How to Simplify Skincare and Get Better Skin
GQ recently wrote an article about how what you eat impacts the health of your skin. While this most certainly is true (we’ve written about it here), it is just one piece of the equation.
To their point, while you certainly don’t need every “cutting-edge” skin care product on the drugstore shelf, having a few quality products (in addition to a healthy diet) in your repertoire will go a long way to create the great skin you’re looking for.
Let’s break it down.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
It’s inevitable…old Father Time will, at some point, come in and start to render his handy work on our appearance. What’s the anecdote? A combination of an antioxidant-loaded diet, plenty of sleep and a simple skin care regimen focused on correcting and protecting.
Diet wise, you’ll want to antioxidant load. Think like an ACE – vitamin A, C and E that is. Yes, your mom was right after all. Foods rich in these vitamins, nourish and replenish your skin from the inside out. Vitamin A stimulates cell turnover, while vitamin C encourages collagen production. And vitamin E? Well that provides defense against free radicals and supports a healthy immune system.
Foods like carrots, kale, pumpkin, cantaloupe and even liver contain vitamin A. For vitamin C, beyond the obvious choice of citrus, you can find it in broccoli, Brussel’s sprouts and guava. Olive oil, walnuts, avocados, and oats are great sources of vitamin E.
But in addition to the antioxidant-rich diet, you’ll want to look to products that also deliver antioxidants like ascorbic acid, tocopherols, retinol, and L-lactic acid. These will strengthen and tighten your skin while simultaneously reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. What would your simplified dopp kit look like?
- Cleanser – look to a salicylic acid-based cleanser for antioxidants and to kick start exfoliation. Why cleanse? Because forgoing it will render anything you do after absolutely useless.
- Corrective – a skin corrective formula with retinol and tocopherols will stimulate regeneration and collagen production, while helping to rebuild the skin with antioxidants.
- Rebuilder – peptides are the name of the game when it comes to keeping skin youthful. Find a skin-firming complex with a potent dose of peptides.
- Protector – this is absolutely key. Remember prevention is your best defense against the signs of aging. Turn to a daytime protection formula containing natural zinc.
In the next post, we’ll cover acne and how diet and the right (simplified) mix of skin care can work together to help smooth over even the most acne-prone skin.