Maybe you don't have time to go get a facial at lunch, or you don't want to show up to your next meeting red-faced and flaking from your peel. Taking care of your skin doesn’t have to be a hassle. There are a lot of ways you can give your skin some much-needed T-L-C in under 20 minutes. Check out these 10 basic skincare routine tips that you can do on your lunch break!
A lot of people think they only need to protect their skin on sunny days or when they’re having a day at the beach. That’s not the case! Avoiding direct sun exposure when you can is a key factor in your skincare. Celebs we love with great skin who have combated the signs of aging, such as JLo, always say that wearing sunscreen and reapplying it throughout the day is one of their top basic skincare routine tips. Plus, wearing sunscreen containing anti-inflammatory and skin barrier-repairing ingredients will further save your skin (1). If you’re on the market for a new SPF, a broad-spectrum option with both UVA and UVB protection of at least SPF 30 is recommended.
Using a jade roller is a great way to facilitate lymphatic drainage. You can massage your face in gentle upward circles, toward the jaw, up the sides of the face, and around the eyes. This will help get nutrients into your tissues. To draw waste away, you can use the opposite motion and start on the top of the face by the eyes if you are prone to breakouts. Overall, jade rolling is said to improve blood circulation, decrease puffiness and under-eye circles, and even minimizes fine lines.
Using a gua sha massage stone is another fantastic way to give yourself a lymphatic drainage massage to keep your skin clear, de-puffed, and glowing. According to Chinese tradition, gua sha is meant to address inflammation and can kick our body’s natural cleansing system into gear. It can also stimulate collagen formulation, help get rid of acne, and reduce symptoms of migraine headaches.
Moisturizing is a key basic skincare routine tip that is so quick and easy to do. Moisturizers help our skin barrier by providing our skin with lipids and hydrating ingredients. Be sure to moisturize both in the daytime and nighttime, but avoid heavy, comedogenic moisturizers that can clog your pores. You’ll also want to avoid products with heavy fragrances and instead look for products with hydrating formulas that are gentle for the skin.
Hydrating, both inside and out, is one of the most important things we can do to take care of our skin. A lack of water means more dull skin, less radiance, and more sagging skin. This is why we should be looking for topical products that have hydrating formulas while also drinking enough water throughout the day. For boosted effects, try drinking detox water with added ingredients for even better benefits.
Exfoliating twice a week with a gentle exfoliator is another key basic skincare routine tip that doesn’t take long at all. According to Byrdie, using a physical scrub that has a chemical element like lactic acid is great for the skin. It keeps the pores minimized, keeps the fine lines at bay, and resurfaces the skin perfectly. If you would like to use a more natural ingredient, oatmeal is an incredibly gentle exfoliator, but it also has many other benefits for your skin. Oats contain compounds called saponins which are natural cleansers that remove dirt and oil and unclog the pores. Plus, oatmeal can absorb any excess oil on the surface of your skin and reduce acne.
A balanced diet is important, as it can give your body the necessary nutrients and vitamins you need. However, there are plenty of vitamin supplements and probiotics that you can take as well for gut health if you don’t have time for a home-cooked meal. Plus, there are topical antioxidants, like vitamin C serum, that can nourish the skin. Vitamin C specifically can boost collagen production, address hyperpigmentation, and fight inflammation. On the other hand, probiotics are live microorganisms that provide us with good bacteria for digestive support that improves overall health and minimizes disease. When you prioritize gut health, one of the first places that you’ll notice the changes is on your skin.
If you wear makeup, cleaning your makeup brushes regularly is another key basic skincare routine tip that is often neglected. Makeup brushes can cling onto dirt, grime, and oils that will not only hinder the brush from properly applying makeup, but can cause breakouts in acne-prone skin. By washing your brushes correctly and consistently, you can fight bacteria, infections, and clogged pores by washing the brushes you consistently use on your face. Plus, you should always be removing your makeup before you go to sleep at night.
Once you’re winding down for the day or giving your skin some extra attention, try a face mask! You can either use sheet masks or masks that you have to apply yourself, but either way – you only need to leave these masks on for up to 15 minutes to get their full effects. There are also detox face masks that can rejuvenate cracked or dry skin, clear blackheads and whiteheads, and give a glow to dull skin.
Facial serums are topical creams with a thin consistency and a high concentration of active ingredients. They are designed to nourish, hydrate, and protect the skin. More specifically, the epidermis (the outermost layer of our skin) is a key protective structure that needs vitamins for optimal skin health. Using serums that are non-irritating and formulated with vitamins A, B, C, D, and E can give skin the nutrition it needs. Due to the thin consistency of serums, the products absorb quickly into the skin and leave you feeling light after application. Facial serums are also said to soothe sensitive skin and significantly improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by boosting collagen production.
Written by Selena Ponton
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