10 skin secrets to help keep your skin flawless
Post contains affiliate linksI love a good skin secret, tip or piece of advice. Along the way you end up with your own secrets and hacks because you learn what your skin loves because you’ll know if it doesn’t!
Many people share the same skin secrets and others have a secret that tempts you to try it which can 1. Work out really well or 2. Wish you remembered that everyone's skin is different. I’m here to share my skin secrets, I won’t gatekeep because we don’t do that here!
Watch: Top 5 skin secrets
Change your pillowcase
#1 Change your pillowcase regularly guys, it might not be an obvious one but it does play a part. Our pillowcases have a build up of oil, dirt and sweat from everyday use. We lie on it every night, breathing into it, our hair is on it (which could be greasy sometimes, let's keep it real) and we shed thousands of skin cells a day. If we spend at least 7-8 hours sleeping, then a lot of those cells are on our pillowcases!
You guessed it, this goes onto our skin and also ends up causing acne. If there is any make-up left on your skin unintentionally after cleansing, that’s seeping into your pillowcase and you’re putting your face on that, over and over again - sounds gross right? Try to change your pillowcase at least twice a week - I know you’re probably thinking ‘who has that many pillowcases?’ - me! The next time you invest in your skincare products, buy a pillowcase too - don’t undo your hard work!
Come rain or shine, apply SPF
#2 My personal favourite skin secret is to use SPF daily - this shouldn’t be a secret really but in my old workplace I was surprised at how many people didn’t do this. It is always so nice when I get asked for ID or when someone asks ‘what’s your secret?’ after telling them my age. My first answer is always SPF so it’s my number 1 ‘secret’. You can’t go wrong with it, not only does it protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, it prevents wrinkles, premature ageing and pigmentation. I can’t express how much value there is in adding a good quality SPF to your skincare routine.
Sudocrem? Yep!
#3 It’s not just for babies! There are two key ingredients that in my opinion is what makes Sudocrem a winner. It contains Benzyl alcohol which has antiseptic properties and zinc oxide which does a fantastic job at calming down the redness and inflammation caused by spots. It’s an affordable little miracle worker that works wonders. My secret tip is to apply Sudocrem to spots and leave it overnight
Stimulate circulation with facial tools
#4 If you’re after a little pamper to incorporate in your routine that will feel nice but also help your skin - then a Gua sha and facial ice globes are a great shout! One of my favourite things a Gua Sha does is that it temporarily reduces muscle tightness in my jaw, I grind my teeth in my sleep sometimes (I know, bad habit) and this helps relax my jaw muscle.
It helps stimulate circulation which in turn brightens the skin. I use it once a week to maintain benefits. The ice globes feel so nice and cool on my skin when I use them, especially under my eyes. It helps my under eye dark circles and I even use it on my forehead and tension points when I have a headache!
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Facial Ice Globes
Wash…. your make-up brushes
#5 Make-up brushes need to be washed at least once a week. Think about it, if you don’t you are just constantly passing bacteria to and from your skin, into the brush, back into the product and back round again.
I know it can be a chore and sometimes take a little while to dry but you are honestly just piling on the bacteria onto your skin daily otherwise. In addition, having clean make-up brushes applies makeup on better and you are much less likely to have a streaky application. Speaking of make up…
Never go to sleep with your makeup on!
#6 This is an obvious skin secret but I am including it because doing this is just bad for your skin. I have accidentally done it before when I lie on my bed and I say to myself ‘two minutes and I’m getting up to wash my face’ and then bam it’s 6am.
That feeling on your face in the morning from the overnight makeup sitting there - it’s not nice and you’ve probably just stained your pillowcase too. Always wash off makeup with a cleanser and not face wipes - they don’t take your makeup off, they just smear around the makeup and bacteria around your skin, they can dry your skin out because of the chemicals in them and they are just bad for the environment too.
Consistency, consistency, consistency
#7 Consistency is key. Whilst quite an obvious thing, it’s not something we always stick to. How many times have you been too tired to do all your skincare steps and you just about wash your face and slap on a moisturizer.
I have been guilty of this many moons ago but when you don’t see results, you know why. I ended up feeling guilty that I would spend so much on products without using them to their full potential. I don’t do this now. Now I am always consistent, I know it takes time to get results, it doesn’t happen overnight but it’s worth the wait.
Exoliant, Face mask and Retinol
#8 The main cause of dull and dry skin is the dead skin cells and product build-up on it. It starts to look uneven, might feel drier than usual - this is your skin begging you to exfoliate. Exfoliation gets rid of any clogged pores, sheds the dead skin cells and clears out the oil and dirt that has built up. Be careful not to over exfoliate because this can actually damage your skin’s natural barrier.
I have combination skin and I exfoliate/face mask (with acids) twice a week. Face masks are a great at home self-care treatment to brighten the skin after a long week. I love going for a facial but this isn’t always possible or affordable, if you can treat yourself every once in a while, your skin will feel like it can ‘breathe’. Face masks can give you that glow while declogging those pores.
Retinol is an ingredient that has been trending for a while now and rightly so - it works wonders. There are different strengths available and it is best to start with a low strength to build your skin’s tolerance to it. Usage of Retinol should be phased in gradually, at first twice a week for two weeks, then every other night for two weeks. By this point you would see if you had any effects from using it and if all good then you can use it every night. This is how I started using my retinol in my nighttime routine.
Some side effects that might happen when you first start using it are redness and flaking skin - which is why it is important to slowly build your skin’s tolerance. Minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, firming and plumping the skin, people will ask you what you use on your skin! Tip: always use SPF the next morning after using retinol the night before - it increases your skin's sensitivity to sun exposure - so protect that skin!
Water, sleep and diet
#9 When you are quenching your thirst, you are also doing wonders for your skin. Try to drink 8 glasses of water a day, it will help reduce wrinkles, prevent acne, increase elasticity and it helps keep your skin moisturized. Hydration will go a long way at keeping your skin naturally glowing! I have noticed that when I drink enough water my skin just looks so much better, the same applies for what I eat.
I am a huge snacker and if I over indulge, i’ll be sure to pay the price a few days later in the form of a spot. I tidied up my diet quite a bit when I went for some blood tests for my hormones and they told me I had high cholesterol.
Don’t get me wrong I still enjoy my food and snacks but in moderation now - I was overdoing it before. But since cutting back (touch wood) I will rarely get a spot and if I do it’s usually around the time of my period.
The right amount of sleep and quality sleep is key in helping our skin look its best. Too little or too much sleep can make us look overtired, increase the appearance of dark circles and make us look puffy. I try to get between 7-8 hours of sleep a night, find what works for you and your body (and overall health!) will thank you for it.
One Final Tip!
#10 Always monitor your skin of any changes, keep an eye on any moles you might have.
You can change up your products with the seasons - you may find that your skin is drier in the winter so you need a thicker and more hydrating moisturizer.
Don’t touch your skin throughout the day and don’t pick your skin or spots!
Skin secrets summary
There are probably hundreds more skin secrets out there and these are just a few of my top ones that I regularly do. If you’re consistent and you give your skin what it needs by listening to it and taking care of it, your skin will glow.
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