The skin is our body’s biggest organ, that’s why it’s so important for us to take care of our skin.  Not only can proper skin care prevent early signs of aging, it also leaves us feeling fresh and revitalized.  Not sure how you can do your skin justice?  It’s easy, just follow these three essentials steps: cleansing, exfoliating and bathing on the sunscreen.

Cleansing your skin is vital, because it rids your skin of dirt, debris and oil, and provides the perfect canvas for makeup. I personally love the feeling of a clean, fresh face; it’s a great picker-upper in the mornings. When it comes to your face and your body, you want to make sure you’re using a cleanser that addresses your skin type needs. A young lady with dry skin should use a product that is emollient and moisturizing, a woman with oily skin should use a cleanser that strips the oil away without drying her skin out too much. If your skin is on either side of the spectrum, you want a product that will help to achieve balance. I have blemish-prone combination skin so I use a salicylic acid cleanser in the mornings and a creamy cleanser at night.

Exfoliation is another priority and one of my favorite tasks to do. It’s only necessary to exfoliate one to a few times a week depending on your needs. I love to exfoliate in the shower, once my skin is all soft and steamed up from the water. I use St. Ives Apricot Scrub on my face and body, and rub lightly in circles. I also love the amazing but pricey, Kiehl’s epidermal re-texturizing micro-dermabrasion scrub for my face.  I usually exfoliate first before shaving or cleansing, I like to pretend I’m scrubbing off the day’s dirt and grime. Scrubs come in all forms and types, from crushed walnut shells, to sea salt, to pin sized plastic beads.  You can pick and choose based on your comfort level. I like my scrubs to be rough and tough, but some gentler formulas I’ve enjoyed are Biore’s Pore Unclogging Scrub and Clinique’s 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula.

Sunscreen is last but surely not the least. I’ll be honest and admit I often skip this important step, unless it’s July, but the reality is sunscreen is important all year-round!  Let’s face it, the sun is probably the first thing to greet you every morning.  If you’re an avid sunscreen user, high five, keep up the good work. If you skip sunscreen, then here are some tips. Buy products with sunscreen in them so you won’t forget to put it on.  I usually forget to put sunscreen on my body, but because some of my beauty products have SPF 15, my face and hands are always covered. One last thing to know is that you want to make sure your sunscreen is photostable, which means that its components won’t break down after being in direct sunlight for awhile.  As far as recommendations go, ladies seem to love Shiseido’s Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion for Face/Body SPF 55.
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This article was contributed by Michelle Reyes.  She lives in New York City and is a features writer for The Conscious Snob. In her free time, Michelle enjoys frequenting beauty shops, catching up with friends, and stealing a bit of the ever elusive nap.

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