Are you stuck in the cycle of using skin products to correct issues from your other skin products? Are you relaxing your skincare routine now that you’re stuck at home? Or is your area opening up soon and you’re hoping to build a strong skin foundation for your public reappearance? Or are you, like millions of women, loving the time, money and peace of mind saved by wearing less or no makeup?
There has never been a better time than right now to hit the reset button on your skincare routine. By committing to lifestyle choices that promote skin health from within and paring down your product use to the minimum, you’ll get a look at the state of your skin without any outside influences. From there you can identify the parts you love, the parts that need more attention, and rebuild a personalized skincare routine. You’ll be ready to step out into summer with confidence!
Ready to start? For one week, throw out your regular routine and commit to these skin-specific lifestyle changes:
- Get your beauty sleep to reduce cortisol levels, which cause inflammation and inhibit collagen production. By sleeping for 7-9 hours, you will reduce acne, rosacea and other skin conditions while supporting your skin’s natural glow.
- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser when you get up in the morning, before you go to bed, and after working up a sweat. Choose a cleanser with no microbeads, acids, aromas or other active ingredients, and wash using gentle, circular motions.
- Stay hydrated by drinking 8-10 cups of water throughout the day. Properly hydrated skin is plump and glowy with fewer wrinkles, and establishing good internal hydration now will lay the foundation for your post-reset moisturizer to work best. I recommend carrying a water bottle with you or drinking herbal tea.
- Work up a sweat at least once per day to send blood flow to your skin and expel dirt and toxins from your pores. Work out, hop in a sauna, or do whatever you like to do that leaves you red in the face. Whatever you choose, wash your face as part of your cooldown.
- Exfoliate twice per week to remove the top layer of skin cells and promote healthy regrowth. For the purpose of this reset week, choose a mechanical exfoliant like ground walnut rather than a chemical exfoliant, and scrub gently.
- Stay out of the sun by staying inside, in the shade, or in a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. If you must venture out into direct sunlight, use a sunscreen with SPF 30 and wash it off as soon as you’re back inside.
- Eat fruits, vegetables and healthy fats for their skin-supporting nutrients, and cut out refined sugars and dairy. Milk products and empty carbs will contribute to inflammation.
After your detox week, take a good look at your skin and make note of what’s working and what isn’t. Keep up the minimalist, inside-out strategy if you feel and look good, or build a skincare routine around your unique problem areas by adding one product back in at a time. By gradually building up a routine, you can keep an eye on the effects and side-effects of each toner, moisturizer, sunscreen, mask and treatment and ultimately end up with a regime suited to your individual needs.
Keep up your new lifestyle changes and maintain a regular beauty routine to maximize health and wellness, and continue to Be Vivid You!
