Hey lovelies, today we’re going to discuss skin care! Now, I’m no expert and Sydney knows a lot more when it comes to this stuff but I thought I’d take the time to write this and tell you about things that we both follow. Things everyone should follow!

Yeah, I know, taking care of your skin can seem like an overwhelming and expensive chore, but it isn’t. Not really. It doesn’t have to. Just by getting in the habit of simply applying, sunscreen, moisturizer, and more water into your diet, you’ll easily be on your way to better, clearer skin!

Okay, below are a few commandments that’ll help you get and maintain clear and glowing skin!

NUMBER ONE: DRINK UP
Drink your water, ladies (and gents). Your health is going to go down the drain if you aren’t properly hydrated. When you aren’t treating your body right,  you’ll feel it and see it. So if you’re dehydrated your skin can be dull, dry, and maybe even create uneven skin tone. I know some people hate the taste of water or don’t enjoy the “plainness” of it. To help, add fruits and veggies to your drinks to add flavor and a pop of color. Plus, extra nutrients.

NUMBER TWO: REMOVE AND CLEANSE
Sorry, but no matter how tired or lazy you feel, do not skip on taking your makeup off before bed or doing it in the morning. You keep all that makeup on and you’re going to clog your pores up big time and that can cause acne and blackhead breakouts–or irritate the breakouts you already have. You don’t have to buy anything fancy and expensive. You can make your own wash (plenty DIY recipes are online) or use diluted apple cider vinegar. There are so many options and products out there. It’s about trial and error. Do your research, figure out what’s best for your life, schedule, and wallet. In the meantime, using a micellar water makeup remover is a great place to start.

And do not forget to wash your face before and after you’ve worked out or have gotten sweaty!

NUMBER THREE: SPF & MOISTURIZER
Whether you have dry, oily, combo, acne prone, or aging skin, you need moisturizer. And whether you tan or burn, like the sun or not, SPF is a must. So after you wash your face, apply moisturizer to help keep and lock in moisturizer (also helps when applying your makeup). I stick to using Cetaphil products for moisturizer, but i’m not sure if it’s helping my oily skin yet.

After, add your SPF even if you don’t think you’ll be out in direct sunlight for long, or at all. Even if it isn’t warm or bright out either. Burns and tans + sun damage. That means your skin is going to age and wrinkle and possibly breakout. Skin cancer is also a very real and scary thing that you can get. So make sure to apply and reapply, whether it’s a cream or spray.

Some say SPF goes first and others say vice versa. Syd opts for SPF cream first and then adding spray after for touch-ups and extra security. When in doubt, wing it and use whatever you reach for first. Or combine the two at once.

And don’t you dare neglect your neck!

NUMBER FOUR: KICK BAD HABITS & EAT HEALTHY
If you smoke, drink, lose out on sleep, or eat lots of unhealthy sugary and greasy foods, your skin and body is going to be in some serious trouble. Do your best to cut down on bad habits and vices.

Yeah, okay, eating fruits and veggies and no fast food will not guarantee you perfect skin and isn’t always in the cards for some people. However, they will help fix your complexion and help with the state of your skin–oil, dry, dull, etc.

Got to work from the inside and outside, lovelies.

NUMBER FIVE: NEVER PICK & EXFOLIATE
Okay, confession time: I am a big time skin picker. I also have acne on my arms and back and it’s so incredibly hard for me not to pick. I’m telling your right now, you have to resist the urge and control yourself. Popping or picking causes everything to become inflamed, spreads bacteria, and increases your chances of discoloration and scarring–I know all about the marks and scars, big time). But if you can’t resist, which I have a problem with (I’ve talked to a doctor, a lot of it has to do with my anxiety and depression) or accidentally scratch or pop something, clean it and apply spot treatment (bacitracin or some kind of acne spot treatment)  and/ or Aloe Vera. Tea tree oil (diluted with water, apple cider vinegar, or some kind of oil) is great at helping clean and reduce acne)

Exfoliating your skin helps to remove dead skin cells that build up on its surface. Doing it once a week (you have to be careful with how often and how hard you exfoliate, so do with caution) or everything other week is going to make you feel and look great.

NUMBER SIX: CLEAN MAKEUP TOOLS
Brushes get gross, fast.  It’s going to help your skin and make makeup application better and easier if you clean those tools. Syd and I like to deep clean them with a combo of hot water and baby shampoo, though sometimes we will use Dawn dish soap instead of the shampoo to mix it up a bit (plus, it smells great, haha). In between our deep washes, we constantly wipe brushes off with a clean towel dipped in rubbing alcohol.

NUMBER SEVEN: FIND & STICK TO A ROUTINE.
Again, there will be some trial and error. But use and go after what you think is best for you. Do what works for you, not anyone else. Sure, try out a product people love, but you don’t have to keep using it if it doesn’t work because others swear by it. Everyone’s skin is different.

Now, if you can’t seem to find anything that works (Remember it can take weeks to see results when you’re trying out a new product/ routine) or don’t know where to start (trying to Google is overwhelming) see your doctor or dermatologist.

Stay clean and healthy, 
xoxo, Chelsea