It’s that time of the year again when everyone’s taking to social media to declare that the new year is going to be different. We’re all going to try taking steps to be healthier and happier in 2023, so don’t leave your skin out of your New Year’s Resolutions! According to Dr. Megan Lent of U.S. Dermatology Partners in Chillicothe, Missouri, “Many people make New Year’s resolutions that challenge them to make big changes in their skincare habits, and then by the end of the year, they’ve given up completely. If you find yourself in this same situation year after year, I have a simple recommendation, pick one small, specific thing to change in your skincare routine. Then, stick with it as long as you can. No shame if you don’t make it all year. Just do your best to treat your skin a little better. New Year’s resolution season is a great time to find new products or just try to be more consistent with your daily skincare routine.” In this blog, Dr. Lent goes over some dermatologist-approved skincare resolutions for 2023 that are easy to stick with and offer beautiful results.
Stay Healthy & Hydrated
You’ve probably heard the adage, “You are what you eat,” and this is certainly true when it comes to healthy skin. It all starts from within. The healthier and better hydrated your body is, the healthier your skin will be. Make sure to eat a nutrient-rich diet and drink plenty of water. When your body doesn’t have adequate nutrition or hydration, it will retain the moisture and nutrients for the more essential organs and bodily functions rather than sending them out to the skin. This leaves skin looking and feeling dull, dry, and less healthy.
Get Your Beauty Rest
Sleep is another lifestyle factor that can leave its mark on your skin. During sleep, our cells heal and regenerate. When the body doesn’t get enough sleep to regenerate cells, it will focus its energy on the parts of the body that need new, healthy cells most to function. Once again, this means the skin may lose out. Make sure to get adequate sleep each night, so your skin will look and feel its very best.
Don’t Forget to Wear Sunscreen
According to Dr. Lent, “Almost all skin health concerns are directly caused or worsened by sun damage, so protecting skin from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays is an important resolution you should make for every new year. That means limiting sun exposure when possible, wearing sunscreen every day, and reapplying at least every two hours. Choose a sunscreen that works for your skin type, but make sure you find one that is broad-spectrum, so it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Additionally, you should find a sunscreen with a sun protection factor, which you’ve probably heard called SPF, of 30 or higher.” Your dermatologist can recommend a sunscreen that will work for your unique skincare needs, but one of the best options that is safe and effective for all skin types is the EltaMD UV Elements Broad-Spectrum SPF 44. In addition to protecting the face and exposed areas of skin from sun damage, you should also protect your lips with a lip balm that contains sunscreen such as the EltaMD UV Lip Balm Broad-Spectrum SPF 31.
Apply Your Skincare Products Correctly
In order for the skincare products we use to be effective, they need to be applied in the right order. That means the general order of skincare, cleansing, toning, treating, moisturizing, and protecting as well as the order we apply products within these skincare categories. Dr. Lent offers this simple rule of thumb for applying skincare products, “Always apply skincare products from thinnest to thickest and allow products plenty of time to fully absorb before moving on to the next product. If you feel like skincare products are leaving a residue on the surface of your skin, you likely aren’t allowing enough time for them to fully absorb. In addition to giving your skin time to absorb each product, you should also exfoliate skin daily, or a few times a week for those with more sensitive skin, to ensure healthy skin cell turnover to keep pores open.”
Stop Sleeping in Your Makeup
One of the worst things we can do to our skin is leave cosmetics on overnight. According to Dr. Lent, “Leaving makeup on overnight essentially keeps dead skin cells, grime, dirt, oils, bacteria, and other debris of the day trapped on the skin. This dramatically increases the risk for clogged pores, flare-ups in chronic skin health issues, and generally uneven skin tone and texture.” Before you go to sleep, you should carefully remove makeup, clean your skin, use toner to restore pH balance, apply any skincare treatments, and use a good moisturizer.
Use a Face Mask Once a Week
Face masks come in many different varieties, and they can be used to address numerous skin health concerns. Face masks that pull toxins and oils out of pores and those that deeply moisturize are two of the most popular options. Whether you’re looking to soothe, hydrate, improve skin tone, or achieve any other skincare goal in the new year, there’s likely a face mask out there that will help.
If Nothing Else, Try to Be Consistent
When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions, Dr. Lent says, “If you make no skincare resolutions this year, just try to be consistent in taking care of your skin with a good morning and evening skincare routine. One of the most frustrating things about improving skin health is that it takes time and consistent care to see results. You don’t need to make any huge changes or spend hours on your daily skincare routine. Instead, establish a basic cleansing, toning, treating, moisturizing, and protecting routine each morning and evening. Then, stick with it.”
Schedule a Visit with Your Dermatologist in New Year
If you want to start 2023 off right with a great skincare routine and healthier looking and feeling skin, U.S. Dermatology Partners is here to help, so don’t hesitate to schedule a visit with us. Simply take a few moments to complete our quick and easy scheduling request form. Once we hear from you, one of our local dermatology practices will be in touch to finalize the details of your visit.
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