I was born in 1985, which I don’t think makes me old at all. However, my skin tells a different story. Years of neglect when I was younger have really done damage to my skin. The past couple of years I have been more diligent about covering up and taking care of my skin, but I still have several sun and age spots on my face and arms that I am not happy about. Today I want to share 4 simple ways that you can improve your skin care. You might be surprised at how easy some of them are! I feel like this should go without saying, but I am not a medical professional. All opinions are my own and you should always consult your physician when seeking medical advice.
skin care tips to follow
As you may or may not know, May is Skin Cancer Awareness month. Skin Cancer is actually the most common form of Cancer and more people have had skin cancer than all the other forms of Cancer combined. In honor of Skin Cancer Awareness Month I wanted to share four ways to take better care of your skin so that it not only looks healthier but hopefully it will help you be healthier as well.
don’t forget the sunscreen
You knew this had to be number one, right? When I think about all the unnecessary skin damage I have caused myself over the years I’m embarrassed. When I was younger I was all about getting a tan and sunscreen was something that was sporadically applied, usually once I was already starting to burn so it wouldn’t get worse. Do you know the difference between UVA and UVB? Do you know what a broad spectrum sunscreen is? You can check out this handy link from skincancer.org that will give you all sorts of details about sunscreen. Now I almost always keep some in my purse so I have it handy for myself and my kiddos.
| Read: Summer Skin Care Tips |
hydrate for everyday skin care
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! And I don’t just mean with lotions and serums that you apply, although those are good too. Drinking water actually plays a vital role in the health and appearance of your skin. All organs need water to function properly and your skin is the largest organ that you have. When your skin loses its moisture it causes it to look drier (obviously). It also gives your eyes a sunken appearance, and your skin begins to lose elasticity meaning that you’ll wrinkle faster. Bottom line, it’s so important to make sure that you’re well hydrated and we need to be extra cautious in the hot summer months!
purchase some UPF clothing
Did you know that some clothing and swimsuits come with UPF protection built in? One company I love that offers this is ShÄ“do Lane. They make clothing that has the highest UPF rating that clothing can have–UPF 50+. Think of UPF like SPF but for your clothing. It stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. It tells you how much of the sun’s rays can penetrate through the fabric to your skin. Finding clothing that has a UPF rating is another great way to protect your skin from the harmful damage of the sun’s rays.
| Read: SwimZip UPF Swimwear for the Whole Family! |
invest in a great regimen
If you’re like me and the damage has already been done, then I recommend finding a quality regimen that works for you! Personally, for me Rodan & Fields worked wonders. I’d been wanting to try their products for a while and my friend finally convinced me to try them. I tried out their Reverse Lightening line regimen of products and I have been shocked by the results!
Admittedly, these are not the best before and after images of all time. First of all, my camera lens was smudgy or something for the before images. Apparently I need some lessons on taking before and after pictures, because they’re taken of opposite sides of my face. Obviously that’s less than ideal.
I’ve been using Rodan + Fields for about 2 months now and these are some of the differences I’ve noticed:
- Major improvement of skin texture. My skin is so much smoother and softer than I can remember it being in years! This was an unexpected bonus I hadn’t anticipated.
- Improvement of overall skin tone. I had such uneven skin tone before. My whole face was covered with blotches (which you can see pretty well in the before picture). About a month into my new skincare regimen I noticed that my skin tone was evening out really nicely. I still have some noticeable Melasma leftover from my last couple pregnancies, but I’m hoping over time that lightens up even more.
- Minor reduction of sun/age spots. I have a couple of spots on the side of my face and under my right eye (which you can see in the progress picture). It took about six weeks but I have finally started seeing a little bit of improvement with those stubborn spots as well.
- Reduced breakouts. I don’t know if this is due to my skin care regimen or a coincidence. However, as someone that severely struggled with acne during her teenage years (and even occasionally now) I can tell you how nice it is to have such clearer skin.
What have you done to take care of your skin lately?
49 comments
Great tips! UPF clothing – wha?? I need to check these out ASAP! Thanks for sharing!
And oh my goodness, they are so soft too! I highly recommend Shedo Lane clothing!
These are great, simple tips that we often just need a good reminder of! Especially sunscreen! Thanks for this list!
Thanks for your comment!
I’d be interested in the reverse or unblemish regimens.
The reverse is really great! I’ve been interested in the unblemish as well.
These are some really great tips! I need to be better about sunscreen!
I think most people need to be better about sunscreen, we just don’t really think about it, you know?
I need to be so much better at taking care of my skin. Yours looks amazing!
Oh my goodness, you are so sweet! Thank you, I’m working on it and it’s improving so I’m excited!
I hadn’t heard of some of these. Thanks for the tips! Definitely need to try some.
Thanks so much for your comment!
I’ve been better about applying sunscreen since we moved to Florida, but could definitely benefit from some UPF clothing!
And the Shedo Lane clothing is SO soft and comfortable too!
I have to remind myself that taking care of myself is just as important as taking care of my kids! All of these steps are important!
Thanks so much for your comment! Yes, sometimes as busy moms we can forget ourselves but we’ve got to take care of ourselves too!
Now that I’m older, I seriously can’t believe how dumb I was to not wear sunscreen more often! I really try to be diligent about putting sunscreen on my kids during the spring and summer when they are outside all the time, but often forget about myself. I do use a face moisturizer that has SPF in it which I think is helpful, but I’m definitely not loving the crows feet and lines in my forehead. A bunch of my friends sell R+F, but so far I’ve only tried the lash boost. I can’t quite get myself to spend the money on their regamins.
I am the same way, trust me Shani! It took me several months to realize that I really needed to invest some money in myself for a change and I am so glad I finally did. And the lash boost stuff is AMAZING. I can’t believe the difference it made to my lashes!
I struggle to hydrate myself,and it affects me (negatively) in so many ways, including the condition of my skin. I do try to wear sunglasses regularly to protect the area around my eyes.
Wearing sunglasses is so important too! Thanks for bringing that up!
I had no idea about the UPF score on clothing! I guess most clothes don’t report that score? Or is there way to find out. And I’d love to try the Rodan + Fields exfoliator! I think my skin needs a deep cleansing.
The REVERSE line of products I’m using has an exfoliator and it’s so great, it’s really gentle but makes my skin feel amazing afterwards!
All of these tips are totally great, especially keeping hydrated, it’s soooo important for our skin!
Thanks so much for your comment Samantha!
Great tips! I always wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water. It’s crazy how dry my skin gets when I’m dehydrated.
It really does make such a difference, doesn’t it?
Your skin looks amazing! I’ve been wanting to try Rodan and Fields even though it’s a big investment! I’m not getting any younger!
I completely understand that, I’m the same way. My husband and I are generally pretty frugal so it can be hard for me to justify spending that much money on myself. It definitely is a big investment, but I have not regretted it once! 🙂 Now is the time to try when you can get 10% off!
Making sure that I drink enough is so crucial to my skin health!
I’m always surprised by what a difference it makes!
wahoo! Your skin is looking great girl! I could use some of this in my life 🙂
You have really amazing skin to start with! It does look like the R&F products are doing some, but I think your skin will be hard to improve upon.
I’ve heard great things about the product. I just turned 33 (wait what??) and realize I need to take better care of my face as well. Although I was usually pretty decent about sunscreen, I know I still have damage. I’ve started using micellar water as a toner, and it has actually helped!
I keep hearing great things about R & F products! Haven’t tried any yet, but that will probably be a future purchase.
The Reverse Regimen is probably what I need. 🙂
I have super pale skin, so sun screen & hydration is always important! I did not know about the UPF clothing, that’s defiantly new & something I’ll be looking into!
I am 32 as well and definitely guilty of not putting on sunscreen! I need to do this!
I always forget to put on sunscreen
I am a tad bit older then some of you. I lived my younger day’s at the beaches in Florida. Sunscreen??? non existent then. Paying for it now. Ladies use protection!
I have such dry skin I think I’d like to try the ESSENTIALS DAILY BODY MOISTURIZER.
I have dry skin with red spots and I would love to try Revers and see if it really can help me.
I would love to try the Sooth line for my rosacea. My cheeks are always red and look like broken blood vessels. I think this could help!
I would like to try the reverse regime products. Hopefully it’s not too late to reserve the my signs of aging.
I would love to try the Redefine Regimen.
The “Redefine” line https://courtneygibby.myrandf.com/Shop/REDEFINE ~ because I need it 😀
Would to try the hydrating serum! I have dry rough patches on my face!
Toss up, redefine or reverse
I would like to try the REVERSEâ„¢ Dual Active Brightening Complex
Hydration and routine is sooo important! Sometimes we forget that natural elements cause changes in our appearances. Thank you for sharing, these are great!