Over the years I’ve adopted different everyday regimes for keeping my skin looking and feeling beautiful, healthy and vibrant. Simple ways to keep my skin in-check to prevent day-to-day surprises from popping up. My #1 rule? Always remove makeup before going to bed. Sounds simple, but many nights it’s so tempting to just put it off until morning, especially after a long, busy day. Rule #2? Go ‘sans’ makeup every now and then to give my skin a break and let it breathe, especially when working out to help prevent those tiny annoying breakouts from sweating. #3 is to wear sunblock with spf 30 or higher. Here are 7 more rules I follow in my never ending quest for great looking skin:

1. I stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Again, most everyone knows this, but do they actually do it? I can always tell when I’m not drinking enough water because my skin begins to look drawn and dull, and every tiny line looks magnified. I also start feeling tired. I carry my YETI portable mug filled with water everywhere with me. I’m a daily coffee drinker, so I have to remind myself that coffee doesn’t replace drinking water. Sound familiar?
2. I exfoliate at least once a week, usually twice. Our skin is constantly regenerating new cells while sloughing-off the old. Exfoliating helps speed up the regenerating process while getting rid of that flaky top layer so that moisturizers can do their job better. I love how a good exfoliation creates a wonderfully smooth palette for makeup application.
3. I work on controlling stress. After my nighttime cleanse, I turn off my cell phone and any other electronic device, apply a soothing face mask and lay down for 10 minutes of solitude.
4. I eat foods rich in essential fatty and Omega 3 acids to ward off inflammation that can increase fine lines, sagging, and blotchiness. My favorites are almonds, walnuts, flax seed, salmon, and broccoli.
5. I wash my hands frequently and try to avoid touching my face. We all do it without thinking about it throughout the day, but avoiding it will help reduce unwanted breakouts, especially around the chin area.
6. I stick with cleansing and moisturizing products made for my skin type and keep my routine simple. I’ve mentioned many times that my skin is super dry. I make sure to only use cleansers with no harsh chemicals that can leave my skin feeling too tight. My moisturizers, like the one I talked about in this post, need to be rich while being able to absorb quickly so I don’t feel too greasy. I am adamant about applying a good eye cream around the eye bone area to reduce the appearance of those tiny lines – the first ones that creep up when I haven’t been getting enough sleep or am feeling stressed.
7. I clean my makeup brushes regularly and replace them when needed. This sounds so basic yet so many people don’t take the time to do this. It’s actually very easy, but be sure to only wash the brush part and not the handle where the fibers connect to avoid weakening the brush. You can opt to use a dedicated brush cleanser (these handy wipes look great for travel), a quick dry cleanser, or just use a very small amount of mild dish soap, making sure to rinse well. Pat dry with a paper towel, make a little hanging rack, or use a drying mat to speed up the drying process.