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I have always been the one to take good care of my skin, with basic daily cleansing & moisturizing, never going to bed before taking off my Make Up etc. However, do you remember I shared with you in my recent posts? The shocking discovery of a not-so-pleasant surprise: fine wrinkles that started to appear around my eyes, the beginning stages of the dreaded crows feet & the laugh lines around my mouth. Although it was a bit of a shocker, I guess it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, since I did already turn 25 this past June. It was actually a really good wake-up call, that led me to start my research on how to take better care of my skin, to keep it hydrated & moisturized & clean to prevent more wrinkles from developing in the future.

If you do a basic search on Google, you’ll find gazillion articles on the subject of maintaining healthy looking skin. Today I wanted to share with you some tips on what I think everybody, despite gender should be doing; daily & weekly skin care regimen that if you follow consistently will keep your skin youthful, fresh, healthy and beautiful for many years to come.

First things first, taking care of your skin shouldn’t be difficult or expensive. Lets start by reviewing what you should be doing daily to have beautiful & healthy looking skin. And by the way, these aren’t just for women, so men, pay attention too!

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1. Eat a Well-Balanced Diet. It is a known fact, that you are what you eat, so eating a well-balanced diet is by far number one most important thing you can do to have not just healthy looking skin, but also to maintain the overall health of your body. Make sure to cut down your intake of sugar, chocolate, fat & processed foods. Instead load up your diet with lots of fresh vegetables & fruit. At least 4-5 servings per day. Balance it out by eating protein, grains & fiber. Our skin is a direct reflection of what is going on inside. So be conscious of what you put in your mouth, because it will reflect in your health.

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2. Drink LOTS of water. This is another HUGE issue that I have dedicated a whole article to, that you can find here. It is really eye-opening, and I highly recommend you read it. Between being exposed to central heating & cooling for most of the days of the year, to not drinking enough water and being active, dehydration is one of the main reasons for dried-out, tired looking skin. You should aim to re-hydrate your body by drinking at least 2 to 3 liters of pure, unsweetened water (coffees, teas & sugary drinks don’t count, as they dehydrate your body instead). Again, please read this post to educate yourself on How Much Water You Should be Drinking. I promise you’ll be glad you did.

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3. Exercise regularly. Obviously exercising is good for your entire body, but particularly for your skin. Exercise can help increase skin tone and maintain elasticity. Exercise also increases the blood flow to your skin and gives it a beautiful healthy glow. You know those natural, rosy cheeks you get after working out, that’s what we want! =)

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4. Give up smoking. If you don’t smoke, give yourself a huge pat on the back. If you do, QUIT NOW! I don’t care what excuses you give yourself. Besides the obvious health risks associated with smoking, there are so many that you might not know about. For example, nicotine attacks the blood vessels that feed the skin with nutrients and oxygen, as well as those that drain away the waste products from the skin. Your skin suffers greatly as it starts to get clogged up with unwanted substances and starts to lack oxygen. You may or may not be aware, but smoking greatly affects the aging process of your skin. If these aren’t enough reasons to stop smoking today, then I don’t know what is. Please, have mercy for your body, and stop poisoning it.  P L E A S E !!!

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5. Wear Sunscreen. This is something I still don’t do, but know I should! Unfortunately, sun rays are harmful to our skin and yield to discoloration & speed up the aging process. So, wear Sunscreen in all 4 seasons with at least an SPF 15 to protect your skin from drying out and aging prematurely. Easiest way to wear sunscreen, is get a daily moisturizer that has an SPF in it. Save yourself a step.

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6. Cleanse daily. Well, twice a day really. Choose a mild cleanser that has as few chemicals as possible. Use warm water and lather the cleanser with your fingertips gently in an upward circular motion on your skin every morning and night for a fresh and clean skin. Rinse gently with warm water or facial sponges.

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7. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! I cannot imagine not wearing a moisturizer on my skin. If I wash my face and don’t apply moisturizer right away, my skin feels so dry, as if it is crying out for help! It is very important to choose a moisturizer that is good for your skin type (normal, dry, oily, sensitive, combination etc). Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your sales clerk, they are there to help you choose the right products. I’d recommend one that is odor-free, because you don’t want to irritate the skin and clog the pores with unnecessary chemicals. Best time to apply a moisturizer is after a bath or shower, when the pores are nice and open and the skin is still damp. Using moisturizer is the number one, best thing you can do to prevent wrinkles, because it locks in your skin’s natural moisture content and protects the skin.

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8. Exfoliate. How often you exfoliate will depend on the type of your skin. If you have dry skin, you may only need to do it once or twice a week. Oily skin may require you to exfoliate daily to prevent oil build-up and clogging of the pores. Normal or combination skin type? Opt for a gentle exfoliator 2-3 a week. It is very important to exfoliate, because it helps to remove dead skin cells and promotes skin renewal and elasticity.

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9. Facial Masks. And no, I don’t mean the expensive creams and spa treatments. If you can afford that, great! But you really don’t have to spend money to achieve amazing results. You can start right in your kitchen. I have been experimenting with some amazing Homemade Facial Masks, and I will be sharing that with you in one of my next posts. So Stay Tuned! You DO NOT want to miss it. I have seen results in just a few uses. And believe it or not, people have been noticing that my wrinkles are diminishing! =) YAY!!

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10. Get a good nights sleep. Proper rest and sleep is vital to our mental and physical health. I know it can be hard with our hectic lives these days, but try to sleep at least 6-7 hours every day. Your skin and body in general needs this time to rest, regenerate and repair itself.

11. I know I said 10 tips, but this one is a bonus tip. So don’t complain! NEVER go to bed without first taking off your make up. Just like mentioned above, night time is an important time for the skin to renew itself, and the worst thing you can do is keep the pores clogged with all the make up and dirt that has collected on your face throughout the day.

If you start to care for your skin early, follow these easy and vital tips, you will not have to spend thousands of dollars on expensive, chemically treated creams or procedures down the road. Your skin does so much for you every day of your life, don’t you think it’s time you started to care for it with love?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Next post: Magical Homemade Facial Masks