021623_Business Corner _DIGITAL EDITION

Having a good skin care routine
is one of the most important factors
in how age affects your image.
Healthy, glowing skin gives a youthful
appearance and can take years
off your face. While it’s best to
begin a good skin care regimen
as early in life as possible, many
of us don’t think about its importance
until we start to notice lines,
wrinkles, redness, puffiness and
dry skin that can come with age.
Whether you are just starting the
habit of a skin care routine or are
looking for ways to improve what
you’re already doing, below are
some tips to help step up your skin
care routine:
• Wash your face twice a day.
You may have heard this lecture as
a teenager, but parents everywhere
had a point. Washing your face literally
cleans away the pollutants
that assault it throughout the day.
At night, your skin is at its driest due
to overnight water loss. Washing
your face in the morning removes
any buildup overnight and allows
your face to replenish its moisture.
• Exfoliate at least once a week.
Skin cells are constantly in a state
of shedding and rebuilding, which
can leave dead skin cells sitting
on your body. While those dead
cells will fall off eventually, you
can help speed the process and let
the younger skin shine through by
exfoliating at least once a week.
When exfoliating, be sure to use
gentle, circular motions. Scrubbing
your skin too hard can cause more
harm than good.
• Use a toner directly after
washing your face. Today’s toners
aren’t what you might remember
from a decade or more ago,
the alcohol-based astringent that
stung when it was applied. Current
toners are typically water-based
HOW TO ...
Step Up Your Skin Care Routine
Target Skin Concerns With Individual Products
by Lauren Salinero
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x February 16 — March 1, 2023 x 5
and are used after cleaning the
face and before applying serums
and moisturizers. Toners can address
an array of skin concerns,
from acne and oily skin to dry and
wrinkled skin.
• Target individual skin concerns
next with a serum. Serums contain
active ingredients that are applied
directly to the skin, often only in
the affected areas. While hydration
and wrinkle-reducing serums
are very common, serums can also
address redness, dark spots and
uneven skin tone. They can soothe
sensitive skin and provide a protective
shield from free radicals and
damage. Give the serum a few
minutes to fully soak into the skin
before moving to the next step.
• Keep skin hydrated with a moisturizer.
Look for a moisturizer that
contains ingredients like hyaluronic
acid, glycerin and ceramides. It
should feel lightweight and sink into
the skin, not thick or sitting on top of
the skin. As great as using a moisturizer
can be, it shouldn’t be the primary
source of hydration for your
skin. The best way to keep your skin
hydrated is to start from the inside
out. The Institute of Medicine of the
National Academies determined an
adequately hydrated male drinks
about 3.7 liters of water and an adequately
hydrated female drinks
about 2.7 liters of water each day.
• Don’t forget that skin care
doesn’t stop at the face. Be sure to
exfoliate, clean and moisturize oftenoverlooked
areas of the skin, such as
the elbows, knees, hands and feet.
Skin is the body’s largest organ. It
protects the body from injury, infection,
the elements and more. All of
your skin deserves to be cared for,
so take the time each day to maintain
a routine to bring your skin’s natural
beauty to the surface. ª