Taking even a few minutes for a nighttime facial routine can improve the health and beauty of your skin.
After enduring makeup, oil, harsh weather, and pollution all day,
your skin needs some tender loving care in the p.m. We know -- you're
tired at night. But if you can, hold off on your shut-eye just long
enough to follow these nighttime tips from Lisa Ginn, MD, a cosmetic
dermatologist in Chevy Chase, Md.
Wash Your Face at Night
Stop! Don't slip into bed sans cleansing. Your makeup grinds into
your skin all night, causing breakouts and even stretching out the
pores, which makes your skin look older. Ginn recommends an oil-based
makeup remover, which can handle even waterproof mascara without tugging
delicate skin. Use a cotton pad to sweep the makeup remover over your
skin, and follow up with a gentle face cleanser.
Boost Collagen With Vitamin A
As you get older, collagen production in your skin decreases. "If
you never stopped making collagen and never damaged collagen, you would
never get a wrinkle, your pores would stay small, you'd never get a
scar, and your skin would stay nice and tight," says Ginn. "Collagen is
key." To stimulate collagen production, which will help smooth fine
lines and reduce the appearance of pores, Ginn recommends applying
vitamin A in the form of either a prescription or over-the-counter
retinoid every night. As a bonus, retinoids can help lighten brown
spots.
Apply Eye Cream
For refreshed-looking peepers, "eye cream is a must," says Ginn.
Skin around the eyes is thinner than elsewhere on the body, and as you
age it becomes even thinner, which can result in under-eye circles and
hollowing. Ginn says to look for an eye cream or serum with vitamins A,
C, E, or K, which help repair the skin and lighten dark circles. If you
use a serum, you'll need a light eye cream on top of that to keep the
skin hydrated.
Switch Up Your Sleep Sides
Ginn says she can tell what side a patient sleeps on because that
half of her face has more fine lines. Some experts recommend
anti-wrinkle pillows, but before you go to the expense, Ginn recommends
starting out the night on the side you don't usually sleep on. Even if
you end up flipping over in your sleep -- which you probably will --
you'll spend less time with one side of your face smooshed into the
pillow. Or try sleeping on your back.
Be Happy
Ginn emphasizes that to look good, you need to feel good. "A
happy face -- the lines are so worth it," says Ginn. "Just take time to
enjoy life. What's going on on the inside is surely going to reflect on
the outside." So spend a few
minutes reading a funny book or watching a humorous YouTube clip, go for
a walk, call a friend, or enjoy a piece of exquisite dark chocolate.
All in the name of beauty!
Hand and Foot Beauty Tips
Your face isn't the
only skin that needs tender loving care. Check out these expert for
perfecting your tootsies and hands at night.
Foot care. A few nights per week, rub your toes and heels
with a lotion containing 12% lactic acid, which helps slough off dry
skin. Top this lotion with a heavier cream, such as one made with shea
butter or glycerin. Then slip on a pair of socks over the creams and
call it a night. However, Ginn warns against wearing socks every night
as the warm, moist environment is the perfect environment for fungal
infections.
Hand care. It's hard to use a heavy-duty hand cream during
the day without leaving greasy residue all over your computer keyboard
and work papers. So at night, break out the big guns, like shea butter.
Slather it into your hands and cuticles before hitting the hay.
No comments:
Post a Comment