Take Care of Your Face!: 10 Easy Tips & Tricks

When I became a mom, I didn't have a lot of time or energy (or money) for fancy skincare routines. Fortunately, I had some fall-back techniques thanks to all the skincare advice my mom (and grandmoms) chirped at me all my life. Not only do these tips keep me looking younger (check it out, I turn 30 this month!) but they keep me feeling confident about my looks day in and day out.

Pile on the SPF.

Too many women believe that being tan is an earmark of beautiful skin, but in reality it causes a lot of skin cancer and wrinkles. I know it's tough not to tan when everyone else seems to be doing it, but trust me - you'll be a lot happier at 50 if you're the only gal in your group without a plethora of wrinkles. Next time you run out of a skincare product (makeup, creams, lotions, etc.) replace it with a product that contains SPF. Don't want to waste a lot of money with makeup trial & error? You can use a site like GlamST to give yourself a free virtual makeover so you can see what looks good on you before you spend any money. (Click here to read more about this virtual makeover site.)

Don't. Rub.

Seriously. Just don't do it. Every time you rub your eyes, you risk rupturing all those teeny-tiny little blood-vessels, and that is a huge cause of dark circles. If you find yourself frequently rubbing your eyes because of dried contacts, allergies, or tiredness, find a way to combat the root of the problem (eye drops, medication, or coffee!) so that you won't be as tempted. If that still doesn't work, imagine that your fingertips are covered with something that you really don't want to get near your eyes and you'll subconsciously start to avoid them.

Spot treat naturally whenever possible.

Many of the facial washes out there that contain chemicals to clear up breakouts or reduce acne can damage your skin, so use them sparingly! I like to use a baking soda treatment made of 2 parts baking soda to 1 part water. When I get acne, I spot-treat with the mixture, leave on for about 10-15 minutes, then gently wash off. This will not only draw the oils out of my skin, but it will reduce the redness quickly. Make sure to use a light facial moisturizer afterwards on any spots you treated so that your face doesn't show signs of irritation. Quick, cheap, & natural!

What goes in, must come out.

If you want to really clear your skin up, make sure that whatever is going into your body is wholesome. Smoking is like getting a wrinkle-makeover, and drinking dehydrates your skin horribly. Think of these things as toxins that you're smearing on your face the next time you get the urge to drink or smoke. Yeah, it's fun to party it up now and then, but practicing a little moderation can go a long way towards keeping your face fresh and youthful.

Start using an anti-aging or anti-wrinkle cream early on!

You might think that because you don't see any wrinkles or signs of aging on your skin, you don't need to use these creams. The truth is though, the sooner you start using creams like these, the better off you'll be. While these types of products can certainly prevent or slow-down the process of aging skin by giving your face a boost of nutrients, there is no miracle-cream that reverses time. Believe me, if there was a cream out there that you could put on your face and you would magically look 21 again, people would know about it. Don't wait until there is a problem to start giving your face an advantage or it might be too late!

Don't forget about gravity!

Everything is subject to the laws of nature, and your pores are no exception! When you wash your face, make sure you're washing upward in a circular motion - if you're washing downward, you risk leaving a lot of gunk behind! Apply the same principle whenever you put your makeup on and make sure to apply it in a downward motion to reduce the chance of lodging anything into your pores.

Give your face a steam bath.

Fill the sink or a large bowl with steaming hot water. Lean over the bowl and drape a towel over the back of your head. This will allow the pores to open up and soften naturally so that any dirt, bacteria, dead skin cells, or other lovely gunk can be easily wiped off your skin's surface.

Skip the harsh scrubs and go for a peel.

Believe it or not, using a facial scrub can actually make the quality of your skin worse! All those bits and pieces flying across your face might feel great as are doing a fast removal of any unwanted junk, but what they are also doing is leaving your skin with microscopic tears. (Which is not great, because it leaves your face at-risk for even bigger break-outs!) Using a gentle peel is not only effective, but fun. I like this honey one from Montagne Jeunesse because it's cheap & quick!

Keep it clean!

And I'm not talking about your face right now, I'm talking about what goes on your face. Think phones, pillowcases, washcloths, makeup brushes, sponges, fingers... we put all of these items on our face on a regular basis, which is just causing the bacteria and oil we want off our face to accumulate there even faster. Wipe down phones after using them, wash pillowcases & makeup brushes frequently, and don't use sponges or washcloths more than once. As for your fingers? Keep them off your face! Unless you have an itch, the only thing you'll gain by touching your face a lot is a clogged pore.

And last, but certainly not least...

Never go to bed angry with a face full of makeup.

Look, we've all been there. It's 2am. You just got in. You really, really don't want to take the time to go in to the bathroom and wash all that fantastic off your face. Especially not if your man has seen you looking like a movie-star all night and now he's about to get socked in the eyes with the plain-face-special. But you've gotta. If you don't, sooner or later you're going to pay for it. Your skin doesn't make you go to bed wearing those pumps that hurt your toes, don't let your skin go to sleep suffocating in a layer of makeup.

Do you have a favorite facial-care tip? What are your go-to skincare products?

Share with me in the comments below, I love hearing from my readers!

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Disclosure: UnboundInspiration.com was not responsible for the distribution of this giveaway. I received no compensation for this post and, as always, my opinions are purely my own.)