands, chest and feet – places that are easily and often forgotten.
Also, apply sunscreen every two hours or sooner if sweating or swimming. If you’re outside for longer periods of time or you’re in a particularly sunny area (like the tropics or mountains), apply sunscreen with SPF 30 and greater. And don’t let wintry weather fool your skin: The sun reflects off the snow, making it even more essential to apply sunscreen diligently.
Cloudy days aren’t a safe haven from the sun either. Some people may even get a worse burn on a cloud-filled day than on a sunny one. So, all in all, wear your sunscreen daily, any time, any place.
Here’s more on the basics of SPF, commonly missed spots and preventing melanoma.
- See a dermatologist. There are many reasons to see a dermatologist at least once a year. Dermatologists can accurately diagnose skincare conditions and recommend an effective skincare routine. They can evaluate your body for potentially problematic moles that may need to be removed.
If you have rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, acne or any other bothersome skincare condition, dermatologists can help you create a good regimen and prescribe successful treatments. These conditions “can cause considerable discomfort and result in interrupted sleep, loss of productivity, missed days at work and even permanent damage if left untreated,” according to Elizabeth Rogers for 50Plus. So find a good dermatologist and schedule an appointment.
Having great skin goes beyond applying effective products. It means keeping up with some healthy habits, too. Fortunately, all these habits are also vital for your wellness. So while you’re adding these practices into your routine, you’re doing a lot of good for your overall health.