The female body has, on average, 20 square feet of skin. Since that is a sizable number, it comes as no surprise that many women have trouble keeping their skin in optimal condition. Although skin has excellent regenerative properties (almost 1,000 new skin layers are grown over the course of lifetime), it can also be damaged easily. If you're a woman who wants nice skin (and you should be), you need to know what constitutes proper skin care.
Cleanse & Moisturize
- Daily use of a mild cleanser and moisturizer can help prevent dry skin, which may cause wrinkles and cracks that make your skin painful and itchy. If you suffer from dry skin, use warm water--never hot--to bathe or shower, and use a mild, beauty bar soap. Keep showers or baths short to minimize water contact, and use moisturizer after gently patting your skin dry. An effective moisturizer uses oil to keep water in the skin, which keeps the skin hydrated. Purchase moisturizers that contain lanolin, mineral oil, petroleum jelly or dimethicone.
Sunscreen
- Add sunscreen to your skin care routine. Unprotected sun exposure can cause your skin to feel rough and dry, and can cause age spots and wrinkles as well as skin cancer. If you're going to be in the sun, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least 30 SPF, a half hour before sun exposure. "Broad-spectrum sunscreens block both ultra violet A, and ultra violet B rays, which can cause sun damage to your skin," according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Reapply sunscreen every two hours.
Last but not least....
The Makeup Application
Since makeup may stay on your face for a long period of time, purchase makeup that will not cause an allergic reaction on your skin or stop up your pores, causing acne. Look for makeup that contains sunscreen. Remember always, Moisturize before applying makeup.
