I’ve said it before and will say it again, I love my skin and take good care of it. I’ve never had any acne issues and don’t particularly have problematic skin, but I do know that some part of that is attributed to my skin care habits, since when they lapse, and I’m human so from time to time they do, my skin shows it.
Since I crossed the 3-0 mark in age a couple years ago, I’ve become that much more obsessed with taking care of my skin. I’ve been blessed with good genes (my parents both have great skin) but I still do what I can to fight off the aging process or at least delay the inevitable. So far so good.
I thought I’d share what I do to maintain my clear skin:
Drink tons of water
I drink a lot of water. In fact, apart from drinks on a weekend (and some afternoons, who are we kidding) I only drink water and rarely drink juice or soft drink (if Im wasting calories its gonna be for the good stuff). I find when I drink more water and less of everything else, my skin stays soft and clear. When I lapse on water intake, my skin is noticeably different.
Clean skin of makeup / Makeup-less days
I’m a bit of a weirdo in that as soon as I get home, I feel my makeup. Its like clothes, when I walk through the door, its gotta come off. I may not wash my face immediately but I do use wipes and makeup remover, and off it goes. Also, on days that I’m not working or don’t have some event to go to, Im typically makeup free. It legit boggles my mind that people put on makeup to stay at home or run minor errands. I just don’t get it. No judgment, ok maybe a little.
Eat Clean
So I don’t always eat clean, or I haven’t always eaten clean rather but when I do, my skin is clearer. These days, Im trying to eat as clean as possible, as I desperately need to shed some weight in the coming months. Anyway, when I said bye bye to sugar, my skin not only became smoother, but it also lost a lot of the oiliness that was the only skin complaint I really had through the years. I know its unrealistic to never ever eat anything tasty but the truth is that maintaining a healthier diet has worked wonders for my skin.
Sleep
Full disclosure, I am a horrible sleeper. Im a self proclaimed night owl and just work better at nights so I stay up late a lot. I wouldn’t have even put this on the list, but having just gotten off two weeks of vacation where I got more rest than usual, I can tell you that when my body is rested, my skin glows.
Exercise
I recently started back exercising seriously. This is a no brainer – exercise is good for overall health, skin included.
Sunscreen
Just gonna say this, black people need sunscreen too, no matter what they tell you. I use it – mostly on the days where Im in the sun a lot – but I do use it.
Find a skin care routine and stick to it
I’m a creature of habit, and for the most part, have an established skin care routine. Some products have changed over time, with a couple additions ( I will update my routine at some point) but its generally the same. I don’t use a lot of products and I don’t ever plan to. If I find a new product I love, I remove one that I’m currently using.
That’s it, that’s how I take care of my skin.
Am I anal about my skin? Is skin care important to you? Let me know what you do to maintain clear skin.
Have a great Tuesday guys!!
