After a stressful semester of college, our skin has taken quite a beating.
We wake up in the morning, glance at the monstrous breakouts on our faces, and then drag ourselves to class with the promise of fixing it later. That promise eventually results in us wallowing in our own self-pity as we retweet countless tweets on wishing for better skin. But let’s face it - no one has time to clear up their skin when there are exams to study for and papers that won’t write themselves.
Lucky for us, we have a little more time on our hands over this break. And since we’re still making some last minute New Year’s Resolutions, here are 7 tips on how to clear up your skin (at least until next torturous semester starts).
1. Drink water and when you think you’ve had enough, DRINK MORE.
To put it in simple terms, the more you use the bathroom, the more toxins you’re flushing out of your system. So if you’re running to the bathroom every five seconds, you’re doing it right, and clear skin is in your future.
2. Sleep for 7-8 hours each night.
Getting an adequate amount of sleep each night not only makes you a happier person but also clears up your skin. Your skin works at night and sleeps during the day (fun fact I learned working at Ulta), so give it a good amount of time each night to do its job!
3. Eat well-balanced meals.
We’ve all heard that eating enough carrots will start to turn you orange, so you really are what you eat. With that in mind, if you’re eating greasy fast food or sipping on sodas that take the rust off your car, your skin will turn into a pimply oil slick. Try to push yourself to eat a ton of fruits and veggies. Eat the rainbow. It will show.
4. Exercise.
Strive to get yourself moving for at least a half hour each day, even if it means just taking a walk outside. Sweating will also contribute to getting rid of the toxins that you haven’t already removed from drowning yourself in water. Also, getting your heart pumping will improve your overall circulation and body health. Don’t forget to always wash your face immediately after you sweat!
5. Sanitize your phone.
Keep alcohol prep pads or disinfectant wipes with you to sanitize your phone frequently throughout the day. Our phones come into contact with countless germs as we leave them all over the place text on them with dirty hands. When you pick up the phone to talk, all of those germs transfer onto your skin… yikes.
6. DO NOT SLEEP WITH YOUR MAKEUP.
No one enjoys the day-old makeup look. Even if you’ve had the roughest night of your life, grab a makeup wipe and get everything off. Leaving your beat on for an extended amount of time allows your makeup to settle into your pores and eventually clog them. Make it a priority to take your makeup off right when you get home, that way you won’t have to deal with doing it later.
7. Keep a constant skincare routine.
Find products that work for you and stick to using them regularly. If you keep switching up what you use, your skin is going to freak out, eventually causing more breakouts. Your skin doesn’t like change (like the rest of us), so keep it simple.
