15 Resolutions for Better Skin in 2018

One thing I think that many of us think about is the appearance and health of our skin. I know I do! I’ve already discussed my acne-prone and super sensitive skin in a previous blog post, but regardless of having a better grip on my skin, there are several habits I want to incorporate into my life this year that’ll make a big difference with my skin health!

Here are the 15 resolutions for healthy skin that I have planned for 2018:

1. Go bare at least 2 days a week. I have moments when I truly rely on makeup. I love that I can have fun and be creative with, and it often makes me feel strong and empowered. But then there are the days when I use it to lend me strength and hide my insecurities and that I don’t like. I often wear makeup for special events, going to school, business meetings, and so much more, but on weekends when I’m not doing anything special or having a day at home, it’ll be good to give my skin a break from all of the foreign cosmetics.
2. Drink more water. I know, I know, I know. We’ve all heard this before. Staying hydrated helps keep your skin hydrated and get rid of all of the impurities. Besides the obvious other benefits, I think it can’t hurt to increase my water intake (especially since it’s pretty low to begin with).
3. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I’ve read a few interviews with models or actresses who basically get paid for their appearance to be flawless and their skin secrets. More than once have I heard that moisturizing has saved the day. And if that’s not enough, taking showers can strip our skin from its essential oils, so to replace these dermatologists suggest moisturizing within 10 minutes after coming out from the shower. So for 2018 I will moisturize both morning and night!
4. Clean up the diet. There are a few different dietary habits that have been linked to acne, including a high-glycemic diet, fried foods, high dairy intake, and much more*. While dairy intake isn’t a problem for me, the keeping blood sugars stable and not indulging in sweet potato fries might be more of a problem. So for 2018 I will reduce the amounts of fried foods I’m consuming as well as make sure to increase veggie and fruit intake, while watching that the fruits aren’t high-glycemic.
5. Use sunscreen daily (Winter included!). I’m lucky that my morning moisturizer has an SPF 30 included, otherwise I would most likely forget to take care of protecting my skin from the sun. There have been countless times that my parents have gotten upset with me for forgetting the sun lotion. Alternatively to sun screen, you can always look for a BB Cream that has SPF in it, I use this one. UV light can seriously impact your skin over time and nobody wants to increase the aging of their skin!
6. Remove makeup before going to bed, regardless of how tired I am. After a long day the last thing I feel like is taking off my makeup, but at the same time when I go to bed with yesterday’s makeup on I almost always wake up with worse skin. Bacteria and dirt gets trapped underneath all of that old makeup and definitely doesn’t do any good! So off it’ll go!
7. Establish a skin care routine. I talked about my old skin care routine in this post, but since I’ve gotten new skin care products I need to adapt and create a new skin care routine. Similarly to the post before, I’m sometimes simply too tired or just don’t feel like doing it. However if skin health is important to me, then so is a proper skin care routine! Keeping it simple helps so for me it’ll be: cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer (and eye cream at night).
8. Freshen up after getting sweaty. Many people have exercise high on their resolutions list at the beginning of the year, but something often forgotten is to freshen up right after. There’s a ton of bacteria, sweat, and dirt on your face right after exercising, and you don’t want it clogging your pores! So after every sweat session I’ll be cleansing my face! (Or even easier, just plan exercise in before my shower and morning skin care routine!)
9. Visit the dermatologist. Both of my parents have had skin cancer, so for me it’s vital to go to my dermatologist regularly. Going once a year is the suggested minimum, but depending on your needs you might need to go more often. Dermatologists also might have recommendations on what foods to avoid that might cause break outs, or are able to help you manage breakouts generally more effectively.
10. Choose natural. Whether skin care or cosmetic products, I always go for natural and safe. I feel more comfortable knowing that whatever I’m putting on my skin isn’t a harsh chemical and won’t harm my skin. There are so many products out there that have questionable ingredients, that it’s tough as a consumer to know what’s going to harm our skin and what’s not. Sticking to natural skin care definitely takes away a lot of the guessing game. Or simply do your research if you’re concerned!
11. Clean make-up brushes monthly. I’m definitely a culprit of not doing this often enough. I have a post here about cleaning them naturally, so I’ll be putting this in my calendar for every first Sunday of the month. I don’t want to think about all of the old makeup, dirt, and bacteria that’s clinging to my makeup brushes upstairs. (Probably going to go upstairs after finishing this post and wash them right away!)
12. Stop touching my face. I’m not sure how often I personally do this, but I definitely am a touchy person who uses her hands a lot. I lean my face against my hands often enough, and some studies suggest that people touch their face around 3-4 times an hour**. That’s crazy! Do you wash your hands every time before you touch your face? Probably not! I know I don’t! So I’ll be focusing on keeping my hands far away from my face and minimize contact that way.
13. Start fresh. As much as I’d like to believe that my cosmetics and skin care products are vampires aka live forever, it’s not the case. Cosmetics and skin care products have to be replaced regularly. Research for each of your products what the appropriate time is to replace it and do so. I know I will (even though I’m wincing while typing it).
14. Plan a spa day once a week. I love pampering myself whenever I remind myself of it. But I know for a good deep cleaning of my pores, I need a little bit more than the regular skin routine. So once a week I’m committing to using an exfoliator and mud mask. Going into my calendar right away on Sundays, as well.
15. Reduce stress levels. Anybody else notice that when they’re stressed, your skin gets worse as well (as if that helps)? Happens to me ALL the time. In order to avoid all of that, I’ll be focusing on reducing my stress levels. Skin isn’t the only part of the body that is affected by stress levels, but definitely one that can be the first indicator of that! Cortisol levels rise, and your skin gets oilier causing those darn breakouts, so I’ll be counteracting this with mediation, proper sleep time and other stress relieving activities.

That’s it for today! I’m excited to get started on all of these resolutions right away! Off, to clean those makeup brushes 😉

Love,

       Maxi

* Katta, R., & Desai, S. P. (2014). Diet and Dermatology: The Role of Dietary Intervention in Skin Disease. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 7(7), 46–51.

** Alonso WJ, Nascimento FC, Shapiro J, Schuck-Paim C. Facing ubiquitous viruses: when hand washing is not enough. Clinical infectious diseases. 2013 Feb 15;56(4):617.

Questions for you:

1. How do you take care of your skin?
2. Is the appearance of your skin important to you? 
3. Do you struggle with any skin-related issues?
4. What’s your #1 skin care tip?