For years, people have asked fashion designer and entertainer, Pharrell Williams, how he has managed to stay so youthful and fresh? Pharrell has shared that he exfoliates regularly, uses moisturizer with sunscreen, and drinks water. He also has a dermatologist, revealing his derm’s daily routine (and it doesn’t look so exotic.) Drum roll…he uses Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and water, as well as Glytone Self-Foaming Cleanser, a clearing toner, and a moisturizer. I want my skin to look like that!
What is your daily skincare routine?
For many, it may not include the wash, exfoliate (with a toner), and moisturize step-by-step process. However, these can be skin care goals. As I get older (seeing brown spots, creases, dryness, dullness, and crow’s feet around my eyes), I am becoming more and more invested in keeping my skin healthy with a regular routine.
Always consult your physician first. However, I also take a women’s daily multi-vitamin, and supplements of Biotin (makes hair grow faster) and Collagen (makes your skin more elastic and tight) to give my skin, hair, and nails a little extra boost from the inside. It seems to really make a difference. To note, I get my supplements from the private or generic labeled section at the drugstore or Trader Joe’s (don’t waste your money buying fancy products in a fancy box marketed as a beauty product.)
Skin Care Goals
- Wash
- Exfoliate (with a toner)
- Moisturize
- Consider what you are doing for your skin on the inside (water, vitamins and supplements, etc.)
Wash Your Face (if you do anything, do this)
It may seem pretty harmless to hop into bed without washing your face, but think about all of the buildup that your face has endured throughout the day (makeup, oil, sweat, dirt, debris, sunscreen, dead skin cells, etc.) Let your skin renew itself each evening by washing with a gentle cleanser (don’t over cleanse or use irritating soaps). For the nights when brushing your teeth is all of the nightly routine you can manage, consider putting some Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes by your bed.
Top Skin Care Products (Skincare Favorites)
Some women prefer to purchase skincare kits with step-by-step products included. Some popular brands with solid reviews are: the Clinique 3-Step Introduction kits, Rodan & Fields skincare sets (find your favorite rep), Mario Badescu Facial Sprays and Drying Lotion (not 3-step but very popular), and Proactiv Treatment Systems (with variations depending on skin type, acne-prone, etc.) For budget cleansing that won’t dry out your skin, try CeraVe Hydrating Face Wash.
Some other researched skin care favorites are:
Cleansers: SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser, Philosophy Purity Made Simple Face Wash .
Anti-Aging: Obagi Professional-C Serum, SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore Anti-Aging Cream, Cosmedica Hyaluronic Acid Serum for Skin.
Sunscreens: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Sunscreen Milk, EltaMD UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum (mineral-based zinc oxide formula), Clinique Super City Block Ultra Protection SPF 40 for Unisex (tinted)
Note: These are all beauty award winners and top picks on Amazon, Sephora, etc. but I’m always skeptical about the price of skincare products. So try a sample or trial size, if possible.
Finally, you may have other skincare favorites, and if you are like most women, you have a hodgepodge collection of cleansers, lotions, and potions on your nightstand. I couldn’t tell you how many different skincare products I have tried, as if each one is going to make me beautiful, youthful, and represent my innermost being.
Anti-Aging and Repair (or Well-Aging and Repair)
Organic and green beauty products. The “going green” topic is near and dear to my heart, but it’s also tricky. Organic skin care products are presumably safer, but do they work for anti-aging and repair? Does the product hydrate our skin, or does it inhibit cell damage? This is all very confusing! However, after reading and comparing notes from several different sources, let’s see what ingredients might keep our skin looking younger.
Repair and anti-aging. What works? This is the short list. Vitamin-A creams, some well-formulated antioxidant serums and hydroxy acids, and possibly products containing cell-growth factors or peptides.
Vitamin-A creams
These are the gold standard for anti-aging and repairing sun-damaged skin, with names such as Renova, Retin-A, Tazorac, tretinoin/generic Renova and Retin-A, and Retin-A Micro (all available prescription only). Retinol is the OTC, weaker form available without a prescription. SkinCeuticals Retinol is close to prescription strength. Many popular drugstore brands also contain Retinol: Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Moisture, Roc Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream, and Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer SPF 30.
Note: Vitamin A creams in general are not to be used during pregnancy or while nursing. Also, Retinoids, both prescription and OTC/cosmetic exfoliate the skin, increasing sunburn potential. Use caution when applying and wear a broad spectrum sunscreen daily, SPF 30+.
Some antioxidant serums
Vitamins A, C, and E have antioxidant properties and some coenzymes, such as coenzyme Q10 and alpha-lipoic acid, contain antioxidants. Vitamin-C serums, such as splurge-worthy Skinceuticals C E Ferulic serum or best value TruSkin Vitamin C Face Serum, have been shown to help with repair, slowing down the injury process when natural light breaks down skin cells.
Cell Growth Products
Newer technologies are spawning companies like SkinMedica and others to produce creams and lotions that use growth factors to increase collagen production and thicken skin overall. Cell growth factor products, such as SkinMedica’s TNS Recovery Complex may take months to show results.
Skin Care Tips and Tricks
1. Apply sunscreen. Religiously.
Ninety percent of how your skin ages is linked to the sun. Ultraviolet radiation, or sun exposure, is the leading cause of early wrinkles. UV light breaks down the skin’s connective tissue, collagen and elastin fibers, and without the support of this connective tissue, your skin starts to lose strength and flexibility, causing sagging and wrinkling prematurely.
2. Learn about your skin type: oily, acne-prone, normal, dry, sensitive, and mature skin.
This will help you decide how to care for your skin. For example, selecting a cleanser for your skin type:
- For dry, mature skin, try a moisturizing or milky cleanser
- For oily or acne-prone skin, use a salycylic gel or benzoyl peroxide wash (and try not to pop pimples, dermatologists recommend, though most people do)
- For skin with brown spots or melasma, try a brightening wash, such as an alpha hydroxy acid cleanser
- For sensitive and dry skin, try a hydrating, gentle cleanser
3. More is Not Better.
Try not to apply too much product. For example, too much moisturizer can clog pores and only so much can get absorbed by the skin. This is a waste of money on products, as well.
4. Don’t Forget the Patch Test for New Products.
If you are trying a new Retinol, chemical peel, or other skin care product for the first time, don’t forget to start with just a small patch of skin when testing out the product. You can dab a bit on your inner arm to test for redness, irritation, and any type of allergic reaction.
5. Combat Dryness at Night and Don’t Towel Off Completely Before Moisturizing.
After you wash your face, don’t forget to apply a moisturizer to work throughout the night. Also, when you wash your face, don’t towel off completely. Creams work best with a little water to seal in moisture.
6. Fight Dark Spots with Vitamin C (during the day) and Retinoids (at night).
When you see a dark spot, apply vitamin C to brighten right away. Dark spots can be harder to fight as the melanin sinks deeper into the skin. At night, apply a topical retinoid to encourage cell turnover and shed pigment.
7. Try a Mask.
Cream Mask (normal to dry skin) Masks that contain hyaluronic acid will bind to moisture and plump up skin cells, while algae extracts will help tighten and firm.
Clay, Charcoal, or Mud Mask (normal to oily skin) These masks can act as a magnet removing impurities while hydrating without oil.
Gel Mask (dry and sensitive skin) A soothing, cooling gel mask will be infused with collagen and antioxidants for hydrating dull, dry skin.
Sheet Mask (good for all types of skin) These work well when paired with serums for penetration deeper into the skin. Remember not to rinse after using your favorite sheet mask and moisturize afterward to help seal in the contents.
Exfoliating Mask (good for most skin types; however, if you have sensitive skin, try an enzyme mask) These masks help slough off dry, flaky skin cells using hydroxy acids (glycolic acid for normal skin, gentler lactic acid for sensitive skin, salicylic acid for oily skin) and fruit enzymes (pineapple, papaya, etc.) Remember not to leave these masks on too long, and do not apply retinoids after an exfoliating mask, as this may be too harsh.
8. Eat the Best Foods for Healthy Skin
- Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel and herring)
- Avocados
- Walnuts
- Sunflower Seeds
- Sweet Potatoes
- Red or Yellow Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Soy
- Dark Chocolate
- Green Tea
- Red Wine (resveratrol)
9. Drink the Right Liquids
Some skin specialists recommend shots of chlorophyll and green juice for healthier skin, while others simply tout the benefits of good, old-fashioned water. Eight glasses a day.
10. Get Enough Rest
Getting your “beauty sleep” is no joke. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn causes inflammation in the skin (acne, eczema, psoriasis.) During sleep, your body also delivers fluids to organs and tissues that need replenishing, while removing excess fluids from other areas. When this process is cut short, fluids remain (explaining the “bags under the eyes” of sleep-deprived people.)
What other skin care tips and tricks would you like to share?