6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Skin in 2019

‘Tis the season for New Year’s Resolutions! Whether it’s losing weight by trying a new diet, healthy eating, finding a better S.O., quitting your vice of choice, the New Year inspires a fresh start and a new you.

But where to start? It’s super easy to commit January 1st, but come January 30th, things seem hard.

Here are a couple of tricks we’ve learned to help keep your resolutions:

1. Sometimes it’s as simple and choosing just one word to keep you focused and motivated for the year
2. Or approach keeping a resolution like a well researched project.

We like to look at keeping a resolution like changing a habit, or trying out something new. For 2019, we figured we’d focus on what we know; skincare.

Below are our 6 Skincare Resolutions for 2019, because sometimes a little self-care and a change in routine, is the best way to ring in the New Year.

#1 Cleanse Every Day

Throughout the day, your skin is exposed to dirt, pollution, harsh weather, germs, bacteria, and a whole lot more. It protects the rest of the body from the sun’s rays, the cold, heat, moisture, and toxic chemicals.

Cleansing the skin removes the toxins, dirt, and impurities collected throughout the day allowing the skin an opportunity to heal and repair itself faster. It also gives additional serums, treatments, and moisturizers the ability to penetrate deeper into the skin and work better because the surface of the skin is clean and able to absorb the beneficial ingredients easier.

Need help choosing the right cleanser?

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, commit to AT LEAST washing your face at night. While you sleep, your skin goes into repair mode. Washing the face gives skin a head start to better absorb serums and moisturizers, regenerate cells, and battle breakouts.

Cleansing the skin every day will result in overall healthy skin - something we can all commit to for 2019.

 

#2 Use Antioxidants During the Day

We’ve already covered this (see #1 Cleanse Every Day); your skin is inundated with pollution, various UV rays, and other free radicals throughout the day. These free radicals attach to and break down healthy skin cells. This results in more fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging of the skin.

To help fight free radicals, and keep skin looking healthier longer, make sure to use an antioxidant during the day. Antioxidants include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, green tea, lycopene, and more. A Vitamin C serum, booster product, or moisturizer are all great options.

Learn more about Vitamin C and how to pick the right product for you.

Using an antioxidant on the skin  on a daily basis will protect skin overtime and help prevent signs of premature aging. Sign us up!

 

#3 Use a Retinol at Night

Because skin is repairing itself at night, and generating new skin cells, give it a boost by adding retinol into your routine. Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that helps speed up the skin’s cell turnover process.

Retinol is a powerhouse ingredient because it helps treat multiple concerns.

• For treating breakouts: newer skin cells rise to the surface of the skin quicker, preventing dead skin cells from getting trapped in pores, clogging them, and causing more breakouts.
• If skin is oily, less debris is getting caught in pores and stretching them out, pores appear smaller, and skin looks smoother
• Fine lines and wrinkles: because cell turnover has increased, newer, plumper skin cells are coming to the surface of the skin quicker. This helps to reduce fine lines already there, and prevents new ones from forming

Learn more about retinol products in this video here.

Remember to only use retinol at night as skin can become more sensitive to the sun, and always use a minimum of an SPF 30 during the day.

 

#4 Try a New Tool

Skincare tools have come a long way - they’re sleeker, sexier, and definitely more effective. Dermarollers gained popularity in the past couple of years and have stuck around because they work.

What is a Dermaroller?

A dermaroller is a handheld device that microneedles the skin. In addition to creating the painless micro injuries that help stimulate collagen and elastin, it also creates “micro channels” that allow topical products to be absorbed easier (and deeper) into the skin.

What is Microneedling?

Microneedling (also known as Collagen Induction Therapy) uses fine needles to create hundreds of tiny, invisible puncture wounds on the top layer of skin. These puncture wounds do not go deep enough into the skin to create bleeding, but, these micro-injuries stimulate the body's natural wound healing processes. Skin appears thicker, more plump, and scarring and dark spots are reduced.

Learn more about microneedling. And check out this video.

Microneedling helps stimulate collagen and elastin, and cell turnover. Therefore, it’ll treat various concerns including fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, scarring, and enlarged pores. Here are the top 5 reasons microneedling is a game changer.

 

#5 Hydrate!

Regardless of your skin type, or skin concern, EVERYONE needs hydration in their skin. A hydrator (like hyaluronic acid) helps to bring water to the skin using humectants. These humectants help collect moisture in the environment and bind it to the skin, which allows the skin to absorb the water.

Confused between the difference between hydrators and moisturizers?

Pure Hyaluronic Acid serum is the perfect example of a hydrator. Think of it like a big drink of water for your skin. There are multiple benefits of hyaluronic acid, and hydration is key.

 Watch a video on hyaluronic acid and why it’s great for the skin.

No matter the skin type (dry skin, oily, combination) or concern (acne, aging, dullness) every skin needs hydration. And you’ll see results right away, which is great motivation to keep using it!

#6 SPF, every day!

And when we say SPF, we mean broad-spectrum SPF protection.

From the Mayo Clinic:

A broad-spectrum, or full-spectrum, sunscreen protects you from both [UVA and UVB rays]. UVA rays can prematurely age your skin, causing wrinkling and age spots. UVB rays can burn your skin. Too much exposure to UVA or UVB rays can cause skin cancer. The best sunscreen offers protection from all UV light.

Learn how to properly read a sunscreen label.

And if you’re inside for most of the day, or feel like it’s cloudy, you still need UV protection. UV radiation comes from many sources, and not just the sun.

Protecting the skin on a daily basis prevent fine lines, dark spot, sagging, and potentially melanoma. It’s an important step and should not be skipped.

 

We hope you try our 6 Way to Improve Your Skin, and seriously, you’ll see improvements. Your skin will look more plump, clear, and glowing. Happy New Year to you!