Perfect skin – we all want it, and no one – yes, no one – has it. Even the people with the healthiest looking skin have a complaint or two, every once in a while.
But you may have a complaint more often than that, like every day. If that’s the case – don’t give up on the dream of smooth skin.
Read five ways to get it, below.
1. Drink More Water – A Lot More
The eight glasses of water a day rule only works for some people, as in people that weight less than 100 pounds. That’s not most adults, and most adults don’t get nearly that anyways.
So how much water should you be drinking? About 2/3 of your body weight. But what does that mean? You can do a quick phone calculation by multiplying your body weight by 2/3 or .67 (67%).
There are even calculators online that will do it for you.
That gives you the base amount of water (in ounces) you need to drink a day. That doesn’t include what you need if you work outside or exercise, then you’d need more.
A good rule of thumb is to add 12 ounces of water for every 30 minutes you’re physically active.
Water and Your Skin
Confused on what that has to do with your skin? Don’t be. Water is the base for every cell in our body, including skin cells. If you’re not hydrated, your skin cells aren’t the quality they could be – and they’re not replicating as quickly.
That means dull-looking skin that takes a while to heal or to grow back.
Water also helps with collagen production, which makes your skin more elastic.
Don’t count your water ounces? Here’s a quick way to see if you’re dehydrated or not: with your thumb and pointer finger, pinch the skin on the back of your hand.
Hold for one second – and then let go. If it takes a little while for your skin to settle back into place (skin elasticity), you’re dehydrated.
2. Wear Sunscreen Every Day
You should be putting face sunscreen on your face every single morning (and then again at lunch if you’re outside a lot).
If you can get away with chemical sunscreens, great. If not – mineral sunscreens are the way to go.
How does wearing sunscreen help you keep smooth skin? Well, many daily sunscreens are in BB and CC cream, which have soothing and clarifying benefits.
But it also keeps your skin from getting damaged and then inflamed. You’re also putting on sunscreen every day for your future self. Sun damage not only causes spots on the skin and wrinkles, but it can make skin tough and leathery.
Sun-damaged skin is pretty much the opposite of smooth skin. And who wants that?
If you’re in the car a lot – that still counts as outside time for sunscreen purposes. Be sure to also put sunscreen on your arms, especially your left one, as they get sun damage too!
As if we needed to say it, wearing sunscreen reduces your risk of skin cancer too – so you have no excuse.
3. Over-Moisturize
While actually over-moisturizing isn’t a good thing, most women aren’t moisturizing their skin enough. Or they’re using harsh products that say they’re moisturizing, but are more drying.
Acne products are a big culprit in the drying/moisturizing fight. Even the ones that say they’re not drying. Take 10 minutes out of your day to learn about what common chemicals are in face products.
You can shop here and browse the labels of their products, to start.
If you know what you’re putting on your skin, it’s a lot easier to take care of it.
While we’re on the subject of products, that means only exfoliating once or twice a week, too. As much as people under-moisturize, they over-exfoliate just as much.
Most people need to exfoliate (unless you’re told otherwise by your dermatologist) is once or twice a week. And when you’re doing it, avoid areas with thin skin, like around your eyes.
Then, moisturize directly after, so you’re delivering resources to that new, slightly-raw skin.
4. Be Consistent and Patient
A lot of people use a new lotion or face wash and get frustrated if they don’t see immediate results, or results within a week. The truth is it could take up to a month for your skin to adjust to your new routine.
Don’t spend the money and give up your smooth skin routine before it even has time to work! Be consistent and don’t change too many parts about your routine at a time.
If you start an entirely new system and something doesn’t work – you won’t know what. Slowly introduce new products and only try something else after you give the first one time to work.
5. Don’t Use a Comedone
We know – those pimple popping videos are embarrassingly and grossly satisfying. But they’re being done by a licensed dermatologist, which you’re not.
Unless it has a head on it and you’ve just gotten out of the shower (so your skin is warm and easier to work with), don’t pop your zits.
Popping things that aren’t ready (or might go away on their own) is a good way to create skin scars, or let’s face it – something a lot worse looking than it was when you started out.
Getting Smooth Skin
Women have been obsessed with the idea of smooth skin since the beginning of time, and nothing has changed. Think about how many products there are on the market today, compared to just 15 or 20 years ago.
Don’t buy into every new skincare trend and give your skin time to adjust.
For more beauty tips, let us help you with our range of articles.
