Skin care should be simple. We wash our skin every day when we wash our hands and shower, but this is still not enough, especially for skin prone to acne or dryness. So, what is a cash-strapped college student supposed to do? Here are 11 tips for taking care of your skin that won't break the bank.
1. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated and drinking enough water is the first step to getting healthy skin. Just like the rest of your body, your skin suffers if you don't drink enough water can look dull and lifeless. Just by making sure you're getting your daily dose of water, you're doing your skin a huge favor. Not to mention, if your skin is dehydrated, it won't benefit from skin products the same way as it would if you were drinking enough water.
2. Catch Some Z's
Again, like with water, if you aren't getting enough sleep, it can cause your skin to look tired, too. Just by getting a full eight hours of sleep (consistently), you can guarantee that you will see an improvement in the look of your skin.
3. Rinse
Before taking a foray into the world of cleansers and any skin care product, just rinsing your face before you go to bed can clean off surface dirt and help keep your skin cleaner. It's easy to add into your before bed routine and while it certainly isn't a cure for acne or any other skin condition, rinsing your face before bed can be easy to set up a routine and to warm up to more intense skin care regiments.
4. Moisturize
Once you've gotten warmed up, the most basic step is to get a cheap moisturizer. Moisturizers range from affordable to designer, but to start off, you're probably best just going to Target and picking up a cheap one. Follow the directions on the package for the most part, however, I have noticed that if you have naturally oily skin, it might be best to start off moisturizing every other day, or once a day. But, you will soon find a regimen that works for you.
5. Remove Your Makeup
This might seem disgustingly simple, but growing up, I didn't realize you had to remove your makeup. I either automatically did it by showering or would just let it wear off until the next morning. Obviously, this is terrible for your skin and can cause acne, as well as make acne worse. One of the easiest ways is simply to shower, or, you can buy makeup removal wipes, cleansers, etc. But, I think showering or wipes are usually the cheapest and easiest ways to go.
6. Use Toner
For those of us that suffered from teenage acne, many of you may have already used toner or another astringent. For people with oily skin or those with acne, toner can help dry up the skin in those areas and kill off the blackheads. Careful though, if you already have dry skin, you might be best to not use toner altogether or to use extremely sparingly. Even for those with oily skin, toner should be used only in problem areas and not spread across your whole face like a mask or other products.
7. Face Masks
Speaking of masks, it seems like face masks have become the one way we treat our skin. While face masks are beneficial and a great way to treat yourself (don't stop on that front!), they can't be your only foray into skin care. However, masks can help with various problems, so working a mask in once or twice a week is certainly going to help you get the skin you want.
8. Sunscreen
Even though we live in one of rainiest and cloudiest areas of the US, sunscreen is still important in the winter when the sun doesn't shine as much. While there's certainly no reason to lather your entire body in it (assuming you're probably covered up due to the cold), but finding a moisturizer that doubles as a sunscreen is a great way to protect your face from UV rays year round.
9. Try A Simple Cleanser First
Before getting too fancy, buy a simple cream or foam cleanser. They are usually pretty cheap and are an easy way to work into more intense skincare regimens. These kinds of cleansers persist for a reason: they work! At the very least, they will keep surface dirt from getting too far down into your pores and causing outbreaks (although may not help outbreaks with other causes such as hormones).
10. Experiment
Everyone's skin is different. What works for me, may not work for you. The best thing you can do is experiment with different cleansers, exfoliates, masks, etc. and see which ones do your skin the most good.
11. Stop Touching Your Face So Much
This is a tip, however, everyone can use. As adults, one of the ways we get acne is by touching dirty hands to our face. Even if you religiously wash your hands, there is a transfer there that can cause acne. If you tend to get acne on your cheeks, this may be the root cause. Give your cell phone a good wipe down and try to be conscious of when you're touching your face.
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