7 Simple Things That Help Your Skin Look Fabulous

There is no better time than now to refresh your skin and get it looking gorgeous. I always think that mid-winter is when our skin looks its absolute worst, so lets have a look at 7 simple things you can do to help your skin look fabulous.

7 Simple things That Make Your Skin Look Fabulous.

Get More Sleep

I so envy JLo. Not for the career or the money or the clothes. I envy her because she gets 8 to 10 hours sleep per night. 
How do you even do that?? As a single mom I get 5, which is really bad on so many levels. 

One of the best things you can do for your skin is get ample sleep each night. Ample being a good 8 hours.

Additional sleep (like JLo apparently gets) makes your skin look even lovelier.

Drink More Water

We all already know about drinking more water, but plenty of us still don't drink enough. You need to drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day just for good health. Doing just that will make a difference to your skin, adding a couple more glasses will improve your skin's clarity and texture hugely.

Be Pillowcase Pretty

There are 2 significant things you can do in pillowcase-land to significantly benefit your skin.

The first is to invest in a silk pillowcase. 

Sleeping on silk stops (or at least reduces) waking up with creases pressed into your skin. (Sleep creases have been likened to ironing wrinkles into your skin.) Irritated skin feels soothed after a night on silk, possibly due to the lack of friction associated with regular cotton pillow cases. 

You'll see noticeably less puffiness when you wake up, and after a few days your skin will feel softer too.

The other thing you need to do is change your pillowcase out every few days. Sleeping on dirty pillowcases can contribute to acne and skin irritation, and can prolong the healing process.

Clean The Right Way

Make sure you are using the right cleanser for your skin type, and be gentle with your skin. Don't rub and scrub it, instead massage cleanser into your skin and gently rinse it away with a warm washcloth.

Typically foaming/wash style cleansers are better for oiler skins while cleansing milks are lovely for a drier complexion. 
I love oil cleansers for all skins. Try Malin and Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil, suitable for all akin types.

Only Exfoliate Gently

Try an enzyme mask instead of a scrub exfoliator. Scrubs tend to rough up the baby skin underneath, keeping you in the cycle of irritated or roughed up skin.

If you do go the scrub route, use one with super fine grains and use it gently.

Add An Oil

Adding a facial oil into your skin care regime will keep your skin soft and supple and give it the most gorgeous glow. Look for an oil with a dry finish if you are worried about looking shiny.

I've been using Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil for a while now. This dry finish oil gives your skin luscious nourishment and makes your skin both look and feel amazing.
It is also a fantastic skin rescue product, if you are feeling any dryness or irritation from the cold weather. 

Clean Your Phone (And Your Glasses!)

Keeping your cell phone and your glasses clean is nearly as important and cleansing your skin. 

New Year New You ~ 10 Habits Of Women With Beautiful Skin

Although some lucky girls are born with beautiful skin, most of us are not. For most of us beautiful skin is something we work to have. And for those of you born with it, it is something to work to maintain. (otherwise like your youth you will wake up one day to find it has gone.)

Katie Bunn by Eric Cassee

New Year, New You ~ here are 10 habits that women with beautiful skin already have, and that you need to develop this year to give you beautiful skin.

10 Habits Of Women With Beautiful Skin.

1. They never go to bed with their makeup on.

No matter how late they get home, no matter how tired they are, women with beautiful complexions cleanse their skin every single night before bed.

And don't believe the swirl-tap-buff crowd when they tell you their crushed mineral foundations are safe to sleep in. Never sleep in your makeup.

2. They never leave the house without sunscreen.

Nothing, and I mean nothing ages your skin as badly as sun damage.

Although a bad burn at the beach is detrimental, its the everyday exposure to the sun that causes the most damage. Walking from your car to the office, walking across the street, even driving your car - the daily exposure to sunlight that we think absolutely nothing of ages us more than anything.

Women with beautiful skin wear a free standing facial spf (not just one that's built into their moisturizer) every single day.

3. They drink plenty of water.

Skin cells, like any other cells in the body are made up of water. Without water they cannot function at their highest level. If your skin is not getting enough water, the lack of hydration presents itself by making the skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin is less resiliant and more prone to wrinkling. Drinking plenty of water helps the skin to look luminous and vibrant.

4. They get their beauty sleep.

Nighttime is when your skin repairs and restores itself. If you get enough sleep your skin cells can rest and refuel. 

Ideally you need 8 hours of sleep per night. Your body releases growth hormone during the last stage of sleep, so unless you are getting 8 to 8 1/2 hours of sleep you are missing out on that last burst of growth hormone. Growth hormone plays a role in bringing blood supply to the skin surface, oxygenating the skin and improving the overall luster and tone of the skin.

5. They use retinA or a retinol product regularly. (or every night)

Everyone over the age of 35 should be using a retinol or retinoid product. (RetinA is the stronger, prescription only product)

Starting in your 30's your skin begins to break down more collagen and to make less. Less collagen leas to more wrinkling, sagging and uneven skintone. RetinA helps to stimulate collgen synthesis at the same time slowing the activity of the enzymes that break down collagen.

The skin also appears smoother and firmer.

Your skin might feel irritated at first, so start by applying a very thin layer every 3rd or 4th night, and build your way up to every night.

6. They have regular facials.

There are many benefits to having regular facials. Starting with the fact that they are so relaxing! A little pampering can go a long way, plus there is so much benefit to the steaming, the deep cleansing, the massaging, the masks - all of it.

Your facialist is going to get to areas you miss with your daily skin care routines, and she is going to use professional grade products that are more high performance than those you use at home.

7. They make good use of their dermatologist.

From chemical peels to microdermabrasion, from microneedling to laser treatments - there are so many treatments available to take your skin to the next level of fabulous. Women with beautiful skin tend to avail themselves of many of them.

8. They make good use of injectables.
And not bad use of injectables.
When injectables are done well they look completely natural, and nothing like the fish lipped, over inflated, mask of horror, completely artificial look that you see everywhere (especially Scottsdale, where I live).
Injectables when done correctly can gently smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, add volume back into sagging facial features, and generally keep everything looking good.
The key is to go to someone really brilliant at injecting. Don't buy a deal on groupon, don't shop your a bargain - it quite literally will be written all over your face! Do your research and find the best people in your town or city and have a look at their work before you buy.

9. They don't overdo it.
Women with beautiful skin keep balance in their skin care, and all their ancillary treatments. They don't go overboard with injectables or laser treatments, or peels and microderm treatments. Everything in moderation.

10. They master flawless makeup application techniques.
Women with beautiful skin keep their skin well moisturized and then do their makeup flawlessly. (makeup grabs onto dry skin and looks cakey).
Beautiful skin covered in a thick layer of gunky makeup no longer looks like beautiful skin. It just looks awful. Choosing the right formulation and shade of foundation, applying it sparingly and evenly and understanding that the job of foundation is to make the skin look like flawless, beautiful skin are all key components.
Foundation needs to look luminous and sheer, not thick or opaque.

Learn about Dermasweep here
Learn about microneedling here
Learn about chemical peels here
Learn about Juvederm Tear Trough fills here
Learn about botox here and here
Learn about Radiesse Cheek and temple fills here

image credits:
Photographer Eric Cassee
Model Katie Bunn
Hair Will Zecco
Makeup Corinna Cooke

Erika Palkovicova for EMMA Magazine

I'm always a sucker for glowing, luminous skin.

No matter what the model is wearing,

no matter what the hair is doing,

no matter what else is going on makeup-wise,

without a gorgeous complexion you have nothing.

Erika Palkovicova for Emma Magazine

So I just loved this editorial is Slovakia's EMMA magazine.

Model Erika Palkovicova's skin just looks divine.

Shot by Branislav Simoncik.