Six Easy Tips for Skin Care In Your 20s

If you’re reading this and you’re in your 20s, congrats! You’re probably mentally and physically in your prime and partake in plenty of outdoor activities and late nights with few repercussions. But while you might be looking and feeling great right now, it’s important to remember that during the next few decades, you may start to look worse than you feel. Constantly exposing your skin to harmful UV rays, free radicals, alcohol and everyday life can cause premature aging and permanent skin damage that will have you wishing you’d been more careful in your youth.

Your face will undoubtedly change over the years, but by taking preventative measures and learning how to take care of your skin in your 20s, you’ll be able to achieve a younger-looking appearance and healthier skin for longer.

Here are some of our favorite tips for looking after your skin in your 20s:

1. WASH YOUR FACE EVERY NIGHT
Everyone’s guilty of skipping their face wash routine every once in a while. Sometimes, you’ve had a long day and the last thing on your mind is a detailed skincare routine before bed. In reality, these are the nights when cleaning your face is even more important. Whether you’ve been working or playing, the longer you’ve been out and about, the more chances your face has had to come into contact with dirt and bacteria from makeup, sweat and hands.
Washing the grime off your face is a vital part of proper skin care in your 20s. Developing a habit of cleaning your face every night will keep your skin healthy for years to come.

2. EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE…EXFOLIATE!
Exfoliation is the process of removing dead skin in order to increase healthy cell turnover. Depending on how dry and sensitive your skin is, you may want to exfoliate every week or every couple of weeks.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to make exfoliation easy:

1. A few minutes before you exfoliate, soak a washcloth in hot water and press it on your face. Alternatively, hop in the shower and let the steam build. Both will help open up your pores!
2. After a few minutes, clean your face using a simple face wash to ensure all makeup and dirt has been removed.
3. Apply your exfoliating scrub. We recommend dermatologist-inspired exfoliants, such as microdermabrasion crystals, which will help remove dry skin and leave your face feeling polished and radiant.
4. Rinse off the exfoliating scrub with water, and pat dry using a clean towel. Your face should feel refreshed and cleaner than ever!

Tips:

• If you have acne, don’t exfoliate sensitive or irritated areas, as this can cause added irritation and inflammation.
• Rub your skin using circular motions.
• Take extra precautions to avoid getting the scrub in your mouth or eyes – can you say ouch?

3. USE SUNSCREEN
Your mom has been pushing sunscreen on you since you can remember, and you’ve been avoiding her advice to cover yourself from head to toe since you were able. We get it – sunscreen requires reapplication, it can be greasy and messy, and it’ll ultimately keep you from getting that tan glow we’re all after.

But the World Health Organization warns that there's actually no such thing as a healthy tan. Getting a "base tan" is no more than the result of skin damage, and actually does not prevent further damage from occurring. While a suntan looks healthy, it's the result of incorrect thymine bonding. You may remember that thymine is one of four bases in the nucleic acid of DNA.
Once this disruption occurs, the DNA sequence cannot be copied by your enzymes. Your body produces melanin instead, in order to repair the damage that's been caused. What you perceive as a healthy tan is in fact nothing more than your body's reaction to incorrect DNA bonding.

Damage like this can have immediate effects like sunburn, and long-term effects that don't appear for years to come. UV rays cause skin thickening and loss of elasticity, dark patches, dryness and melanoma, a highly dangerous form of skin cancer that's most common in people between 20 and 35.

When looking for a daily sunscreen, search for hypoallergenic products designed for everyday use. These formulas don’t smell, aren’t greasy and can be applied under makeup to help protect you from harmful UV rays all day long.

4. CHOOSE YOUR SKIN PRODUCTS CAREFULLY
You may already be conscious about the food you put in your body, but what about the stuff you put on your face? Before you go running off to the nearest corner pharmacy to get your skincare products, make sure that they are:

• Hypoallergenic
• Free of unnecessary fragrances
• As natural as possible
• Tested (not on animals, of course!)

By buying only the highest-quality products, you’re guaranteed fewer allergic reactions and better overall results.
Besides being mindful of what ingredients go into your products, don’t forget to also choose products that work with your skin type. From oily to dry to everything in between, your particular skin texture will respond differently to different products. Don’t know which type you are? Find out.

5. LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TONER & ASTRINGENT
You’ve probably heard of these products and may even have one of them stashed away under the bathroom sink, but it’s likely that you’ve always thought that a toner and an astringent were the same thing. That’s because these terms are oftentimes used interchangeably, even though we’re actually dealing with two very different products.

Astringents are alcohol-based products designed to target oily complexions. They’re great for the occasional removal of oils and dirt, but there’s a definite danger of over-usage that comes with using an astringent. Repeated and over-use use of astringents will result in dry skin and a reduced pH balance, which will in turn result in more outbreaks and increased oil production.
A toner, on the other hand, is designed to be used daily. You can even use a toner several times a day without having to worry about reduced pH balance or excessive dryness since the chemical makeup of a toner actually promotes moisture retention without adding oil or distorting your skin’s pH balance. Toners are also excellent primers for the proper absorption of serums and moisturizers, making them ideal for daytime and nighttime usage.

6. DON’T SKIP THE MOISTURIZER
Every skin type, no matter how oily or dry, needs a moisturizer. Choose yours based on what your skin responds best to, whether that’s a heavy moisturizer for parched skin or an oil-free solution for a particularly oily complexion.
We recommend that you apply a moisturizer before each makeup application and after washing your face in order to restore balance and keep skin properly hydrated.

Being in your 20s is an amazing time, and you should live life to the fullest every day. But while you’re out living your dreams and having a great time, don’t forget to take care of your face. You’ll look great and your body will thank you since you’ll be looking as good as you feel even longer!